Transitway Guidelines Technical Report Regional Transitway Guidelines May 2011 Chapter 1: Introduction Regional Transitway Guidelines Technical Report May 2011 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. PURPOSE OF GUIDELINES The purpose of the Regional Transitway Guidelines is to provide technical guidance, based in best practices, that supports the development and operation of transitways in a way that is consistent, equitable, and efficient, and delivers an effective, integrated, and user-friendly transit system throughout the Twin Cities region. Existing practices have been documented; best practices have been researched; and recommendations on guidelines for future transitway planning and implementation have been developed on many issues. The guidelines will continue to evolve over time as the region’s experience with transitway implementation grows and as new technologies and best practices emerge. Regional transitway guidelines are needed for three primary reasons: • The region’s progressively growing transitway system. The region’s transitway system is growing quickly and the region has learned a great deal from the implementation of the first commuter rail and light rail lines. Those lessons will help to guide the implementation of future transitways. This is important for leveraging future investments, for proceeding efficiently through planning and design (not reinventing the wheel each time), and for achieving the regional goal of doubling transit ridership by 2030. • Multiple agencies involved in transitway implementation. There are multiple agencies involved in the planning and implementation of transitways in the Twin Cities region. Local governments, particularly counties and regional railroad authorities, play a lead role in the planning of transitway corridors and recommending locally preferred alternatives. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT), Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit, Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB), counties, and cities are involved in the funding, design, and construction of transitway facilities and services. There are also agencies that are involved in the operation of transitway service. As the region moves toward implementation of multiple transitway corridors, it is important that the assumptions used to plan transitways and the decisions made to implement them are consistent and equitable throughout the region. • The region is taking initial steps to implement BRT. The region is implementing its first bus-rapid transit (BRT) corridors in which a family of services will operate. These corridors also have the flexibility to be implemented in phases as ridership develops over time. While this can be beneficial from a funding perspective, it can lead to confusion about what constitutes BRT service and BRT facilities and the appropriate timing of implementation in phases. 1.2. TRANSITWAY MODES ADDRESSED IN THE GUIDELINES The Regional Transitway Guidelines address and apply to regionally identified transitways as included in the region’s long-range Transportation Policy Plan (TPP) (see Figure 1-1). These facilities enable reliable travel times and a predictable passenger experience on high-demand corridors in the region, whether by rail or by bus. Transitways give transit passengers a travel time advantage over congested roadways by providing a dedicated right-of-way or other transit advantages such as ramp meter bypasses, signal priority, and/or bus-only shoulders. Transitways link major employment centers and destinations in the region and promote transit-oriented development patterns. The Guidelines address four transitway modes: (1) Commuter Rail, (2) Light-Rail Transit (LRT), (3) Highway Bus-Rapid Transit, and (4) Arterial Bus-Rapid Transit. The Guidelines currently do not directly address the Express Bus with Transit Advantages, Dedicated Busway, or Streetcar modes. However, transitway projects in 1 Chapter 1: Introduction Regional Transitway Guidelines Technical Report May 2011 planning stages where these modes are being considered can use the general information in the Guidelines as a base for decision-making. It is anticipated that the Guidelines will be updated in the future to include these modes. Figure 1-1 – 2030 Transitway System Plan 1.2.1. Commuter Rail Commuter Rail operates on existing freight railroad tracks. Commuter Rail vehicles may use diesel multiple unit (DMU) vehicles or conventional diesel locomotives pulling passenger coaches. Commuter Rail may operate on freight railroad tracks that also carry intercity passenger rail traffic operated by Amtrak, potentially using common stations. Lines are typically 20 or more miles long, with stations typically spaced five or more miles apart. Station areas are primarily oriented to park-and-ride uses. Commuter Rail services operate at 20- to 30-minute frequencies during peak periods, with limited or no midday or reverse-direction service. 