1 8-5-2006

LESSONS FROM UTRECHT

Linking Transit with Walking and Biking (The City of Utrecht, NL, 2011/9/27)

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The ultimate lesson?

“I think we need to make people

aware that our traffic concepts of

today are not sustainable and will be

of no use for the future of our society

and our planet.”

Dr. Wolfgang Schuster (Mayor of Stuttgart, Germany)

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The Netherlands (1)

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The Netherlands (2)

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Some demographic facts

United States Maryland Washington DC The Netherlands Utrecht

Founded 1776 1788 1790 1579 50 AD

Inhabitants (city)

(region)

308.7 mln 5.8 mln 602,000

5,580,000

16.7 mln 313,000

640,000

Area (sq mi) 3,717,796 12,407 68 16,034 (1) 38

Inhabitants (/sq mi) 8.3 465.3 8848.9 1039.6 8179.9

(1) 1,29x State of Maryland

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About the City of Utrecht

Modal split • Motor vehicles: 38.5 % • Public transport: 10.8 % • Bicycles: 28.0 % • Pedestrians: 21.2 % • Others: 01.5 %

Facts • Fourth largest city in the Netherlands. • Over 300,000 inhabitants. • Largest University in the Netherlands. • Busiest railway station of the country (more passengers a year then Schiphol Airport). • Still growing economy (despite global recession).

1885 .

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2000 . 1980 .

Development of the city in the 20st century

1940 . 1920 .

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61,700

122,000

58,500

Imbalance between incoming & outgoing traffic.

Numbers show incoming traffic during morning rush hours.

Traffic congestion

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What to do about this?

4. Improving road network. 3. Improving bicycle facilities

2. New light rail & streetcar lines . 1. New regional railway network

INTEGRATION!

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Step 1: New regional railway network

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What is Randstadspoor (RSS)?

Facts • Regional network of commuter trains. • Using existing railway corridors. • 10 new stations in region. • Most railway lines widened from 2 to 4 tracks. • 4-6 trains per hour. • Realisation between 2002 and 2015.

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Construction started in 2002

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Reconstruction of the main railway station

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Aerial overview of a construction site

Extra railroad bridge

Rebuilding station + new bicycle tunnel

Two level free crossings

From 2 to 4 tracks

From 4 to 6 tracks

New commuter station

Rebuilding bicycle tunnel

Enlarging several tunnels

Rebuilding main station + adding extra platforms

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Animation of the new commuter network

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Step 2: New light rail & streetcar lines

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The first light rail line (SUNIJ-line)

2010 (second hand cars from Vienna)

17th of December 1983 (opening of new light rail line) 2000 (renovated light rail car)

2007 (low-floor light rail car on loan from Mulhouse)

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Then building a network of separated bus lanes

Facts • First complete line opened in 2001. • Linking the main railway station and the university campus. • Line passes through inner city. • Second line to Leidsche Rijn (almost) completed. • All bus lanes can be changed into light rail or streetcar lines.

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The next step: light rail & streetcar lines

Such a network ... • Creates a more efficient and flexible public transport system. • Improves the accessibility and livability in the region. • Can transport more passengers then the current bus network. • Creates more and new transfer points.

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A regional network of light rail & streetcar lines

Facts • Network of existing & new lines. • Upgrading existing light rail to Nieuwegein and IJsselstein. • Building two new lines to De Uithof. • Building a new line to Leidsche Rijn. • 4-8 trams per hour. • Realisation between 2012 and 2025.

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NIEUWEGEIN IJSSELSTEIN

LEIDSCHE RIJN

OVERVECHT

BINNENSTAD ZEIST

DE UITHOF

The planned regional network in 2025

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Facts • Growth of university campus by 25%. • Establishment of many health- & knowledge institutions. • Growth of mobility in 2020 by 30%: - employees from 20,000 to 30,000. - students from 50,000 to 60,000. - visitors of hospitals increasing to 1 mln. per year.

Why more public transport to the university campus?

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Facts • Overcrowded extra long busses. • Busses stand in traffic jams on separate bus lanes. • High transportation value: 37,000 travelers per day. • Total transportation value of more then 70,000 travelers per day in 2020 (growth of +50%). Long term • Two public transport axes needed. • New light rail line to De Uithof can be built very quickly. • Second line will be built after and passes the inner city (now bus lane). • This second line will partly be a streetcar line.

Why a light rail line to the university campus?

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2006: Final decision on route.

2009: Regional vision on network.

2010: Design on implementing lines in

station area completed.

