na07_combined_web.pdf

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1/20www.na.steerdaviesgleave.c

A vibrant city is greaterthan the sum of its parts

the reviewNorth American editio

Can good transit design save money? Using Smarter Choices to support TD

Finding your way in the world Dont forget the European Rail~Volutio

Issue 07 October 20


2/20

t The European Rail~Volution

/ p4-5 by Alan Jones

t Smarter Choices can support TDM/ p6-7 by Lisa Buchanan & Jon Foley

t Finding your way in the world

/ p8-9 by Fred Gangemi

t Good transit design saves money

/ p10 by Peter Piet

t Global bike share success

/ p11 by Jonny Rotheram

t Edmontons big LRT plans

push ahead

/ p12 by Chris Proud

t Long-term sustainability

/ p13 by Tim Baldwin

t Europe gets physical?

/ p14 by Nadine Kayser

t The Mexican movement / p15

by Luke Miller & Alejandro Saniger

welcome october 2011

Features

Steer Davies Gleaves North American

business is continuing to expand and

as we talk to more and more clients it is

noticeable that a few common themes are

emerging. Not surprisingly, many agencies

are facing the challenges posed by the

wider economic conditions with a need to

look for efficiencies and cost savings. But at

the same time this has generated a greater

interest in what can be called the whole trip

approach to transit project development

and service delivery. So we are seeing a lot

more interest in complementary demand

management measures to support existing

or planned transit, and a greater focus

on the wider benefits that this integrated

approach to investment can deliver.

At a relatively small scale we are being asked

for inputs on network reconfigurations,

drawing from our European experience, with

our work for a number of California transit

operators and ongoing inputs with TheRide

in Ann Arbor, Michigan being examples.

The whole trip approach has also been

deployed on new LRT proposals in Downtown

Edmonton, Alberta and in Hamilton, Ontario.

Both projects have featured complete street

designs and complementary land use (TOD),

walk, and bike strategies. The use of multiple

account evaluation (MAE) techniques,

provides the framework for assessing

options and making best value for money

decisions, a discipline that in these tough

times is more important than ever.

This edition of The Reviewfocuses on

the whole trip planning approach with

articles on the UK approach to smart

choices, wayfinding, design guides,

MAE, and a number of transit projects

that provide best practice examples.

As ever we hope you find The

Review an interesting read and

look forward to your feedback.

Steve Hewitt

joint ceo

CEOscomment

BOSTON EVEN

European Insights Rail Report

To get your free copy, email

your name and details to

[email protected]

ken sislak from aecom and his wife, coll(left) winning a painting of bostons tsubway network produced by our guest

We recently organized an event at the Bos

Public Library which coincided with APTA

annual Rail Conference. At this event welaunched our European Insights Rail Repo

The report summarizes developments in

high speed rail and identifies European

lessons that could be applied in North

America. It focuses on Europe, where we

have worked on planning for a range of hi

speed rail operations, but similar lessons

could be drawn from HSR in Asia, particul

in Japan, Korea, and increasingly, China.

The report contains a number of lessons

for North America, which are followed by

descriptions of HSR lines that have beenbuilt in four large European countries -

France, Spain, Italy and Germany - and on

that is planning major expansion, the UK.

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Rail~Volution 2011

in Washington DCAs a national sponsor of Rail~Volution,

Steer Davies Gleave is looking forward

to this years conference which delves

into the big questions: What is the

next American dream? and Whose

responsibility is livability? It lets us

explore the latest on authorization, as

well as the successful local and regional

efforts to create livable communities.

SDGs Tim Baldwin (left),

our rep on Rail~Volutions

national steering committee,

will lead Rail~Volution

101 on the first full day

of the conference. His

introductory session

sets the stage for the conference for

new attendees and those who need a

refresher course in livable communities.

Other presenters include

Ian Druce (left), head of

our Vancouver office, who

showcases the Transit

Passenger Facility Design

Guidelineswe

prepared for TransLink earlier

this year; Geoff England, who shares SDGs

transportation demand management (TDM)

experience in the UK; Chris Proud, who

speaks about the new urban rail concepts and

designs we are developing for Edmonton; and

Ashley Curtis, who presents the regional light

rail system plan we are helping develop for

Hamilton, Ontario.

Visit: www.railvolution.org for details

From London to Toronto

New FacesTo support our growing markets, we are

delighted to announce the recruitment of t

high caliber experts with global credentia

Julian Sindall, our new head of engineerin

feasibility and technical advisory servicesPeter Piet, who now leads our urban desig

and landscape team.

Julian, a chartered civil

engineer, has worked in

rail industry for over 20

and joins us from Atkins

With a breadth of exper

in both light and heavy

he has supported client

high profile projects wh

include Stage 2 of Etihad Rail (a 650 mile se

of mixed freight and passenger railway netw

across the United Arab Emirates), Docklands

Light Railway(Londons first automated ligh

system covering 19 miles and carrying over 6

million passengers each year), and theKoic

Vienna broad-gauge railwaythrough Slovak

and Austria (a freight route of some 500 mile

through mountains and across the Danube

river basin). Julian brings a multidisciplinary

approach to projects, often working closely

non-technical clients, stakeholders and part

to develop innovative and robust solutions o

provide independent reviews.

Joining from landscape

architectural firm Marth

Schwartz, Peter brings

30 years experience in

landscape and urban de

for public realm and city

center developments. H

is a chartered landscape

architect and an environmental scientist. Wi

global experience, having worked on Sowwa

Island(a 280 acre mixed-use residential, retleisure, hotel and commercial development

the heart of Abu Dhabi), the Walworth Road

(an innovative and award winning design for

arterial street in central London), theArabia

University (located next to the Bahrain Form

Sakhir Grand Prix Circuit) and The Corniche

Dhabis five mile seafront promenade with c

and plazas, community and arts center, wat

taxi piers and biking network).

To help support our growing portfolio of

projects in the Greater Toronto area including

work for Metrolinx, GoRail, the City of

Hamilton and the Region of Waterloo, two

of our experienced London consultants,

Les Buckman and Rebecca Powell, are

making the move across the Atlantic to

join the team in our Toronto office.

An Associate at Steer Davies

Gleave, Les has over 18

years experience as a

transportation planner and is

an industry expert in demand

forecasting, project appraisal

and project management.

Rebecca is an experienced

project manager with

excellent technical and

analytical skills and

experience in economic and

financial appraisal, as well as

cost and revenue modeling.

Looking for new opportunities?

We are looking for gifted and talented

people to join our expanding North

American team. If you are looking

for somewhere to make a real

difference, Steer Davies Gleave

has much to offer. Find out more at

www.steerdaviesgleave.com/na

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Dont forget the European Rail~VolutionWe take a look atBilbaos EuskoTran(Basque Tram) andhighlight featuresthat may providea new perspective

for North American city planners.

By Alan Jones

The pace of economic recovery in the US

is uppermost in the minds of government

and decision-makers at the moment and,

pre-Election Year, the views regarding

appropriate solutions are polarizing. But

economic stimulus issues frequently

highlight the need for investment in

transportation infrastructure. This is most

often directed at the maintenance of

existing facilities but there is also a wider

debate to be had regarding the future

investment in North Americas cities.

