Arterial-based Bus Rapid Transit s Role in Providing Mobility and Traffic Congestion Relief in the Seattle Metropolitan Area

Transcription

1 Arterial-based Bus Rapid Transit s Role in Providing Mobility and Traffic Congestion Relief in the Seattle Metropolitan Area Bus Rapid Transit World USA 2010 Boston, MA June 14-16, 2010 Victor Obeso Manager, King County Metro Transit Seattle, WA

2 Introduction This white paper provides a brief overview of efforts occurring in the King County Metro Transit system (Seattle, Washington), which, in coordination with local and regional public transportation providers, and local cities, complements the emphasis on congestion reduction and relief of the Washington State Department of Transportation. King County Metro s establishment of new bus rapid transit services, to be called RapidRide, in six urban and suburban corridors comprising approximately 120 lane miles within its service area, represent the latest aspect of a multi-pronged approach to manage transportation demand and provide drive-alone alternatives to travelers in King County. King County Metro s RapidRide will be operated using environmentally friendly New Flyer Industries 60 hybrid dieselelectric vehicles. King County Metro Transit (Seattle, WA) King County Metro Transit (Metro) is known for its broad range of innovative transit services, green practices, and visionary approach to meeting the transportation needs of the county s growing population. Metro operates motor bus and trolley routes, door-to-door van service for people with disabilities and commuter vanpools and other ridesharing services. Metro also maintains 132 permanent and leased park-and-ride lots containing over 24,000 stalls. Metro is the contract operator of the City of Seattle s South Lake Union Streetcar and Sound Transit s Express commuter bus service and Link light rail (revenue service began July 2009). Metro provided nearly 119 million passenger trips in 2008; it is among the 10 largest bus systems in the nation. Metro is recognized as a leader in reducing pollution with its use of hybrid buses, electric trolleys, and cleaner fuels. All Metro buses are wheelchair accessible, and all are equipped with bicycle racks. In 2008 Metro operated 212 routes, had million boardings, 43 million revenue vehicle miles and million passenger miles. King County operates a fleet of 1,393 buses, which include standard and articulated coaches, electric trolleys, diesel, hybrid electric/diesel buses and streetcars, 280 Access vans and over 1,000 vanpool vans. King County operates out of 7 transit operations and maintenance bases. The Metro Transit service area consists of the entire area of King County, approximately 2,134 square miles, 39 cities and 1.9 million people. RapidRide Arterial Bus Rapid Transit In its latest efforts to improve the travel environment for many of its higher frequency bus routes and the riders of those routes, Metro is implementing bus rapid transit service (BRT), branded as RapidRide, in six arterial corridors covering approximately 120 lane miles. In three urban and three suburban arterial corridors Metro will address specific challenges with common elements and unique approaches in each corridor: improving modest service King County Metro Transit 2

3 frequencies and travel speed while addressing high ridership demand and general purpose traffic congestion that delays transit service. The RapidRide program will provide faster, more frequent service, attract more riders, improve passenger amenities and increase the reliability of service with transit priority investments throughout the six corridors. Based on traffic engineering studies, local community input and jurisdictional traffic operations policies in each corridor, Metro and the local jurisdictions responsible for traffic operations have developed a multi-pronged approach using a variety of transit priority tools and amenities to improve customer satisfaction and attractiveness. Metro s objectives (which are regularly negotiated with local traffic engineers) in RapidRide corridor design are to establish continuous transit priority pathways providing buses a travel time or exclusivity advantage to general purpose traffic. The methods used to achieve transit priority and speed or attractiveness advantages include: Transit Only or Business Access and Transit (BAT) or HOV lanes Transit Signal Priority Transit bulbs (curb extensions) for in-lane stops where priority lanes are not provided Transit Queue jumps with bypass lanes and transit only signals One-half mile station/stop spacing Off board fare payment for smart card users at RapidRide stations Next bus arrival signs at station locations Metro s traffic engineering studies indicate that travel time improvements compared to current local route travel times will be in the 20% to 35% range. Ridership projections assume significant gains in midday productivity as well as peak period ridership increases as frequency enhancements provide minute headways at minimum, varying by corridor. Projected Ridership on Metro s RapidRide Corridors Current Annual Ridership (Existing service in similar corridors) Projected Ridership (50% increase after 5 years of operation) A Line 1,770,000 2,655,000 B Line 1,020,000 1,530,000 C Line 1,530,000 2,295,000 D Line 3,060,000 4,590,000 E Line 3,150,000 4,725,000 F Line 1,050,000 1,575,000 Total 11,580,000 17,370,000 Metro s projected ridership gains are supported by its experience over the prior 10 years in focusing on urban and suburban core service connections serving higher density corridors and where ridership potential has not been fully tapped. In several major restructures of existing service, Metro has invested few new resources, concentrating on consolidation of service frequencies to fewer corridors within an area, simplification or route structure, directness of travel and ease of the transfer experience. The table below illustrates results of these efforts, in both the total ridership gains as well as productivity gains far exceeding the systemwide average (76.4 boardings per platform hour versus 2008 systemwide average of 33). King County Metro Transit 3

