APRIL 2013 and CONCEPT PLAN APRIL 2013 and CONCEPT PLAN The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is The symbol in our logo is adapted from the dedicated to uniting the region’s elected officials, planning official DVRPC seal professionals, and the public with a common vision of and is designed as a making a great region even greater. Shaping the way we stylized image of the live, work, and play, DVRPC builds consensus on Delaware Valley. The outer ring symbolizes the region as improving transportation, promoting smart growth, a whole while the diagonal bar signifies the Delaware River. The two adjoining crescents represent the protecting the environment, and enhancing the economy. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of We serve a diverse region of nine counties: Bucks, New Jersey. Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and DVRPC is funded by a variety of funding sources including federal grants from the U.S. Department of Mercer in New Jersey. DVRPC is the federally designated Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Philadelphia Region — leading the way to a better future. the Pennsylvania and New Jersey departments of transportation, as well as by DVRPC’s state and local member governments. The authors, however, are solely responsible for the findings and conclusions herein, which may not represent the official views or policies of the funding agencies. DVRPC fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. DVRPC’s website (www.dvrpc.org) may be translated into multiple languages. Publications and other public documents can be made available in alternative languages and formats, if requested. For more information, please call (215) 238-2871. Table of Contents Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... i Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................ 5 History .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Location and Context ....................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2 Summary of Transit Services at Norristown Transportation Center ....................................................... 9 Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) ............................................................................................... 9 Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line ...................................................................................... 11 SEPTA Bus Service ....................................................................................................................... 12 Private Bus Service ........................................................................................................................ 17 Corporate Bus Shuttles .................................................................................................................. 18 Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 18 CHAPTER 3 NTC Passenger Movements and Modes of Access ............................................................................. 21 Station Access by Car .................................................................................................................... 23 Station Access by Transit .............................................................................................................. 36 Pedestrian and Bicycle Station Access.......................................................................................... 49 CHAPTER 4 Land Use and Community Context ...................................................................................................... 53 CHAPTER 5 Facility Needs and Workshop ............................................................................................................... 59 Design Workshop Summary .......................................................................................................... 59 CHAPTER 6 Concept Plan Details ............................................................................................................................ 63 Core Station Improvements ........................................................................................................... 63 Southside Access and Circulation ................................................................................................. 71 Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements ................................................................................... 73 Potential Development Opportunities ............................................................................................ 78 CHAPTER 7 Implementation and Recommendations ............................................................................................... 85 Figures and Tables Figure 1: Historic Reading Railroad Dekalb Street station ........................................................................... 5 Figure 2: NTC viewed from SEPTA garage roof ........................................................................................... 7 Figure 3: Norristown Transportation Center transit and roadway context map ............................................ 8 Figure 4: NHSL train at NTC ......................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 5: Inbound Regional Rail train ......................................................................................................... 11 Figure 6: SEPTA bus exiting bus loop ........................................................................................................ 12 Figure 7: SEPTA bus stopped in the bus loop at NTC ............................................................................... 15 Figure 8: Martz Trailways bus ..................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 9: Summary of SEPTA connections and service frequencies from NTC ........................................ 19 Figure 10: Parking locations and capacities at NTC ................................................................................... 23 Figure 11: Park-and-ride catchment area ................................................................................................... 24 Figure 12: SEPTA permit parking lot .......................................................................................................... 25 Figure 13: Whitehall parking lot prior to renovation .................................................................................... 28 Figure 14: Whitehall parking lot during renovation ..................................................................................... 28 Figure 15: All Station parking in Norristown (at Elm St. Station, Main St. Station, and NTC) .................... 30 Figure 16: NTC morning auto drop-off/pick-up summary ........................................................................... 31 Figure 17: Traffic directions and volumes near NTC (6am to 10am) .......................................................... 32 Figure 18: Crash summary for NTC station area (2006 to 2010) ............................................................... 33 Figure 19: Regional Rail station facilities at NTC........................................................................................ 36 Figure 20: Hourly weekday Regional Rail passenger volumes at NTC ...................................................... 37 Figure 21: Historical Regional Rail Ridership at Norristown Transportation Center (1978 to 2009) .......... 38 Figure 22: Interior of NHSL station building at NTC ................................................................................... 39 Figure 23: NHSL passenger areas at NTC ................................................................................................. 40 Figure 24: NHSL hourly weekday passenger volumes at NTC .................................................................. 41 Figure 25: SEPTA bus loop and passenger facilities at NTC ..................................................................... 42 Figure 26: Total weekday hourly SEPTA bus boards and alights at NTC .................................................. 43 Figure 27: Summary of Cruiseline East boardings at NTC ......................................................................... 46 Figure 28: Bieber Tourways bus bays ........................................................................................................ 47 Figure 29: Schuylkill River Trail at NTC ...................................................................................................... 49 Figure