The Rail~Volution conference draws attentionto the benefits of livable communities where

the 20-minute neighborhood puts day-to-

day facilities within easy range to walk, bike

or take transit, offering real transportation

choice and reducing reliance on the auto.

The streetcar is seen by many as a

valuable component in creating this new

city form, with many of the ingredients

being a throwback to the early streetcar

neighborhoods of the early 20th century.

Modern equivalents have been short of

funding, but where more extensive lines

have been built the benefits have been

clear, with Portland, Seattle, and others

often quoted as best practice examples.

The US also has several extensive LRT

systems, but by European standards they

often feature more extensive infrastructure

and longer trains. Sacramento, Denver,

and Salt Lake City are good examples

of this type of successful LRT.

But returning to the need for economic

recovery, and the case for investment in city-

shaping transit infrastructure, may any other

forms of transit be worthy of consideration?

The answer may lie in the smaller European

transit systems. Driven by the European city

form (no grid street layouts!), city planners

have had to develop a new form of LRT to fit

their city form. Often referred to as tramways,

these systems also borrow from the example of

early 20th century systems but with a modern

approach relevant for the needs of the 21st

century city dweller.

So what are the differences:

t Smaller vehicles, no more than 90

feet long, with multiple articulations

allowing the vehicles to get around

the narrower city streets.

t Low-floor vehicle designs allowing

easy step-free access.

t Simple stops easily integrated

into the urban streetscape.

t Simple off vehicle ticketing, and

high quality passenger information.

t High quality wayfinding and walk/

bike links to and from the LRT stops.

Many of these features are similar to modern

US streetcars and the newer low floor LRT

systems, but it is how the European systems

are designed that offers some perspectives tha

could be applied in a North American setting.

Bilbao is situated in Northern Spains

Basque region. With a population of around

350,000 it is the regional capital and has

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News in BriefEstablishing a rail network for Qatar

We are working with a PwC-led team to act a

strategic business consultants to Qatar Rail

(QR). This unique commission is to help QR

develop a rail industry from scratch, includinthe institutional and regulatory arrangemen

needed to govern the industry, advising on

the scope and phasing of the network, and

helping to establish policies on integration,

fare policy, and ticketing. The network will

include a city-wide Metro system, a long

distance passenger and freight network, and

light rail projects. The work has gained adde

urgency due to the successful bid by Qatar t

host the FIFA 2022 Soccer World Cup.

Etihad rail economic study

Following the development of a proposed

national railway network for the UAE, Etihad

Rail (formed to manage the development,

construction and operation of the UAEs

national railway) appointed Steer Davies

lGleave (supported by Oxford Economics) to

assess the economic case for its constructio

and the operation of the planned freight

and passenger services. Alongside the

development of a traditional transportation

Cost Benefit Analysis of the proposals, the

wider impacts on the economy of Abu Dhab

and the UAE will be assessed.

been an administrative and industrial hub

for many years. But following industrial

decline in the late 20th century, the city has

transformed itself with a comprehensive

city regeneration program, with the Frank

Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum

being the most well-known feature.

The overall city development program has

also included investment in new riverfront

facilities, a conference center, and expanded

facilities for the downtown University.

The city shaping has also included

investment in a new tramway the

EuskoTran. The plan is to construct a

city-ring and the first four-mile long

line opened in 2004. It has 12 stops and

is operated by eight vehicles offering a

frequent service throughout the day.

The planning of the line is where there are

lessons to be learned. In its simplest form

this could be referred to as join-the-dot

-planning. The emphasis is on close ties

with land uses, both existing facilities and

the new city-shaping attractors, with links to

other transit modes (Bilbao has an extensive

Metro, local commuter rail network, and

intercity bus network) also included.

The EuskoTrans 12 stops link the citys

main hospital, the Basurto regional bus

station, new conference center, new

shopping plaza, Athletic Bilbaos 40,000

seat La Liga soccer stadium, the University;

the Guggenheim Museum, the Abando old

town district, and the Atxuri rail station.

There is also a major emphasis on high

quality urban design. Putting transit in a high

quality setting is an important consideration,

which combined with the design features

of EuskoTran provides a convenient, smart,

and attractive way to get around Bilbao.

To find out more contact

[email protected]

euskotran network map

Visitwww.steerdaviesgleave.com/news-and-insights/author/alan-jones to read other

articles by Alan

west bay, doha, qatar

Etihad Rail 201

railway route

www.euskotren.es 2011

5


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Data collection technologiesIn recent years,unprecedentedtechnologicaladvances have beenmade in a number ofindustries, including

transportation planning. Withinour field, travel data collectionis one of the areas that hasseen the greatest change.

By Andrew Desautels

New technologies, innovative data

processing methods, and fresh ways of

thinking are beginning to have a major

impact on how planners collect data on

travel times, trip patterns, trip frequencies,

travel behaviors, and more. This has resulted

in much richer and cheaper data than was

previously available, along with a new set

of challenges that must be overcome for the

new data to be used effectively. Based on

Steer Davies Gleaves firsthand experience

with many of these recent advances, we

highlight five notable technologies below.

Internet surveys

The efficiency and flexibility afforded by the

advent and subsequent refinement of internet

surveys have been extremely beneficial to

transportation planners. Internet surveys

have a number of inherent advantages over

paper surveys, including the ability to adapt

questions dynamically based on previous

user responses, virtually unlimited scalability,

and improved accuracy due to the avoidance

of manual data entry. Many survey firms

maintain panels of individuals who have

demonstrated a willingness to participate in

internet surveys, providing response rates

that are often significantly higher than those

for conventional surveys. Though there are

still applications for which paper surveys are

the tool of choice, internet surveys are now

used for nearly every type of survey, from

simple opinion polls to advanced stated

preference surveys that include dynamic

trade-off exercises. These are just a few

examples of the recent impacts of technology

on travel data collection, and this is only the

beginning. The next wave of technologies is

likely to improve data collection capabilities

even further, and Steer Davies Gleave will be

at the forefront of assessing and applying

tomorrows data collection approaches.

Mobile phones

Mobile devices now outnumber people

in the US, and their ubiquity provides an

abundance of readily accessible data for

analyzing travel patterns and conditions.

Privacy concerns must be addressed

with this technology but, even afterbeing anonymized, this data contains

ample time-stamped location points

to broadly characterize the users and

their travel patterns, and to identify the

general areas where they live and work.

It also provides a supplemental method

to monitor travel times and speeds over

long distances and periods. On several

projects we have used mobile phone data

to analyze intercity corridor travel times

and speeds, and we have worked with

vendors to improve the methodology for

developing intercity auto trip tables.

GPS

Automobile GPS units have become an

inexpensive and useful tool for collecting

travel time data, and GPS data collected

from travel time runs can be readily

analyzed and graphically presented. Some

units allow users to upload their GPS

tracks, facilitating the aggregation of many

individual travel time measurements. From

this data, some GPS manufacturers offer

information on historical average travel

times, while some third party vendors

provide real-time travel time information

by combining data from GPS-equipped

probe vehicles with other sources.

