Status Report
A Strategic Vision for Public
Transportation in
Southwestern Pennsylvania
Presented to SPC Policy Advisory Committee
December 13, 2005
1
December 13, 2005 Policy Advisory Committee
Meeting 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
2
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.
3
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.
4
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 Endowments
Region’s Transit Operators
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
Other Funders:
City of Pittsburgh
Steel Industry Heritage Task Force
Port of Pittsburgh Commission
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties
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Regional Strategic Transit Visioning Study
Funding Summary
Primary Funding Partner
Project Funding Summary (Total)
Heinz Endowments
Port Authority
Other TOC
Updated Project Total
Amount
$550,000
$510,000
$900,000
$1,960,000
Share
28.1%
26.0%
45.9%
100.0%
8
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
11
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Candidates for Consolidation
Requirements :
- Cooperation of railroad
- Upgrade line(s) that remain
13
Candidates for Consolidation
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Excursion Service
Kittanning
Kittanning
Beaver
Freeport
Ambridge
Tarentum
Aliquippa Sewickley
Sharpsburg
New Kensington
Oakmont
Neville Island
Station Square
Braddock
McKeesport
Monessen
Excursion Service
Brownsville
Intermodal Landing
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Commuter Ferry
Neville Island
Sharpsburg
Golden Triangle
Ferry Route
Homestead
Locks and Dams
Intermodal Landing
Would require large subsidy
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Water Taxi
Neville Island
Sharpsbur
g
Millvale
Lawrenceville
McKees Rocks
Carnegie
Science PNC
Center Park
Point
Strip District
Convention Center
Mon Wharf
Duquesne
Incline
Station
Square South
Side LTV
Hazelwood
Carrie
Furnace
Taxi Route
Waterfront
Sandcastle
Locks and Dams
Intermodal Landing
Extent of service tied to intensitySandcast
ofleriver edge
development
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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.
18
Key Land Use Themes from Public Outreach
• Maintain:
• existing towns.
• town centers.
• neighborhoods.
• Preserve:
• open space.
• recreation opportunities.
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Seven Study Goals
Derived 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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REGIONAL GROWTH
FULLY
CONTROLLED
GROWTH
UNCONSTRAINED
GROWTH
TREND BASED
SCENARIO
FOCUSED GROWTH
SCENARIO
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Development Scenarios
Trend : “Growing Out”
Focused Growth : “ Filling in”
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Data from SPC nine-county “Cycle 6” forecast. Lawrence County data to be added with next cycle forecast.
What are the implications for public
transportation?
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Public Transportation Scenarios
Trend
Focused Growth
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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 Strategies
in 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
Harrisville
Lawrence
Slippery Rock
New Castle
Boyers
Portersville
Ellwood
City
New Galilee
Butler
Worthington
Kittanning
Atwood
Beaver Falls
Evans City
Beaver
Ford City
Rochester
Creekside
Cranberry
Freeport
Clymer
Aliquippa
Vandergrift
Hookstown
New
Kensington
Ambridge
Apollo
Indiana
Jacksonville
Saltsburg
Homer City
Airport
Blairsville
Delmont
Burgettstown
New Alexandria
Greensburg
BRT
LRT
Irwin
Latrobe
Ligonier
Canonsburg
New Stanton
Washington
Express Bus
Charleroi
West Alexander
Bentleyville
Fixed Route Bus
Station
Perryopolis
Cokeburg
Marianna
Brownsville
Connellsville
Laurel Mall
Uniontown
Waynesburg
Commuter Rail
Intermodal Station
Circulators
Masontown
Smithfield
Point Marion
Farmington
Bus Service
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Regional Transit Vision
Harrisville
Lawrence
Slippery Rock
Boyers
New Castle
Butler
Portersville
Ellwood
City
New Galilee
Beaver Falls
Worthington
Kittanning
Ford City
Evans City
Beaver
Atwood
Rochester
Creekside
Freeport
Cranberry
Clymer
Vandergrift
Aliquippa
Hookstown
New
Kensington
Ambridge
Indiana
Apollo
Jacksonville
Saltsburg
Homer City
Airport
Delmont
Burgettstown
Blairsville
New Alexandria
Irwin
Greensburg
Canonsburg
Latrobe
Ligonier
Washington
New Stanton
Charleroi
West Alexander
Bentleyville
Perryopolis
Cokeburg
Marianna
Brownsville
Connellsville
Transit Vision
Focused Growth
Land Use
Laurel Mall
Waynesburg
Uniontown
Masontown
Farmington
Smithfield
Point Marion
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Estimated Capital Investment Required by
the Transit Vision
$9.5 Billion
(2002 dollars)
Estimated Increase in Annual Operating
Expense 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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Current Regional Operating Expense
Transit
Operator
Operating
Budget
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
REGION TOTAL
Operating
Budget
Operating
Budget
5% 2%
93%
PAAC
Small Urban
Rural
$2,870,359
$293,601,205
(2002 dollars)
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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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Organizational Alternatives
Current structure (independent transit operators)
Strengthen Role of SPC’s Transit Operators Committee
(e.g. Joint Powers Board)
Regional Authority
35
Transit Operators Committee Review
and 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.
36
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.
40
Land Use Issues:
• To achieve transit aspirations (focused growth)
change is needed in:
• Municipal planning code.
• Zoning codes.
• Design guidelines.
• Subdivision ordinances.
41