DC Circulator 2014 TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN UPDATE Photo by Sam by Kittner Photography Photo delivers FINAL: DECEMBER 2014 delivers Foreword from Matthew T. Brown, Director The District of Columbia has entered an exciting new period in its transit history. We are expanding our local transit options by providing new and additional bike, bus, and streetcar service to help residents and visitors connect to our neighborhoods and employment centers in the city. The DC Circulator has always been at the forefront of this transit innovation and the brand is now recognized throughout the region. Since starting service in 2005, the Circulator has grown from two routes to a more extensive, regional network of five routes that served 5.6 million riders in 2013. The DC Circulator is known for its strong brand and guiding service principles, which include: Distinctive and comfortable buses; » Frequent and reliable service (all day, 10-minute headways); » Connections to key activity centers and transit modes; » Easy to understand routes; and » A simple and affordable fare structure » As the District Department of Transportation and the DC Surface Transit work together to explore expanding the Circulator service, I am pleased to submit the 2014 Transit Development Plan Update. The report describes the planning process undertaken to update the 2011 Transit Development Plan, the public engagement effort associated with it, and the results of an operations analysis of the existing system. The remainder of the report focuses on the evaluation of potential service corridors throughout the city and recommendations for future expansion. The District has recovered from decades of declining population and is growing again. Neighborhoods across the city are reemerging and adding people, jobs, and businesses. This rebirth has created challenges for the District’s infrastructure, and we need to make informed transportation investments that will support our growth and further strengthen our city. The DC Circulator will play a key role in meeting this transportation need only by continuing to provide a reliable, efficient, and appealing transit option. The analysis and recommendations contained in this report will support the District’s efforts to achieve these goals. page iii DC Circulator: delivers 2014 Transit Development Plan Update | December 2014 Photo by Sam by Kittner Photography Photo page iv DC Circulator: 2014 Transit Development Plan Update | December 2014 Executive Summary ............................................................................... ix 1 Introduction....................................................................................................1 1.1. Purpose .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Planned Transit Service........................................................................................................................ 2 2 Planning Process........................................................................................3 2.1. Stakeholder Outreach and Public Involvement ................................................................... 4 2.2. Update Operations Analysis ............................................................................................................. 4 2.3. Update Activity Center Analysis..................................................................................................... 5 2.4. Prioritize Future Growth ...................................................................................................................... 6 3 Strategic Goals & Objectives.........................................................7 3.1. Goals and Objectives............................................................................................................................. 7 4 Public Engagement ...............................................................................11 4.1. Survey Summary ....................................................................................................................................11 4.2. General Survey Responses...............................................................................................................12 4.3. Key Survey Feedback ..........................................................................................................................13 5 Operations Analysis .............................................................................15 5.1. History of the Circulator ....................................................................................................................17 5.2. Organization and Fare Structure ..................................................................................................17 5.3. Hours of Operation...............................................................................................................................19 5.4. Phasing Implementation since 2011 TDP ..............................................................................20 5.5. Performance Metrics 2011-2013..................................................................................................21 5.6. Circulator Costs 2011-2013 ..............................................................................................................34 5.7. Key Findings..............................................................................................................................................35 5.8. Opportunities for Improving the Existing System ............................................................37 6 Activity Center Analysis ...................................................................39 6.1. Activity Center Connections...........................................................................................................41 7 Corridor Evaluation & Expansion Recommendations ...................................................43 7.1. Potential Expansion Corridors .......................................................................................................44 7.2. Summary of Corridor Evaluation and Corridor Recommendations ......................48 7.3. Corridor Profiles for Recommended Corridors ....................................................................50 7.4. Corridor Recommendations Summary....................................................................................71 page v DC Circulator: delivers 2014 Transit Development Plan Update | December 2014 8 Phasing of Corridor Development ........................................75 8.1. Phase I Summary: Near-Term (FY 2015-2017) ......................................................................75 8.2. Phase II: Mid-Term (FY 2018-2020) ..............................................................................................78 8.3. Phase III: Long-Term (FY 2021-2024) ..........................................................................................80 9 Implementation Plan ..........................................................................83 9.1. Phase I Recommendations ..............................................................................................................85 10 Resource Management .....................................................................89 10.1. Fleet and Facilities Management ................................................................................................89 11 Governance ...................................................................................................93 11.1. Decision-Making Procedures and Responsibilities .........................................................93 11.2. Standards for Decision-Making ...................................................................................................94 12 Circulator Issues for Further Consideration/Study .....................................................80 12.1. Operational Issues ................................................................................................................................80 12.2. Additional Studies ................................................................................................................................81 12.3. Policy Considerations .........................................................................................................................81 List of Figures FIGURE ES1 | PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE CIRCULATOR TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN .............................................X FIGURE ES2 | DC CIRCULATOR PLANNING CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING GROWTH CORRIDORS ................................XIII FIGURE ES3 | DC CIRCULATOR PLANNING ................................................................................................................................................... XVI FIGURE ES4 | CIRCULATOR ROUTE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS ..................................................XX FIGURE 21 | PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE CIRCULATOR TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN ...............................................3 FIGURE 41 | SURVEY RESPONSE: WHAT AREAS OF THE DISTRICT SHOULD THE CIRCULATOR SERVE NEXT? ...14 FIGURE 51 | CURRENT CIRCULATOR SYSTEM ................................................................................................................................................ 16 FIGURE 52 | CIRCULATOR AND WMATA METROBUS FARE COMPARISON ................................................................................. 18 FIGURE 53