2 00 0 2 00 1 2 00 2 2 00 3 2 00 4 2 00 5 2 00 6 2 00 7 2 00 8 2 00 9 2 01

1000

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Internet users per 1000 people

Active mobile lines per 1000 people

GPS unitsper 1000 people

comparison of internet users, active mobilelines & gps units by year

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News in Brief

Establishing a rail network for Qatar

We are working with a PwC-led team to act a

strategic business consultants to Qatar Rail

(QR). This unique commission is to help QR

develop a rail industry from scratch, includinthe institutional and regulatory arrangemen

needed to govern the industry, advising on

the scope and phasing of the network, and

helping to establish policies on integration,

fare policy, and ticketing. The network will

include a city-wide Metro system, a long

distance passenger and freight network, an

light rail projects. The work has gained adde

urgency due to the successful bid by Qatar t

host the FIFA 2022 Soccer World Cup.

Etihad rail economic study

Following the development of a proposed

national railway network for the UAE, Etihad

Rail (formed to manage the development,

construction and operation of the UAEs

national railway) appointed Steer Davies

Gleave (supported by Oxford Economics) to

assess the economic case for its constructio

and the operation of the planned freight

and passenger services. Alongside the

development of a traditional transportation

Cost Benefit Analysis of the proposals, the

wider impacts on the economy of Abu Dhab

and the UAE will be assessed.

Bluetooth

Increasing numbers of automobiles are

equipped with Bluetooth devices, for

example to enable hands-free cellphone

use or to communicate spoken messages

from a GPS receiver via the vehicles audio

system. Bluetooth transmissions from a

device include identifying information that

allow it to be uniquely recognized without

revealing athe identity of the devices

user. Even low-power transmissions

from the types of devices installed in

automobiles can generally be received

over distances of several tens of feet.

Some companies now provide traffic data

collection systems consisting of battery-

powered roadside Bluetooth receivers

that record the identifying information

and time of detection of Bluetooth devices

when they pass, then communicate this

wirelessly to a central processor. The

central processor uses the information

that it receives to compute in real time the

travel times and sample volumes between

different receivers. This technology is most

commonly used for traffic management in

construction zones, where the simplicity of

installation and real-time reporting of trafficinformation are very appealing. Steer Davies

Gleave is exploring the use of Bluetooth

technology to collect travel time and sample

volume data for planning purposes.

Smartcards

Many public transit systems around the

world use smartcards for fare collection, and

many different types of planning information

can be generated from smartcard transaction

data. At a minimum, the time-varying

volume of users who enter the system at

its different stations and stops is easily

obtained. Systems that require smartcard

use at entry and exit generate point-to-

point volumes and travel times by time of

day. Smartcards that can be used across

different public transit modes or systems

allow linked trips (e.g. a bus ride followed

by a transfer to heavy rail) to be readily

identified and characterized. Prior to the

use of smartcards, much of this information

was difficult or inconvenient to obtain; now

it is easily produced by straightforward

processing of the smartcard data.


[email protected]

west bay, doha, qatar

Etihad Rail 201

railway route

5


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Smarter Choicesis the collectiveterm for measuresthat influencepeoples travel

behavior towardmore sustainable options.Having seen the successesof its applications, the UKis now investing heavilyin Transportation DemandManagement (TDM) programs.Here we set out somelessons learned.

By Lisa Buchanan and Jon Foley

Transportation Demand Management (TDM)

is the application of strategies to reduce

travel demand (specifically of single-

occupancy private vehicles) or to redistribute

this demand. TDM offers solutions for

tackling increasing travel demand without

having to expand road capacity.

In the UK, TDM has reached the top of

the transportation planning agenda. A

key component of TDM is a package of

measures known as Smarter Choices.

Smarter Choices techniques seek to

promote alternatives to automobile use

and include travel awareness campaigns,

setting up websites for carpool projects,

supporting car sharing programs and

encouraging telecommuting. They have

a proven ability to generate low-cost,

high impact transportation solutions

and significant investment is now being

Using smarter choices to support TDMdirected to ensure Smarter Choices

measures are implemented across the UK.

Until recently, the application of TDM had

been relatively ad hoc as practitioners

grappled with uncertainties about its

effectiveness and funding was hard

to come by. So how did the UK get

from there to here, and can others

follow suit? We believe they can.

The turning point

In 2003, three medium-sized English towns

(circa 100,000 population.) were granted

Sustainable Travel Town status and given

$20 million from central government and

local sources to invest in sustainable

transportation over a period of five years.

Monitoring was commissioned to assess

the impact of such intensive spend on

Smarter Choices measures. A significant

component in each town was a TDM solution

at individual levels through personalized

travel planning (PTP), a technique which

centers on structured conversations about

peoples motives for their travel and identifies

realistic alternatives tailored to them.

Between 50% and 100% of households

in each of the towns were targeted, and

up to 45% of households participated.

Household travel surveys in the three townswere carried out in 2004 and 2008 to monitor

the effectiveness of the interventions.

The following key results were reported

by an independent study team appointed

by the UKs Department for Transport*:

t Car use:Car trips fell by 9% per person,

and mileage by 5-7%. This compares

with a decrease of about 1% in medium-

sized urban areas over the same period.

t Bus transit use:Bus trips per person grew

substantially, by 10%-22%, compared

with a national decline of 0.5%.

t Biking:The number of bike trips

per person grew substantially in

all three towns, by 26-30%, whilebiking trips declined elsewhere.

tWalking:Walking trips per person grew

substantially, by 10-13%, compared to

a national decline in similar towns.

The effectiveness of the methods is now

generally accepted, and the UK government

actively encourages local government

to develop and implement area-wide

transportation plans that include TDM and

Smarter Choices components targeted

at explicit performance objectives.

The future of TDM in the UK

In January 2011 the UK government

invited local transportation authorities

(LTAs) in England to bid for a slice

of a four-year US$950 million Local

Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF). The

Fund is a mixture of capital and, critically,

revenue funding, which will enable LTAs

to develop coherent packages involving

both infrastructure and complementary

revenue-funded measures including thoseassociated with TDM outlined above.

The response has been resounding as the

Government received bids from 73 LTAs

in the first round and the remaining LTAs

are expected to bid as part of a second

tranche early in 2012. Of the bids received

to date, all incorporate TDM in some form,

notably personalized travel planning, and

engagement with the business community

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rail high speed two

to encourage them to adopt changes in

their travel behavior. Many bids include

the formation of dedicated TDM units to

deliver integrated programs of measures

to support a move toward much greater

use of sustainable transportation.

The ad hoc approach to delivering TDM

interventions is a thing of the past and the

successes of the demonstration projects in

particular has led to both UK government

and LTAs embracing the role of TDM much

more fully in their transportation programs.

In other parts of the world, TDM is also

gaining momentum; in Canada, we are

currently supporting the City of Ottawa by

developing a TDM strategy to help mitigate

congestion impacts during their upcoming

LRT construction; and in Vancouver, we

are providing TDM expertise as a key

input to TransLinks new Transport 2045

long range strategic plan. We hope that

the UKs experience can provide lessons

and inspiration for others to learn by and,

at the very least, show just what TDM

can achieve for local communities.


