dallas area rapid transit comprehensive operations analysis (coa… · 2016. 8. 31. · dallas area...

DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONS ANALYSIS (COA)DRAFT BUS SERVICE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS

PREPARED FOR DART BY THEGENERAL PLANNING CONSULTANT SIX MANAGED BY HDR

JUNE 2016

PHASE I - COA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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TRANSIT SYSTEM PLANDART 2040

This report summarizes the recommendations of the Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) completed by DART during 2014-2015 as phase 1 of the 2040 Transit System Plan effort. The COA was conducted with the assistance of

its General Planning Consultant (GPC5) team, specifically URS/AECOM and Connetics Transportation Group.

DART COA Draft Bus Service Plan Recommendations | Executive Summary

June 2016 | i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1 | Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2 | Identifying Future Service Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1 Demographic Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2 System Level Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 Route Level Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.4 Transit On-Board Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 Travel Pattern Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.6 Public & Stakeholder Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 3 | Key Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 4 | Service Plan Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1 Core Frequent Route Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2 Rapid Ride. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3 Regional-Airport Express. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.4 Express Routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.5 Crosstown & Local Routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.6 On-Call Shuttle Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.7 Operating, Facility, and Vehicle Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 5 | Service Plan Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1 Coverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2 Frequency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 6 | Next Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

01

02020304050607

08

0910121314151617

181818

19


June 2016 | 1

RECOVERY TIME IMPROVEMENTS PIMPROVED REGIONAL CROSSTOWN SERVICE P

RAPID RIDE NETWORK P REGIONAL AIRPORT EXPRESS NETWORK P

MIDDAY FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS PWEEKEND FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS P

IMPROVED COVERAGE PINCREASED VEHICLE REVENUE HOURS 41%

1.0 INTRODUCTION In August 2014, DART initiated work on a Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) of its bus system. The COA was conducted as the first phase of an update to the DART Transit System Plan, focusing on bus service and providing a solid foundation for the next phase of plan development. In recent years, DART has made significant strides in expanding the light rail transit (LRT) network, which now carries 29.5 million annual riders. However, bus continues to be the critical mode, providing connections to and from the rail lines and service where there is no rail. The bus network has been incrementally modified with each LRT extension, but has not been evaluated in a comprehensive manner.

This Study Developed Recommendations for:

1) The Reallocation of Resources to Better Address Travel Needs Over the Next Five Years

2) Longer-Term Structural Changes to the Bus Network Aimed at Improving Overall System Efficiency and Improving Ridership

A series of alternative service plans were considered during the process to anticipate potential future funding variations. The Service Plan described here is a needs-based set of recommendations that is not cost constrained. Thus, a key task in the COA process was development of a phasing and prioritization tool that can be used by DART to phase in recommendations over time in line with budget and financial plan allocations. In addition to a series of route and schedule changes, the Service Plan includes adjustments to scheduled vehicle recovery time to improve on-time performance and timed transfer connections, and improvements to weekend and midday service frequencies.

The following sections summarize the process to identify future needs and opportunities, as well as key findings that led to the Service Plan recommendations.

COA GOALS

Evaluate Efficiency and Effectiveness of Current Service

Assess Demand by Analyzing Travel Patterns and Demographics

Target Limited Resources to Services That Improve Ridership

Identify Service Gaps and Ensure Title VI Compliance

Solicit Public and Rider Input

Leverage Existing Data Sources to Inform RecommendationsP

KEY SERVICE PLAN ELEMENTS


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2.0 IDENTIFYING FUTURE SERVICE OPPORTUNITIESCurrently, DART operates 90 miles of LRT service with an additional 2.5 miles under construction and scheduled to open in October 2016. All light rail lines operate at 15-minute peak period and 20-minute midday and evening period frequencies on weekdays. In addition, DART partners with the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) in the operation of the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), a 34-mile commuter rail line connecting downtown Dallas and the DART service area to Fort Worth. DART also operates an extensive bus network in the service area with a fleet of 660 vehicles providing an average weekday ridership of 126,229 passenger trips. DART provides on-call neighborhood service in eight areas, each anchored at a bus or rail station and curb-to-curb paratransit service to customers with disabilities that are unable to ride DART buses and trains.

