Comprehensive Operations Analysis Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum January 2021 Presented to Duluth Transit Authority Prepared by Connetics Transportation Group Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Summary of Key Findings ............................................................................................................................... 2 3.0 Twin Ports Regional Review ............................................................................................................................ 5 3.1 Relevant Study Review .................................................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Demographic Analysis...................................................................................................................................... 8 3.2.1 Population and Household Densities ...................................................................................................... 9 3.2.2 Job Distribution and Density .................................................................................................................. 19 3.2.3 Transit Propensity Index ......................................................................................................................... 22 3.2.4 Latent Demand ....................................................................................................................................... 24 3.3 Airsage Travel Patterns .................................................................................................................................. 26 3.3.1 Study Area District Analysis .................................................................................................................... 26 4.0 Service Overview and Performance Assessment ........................................................................................ 32 4.1 Peer Analysis .................................................................................................................................................. 32 4.1.1 Key Peer and National Trend Analysis Findings .................................................................................... 33 4.2 Service Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 34 4.3 System Performance Assessment ................................................................................................................ 35 4.3.1 System Frequency .................................................................................................................................. 35 4.3.2 Ridership Hotspots ................................................................................................................................. 39 4.3.3 System On-time Performance Analysis .................................................................................................. 42 4.3.4 System Performance Metrics ................................................................................................................. 44 4.4 Route Performance Assessment ................................................................................................................... 46 4.4.1 Route Profiles .......................................................................................................................................... 46 4.4.2 Route Performance Index (RPI) .............................................................................................................. 46 4.5 Low Ridership Areas ...................................................................................................................................... 51 5.0 Activity Center Review .................................................................................................................................. 53 5.1 Key Activity Centers ........................................................................................................................................ 53 5.2 Travel Time and Access Analysis ................................................................................................................... 54 5.2.1 Activity Center to Activity Center Travel ................................................................................................. 56 5.2.2 Activity Center Typical Access and Travel Time ..................................................................................... 58 Appendix A: Airsage All Purpose Trip Volumes.................................................................................................... 67 Appendix B: Peer Analysis Tables and Charts .................................................................................................... 71 Appendix C: DTA Performance Analysis ............................................................................................................. 73 Appendix D: Route Profiles ................................................................................................................................. 75 Appendix E: Low Ridership Area Maps ............................................................................................................. 144 Appendix F: Activity Center Travel Time and Access Tables and Figures .......................................................... 149 Appendix G: Supplemental Maps ..................................................................................................................... 157 Tables Table 1: Population and Household Characteristics ................................................................................................. 9 Table 2: Transit Access to Top Job Industries .......................................................................................................... 19 Table 3: TPI Scoring Components ............................................................................................................................. 22 Table 4: 2019 Top 10 District to District Travel Patterns ....................................................................................... 29 Table 5: 2020 Top 10 District to District Travel Patterns ....................................................................................... 29 Table 6: Ridership Hotspot Activity by Day ............................................................................................................... 39 Table 7: System Operating and Performance Statistics .......................................................................................... 45 Table 8: Select System KPIs by Day ......................................................................................................................... 45 Table 9: Saturday RPI Rankings ............................................................................................................................... 49 Table 10: Sunday RPI Rankings ................................................................................................................................ 49 Table 11: Weekday-Select/Express RPI Rankings ................................................................................................... 49 Table 12: Weekday-Local RPI Rankings ................................................................................................................... 49 Table 13: Select Travel Points .................................................................................................................................. 55 Table 14: Weekday Activity Center to Activity Center Travel Times ........................................................................ 56 Table 15: Saturday Activity Center to Activity Center Travel Times ........................................................................ 56 Table 16: Sunday Activity Center to Activity Center Travel Times ........................................................................... 57 Table 17: Typical Access Demographic and Job Assessment Example ................................................................. 59 Figures Figure 1: Defined Study Area ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 2: Population Density ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 3: Household Density ..................................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 4: Student Population Density ....................................................................................................................... 13 Figure 5: Population Over the Age of 60 Density ..................................................................................................... 14 Figure 6: BIPOC Population Density.......................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 7: Persons with Disabilities Density .............................................................................................................. 16 Figure 8: Low-income Household Density 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