[email protected]

[email protected]

Lisa will speak about how to SecureTravel Demand Management through New

Development at the ACT Canadas Sustainable

Mobility Summit 2011 (30th Oct to 2nd Nov).Visit www.ACTCanada.com for info

londons new way to plan

A travel plan, or site-specific TDM strategy,

is a package of measures developed by

an organization such as a workplace or

school to encourage sustainable travel

options. Steer Davies Gleave has been

working with Transport for London to

develop: a good practice guidance for

development-related travel planning; a

travel plan monitoring tool which ensures

that the effectiveness of all travel plans

in London is monitored in

a consistent way; and

an online travel plan

assessment tool

(www.attrbute.

org.uk) to assess

comprehensively

the quality of

a travel plan.

london 2012 olympic and

paralympic games tdm strategy

We have developed and implemented

a TDM strategy that helps to create

additional capacity on the transportation

system which will be used by athletes,spectators and others involved in the

Games. Using an extensive marketing

and communications campaign,

journey planning tools and direct

support to the business community,

the TDM strategy is intended to reduce

the travel demand of those living and

working in affected areas by 35%.

personal travel planning

on a big scale

We have been leading the market in

personal travel planning (PTP) in the UK,

implementing over 30 projects targeting

over 300,000 households. In Birmingham,

we are delivering PTP as part of a wider

TDM campaign which included a team of

travel advisers who provided information

and support services (such as bike training

and bike repairs) and conducted innovative

Motivational Interviewing techniques

adapted from the health sector.

tdm in north america generates

low-cost, high impact

transportation solutions

Over the past two years, we have been

working with local governments across

North America, helping them to integrate

TDM programs as part of their long range

city wide transit master plans. Cities where

we have been particularly active on TDM

programs include Ann Arbor in the US and

Vancouver, Toronto, and Hamilton in Canada.

We perceive growing demand for our services

as TDM programs gather momentum across

North America.

* 2010, Department for Transport, The Effects of Smarter Choice

Programmes in the Sustainable Travel Towns: Summary Report

7


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Remember the lasttime you visiteda new place? Ifyou got confused,lost or couldnt

find your way,its likely that the wayfindingsystem let you down.

By Fred Gangemi

Wayfinding is a byproduct of the complex

environments we live in from regions

to cities and even individual buildings,

there is certain information that people

need to enable them to navigate new

(and even familiar) environments.

Wayfinding performs a fundamental

role in the process of familiarization.

An effective, consistent wayfinding

system encourages exploration and

wandering as well as building confidence.

Wayfinding also performs the essential

function of directing, informing and

supporting movements that allow public

spaces and buildings to function.

Good wayfinding includes legible, well-

designed spaces, signs and information

when and where people need them,effective use of surface treatments,

materials and lighting, and place-making

interventions such as public art or landmark

buildings all combining to create

pathways, landmarks and destinations.

Delivering this requires more than simple

design skills. It requires an in-depth

understanding of people, their behavioral

patterns and decision-making processes, as

well as ensuring the financial viability of the

Finding your way in the world


[email protected]

systems and knowing how to build a strong

business case for them. Having worked

on many wayfinding strategies around the

world, Steer Davies Gleave shares some of

the experience picked up along the way.

Wayfinding fundamentals

It helps to consider the following three

points when developing a wayfinding

strategy:

Understand the physical features,

constraints and intended use

A thorough spatial analysis of the area

identifies barriers to movement and

highlights places where interventions are

needed. This analysis can be carried out

through empirical means (visual audits) by

using pedestrian modeling software such as

Legion or Vissim, or by using specific tools

such as Connectivity Analysis to calculate

the relationships between any and every

point location in the physical layout and

quantitatively to assess connectivity.

Understand your visitors

For the system to work, it must be able

to support the movement needs of visitors

unfamiliar with the area and build on the

existing knowledge of local residents.

Visitors could be tourists, but they could

equally be on business or visiting friends

or relatives. Understanding how these

different groups operate, what type and

level of information they need, wheretheir key desire lines are, and how and

where they enter the network will form a

fundamental part of the wayfinding system.

Understand stakeholder aspirations

Stakeholders and project partners

can often present a challenge to successful

implementation of a consistent and

legible wayfinding solution. Conflicts of

ownership, identity, naming, placement

and style can create tension and delays.

In our experience, early identification and

mapping of stakeholder conflicts, developing

an understanding of the underlying

motivations and careful management

throughout the projects development,

can help overcome these conflicts.

breaking news!

Torontos new wayfinding strategySteer Davies Gleave is delighted to have

been recently appointed to deliver a

Wayfinding System Strategy (Phase One) for

the City of Toronto, Ontario. Working with

the city, stakeholders and our local urban

realm and planning partners, Dialog, the

strategy will provide the framework and

implementation strategy for a multimodal

wayfinding system including pilot areas in

advance of the Pan American Games 2015.

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Wayfinding for transit

Effective wayfinding makes all the

difference to transit facilities. It is

absolutely key to ensuring that people

are able to use the transit system

efficiently, conveniently, and safely.

Steer Davies Gleave has been working

with the owner and operator of the Great

Britains rail infrastructure, Network Rail,

over the past year to produce its new

Guide to Station Planning & Design.

The recently launched guide assists in

making rail stations more accessible

and ensures that they have a positive

economic, social, and environmental

impact on local communities. Another

element of wayfinding is to ensure

that signing structures are designed

and positioned in a way that helps

smooth pedestrian flows.

In Bologna, Italy, we

extensively applied the

use of environmental

graphics (oversized

pictograms or

letters applied to

architectural elements)

to its airport monorail

service, which reduced

the need for accessorysigning structures

and resulted in more

open, uncluttered

environments.

Wayfinding for events

Some wayfinding initiatives may have

different short and long term objectives,

or a temporary nature. An example is

the 2010 Bicentennial Trail in Bogot,

Colombia a tourist trail linking 38

landmarks which marked the 200th

anniversary of Colombias independence

from Spain. The objectives of the

wayfinding strategy design were to

implement a system that was visible,

easy to follow, and provided users with

good understanding of the city as a

whole. We developed a system that

combined temporary signing (such as

balloons, banners and totems) for the

celebrations and permanent waymarkers

as a legacy for future generations.

Making the case

It is also very important to ensure

that there is a solid business case to

ensure the financial sustainability for

the implementation of any wayfinding

program. For instance, Legible London

is a world-class integrated system of

wayfinding information to support

pedestrian movement in the UK capital.

Its aim is to encourage more people

to make trips on foot, rather than by

public transportation or the private

car. We developed a comprehensive

evaluation program involving a range

of survey elements and audits for the

pre-implementation stage in three

pilot areas, which were followed by

a post-implementation study that

measured the benefits of the initiative

and assessed the progress toward

achieving the projects objectives.

2010 bicentennial trail, bogotlegible london, uktotem, bologna, italy

9


12/20

Can good transit design save money?Good transitdesign contributeseconomic benefitsand public value.Research shows

that investmentin design quality bringsquantifiable financial returns andthat people value improvementsto their communities.

By Peter Piet

The design of attractive and operationally

efficient transit passenger facilities creates

a positive experience for the millions of

people who use public transit every day.

Our global experience developing transit-

related design guidance provides a balanced

view of user needs and public space

opportunities. This helps local governments

and operators deliver successful outcomes

through a consistent approach to planning,

design, delivery and operation.

We know that effective transit design guidance

establishes common practices across delivery

agencies, and planning and operational

disciplines, minimizes unnecessary design

development, delivers value for money throughuse of common components, and facilitates

creativity and innovation, all of which can

provide real passenger and operational benefits.

There are four key considerations that

facilitate good design guidance:

Transit passenger facilitiesthat have

implemented consistent, high quality,

passenger-centered facility design often


[email protected]

also achieve high levels of passenger use

and satisfaction. Design in this context

includes a combination of performance,

accessibility and function, all of which form

an essential part of a users experience.

Facilities can provide added value to

passengers and to non-traveling users

and equally can provide opportunities

for transportation operators and facilities

providers to attract business and revenue.

The importance of the streetscape

and public realm, in terms of how

pedestrians experience the urban realm, has

become a recognized and influential aspect of

city planning in the last decade. While many

of the emerging concepts have concentrated

on minimizing the impact of vehicular traffic,

integrated transportation design has also

emerged as a key factor in achieving those

goals. Streetscape and its components such

as public space, lighting, wayfinding, public

art, and walking and biking access form an

essential interface between transit passenger

facilities and transit-oriented communities.

Transit-oriented communities and

developmentsare places that invite

people to drive less and walk, bike and take

transit more. Limited stop, frequent transit

services support a nodal development pattern

with the station at the center of each higher-density node. Local frequent transit services

support more of a linear mid-rise development

pattern with stops spread more evenly. This

approach to regional growth increases the

operational efficiency of the transit system,

reduces private car use, creates safer, more

livable neighborhoods, and generates

value through reduced transportation

costs and increased real estate values.

Creating sustainable transit

developmentsrequires a process of

design which strives to create equilibrium

between the needs of mankind and the

capacity of the world which we inhabit. In

practical terms this means simultaneously

addressing social, economic andenvironmental aspects related to national,

regional and local policies and targets. For

a development to be sustainable it should

make significant advances in social, economic

and environmental benefits, anticipating

what will be regarded as good practice in two

to five years. Transit facilities incorporating

sustainable solutions require an integrated

design approach to deliver projects whose

impact on the environment and climate are

mitigated, meet the needs of the people

using and operating the facility now and in

the future, and have an inherently higher

residual value and long-term investment

return due to the nature of low energy design.

A great example is the innovative station

guidance document we created for Network

Rail, the owner/operator of Great Britains rail

infrastructure. Its Guide to Station Planning and

Design (pictured) provides a valuable source

of good practice for the planning and design

of the 2,500 railway stations across Britain.

Our custom design guidance documents cutthrough the confusion of the planning system,

fill missing gaps in policy and guidance, make

things happen, and save our clients money.

4

Find out more about Network Rails Station

Design Guide here:http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6368.aspx

10


13/20

From a novelurban experimentto a key elementof the publictransportation

network, welook at what drives successfulbike sharing programsaround the world.

By Jonny Rotheram

Ten years ago there were only five bike

sharing programs worldwide, all operating in

Europe. These pioneering systems consisted

almost exclusively of a fleet of 4,000 free-to-

use bikes being placed within a city (most

of which were stolen within months).

Today, the current worldwide bike sharing

fleet is estimated to be around 236,000

bikes in 230 towns and cities. While Europe

is the home of bike sharing, accounting

for 74% of all cities with a program, bike

hire systems can now be found on every

continent (except Africa and Antarctica).

Cities have discovered that rather than being

a novelty, bike sharing programs can play

an important role in todays transportation

network, essentially filling the gap of tripsthat are too long to walk comfortably, but

short enough to make public transportation

seem unnecessary. Recent high profile

successes of the Paris and London systems

have led to a rapid expansion. In North

America, a large number of cities are now

implementing or considering bike sharing

systems through bike rental companies

like Bixi (operating predominantly in

Canada) and B-Cycle in the US.

Whether for a major metropolitan city

implementing an all bells and whistles

system, or a small urban area utilizing

a simple internet-based model and

cell phone technology, there seem to

be systems to fit cities and towns of all

shapes and sizes. But what makes it

work for some and not for others?

In the UK, Londons Barclays Bike Hire

has had a great response to its launch in

July last year and is currently undergoing

expansion. However, only a handful of other

UK cities have managed successfully to set

up and operate a bike sharing program.

Systems that are successful usually have at

least two main things going for them, political

will and an understanding of the need

wholeheartedly to embrace bike hire in their

city (ensuring widespread docking stations

at all important origins and destinations).

Another key factor that seems to sway

bike sharing success is culture. Where no

cycling culture exists, bike sharing can,

and does, fall flat. There is still stigma

attached to biking in cities where it is seenas a mode of transportation for a limited

percentage of the population. In places with

many bike users, a much wider selection

of society is usually open to biking. This

culture manifests itself when non-bikers see

people like themselves biking, and where

associated benefits become more apparent.

A biking culture will not appear overnight.

In London, it took a combination of factors,

namely road user charging and strong

political leadership which instigated

widespread biking infrastructure,

signage, and route improvements.

Any new bike sharing system must be

part of wider biking improvements; taking

a holistic approach to increasing biking

as a mode of travel will reap rewards.


[email protected]

Global bike sharing success

worldwide distribution of cities with a bikesharing program

74%

10%

10%

3%

1% 1 % 1 %

Europe

North America

Asia

South America

Central America

Oceania

Middle East

The full version of this article can be read at:http://www.steerdaviesgleave.com/news-and-

insights/bikes-for-hire

11


14/20

Significant progresshas been madeon Edmontons

ambitious LRTplans. Here, wegive an update.

By Chris Proud

Since our article on Edmontons pioneering

LRT plans in the November 2010 issue of The

Review, the City of Edmonton has continued

to make rapid progress on the planning

and design of the networks expansion.

The Edmonton City Council approved the

concept level design for the majority of the

27-mile alignment, and has now begun the

preliminary engineering design. With service

planned to begin in 2016, the LRT expansion

will be central to the wider city objectives of a

more compact and sustainable urban form. It

aims to provide real choice in transportation

modes, with a focus on prioritizing LRT,

pedestrian, and biking connections.

We have been working with the City of

Edmonton from the early stages, and

developed a new city scale, urban styleLRT concept as the core of the broader

LRT expansion plan, which includes

modern low-floor LRT vehicles, integrated

with surrounding neighborhoods and

transit oriented development (TOD).

The system is designed to support

redevelopment, integrating seamlessly

into existing communities and key activity

centers. Its a real departure from the

existing LRT in Edmonton that utilizes

high-floor, high platform stations, with

Edmontons big LRT plans push aheadsignificant infrastructure and many

underground segments and stations.

Rather, the innovative design provides

simple stop infrastructure and utilizes

existing transportation corridors along

primarily surface running alignments.

With the approval of the concept level

alignment design, the Edmonton City

Council asked city staff to provide an

enhanced examination of a short segment

of the alignment on the eastern side of the

downtown. This area is planned for a major

redevelopment called the Quarters (after

the four bisecting roadways in the area). It

is also home to a significant Cantonese and

Mandarin speaking Chinese community with

multiple facilities of cultural significance and

residential facilities for Chinese seniors. The

Quarters redevelopment ultimately envisions

a mix of new residential, commercial, and

office space with easy walk, biking, and

transit access to the core of downtown

Edmonton. However, the local Chinese

community had expressed concern over the

alignment and a proposed portal needed to

access the only underground segment of the

alignment, beneath the North Saskatchewan

River). We were asked to support additional

consultation with the local community,focusing on enhancing the benefits of the

alignment and mitigating potential impacts.

Working directly with city staff, we developed

and implemented a series of stakeholder

engagement activities to identify critical

issues for the local community and to seek

common ground on potential solutions.

Local stakeholders seized the opportunity

to help develop LRT design options.

Teams of stakeholders used scaled puzzle

pieces to locate design alternatives for

further analysis and screening, which

gave them a new appreciation for the

benefits, constraints, and trade-offs for

designing LRT through their community.This enhanced stakeholder outreach

provided key input to city staff and resulted

in adjustments to enhance the benefits

of the LRT design through the Quarters.

The new changes are currently under

consideration by the Edmonton City Council.

the real benefits of lrt and brt

With increasing demands for transit

investment and services, many cities

in North America are considering

higher order, rapid transit investments

including Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus

Rapid Transit (BRT). While a great deal

of information is available about their

relative costs, travel times, and design

requirements, much less is known about

how the market including potential

passengers and developers perceive

the differences between them.

Through our internal Research and

Innovation program, we are undertaking

original market research this fall to

examine the perceptions of the relative

added value of the two technologies to

help our clients make more informed

investment decisions. To find out more,

[email protected]


[email protected]

12


15/20

Studies show thattransit-orienteddevelopmentreally can makea difference tothe long-term

sustainability of our urban areas.

By Tim Baldwin

Sustainability is probably the most common

word used in urban planning today. Hundreds

of books and articles have been written on it,

and the federal government is focusing on it

through its grant programs. The recent round

of HUD/DOT/EPA sustainability planning

grants has given regions such as Seattle, Salt

Lake City, and Minneapolis-St. Paul major

funding sources for regional sustainable

planning. But what does it all mean?

Urban transit and its land-use cousin TOD

(transit-oriented development) obviously can

play a major role in making our cities more

sustainable. It all starts with vehicle miles

traveled (VMT). The transportation sector

accounts for about one-third of all greenhouse

gases emitted in the US, and VMT has been

growing almost three times faster than the

overall population over the last two decades.

One of the most striking passages from Tom

Friedmans book Hot, Flat, and Crowdedis a

quote from Nate Lewis of CalTech:Imagine you

are driving in your car and every mile you drive

you throw a pound of trash out your window.

And everyone else on the freeway in their cars

and trucks is doing the exact same thing...

Well, that is exactly what we are doing; you

just cant see it. Only what we are throwing out

is a pound of CO2 thats what goes into theatmosphere, on average, every mile we drive.

Can TOD with its emphasis on mixed use,

walkable, compact development make a dent

in that trend? Can TOD reduce the number of

one-pound bags of trash that are going into

our atmosphere with every mile driven?

Now that we have almost 20 years of new

developments around transit stations,

research shows that TOD can indeed

make a difference and can drastically helpreduce per-capita VMT, which in turn can

reduce greenhouse gases. For example:

t Several studies have shown that

compact development increasing

density around transit stations can

reduce per capita VMT by 20 to 40%.

t Other studies found that neighborhoods

with a good land use mix providing a

combination of residential, commercial,

and retail in a compact environment can

reduce per capita VMT by 5 to 15%.

t Residents of TODs tend to own up to

30% fewer private autos and are up to

10 times more likely to use alternative

modes of travel than residents of

auto-oriented communities.

t People who live in TODs make up

to 50% fewer daily trips than those

in typical neighborhoods.

Steer Davies Gleave has helped Sacramento

develop its TOD guidelines and are

conducting a similar effort in Vancouver,

and we are currently working with the City

of Longmont, Colorado, in designing the

future of its downtown rail station area with

the aim of preparing an urban realm plan

to guide future development and design.

If we can work with our cities to make

transit more accessible, convenient, a part

of our daily lives and a well-designed part

of our neighborhoods, we can begin to

make progress in the battle against VMT and truly make a difference in the long-

term sustainability of our urban areas.

Long-term sustainability News in BriefStation Area Master Plan for Longmont, Colo

Steer Davies Gleave has been selected by

the City of Longmont, Colorado, to develop a

Station Area Master Plan for a future Denver

RTD rail station site in downtown Longmont.

The project will examine the short-term and range development potential for the site (we

in advance of actual rail station construction

and will include preparation of transit-orient

development concept plans and market ana

for the area. The project will also include an

examination of multimodal connections to

the site, including development of potential

alternative bus service options for the City to

better serve the site and the surrounding are

Montreal airport link

Steer Davies Gleave was appointed by Arop

de Montreal in June 2010 to develop investm

grade forecasts for a proposed rail link

connecting Pierre Trudeau airport to downto

Montreal. Work involved an extensive survey

of passengers, including a stated preference

exercise to estimate passengers willingness

to pay for the shuttle service, and a model

estimating demand for the various market

segments. Following submission of the forec

we have undertaken additional work includi

fare and frequency yield management analys

Strait of Messina Bridge

The Strait of Messina Bridge, connecting the ea

tip of Sicily and the southern tip of mainland

Italy, is one of the most complex transportation

infrastructure projects of our time. The constru

of a single-span suspension bridge two miles l

poses a significant technical challenge. At the s

time, an investment of about US $5.4bn, 40%

covered by public funds and the rest raised thr

the market, generates high political concerns. S

Davies Gleave has recently been appointed by

the Concessionaire of the Strait of Messina Brid

to carry out an independent review of the traffi

and revenue predicted for the infrastructure.

Sicily

Italystrait of messina


[email protected]

13


16/20

Physical activityis proven toreduce the risksof many diseasesand can evenbenefit society by

increasing social interaction.Unfortunately, much of Europeis not active enough to meet

EU health recommendations,and the trend is downwards.Encouragingly, in a recent surveywithin local government, 89%of respondents agreed thattransportation planning has aresponsibility to promote health.

By Nadine Kayser

Physical inactivity is estimated to account

for 600,000 deaths a year in Europe. Finding

ways to increase physical activity reduces the

risks of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases

and cancer. In addition, physical activity can

counteract the current epidemic of obesity

that poses a new global challenge to public

health. A possible way to respond to this

challenge is to promote health-enhancing

physical activity that can form a part of

everyday life, not just an optional extra

to be added at the end of a busy day.

Research has shown that transportation

systems can strongly influence opportunitiesto be physically active, both by facilitating

walking and biking and by enabling people

to get to places to be active. A recent article

in the British Medical Journal reviewing

walking and biking as an alternative to cars

found evidence that targeted programs can

change peoples behaviour. When Enrique

Pealosa became mayor of Bogot, one

of his priorities was to make life easier for

pedestrians and bikers. Eleven years later,

times more likely to be killed on the road

than those from higher classes. Much of

this can be attributed to environmental

conditions, for example: poorer children are

more likely to live in urban areas with poor

highway safety and high-speed traffic.

Effective transportation interventions

Some significant transportation

interventions in recent years offer interesting

lessons. Transport for Londons report

on scheme impacts showed that biking

increased by over 50% (with a 7% reduction

in accidents) after the introduction of

the congestion charge in 2003. Evidence

from large-scale interventions like those

in Odense in Denmark has also shown

positive results. By the end of their four

year programme, biking traffic had risen

by 20% and accidents involving bikers

had fallen by 20%. Furthermore, the

evaluation identified savings for the health

sector, mostly attributed to increased

safety and reduced susceptibility to

diseases linked to physical inactivity.

Many other interventions from around the

world have demonstrated similar increases

in physical activity and health benefits,

proving that multi-level, coordinated action

can improve participation in physical activity

Survey results in the UK suggest that the

overwhelming majority of respondentsaccept that transportation planning has

a responsibility to promote health. This

supports the idea that opportunities for

action require the health sector to join

forces with urban planners, transportation

planners and architects to help create places

where physical activity is easier and safer.

Europe gets physical?

the city has expanded bike

paths and pedestrian zones and

improved parks. Every Sunday from

7am to 2pm 75 miles of streets are

closed to motor vehicles and are used

for walking, skating and biking. These

are the kind of changes that make a city

a nicer and healthier place to be.

While evidence of the importance of

physical activity for health continues to

accumulate, many governments realize

that there is a need to tackle the urgent

challenge of reversing the present negative

trends and to bring physical activity back

into peoples lives. The scale of the problem

requires developing a new understanding

and new population-based approaches.

Furthermore, it requires raising awareness

and securing commitment across a range

of stakeholders. This implies developing

relationships with those who play a major

role in shaping our environments and

communities, such as policy-makers and

leaders from the health, transportation,

environment, sport, education, urban

planning, media and business sectors.

Barriers to physical activity

One of the biggest economic and cultural

influences in the last 30 years has been

the growing demand for mobility. The

increased use of cars has largely satisfied

this demand, leading mileage to grow by

almost 150% since 1970. The ability to travel

long distances has in turn played a role inpromoting urban sprawl. This increases the

dependence on cars to reach jobs, shopping

centers and other amenities, and thus

reduces opportunities for walking and biking.

Fear of traffic can be a powerful deterrent

to parents allowing their children to walk or

bike to school or play outdoors, especially

in poorer areas. In the UK, for example,

children from lower social classes are five


[email protected]

14


17/20

Due to fundingshortages, morestate and localgovernmentsare consideringtoll projects as

approaches to improve theirtransportation infrastructure,and the toll forecasts mustbe prepared to match thetype of toll project deliverybeing considered.

By David Cuneo

So how should the public sector determine

which delivery approach to use? Some

countries prescribe approaches for

undertaking this decision-making process,

with Value for Money Analysis or Public

Sector Comparators being the most common

examples. In the US there is no universal

approach yet, although many state and

local governments are developing their

own methods to address this issue. In

doing so, it is important that a properly

sophisticated evaluation is used to assess

the complex contractual and financial

instruments included in P3s. As a key input

into the financial valuation, a thorough

understanding of the toll revenue is critical.

There are two important considerations

of how forecasted toll revenues should

be incorporated into these analyses.

The first relates to toll rate increases.

Publically operated toll roads have a

history of modest toll rate increases, with

political pressure often limiting their

extent. Private sector operators, on the

other hand, have tended to exercise theirright to increase toll rates subject to their

concession agreement constraints.

The other important consideration when

comparing delivery approaches involves the

intended use of the forecasts. Traditional US

toll road development is primarily funded

by debt issued through the municipal

bond market. This offers the advantage of

lower interest rates, due to the tax exempt

status of the bonds. On the other hand,

P3 projects tend to involve a combination

of equity and debt investments.

Experience has shown that even on thesame project, different traffic and revenue

forecasts are used to support the equity

and debt investments, because of their

different risk and reward profiles. Equity

investors will benefit when revenues are

higher than forecast since excess revenue

net of costs represents their profit. Debt

investors do not receive this upside benefit,

although when the public sector develops

projects, this excess revenue becomes

available to the public for other purposes.

Both debt and equity investors may notreceive payment when revenues are

lower than forecast. However, since debt

payments are higher in the flow of funds

than the equity return on investment, debt

investors are more likely to receive payment

when revenues are less than forecasts,

and thus face different downside risks.

A robust project delivery evaluation must

incorporate these considerations to assess

the revenue streams for each type of

investment properly. This evaluation must

match the likely toll rate increases with

the project delivery approach, and align

the assumptions included in the traffic

and revenue forecasts with the risks and

rewards of equity and debt investors.

Steer Davies Gleave will soon begin work

assisting the San Bernardino Associated

Governments as it considers the delivery

approach for managed lane projects in

Southern California, and advising the

Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure

Authority in its oversight role of the LouisvilleSouthern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project.

Toll road forecast types News in BriefStation Area Master Plan for Longmont, Colo

Steer Davies Gleave has been selected by

the City of Longmont, Colorado, to develop a

Station Area Master Plan for a future Denver

RTD rail station site in downtown Longmont.

The project will examine the short-term and range development potential for the site (we

in advance of actual rail station construction

and will include preparation of transit-orient

development concept plans and market ana

for the area. The project will also include an

examination of multimodal connections to

the site, including development of potential

alternative bus service options for the City to

better serve the site and the surrounding are

Montreal airport link

Steer Davies Gleave was appointed by Arop

de Montreal in June 2010 to develop investm

grade forecasts for a proposed rail link

connecting Pierre Trudeau airport to downto

Montreal. Work involved an extensive survey

of passengers, including a stated preference

exercise to estimate passengers willingness

to pay for the shuttle service, and a model

estimating demand for the various market

segments. Following submission of the forec

we have undertaken additional work includi

fare and frequency yield management analys

Strait of Messina Bridge

The Strait of Messina Bridge, connecting the ea

tip of Sicily and the southern tip of mainland

Italy, is one of the most complex transportation

infrastructure projects of our time. The constru

of a single-span suspension bridge two miles l

poses a significant technical challenge. At the s

time, an investment of about US $5.4bn, 40%

covered by public funds and the rest raised thr

the market, generates high political concerns. S

Davies Gleave has recently been appointed by

the Concessionaire of the Strait of Messina Brid

to carry out an independent review of the traffi

and revenue predicted for the infrastructure.

