CityCity ofof St.St. CharlesCharles TRANSIT CIRCULATOR PLAN Land Vision, Inc. TranSystems Corporation DLK Civic Design, Inc. | June 2010 Land Vision, Inc. | TranSystems Corporation | DLK Civic Design, Inc. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to everyone who participated in the planning PUBLIC TRANSPOrtatiON AGENCIES: process for the City of St. Charles Transit Circulator Plan. The success of this planning effort was made possible only Representatives of the Regional Transportation Authority through the concerted and sustained efforts, input, and of Northeastern Illinois (RTA), Pace, and Metra. insights of the residents, business and property owners, and representatives of the City of St. Charles, Regional To establish with the local residents, Transportation Authority, Pace, and Metra. merchants, and stakeholders their desired TransitT Improvement Plan vision, values, and ideas for corridor transit, ST. CHARLES CITY COUNCIL: GOAL and transportation improvements along Route 20/Lake Steeet. Donald P. DeWitte, Mayor Nancy Garrison, City Clerk PlaNNING CONSUltaNT TEAM: PLANNING VILLAGE OF ADDISON Warren J. Drewes, City Treasurer RTA Daniel P. Stellato, Alderman Land Vision, Inc. WORKSHOP Jon Monken, Alderman 116 W. Main Street, Suite 208 Betsy Penny, Alderman St. Charles, Illinois 60174 IMAGE SURVEY Clifford X. Carrignan, Alderman 630.584.0591 SPONSORS John McGuirk, Alderman www.landvision.com April 2, 2009 Village of Addison William Turner, Alderman 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM LUNCH 630.693.7501 James E. Martin, Alderman With assistance provided by: Location PROVIDED! RSVP: Jo Krieger, Alderman E-mail: [email protected] Ed Bessner, Alderman Transystems Corporation Village of Addison Room 1301 222 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2320 Phone: 630.693.7501 David W. Richards, Alderman CONTACT Chicago, Illinois 60606 312.669.5839 TRANSIT CircUlatOR STEERING COMMITTEE: www.transystems.com Mark Koenen, City of St. Charles DLK Civic Design, Inc. Brian Townsend, City of St. Charles 410 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 400 Russell Colby, City of St. Charles Chicago, Illinois 60605 Michael Mertes, City of St. Charles 312.322.0911 Mark Snider, City of St. Charles www.dlkinc.com Bob Rasmussen, First Street Development Dave Patzelt, St. Charles Towne Center Development Jay Ciavarella, Regional Transportation Authority Patty Mangano, Regional Transportation Authority Charlotte O’Donnell, Pace Christine Rose, Pace Catherine Kannenberg, Metra David Kralik, Metra Jonathan Tremper, Metra This document summarizes the work conducted for the City of St. Charles Circulator Feasibility Study. The document was Demetri Skoufis, Metra prepared under contract with the Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois and was financed in part through a grant from the Regional Transportation Authority. The contents of the document do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Regional Transportation Authority. City of St. Charles | Transit Circulator Plan Land Vision, Inc. | TranSystems Corporation | DLK Civic Design, Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Circulator STUDY AREA & ACTIVITY NODES .................................................................................................................. 3 PAST PLANNING & EXisting CONDITIONS .......................................................................................................................... 11 TRANSIT CIRCULATOR ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................................................................. 36 COMMUNICATION & MARKETING OPTIONS ........................................................................................................................ 41 IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITIES ................................................................................................................................................. 47 City of St. Charles | Transit Circulator Plan Land Vision, Inc. | TranSystems Corporation | DLK Civic Design, Inc. Introduction PURPOSE & SCOPE: PROCESS & ParticipaNts: GOAL & OBJECTIVES: The City of St. Charles is a vibrant and mature Representatives from the City of St. Charles, RTA, Pace, The goal of the St. Charles Transit Circulator study is to community of over 32,000 residents. Multi-national Metra, local developers, institutions, and community identify and develop a transit circulator plan to encourage, businesses, innovative schools, multi-modal (vehicular stakeholders were invited to participate in the promote, and complement public transportation and & pedestrian) transportation systems, beautiful and well development of the Transit Circulator Plan. Through mobility options within the community for residents, maintained parks, and unique architecture have earned on-going steering committee interaction, one-on-one employees, patrons, and visitors. Under this goal the the community its reputation as the Pride of the Fox! interviews, and a series of stakeholder meetings and plan seeks to achieve a series of guiding objectives which These characteristics, along with the effective provision planning workshops, the City and consultant team include: of municipal services, amenities, and incentives have worked to engage, identify, and ensure that all issues, all contributed to St. Charles’ success in attracting and concerns, and desires were clearly defined and priorities • enhanced accessibility, efficiency, and safety of retaining residents, visitors, businesses, and industry. recognized by all Transit Circulator Plan beneficiaries. transit throughout the study area; • identification of transit service alternatives that allow Anticipating the growing transit/transportation needs of The Transit Circulator planning process has involved: for expansion and phasing of the transit system over St. Charles’ population and to successfully integrate the time; development activity/opportunities within the First Street • identification and evaluation of activity nodes that and Towne Center redevelopment areas and Geneva exist within the study area and may benefit from • reducing operating costs while maintaining Metra commuter rail station, City officials have identified enhanced transit accessibility; affordability for transit riders; and the need to enhance and coordinate their transit options • delineation of the characteristics that contribute to • establishing communication, marketing and via evaluation of a community transit circulator. successful transit circulators via interview of case implementation options to ensure success of transit study systems/communities; system. The St. Charles Transit Circulator Plan is derived from sustained public participation throughout the planning • evaluation of existing travel and mobility patterns process. It is focused on assessing the travel patterns and within the area through a combination of available These objectives serve as the guiding principles under mobility needs of community residents, employees, and data and distribution of a target transit circulator which the St. Charles Transit Circulator Plan is established patrons to develop detailed transit service alternatives survey; and shall be routinely reevaluated to ensure successful that may be implemented incrementally over time and implementation of its alternatives. • meetings with key community businesses, expanded upon based on overall success of the service institutions, land owners, and agency stakeholders to and future community demand. assess their needs, desires, and support of alternative transit services within the community; Since initiation of the St. Charles Transit Circulator Study in June 2009, several of the anticipated development • meetings with City and steering committee projects which contributed to the undertaking of representatives to review the plan’s findings, test this project have changed. For example, the pace of circulator service alternatives, communication and development within the First Street project has decreased marketing options, and implementation priorities; and development of the St. Charles Towne Centre and project has been put on hold. While these changes are • presentation of the Transit Circulator Plan for public unfortunate they are not unusual for long term initiatives review, input, and approval. such as the St. Charles Transit Circulator Plan. As a result of the City’s confidence in the ultimate development of these particular sites in a format consistent with the underlying principals of the Transit Circulator Plan, it is their opinion that these changes do not negate the underlying rational, need, and/or benefits that may be provided by development of a phased transit circulator system within St. Charles. City of St. Charles | Transit Circulator Plan | 1 Land Vision, Inc. | TranSystems Corporation | DLK Civic Design, Inc. LEGEND N W E S 0’ 1,500’ 3,000’ TRANSIT circUlatOR STUDY AREA 2 | City of St. Charles | Transit Circulator Plan Land Vision, Inc. | TranSystems Corporation | DLK Civic Design, Inc. As a result of the dispersion of activity nodes identified A secondary study district also exists which extends to The primary and secondary activity nodes included for Circulator StudY Area during the kick-off meeting, the transit circulator study the east and slightly to the west to include other activity their potential link along and/or between the diversity area was divided into primary