PARE PROJECT NO. 04196.00 WASHINGTON COUNTY TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLANNING STRATEGY SEPTEMBER 2005 Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy September 2005 Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program One Capital Hill Providence, Rhode Island 02908 Washington County Regional Planning Council P.O. Box 28 Saunderstown, Rhode Island 02874 Town of North Kingstown 80 Boston Neck Road North Kingstown, Rhode Island 02852-5702 Prepared by: Pare Engineering Corp. 8 Blackstone Valley Place Lincoln, RI 02865 This project was supported by the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program with funding provided by the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy Table of Contents Page Number EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 Section 1 ASSESSMENT OF COMMUTER RAIL EXTENSION ADVANTAGES 8 Introduction 8 Pilgrim Partnership Agreement 8 Wickford Junction Station 10 Demand 10 SCCRS Schedule 12 Ridership Projections 14 Supporting State and Local Plans 15 Previous Studies 17 Rhode Island Rail Corridor Feasibility Study 17 Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report Northeast Corridor Improvement Project Electrification 18 South County Commuter Rail Environmental Assessment 18 Section 2 ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH POTENTIAL 21 Introduction 21 Population 21 Exeter 24 North Kingstown 24 Land Use 24 Exeter 25 North Kingstown 25 Housing 25 Exeter 26 North Kingstown 27 Build-out Analysis 27 Exeter 28 North Kingstown 32 Similar Commuter Rail Projects 36 MBTA New Bedford – Fall River Commuter Rail Extension 36 MBTA Commuter Rail Extension Ashland – Southborough – Westborough – Grafton 37 Rail Impacts on Housing Values 38 Public Workshop – March 3, 2005 39 Expert Panel 39 Public Comment 43 Conclusions 44 Exeter 44 North Kingstown 45 Pare Engineering Corporation -i- Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy Table of Contents Page Number 2010 Population Projections with Commuter Rail 45 Conclusions 48 Section 3 TRANSIT-ORIENTED AND TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DEVELOPMENT 49 Introduction 49 Transit-Oriented Development 49 Transit-Oriented Development Benefits 49 Transit-Oriented Development Key Features 50 Transit Supportive Development Tool Kit 54 Transportation Alternatives 55 Work With State Agencies to Improve Transit Service 55 Transportation Demand Management Strategies 56 Community Tools to Support Transit 57 Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Potential 59 Wickford Junction 59 Westerly Station 76 Additional Washington County Station Locations 80 Smart Growth Planning Recommendations 82 TOD Zoning Example 87 Section 4 SMART GROWTH TECHNIQUES 89 Introduction 89 Existing Growth Management Strategies in Washington County 89 Exeter 90 North Kingstown 91 Narragansett 92 South Kingstown 92 Charlestown 93 Richmond 93 Hopkinton 93 Westerly 93 New Shoreham 94 Smart Growth Techniques 94 Land Development Amendments 95 Phased Growth Programs 103 Natural Resource Protection 104 Regional Planning Collaboration 107 Sources 109 Pare Engineering Corporation -ii- Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy Table of Contents Page Number Appendices Appendix A: North Kingstown – Build-Out Analysis 112 Appendix B: Westborough, Massachusetts - Transit Oriented Village Zoning 118 Pare Engineering Corporation -iii- Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy Table of Contents Page Number List of Figures Figure 1-1 Rhode Island South County Commuter Rail Service 9 Figure 2-1 10 Minute Drive Radius 22 Figure 2-2 Growth Areas & Constraints (Exeter) 29 Figure 2-3 Sub-Area 3A, Exeter 30 Figure 2-4 Sub-Area 2A, Exeter 31 Figure 2-5 Sub-Area 2B, Exeter 31 Figure 2-6 Sub-Area 4A, Exeter 31 Figure 2-7 Growth Areas & Constraints (North Kingstown) 33 Figure 2-8 Plat 65, North Kingstown 34 Figure 2-9 Plat 11, North Kingstown 34 Figure 2-10 Plat 110, North Kingstown 35 Figure 2-11 Plat 53, North Kingstown 35 Figure 2-12 Plat 129 North Kingstown 35 Figure 2-13 Plat 106, North Kingstown 35 Figure 3-1 Washington County Potential TOD Sites 60 Figure 3-2 Wickford Junction Zoning 65 Figure 3-3 Transit Supportive Design Recommendations 74 Figure 3-4 Westerly Station ¼ mile Radius 77 List of Tables Table 1-1 Washington County Demographics 11 Table 1-2 Washington County Commuting Patterns 11 Table 1-3 Mode of Transportation: Washington County 1990-2000 12 Table 1-4 Proposed South County Commuter Rail Schedule 13 Table 1-5 Providence Station Passenger Survey: Passenger Origin South of Metropolitan Providence 15 Table 1-6 Bi-Directional Ridership 15 Pare Engineering Corporation -iv- Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy Table of Contents Page Number Table 2-1 Washington County Population and Density Changes 1990 – 2000 23 Table 2-2 Washington County Population Projections 2010 – 2030 23 Table 2-3 Washington County Housing and Income Changes 1990 – 2000 25 Table 2-4 Exeter Housing Stock Distribution 1990 – 2000 26 Table 2-5 North Kingstown Housing Stock Distribution 1990 – 2000 27 Table 2-6 Exeter Build-Out Analysis, Sub Areas within 10-minute Drive of Wickford Junction Station 30 Table 2-7 North Kingstown Build-Out Analysis, Sub-Areas Within 10-minute Drive of Wickford Junction Station 34 Table 2-8 2000 Population, and 2010 Projected Population Ranges, Exeter and North Kingstown 47 Table 3-1 Density of Use and Transportation Compatibility 51 Table 3-2 Washington County Suitability for Transit-Oriented Development 61 Table 3-3 Smart Growth Implementation 83 Pare Engineering Corporation -v- Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy Pare Engineering Corporation -1- Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy Executive Summary Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy presents recommendations to assist Washington County, Rhode Island communities in proactively planning for growth and development which may accompany the planned expansion of commuter rail service into the region. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has advanced studies, permitting, and design initiatives toward extending Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail service south from Providence, initially to Wickford Junction in North Kingstown as part of the South County1 Commuter Rail project. Future extension of the commuter rail service southward to Westerly is under consideration. To assist the region and its communities in preparing for growth that could accompany commuter rail service introduction, the R.I. Statewide Planning Program (RISPP), the single Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Rhode Island, entered into a Cooperative Agreement with the Town of North Kingstown on behalf of the Washington County Regional Planning Council to undertake a study of the potential for transit-oriented development at Wickford Junction and other potential stations in the region. The Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy was conducted by Pare Engineering Corporation under contact to the Town of North Kingstown, RI. The study was supported by the R.I. Statewide Planning Program with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy provides an overview of proposed commuter rail service, assesses development potential within a critical ten-minute drive time of Wickford Junction Station, addresses transit-oriented and transit supportive development and considers its suitability for Washington County villages adjacent to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, and presents management strategies that can promote smart growth concepts. The following present highlights of the four sections in this planning study. Section 1: Assessment of Commuter Rail Advantages In 1988, RIDOT and the MBTA reinstituted rail service between Providence and Boston through the Pilgrim Partnership Agreement. Subsequent extensions of this agreement will assure MBTA commuter rail service to Rhode Island through 2009. RIDOT has projected that MBTA service from Providence to Warwick and Wickford Junction will be in operation in 2008. The proposed schedule includes weekday service with eight inbound trains to Providence (four to Boston) and six outbound from Boston and Providence. Weekend service is not projected initially. MBTA service is Boston-centric, meaning that schedules meet peak hour commuter 1 Washington County is also popularly known as “South County” in Rhode Island vernacular. Pare Engineering Corporation -1- Washington County Transit-Oriented Development Planning Strategy requirements in Boston. Service to Providence may fall outside of the typical peak hour commute. Wickford Junction is not proposed as a peak hour destination (“reverse commute”). RIDOT estimates that Wickford Junction Station will serve approximately 58 percent of total projected Rhode Island commuter rail ridership. National commuting patterns have changed over past decades. Although the average household size has declined, both the number of vehicles per household and the number of people driving to work separately has increased. County residents now routinely commute to Providence, metropolitan Boston and southeastern Connecticut, resulting in increased traffic volumes on South County highways. The State of Rhode Island has proceeded with the South County Commuter Rail project to provide an attractive multimodal alternative to the private passenger vehicle, including the single occupant