CENTRAL BROWARD TRANSIT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Evaluation of Scoping Options Report DRAFT April 2010 Financial Project ID Number: 4111892-22-02 Florida Department of Transportation District Four Evaluation of Scoping Options Report Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1 Project Development .............................................................................................................................. 2 Regional Planning Context ....................................................................................................................... 4 South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Strategic Regional Transit Plan ..... 4 South Florida East Coast Corridor Study ........................................................................................... 4 Broward MPO 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan ..................................................................... 4 Broward County Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element .................................................... 5 Broward County Transit Development Plan ...................................................................................... 5 I-595 Public-Private Partnership Project (PPP) Development .......................................................... 5 South Florida Regional Planning Council SR 7 Collaborative ......................................................... 5 The Downtown Development Authority’s Streetcar – the Wave .................................................... 5 Broward County Sunport PD&E Study .............................................................................................. 6 Description of Corridor/Study Area ................................................................................................... 6 Study Initiation ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................................. 8 Purpose & Need .................................................................................................................................... 10 Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 11 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................................. 13 Scoping Meetings ................................................................................................................................. 13 Focus Groups ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Focus Group Results ............................................................................................................................ 14 Technical Advisory Group .................................................................................................................. 14 Additional Outreach ............................................................................................................................ 16 Continuing Public Outreach ............................................................................................................... 17 Development and Definition of Alternatives ....................................................................................... 18 Alternatives Reviewed ......................................................................................................................... 18 Definition of Alternatives .................................................................................................................... 20 Analysis and Evaluation ......................................................................................................................... 26 Criteria Development .......................................................................................................................... 26 Performance Measure Analysis .......................................................................................................... 28 Technology Review.................................................................................................................................. 35 Technology Review Background ....................................................................................................... 36 Comparing BRT and LRT .................................................................................................................... 37 Technology Review Methodology ..................................................................................................... 37 Performance Measure Analysis .......................................................................................................... 40 Technology Determination ................................................................................................................. 42 Narrowing of Alternatives for Further Study .................................................................................. 43 Results of Input from the Public ........................................................................................................ 44 Final Refinement and Selection of a Build Alternative ................................................................... 45 Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................. 47 Evaluation of Scoping Options Report Exhibits Exhibit 1: Study Area and Locally Preferred Alternative ..................................................................... 7 Exhibit 2: Population Density Comparison ............................................................................................ 8 Exhibit 3: Population Density (persons per acre) .................................................................................. 9 Exhibit 4: Employment Density (jobs per acre) ..................................................................................... 9 Exhibit 5: Goals and Objectives .............................................................................................................. 12 Exhibit 6: TAG Members and Attendance to Date .............................................................................. 15 Exhibit 7: Initial Alignment Options Reviewed in Scoping ............................................................... 18 Exhibit 8: Initial Scoping Alignment Options ...................................................................................... 19 Exhibit 9: Scoping Option 1 .................................................................................................................... 20 Exhibit 10: Scoping Option 2 .................................................................................................................. 21 Exhibit 11: Scoping Option 3 .................................................................................................................. 21 Exhibit 12: Scoping Option 4 .................................................................................................................. 22 Exhibit 13: Scoping Option 5 .................................................................................................................. 22 Exhibit 14: Scoping Option 6 .................................................................................................................. 23 Exhibit 15: TAG Option 7 ........................................................................................................................ 24 Exhibit 16: TAG Option 8 ........................................................................................................................ 24 Exhibit 17: TAG Option 9 ........................................................................................................................ 25 Exhibit 18: Goals and Performance Measures ...................................................................................... 27 Exhibit 19: Performance Measure Weights Assigned by the TAG ................................................... 33 Exhibit 20: Alignment Option Technical Composite Scores and Ranking ....................................... 34 Exhibit 21: TAG Members discussing alignments before voting ...................................................... 34 Exhibit 22: TAG Vote Composite Scores and Ranking ....................................................................... 35 Exhibit 23: Transit Technology Characteristics .................................................................................... 38 Exhibit 24: Overall Vehicle Technical Preference ................................................................................ 39 Exhibit 25: Contextual Technical Analysis ........................................................................................... 41 Exhibit 26: Transit Technology TAG Voting Results .......................................................................... 42 Exhibit 27: TAG First and Second Choice Alternatives ...................................................................... 43 Exhibit 28: Public Input Voting Results for Alignment Options ......................................................