����

Planning, Program Development and Real Estate Committee �

Item V- A

October 10, 2013

�������������������

Regional Transit System Plan: A Progress Report

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Board Action/Information Summary

Action Information MEAD Number:

200372 Resolution:

Yes No

TITLE:

Regional Transit System Plan: A Progress Report

PRESENTATION SUMMARY:

The Regional Transit System Plan (RTSP) will define the region’s transit network for all modes and operators to meet expected growth for 2040. The last plan was adopted in 1999. This presentation will update the committee on: • The purpose of the long-range plan; • Analysis completed to date; and • Next steps to be completed before next presentation for Board adoption.

PURPOSE:

To update the Board on the Regional Transit System Plan (RTSP), its purpose, current findings, and remaining analysis to be done before consideration of the Board for adoption.

DESCRIPTION:

The Regional Transit System Plan (RTSP ) seeks to define the transit network that the region will need by 2040 for all modes and operators. The RTSP would replace the Board-endorsed 1999 Transit System Expansion Plan (TSEP). With forecasted growth between 2010 and 2040 of 30% and 39% in population and employment, respectively, travel demand will exceed available capacity throughout much of the system. Additionally, trip patterns are projected to be more widely dispersed than today’s transit network can currently accommodate. The RTSP will define a high quality transit system that encourages transit ridership growth by providing sufficient capacity and system expansion to serve future demand. Key Highlights:

x The RTSP will develop a sustainable, integrated, multimodal transit network for 2040 across all modes and operators in the region.

x Stakeholder collaboration, especially with all local and state jurisdictions and agencies through one-on-one meetings and the study’s Technical Advisory Group, has been a consistent and integral part of the RTSP’s development.

x The RTSP evaluation framework is consistent with the goals and targets set in Region Forward and Momentum. Earlier analysis of the RTSP enabled the development of Metro 2025 initiatives included in Momentum.

x Phase I (individual transit strategies tested) is complete, and Phase II (regional transit improvement scenarios) is well underway.

x A final plan is expected in early 2014 that will describe the Metrorail network and regionally-significant surface transit corridors for 2040 and beyond.

Background and History:

In 1999, WMATA’s Board of Directors adopted the Transit System Expansion Plan (TSEP), which called for a 50 percent increase in fixed guideway transit and a doubling of transit ridership by 2025. Some of these projects have been completed, while others are included in the region’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) or the financially Constrained Long-Range Plan (CLRP). The adoption of Momentum in June and the initiatives identified in Metro 2025 enable Metro to maximize its existing bus and rail system. Operating all eight-car trains, improving key stations’ circulation, and implementing the full Priority Corridor Network (PCN) will gain the additional capacity needed to meet the region’s needs through 2025. However, by 2040, the forecasted 31 percent increase in population, 39 percent increase in employment, and changing travel patterns mean that Metro and the region need to look beyond just maximizing the existing system. The RTSP outlines the new vision for the region’s transit network for 2040 and beyond. The RTSP started in late 2009. It assumes that Metro 2025 initiatives have been implemented in addition to the CLRP projects. WMATA’s Board of Directors was briefed on the status of the RTSP effort in October 2010 and in April 2012, the latter as part of the strategic plan discussions. The plan is being guided by a Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which comprises regional transportation professionals from:

x DC Department of Transportation (DDOT), x Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), x Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), x Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), x Federal Transit Administration (FTA), x Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), x Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT), x National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC),

x Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties),

x Virginia Railway Express (VRE), x Transportation offices and departments of: Prince George’s, Arlington, Fairfax,

Loudoun, and Prince William Counties, and the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church.

Working collaboratively, the TAG has met ten times and Metro staff has conducted three rounds of one-on-one meetings with each jurisdiction and transit agency to gather feedback and evolve the plan together. Over the course of the study, over 60 different transit improvement projects and service enhancements have been assessed. The projects and service enhancements originated from jurisdictional and agency long-range plans, the TSEP, TAG discussions, meetings with jurisdictions and agencies, and internal WMATA discussions.

Discussion:

The analysis and modeling for the RTSP to date has shown the following: Metrorail Core

x In 2040, congestion on Metrorail above Metro’s adopted service standards is largely concentrated in the following locations:

o Orange and Blue lines approaching Rosslyn o Yellow and Green lines approaching L’Enfant Plaza o Silver Line approaching Tysons Corner

x No one strategy addresses all Metrorail core capacity issues. For example, separating the Blue from the Orange and Silver Lines at Rosslyn has no impact on the Yellow/Green Line congestion and vice versa.

x More stations and the pedestrian tunnels between closely located stations help to disperse transfers throughout the system, reducing pressure on the existing key transfer stations such as Metro Center, Gallery Place, Farragut North, and Farragut West.