2 Chapter 1: Introduction Regional Transitway Guidelines Technical Report May 2011 1.2.2. Light-Rail Transit LRT operates on rails primarily in exclusive rights-of- way. Vehicles are powered by overhead electrical wires. Stations are typically spaced about one-half to one mile or more apart. Typical LRT lines are 10 to 15 miles long. LRT trains operate all day, with bidirectional service at frequencies of 10 minutes or better during peak periods. Typical characteristics of LRT include dedicated right-of-way, specialized stations and vehicles, off-board fare collection, and traffic signal priority. 1.2.3. Highway Bus-Rapid Transit Highway BRT is a transitway mode that uses bus vehicles while incorporating many of the characteristics of Light Rail or Commuter Rail. Highway BRT operates on freeways or expressways. It can use bus-only shoulders, managed lanes, ramp meter bypasses, priced dynamic lanes, and other running-way advantages. In addition to peak express service, Highway BRT also incorporates high frequency, all-day service, branded vehicles, and improved stations, including park-and-ride facilities and online stations. Bus-rapid transit improvements can also be used by other types of bus service like regular express buses, limited stop service, or routes that are partly local service and partly express. 1.2.4. Arterial Bus Rapid Transit Arterial BRT provides limited stop service in high- ridership corridors along existing roadways. The 2030 Transit Master Study showed that substantial ridership growth could be achieved through faster and higher frequency service on high-ridership arterial corridors. These corridors are all in highly developed areas with very limited right-of-way availability, meaning that LRT or dedicated busways are most likely not feasible. Arterial BRT could provide limited-stop service and use technology improvements to provide a faster trip in these corridors and use branding to differentiate the service from regular bus routes. The Arterial Transitway Corridors Study (ATCS) began in late 2010 and is scheduled to conclude in late 2011. The study will develop a facility and service plan to enhance efficiency, speed, reliability, customer amenities, and transit market competitiveness on the nine corridors identified the TPP, on Hennepin Avenue, and in the Lake Street/Midtown Greenway corridor. 1.3. TRANSITWAY CHARACTERISTICS Four operating characteristics differentiate transitways from regular transit service: • Speed - how fast a transit vehicle operates 3 Chapter 1: Introduction Regional Transitway Guidelines Technical Report May 2011 • Travel time reliability - how predictable and consistent each trip is for passengers and transit vehicles • Accessibility - the number and spacing of stops, how convenient stops are for passengers, and how coordinated stops are with connecting travel modes • Service availability - how frequent vehicles service each stop and how early and late in the day vehicles run Using these characteristics, the transitway modes included in the guidelines were categorized to better communicate the relationship between regular transit service and transitway services and the relationship between transitway services (see Table 1-1). Similar tables were developed by several technical committees and can be found in the technical memoranda. 1.4. GUIDELINES DEVELOPMENT PROCESS More than 100 people and 25 organizations participated in 10 technical committees charged with drafting initial guidelines for consideration by an Advisory Committee. (see Figure 1-2 and Table 1-3 – Regional Transitway Guidelines Technical CommitteesTable 1-2). The Advisory Committee recommended the guidelines to be adopted by the Metropolitan Council. 4 Table 1-1 – Transit Service Descriptions Local Bus All-day Frequent Service Commuter Express Service Frequent, bidirectional, all-day service that is faster Primarily peak-period, peak-direction, fast commuter than local bus service to concentrated employment areas Local Bus Highway BRT Express Bus Highway BRT Arterial BRT Light Rail Commuter Rail (Benchmark) Station-to-Station (Benchmark) Express Description Frequent stops All-day, frequent, All-day frequent All-day frequent rail Longer routes Express bus service Fast commuter on fixed routes limited stop bus bus service on service on supported by transit operating in highway service operating on that maximizes service operated highway corridors exclusive tracks advantages and BRT corridor with traditional rail lines access and on more local, with transit with stations, high- designed for runningway greater with farther station mobility to a arterial streets with advantages