open house boards, june 11, 2015
TRANSCRIPT
WELCOME
Amherst - Buffalo Transit
Options Public Open House
Meeting
Sponsored byNiagara Frontier Transportation Authority
Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council
Where do you work?
Where do you live? Indicate with green dot
Indicate with red dot
Study Process Flow Chart
Tier 3Detailed
Evaluation of Alternatives
Define No-Build Alternatives
(current year & horizon year)
DetailedAlternatives
Screening Methodology &Evaluation Criteria
Public Involvement and Agency Coordination
Goals and Objectives
Detailed EvaluationMethodology
(FTA rating criteria)
Needs
Define Detailed Build
AlternativesIdentify Long List of
Multi-Modal Alternatives
Conceptual Alternatives
Tier 1 & Tier 2 Screening
Steps
Locally Preferred Alternative
AlternativesAnalysisStudyProcessFatal Flaw Analysis – Tier 1 Screening
Establish Universe (Long List) of Alternatives
Apply Purpose and Need Test and Market Assessment (transit mode)
Reasonable Test #1 and Test #2
Fatal Flaw Results (Tier 1 Results)
Public Open House Meeting – November 2014
Conceptual Analysis – Tier 2 ScreeningIdentify Alternatives that Advance to Tier 2
Provide High Level Conceptual Engineering and Apply Evaluation Criteria to Screen Alternatives
Conceptual Analysis (Tier 2) Results
Public Open House Meeting
Detailed Analysis – Tier 3 ScreeningIdentify Reasonable Range of Alternatives that Advance to Detailed Level Analysis
Conduct Detailed Definition of Alternatives
Apply Evaluation Criteria to Alternatives
Alternatives Analysis Results (Tier 3 Results)
Public Open House Meeting – Fall 2015
Recommendation of a Locally Preferred Alternative
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Fall
2014
Win
ter 2
014
– Sp
ring
2015
Sum
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201
5 –
Win
ter
2015
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4 We Are Here
Draft Purpose and Need
Purpose• Provide a fast, reliable, safe, and
convenient transit ride in the Amherst-Buffalo corridor
• Link activity centers• Support planned regional economic
development
Need• Expanded transit service is needed to
serve:» Ongoing development and redevelopment» Existing and new activity centers» Transit-dependent populations in the
study area
Study Area
• Conventional buses or special BRT vehicles
• Interior (seats, doors) for:» Efficient boarding, alighting» Easy internal
circulation
• Permanent, weather protected
• Passenger information, amenities
• Secure, well-lit• Convey system
identity with branding
Stations & Terminals
• Variety of sizes, floor heights
Priority Bus Lanes• Operate in a broad
variety of physical and operating environments
• Vehicles receive priority to move faster than general traffic
• Critical design parameters:» Safely supports rapid, reliable
service, enforcement» System identity
Systems• Passenger information• Off-board, advanced fare
collection• Traffic signal
prioritization• Automatic Vehicle
Location
Vehicles
What is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)?
What is Light Rail Transit? (LRT)• Buffalo’s Metro Rail is an example of LRT• Can operate on streets or dedicated Right-of-
Way• Can have raised platforms or street-level
boarding of passengers• High passenger capacity• Increased reliability
Buffalo, NY NFTA Metro LRT
Long List of LRT Alternatives
Proposed LRT Alternatives Advancing to Tier 2
Niagara Falls Blvd. Bailey AvenueMillersport Highway
Long List of BRT Alternatives
