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Status Report

A Strategic Vision for Public Transportation in

Southwestern Pennsylvania

Presented to SPC Policy Advisory CommitteeDecember 13, 2005

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December 13, 2005 Policy Advisory CommitteeMeeting Agenda

• Update on Policy Committee’s June 30 charges to staff.• Completion of Transit Vision Report.• TOC role in transit service coordination.

• Overview of Transit Vision.

• Policy Issues• Transit Organization Structure• Transit Funding• Land Use

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Policy Committee Charges:

• Staff to assist completion of Transit Vision report by December.

• TOC to consider strengthened role for Committee to advance regional transit service coordination.

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Complete Transit Vision Report

• Text has been extensively edited, marked up for consultant.• Lawrence County added to the transit vision.• Other studies noted in report:

• Airport Multimodal Corridor Study.• Eastern Corridor Transit Study.• Cranberry Area Transit Study.

• Graphics have been reviewed, list of revisions ready for consultant.• Executive Summary pending Policy Committee and consultant feedback.• Will finalize findings/recommendations after Policy Committee discussion.• Port Authority consultant contract to produce final documents.• Delivery of final transit vision report by January SPC Directors meeting.

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Transit Operators Committee Review

• TOC has held five meetings since June 30.• Several TOC members are attending this meeting.

• From those five meetings:

• TOC has articulated guiding principles for discussion of transit organization.• TOC has summarized concerns about transit funding issues.• TOC would agree to a strengthened role in transit service

coordination.

• Transit Operators comments will be presented for discussion later in the meeting.

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A Strategic Vision for Public Transportation in

Southwestern Pennsylvania

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Study Sponsors:

The Heinz EndowmentsRegion’s Transit Operators

Port Authority of Allegheny County Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission

Other Funders:

City of Pittsburgh Steel Industry Heritage Task Force

Port of Pittsburgh CommissionNational Association of Industrial and Office Properties

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Regional Strategic Transit Visioning StudyFunding Summary

Primary Funding Partner Amount Share

Project Funding Summary (Total)Heinz Endowments $550,000 28.1%Port Authority $510,000 26.0%Other TOC $900,000 45.9%

Updated Project Total $1,960,000 100.0%

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Study Purpose

To preserve existing transportation and land

use investments while making future

investment decisions that enhance the

economic viability and quality of life in

Southwestern Pennsylvania.

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Elements of the Study

Public Transportation Investments

Land Use

Railroad Corridors

Water Transportation

Finance and Organization

Sustainable Development

...Aspirations based planning with broad public outreach

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Fixed-Route Transit Service Areas in the SPC Region

Transit Operators

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Candidates for Consolidation

Requirements :- Cooperation of railroad- Upgrade line(s) that remain

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Candidates for Consolidation

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Brownsville

Monessen

McKeesport

Oakmont

New Kensington

Kittanning

Freeport

Sharpsburg

Ambridge

Aliquippa

Beaver

Station Square

Neville Island

Sewickley

Braddock

Tarentum

Excursion Service

Excursion Service

Intermodal Landing

Kittanning

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Sharpsburg

Homestead

Golden Triangle

Neville Island

Commuter Ferry

Would require large subsidy

Ferry Route

Locks and Dams

Intermodal Landing

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Neville Island

McKees RocksCarnegi

e Science Center

PNC Park

Duquesne

InclineStation Square Sout

h Side

LTV

Sandcastle

Waterfront

Carrie Furnace

Convention Center

Mon Wharf

Strip District

Millvale

Lawrenceville

Sharpsburg

Point

Water Taxi

Sandcastle

Extent of service tied to intensity of river edge development

Taxi Route

Locks and Dams

Intermodal Landing

Hazelwood

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Key Transit Themes from Public Outreach

• Transit should connect people to jobs.

• Transit should connect people to downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland, and the Pittsburgh International Airport.

• Transit should be frequent, reliable, safe, and clean.

• Transit service should be provided throughout the region.

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Key Land Use Themes from Public Outreach

• Maintain:• existing towns.• town centers.• neighborhoods.

• Preserve:• open space.• recreation opportunities.

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Seven Study GoalsDerived from Key Themes

Land Use/Development

Plan land use development and transportation interactively and provide mobility options that result in the reduced need for automobile travel.

Community Design

Integrate transportation corridors and services into the design of local communities and create interesting places to live, work, shop and recreate.

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Mobility

Introduce diversified high quality transit services that provide a balanced regional transportation network with a full range of travel choices.

Investment

Produce a regional transit system that is efficient, effective and equitable; regarded as a good investment; and that enhances the region’s competitiveness.

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Environment

Sustain the existing environmental assets of the region and create opportunities to enhance those assets.

Community Coordination

Provide a clear regional transit system vision that can be incorporated into regional and local transportation and land use plans and programs.

Transit Service Quality

Provide high quality transit service to the region, consisting of higher speeds, more convenience, better ride quality, and improved customer amenities.

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UNCONSTRAINEDGROWTH

FULLY CONTROLLED

GROWTH

REGIONAL GROWTH

FOCUSED GROWTH SCENARIO

TREND BASED SCENARIO

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Development Scenarios

Trend : “Growing Out” Focused Growth : “ Filling in”

Data from SPC nine-county “Cycle 6” forecast. Lawrence County data to be added with next cycle forecast.

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What are the implications for public transportation?

