January 29, 2010 Contract No. 09-049 An Evaluation of the Metrobus Priority Corridor Networks Draft Final Report Submitted to Metropolitan Washington Council of 777 North Capitol Street, N.E Governments Suite 300 Washington, District of Columbia 20002 Washington Metropolitan Area 600 5th Street, NW Transit Authority Washington, DC 20001 Submitted by In Association With: Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Shapiro Transportation Consulting, LLC 8300 Boone Boulevard, Suite 700 Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning Vienna, VA 22182 Gallop Corporation Contents Overview of Priority Corridor Network (PCN) Concept ...................................................... 1 PCN Concept ............................................................................................................................ 1 Current PCN Status ................................................................................................................. 1 PCN Evaluation Project .......................................................................................................... 4 PCN Evaluation Overall Findings ......................................................................................... 5 Overall Results of PCN Alternatives .................................................................................... 5 Results of Key Measures of Effectiveness in PCN Corridors ............................................ 7 PCN Impact on Regional Transit Ridership ...................................................................... 14 PCN Relationship with Larger Regional Priority Bus Network ..................................... 15 Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 17 A : Detailed PCN Analysis Methodology and Results .................................................... 18 PCN Evaluation Project Introduction ................................................................................. 18 Assumptions ........................................................................................................................... 18 Corridors Analyzed and Modeled ...................................................................................... 20 Impact of Existing and Modeled Projects on PCN Evaluation ....................................... 37 Alternatives Development ................................................................................................... 38 Corridor Segmentation and Cut-Lines ............................................................................... 39 Exclusive Lane Full-Build Scenario Tool ............................................................................ 39 Defined Alternatives ............................................................................................................. 43 CORRIDOR ................................................................................................................................ 47 Goals, Objectives and Measures of Effectiveness .............................................................. 48 Results of Alternatives .......................................................................................................... 50 Overall Review of Objectives for PCN System .................................................................. 51 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 61 References ............................................................................................................................... 62 B : PCN Travel Demand Forecasting Methodology ........................................................ 63 C : Travel Time Savings attributable to PCN Attributes ................................................. 79 Existing Research Basis ......................................................................................................... 79 PCN Final Draft Report Effect of Exclusive Use of Roadway Space ........................................................................ 82 Use of Transit Signal Preemption to Reduce Bus Delays at Traffic Signals .................. 83 Use of Off-Board Fare Collection to Reduce Boarding Times ......................................... 84 Spacing of Bus Stops or Stations .......................................................................................... 85 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 86 D : PCN Accounting for Non-travel Time Related Factors ............................................. 89 E : Research from Existing Studies for PCN Corridors ................................................... 93 Metrobus 16th Street Line Study .......................................................................................... 93 Metrobus 30s Line Study ...................................................................................................... 96 MetroExtra Service Plan and District of Columbia Rapid Bus Study .......................... 100 Bethesda-College Park Corridor Study ............................................................................ 103 Leesburg Pike Updated Technical Memorandum Review ............................................ 108 F : PCN Corridor Segmentation ....................................................................................... 113 Background and Purpose of Segmentation ..................................................................... 113 Segmentation Methodology ............................................................................................... 113 Segmentation Results .......................................................................................................... 115 Segment Characteristics ...................................................................................................... 116 Segment Maps ...................................................................................................................... 157 G : Exclusive Lane Improvements Alternative Level of Investment Methodology .. 181 Levels of Investment Recommended ................................................................................ 182 PCN Final Draft Report Figures Figure A-1: 2008 CLRP Transit and HOV Improvements .................................................. 19 Figure A-2: Process for Developing Alternatives ................................................................. 38 Figure A-3 Daily Transit Ridership for Full-Build Exclusive Lane Scenario Tool .......... 42 Figure A-4 Transit Riders by Mode for Full-Build Exclusive Lane Scenario .................... 43 Figure A-5 PCN Treatments for Exclusive Lanes Investment Alternative ...................... 45 Figure A-6 Exclusive Lanes and Spot Improvements for Exclusive Lane Improvements Alternative .................................................................................................................................. 46 Figure A-7 Mode Split for Daily Transit Riders for Alternatives ...................................... 54 Figure A-8 Percent of PCN Transit to Auto Trip Time ........................................................ 57 Figure A-9 PCN Corridor Auto Travel Time Changes for Alternatives (AM Peak) ...... 59 Figure B-1: Analysis Approach ............................................................................................... 64 Figure B-2 Estimating Existing Ridership .............................................................................. 66 Figure B-3 Cutline Map ............................................................................................................ 67 Figure B-4 Validation Process .................................................................................................. 69 Figure B-5 Process to Estimate 2030 Baseline Ridership ...................................................... 74 Figure B-6 Process to Forecast 2030 Ridership with PCN Treatments .............................. 76 Figure C-1: Components of bus running time (New York MTA) ...................................... 81 Figure C-2: Components of Bus Travel Time, Fairfax County VA.................................... 81 Figure C-3: Percent Reduction in Travel Time vs. Stop Spacing ........................................ 86 Figure F-1: Map of PCN Corridor #1-- Columbia Pike (Mainline) .................................. 157 Figure F-2: Map of PCN Corridor #1-- Columbia Pike (section to downtown Washington) ............................................................................................................................. 158 Figure F-3: Map of PCN Corridor #2 – Richmond Highway Express ............................. 159 Figure F-4: Map of PCN Corridor #3 – Georgia Avenue / 7th Street (D.C.) ................... 160 Figure F-5: Map of PCN Corridor #4 – Crystal City / Potomac Yard ............................. 161 Figure F-6: Map of PCN Corridor #6 – Wisconsin Avenue / Pennsylvania Avenue ... 162 Figure F-7: Map of PCN Corridor #7 – University Boulevard / East-West Highway .. 163 Figure F-8: Map of PCN Corridor #8 – Sixteenth Street (D.C.) ......................................... 164 Figure F-9: Map of PCN Corridor #9 – Leesburg Pike ....................................................... 165 PCN Final Draft Report Figure F-10: Map of PCN Corridor #10 – Veirs Mill Road ................................................ 166 Figure F-11: