fairfax county countywide transit network study: board of supervisors transportation committee-june...
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Fairfax County Countywide Transit Network Study: Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee June 25, 2013 Proposed High Quality Transit Network ConceptTRANSCRIPT
Board of Supervisors
Transportation Committee June 25, 2013
Proposed
High Quality Transit Network Concept
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Establish most effective
way to serve the
County’s needs to
accommodate planned
growth over the long
term by improving public
transit usage.
Update Enhanced Public
Transportation Corridors
(EPTC) with High Quality
Transit Network (HQTN)
and further define
modes and station
locations.
Study purpose
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Where are we in the study process?
We are at the third of our four stages of public
involvement and review:
• Goals/objectives (July 2012)
• Functions (November 2012)
• Proposed HQTN Concept (July 2013)
• Final concept (November 2013)
Our next steps are to:
• Review Proposed HQTN Concept
• Consider refinements
• Develop additional details on mode, right-of-
way, and station locations
• Finalize recommendations
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Fairfax County Future Development Concept
Support future development concept, serve activity centers
The type of premium transit service appropriate for each
corridor will reflect the traveler needs and land use
context in that corridor.
Source: Center for Transit Oriented Development
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Destination corridors, like the Crystal City
Potomac Yards transitway, connect
neighborhoods to multiple activity
centers, functioning primarily to provide
access.
Commuter corridors, like Virginia Railway
Express, primarily serve one major
activity center and tend to focus on
journey-to-work trips and function
primarily to provide mobility.
District circulators, like the planned
Tysons Corner Circulator, enhance
mobility within an activity center or group
of adjacent centers.
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Transit Corridor Function
The November 2012 public meeting presented outcomes for different
functional concepts for a High Quality Transit Network. The access focus
attracts more total transit riders whereas the mobility focus provides better
access to regional jobs. Both had a similar benefit in reducing vehicle travel.
Mobility focus Access focus
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Transit Network Functional Concepts
Constituents value multiple
objectives:
• Increase access to
destinations
• Include both high demand
commuter and TOD
destination corridors
• Increase transit ridership
• Take cars off the road
• Encourage TOD
• Support Countywide vision
for managed growth
• Be affordable
• Be understandable/usable
• Be connected
A total of four concepts were
reviewed in November. The
Proposed High Quality Transit
Network Concept utilizes the best
ideas from each for a context-
sensitive fit to individual corridor
needs. 7
Development of Proposed HQTN Concept
Proposed HQTN Concept
The Proposed HQTN
Concept builds upon the
existing and Constrained
Long Range Plan (CLRP)
transit investments to
create an interconnected
network of commuter and
destination corridors,
supported by connecting
express bus routes.
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Existing High Quality
Transit Network
elements serving Fairfax
County include Metrorail
and VRE with supportive
express bus services on
HOV/HOT lanes.
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HQTN Concept Elements
Constrained
Long Range
Plan transit
connections provide
starting point for
Proposed HQTN
Concept:
• Silver Line (Metrorail)
• Columbia Pike (Streetcar)
• Beauregard/Van Dorn
Transitway (TBD)
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HQTN Concept Elements
The recommendations
will be coordinated with
ongoing current studies
• Route 7 High Occupancy
Toll lane study
• I-66 Tier 2 Environmental
Impact Statement
• Route 7 Alternatives
Analysis
• Route 1 Alternatives
Analysis
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HQTN Concept Elements
Commuter Corridors
provide capacity to
connect Fairfax County
with other jurisdictions
for longer-distance trips
as region expands over
time:
• Metrorail Orange Line
Extension
• Metrorail Blue Line
Extension
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HQTN Concept Elements
Destination Corridors
provide service to support
access to and within
transit-oriented
development along linear
corridors:
• Route 7 Light Rail Transit
(LRT)
• Richmond Highway LRT
• Route 28 LRT/Bus Rapid
Transit (BRT)
• Merrifield/McLean LRT/BRT
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HQTN Concept Elements
North-South Express Bus
Services connect activity
centers and support HQTN
services in radial corridors
and provide flexibility for
through-routing:
• Beltway Express (Enhanced)
• Fairfax County Parkway
• Route 28
• Bus lanes may also include
HOV/HOT
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HQTN Concept Elements
East-West
Express Bus Services
support HQTN services,
augment grid of direct
and flexible transit
connections:
• Route 50 – Orange Line
bus bridge function
• Route 236 – continuation
of Alexandria transitway
• Express bus route mileage
at least 50% managed
lanes
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HQTN Concept Elements
The Proposed HQTN
Concept includes 104
miles of new HQTN routes
with 53 new stations.
