NY 5 BRT Conceptual Design Study:NY 5 BRT Conceptual Design Study:Study Advisory Committee Meeting 2Study Advisory Committee Meeting 2

withCreighton Manning Engineering, LLP

LogitransHerb Levinson

March 9, 2004

OverviewOverview

Review of goals and challengesRole of the Study Advisory Committee BRT operations analysisRoadway improvements planningCommunity liaisonProject schedule

Goal of the StudyGoal of the Study

To advance development of high-performance transit in Route 5 corridor– Gain market share/increase ridership

– Support for revitalization/land use changes

– Improve operating efficiency

– Enhance image of transit in Capital District

Key ChallengesKey Challenges

Complex travel patterns due to multi-nodal developmentMultiple jurisdictions Some key destinations are off-routeStation design must suit diverse environments, yet create unified identity

Route 5 EnvironmentsRoute 5 Environments

Role of the SACRole of the SAC

Include broadest perspective possibleReview and comment on major findingsFive meetings– Kick-off (September 2003)– End of preliminary route planning (today)– Middle of station planning (late Spring)– End of station/priority measures (Summer)– End of project (Autumn)

Project TasksProject Tasks

Ridership censusRoute planning / operations analysisRidership forecastStation conceptual designRoadway and priority measures planningCommunity liaisonPhasing plan

BRT Operations AnalysisBRT Operations Analysis

Numerous operational alternatives developed, based on– Ridership census results– Field observations– Experience of consultant team

Narrowed to four alternatives presented in Deliverable BToday’s goal: select one alternative

Boardings and Alightings all routes EASTBOUND

Hul

ett S

t

Nor

thw

ay M

all/C

olon

ie C

tr

Col

vin

Av

(No.

900

)

Col

onie

Cen

ter (

In)

St H

wy

155

McC

lella

n St

Veed

er/N

ott

Bro

adw

ay

Was

hing

ton

Av

Pear

l St

Lark

St

Elbe

rt S

t

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

Gen

eral

Ele

ctric

Erie

Blv

d

Vee

der/N

ott

Mar

tin S

t

Wal

dorf

Plac

e

Kel

ton

Av

Cha

rles

St

Har

vard

St

Law

nwoo

d S

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Wils

on S

t

Geb

hard

t St

Giff

ord

Rd

Fairf

ax

Can

ton

St

Lish

a Ki

ll C

em.

Boo

th S

t

Mar

ylan

d Av

St H

wy

155

No.

173

0

Ram

ada

Inn/

Gar

cia'

s

Tang

lew

ood

Rd

Nol

an R

d

Inte

rsta

te A

v

Osb

orne

Rd

Aus

tain

Av

No.

900

No.

680

N M

ain

Av

Ont

ario

St

Rob

in S

t

Lark

St

Haw

k S

t

Pear

l St

Ham

ilton

St

Stops

Pass

enge

rs

Total Ons Total Offs

Schenectady AlbanyDirection of Travel

AlbanyTr

avel

C

ente

r

Balltown

Col

vin

Av

Schenectady

Bus

st

atio

n

Wol

f Rd

55

55X

1

2

56XState Campus1 trip EB am

1 trip WB pm

5 trips EB am6 trips WB pm

AirportNursing Home

NY5 Corridor Local service Express service

I-87

New

Kar

ner

Only 3 trips go to Airport

Colonie Center

CURRENT SITUATION

Albany Shaker Rd

Sand Creek Rd

I-87 and I-90

Fuller Rd and I-90

Fulle

r Rd

ShuttlesFly

BugNo predetermined stops

Albany Shaker RdRoute 7

AlbanyTr

avel

C

ente

r

Balltown Col

vin

Av

Schenectady

Gre

yhou

nd

stat

ion

Wol

f Rd

I-87

New

Kar

ner

Colonie Center

ALTERNATIVE 1 – Transformed 55/55X

peaks

1

2

56X

ROUTE 5 Local service Express serviceLimited stop service

Same

Same

Same

Shuttles

Fly

BugSame

midday

BRT

nightBRT: Fold 55X into 55. During peaks, trips west of Colonie alternate between local and express service.