Proposed BRT Alternatives Advancing to Tier 2
Niagara Falls Blvd. Bailey Avenue Millersport Highway
Preferential and Enhanced Bus Alternatives to be Evaluated in Tier 3Preferential Bus Alternative Enhanced Bus Alternative
Tier 2 Screening CriteriaSUPPORT FOR
TOD
Consistency with local and regional plans and strategies
Number of stations with transit supportive zoning - total of high and medium stations
SYSTEMCONNECTIVITY
Connecting NFTA bus routes
Number of park and recreation areas served
ENGINEERING/ RIGHT-OF-
WAY NEEDS
Percent mixed traffic operations
Percent signalized intersec- tions of total intersections
Private land area affected by guideway (acres)
ENVIRONMENTAL/ COMMUNITY
IMPACTS
Impacts to parks, recreation, open space (acres)
Impacts to water resources
Floodplains (acres)
Wetlands (acres)
Streams (feet)
Number of properties affected
RIDERSHIP/ MARKET
2035 total project boardings (avg. weekday)
Travel time between UB campuses (UB South, University Station- UB North, Greiner Hall) minimum
Travel time between UB campuses (Downtown, Allen Station - UB North, Greiner Hall) minimum
2035 projected park & ride patrons
2035 total boardings by zero car households (avg. weekday)
Commercial/retail area served (sf)1/2 mi station radius
Typical Cross-Sections: Side Platform LRT Station OptionsDraft Works in Progress - For Discussion Purposes Only
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Section 1 Section 2
Section 3 Section 4
Typical Cross-Sections: Center & Tunnel LRT Station OptionsDraft Works in Progress - For Discussion Purposes Only
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Section 5 Section 6
Section 7 Section 8Ex
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Typical Cross-Sections: BRT OptionsDraft Works in Progress - For Discussion Purposes Only
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Section 1 Section 2
Section 3 Section 4
Tier 2 Screening Results Matrix
F lood- plains (acres)
W et-lands (acres)
Stream s(feet)
Niagara Falls B lvd LRT 1 (via Bailey, Eggert, Niagara Falls B lvd, Maple and I-990) 1 0 .2 1 1 .0 0 % 4 4 % 2 4 ,0 0 0 1 4 ,7 0 0 1 6 2 6 3 4 3 8 2 1 6 1 6 6 1 2 1 3 .8 1 .3 4 1 9 .0 0 .0 2 1 1
Ni a ga ra Fa l l s B l vd LRT 2 (vi a B a i l e y, Egge rt, Ni a ga ra Fa l l s B l vd , Ma p l e , Jo h n
Ja m e s Au d u b o n Pa rkw a y a n d Mi l l e rs p o rt) 9 .6 1 1 .2 0 % 3 9 % 2 3 ,2 0 0 1 4 ,7 0 0 1 6 2 6 1 7 8 7 8 6 5 1 4 6 1 0 2 1 .1 1 .4 4 9 5 .9 0 .0 2 5 4
Ni a ga ra Fa l l s B l vd LRT 7 (vi a B a i l e y, Egge rt, Ni a ga ra Fa l l s B l vd , Me ye r Rd ,
u n d e r I -290, I -990) 1 0 .2 1 0 .7 0 % 3 9 % 2 4 ,1 0 0 1 4 ,7 0 0 1 5 2 5 3 5 7 8 6 0 5 1 7 6 1 2 1 1 .7 0 .8 3 9 8 .8 0 .1 2 4 4
B a i l e y Ave LRT 1 (vi a B a i l e y, Ma p l e , I -990) 9 .3 7 .0 0 % 4 3 % 2 3 ,5 0 0 1 4 ,6 0 0 1 5 2 5 5 5 6 8 2 5 6 1 6 6 1 2 1 1 .0 0 .7 3 8 5 .8 0 .0 1 8 9
B a i l e y Ave LRT 2 (vi a B a i l e y, Ma p l e , Jo h n Ja m e s Au d u b o n Pa rkw a y a n d Mi l l e rs p o rt) 8 .7 8 .3 0 % 3 6 % 2 2 ,8 0 0 1 4 ,1 0 0 1 5 2 5 4 0 7 7 9 0 5 1 3 6 1 0 2 0 .4 1 .4 4 6 2 .8 0 .0 2 3 2
Mi l l e rs p o rt H w y LRT 1 (vi a B a i l e y, G ro ve r Cl e ve l a n d , Mi l l e rs p o rt, F l i n t, Jo h n Ja m e s
Au d u b o n Pa rkw a y, Mi l l e rs p o rt) 8 .2 4 .7 0 % 2 8 % 2 2 ,9 0 0 1 3 ,5 0 0 1 3 2 3 9 7 6 3 9 8 7 8 5 7 2 1 .2 1 .5 6 2 9 .4 0 .0 1 9 4