These routes include:
• 31 miles & 9 Stations
Metrorail
• 73 miles & 44 Stations
LRT/BRT
Supported by:
• 110 miles & 21 stations
Express Bus
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HQTN Concept Elements
Measures of effectiveness
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The Proposed HQTN Concept achieves a range of triple-
bottom line goals and objectives.
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Measures of effectiveness
2050 weekday peak period ridership compares favorably
to other regional transit routes
Measures of effectiveness
Other Highlights:
• The Proposed HQTN Concept provides new transit
access to 28 activity centers with higher than
average levels of transit ridership propensity based
on transit dependency.
• The Proposed HQTN Concept provides new
destination corridor transit routes to serve activity
centers with developable properties and
designated revitalization areas.
• The Proposed HQTN Concept provides new transit
access to activity centers with key retail/service
destinations.
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Measures of effectiveness
• Capital cost per
passenger is a measure
of cost effectiveness.
• Higher cost projects can
bear higher capital costs
per passenger due to
operating efficiencies
• New Starts approvals
indicate current
federal/local funding
climate
• Proposed High Quality
Transit Network projects
compare favorably
Supporting feeder
bus, park and ride
(beyond existing or
TDP/CLRP
spaces), and
circulator systems
will provide
broader access to
commuter
services and
increased
coverage within
larger activity
centers.
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CLRP/TDP Park and Ride lot (>50 spaces)
HQTN Park and Ride lot / expansion
Circulator (Fort Belvoir: DOD only)
Supporting policies
• Public meeting
Government Center
July 10 @ 6:00 p.m.
• Response to
comments and
further stakeholder
coordination
• Mode, ROW, station,
and typical section
requirements
• Phasing and timing
• Comprehensive Plan
Amendment(s)
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Next steps
Questions?
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Please feel free to contact DOT staff should
you wish to meet to discuss individually.
Thomas Burke
(703) 877-5681
Backup slides
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Do not include slides, here and beyond, with
hard-copy handouts.
Only have these later slides available for on-
screen assistance during presentation.
The study goals and objectives reflect the triple-bottom
line of economic, environmental, and social benefits.
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Study goals and objectives
Fairfax County’s land use
policies encourage
development within
designated activity centers,
which currently include about:
• 10% of County acreage
• 19% of County households
• 82% of County jobs
Activity Density = (population+jobs)/acre
Blue: (AD>4): supports local bus service
Red: (AD>20) supports bus rapid transit (BRT)
Purple: (AD>50) supports rail transit
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2010
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Current land use
Fairfax County’s land use
policies encourage
development within
designated activity centers,
which by 2050 include about:
• 10% of County acreage
• 36% of County households
• 89% of County jobs
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Activity Density = (population+jobs)/acre
Blue: (AD>4): supports local bus service
Red: (AD>20) supports bus rapid transit (BRT)
Purple: (AD>50) supports rail transit
2050 Initial
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Future land use
Public outreach in July and
November 2012 is reflected
in our proposed High Quality
Transit Network concept.
In July, we reviewed goals,
objectives, and potential
connections.
In November, we presented
concepts for establishing
premium commuter,
connector, or destination
transit corridors.
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Prior public meetings
North-South Express Bus
Services connect activity
centers and support HQTN
services in radial corridors
and provide flexibility for
through-routing:
• Beltway Express (Enhanced)
• Fairfax County Parkway
• Route 28
• Bus lanes may also include
HOV/HOT
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Express bus flexibility
The Proposed
HQTN Concept
provides new
transit access
to 28 activity
centers with
higher than
average levels
of transit
ridership
propensity
based on
transit
dependency.
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Measures of effectiveness
The Proposed
HQTN Concept
provides new
destination
corridor transit
routes to serve
places with
developable
properties and
designated
revitalization
areas
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Measures of effectiveness
The Proposed
HQTN Concept
provides new
transit access
to activity
centers with
key
retail/service
destinations
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Measures of effectiveness