Future service opportunities were identified through a series of analyses, including demographic trends, an assessment of existing service performance, review of the 2014 On-Board Survey, and a travel pattern analysis. Public and stakeholder input was also key to identifying opportunities. Each of these elements is summarized below.

2.1 DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTHDART’s service area population is expected to increase by 28 percent to about 3.1 million in 2040 based on forecasts by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), with scattered pockets of density in Uptown, along SH 114, along the Red Line between Mockingbird Station and I-635, and along the Dallas North Tollway north of I-635.

Employment in the DART service area is forecast to grow by 52% to nearly 3.3 million by 2040.Employment densities are generally concentrated in Downtown and Uptown Dallas and along the major travel corridors of I-35E, I-635, US 75, Bush Turnpike, SH 114, and the Dallas North Tollway.

In terms of socio-economics, the south, southeast and west parts of Dallas County tend to have lower median incomes and lower access to vehicles than areas in north portion of the DART service area.

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Source(s): Demographic data and Traffic Survey Zone (TSZ) dataprovided by NCTCOG.

±0 3 61.5

Miles

1-8

9-15

16-30

31-50

51-100

101 +

2040 Population(per acre)

2040 POPULATION

Revised3/15/2016

Water BodyMajor Roadway

LEGEND

Existing RailDART Service Area

Programmed Rail Corridor

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2040 POPULATION DENSITY

2040 EMPLOYMENT DENSITY

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Source(s): Demographic data and Traffic Survey Zone (TSZ) dataprovided by NCTCOG.

±0 3 61.5

Miles

2040 EMPLOYMENTLEGEND

Existing RailDART Service Area

Programmed Rail Corridor

Water BodyMajor Roadway

Revised3/15/2016

2040 Employment(per acre)

1-56-1011-3031-5051-100101-500501 +

UU183

UU360


June 2016 | 3

2.2 SYSTEM LEVEL ANALYSISA Systems Level Analysis documents the ridership, service productivity, and economic productivity of DART bus routes by type of service, in order to identify the strongest and weakest performers. Within each category, the weakest performing routes were evaluated for modification or elimination. Crosstown routes on average performed better than other service types in all three categories.

SERVICE TYPE

WEEKDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

DAILY RIDERS

COST/RIDER

FAREBOX RECOVERY

DAILY RIDERS

COST/RIDER

FAREBOX RECOVERY

DAILY RIDERS

COST/RIDER

FAREBOX RECOVERY

LOCAL ROUTES 35,499 $5.85 19.3% 18,800 $7.99 14.9% 12,942 $9.76 12.0%

EXPRESS ROUTES 4,566 $9.56 13.7% 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

SUBURBAN ROUTES 9,352 $8.68 15.3% 3,577 $7.85 15.8% 1,010 $7.97 14.2%

CROSSTOWN ROUTES 35,683 $4.97 21.5% 21,177 $5.70 20.4% 13,181 $7.77 14.5%

RAIL FEEDER ROUTES 34,036 $8.20 16.1% 16,021 $9.68 14.2% 9,616 $13.71 10.3%

FLEX ROUTES 819 $13.55 8.1% 168 $24.50 6.5% 0 N/A N/A

TOTAL SYSTEM 119,955 $5.51 18.8% 59,743 $6.22 16.6% 36,750 $8.10 12.7%

Note: Rapid Ride Route 987, On-Call Zone and Shuttle/Circulator Routes Not Included


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2.3 ROUTE LEVEL ANALYSIS

A Route Level Analysis was performed to identify performance per route, route segment and bus stop. Under-performing route segments where identified and service recommendations were developed to eliminate or re-configure route alignments and segments to increase overall route performance and productivity. The route level performance analysis also identified routes with exceptional performance and ridership demand which may need service level improvements to continue to build travel market share and promote transit service competitiveness and attractiveness.

The information shown on this page is for Route 11, which is DART’s highest ridership fixed bus route. Data for each DART bus route is documented in the Route Level Analysis report.

