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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/20/2001 - RESOLUTION 2001-159 AMENDING THE TRANSFORT SERVIC 71 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 22 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: November 20, 2001 STAFF: Tom Frazier SUBJECT: Resolution 2001-159 Amending the Transfort Service Plan. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. FINANCIAL IMPACT: All financial impacts are controlled through the annual budget process. is EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Transfort Strategic Plan is a plan for the development of transit services from 2002 through 2010. On June 19,2001 Council adopted the Transfort Service Plan as an Element of the Transfort Strategic Operating Plan. Staff is requesting that City Council amend the Service Plan Element to include transit services on the fixed route system of routes 9 and 14 and to include evening service on the paratransit system. Both of these changes are included in Transfort's proposed 2002-2003 budget and the implementation of these changes are contingent on City Council's adoption of the City's proposed 2002-2003 budget. The specific service adjustments are: (1) paratransit service to expand evening operating hours to year round from the current service level of operating evening service only when Colorado State University is in session; (2) on the fixed route transit system,provide service for the west portion of Route 9 for 6 hours per day from Monday through Saturday; and DATE: November 20, 2001 2 ITEM NUMBER: (3) on the fixed route transit system,reduce Route 14 service from 18 hours per day to 6 hours per day from Monday through Saturday. This amendment is necessary to ensure accuracy of the Transfort Service Plan. In order to apply for federal funding, staff is required to demonstrate that all transit services provided are part of an adopted plan and represents the intention of the City of Fort Collins. These service changes will be effective January 2, 2002. RESOLUTION 2001-159 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AMENDING THE TRANSFORT SERVICE PLAN WHEREAS, the process for the establishment of the Transfort Strategic Operating Plan commenced in December, 1999; and WHEREAS, in May,2000,the"Existing Conditions Report"was submitted to the Council identifying transit needs, opportunities and constraints, and service goals; and WHEREAS,on June 19,2001,the Council approved and adopted the Transfort Service Plan which described four service scenarios at three different levels of investment, which service scenarios are viewed by the Council as building blocks culminating in the fourth scenario, which scenarios,taken together, are designed to meet the City Council's goals for increased productivity and increased relevance of the system to the entire City and to Colorado State University; and WHEREAS,Council has directed the City Manager to include paratransit year-round evening service, fixed route transit service for the western portion of Route 9, and the reduction of service hours on Route 14 from 18 hours/day to 6 hours/day in the City's Proposed 2002-2003 Budget;and WHEREAS,the aforesaid changes will provide the City the opportunity to apply for federal funds; and WHEREAS,the City Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the City that the Transfort Service Plan be so amended. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the Transfort Service Plan,which is an element of the Transfort Strategic Operating Plan, a copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk, be and hereby is amended as shown on Exhibit "A" attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 20th day of November, A.D. 2001. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Exhibit A City of Fort Collins Executive Summary TRANSFORT SERVICE PLAN Amended November 2001 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction iiagamoo" Bxxft+ )s' "` ` ' Service Plan for Transfort. This is the semrrdperating Plan rocess, o owing the Draft Existing Conditions Re ort t�a- waz2000y� r_., . The�putpose o�tie Strategic'Operating Plan is to • Identify transit needs, opportunities and constraints, and service goals; • Prepare a service plan for the system; and • Develop an operating, implementation and funding plan to support the strategic plan. A key outcome of the existing conditions onion of the process was to determine the City's preferred split of resources between maxirmzing ridership(productivity)andprovidingtransit access regardless