4 King County Metro Service Restructures Ridership & Productivity Annual Ridership Boardings Net % Added per Added Year Area/Route Before Spring 2008 Change in Change in Service Boardings Boardings Hours Service Hour North King 2003 County 2,912,160 4,064,950 1,152,790 40% 4, Rt 358 2,292,340 3,203, ,390 40% 8, Federal Way 2,311,640 3,598,320 1,286,680 56% 12, Ambaum Delridge 4,371,220 5,723,300 1,352,080 31% 12, Rt 7/49 Split 5,829,710 6,092, ,376 5% 10, Rt 150/180 2,328,900 3,618,140 1,289,240 55% 20, Central 2008 Eastside 1,507,710 1,776, ,810 18% 16, ,553,680 28,077,046 6,523,366 30% 85, King County s high and intermediate capacity transit corridors RapidRide BRT, SR 520 Urban Partnership and Sound Transit Link light rail King County Metro Transit 4

5 Transit Priority Facilities Used by King County Metro Metro owns the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT); a 1.3 mile tunnel, originally opened and operated with buses only from 1990 to 2005 that was then renovated to accommodate both bus and light rail operations. Joint operations began in July Approaching the DSTT from Interstate 5 south of the Seattle central business district is the SODO Transit way, another bus and rail exclusive transit way approximately 2 miles long. Between 2005 and 2007 during the closure of the DSTT for renovations to accommodate joint operations, Metro, the City of Seattle and Sound Transit (a three-county Regional Transit Authority responsible for building light rail, commuter rail and contracting the operation of regional bus routes) partnered to establish new priority traffic measures to benefit transit in the center city. During this period total travel time for buses in the downtown core was reduced by 10%, equaling over two minutes per trip, which provided ample justification for continuance of most of these measures. Subsequent planning efforts have targeted additional transit priority lanes to achieve continuous transit corridors through this congested and high transit volume area. King County Metro transit priority lanes in downtown Seattle provide speed and reliability enhancements for approximately 7,000 daily revenue bus trips King County Metro Transit 5

