Hartford Rail Alternatives Analysis Southeast Corridor Transit Study Opportunity Statement FINAL April 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose of Document ................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Background ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Corridor Givens ............................................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Key Questions for the Study to Answer ........................................................................................ 4 2 CORRIDOR VISION ............................................................................................................................. 6 3 TRANSIT MARKETS IN CORRIDOR .................................................................................................. 8 3.1 Who Will Use Transit in the Corridor and Why? ........................................................................... 8 3.2 Activity Centers in the Corridor ..................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Travel Patterns ............................................................................................................................ 10 3.3.1 Where and Why are People Traveling in the Corridor? ...................................................... 11 3.3.2 When Are People Traveling in the Corridor? ...................................................................... 21 3.3.3 Comparison to South Corridor ............................................................................................ 21 4 ROLES OF TRANSIT IN CORRIDOR ................................................................................................ 23 5 TRANSIT GOALS IN CORRIDOR...................................................................................................... 24 5.1 Overall Corridor Goals ................................................................................................................ 24 5.2 Bus Goals .................................................................................................................................... 24 5.3 Rail Goals .................................................................................................................................... 24 6 CORRIDOR CONDITIONS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES .............................................. 25 6.1 Overview of Existing Infrastructure ............................................................................................. 25 6.2 Physical Challenges and Constraints ......................................................................................... 30 6.3 Traffic Constraints and Challenges ............................................................................................. 35 6.3.1 Existing (2015) Traffic Conditions ....................................................................................... 35 6.3.2 Future (2040) Traffic Conditions ......................................................................................... 36 6.3.3 Safety Conditions ................................................................................................................ 39 6.3.4 Proposed Development ....................................................................................................... 40 6.3.5 Miscellaneous Considerations ............................................................................................ 41 6.4 Opportunities for Integration with Other Plans and Projects ....................................................... 47 7 ALIGNMENT DEFINITION ................................................................................................................. 52 7.1 Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 52 7.2 Alignment Options ....................................................................................................................... 54 7.2.1 Segment 1 (Uptown Charlotte) ............................................................................................ 55 7.2.2 Segment 2 (Elizabeth / Plaza Midwood) ............................................................................. 56 7.2.3 Segment 3 (Briar Creek to Idlewild) .................................................................................... 57 Southeast Corridor Transit Study i Opportunity Statement 7.2.4 Segment 4 (Idlewild to Sam Newell) ................................................................................... 58 7.2.5 Segment 5 (Matthews) ........................................................................................................ 59 7.3 Evaluation Process for Rail Project Definition ............................................................................. 60 Southeast Corridor Transit Study ii Opportunity Statement 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of Document All successful major transit investments must be able to respond to specific opportunities that have been identified in a corridor. Documenting the specific opportunities in a corridor provides a framework through which to ensure that the resulting transit alternatives, and ultimately the final preferred option, effectively address the actual needs. This document describes the concerns, issues, and opportunities in the Southeast Corridor that support the need for a major transit investment. Based on these attributes, goals for the bus and rail components are identified, an initial list of alternatives for evaluation is proposed, and evaluation criteria that will be used to assess the various options are described. 1.2 Project Background The Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) directed the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) to conduct an Alternatives Analysis (AA) for the Southeast Corridor (LYNX Silver Line), which is a heavily traveled corridor extending approximately 13.5 miles Figure 1: Southeast Corridor Study Area southeast from Center City Charlotte to the Mecklenburg / Union County border. Approximately 3.5 miles of the corridor near the county line is located within the Town of Matthews; the remainder of the corridor is located within the City of Charlotte. The primary purpose of the AA is to provide the necessary transportation and land use analysis and public outreach to facilitate the MTC’s selection of a rail-based technology and alignment for a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). A secondary purpose of the AA is to provide recommendations and an operating and capital plan for bus service within the proposed managed lanes on Independence Boulevard (US 74). The project study area, shown in Figure 1, includes Independence Boulevard and is bounded on either side generally by 7th Street/Monroe Road and portions of Central Avenue. A Class I single track main line railroad owned and operated by CSX Transportation also extends through the study area. Southeast Corridor Transit Study 1 Opportunity Statement The need for improvements along the Independence Boulevard corridor has been a top priority among local and state agencies, political leadership, and community advocates for decades. Yet progress to convert US 74 into a freeway has been slow and expensive, while the surrounding community has witnessed significant change along those portions of US 74 that have been converted to a freeway. The neighborhoods closest to Uptown Charlotte have turned their backs to the freeway (i.e. reoriented themselves away from the freeway) and have experienced notable reinvestment. However, disinvestment has occurred along the freeway section farther from Uptown Charlotte where the adjoining parcels remain oriented to US 74. Fixed guideway transit has been viewed as a major component of numerous plans to reinvigorate the corridor. However, previous studies failed to gain the necessary consensus to move forward with a viable project. Several previous studies recommended the implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, but additional consideration of Light Rail Transit (LRT) was also directed. Funding limitations have prevented the advancement of either option to date. Major planning milestones in the corridor since the late 1990’s are illustrated below in Figure 2. Figure 2: Corridor Planning History 1998 2002 2006 2009 2011 2015 2025 Transit & Fast Lanes Study Southeast Land Use Plan (initial review of Corridor (established five express lanes) Transit Study transit corridors) (“fresh look” at Independence Blvd. corridor Area Plan options) Major Investment Study (reassessed land use (BRT selected; LRT to be role of corridor) studied further) ULI Study (focus rail away from US 74) Draft EIS (BRT reconfirmed; MTC Decision LRT to be reevaluated (remove preservation of US74 in the future) median for rapid transit; initiate new transit study) Support for a new approach to transit in the corridor gained momentum as a result of several key initiatives occurring between 2009 and 2011: The Independence Boulevard Area Plan was developed. This plan reconsidered the future role of Independence Blvd. and recommended a long-term reverse-frontage land use vision for the corridor that re-orients development away from Independence Blvd. The Urban Land