of the numbers of riders using the bus system. City staff,based on Council recomrnendation,gave direction to enhance productivity on the Transfort system. This is the emphasis for this theservice plan. This document lays out four service alternatives at three different levels of investment. Ultimately,the recommended Scenario 4 is designed to meet the City Council's goals for: • increased productivity ridership per dollar spent), and • increased relevance of t e system to the entire city and the University. Keys to a Productive System A high-productivity transit system has the following time-tested features: • Minimal duplication between routes,generally with parallel routes no less than one half- mile apart. • Convenient access to major centers of demand from all parts of the city. • Simple, straight routes that are easy to understand. • Direct,no-transfer service from all parts of the city to major centers of demand,to the extent feasible without creating duplication. • Convenient,fast transfers between routes to serve origin-destination pairs that cannot be served with a single bus. • Two-way service on all route segments,so that transit is competitive for a trip in both directions. • A service desi n focused on the high-density portions of the city(seven dwelling units per acre or greater,since these are the areas that generate trip demand in sufficient volume to support transit service. In practice,this requires focusing on apartments,and to a lesser extent on mobile home parks,duplexes,and old neighborhoods where extensive reuse has increased the population density above what the dwelling-unit density would indicate. • Frequent services in the(relatively few)corridors where high-ridership service is possible, with minimal service for coverage to parts of the city where current development will not generate high transit demand. NELsoN\NYGAARD CONsuL77NG ASSOCIATES I NQV MBERJ6Wf 2001 AANSFORT CITYOFFORT COLLINS SERVICE PLAN • Simplicity in service design,so that it is easy to learn the system not just for the trip you make routinely, but also for trips anywhere in the service area. Transit Challenges Fort Collins has some obstacles to providing productive service as the system currently operates.These include: • The street and development patterns in Fort Collins have resulted in low-density growth and areas in which pedestrian access is limited. • The layout,orientation,and location of the existing CSU Transit Center,coupled with required transfers for through-travel, reduces the overall efficiency of the system. • Continuing growth on the south side of the urban growth area(UGA)has created new travel patterns that are not served by the current system. • The current route structure provides separate transit centers in the downtown and at the University with largely separate systems of routes emanating from both. • The heavy reliance on timed transfers at all three transit centers requires unforgiving on- time performance. • Increasing traffic congestion has reduced roadway speeds in some areas at varying times of day, affecting transit schedules. NELSON%NYGAARD CONSULTING ASSOCIATES 2 NovEMBERJ&HE 2001 TRANSFORT 07YOFFORT COLLM SERVICE PLAN Four Service Alternatives 1. 4" scenanosre '�pedin consultation with City staff and • All four of the alternatives assume the relocation of the Colorado State University Transit Center to the Lory Student Center location on the north side of the University campus, south of Meldrum and Laurel. • Scenario 1 assumes no budget growth is required for its implementation. Scenario 2 assumes the implementation of transit service in the Mason Street corridor and assumes budget growth at one and one quarter times the current budget. Scenario 3 assumes the implementation of the Mason Street corridor coupled with other service enhancements and budget growth equal to slightly more than one and one half times the current budget. Scenario 4 assumes the implementation of a full transit grid and the Mason Street corridor and budget growth at roughly twice the current budget. ScetiaralisheingarnendedtiDiiidttdelaeakh9ucbusserviceo' mirtesmandl4andto provide evening serviceonbl"J�WifieCity'sp�servce,throughouttheyear. • In F Y 2002 dollars, Scenario Vs fixed route(Transfort)element would be similar to existing service,with estimated annual operational costs at approximately$3,870,000. The Dial-A-Ride element adds $1'60,0€l0 annually. • Scenario 2 which adds the Mason Street Corridor bus service is estimated at$4,760,000. Scenario 3 begins the process of transitioning to a grid