fampo administrator report

FAMPO ADMINISTRATOR

REPORTJanuary 2021

Overview

COVID IMPACTS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION OVERVIEW

OFFICE UPDATE

Introduction◦ Asked to focus on direction FAMPO should be

taking in light of key challenges, both now and in the future

◦ Introductory overview of my regional assessment and the current state of play – idea is to cast a vision

◦ No decisions are being called for today but rather to consider, debate and think deeply about

COVID-19

COVID-19 IMPACTSTRAFFIC & RIDERSHIP

TRENDS

Volume Trends Statewide Daily Volume Change in Sept., Oct., and Nov. 2020

VDOT COVID-19Traffic Trends in VAMPO Quarterly Meeting

Volume Trends Statewide AM Peak Volume Change Rebound for All Vehicles

VDOT COVID-19Traffic Trends in VAMPO Quarterly Meeting

COVID-19

NATIONAL VERSUS LOCAL MOBILITY

TRENDS

https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd/ntd-data

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

OCT19 NOV19 DEC19 JAN20 FEB20 MAR20 APR20 MAY20 JUN20 JUL20 AUG20 SEP20 OCT20

US COVID-19 Impact - Bus Ridership

FREDericksburg Regional Transit; Fredericksburg, VA Laketran; Cleveland, OH

Cities Area Transit; Grand Forks, ND-MN Lake Erie Transportation Commission; Monroe, MI

City of Kokomo; Kokomo, IN City of Commerce; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA



0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

OCT19 NOV19 DEC19 JAN20 FEB20 MAR20 APR20 MAY20 JUN20 JUL20 AUG20 SEP20

US COVID-19 Impact - Commuter Rail

Virginia Railway Express; Washington, DC-VA-MD Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority; Seattle, WA South Florida Regional Transportation Authority; Miami, FL

Altamont Corridor Express; Stockton, CA Maryland Transit Administration; Baltimore, MD



349,683

27,98722692

11,107

65,066

41,154

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

OCT19 NOV19 DEC19 JAN20 FEB20 MAR20 APR20 MAY20 JUN20 JUL20 AUG20 SEP20 OCT20

Local COVID-19 Impacts: FRED/VRE/Omniride

Virginia Railway Express; Washington, DC-VA-MD FREDericksburg Regional Transit; Fredericksburg, VA

Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission Washington, DC-VA-MD


TRANSPORTATION & LAND USE

Overview Map:Population & Transportation

Overview Map:Population & Transportation

Key challenges:

• Large population growth

• Large population commuting out of the region

• Most travelling north to DC area

• Serious commuter congestion issues and traffic on weekends

• Limited funds for new roads

• Limited transit currently

Overview Map:North South Movement

Overview Map:Population currently distant from key North-South Corridors

Overview Map:Areas between the I-95/Route 1 and VRE rail lines

FAMPO does not have any control over city or county planning or zoning regulations and approvals, but the impact of land use affects transportation immensely

A question that Stafford, Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg need to address locally and regionally via FAMPO is:

How are we to bring land use and transportation together to reduce the huge costs involved and better use the public resources that we have at our

disposal?Whether we like it or not, we are all in this together.

Large Rail Investments coming to the FAMPO Region Increased Amtrak roundtrips to Fredericksburg

Two new NE Regionals in 2026 – one to/from Richmond, one from Newport News

Three additional new NE Regionals in 2030 – to Richmond –at which time the DC to RVA route will have near hourly service during the weekday

Increased VRE roundtrips Two new in 2026 Two additional new in 2030 There is a chance for minimal bi-direction service Going further: Opportunity for new VRE roundtrips to

become MARC-VRE through trips. Early stage conversations between Maryland and Virginia.

Rail

Study: Metro Blue Line Extension towards FAMPO region

“The study would explore the cost of extending the line by about 15 miles to Fort Belvoir, Lorton, Potomac Mills and Marine Corps Base Quantico” Washington Post February 2020

The study is currently being pursued and public inputs are being canvassed.

Rail

BUS TRANSIT

BUS

RailBUS

Historically, bus transit has not been a major mode of transportation in the Fredericksburg area due to lack of density, employment locations, and behavior patterns.

A robust, efficient transportation system in a fast growing region must include an effective bus transit system.

