south boston bus stop & service improvement … boston bus stop & service improvement...
TRANSCRIPT
DRAFT
South Boston Bus Stop & Service
Improvement Program
September 23 2015
Condon School
200 D Street
Overview
■ MBTA Bus Routes are important assets for all of South
Boston
■ Current Bus Stops do NOT meet MBTA or accessibility
guidelines
■ Parking spaces are at a premium in South Boston
■ Bus stops are inadequate, closely spaced and impede
traffic
■ Many interim changes and operations should be re-
evaluated per current neighborhood context
DRAFT
Overview – MBTA Bus Routes are important assets
Over 15,000 people getting on and off all bus stops
between Broadway and City Point every weekday
■ Bus stops do NOT meet MBTA or accessibility
guidelines • 29% of the Route 9 & 11 bus stops in South Boston are
equal to or less than 40 feet
• 56% are along sidewalks less than 8 feet wide, or have no
sidewalks at all.
An inbound bus at East Broadway and H St
(a 45-foot long stop) sticking into traffic
Inaccessible sidewalk conditions at
East 1st and O Street
Overview
Overview
■ On-street parking is at a premium in South Boston
neighborhood
■ Increased residential development and construction
activity
Construction vehicles parked in the bus stop at E Broadway and L St
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Overview
■ Very closely spaced stops • Over 70% of stops are closer than 750 feet
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MBTA System Guidelines
■ Stop spacing should be between 750 and 1,300 feet
apart for urban bus routes
• 4 to 6 minute walking distance, 4 to 7 stops per mile
■ MBTA buses must open their doors at the curb
• Far side (70’ minimum, 90’ standard)
• Near side (90’ minimum, 100, standard)
• Midblock (or far side after a left turn) (100’ minimum, 120’ standard)
■ Any stop altered (unless removed) must be brought up to
current accessibility standards
MBTA Key Bus Route Improvement Program
■ MBTA’s highest ridership
bus routes
■ Improvements completed in
2013
■ Utilized $10 million in ARRA
grant funds
■ Eliminated about 20-25% of
stops per route
Accomplishments
■ Improved Reliability
■ Faster Service
■ Accessibility Compliance
■ Passenger Amenities
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South Boston Transit
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RECENT
DEVELOPMENTS
Recent Development
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■ Increased development activity and ridership in South Boston
Recent Development
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■ Increased community interest in improving MBTA service
Recent Development
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Credit: Boston Globe
Recent Development
■ Following the winter emergency, utility work has kept
inbound buses on East Broadway
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Should MBTA bus service permanently move from 4th
Street to Broadway?
Relocate bus service from P Street to Farragut Road?
Ensuring bus stops are accessible
Key Issues:
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■ East Broadway is a two-way street, and buses operate in both
directions along the rest of East and West Broadway
■ Sidewalks are wider on East Broadway than on 4th Street (15
feet compared to 7.5 feet), offering accessibility advantages and
greater comfort waiting for the bus
■ Multiple lanes allow passing, operational flexibility, and
emergency vehicle passage
■ More commercial and institutional activity along Broadway
■ Service running on the same street is more consistent and
understandable
Inbound Service on East Broadway
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■ Farragut Road is a two-way street, allowing service to operate in both directions
■ Service running on the same street in both directions is more consistent and easier to understand
■ Sidewalks along the eastern edge of Farragut are recently resurfaced, and new curb ramps are already installed
■ Sidewalks on both sides of Farragut are consistently 14’ wide
■ Farragut Road has low traffic volumes, high visibility, and lower speeds; desirable for minimum stop lengths, which mitigate parking impacts
P Street service to Farragut Road
DRAFT
■ Faster, more reliable service: It takes an average of 15 seconds
for a bus to serve each stop. More variable travel times mean
less service is less reliable
■ Reduced parking impacts: Bus stops must be long enough to
be accessible. Consolidating stops impacts parking in fewer
locations
■ Coordinated with adjacent land use: Bus stops closer to
activity centers generating many riders
■ Smoother traffic flow: More stops means more weaving in and
out of traffic
■ Better amenities: Improved bus stops at ideal locations
Why consolidate bus stops?
