The Vision Remains the SameChamber Transportation Summit

April 8, 2011

City of Charlotte

Investing in a Vision

1998 2011

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110

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2

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FY2011 Expenses, Revenue, Service and Ridership Comparison

Sales Tax @ the FY2005 Level

Operating Exp. below the FY2008 Level

Service HR below the FY2008 Level

Ridership Rising - up

38% since 2005

ECONOMIC IMPACT ON TRANSIT

ECONOMIC IMPACT ON TRANSIT SALES & USE TAX

$70.2 $85.0 $95.0 $106.3

$125.7 $148.6

$175.8

$207.9

$260.0

$325.1

$70.4 $57.4 $59.0

$64.5 $73.6

$84.0 $95.8

$109.3 $130.4

$162.5

$0.0

$50.0

$100.0

$150.0

$200.0

$250.0

$300.0

$350.0

$400.0 20

0720

0820

0920

1020

1120

1220

1320

1420

1520

1620

1720

1820

1920

2020

2120

2220

2320

2420

2520

2620

2720

2820

2920

3020

3120

3220

3320

3420

35

Sales Tax Gap FY2007-FY2035

2006 System Plan

Current Forecast

FY2007 - FY2035TotalGap = $2.3 Billion

Gateway Station – Next Steps

Project Definition• Determine CATS needs in future Gateway Station• NCDOT issues RFQ summer 2011• Short list for RFP by end of 2011• Issue RFP late 2011/early 2012• Select Master Developer mid-late 2012

Funding• CATS already has $19 million in federal bus earmark funds for

CGS• NCDOT has funding secured for Norfolk-Southern/CSX grade

separation .• NCDOT pursuing funds for CGS track work and Station

MTC NOVEMBER 2010 WORKSHOP

MTC Direction for Corridors:

• Scale core system to sustainable levels

• Advance affordable BLE in FTA Process

• Explore funding partnerships and P3 opportunities for Red Line

• Seek Operating assistance from NCDOT for rail corridors

• Further studies of Southeast, West, and Streetcar based on future funding availability

City of Charlotte

• LYNX Blue Line (LRT) – FTA considers very successful– Needs capacity for 3-car trains

• Blue Line Extension (LRT)– Strong New Starts project– Schedule is now late 2016 / early 2017

• Red Line (Commuter Rail)– Tracks and crossings at 90% design– No clear funding plan

• Streetcar Line (Modern)– City of Charlotte funding PE– No clear funding plan

• Silver Line (LRT or BRT)– Reevaluate transit technology decision– Corridor land use and road solution

• West Corridor– Enhanced Bus Service started in 2009– Convert to Streetcar

Approved by MTC November 2006

2030 Transit Plan (Current Status)

City of Charlotte

Blue Line Extension MTC Direction

Reduce Cost and Accelerate Schedule• Cut capital cost by 20%• Reduce annual operating and maintenance costs by 6.5%• Open project in 2016

City of Charlotte

• Maintain flexibility for the future:– Schedule – Minimize potential BLE

schedule delays (Environmental, Design, ROW, Construction)

– Easy to Add Later – Cuts easiest to add later through adjacent development or other projects

– Equity - Consistency between corridors and travel markets; preserve service to existing riders

– Safety & Reliability – Safe and reliable transit system for patrons, employees and the public

– O & M Costs – Extent to which capital cost reductions also facilitate achieving a 6.5% reduction in O & M Costs

– Lessons Learned – maintain capacity, provide sufficient parking, accommodate special events, and protect safety items such as grade separations

Guiding Philosophy

City of Charlotte

Project Length Considerations

• Ridership Impact - UNC Charlotte is a major ridership generator• Provision of sufficient parking• Minimum project must meet purpose and need• Types and magnitude of additional cost savings needed to

offset extra length• Preserve option to extend in future

City of Charlotte

Summary of Recommendations

• Change project terminus to UNC Charlotte• Operate 2-car trains every 7.5 minutes initially and 3-car

trains every 10 minutes in future• Purchase 18 vehicles• Use surface lots at Sugar Creek station• Eliminate park and rides at Tom Hunter and McCullough• Construct a storage yard only at the NS Intermodal Yard and

up-fit the existing South Blvd facility• Retain North Tryon cross-section

• LYNX Light Rail Extension - +9.4 miles - Implementation in 2016-17 - +25,000 daily riders - improvements to Tryon Street

• FTA Approved Project

• Recent MTC direction• reduce capital cost by 20%• reduce annual O&M by 6%

• Cost goal achieved• project shortened by 1.1 mile• now ends at UNCC

LYNX BLUE LINE EXTENSION

City of Charlotte

Status of Federal & State Funding

State Funding ($242 million)• Working with NCDOT on State Full

Funding Grant Agreement (SFFGA)

for Dec. 2011/Jan. 2012• Can execute after Record Of Decision

Federal Funding ($483 million)• FY12 Annual New Starts Report released February 16th

• FTA allocated $300 million in new Advanced Project Development fund – projects nearing Final Design

• BLE one of 4 projects in this category• Goal is Federal Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFFGA) in Sept-

Dec. 2012 timeframe

RED LINE (COMMUTER RAIL) • Commuter Rail From Downtown Charlotte to Town of Davidson (or Iredell County)

• Currently not eligible for Federal funding

• Seeking N.C. DOT participation

- Financial partners - Leadership with private railroads

• Proposed Build-Out in 2018

- P3 (Public-Private-Partnership)

• Candidate for Design-Build

City of Charlotte

Future Gateway Station

Charlotte Transportation Center

Charlotte Gateway StationPartnership with NCDOT

Legend: Rail & Transit Lines

Intercity Rail (DC-Raleigh-Charlotte-Atlanta)

Future CATS Commuter Rail (from Davidson)

Commuter Rail (from Monroe)/IntercityRail (from Wilmington)

Commuter Rail (from Rock Hill)

Commuter Rail (from Gastonia)

Future CATS Trade Street Streetcar/ Bus Rapid Transit Corridor

CATS Blue Line Light Rail

Site serves all

major corridors

in Charlotte

City of Charlotte

Gateway Station – Next Steps

Project Definition• Determine CATS needs in future Gateway Station• NCDOT issues RFQ for master developer summer 2011• Short list for RFP by end of 2011• Issue RFP late 2011/early 2012• Select Master Developer mid-late 2012

Funding• CATS already has $19 million in federal bus earmark funds for

CGS• NCDOT has funding secured for Norfolk-Southern/CSX grade

separation .• NCDOT pursuing funds for CGS track work and Station

City of Charlotte

In July 2010, the City of Charlotte was awarded a $24.99 million Urban Circulator Grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

• Estimated Cost is $37 million$24.99 million from Urban Circulator Grant$12 million from the City of Charlotte

• Estimated annual operating cost of $1.5 million• Construction should begin in 2012 • Revenue service anticipated to start in 2015

STREETCAR STARTER PROJECT

City of Charlotte

Presbyterian Hospital to Charlotte

Transportation Center (CTC)

• Approximately 1.5 mile segment

• Utilizes the half mile of track on Elizabeth Avenue

• Utilizes the replica trolleys already owned by the City

• Connections

– Elizabeth Ave. Business Corridor, Charlotte Transportation Center, CPCC and Presbyterian Hospital.

– Existing Lynx Blue Line for system flexibility and access to existing maintenance facility

STREETCAR STARTER PROJECT

City of Charlotte

Presbyterian Hospital to Charlotte Transportation Center

STREETCAR STARTER PROJECT

THANK YOU