Las Cruces – El Paso Commuter Rail South Central Regional Transit District Passenger Rail Feasibility Study Center for Neighborhood Technology 6/30/2017 Las Cruces-El Paso Commuter Rail Feasibility Study Contents I. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 1 II. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 6 A. Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 6 B. Project Team ..................................................................................................................................... 6 C. Regional Impact ................................................................................................................................ 7 D. Study Area ......................................................................................................................................... 7 E. 2009 Study ........................................................................................................................................ 9 F. Qualitative Research and Public Engagement .................................................................................. 9 III. Corridor Snapshot: Demography & Economy ................................................................................. 11 A. Population, Age Segmentation, Income & Educational Attainment .............................................. 11 B. Employment – Trends & Sector Analysis ........................................................................................ 13 C. Population & Employment Projections ........................................................................................... 13 D. Housing & Transportation Costs ..................................................................................................... 14 E. Mexico and the Regional Industrial Economy .................................................................................... 16 IV. Transportation ................................................................................................................................ 21 A. BNSF’s El Paso Subdivision Rail Line................................................................................................ 21 B. I-10 Corridor .................................................................................................................................... 22 C. Existing public transportation ......................................................................................................... 23 D. Spaceport & Albuquerque Extensions ............................................................................................ 27 E. Concurrence with MPO & Regional Plans ....................................................................................... 28 V. Potential Commuter Line .................................................................................................................... 29 A. Station Areas ................................................................................................................................... 29 El Paso Union Depot ............................................................................................................................ 29 Sunland Park ....................................................................................................................................... 32 Montoya .............................................................................................................................................. 33 Mesilla Park, Las Cruces ...................................................................................................................... 37 Las Cruces, Central Station.................................................................................................................. 39 B. Potential Ridership .......................................................................................................................... 40 C. Service Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 44 VI. Capital Investment Requirements .................................................................................................. 47 a A. Introduction to Capital Investment Estimates ................................................................................ 47 B. BNSF-Influenced Investments ......................................................................................................... 48 1. Operating Rights ......................................................................................................................... 48 2. Rail Line Infrastructure Improvements ....................................................................................... 49 3. Maintenance Yard & Total BNSF-Influenced Investments .......................................................... 50 C. Independently Determined Investments ........................................................................................ 50 1. Rolling Stock ................................................................................................................................ 51 2. Station Construction Costs .......................................................................................................... 60 D. Summary of Capital Requirements ................................................................................................. 60 VII. Net Operating Costs ........................................................................................................................ 63 A. Operating Cost Estimate from Ridership Level ............................................................................... 64 B. Operating Cost Estimate from Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles ....................................................... 65 C. Total Operating Budget ................................................................................................................... 66 D. Farebox Recovery Estimate from Annual Ridership ....................................................................... 67 E. Fare Estimate from Annual Fare Revenue ...................................................................................... 68 VIII. Collateral Benefits ........................................................................................................................... 69 IX. Conclusion: Recommended Financing and Development Steps .................................................... 71 X. Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 1 A. Appendix A: Proposed Commuter Rail Service Resident/Stakeholder Survey ................................. 1 B. Appendix B: Explanation of the Sketch Model.................................................................................. 1 C. Appendix C: Narrative for the reliability of used vs. new locomotives............................................. 1 b Figures Figure 1: Proposed Passenger Rail Line ........................................................................................................ 8 Figure 2: Survey Findings: Purpose of Travel .............................................................................................. 10 Figure 3: Population per square mile and Population over 65 by cencus block group .............................. 12 Figure 4: Distribution of low income households and Population with less than a highschool diploma by census group ............................................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 5: Housing and Transportation costs as a percent of income ........................................................ 15 Figure 6: Annual Transportation Costs ....................................................................................................... 15 Figure 7: BNSF’s New Mexico rail system ................................................................................................... 21 Figure 8: Density on Class I rail lines in New .............................................................................................. 22 Figure 9: New Mexico Crashes, 2014 .......................................................................................................... 23 Figure 10: Gold Route ................................................................................................................................. 24 Figure 11: SCRTD Routes, 2016 ................................................................................................................... 25 Figure 12: El Paso Station Area ................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 13: Sundland Park Station Area ....................................................................................................... 33 Figure 14: Montoya Station Area ................................................................................................................ 34 Figure 15: Existing land use ........................................................................................................................