Sicily

Italystrait of messina


[email protected]

13


18/20

Perhaps it wasjust too far aheadof its time. 130years after it wasfirst invented, theelectric car finally

seems to be going somewhere.

By Steven Bishop

Many times since the 1880s, when the

electric car was first invented, engineers have

introduced a new experimental model that

fails to catch on, and the electric car falls

back into obscurity. But with rising fuel costs,

concern for the environment and political

backing, is the tide beginning to turn? There

is clearly a buzz about electric vehicles, in fact

President Obama has pledged $2.4 billion in

federal grants to fund development of next-

generation electric vehicles and batteries.

Electric and hybrid vehicles

Electric cars run entirely using battery power,

while a hybrid vehicle contains both an

electric motor and an internal combustion

engine fueled by gasoline that powers the

vehicle and charges the battery. The hybrid

may use both engines at the same time,

using less fuel per mile and lowering CO2

and other atmospheric emissions relative

to a conventional car. Although electricityisnt entirely carbon free, a battery-powered

vehicle emits around 40% less CO2 than an

average gasoline-powered car. The current

generation of electric cars can travel between

70 and 200 miles on a single charge. From

next year, there should also be the option

of a plug-in-hybrid, such as the Toyota

Prius PHV, which is quoted as providing

108 mpg. This could be seen as providing

succeed, but the experience in California

where significant charging infrastructure

is already in place will shed some light on

this. If the California experience is studied

intelligently, it should provide insight not

only into how electric vehicles are currently

used and perceived, but also into the

infrastructure and marketing decisions thatwill maximize future adoption and benefits.

In theory, charging a battery will be much

cheaper than filling a gas tank, so the initial

extra outlay for an electric vehicle (currently

$10,000- 15,000 more than a comparable

gasoline car) would be recouped through lower

fuel costs. Batteries are predicted to last around

ten years, so the price of charging should be

set to make sure the costs remain competitive.

In addition, it would be useful to establish how

much more people would be willing to pay for

fast charging than for slow charging. There are

doubtless some barriers to overcome, such

as range anxiety, which derives from the

need for electric vehicles to be charged away

from home for destinations over 35 miles.

However, many of these barriers are created

by inaccurate perceptions, and are likely to

diminish as people gain more experience with

electric vehicles. The average US automobile is

driven only 33 miles per day, so electric cars are

already well-suited to typical current auto usage

Whatever the precise future road mapfor electric vehicles may be, their time in

obscurity is likely to be a thing of the past.

Whatever will happen to the electric car?the best of both technologies: it allows the

battery to be charged at home, and gives the

security of a gasoline engine in reserve.

The charging network

There are currently three ways in which

purely electric vehicles can be recharged:

Slow charging:Using an AC connection,

vehicles can be fully charged in around

eight hours. Not something people are likely

to do mid-trip, but certainly an option to

plug in at work or home. Currently, most

charge points in the US are of this type.

Fast charging:Using a more powerful

DC connection, vehicles can be fully

charged in around 60 minutes about as long

as it takes to do the weekly grocery shopping.

Although referred to as fast, this is still much

longer than it takes to refill a gasoline car.

Battery exchange:The fastest method

of charging, which is being pioneered in

Denmark and Israel. This is not as simple as

it sounds, however, as electric car batteries

weigh more than 500 pounds, and are not

standardized across different car models.

What are the next steps?

The first step is to roll out an extensive

charging point network, and make the right

strategic and operational decisions in doingso. Given the substantial tax credits available

for the installation of charging stations (up to

$50,000), and the commitments to provide

them made by a number of significant

trip generators, such as banks, hotels,

grocery stores and government agencies,

charging stations are likely to become more

widespread in coming years. At present it

is unclear which method of charging will


[email protected]

Read our three visions for electric vehicles in

2025 and vote for the one that you think is most

likely to come about:

http://www.steerdaviesgleave.com/news-and-

insights/electric-vehicles-in-2025

14


19/20

With rapid new developmentputting pressure on oneof Mexico Citys historicneighborhoods, we broughtour Mexican and Europeanexpertise together, adaptinginternational best practiceeffectively to the areastroubled road network.

By Luke Miller and Alejandro Saniger

Some development projects generate strong

feelings across a range of interest groups.

This is certainly the case with the proposed

Pedregal 24 office building in Mexico City.

The proposed building is located in the Las

Lomas area, a historic residential area whose

1930s design was inspired by the principles

of Ebenezer Howards Garden City. The

area is largely residential and remains

an vibrant and attractive place to live.

However, in recent years the area has been

subjected to considerable development

pressure due to its strategic location near the

intersection of tree-lined Reforma Avenue

(Mexico Citys major east-west axis) and the

Perifrico ring road. Reforma is now largely

fronted by commercial developments,

springing up at a rapid rate, which are causing

intense pressures on the local road network,

much of which is now at capacity all day.


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In response to the demands of several

influential local residents groups, the

citys government agencies decided to

commission an independent transportation

and public realm study in the area around

the proposed development. Steer Davies

Gleave was unanimously selected to carry

out the study, which provided challenges

on several fronts. We had to find workable

solutions through a process of ongoing

dialogue and debate as the client was being

represented by a technical steering group

made up of representatives from the citys

local and regional government, neighborhood

groups, and the developer of Pedregal 24.

We approached this challenge by applying an

innovative process to examine the current

and potential future transportation conditions

in the area. This included estimating the

travel impact of the building, applying a

structured decision-making process to

define objectives, and identifying a range of

possible actions to meet these objectives.

Specifically, the process involved:

t A major program of data collection,

which included traffic volumes and

speeds as well as detailed audits of

the quality of the public realm.

t A public engagement process which

involved stakeholders (includingresidents groups, local employers, and

employees) in identifying the problems

and opportunities in the area. We believe

that this is especially key to gaining

understanding and acceptance of the

development process, and ensuring the

relevance of the eventual proposals. We

held public meetings, workshops, and

conducted web surveys which provided an

important source for ideas and dialogue.

t Developing a range of strategic

objectives which drew on the stakeholder

workshops that had been agreed with

the residents groups, Public Realm

Authority, and the local government.

t Measuring proposals againstthese objectives to develop a

number of integrated packages of

measures for detailed testing.

t Constructing detailed microsimulation

models to test the impact of proposals.

t Assessing the performance of the

packages against the objectives and

development of schematic and 3D

models of shortlisted public realm

proposals to aid understanding

amongst the stakeholder group.

We believe that our emphasis on continuing

stakeholder involvement was of substantial

benefit to the integrity of the final proposals,

allowing the project steering group to

understand the rationale for their selection and

enriching the quality of the supporting analysis.

The Mexican movement

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Our locationsThe Americas

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About usSteer Davies Gleave is a leading

independent transportation consultancy

providing services to government,

operators, regulators, promoters,

financiers, and other interest groups.

Founded over 30 years ago and with more

than 350 consultants worldwide, we have

an unparalleled breadth of specialistexpertise available for our clients. We

welcome the opportunity for an informal

discussion on prospective consulting

assignments. Contact us at

[email protected]

www.na.steerdaviesgleave.com

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