6 HOV, HOT Lanes and Facility Tolling The interstate and to a lesser extent the state highway system in King County has a nearly continuous system of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. This system increases freeway efficiency by moving more people more quickly and reliably in fewer vehicles. Because of the travel time savings they afford transit and high occupancy vehicles, HOV lanes encourage individuals to choose a higher occupancy mode over driving alone. By enabling transit to bypass congestion, HOV lanes also help transit reduce operating costs and perform more reliably. However, as the highway system becomes more congested, the performance of the HOV system suffers. Currently the 2+ HOV system in the Puget Sound region is not performing to the state s 45 mph standard in five out of seven monitored segments during 90% of the evening peak period (see the following Table) HOV Lane Reliability Performance on Major Central Puget Sound Corridors Morning Peak Hour Direction Commutes I-5, Everett to Seattle SB 60% X 6I-5, Federal Way to Seattle NB 67% X I-405, Lynnwood to Bellevue SB 92% I-405 Tukwila to Bellevue NB 49% X I-90, Issaquah to Seattle WB 100% SR 520, Redmond to Bellevue WB 99% SR 167, Auburn to Renton NB 99% Evening Peak Hour Direction Commutes I-5 Seattle to Everett NB 64% X I-5 Seattle to Federal Way SB 57% X I-405, Bellevue to Lynnwood NB 58% X I-405, Bellevue to Tukwila SB 35% X I-90, Seattle to Issaquah EB 100% SR 520, Redmond to Bellevue WB 68% X SR 167, Renton to Auburn SB 98% X means the segment does not meet the standard 1 The challenge presented to the state DOT and the region s transit agencies is to better manage flow and capacity of the roadways. Improvements yet to come include ITS aided active traffic management systems with real time traffic management messages and speed limits, and tolling of major transportation facilities such as the State Route 520 bridge connecting the major regional centers of Seattle and Bellevue. While the specifics are yet to be determined, High Occupancy and Toll (HOT) lane demonstration projects and studies clearly point towards future pricing strategies to better manage traffic flow. King County Metro is among the stakeholders and participants in planning and policy development for this future system. Growth Management and Commute Trip Reduction Growth management policies have begun to shift historic trends to increase density in designated population and employment centers. Between 2000 and 2009 population in the Central Puget Sound increased by 400,000 new residents. Between 2000 and 2040 fully 57% 1 Find more information at The 2009 Congestion Report, Grey Book Special Edition, WSDOT s Comprehensive Analysis of System Performance on State Highways November 2009 King County Metro Transit 6

7 of employment growth and 42% of population growth in the region is projected for King County, Washington state s most populous county. In that period metropolitan and core cities in the region are projected to experience a 73% increase in population (527,000 people) and 83% increase in employment (573,000 jobs). A significant share of that growth has and is projected to occur in the 27 designated regional growth centers in the region, of which 17 regional growth centers are in King County. There are currently 561 worksites in King County that are affected by the state Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) law, representing over 300,000 employees. The state, the county, and the cities have shown great success over the years in the CTR program. CTR regulations are simple: employers with 100 or more employees that arrive at work between 6 and 9 am must have a program to inform employees of commute options and have a point of contact for employee commute issues. The jurisdictions are accountable for CTR results, not the employers. By 2011, cities that participate in CTR must show a 10% reduction in drive alone rates, compared to a 2007 baseline. The graph below shows that the closer the CTR program is to providing services to all employers in dense urban centers, the higher the impact in terms of reducing drive-alone commuting. Based on the success of the traditional CTR program, the state began the Growth and Transportation Efficiency Centers (GTEC) program in The program expands CTRlike outreach to all employers in designated urban centers. The GTEC program aligns closely with the State s Growth Management Act goals by focusing resources within the Urban Growth Area and in Regional Growth Centers. GTEC helps achieve transportation and landuse objectives by bringing more people to employment centers in fewer vehicles. Downtown Bellevue, Redmond-Overlake, and Seattle s Downtown Urban Center are the official designated GTECs in King County. 0% -2% -4% -6% -8% -10% -12% -14% -16% -18% CTR Worksites, Percent Change in Drive Alone Rate From 2007 to 2009 US Commuters* -0.7% Washington Commuters* -2.2% CTR Sites Active Since % CTR Sites in GTECs -11.0% CTR Sites in King County GTECs -16.0% *Change from 2007 to 2008 Source for US & Washington commuters - '07 & '09 American Community Surveys, US Census Bureau; Source for CTR commuters - '07 & '09 Washington State Commute Trip Reduction Surveys. King County Metro Transit 7