system with an estimated annual operating cost of$5,790,000. Scenario 4 is estimated at$8,670,000,showing a little more than double the resources to implement the alternative.' • The four scenarios should be viewed as the building blocks required to achieve a productive transit system for Fort Collins. Scenario 1: No Budget Growth, Minimal Redesign This first no-budget growth alternative is a short-term service improvement plan. Its focus is to provide modest modifications to the existing system. This scenario is illustrated in this report:in Figure 2. Some of these changge�s can be implemented with limited disruption. However,full implementation of this alternative etlects 37% of system service. Implementation of this alternative will improve the quality of Transfort operations as well as increase the productivity of the Transfort system. Model analysis estimates a 16% increase in system productivity. However,transit systems should expect a twelve to eighteen month adjustment period where some patrons are lost and new patrons begin using Transfort service. Transfort may experience an initial loss in ridership during this period,but expect to recover and increase ridership levels by the end of the period. Key changes to the existing service include • Estimates in FY 2002 dollars. NELSON\NYGAARDCONsuLnNGAssomTES 3 NOVEWERJF}Nf2001 TRANSFORT CITYOFFORT COLLM SERVICE PLAN • Providing two routes to service the area along portions of existing Route 4 that connects CSU with both downtown and the residential communities currently served by the route; • Providing service that enhances the travel connection between CSU and downtown; • Straightening and simplifying Route 5,setting the framework for a grid-like operation on Lemay; • Simplifying Route 7,eliminating unproductive detours,and focusing the route on both high density residential and high dens[ employment areas, and • EliminatinglowproducingroutesRoute9;10-,and the Southside Shuttle)and utilizing those resources in more productive corridors (College Avenue and the north Mason corridor). • Reducing service on Routes 9W and 14 to peak hour service. Enhancing evening demand service for Dial-A-Ride,the City's paratransit operation,by providing,the service all year instead of only when CSU is imsession. Scenario 2: Minimal Redesign Plus Mason Street Corridor Service This alternative adds the Mason Street Corridor service to the improvements made in Scenario 1 above. plan. Implementation of this alternative will improve the quality of Transfort operations as well as increase the productivity of the Transfort system. Model analysis estimates a 38%increase in system productivity compared to the existing transit system. Its focus is to provide the"backbone"of a future highly productive transit system serving the Fort Collins community. This scenario is illustrated in this report in Figure 3.These changes can also be implemented with limited disruption,although they do represent significant improvements to the overall operation of the system.Implementation of this alternative willimprove the quality of Transfort operations and the number of people riding the system. Key changes to the existing service inch • Providing high frequency two-way service along the Mason Street Corridor; • Connecting downtown,the Colorado State University campus,and the south College commercial areas with high quality transit access; • Establishing the first of three Enhanced Travel Corridors called for in City Plan; • Solving operational problems such as on-time performance of Transfort buses by removing them from the congestion in the College corridor. Scenario 3: Transition to Grid Service This is an extensive redesign scenario,based on the principle of optimizing service within the existing service area and eliminating inefficiencies in previous service design.Implementation of this alternative continues to improve the quality of Transfort operations as well as increase the production of the Transfort system. Model analysis estimates nearly a doubling of ridership compared to existing Transfort service. Figure 4 in this report shows this proposed scenario. This scenario begins to put in place several improvements forthe longer-term preferred 2010 Scenario: • Providing University access through the campus with frequent services around the periphery of CSU, within easy walking distance of major activity centers on campus; • Introducing crosstown services via Route 2; • Improving service on the West Elizabeth corridor; • Maintaining the level of service frequency in the Mason Corridor; • Restoring