ROUTE 11 WEEKDAY ACTIVITY

ROUTE 11 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS


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2.4 TRANSIT ON-BOARD SURVEYIn spring of 2014, NCTCOG conducted an on-board survey of all transit services in the Dallas / Ft. Worth region. A total of 43,632 surveys were completed and then statistically expanded to represent over 217,000 riders. Key findings that directly impact COA service recommendations are as follows:

62 percent of DART riders were under the age of 34. This is a significantly younger rider base than what was identified in a 2007 on-board survey.

Over one half of survey respondents were African-American, followed by white (26 percent) and Hispanic/Latino (18 percent).

Approximately one half of DART riders have a household income below $35,000 and two thirds are employed full-time.

58 percent of riders indicated they did not have a vehicle available for use on their trip.

On-Board survey results were dissected and analyzed by route to understand trip origins and destinations, trip purposes and rider characteristics. Through analysis of the 2014 On-Board Survey, overall it was found that DART riders are predominantly young, low-income, African-American, employed, and without access to a vehicle. The on-board survey was also used to identify passenger transfer characteristics.

The graphic to the right shows survey data specific to Route 11.

ROUTE 11 ON-BOARD SURVEY RESULTS


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2.5 TRAVEL PATTERN ANALYSISAnother key component of the COA was an analysis of mobile device tracking data (MDTD) to determine regional travel patterns. An average of 23 million weekday trips and 19 million weekend trips were collected over a 30-day period in April 2014. These trips were broken down by time period and trip purpose and studied to determine key activity centers and the interactions between them. Activity Centers where identified based on trip volumes and trip density per square mile. Key Activity Centers identified include DFW Airport, Downtown Dallas, Uptown, Addison, the Galleria/Tollway area, and the Medical District. Downtown Dallas, the Medical District and Uptown also stand out from a trip density standpoint, as well as Midtown/SMU and the Park Lane-Walnut Hill area, each with more than 100,000 trips per square mile.

Trip activity plots by trip purpose and time of day where developed for each Activity Center to identify significant travel patterns. Significant travel patterns were analyzed to understand how existing transit service travel times and directness of routing compared against automobile travel times and travel paths.

MDTD information was also used to assess trip interaction with zones immediately outside of the DART service area boundary. Specifically, the area surrounding the service area boundary was divided into ten external zones based on major highway traffic sheds. Trip interaction from these external zones to activity centers located within the DART service area boundary was identified. External opportunities will be documented in more detail in Phase 2 of the Transit System Plan as part of a regional discussion. Findings are documented in the Travel Pattern Analysis Report.

The top map illustrates the density of work trip destinations in the AM peak. The darker areas attract a high number of trips per square mile.

The bottom map shows an example of Activity Center trip interactions for Addison. While trips come to Addison from all over the region. The highest concentration of trips occur in areas where the shading is darker.

AM PEAK HOME-BASED WORK DESTINATIONS

ACTIVITY CENTER TRIP DISTRIBUTION


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2.6 PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER INPUTThe COA included a comprehensive public and stakeholder outreach program. Outreach activities included by internal and external outreach through a series of interviews with staff, operators and key stakeholders, open houses at DART operating divisions, on-line input through Mindmixer (now called MySidewalk) public meetings, and on-site customer outreach activities. A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) consisting of key agency and DART city representatives met several times and will continue meeting through the next phase of 2040 Transit System Plan development.

The input received generally fell into three categories:

1. Issues that can be addressed through current service scheduling efforts and do not need to wait for the COA effort;

2. Issues and opportunities that need to be assessed during the 5 to 10-year timeframe of this COA effort; and

3. Issues and opportunities that are more appropriate for consideration during the 2040 Transit System Plan effort.

These themes were found across diverse groups of people, whether it was talking to customers in the southern sector that ride DART every day for all their transportation needs, or the choice riders that use it for special events and provided their input through MindMixer. These common themes were also evident in stakeholder interviews.