ALTERNATIVE 2 – Express BRT Overlay

55

BRT

2

56X

Local service at ends of corridor, express in the middle segment, with fewer than 5 stops in that segment

ROUTE 5 Local service Express serviceLimited stop service

Increased service to compensate for eliminated Route 1

Convert to feeder to/from Colonie Center

Reduced service level

Shuttles

Fly

BugExtend ShuttleBug to Colonie Center

AlbanyTr

avel

C

ente

r

Balltown Col

vin

Av

Schenectady

Gre

yhou

nd

stat

ion

Wol

f Rd

I-87

New

Kar

ner

Colonie Center

ALTERNATIVE 3 – BRT Corridor with Feeders

BRTExpress

2

Super-limited service with 15 stops in each directionFeeder routes to key destinations

ROUTE 5 Local service Express serviceLimited stop service

Increased service to compensate for eliminated Route 1

State Campus

AirportNursing Home

Crossgates Mall

Union CollegeEllis Hospital

General Electric

ShuttleFly

ShuttleBug

AlbanyTr

avel

C

ente

r

Balltown Col

vin

Av

Schenectady

Gre

yhou

nd

stat

ion

Wol

f Rd

I-87

New

Kar

ner

Colonie Center

Local

ALTERNATIVE 4 – Split Local Service with Feeders

55

BRT

2

Express in middle segmentFeeder routes to key destinations

ROUTE 5 Local service Express serviceLimited stop service

Same

State Campus

Run only between Schenectady and Colonie, stops at Transit Center in Colonie

1Increased service to compensate for truncated 55, all trips end at Transit Center

AirportNursing Home ShuttleFly

ShuttleBug

AlbanyTr

avel

C

ente

r

Balltown Col

vin

Av

Schenectady

Gre

yhou

nd

stat

ion

Wol

f Rd

I-87

New

Kar

ner

Colonie Center

Crossgates Mall

Union CollegeEllis Hospital

General Electric

Alternative 1 Alternative 1 –– Transformed 55/55XTransformed 55/55X

Pros– Least change from

current service– Service matched to

demand– Small incremental

operating cost increase

Cons– Different service patterns

during the day may be confusing

– Small increase in ridership

– Some forced transfers– Perhaps not enough of a

“splash”

Alternative 2 Alternative 2 –– BRT OverlayBRT Overlay

Pros– Greatest overall travel

time savings– Highest ridership gain– Easy to understand– Most riders can take

advantage of BRT– Small capital

investment

Cons– Service may seem slow

in downtowns– Less opportunity to

define BRT through stations

– Reduced local service between Colvin & Wolf

– Higher operational cost

Alternative 3 Alternative 3 –– BRT CorridorBRT Corridor

Pros– Easiest to understand

and represent (biggest “splash”)

– Largest in-vehicle travel time reduction

– Moderate incremental cost increase

– Lowest cost per rider

Cons– Largest number of BRT

stations (high cost)– Operationally

challenging for CDTA (timed transfers)

– Service not matched to demand east/west of Colonie

Alternative 4 Alternative 4 –– Split Local ServiceSplit Local Service

Pros– Easiest to match

service to demand– Service to Colonie

Transit Center from east and west

– Most riders can take advantage of BRT

Cons– Service may seem slow

in downtowns– Highest cost per rider– Small number of forced

transfers– Operationally

challenging for CDTA (timed transfers)

Roadway and Priority MeasuresRoadway and Priority Measures

Initial focus on three key areas– Queue jumper at New Karner (Route 155)– Queue jumper at Wolf Road– Transfer station on Central Avenue at

Colonie Center

Bus volume in corridor outside of downtown Albany not high enough to justify exclusive lane

Queue Jumper at Wolf RoadQueue Jumper at Wolf Road

ColonieColonie Transfer Station Transfer Station –– Concept 1Concept 1

ColonieColonie Transfer Station Transfer Station –– Concept 2Concept 2

Community LiaisonCommunity Liaison

List of stakeholders preparedTwo public meetings planned– Meeting 1 will follow SAC meeting #3– Meeting 2 will occur in the Fall

Draft newsletter taking shapeMaterials approved by SAC to be published on the Web

TaskRidership CensusRoute PlanningRidership ForecastStation PlanningKey Station DesignPriority MeasuresCommunity LiaisonPhasing Plan

Sept - OctMarch - April May - June July - Aug

Project ScheduleProject Schedule

SAC Meeting

DiscussionDiscussion

Consensus on BRT alternativeComments on roadway treatmentsOther