Metrorail Extensions from End of Line Stations

x Such extensions take riders from other long-distance commuter modes such as commuter rail and commuter bus.

x Without improvements in the core, congestion increases and Metrorail core capacity is further strained.

x These extensions could be Metrorail or another mode with priority, such as high quality bus or light rail.

Surface Transit

x Surface transit is defined as high quality bus, light rail, or streetcar and is shown to increase transit ridership and mode share and provide the greatest access to jobs and households in the region.

x It improves coverage and connections between MWCOG’s regional activity centers.

x It increases ridership on Metrorail, which degrades core conditions unless Metrorail core capacity is expanded.

A final recommended 2040 network is still under development and is expected to be finalized in 2013, which will enable the modeling and analysis to be completed by early 2014. The 2040 network is expected to include a mixture of:

x Metrorail expansion with new lines in the core and x Regionally-significant surface transit corridors where additional infrastructure that

provides transit priority is identified. The combination of new Metrorail lines and expanded prioritized surface transit will supply the region with a robust transit network that connects communities and improves availability of high-quality transit while reducing congestion, energy use and travel time, and increasing transit ridership and mode share.

FUNDING IMPACT:

There is no impact on funding. Project Manager: Shyam Kannan

Project Department/Office:

Chief of Staff/Office of Planning

TIMELINE:

Previous Actions October 2010: Board update on RTSP, with approach and methodology outlined and projects and service improvements identified for comment. April 2012: Board update of RTSP, with findings as of that time.

Anticipated actions Early 2014: Present final RTSP regional network to obtain Board approval and adoption.

RECOMMENDATION:

For information only.

Regional Transit System Plan:A Progress Report

Planning, Program Development and Real Estate Committee

October 10, 2013

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Purpose

• Provide update on Regional Transit System Plan (RTSP)

– Purpose of plan

– Analysis completed to date

– Next steps

2

Metrorail’s System Growth

19771982198319861991199820012006201220142025

Where should the region’s transit system go from here?

2040

4

Region’s Transit Plans

2040 Metrorail System Forecast

5

MWCOG Land Use Cooperative Forecast Round 8.1

Peak Hour Passenger Loads with CLRP Projects and 100% Eight-Car Trains 2040 Forecasted Growth from 2007

477,100�

422,200�

1,263,700�

�Ͳ �500,000 �1,000,000 �1,500,000

Average�Peak�PeriodPeak�Direction

Ridership�in�Core

Average�Weekday�CoreStation�Transfers

Average�WeekdayBoardings

49%

64%

66%

Region’s�Adopted�Land�Use<�80�Passengers�per�Car80Ͳ100�Passengers�per�Car100Ͳ120�Passengers�per�Car>�120�Passengers�per�Car

MWCOG�Aspirations�Land�Use�Forecast

COG’s�Aspirations�Land�Use�concentrates�growth�in�regional�activity�centers�(RACs)�and�at�existing/planned�transit�stations

Aspirations�Land�Use

477,100�

422,200�

1,263,700�

496,500�

443,000�

1,369,700�

�Ͳ �500,000 �1,000,000 �1,500,000

Average�PeakPeriod�Peak

Direction�Ridershipin�Core

Average�WeekdayCore�StationTransfers

Average�WeekdayBoardings

49%

64%

66%77%

73%

55%

6

2040 Bus System Forecast

Growth and congestion indicate need for transit priority improvements to enable higher speed, more-frequent service

72,38078,420

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

Daily�Person�Hours�of�Travel�on�Congested�Roadways

308%342%

553,700�

231,400�

785,200�

606,300�

256,600�

862,900�

�Ͳ �200,000 �400,000 �600,000 �800,000 �1,000,000

Peak

OffͲPeak

Daily

2040�Forecasted�Ridership�Growth�from�2007�

32%

23%

25%37%

11%

44%

Region’s�Adopted�Land�Use Aspirations�Land�Use

7

2040 MetroAccess Forecast

1,470,000

2,300,0003,600,000

FY�2007

FY2011

2040�Forecast

MetroAccess�Annual�Ridership�Forecast�for�2040

Double�Current�

Population

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

2000

2009

2040�Forecast

Thousands

Metro�Compact�Area�Older�Adult�(65+)�Population

Elderly�with�Severe�Disabilities

2040�Projections

Current

Regional Challenges and Opportunities

8

• Resolve core capacity constraints

• Improve connections among regional activity centers (RACs)