BUS NETWORK DESIGNSimplify Routes

INCREASE FREQUENCY

LATE NIGHT/WEEKEND SERVICE

SPECIFIC BUS ROUTE IDEAS

SERVICE AREA EXPANSION

EXPRESS SERVICEBus and Rail

CROSSTOWN SERVICEBus, Cotton Belt

COMMON THEMES PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT


June 2016 | 8

3.0 KEY FINDINGSFindings from the COA analysis of existing and future demographic characteristics, rider characteristics and travel patterns, existing service performance, travel pattern characteristics and public and stakeholder input have been used to determine the following critical service needs:

SIMPLIFIED BUS NETWORK DESIGNMany existing travel patterns require multiple transfers, follow route alignments with indirect or out of direction travel, or simply take too long using existing transit services. The existing riders as well as non-riders clearly expressed a desire for modifications to simplify the existing bus network to provide more direct service alignments, speed travel times and improve connections at rail stations.

INCREASED SERVICE FREQUENCYIncreased service frequency was the number one desired improvement identified through rider and public engagement activities. Respondents indicated that this type of improvement would speed travel times through shorter transfer time, ensure better connections between bus routes as well as with rail service, and minimize waiting times at stop locations.

MIDDAY SERVICEThere is a demonstrated need for improved midday service frequencies, particularly in the afternoons prior to the p.m. peak period. An improvement in midday service frequencies will attract ridership by addressing DART’s increasing non-peak ridership demands. Midday service frequency improvements also do not require additional peak vehicle purchases.

WEEKEND SERVICEWeekend service productivity is not as strong as on weekdays, but this is likely due to poor service frequency and limited coverage. Improved frequencies and coverage will improve the attractiveness of transit on the weekends.

ACTIVITY CENTER CONNECTIONSThe demographic analysis found densities increasing throughout the DART service area. Mobile Device Tracking Data (MDTD) analysis shows strong travel demand to activity centers such as Uptown and Legacy. There is increasing need for more direct transit service to these locations.

REGIONAL CROSSTOWN SERVICEA key observation was the presence of regional crosstown travel movements to suburban activity centers. The DART LRT system is radial, making existing transit options most suitable for downtown workers and visitors. In particular, there is a demand for additional east-west travel in the northern half of DART’s service area and north-south travel in the southern half of the service area. A comprehensive and faster regional crosstown transit network will make transit more viable for non-radial movements.

REGIONAL AIRPORT SERVICEThe DFW Airport is a major activity center, attracting a large number of trips from throughout the DART service area. The recent Orange Line extension provides a direct transit connection to downtown Dallas. However, other regional transit connections are needed to make transit a viable choice for travel to/from the DFW Airport from other areas of the DART service area.


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4.0 SERVICE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONSThe Service Plan was developed to fully address these service needs and is not cost constrained. It reflects a 41 percent increase in annual service hours and would require significant reprioritization of available financial resources. It is anticipated that the complete implementation of the Service Plan will likely take more than 15 years given DART’s current financial capacity. A phasing and prioritization tool was developed to facilitate implementation of the plan over time within budget and financial plan allocations.

The following sections summarize key elements of the recommended Service Plan.

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLAN INCLUDE:

P A high frequency bus network in corridors with rail-like frequencies throughout the DART service area;

P A comprehensive Rapid Ride bus network, providing regional limited stop services to address crosstown travel;

P A regional and airport express network, providing direct express services to the DFW Airport, and providing a means to travel non-stop between stops that are provided along each route;

P Improved local and express services to the Uptown area, in particular improves connections between downtown and Uptown Dallas;

P Improved local route crosstown services through better coverage and more frequent service;

P Expanded on-call service opportunities to low density areas within the DART service area; and

P Expanded service coverage on weekday evenings, Saturday and Sunday;

P Running time adjustments previously identified by DART staff, plus additional adjustments identified through the COA Study, designed to maintain and improve route level and overall system on-time performance.


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4.1 CORE FREQUENT ROUTE NETWORKThe Service Plan includes a significant improvement of service levels in corridors that exhibit high ridership productivity. Emphasis has been placed on the development of a core network of high frequency routes with service frequencies that match or exceed existing rail service frequencies across time periods and days of the week. For the Core Route Network, weekday peak period service frequencies would operate at 15 minutes or less, weekday midday and Saturday service would operate at 20 minutes or less, and Sunday core network service would operate at 30 minutes or less. Shown below are graphic comparisons of existing service and Service Plan proposed weekday peak period, weekday midday, Saturday midday, and Sunday midday service frequencies for the proposed core frequent routes.

