Howard Research and Development Corporation Downtown Columbia Downtown Transit Center and Circulator Shuttle Feasibility Study: Part 1 - Downtown Transit Center & Downtown Circulator Shuttle (Part of CEPPA #5) DRAFTDecember 2011 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. iv Chapter 1. Downtown Columbia Transit Center ....................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2. Downtown Columbia Circulator Shuttle ............................................................................................... 12 Appendix A. Regional Transit System Evaluation .............................................................................................. 21 Appendix B. Regional Transit Market Analysis .................................................................................................. 46 Appendix C. Transit Circulator Design ................................................................................................................ 64 Appendix D. Transit Center Site Evaluation ...................................................................................................... 764 Appendix E. Transit Development Plan ............................................................................................................... 79 DRAFT Page i• Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. Table of Figures Figure 1 Existing Howard Transit Routes ............................................................................................................ 4 Figure 2 Howard Transit Ridership Trends ......................................................................................................... 5 Figure 3 Existing MTA Routes ............................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 4 Short-Term Transit Center .................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 5 Long-Term Transit Center ................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 6 Short-Term Circulator ......................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 7 Long-Term Circulator Route ............................................................................................................... 16 Figure 8 Clear Channel Outdoor Bus Advertising Rates, San Marcos, CA ....................................................... 18 Figure 9 State and Federal Funding Programs ................................................................................................. 20 Figure 10 Howard Transit Routes ....................................................................................................................... 22 Figure 11 Average Daily Ridership, June 2010 ................................................................................................... 23 Figure 12 Operating Statistics, 4th Quarter FY2010 ............................................................................................ 25 Figure 13 Howard Transit Ridership Trends ....................................................................................................... 26 Figure 14 Average Weekday Ridership by Route ............................................................................................... 27 Figure 15 Average Daily Saturday Ridership ...................................................................................................... 27 Figure 16 Average Daily Sunday Ridership ........................................................................................................ 28 Figure 17 Connect-A-Ride Routes ...................................................................................................................... 29 Figure 18 Route E Characteristics ...................................................................................................................... 29 Figure 19 MTA Bus Routes ................................................................................................................................. 30 Figure 20 MTA Route Characteristics ................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 21 Howard County Park & Rides ............................................................................................................. 32 Figure 22 MTA Ridership Trends ........................................................................................................................ 33 Figure 23 MTA Operating Characteristics, September 2009 .............................................................................. 33 Figure 24 Existing Transit Services ..................................................................................................................... 35 Figure 25 Baltimore Region Rail System Plan, March 2002 ............................................................................... 39 Figure 26 Purple Line .......................................................................................................................................... 40 Figure 27 Columbia Gateway Route ................................................................................................................... 42 Figure 28 Restructured Clarksville/Downtown Columbia Blue Route ................................................................. 43 Figure 29 Existing Land Use in Howard County.................................................................................................. 47 Figure 30 Land Use Projections in Howard County - 2035 ................................................................................. 48 Figure 31 Major Centers of Activity ..................................................................................................................... 49 Figure 32 Population and Employment Transit Service Density Thresholds....................................................... 50 Figure 33 Population Density by TAZ 2015 - Region .......................................................................................... 51 Figure 34 PopulationDRAFT Density by TAZ 2015 - Columbia ...................................................................................... 52 Figure 35 Employment Density by TAZ 2015 - Region ....................................................................................... 53 Figure 36 Employment Density by TAZ 2015 - Columbia ................................................................................... 54 Figure 37 Columbia, Surrounding County, &State Population Changes, 1990-2008 .......................................... 55 Figure 38 Population Density by TAZ 2035 - Columbia ...................................................................................... 56 Page ii• Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. Figure 39 Population and Employment Density Matrix 2015 .............................................................................. 57 Figure 40 Journey to Work From Selected Census Tracts ................................................................................. 58 Figure 41 Journey to Work around Columbia by Census Tract .......................................................................... 59 Figure 42 Density of Transit-Dependent Populations .......................................................................................... 60 Figure 43 Origins for Employees at or Relocating to Fort Meade ....................................................................... 61 Figure 44 Locations for Increased Transit Service .............................................................................................. 62 Figure 45 Short-Term Circulator ......................................................................................................................... 65 Figure 46 Long-Term Circulator Route ............................................................................................................... 67 Figure 47 Transit Level of Service ...................................................................................................................... 69 Figure 48 Short-Term Circulator System Schedule ............................................................................................. 70 Figure 49 Long-Term Circulator System Schedule ............................................................................................. 70 Figure 50 Cutaway Characteristics ..................................................................................................................... 71 Figure 51 Capital Costs....................................................................................................................................... 71 Figure 52 Recommended Bus Stop Design ........................................................................................................ 72 Figure 53 Short-Term operating costs ................................................................................................................ 73 Figure 54 Long-Term Operating Costs ............................................................................................................... 73 Figure 55 Difference in Costs - Short Term