8 In addition to the outreach to traditional CTR companies, the program focused on smaller employers and property managers. In all three King County GTECs, Metro worked with local partners the cities, the Greater Redmond TMA, TransManage (Bellevue), and Commute Seattle. All three GTECs were actively engaged during 2009 and the results show that the effort had a remarkable impact on mode share. The GTEC effort complemented the work already being done by the CTR program and strengthened Metro s partnerships in all three areas. Partners include such companies and institutions as the University of Washington, Microsoft, Seattle Children s Hospital, Amazon and Weyerhaeuser King County Metro Pass Revenue by Source 67% from Employers/Institutions 19% from Retail Outlets 14% from Direct Sales The revenue source breakdown highlights the importance of the relationships with employers that Metro has established over the years. Employers and other institutions represent the lion s share of Metro s pass revenue. CTR employers represent a significant portion of the pass revenue, but many employers that are not affected by CTR purchase transit passes and other fare media from Metro. In all, over 2,000 employers in King County buy something from Metro. Given the market share of employers/institutions the CTR and GTEC programs are vital to the growth and maintenance of that revenue. The outreach done through these programs brings in new employer customers and supports the current customers. By expanding the reach of the CTR effort to small employers Metro has the opportunity to continue to focus on this important market. Construction Mitigation using Transit Service In recent major state highway construction projects in King County, the state department of transportation has engaged in planning and funding additional transit and demand management activities carried out by Metro. In the replacement of the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct along the Seattle waterfront, WSDOT has contracted with Metro for $30 million in additional transit service operations and bus purchases over a three year construction period, as well as another $2 million in transportation demand management activities and new bus travel time monitoring equipment. WSDOT, King County Department of Transportation (within which Metro Transit is a division) and the Puget Sound Regional Council (the Municipal Planning Organization) successfully applied for and have been awarded federal Urban Partnership program funds. The transit elements of this award include funds to provide approximately 45 new buses and passenger facility enhancements in support of the addition of about a 35% peak period transit service increase on the SR 520 corridor connecting Seattle and Bellevue along with the greater east King County area. A King County adopted property tax increase will support the ongoing operation of Metro s service, while Sound Transit 2 enables the expansion of ST Express bus routes on the corridor. King County Metro Transit 8

9 Comparing Traffic Congestion in Major Metropolitan Areas Something is going right in the Seattle metropolitan area: According to the Texas Transportation Institute, the region is the only area nationally that has reduced hours of delay due to congestion between 1997 and This change in congestion levels can be attributed to many factors. Among the primary factors are the roadway capacity management approach of the state transportation department and the strong presence of public transportation options for King County residents and commuters along with the continued effects of the regional growth strategies to increase densities in designated centers. Roadway Capacity and Management In recent years, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) construction of new capacity has occurred with a strategic focus in the Seattle area on bottlenecks while also providing traffic management centers that guide and control ramp meters, improved incident response and other operational improvements. Improvements yet to come include 2 Find more information at TTI s 2009 Annual Urban Mobility Report at King County Metro Transit 9

10 ITS aided active traffic management systems with real time traffic management messages and speed limits, and tolling of major transportation facilities, including creation of a HOT lane system beginning with key regional facilities under expansion, replacement or with available HOV lane capacity. Through Moving Washington, WSDOT s anti-congestion program 3, the state has established the following performance goals: Improve travel times by 10% Reduce collisions by 25% Improve trip reliability by 10% Provide choices for commuters in our major corridors Among local cities there is an increasing recognition of the importance of providing transit priority in utilizing scarce roadway capacity. Metro s RapidRide program, to be accomplished in partnership with 11 local jurisdictions that control traffic operations along its six corridors, is a model for further prioritization of bus corridors through the region. Demand Management and Commute Alternatives Increased local and commuter transit service effectiveness and ridership. From 2005 through 2008 King County Metro experienced ridership growth of nearly 20%, achieving the highest percentage ridership growth among the 10 largest US transit systems in 2007 and Productivity, market share (% households using transit) and total ridership remain at historic highs, even with the dampening effects of the economic downturn of the prior two years. This success is both the result of and contributes to the success of growth policies that create and improve supportive transit markets. An important future element of the region s continued success in providing urban mobility is the expansion of the three-county regional bus and rail system beginning with an initial 14 mile light rail segment between downtown Seattle and SeaTac International Airport that opened in July 2009 and which includes a 2008 voter approved nearly 40 miles of extensions north, south and east between now and While today this regional system serves less than 10% of annual King County public transportation ridership, its provision of higher capacity service in key regional corridors will enable capture of a larger market share by transit and the integration of local transit resources to maximize effectiveness. For more information contact: Victor Obeso Manager, King County Metro Transit 201 S. Jackson St. KSC-TR-0426 Seattle, WA or victor.obeso@kingcounty.gov 3 Find more information at Moving Washington 4 Find more information at Sound Transit 2 King County Metro Transit 10