REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN RTPfor the Pioneer Valley Metropolitan Planing Organization 2003 Update Pioneer valley Planning Commission 26 Central Street-Suite 34 West Springfield, MA 01089-2787 2003 Update to the Regional Transportation Plan Final Report – September, 2003 Prepared by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission For the Pioneer Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization Pioneer Valley MPO Members Name Title Daniel A. Grabauskas Secretary of the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction John Cogliano Commissioner of the Massachusetts Highway Department Henry Barton Chairman of the Pioneer Valley Executive Committee Stuart Beckley Chairman of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority Advisory Board Mayor Richard Kos Mayor of Chicopee Mayor Richard Sullivan Mayor of Westfield Brian Ashe Longmeadow Board of Selectmen Chris Morris Williamsburg Board of Selectmen Alternates Mayor Michael J. Albano Mayor of Springfield Mayor Edward Gibson Mayor of West Springfield Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Highway Department, the U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 2003 Update To The Pioneer Valley Regional Transportation Plan ............................................. 1 Chapter 2 Transportation Planning Process ................................................................................................3 A. Requirements ...................................................................................................................3 1. Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century(TEA-21) ................................................ 3 2. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.............................................................................. 5 3. Title VI/ Environmental Justice ......................................................................................5 B. Participants In The Transportation Planning Process .......................................................6 1. Member Communities ..................................................................................................6 2. The Pioneer Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) .................................... 7 3. Other State Agencies ....................................................................................................9 4. Federal Agencies ........................................................................................................10 5. Other Transportation Planning and Service Organizations .........................................11 C. Key Products ..................................................................................................................12 1. Regional Transportation Plan ......................................................................................12 2. Transportation Improvement Program ........................................................................12 3. Unified Planning Work Program ..................................................................................13 4. Certification with Title VI .............................................................................................13 Chapter 3 Regional Profile .........................................................................................................................15 A. Physical Characteristics .................................................................................................15 1. Roadway Network.......................................................................................................16 2. Transit Routes .............................................................................................................16 3. Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities ................................................................................16 4. Passenger Rail ............................................................................................................17 5. Intelligent Transportation Systems..............................................................................17 B. Population ......................................................................................................................18 1. Trends .........................................................................................................................18 2. Projections ..................................................................................................................21 3. Ethnic and Racial Diversity .........................................................................................21 4. Age ..............................................................................................................................21 C. Housing ..........................................................................................................................22 1. Household growth.......................................................................................................22 2. Size .............................................................................................................................24 D. Employment....................................................................................................................26 1. Type.............................................................................................................................26 2. Growth ........................................................................................................................28 3. Median Household Income .........................................................................................28 Chapter 4 The Seven Factors of TEA-21 ...................................................................................................31 I Chapter 5 Regional Vision and Goals ........................................................................................................35 A. Regional Goals ...............................................................................................................35 Chapter 6 Development of the Plan ...........................................................................................................37 A. Pioneer Valley Public Participation Process ...................................................................37 B. Pioneer Valley Congestion Management System........................................................... 38 C. Pioneer Valley Pavement Management System .............................................................38 D. Valley Vision – Pioneer Valley Regional Land Use Plan .................................................. 38 E. Pioneer Valley Regional Transportation Model ...............................................................38 F. Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Deployment Plan for the Metropolitan Springfield and Pioneer Valley Region............................................................................ 39 G. Access to Jobs Program for the Pioneer Valley .............................................................39 H. Pioneer Valley Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation PLan ........................... 39 Chapter 7 Existing Transportation Systems ...............................................................................................41 A. Highway ..........................................................................................................................41 1. Access ........................................................................................................................41 2. Functional Classification .............................................................................................42 3. Jurisdiction..................................................................................................................43 4. Bridges ........................................................................................................................44 5. Safety ..........................................................................................................................46 6. Vehicle Miles Traveled .................................................................................................47 7. Average Daily Traffic Counts .......................................................................................50 8. Vehicle Registration and Ownership ...........................................................................53 9. Travel Times ................................................................................................................57 10. Mode Split ...................................................................................................................57 B. Passenger Transportation...............................................................................................60 1. PVTA............................................................................................................................60 2. Private Carriers ...........................................................................................................64 3. Charter and Tour Service ............................................................................................66 4. Ridesharing .................................................................................................................66 5. Passenger Rail ...........................................................................................................