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Trend Focused Growth

Public Transportation Scenarios

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Types of Transit Service:

light rail (LRT) bus rapid transit (BRT) commuter rail express bus fixed route bus circulator bus paratransit maglev water taxi park and ride intermodal centers

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System Management Strategiesin the Transit Vision

Regional Fare Integration

Transit Priority Measures (e.g. HOV lanes, signal preemption)

Intelligent Transportation Systems (e.g. GPS, customer information systems)

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Regional Transit Vision

Regional Transit Vision

Beaver

ButlerKittanning

Indiana

Greensburg

UniontownWaynesburg

Washington

Point Marion

Farmington

New StantonLigonier

Latrobe

PerryopolisWest Alexander

Canonsburg

Burgettstown

Homer City

Blairsville

New Alexandria

Delmont

Saltsburg

Apollo

Vandergrift

Freeport

Ford City

Boyers

Evans City

Cranberry

NewKensington

Atwood

Worthington

Slippery Rock

Irwin

Charleroi

Beaver Falls

New Galilee

Hookstown

Rochester

Ambridge

Airport

Aliquippa Clymer

Creekside

Jacksonville

Harrisville

Bentleyville

Cokeburg

Portersville

Brownsville Connellsville

Masontown

Marianna

Laurel Mall

Lawrence

Smithfield

New Castle

BRTLRT

Station

Commuter Rail

Express Bus

Fixed Route Bus

Circulators

Bus Service

Intermodal Station

Ellwood City

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Beaver

ButlerKittanning

Indiana

Greensburg

UniontownWaynesburg

Washington

Point Marion

SmithfieldFarmington

New Stanton

LigonierLatrobe

PerryopolisWest Alexander

Canonsburg

Burgettstown

Homer City

Blairsville

New Alexandria

Delmont

Saltsburg

Apollo

Vandergrift

Freeport

Ford City

Boyers

Evans City

Cranberry

NewKensington

Atwood

Worthington

Slippery Rock

Irwin

Charleroi

Beaver Falls

New Galilee

Hookstown

Rochester

Ambridge

Airport

AliquippaClymer

Creekside

Jacksonville

Harrisville

Bentleyville

Cokeburg

Portersville

BrownsvilleConnellsville

Masontown

Marianna

Laurel Mall

Regional Transit Vision

Lawrence

New Castle

Transit Vision

Focused Growth Land Use

Ellwood City

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Estimated Capital Investment Required by the Transit Vision

$9.5 Billion(2002 dollars)

Estimated Increase in Annual OperatingExpense of the Transit Vision

Average = $116.0 Million(2002 dollars)

Range = $3.0 Million (year 1)$240.0 Million (Year 25)

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TransitOperator

OperatingBudget

PAAC $274,553,792

BCTA $4,919,949

GG&C $1,925,695

FACT $1,950,590

MMVTA $2,610,861

WCTA $2,830,112

BTCJMTA $512,536

IndiGO $1,008,344

TACT $418,967

NCATA $2,870,359

REGION TOTAL $293,601,205

Current Regional Operating Expense

(2002 dollars)

Operating Budget

93%

5% 2%

PAACSmall UrbanRural

Operating Budget

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Implementing the Transit Vision with Current Transit Funding Shares Will Require -

• Capital Investments– Federal: up to 80% ($7.6 billion)– State: 16 2/3% and higher ($1.6 billion)– Local: 3 1/3% ($0.3 billion)

• Annual Operating & Maintenance Increase– Federal (asset maintenance): 18% ($20.9 million)– State: 42% ($48.7 million) – Local: 8% ($9.3 million)– Fares: 32% ($37.1 million)

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Financing the Transit Vision

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Current structure (independent transit operators) Strengthen Role of SPC’s Transit Operators Committee (e.g. Joint Powers Board)

Regional Authority

Organizational Alternatives

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Transit Operators Committee Reviewand Recommendations

• TOC has articulated guiding principles for transit organization:

• Service decisions need to be market driven.• Transit and land use decisions should be integrated.• Transit services should appear seamless to customers through:

• Shared transit identity.• Common fare structure.• Regional transit information.• Regional marketing.• Coordinated planning and service.

• Allocation of funding should be fair and equitable.• Need dedicated, predictable, growing source of funds.• Form of organization should not alter service delivery cost structure.• Region deserves high-quality transit service.

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Transit Operators Committee Review

• Transit funding concerns -

• Programmatic restrictions limit how funding can be used:(e.g. urban / rural; capital / operating)

• Appropriating funds annually makes long-term planning difficult(Can’t plan more than a year in advance)

• Available funding cannot sustain existing service levels.

•To implement Transit Vision will require increased level of funding from federal, state and local sources.

• Most regions with growing transit systems have a dedicated local source of funds for transit development and operations.

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Transit Operators Committee Review

• TOC welcomes coordination role.• New role will require additional support from SPC and staff.

• TOC has a history of cooperative planning efforts:

• “Regional Transit Marketing Study” (1997).• List of recommendations for coordinated marketing, service planning, fare structure, customer service.• No funding available to implement most of the recommendations.

• “Regional Transit Vision Study” (2001-2005).• TOC provided funding and staff support to study.

• Regional transit user / non-user surveys (pending – 2006).• TOC cooperatively designing survey to better understand characteristics of transit market (users and non-users).

• TIP development.• Long Range Plan development.

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Regional Policy Advisory Committee Discussion Issues

• Transit Organization Structure

• Funding

• Land Use

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Organization Issues:

A range of organizational models can be considered.

• Regional Authority (consolidation).

• MOU among operators (cooperation / collaboration).

• Regional administration / local service provider (coordination).

• Other.

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Land Use Issues:

• To achieve transit aspirations (focused growth) change is needed in:

• Municipal planning code.• Zoning codes.• Design guidelines.• Subdivision ordinances.