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South Boston Transit
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EAST OF L STREET
Routes and Stops: SPRING 2014
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Routes and Stops: WINTER 2015
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Routes and Stops: WINTER 2015
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Temporary stop
removed after
Winter 2015
Routes and Stops: AS PROPOSED
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Routes and Stops: AS PROPOSED
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Net change in parking: +2 spaces
+1
+1 +5 +3
-2
+1 -3 -4 -1 -1
+2
-2
-3 +2
-3 +1 -2 +1
-3
-2
-3
-3
+3
+3 +3 +3 +2 +2
0 0 +1
LEGEND
0
-1
+1
No net
change
Parking
spaces lost
Parking
spaces gained
Routes and Stops: AS PROPOSED
DRAFT
1,090 ft
1,250 ft
1,110 ft
1,100 ft
640 ft
1,020 ft
1,200 ft (Rt 9)
950 ft
940 ft (Rt 11)
No more than 3
blocks from
nearest stop
660 ft (Rt 9)
700 ft (Rt 11)
DRAFT
INBOUND
STOPS
10033 – 1st Street & O Street (5, 7, 9, 10, 11)
■ Existing stop
■ Eliminated
■ Issues
• Sidewalk is in poor condition
(cracked and warped)
• Sidewalk is 5.5’ wide, but
obstructions narrow path of
travel to 3.5’
• Landing area is insufficient
width (5.5’)
• No detectable panel at curb
ramp for crossing O Street
■ Parking Impact: +1
DRAFT
35 – P Street & Broadway (5, 7, 9, 10, 11)
■ Existing stop
■ Eliminated
■ Issues
• Sidewalk width is only 7.5’
• Cross slope of landing area
is 7.8%
■ Parking Impact: +1
DRAFT
NEW - Farragut Road & 2nd Street (5, 7, 9, 10, 11)
■ New stop to be created
■ Sidewalk Width: 15’
■ Proposed Stop Length: 70’
■ Improvements Needed
• Resurface sidewalk to
reduce cross slope and
running slope of landing
area, and reduce cross
slope of path of travel
• Add visible crosswalk
across Farragut Road
• Repair curb ramps that
have greater than 8%
running slope
■ Parking Impact: -2
DRAFT
NEW – Farragut Road & 4th Street (11)
■ New stop to be created
■ 2 options: Near Side and Far Side
■ Near Side • Sidewalk width: 15’
• Resurface sidewalk to reduce cross slopes of landing area and path of travel
• Install curb ramp immediately across Farragut Road
• Potential stop length: 90’
• Parking impact: -2
■ Far Side • Sidewalk width: 15’
• Resurface sidewalk to reduce cross slopes and running slope of landing area and cross slopes of path of travel
• Potential stop length: 70’
• Parking impact: -2
DRAFT
37 – 4th Street & O Street (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ Existing stop
■ Eliminated
■ Issues
• Stop length - 40’
• Sidewalk width - 8’
• No detectable panels at
corner curb ramp
• Inconsistent sidewalk slope
• Retaining stop would
require removal of disability
parking space
■ Parking Impact: +2
DRAFT
NEW – Broadway & P Street (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ New stop to be created
■ Sidewalk Width: 15’
■ Proposed Stop Length: 90’
■ Improvements Needed
• Resurface sidewalk to
reduce cross slopes of
landing area
• Consider far and near
sides of P Street for further
evaluation
■ Parking Impact: -3
DRAFT
TEMP – Broadway & O Street (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ Temporary stop
■ Eliminated
■ Issues
• Currently not in use
• Created due to closure
inbound stops along 4th
Street
• School and neighbors
objected to location of stop
due to loading and unloading
of students
• 2 parking spaces were
gained with closure
■ Parking Impact: No change
DRAFT
NEW – Broadway & N Street (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ Temporary
■ Retained and Improved
■ Sidewalk Width: 14.5’
■ Proposed Stop Length: 90’
■ Improvements Needed
• Establish back of stop at
point of curvature in order to
avoid tree pit in landing area
• Coordinate alongside
ongoing park improvements
■ Parking Impact: -4
DRAFT
TEMP – Broadway & M Street (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ Temporary stop
■ Eliminated
■ Issues
• Currently in use as a
temporary stop due to
construction on 4th Street
• Less than minimum
spacing between adjacent
stops
■ Parking Impact: No change
DRAFT
41 – Broadway & L Street (5, 9, 10)
■ Existing stop
■ Retained and improved
■ Sidewalk Width: 10.5’
■ Stop Length
• Current: 60’
• Proposed: 90’
■ Improvements Needed
• Expand stop to standard
length (move back of stop
to point of curvature)
• Resurface cracked
pavement
■ Parking Impact: -1
DRAFT
886 – L Street & Broadway (7)
■ Existing stop
■ Retained and improved
■ Sidewalk Width: 8.5’
■ Stop Length
• Current: 49’
• Proposed: 90’
■ Improvements Needed
• Resurfacing of sidewalk to reduce cross slopes of both landing area and path of travel
• Replace pedestrian signals to meet currently accessibility standards
■ Parking Impact: -1
DRAFT
South Boston Transit
DRAFT
OUTBOUND
STOPS
27 – Broadway & N Street (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ Existing stop
■ Retained and Improved
■ Sidewalk width: 15’
■ Stop Length
• Current: 43’
• Proposed: 90’
■ Improvements Needed
• Resurfacing: cross slope of
landing area tilted toward
roadway
■ Parking Impact: -3
DRAFT
28 – Broadway & O Street (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ Existing
■ Eliminated
■ Issues
• Lamp post in landing area
• Tree box reduces sidewalk
width to 7’
• Space between adjacent
stops is below minimum
■ Parking Impact: +1
DRAFT
30 – Broadway & Farragut Road (5, 7, 9, 10)
■ Existing stop
■ Eliminated
■ Issues
• Near side immediately
before left hand turn
• Less than minimum
spacing between adjacent
stops
• Retaining stop would force
removal of disability
parking space
■ Parking Impact: +1
DRAFT
30272 – Farragut Road & Broadway (11)
■ Existing stop for Route 11, to be for Routes 5, 7, 9, 10, and 11
■ Retained and Improved
■ Sidewalk Width: 14.5’
■ Stop Length
• Current: 37.5’
• Proposed: 100’
■ Improvements Needed
• Expand stop to minimum length and accommodate left turns from Broadway onto Farragut Road
• No surfacing necessary
■ Parking Impact: -3
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South Boston Transit
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WEST OF L STREET
Routes and Stops: CURRENT
DRAFT
Routes and Stops: AS PROPOSED
DRAFT
Routes and Stops: MAKE ALL STOPS ACCESSIBLE
DRAFT
Net change in parking: -35 spaces
-2
-3
0
-1
-1
-1 -2 -2 -3 -3
-2 -2 -2 -2
0
-2
-2
-2
-1
-2
Routes and Stops: AS PROPOSED
DRAFT
Net change in parking: 0 spaces
+1
-3
0
-1
+4
-1 +2 -2 +1 -3
-2 +2 -2 +1
0
+2
-2
+2
-1
+2
South Boston Transit
DRAFT
NEXT STEPS
•Review Comments
•Finalize Plan
•Interim Improvements (as possible)
•Cost Estimates/Allocate Budget
•Final Design
•Implementation
DRAFT
Thank you