COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT CORRIDORS FUNCTIONAL MASTER PLAN

Coalition for Smarter Growth Presentation on Staff Recommendations for Bus Rapid TransitSilver Spring Civic BuildingFebruary 13, 2013

Current Schedule  

•February 21, 2013: Update to Planning Board

•March 18, 2013: Planning Board to approve advertising Public Hearing Draft

•May 2013: public hearing(s)

•May-June 2013: worksessions

•Late July 2013: transmit Planning Board Draft to Council

Montgomery County Demographic and Travel Forecast Summary based on

the 2012 CLRP 

2013 2040Differen

cePercent

DifferencePopulation

997,884 1,203,643 205,759 21%Employment

529,267 737,364 208,097 39%

VMT21,952,93

226,795,17

64,842,24

4 22%

Lane Miles* 2,592 2,721 129 5%

Lane Miles of Congestion 376 639 263 70%

Note: Modeled lane miles include freeways, arterials, and many collectors, but few local roads

Existing Daily Bus Ridership

Based on datarec’d fromITDP

Transportation Modeling

Median busways were treated in the model the same as Light Rail Transit to determine maximum desirable network.

Curb bus lanes would be accomplished via lane-repurposing, converting either existing or planned travel lanes.

Four scenarios were considered:

•no-build

•build as all median busway BRT (Build 1)

•build as mostly median busway BRT with some lane-repurposing (Build 2)

•smaller network with a mix of treatments (Build 2A)

2040 Forecast Weekday Ridership for Regional Transit Services by Scenario

Type No Build Build 1A Build 2 Build 2AMont Co BRT (incl. CCT) 39k 283k 276k 184k

All Other Bus Services 861k 789k 789k 809k

WMATA Metrorail1.576m 1.553m 1.554m 1.562m

MARC Commuter Rail(not incl. 3rd track)

42k 41k 41k 41k

Purple Line77k 70k 70k 72k

Total2.595m 2.735m 2.730m 2.668m

Growth 140k 134k 73k% Growth   5.4% 5.2% 2.8%

2040 Forecast Daily BRT Ridership

# Corridor Build 1 Build 2 Build 2A10B MD 355 South 49k 46k 44k10A MD 355 North 34k 32k 22k

3 Veirs Mill Rd-University Blvd 27k 27k 18k4 Georgia Avenue 24k 24k 12k

11 New Hampshire Avenue 22k 21k 10k19 US 29 18k 16k 16k14 Randolph Road 16k 16k 11k5 Rockville-LSC 14k 14k 7k

12B Old Georgetown Road South 11k 11k12A Old Georgetown Road North 8k 8k

7 Muddy Branch Road 8k 8k8 Connecticut Avenue 6k 7k

20 ICC 6k 6k15 Norbeck Road 6k 5k21 North Bethesda Transitway 4k 4k 10k24 University Blvd-Grosvenor 2k 2k

Total 254k 247k 150k Note: Corridors without ridership results were not included in the Build 2A scenario

Determining BRT Treatment

Standard thresholds per the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM) Median Busway: 2,400 people in the peak hour

in the peak direction (pphpd) Curb Bus Lanes: 1,200 pphpd

MNCPPC-modified thresholds for Montgomery County Median Busway: 1,600 pphpd Curb Bus Lanes: 1,000 pphpd

Modified Treatment Thresholds

Median buswaywarranted onMD355 and MD650.

Modified Treatment Thresholds

Median buswaywarranted onMD355.

Modified Treatment Thresholds

Median buswaywarranted onMD355.

Changes in Vehicle Hours Traveled

Changes in Vehicle Hours Traveled

Changes in Vehicle Hours Traveled

Changes in Vehicle Miles Traveled

Changes in Vehicle Miles Traveled

Changes in Vehicle Miles Traveled

Recommended BRT Network (Phase 1)

TreatmentBuild

1Build

2Build

2AStaff Staff DraftDraft

Two Lane Median 152 140 29 1919

Two Lane Side Busway 11

One Lane Median 2020

Curb Lanes   12 41 44Managed Lanes 11Mixed Traffic     17 3434Total 152 152 87 7979

Recommended BRT Network (Phase 2)

TreatmentBuild

1Build

2Build 2A

RecommenRecommendedded

Two Lane Median 152 140 29 3131

Two Lane Side Busway 11

One Lane Median 3131

Curb Lanes   12 41 55Managed Lanes 11Mixed Traffic     17 1010Total 152 152 87 7979

COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT CORRIDORS FUNCTIONAL MASTER PLAN

Coalition for Smarter Growth Presentation on Staff Recommendations for Bus Rapid TransitSilver Spring Civic BuildingFebruary 13, 2013

Bicycle Pedestrian Priority Areas

Takoma-Langley Crossroads*

Takoma Park

Kensington

Veirs Mill/Randolph

NIH-Navy

Forest Glen Metro

Piney Branch/University

Four Corners

Aspen Hill

Silver Spring CBD West

*recommended in PB Sector Plan Draft

Colesville

Montgomery Mall

MARC Brunswick Line Expansion

Our preliminary recommendation is that the segment between the Frederick County line and Metropolitan Grove be included in the Functional Plan.

Build 1 Traffic Impacts (AM)

Build 1 Traffic Impacts (PM)

Three scenarios were considered:•no-build•build as all median busway BRT•build as mostly median busway BRT with some lane-repurposing

Final model run will include the actual recommended treatment.

Overview of Modeling Effort

Districts created across Montgomery County and the region to summarize transportation impacts

No-Build High levels of congestion Lack of capacity to accommodate growth

Build additional lanes for transit Capacity to accommodate growth Good improvement in traffic conditions High cost

Repurpose existing travel lanes for transit Capacity to accommodate growth Some improvement in traffic conditions Lowest cost in dollars, environmental and community

impacts

Choices for our Transportation Future

VMT Change % Speed ChangeDistrict NB – B1 NB – B2 NB – B1 NB – B2

1 -5,383 -6,190 3.04% 2.64%

2 -4,665 -4,190 5.68% 4.99%

3 -10,951 -9,585 7.43% 6.91%

4 -7,001 -5,750 5.58% 4.50%

5 -6,626 -5,968 7.70% 6.62%

6 -5,402 -3,655 3.97% 3.76%

7 -10,718 -8,918 9.36% 8.65%

8 -5,814 -5,482 9.11% 7.79%

9 -8,806 -10,462 8.37% 10.56%

10 -8,344 -7,904 6.84% 5.82%

11 -8,341 -9,629 7.60% 9.58%

12 -6,524 -6,434 8.12% 8.35%

13 -6,867 -6,431 7.08% 7.13%

14 -12,544 -45,233 5.05% -0.46%

15 -5,812 -17,103 6.06% 1.73%

16 -4,995 -6,226 2.08% 2.73%

17 -9,804 -24,002 4.37% -1.49%

18 -6,261 -5,763 8.70% 7.33%

19 -59,063 -41,579 3.16% 1.85%

Total -193,921 -230,504 5.20% 3.77%

Accommodates growth

Construction cost

Alternative to congested roads

Community impacts

No-Build No None No None

Construct new pavement

Yes Higher Yes Higher

Repurpose existing lanes

Yes Lower Yes Lower

Choices for our Transportation Future

VMT Change % Speed ChangeDistrict NB – B1 NB – B2 NB – B1 NB – B2

Total -193,921 -230,504 5.20% 3.77%