CORE FREQUENT ROUTES - EXISTING VS. PROPOSED

WEEKDAY PEAK

WEEKDAY MIDDAY

>> More routes with 15-minute or better peak frequency

>> Significant improvements for midday service that would have 20-minute or better frequency


June 2016 | 11

CORE FREQUENT ROUTES (CONTINUED)

SATURDAY MIDDAY

SUNDAY MIDDAY

>> Significant enhancements to coverage and service on Saturdays for routes with 30-minute or better frequency

>> Similar to Saturday but not as extensive due to lower ridership on Sundays


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4.2 RAPID RIDEA major component of the Service Plan is introduction of a regional Rapid Ride network. The proposed Rapid Ride network would provide DART passengers with premium crosstown service that complements the rail network. It would maintain 15-minute peak and 20-minute midday service, from 5:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on weekdays. Rapid Ride is envisioned as a branded service with enhanced facilities and extensive marketing efforts. All Rapid Ride limited-stop routes would operate as an “overlay” to local routes that would maintain walkable stop spacing. Exclusive bus lanes, transit signal prioritization and queue jumper lanes, where feasible, could add further speed and reliability to the network.

The Rapid Ride network also greatly enhances accessibility to premium transit service with 22 percent of residents and 37 percent of workers within one-half mile of a rail or Rapid Ride station. By comparison, the current rail system is one-half mile accessible to only 8 percent of residents and 21 percent of workers.

WITHIN 1/2 MILE RAIL STATIONS ONLY RAIL STATIONS + RAPID RIDE STOPS

POPULATION 8% 22%

EMPLOYMENT 21% 37%

RAPID RIDE TRANSIT SERVICE - EXPANDED ACCESSIBILITY

RAPID RIDE ROUTE DESCRIPTION

900 | BELT LINE

Route 900 would operate between Downtown Carrollton and Downtown Garland Stations. Overlaps 901 between Downtown Carrollton and Spring Valley Stations.

901 | MACARTHUR

Route 901 would operate between Downtown Irving and Spring Valley Stations. Overlaps 900 between Downtown Carrollton and Spring Valley Stations.

936 | PRESTON Route 936 would operate between Addison Transit Center and Cityplace/Uptown Station.

953 | HAMPTONRoute 953 would operate between SWMD/Parkland Station and a proposed Wheatland Transit Center.

966 | LEDBETTERRoute 966 would operate between Buckner Station and a proposed Wheatland Transit Center.

967 | BUCKNER Route 967 would operate between Forest/Jupiter and Buckner Stations.

986 | FOREST LANE Route 986 would operate between Downtown Garland and Royal Lane Stations.

RAPID RIDE ROUTES

KEY FEATURES OF RAPID RIDE SERVICE

PEnhanced Station AmenitiesPCapital Improvements & ITS • Real Time Information • Transit Signal Priority • Off-Board Fare Collection • On-Time Performance Monitoring

PBranding and MarketingPFaster Travel TimesPLRT-Like Service Frequencies


June 2016 | 13

4.3 REGIONAL-AIRPORT EXPRESSThe Service Plan’s Regional Airport Express network will provide one-seat rides to DFW Airport, a major trip attractor, from parts of the service area that do not have direct or convenient rail access to the airport. Four regional-airport express routes are proposed, each with two to three stops at major stations or Park and Ride locations. Routes are designed to provide residents and travelers with express opportunities between pick-up points as well. Over-the-road coaches are proposed to accommodate luggage and provide a higher value experience. To accommodate employees as well as air travel customers, all routes would operate every 60 minutes from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week. Parts of this network may be replaced by future rail service identified in the Transit System Plan.

REGIONAL AIRPORT EXPRESS ROUTES

EXPRESS ROUTE DESCRIPTION

290

Northwest Plano/Addison-DFW Express. This route begins at the Northwest Plano park-and-ride lot and includes a stop at the Addison Transit Center before continuing to DFW. Proposed routing would operate along the Dallas North Tollway, I-635, President George Bush Turnpike and the John Carpenter Freeway.

