UPDATED JUNE 3, 2016 Nashua Transit System Comprehensive Plan 2016-2025 This page intentionally left blank 1 Table of Contents Introduction..............................................................................6 NTS Goals and Implementation....................................54 Technology………………………………………………………...58 Existing NTS Service....................................................................9 Safety………………………………………………………………….58 Finance………………………………………………………………..59 Fixed Routes…………………………………………………………………...10 Marketing and Outreach………………………………….…60 Special and Seasonal Routes…………………………………………..11 Infrastructure……………………………………………………....61 Interconnections…………………………………………………………….. 13 Service Expansion……………………………………………....62 Ridership Trends………………………………………………………………14 Prioritization of Service Expansion…………………….63 Technology Considerations……………………………………………..15 City Lift Paratransit…………………..………………………………………16 Expanded Service: A Closer Look..................................64 Souhegan Valley Transportation Collaborative……………...17 Service Expansion Within the City of Nashua……69 Analysis of Potential Regional Ridership……………70 Why Transit Matters................................................................20 Funding Scenarios………………….……………………………78 Service Expansion Within the Region……………...…79 Public Outreach: Current and Potential Riders……………….22 Service Expansion Beyond the Region…………….…84 Ridership Demographics………………………………………………….35 Local Match……….……………………………………….…………86 Town Centers……………………………………………………………...…...49 Forecasted Population & Commercial Development….….51 The Road Ahead.................................................................89 2 This page intentionally left blank 3 Introduction This page intentionally left blank 5 Introduction route service beyond the City limits and outside factors that influence transit use within the region, background the region, however these goals have yet to be considering both present-day data and robust In 2003 the Nashua Regional Planning realized. Over the last decade transportation in future projections. NTS staff provided expertise Commission developed a regional Transit Plan in the Nashua Region has become increasingly on factors influencing transit utilization. cooperation with the City of Nashua. The 2003 unimpeded by jurisdictional boundaries. More NTS Goals Considering the mission of NTS, this Plan identified several goals for service than 68 percent of residents of the region outline contains broad areas of priority action and improvements including: commute to work in a community outside of their own (American Community Survey, 2008-2012). specific implementation items organized by short, Decreased headways on City of Nashua Even in Nashua, the state’s second largest medium, and long-term timelines. routes. employment center, 54 percent of city residents Expanded Service: A Closer Look This section Extend service hours on City of Nashua routes. commute to other communities. contains GIS and financial analysis of potential Establish a Daniel Webster Highway Circulator Approach expansion of transit throughout the greater in southern Nashua’s retail area. Nashua region which considered maximum overlap between where potential bus riders live This NTS Comprehensive Plan evaluates the Provide limited fixed route service to Daniel (trip origins) and where they want to go (trip condition and effectiveness of existing transit Webster College and Nashua North High destinations). It uses existing bus stop utilization services and facilities and prioritizes future service School. data to predict where expanded service might be expansions and the corresponding capital Provide demand response service between most popular within the region. Lastly, it requirements over the next decade. Nashua and Milford, Amherst, Brookline, examines a potential methodology to estimate Hollis, and Wilton. Existing NTS Services To set the stage for future share of local match required for new routes planning, this section describes the breadth and based upon ridership prediction factors. Many of these goals for service within the City of depth of current NTS service, including fix routes, Nashua have been implemented in some form. In “After 7” night service, the Gate City Trolley, The Road Ahead The mission of the Nashua recent years, the Nashua Transit System (NTS) seasonal and specialty service, as well as the Transit System is to provide a level of public has made significant strides to upgrade current NTS facilities, technology, and ridership transportation that allows for a convenient, equipment and improve service. Also, significant patterns. affordable, reliable and environmental friendly steps towards establishing the demand response method of transportation servicing the needs of Why Transit