Prepared by City of DeSoto in association with: Strategic Public Transportation Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates Urban Analytics Planning Study McDonald Transit Associates, Inc. December 2011 Strategic Public Transportation Planning Study City of DeSoto, Texas Table of Contents Page Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... ES-1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................ES-1 Existing Conditions of Transportation...............................................................................................ES-1 Needs Assessment...........................................................................................................................ES-2 Potential Services to Meet Community Needs .................................................................................ES-2 Recommended Phasing of Public Transportation Measures .............................................................ES-3 Case Studies of Service Concepts Implemented in the Area .............................................................ES-3 Financing .........................................................................................................................................ES-4 Chapter 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................... 1 Background ..........................................................................................................................................1 Project Goals and Approach..................................................................................................................1 Chapter 2. Existing Conditions............................................................................................................ 2 Profile of DeSoto...................................................................................................................................2 Profile of the Best Southwest Cities ....................................................................................................15 Existing Transit Services......................................................................................................................24 Travel Demand Patterns .....................................................................................................................33 Summary of Previous Discussions about Transit..................................................................................37 Chapter 3. Ingredients of Successful Transportation Services ............................................................ 39 Matching Transportation to Trip Purpose............................................................................................39 The Connection to Land Use ...............................................................................................................39 The Transit Toolbox ............................................................................................................................42 Chapter 4. What Residents Say About Public Transportation............................................................. 44 Stakeholder Interviews .......................................................................................................................44 Travel Options Survey.........................................................................................................................44 Chapter 5. Potential Public Transportation Markets.......................................................................... 49 Regional Commuters (Work Trips) ......................................................................................................49 Local Commuters................................................................................................................................53 Local Non-Commute Trips...................................................................................................................55 Local Transport for Persons with Disabilities/Seniors ..........................................................................56 Youth Transportation..........................................................................................................................57 Page i • Dikita Enterprises, Inc. Strategic Public Transportation Planning Study City of DeSoto, Texas Airport Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 58 Chapter 6. Overall Assessment of Need and Recommendations ........................................................59 Recommended Services and Hypothetical Staging Plan ...................................................................... 62 Services Not Recommended for DeSoto ............................................................................................. 65 Chapter 7. Case Studies and Application in DeSoto ...........................................................................67 Chapter 8. Financing and Revenue Options.......................................................................................76 Federal Funding ................................................................................................................................. 76 State Funding..................................................................................................................................... 79 Local Funding ..................................................................................................................................... 79 Summary of Financing/Funding Options............................................................................................. 85 Appendix A: Stakeholder Interview Report........................................................................................ A Appendix B: Survey Sheet and Overview of Survey Validation.............................................................B Appendix C: Survey Data Analysis.......................................................................................................C Appendix D: Types of Transit Service.................................................................................................D Page ii • Dikita Enterprises, Inc. Strategic Public Transportation Planning Study City of DeSoto, Texas Table of Figures Page Figure 1 Population Growth since 1970 ...........................................................................................3 Figure 2 DeSoto Population Densities..............................................................................................4 Figure 3 Projected 2025 Congestion in DeSoto ................................................................................6 Figure 4 2009 Levels of Congestion..................................................................................................7 Figure 5 Congestion After Implementation of the Regional Transportation Plan..............................8 Figure 6 No Build Levels of Congestion ............................................................................................8 Figure 7 Air Quality Trend 2000-2010 ..............................................................................................9 Figure 8 Nearby DART stations ......................................................................................................10 Figure 9 Pleasant Run Design Concept...........................................................................................11 Figure 10 Area of Influence for the Hampton Road Corridor............................................................12 Figure 11 Proposed Dallas Area Rail Services ...................................................................................18 Figure 12 Corridor E-5 - Midlothian .................................................................................................19 Figure 13 Corridor E-6 – Waxahachie...............................................................................................21 Figure 14 Planned UNT Campus ......................................................................................................22 Figure 15 DART Rail System.............................................................................................................24 Figure 16 Travel Demand Zones ......................................................................................................33 Figure 17 2009 Travel Patterns Home-Based Work Trips .................................................................35 Figure 18 2025 Travel Patterns Home-Based Work Trips .................................................................36 Figure 19 Transit Supportive Population and Employment Densities ...............................................41 Figure 20 Residential Densities in the City of DeSoto.......................................................................42 Figure 21 Major Commute Destinations for DeSoto Residents.........................................................50 Figure 22 Service Alternatives Scoring Summary .............................................................................61 page iii • Dikita Enterprises, Inc. Strategic Public Transportation Planning Study City of DeSoto, Texas Table of Tables Page Table 1 Projected Population and Employment Growth in DeSoto................................................