291

Lake Ray Hubbard/S. Garland/LBJ Skillman-DFW Express. This route begins at the Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center and includes stops at the South Garland Transit Center and the Blue Line’s LBJ Skillman rail station before continuing to DFW. Proposed routing would operate along I-30, I-635, President George Bush Turnpike and the John Carpenter Freeway.

292

Buckner/Ledbetter/Irving TRE-DFW Express. This route begins at the Green Line’s Buckner Station and includes stops at the Blue Line’s Ledbetter Station and TRE’s Downtown Irving Station. Proposed routing would operate along Loop 12, Irving Blvd. and the Airport Freeway

293

Wheatland/Red Bird/Irving TRE-DFW Express. This route begins at a proposed Wheatland Transit Center and includes stops at the Red Bird Transit Center and TRE’s Downtown Irving Station. Proposed routing would generally operate along Hampton Road, Loop 12, Irving Blvd. and the Airport Freeway.


June 2016 | 14

4.4 EXPRESS ROUTESThe Service Plan’s Express network maintains peak period express service to downtown Dallas similar to today’s service. All routes would be reconfigured in the Service Plan to provide new express service to Uptown. These express routes complement the radial service to/from downtown that is presently provided by DART’s rail network. The following express routes are included in the Service Plan:

DOWNTOWN EXPRESS ROUTE DESCRIPTION

205 Route 205 would operate to the Addison Transit Center.

206 Route 206 would operate to the Glenn Heights Park and Ride.

208 Route 208 would operate to the Northwest Plano Park and Ride.

278 Route 278 would operate to the Red Bird Park and Ride

283

Route 283 would operate to the Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center. This route would also stop in East Dallas, Downtown, Uptown and the Medical District.

DOWNTOWN EXPRESS ROUTES


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4.5 CROSSTOWN AND LOCAL ROUTESThe Service Plan includes 129 local and crosstown routes, compared to an existing 121 local and crosstown routes. Saturday service includes 109 local and crosstown routes, 17 more than currently operating. Sunday service would include 90 local and crosstown routes, as compared to 74 existing.

The Service Plan has retooled high-performing corridors into true crosstown routes with minimal deviations from the major thoroughfare and streamlined connectivity to rail and bus transfers. Designated crosstown routes are targeted for 30-minute or better service all day, seven days a week.

Local routes connect neighborhoods to Crosstown or Rapid Ride routes and LRT services while neighborhood routes provide service penetrating interior neighborhood streets. Local routes are targeted for 30-minute or better peak period service and midday headways ranging from 20 to 60 minutes. Neighborhood routes generally have 30 to 60-minute peak and midday service levels. Key features of the Crosstown and Local route modifications include:

HIGHLIGHTS OF LOCAL AND CROSSTOWN ROUTES MODIFICATIONS

P Restructuring around the new Camp Wisdom and UNT Dallas stations.

P One-way loops have been eliminated where feasible in favor of bi-directional travel.

P Routing in downtown Dallas has been streamlined with a focus on productive interlining.

P Addison is established as a major hub for crosstown travel options.

P Smart Buses are redeployed to balance capacity needs and community/driver preferences.

P Adequate travel and recovery time is provided for all crosstown and local routes to improve on time performance.

P Growth in the Legacy area is supported by improved crosstown and express services.

P Streamlined routes in the southern part of the service area.


June 2016 | 16

4.6 ON-CALL ZONES AND SHUTTLE SERVICESDART has been a national leader in the practice of providing on-call zone service in low density areas that are not supportive of traditional fixed route service. The Service Plan proposes expansion from eight to 14 zones on weekdays. New on-call zones are proposed in Carrollton, Plano, Irving, and Dallas. An On-call zone in north Garland (not shown) is proposed on Sundays only to serve the Firewheel Mall and Naaman Forest areas, which are otherwise served by local routes Monday through Saturday. DART is examining the feasibility of using alternative network service providers in On-call zones. If successful, this may allow expansion of service beyond the 14 zones shown here.

The Service Plan assumes no changes to site-specific shuttle routes in the DART System. DART will continue to explore additions to the current shuttle network through new partnerships.