The current Director and Deputy Director of Fred inherited a Bus system with a deep decline in ridership and on-time metrics

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

550,000

2,200,000,000

2,400,000,000

2,600,000,000

2,800,000,000

3,000,000,000

3,200,000,000

3,400,000,000

3,600,000,000

3,800,000,000

4,000,000,000

4,200,000,000

2,010 2,011 2,012 2,013 2,014 2,015 2,016 2,017 2,018 2,019

FRED Versus National Average Bus Ridership

National Average Fred

BUS

THIS REPRESENTS A 46% RIDERSHIP DROP BEFORE

COVID-19 HIT

BUS

WAY FORWARD

Suggested Future Study Concepts

◦ An East-West Mobility Study - Multi-modal, looking at accessibility, congestion and all transport modes (FAMPO)

◦ A FRED Bus Ridership Study and recommendations (FRED will be including this in their forthcoming Transit Strategic Plan)

◦ A new scenario plan framework for the Long Range Transportation Plan◦ A broad Mobility and Accessibility Survey - travel/transportation survey-

understanding attitudes to transportation choices◦ In the future we should also study freight movement optimization – growing

freight on highways

RAIL ABANDONMENT IN VIRGINIA

Railbanked Lines and Interim Trail Use “Railbanking is a process established under federal law that allows

public entities to preserve established railroad rights-of-way for future reactivation of rail service, to protect rail transportation corridors, and to provide for recreational uses such as hiking and bicycling. Many abandoned lines have been repurposed for interim recreational trail use in Virginia. When a line is railbanked, a private or public entity takes over use and maintenance of the corridor; however, the railroad maintains the right to reclaim the corridor for future rail use.” Virginia Statewide Rail Plan

Railbanking in Virginia began in 1983

Virginia Central Railway Historic Right-of-Way (ROW)

Last Section abandoned in 1984

Virginia Central Railway

What could have been done if the state or localities had retained control of the right of VCR Right of Way?

A fast light rail link from Western Spotsylvania to VRE Station in Fredericksburg similar to the Purple Line in Maryland

A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System with a dedicated right of way

A bike & scooter to work trail

Could we salvage more of the VCR right of way?

Could we, together with Spotsylvania & Fredericksburg, use a combination of sections of the VCR ROW & other nearby roadways and trail segments to produce a bus/bike/scooter dedicated row?

With this right of way there would have been a continuous link from Western Spotsylvania through Fredericksburg to King George parallel to Route 3

The alternative to saving a good portion of this is to add lanes to roads like Route 3 in future.

Retaining an interest in institutions◦ Representation on the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority

◦ Representation on Greater Washington Partnership – Rail Vision TAC

◦ VRE

◦ FRED

◦ Keep abreast of new Virginia transportation regulations

Virginia Passenger Rail AuthorityFAMPO and GWRC do not currently have representation, but other regions do.

Current VPRA Board:

•Board Chairperson- Jennifer Mitchell, DRPT Director•The Honorable Sharon Bulova of Fairfax County, Former Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors•Deborah H. Butler of Norfolk, Retired Executive, Norfolk Southern Corporation•Victor O. Cardwell of Salem, Principal, Woods Rogers PLC•Patricia Doersch of Falls Church, Partner, Squire Patton Boggs•The Honorable Jay Fisette of Arlington, Managing Principal, DMV Strategic Advisors, LLC•Roderick "Rod" D. Hall of Woodbridge, Government Affairs Advisor, K&L Gates LLP•Charles Moorman of Charlottesville, Retired Chairman and CEO, Norfolk Southern Corporation•Cynthia Moses-Nedd of Prince William County, Chief of Staff, Office of Wildland Fire, United States Department of the Interior•The Honorable Paul F. Nichols of Woodbridge, Principal, Nichols Zauzig•Hossein Sadid of Richmond, CFO, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts•Jim Spore of Virginia Beach, President and CEO, Reinvent Hampton Roads•Mariia Zimmerman of Richmond, Principal, MZ Strategies, LLC•Ex-Officio, Non-Voting Member- Rich Dalton, VRE CEO•Ex-Officio, Non-Voting Member- Bruno Maestri, Vice President of Government Relations Amtrak

Staffing Plan1-Nov-20 FTEFAMPO Administrator 1Public Involvement/Title VI Coordinator 1Administrative Assistant 1Transportation Planner 1Transportation Planner 1Part-time Transportation Planner 0.5Part-time Transportation Planner 0.5Part-time Intern 0.5Part-time Intern 0.5

1-Jan-21 FTEFAMPO Administrator 1Public Involvement/Title VI Coordinator 1Administrative Assistant 1Transportation Planner 1Transportation Planner 1

Transportation Planner 1

Part-time Transportation Planner 0.5

Staff Specializations◦ Staff are being assigned areas of specialization in order to increase organizational strengths and

build capacity

◦ They are being encouraged to learn from others, research their areas of responsibility and where appropriate take short courses or attend future conferences to grow their knowledge of their areas of specialization.

◦ Examples: Freight, Transit, Road Safety, Transportation Funding

◦ Further developments to come

QUESTIONS?

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