service levels along West Prospect to the University; • Maintaining the improved simplified routing identified in Scenario 1 for Route 5. • Maintaining the current level of night service; and N£LsoN\NYGAARDCONsuLTINGAssoc 7ES 4 NoVEHBFRJfwE2001 TRANSFORT CITYOFFORTCOLLINS AMENVWIVfILRIff?FFSERVICEPLAN • Providing 30-minute service frequencies on Laporte and Elizabeth, eliminating less productive service on W. Vine. Scenario 4: Proposed Route System - 2010 Transit System While Scenario 1 provides simple modifications to the existing service,Scenario 2 adds the Mason Corridor. Scenario 3 begins the transition to a productive grid design by providing a more extensive redesign of the system based on longer-term service improvements. The improvements position Transfort for continuing growth in Fort Collins that are consistent with long-range goals. Thus, Scenario 3 is a foundation for the preferred system,Scenario 4,requiring significant:budget growth. Implementation of this alternative continues to improve the quality of Transfort operations as well as increase the production of the Transfort system. Model analysis estimates more than two and a quarter the ridership when compared to existing Transfort service. Figure 5 in this report shows the proposed Scenario 4. The emphasis of this preferred alternative is on frequency: • Assumes the functionality ofthe Mason Street Corridor,including the relocation of the Southside Transit Center to Mason Street, at a yet undetermined location between Horsetooth and Swallow; • Route 1 would be the backbone service on the Mason Street corridor-,with an all-day frequency of every 7.5 minutes. During peak hours during the CSU school year,service along the entire corridor from downtown to Harmony would be every 3-4 minutes; • Every 30 minutes,buses traveling the Mason Corridor would continue to Loveland. Other Route 1 connections would be made to the east along Harmony Road and to Front Range Community College; • Efficiencies on Routes 5 and the crosstown grid of Route 2,identified under Scenario 3, would be maintained with greater frequency; • New routes would provide greater coverage and frequency,with 30-minute service along Timberline, Lemay, Shields and Taft Hill; • Service along the heavily traveled West Elizabeth corridor would be increased to headways of 7.5 minutes; • New access points would be developed along Mason Street; • New developments and offices along Centre and Research are served by frequent north- south service; • General public dial-a-ride service would be available around the outer edges of the UGA, allowing fixed route resources to be dedicated to higher ridership areas. Next Steps Implementation ofthe Amended Final Service Plan will take place in January 2002' NELSON\NYGAARDCONsuL77NGAssocL47ES 5 JUNE2001 Figure is -— -- — Fort Collins Transfort W Existing Fixed Route System W l (by Frequency) s a m l 2 W YNa n EWn g wranrn E Y Li pz WEN abW 7EE Elzz M CWM Cone•ulbn W COY PaN W E 8 W 80g0 CwY SwYxC�r T�lewbW • 1 W Dula SWMbY _ gel oq YY 1 fWICWYn r $5 1 1 ♦ 1 ♦ . • F aaw 3 TO4y Lewd AJI Dal Routes Tined Canby (bY Midday fi9*wNir) 30 MWOs MyWReede Oau' '.. 00 Mmlo NyYeM 10 MWaee mrz�eun�e ��. P.90 /sayq lade �0�5 Figure 2: Fort Collins Transfort r Scenario 1: Minimal Redesign s I i I 1 FVIb I w t it 2A14 E F � w j{ w F � Wb m I I !; OKI I � I w 7 I I r t Al Dr/R I T TrKaR rFr IM MdAN��I) 'a1NIIlII MOWRrl6 M5t OO IFdn10 MAIM 'I MhAn bW �b tiAQy 0 0.5 Iwb emmmmommoommia �OEMMl Cwrdl Figure 3: Fort Collins Transfort N Scenario 2: Minimal Redesign .�■ with Mason E I � j uw. w. N.1 eM. Ew. di i145, c■{E,. E � — ...E N E• '.NeNEN w E I w' me Y � EMw, I .."a..• T I 3 �'I waw6.EE I I � IF W •�CiN ICI 1 � K6,6,T.FT,FRCC I �I w,Mee N ON Raft ® TMvd C•Yr Owww yte*rE) wwwwwl 1EE•W M#F MR ANEEu IEEUwryF ww� 30w .u.r, EEwEEE• P,'0* E Ea + tlyd� Figure 4. Fort Collins Transfort " Scenario 3: Transition to Grid E ntensive Redesign with Mason I i � 40 I I I I I I i I wr I i XS MEN 1 B. i 0 P j wmwbm Cki Ida 0 warri . I I tr '� ww.r ram I\ Fa �I - rF.w� i I i 11 i yi 1 K2x 6.1230,FRW !I 0�0rOp I M a/ROUM Tmak Comer (W mddr/00pt nda) 10 MnYF — 1yrRe06 10 mm" g MWAN lre/F so W Ad P�tQ*P&0 • iy wr iw.a F®r Crt d!'wICaLW Figure 5: Fort Collins Transfort Proposed Route System „ Scenario 4: 2010 Transit System „�• i 40 Lepad NNY rNr _ E • F4. i CryM N e>mbr LW FRCr � rC�Yb .Wee OAY h/m fanor� i EMnAOA• it j 'i YYY91 T NONPaY m hrtlrr p Yrl9M1wlr„lr) •��w�ror � 1.E1EAw �urr�rrA�rw• y,A� ur9wr rrr� iEWYr � �� 701WIa R Ord, O 11CYfaaM�I„E QNnNRMc giM1EM SnoN� ®� CibdfptCtllW