2011: Start building substructure.

2013: Start building tracks and catenary.

2017: Planned opening.

Planning and construction

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Map of new the light rail to the university campus

A.

B. C.

D.

E.

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A. Implementing light rail in the railway station area

Sub projects a) Linking existing and new light rail

lines. b) New tram stop on eastern side of

the main railway station. c) New bus stop on western side. d) Second crossing of railway tracks. e) Linking new line from Leidsche

Rijn to the network.

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B. Impression of the southern city area

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C. Impression of the green belt area

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D. Impression of the university campus

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E. Impression of the new transfer point De Uithof

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Animation of the new light rail line

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Step 3: Improving bicycle facilities

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Facts • 36% of all trips < 7.5 km are done by bicycle. • 91,000 cyclists pass the inner city on working days. • 22,000 bicycle stands around main railway station and in city centre. • 8 secured bicycle parkings around main railway station.

About cycling in the City of Utrecht

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Making an extra investment of € 67 mln. ($90 mln.) by: A. Upgrading five busiest routes. B. Building missing links. C. Creating more & better parking. D. Introducing public bicycle program. E. Increasing promotion of the bicycle.

Bicycle Program

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A. Upgrading five busiest routes (1)

Facts • The bicycle network has an average distance between routes of 400-500 metres. • Improving traffic lights. • Creating more bi-directional crossings for bicycles.

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Foto Hondsrug

A. Upgrading five busiest routes (2)

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B. Building missing links

New tunnel in a regional bicycle route .

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C. Creating more & better parking

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D. Introducing public bicycle program (OV Fiets)

Facts • A public bicycle system for transport hubs like railway stations, light rail stops, bus terminals, Park & Ride, etc. • Over 200 rental locations. • Over 60 self-service bicycle dispensers. • More than 850,000 trips in 2010.

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D. Increasing promotion of the bicycle (1)

First stage of Giro d’Italia 2010 . Advertisements & campaigns .

Information panels .

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en

D. Increasing promotion of the bicycle (2)

Bicycle maps & routes .

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D. Increasing promotion of the bicycle (3)

Promotion of electric bicycles .

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The final step: Integration!

Both infrastructure and policy

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Utrecht Centraal: Busiest railway station in the country

Facts • Major transport hub in the heart of The Netherlands. • 160,000 daily train and 100,000 bus & light rail passengers on weekdays. • 9 guarded bicycle parking's (total capacity 10.000 bicycles). • Over 7.000 unguarded bicycle parking places.

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Bicycle parking at Utrecht Centraal

Street parking . Guarded parking (non-paid) .

Guarded parking (paid) . Guarded parking (paid) .

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Facts • On some regional railway stations 60% of all passengers come by bicycle. • The number of train users increased after the improvements. • Dutch Railways improved bicycle parking facilities in cooperation with municipalities. • Temporary bi-level bicycle parking facilities (further improvements in the future). • The bicycle parking is not guarded and in the open air, but well used. • Also Park & Ride facilities for cars were added.

Commuter rail stations

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Other modes of public transport

Regional bus . City bus .

Light rail . Light rail .

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Other locations

Theatres . Shops .

Schools . Offices .

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The OV chip card

Facts • Is an electronic travel pass. • Can be used nationwide in all modes of public transport. • Both personal passes and passes for tourists. • Replaces paper tickets in the entire country.

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Facts • 39% of all train users come to the station by bicycle. • Folding bicycles are allowed in both long distance and commuter trains. • For normal bicycles someone has to buy a separate bicycle-ticket. • Normal bicycles usually aren’t allowed during rush hours.

Taking bicycles into trains

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Smaller maintenance vehicles .

National website OV9292 .

Regional mobility pass .

Some other aspects

Temporary road signing .

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RSS Vaartse Rijn: The ultimate transfer point?

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Thank you for your attention!

Ronald Tamse, The City of Utrecht (NL), 2011/09/27

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Lessons from Europe

Linking Transit with Walking and Biking How will the Dutch remake their largest train station? What about current efforts to develop a five-line light rail system in Utrecht? What are their lower-cost strategies for bicycle and pedestrian access to transit, bicycle parking, and traffic safety strategies to safely integrate tracks into roadways? Join a roadway and transit designer for the Cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht, to learn how the Europeans do it -- and what lessons we can learn from their success. Moderator: Catherine Ciarlo, Transportation Director, Office of the Mayor, City of Portland, Oregon Ronald Tamse, Traffic Consultant, City of Utrecht, The Netherlands.