Niagara Falls B lvd BRT 1 (via Niagara Falls B lvd, Maple, I-990) 1 1 .5 2 5 .7 1 7 % 3 5 % 2 1 ,1 0 0 1 3 ,8 0 0 3 0 4 0 1 3 2 9 6 1 5 1 7 4 1 7 1 5 .3 2 .2 7 8 2 .1 0 .4 3 0 5
Ni a ga ra Fa l l s B l vd B R T 2 (vi a Ni a ga ra Fa l l s B l vd , Ma p l e , Jo h n Ja m e s Au d u b o n
Pa rkw a y, Mi l l e rs p o rt) 1 0 .9 2 5 .8 1 9 % 3 3 % 2 0 ,8 0 0 1 3 ,6 0 0 3 4 4 4 1 6 7 9 5 8 5 1 7 6 1 6 2 1 .3 1 .9 8 5 4 .3 0 .4 3 6 6
Bailey Ave BRT 1 (via Bailey, Maple, I-990) 9 .8 7 .4 2 7 % 3 9 % 2 0 ,4 0 0 1 3 ,3 0 0 2 3 3 3 1 3 5 8 4 6 5 2 3 4 1 4 1 5 .6 1 .9 5 5 9 .8 0 .0 2 0 7
B a i l e y Ave B R T 2 (vi a B a i l e y, Ma p l e , Jo h n Ja m e s Au d u b o n Pa rkw a y, Mi l l e rs p o rt) 9 .0 6 .8 3 0 % 3 6 % 2 0 ,4 0 0 1 2 ,9 0 0 2 3 3 3 2 6 6 8 4 4 5 2 3 6 1 3 2 1 .3 1 .5 6 3 2 .1 0 .0 2 6 2
Millersport H wy BRT 1 (via Bailey, Grover Cleveland, Millersport, F lint, John Jam es
Audubon Parkway, Millersport) 8 .5 4 .1 3 5 % 3 5 % 1 7 ,8 0 0 1 1 ,5 0 0 1 8 2 8 2 5 1 4 3 2 7 2 1 5 8 2 1 .2 1 .5 5 6 4 .0 0 .0 2 0 1
# OF PROPERTIESAFF ECTED
Projected Park- and-Ride
Patrons, 2035LENGTH OFALT (miles)
Percent Mixed Traff ic
Operations
ENGINEERING / RIGHT OF W AY NEEDS
ALTERNATIVE
PRIVATE LAND AREA AFF ECTED BY GUID EWAY
(acres)
2035 Total Project Boardings (Average
W eekday)
# OF STATIONS W ITH TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE
ZONING - 1/2 m ile station radius - total of high and m edium
stations
Percent Signalized Intersections of
Total Intersections
Travel Tim e between UB
Cam puses (UB South,
University Station- UB
Car H H (Average North, GreinerW eekday) H all), m in.
IM PA CTS TO PA RKS/ RECREA TION /
OPEN SPA CE (acres)
BUS
RAPI
D
TRA
NSI
T
Travel Tim e between UB
Cam puses (D owntown,
Allen Station - UB North,
Greiner H all), m in.
LIG
HT
RAIL
2035 TotalBoardings by 0
COMMERCIAL /RETAIL AREA # OF PARK AND
SERVED (acres) - 1/2 RECREATION AREAS CONNECTING NFTAm ile station radius SERVED BUS ROUTES
Consistency with local and regional
plans and strategies
SUPPORT FOR TOD ENVIRONMENTAL / COMMUNITY IMPACTS
IMPACTS TO W ATER RESOURCES
RIDERSHIP / MARKET SYSTEM CONNECTIVITYDESCRIPTIVE
Niagara Falls Blvd. LRT Alternatives 1 & 2
Niagara Falls Blvd. LRT Alternative 7
Bailey Avenue LRT Alternatives 1 & 2 and Millersport Highway LRT Alternative 1
Niagara Falls Blvd. BRT Alternatives 1 & 2
Bailey Avenue BRT Alternatives 1 & 2 and Millersport Highway BRT Alternative 1
University at Buffalo North Campus
LRT BRT
Millersport Alternatives for UB North Campus
Next Steps• Reach Consensus on Alternatives Advancing
to Tier 3• Refine Alternatives (cross-section/ROW need,
possible truncation/MOS, station locations, etc.)• Develop Analysis for Tier 3 Alternatives• Identify Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)• Hold Committee and Public Open House
Meeting on LPA» Tentatively October 2015
• LPA moves to the next project phase» Federal and State environmental review» Preliminary and final engineering» Construction
What do you like? What would you change?
Remaining Study ScheduleJune 2015 Jul 2015 Aug 2015 Sep 2015 Oct 2015 Nov 2015 Dec 2015 Jan 2015
Tier 2 Decisions
Tier 3 Process
Refine EvaluationCriteriaDefine Alternatives
ConductEvaluation
Develop Life Cycle Costs/Financial Info
LPA Selection Process
Project Steering Committee Meeting
Project Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Open House Meeting
Proposed Alternatives Advancing to Tier 3• LRT» Niagara Falls Boulevard 1
• BRT» Niagara Falls Boulevard 1» Bailey Avenue 1» Millersport Highway 1