• Enable cross-jurisdictional transit services

• Improve central jurisdiction circulation

• Improve access to the regional transit system

• Ten technical advisory group meetings

• Three rounds of one-on-one meetings with jurisdictions

• Presentation to Joint Coordinating Committee, Riders’ Advisory Council, Transportation Planning Board (TPB), TPB Access for All Advisory Committee

Collaborative Regional Planning

9

• Arlington County• District of Columbia• City of Alexandria• City of Fairfax• City of Falls Church• Fairfax County• Federal Transit Administration• Frederick County • Loudoun County• Maryland Department of Transportation• Maryland Transit Administration/MARC• Metropolitan Washington Council ofGovernments/Transportation Planning Board• Montgomery County• National Capital Planning Commission• Prince George’s County• Prince William County• Virginia Department of Rail and PublicTransportation• Virginia Department of Transportation• Virginia Railway Express (VRE)

Approach to Developing a Regional Transit Network for 2040

Four�Approaches�to�Resolving�Regional�Mobility

Service�Enhancements

Surface�Transit

Metrorail

Four�Approaches�to�Resolving�the�Metrorail�Core

Transit Projects and Enhancements Considered

11

RTSP Evaluation Measures

Goal�1:�Enhance�environment,�energy,�health�and�safety

Goal�2:�Facilitate�transitͲoriented,�mixed�

use�communities�

Incidents�per�passenger�milesCongested�personͲmiles�of�travel

Vehicle�miles�traveled

Number�of�regional�activity�centers�(RACs)�served�by�highͲquality�transit�

Transit�mode�shareCumulative�travel�time�savings�

RTSP Evaluation Measures

Goal�3:�Maximize�availability�and�access�

to�transit

Goal�4:�Accommodate�and�encourage�ridership�growth

Goal�5:�Provide�a�financially�viable�and�sustainable�transit�

system

Total�transit�ridershipJobs/Households�within�½�mile�of�highͲ

quality�transitMetrorail�parking�availability

Transit�link�capacityMetrorail�transfer�capacity

Households�that�can�be�reached�by�transit�within�45�min

Transit�utilizationTransit�peakͲorientation�factor

Evenness�of�distribution�of�user�benefits�

RTSP: Findings and Preliminary Recommendations

14

Finding: No�single�solution�for�the�coreRecommendation:Build�two�new�rail�lines�in�core�and�one�new�line�in�Virginia

Finding: Station�crowding�persistsRecommendation:Add�new�stations�with�pedestrian�tunnels

Finding: Full�corridors�need�to�be�served�regardless�of�jurisdictions’�boundariesRecommendation:Connect�local�systems�across�boundaries

Finding: Increasing�demand�for�central�circulationRecommendation:Develop�circular�line�and�connect�underserved�activity�centers

RTSP: Findings and Preliminary Recommendations

15

Finding: Parking�demand�exceeds�capacityRecommendation:

Improve�multiͲmodal�access

Finding:�High�capacity,�high�frequency�transit�increases�access�to�jobs/�housingRecommendation:Prioritize�regionally�significant�integrated�surface�transit�network

Finding: Rail�extensions�strain�core�capacity

Recommendation: Resolve�core.�Develop�guidelines�

for�extensions

Finding: Walkability�and�integrated�land�use�increases�ridershipRecommendation:�

Develop�guidelines�to�improve�access

Surface Transit 2.0: Regionally Significant High Capacity Corridors

16

• Identify corridors with local jurisdictions

• Prioritize regionally significant corridors for infrastructure investment

• Develop integrated network of high capacity surface transit

Examples of corridors under consideration

A D

Core 2.0: Connecting the Region’s Downtowns

CB

System 2.0: Extending the Reach of Metrorail

Blue�Line�extension�to�Prince�William�County

Orange�Line�extension�to�Centreville�and/or�

Gainesville

Orange�Line�extension�to�Bowie

High�capacity�surface�transit�possible�from�end�of�line�stations

RTSP Plan Next Steps

Meet with jurisdictions and agencies Summer/Fall 2013

Hold Board and public discussion Fall 2013

Complete final round of modeling/analysis Fall 2013

Public OutreachRegional Visioning

Spring/Summer 2014

Recommend Regional Network and supporting documentation

Fall 2014

Develop Metro 2040 (Metro elements) implementation plan

Fall/Winter 2014

Adopt Metro 2040 and endorse RTSP Winter 201419