ON-CALL ZONES


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4.7 OPERATING, FACILITY, AND VEHICLE REQUIREMENTSImplementation of the Service Plan requires a 41 percent increase in vehicle-hours, and a 42 percent increase in operating costs, and would likely require over 15 years to implement. The Service Plan uses 624 peak vehicles, and would require 133 additional fleet, including spares. A new bus maintenance facility will be needed to accommodate this expanded bus fleet. Implementation of the Service Plan also includes two new bus transit facilities:

A ten-bus bay transit facility is proposed in Oak Cliff near Wheatland Road and East Kirnwood Drive and

An eight-bus bay transit facility is proposed in East Dallas near John West Road and Peavy Road.

Proposed service frequencies in the Service Plan were used to determine hourly bus volumes at DART transit centers and rail stations. This was compared to existing bus volumes and available bus bays to determine if any additional bus bays are required. Bus bay expansion is envisioned at:

Addison Transit Center

South Garland Transit Center

Kiest Station

Mockingbird Station

Forest/Jupiter Station

OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC ANNUAL

PLATFORM BUS-HRS. 2,989,221

ANN. PLATFORM BUS-MILES* 38,780,286

PEAK BUSES 624

REGULAR BUS 479

SMARTBUS 78

RAPID RIDE BUS 56

OVER-THE-ROAD COACH 11

ANNUAL O&M COSTS $204,685,000

*Does Not Include On-Call Zone Bus Miles

ANNUAL O&M COSTS TO IMPLEMENT SERVICE PLAN


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0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000

Weekday Peak 15 Minute

Weekday Midday 20 Minute

Saturday 30 Minute

Sunday 30 Minute

Population Access within 1/4 Mile

Existing Added Access with Proposed Service0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000



Saturday 30 Minute

Sunday 30 Minute

Employment Access within 1/4 Mile

Existing Added Access with Proposed Service

0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000



Saturday 30 Minute

Sunday 30 Minute


Existing Added Access with Proposed Service0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000



Saturday 30 Minute

Sunday 30 Minute


Existing Added Access with Proposed Service

5.0 SERVICE PLAN BENEFITSA major benefit of the Service Plan is improved transit access within one-quarter mile of residents and employees within the DART service area. The Plan not only expands DART coverage, but also expands access to high frequency service (refer to Section 4.1).

5.1 COVERAGEDART already has good service coverage, with 72 percent of the Service Area population and 76 percent of employment within 1/4 miles of DART routes on weekdays. The proposed Service Plan provides slight improvements to coverage. Weekend coverage improvements are similar. Frequency improvements are much more apparent under the plan.

5.2 FREQUENCYOverall, the Service Plan increases accessibility to high frequency weekday peak period service by 67 percent

+ 145%

+ 183%

+ 239%

+ 67%

+ 86%

+ 121%

+ 94%

+ 25%

SERVICE ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS

for the DART service area population and by 25 percent for the DART service area employment. Access to 20-minute or better weekday midday service improves by 239 percent for the DART service area population and by 94 percent for the DART service area employment.

The Service Plan also includes a significant improvement of weekend service levels in corridors that exhibit high ridership productivity. Access to more frequent weekend service increases by 183 percent for population within 1/4 mile of 30-minute midday Saturday service, and increases by 121 percent for employment. Sunday access service points are similar.

Improved frequency is a key factor in increased ridership. More frequent service means three things: reduced wait time, easier connections, and better reliability, making transit more useful to more people.


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6.0 NEXT STEPSAs noted earlier, the COA was conducted as phase one in the development of the 2040 Transit System Plan. Phase two is underway and will build upon the Service Plan recommendations to include additional capital and operating program recommendations. As the 2040 Transit System Plan is developed, the COA phasing and prioritization tool will be used to develop a phased implementation of the Service Plan recommendations. These recommendations, along with other elements of the transit system plan, will be refined in coordination with the DART FY17 Budget and Twenty-Year Financial Plan to determine timing and affordability. Different Service Plan implementation approaches may be developed to understand trade-offs associated with varying levels of investment in the bus and rail elements of the system plan.

dallas area rapid transit comprehensive operations analysis (coa… · 2016. 8. 31. · dallas area...

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