Matters This chapter captures the service outside the region have been achieved citizens through a dedicated, professional, and results of a comprehensive public outreach through the partnership with the Souhegan Valley customer focused workforce. Transportation Collaborative. campaign in order to capture the perspectives of current and future NTS riders. It also examines the This plan will be used to guide the Nashua Transit The 2003 plan also identified the need for fixed system for the next ten years. particular demographic trends and environmental 6 This page intentionally left blank 7 EXISTING SERVICE This page intentionally left blank 9 Existing Service Fixed- Route Service plans are underway to replace the current buses cles of short-term expansions and cut-backs that with CNG vehicles as they age and are phased out can impact many public transit providers. NTS currently operates ten permanent fixed of service. transit routes which run weekdays between the NTS Facilities hours of 6:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. Service with Ridership Data Tracking The Nashua Transit Center is the only NTS- more limited hours is available on Saturdays and NTS utilizes RouteMatch software to input and operated indoor facility for passenger use in the the system does not operate on Sundays. All track ridership data in real time through the use of system. Some high traffic NTS stops include routes offer one hour service frequencies, with tablet devices operated by drivers. NTS upgraded transit shelters at certain points on the Route the exception of Routes 6 and 2, serving the the system through the use of federal stimulus 101A and Spit Brook Road corridors. Most NTS Route 101A and Daniel Webster Highway corri- funds in 2013. Through continual improvements stops are identified via NTS signage. Outdoor illu- dors, which offer ½ hour service frequencies due and adjustments in NTS routes and schedules, the mination and lighting is dependent on the area of to heavy demand on the busy and largely com- system now largely provides service to all major the city the stop is located in. Several stops in- mercial corridors via their Routes 2A and 6A ser- areas of the city with stops located within ¼ mile clude minimal outdoor lighting, which can chal- vices. All routes offer connections to the Nashua of more than 88 percent of residential addresses lenge drivers to identify waiting passengers, par- Transit Center. in the city (NRPC GIS analysis). ticularly in winter conditions. NTS encourages rid- NTS operates a fleet of 9 low-floor buses, 3 trol- ers to wave or display their mobile phones to at- Ridership aboard NTS routes has risen significant- leys, and 9 vans, all of which are 100% ADA ac- tract the attention of drivers. The system has ly and steadily since the start of the new millenni- cessible. All NTS vehicles are equipped with front identified the lack of bus stop signage on Main um, increasing by approximately 100 percent be- side exterior bike racks allowing bicycle riders to Street in Downtown Nashua (bus stops signs were tween 2000 and 2015. This is particularly notable utilize the service with minimal disruption. In re- removed as part of the Main Street sidewalk over- as gasoline costs have been highly volatile over cent years, the City of Nashua has made efforts to haul project) as an issue potentially impeding rid- that period, and in many regions, transit demand retrofit its fleet of city vehicles powered by Com- ership. is highly correlated to gasoline costs, with rid- pressed Natural Gas (CNG). The city operates a ership spikes observed during periods of high The Nashua Transit System is served by a transit 600-gallon CNG fueling facility at its NTS Opera- costs and lows during significant declines (Iseki maintenance and operations center located in the tions/Department of Public Works facility on Riv- and Ali, 2014). Most recently, gas costs have de- Exit 5 area of the city along Riverside Drive. The erside Drive. The facility was expanded in 2014 clined significantly, however NTS ridership levels Transit Center is centrally located on Elm Street from 300 gallons, and is currently one of the appear to be remaining fairly constant. This con- in Downtown Nashua (adjacent to the Elm Street largest such facilities operational in New England. sistency in ridership growth helps NTS make in- City Parking Garage) and serves as the hub for NTS currently operates one CNG-fueled bus and formed long-term investments and avoid the cy- transit routes and bus transfers. 10 Day Routes After 7 Routes Data Source: NRPC GIS 11 Seasonal Service After 7 Service coupon at participating restaurants and shops. areas of South Nashua surrounding Spit Brook The trolley runs from 6:15pm - 10:30pm on Fri- Road and the Daniel Webster