2035 Transit System Plan Approach

DART Planning Committee Kay Shelton

January 22, 2013

Discussion Items

• 2030 Transit System Plan Background

• Key Issues/Opportunities for Next Plan Update

• Recommended Approach

• Next Steps

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2030 Transit System Plan - Then

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• Adopted in October 2006 • Was capital project intensive • Focus on completing rail projects

identified in earlier plans • Added 43 miles of additional rail • Included Rail Vision Element (good ideas, not

affordable by 2030) • Assumed continued DART share of HOV capital

program • Introduced Enhanced and Rapid Bus Corridors,

including budget for key corridor capital and service improvements

2030 Transit System Plan - Now

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• FY2011 Financial Plan removed all 2030 plan recommendations

• CBD 2nd Alignment also removed from Financial Plan

• Planning funds for CBD project remain

• SOC-3 was accelerated in FY2012 due to cost savings

• Bus service has generally been flat since 2007 – major reductions in 2003-4 and 2010

• Last major Transit System Plan capital project (SOC-3) will be under construction this year and open 2016.

2030 TSP Bus Recommendations

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All complete or under design/ construction except D2 2nd CBD Alignment

2030 TSP – Previously Approved Projects

All removed from Financial Plan

2030 TSP – Rail Corridor Recommendations

Corridors that: • Are technically sound,

but not affordable through 2030

• Need additional land use planning to maximize rail potential

Corridors will be: • Monitored and re-

evaluated in future Transit System Plan updates

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2030 TSP– Rail Vision Element

What this means for 2035 Update

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• Financial reality will reduce capital project focus

• Focus on:

• Optimizing the existing system

• Smaller projects/service level improvements to enhance access, performance and ridership

• Enhance system core capacity to keep up with growth

• Sustain the system in state of good repair

• Transit oriented development

• Regional strategy and policy issues

2035 Opportunities

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• Build Ridership, Sustain System, Operational Flexibility

• Bus Focus – Bus Rapid Transit, corridor improvements to improve travel time/connections

• Linkages/circulation –Streetcar, Pedestrian/Bicycle, APT

• Core Capacity – Platform extensions to allow 3-car trains and be in place for planned fleet replacement

• Focus on D2 Second CBD Alignment – Key to accommodating regional growth and improving headways to build ridership

• Land Use – Partnerships for TOD

2035 Opportunities

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• Regional Leadership, Strategic Expansion

• Understand system impacts of regional connections

• Build relationships, identify key opportunities and educate potential non-DART communities on benefits and costs of transit options

• Update policies, tools to reflect DART regional strategy

NCTCOG Regional Rail Plan

2035 Population/Employment Density

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2035 Plan Approach

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• Establish Guiding Principles based on changed focus

• Document existing and future conditions

• Conduct comprehensive evaluation of existing transit system, standards, policies • Where are needs and opportunities in relation to existing and future

conditions?

• Establish financial capacity

• Identify and evaluate opportunities for programs, services, projects within financial plan

• Define regional strategy to guide future efforts

2035 Plan Next Steps

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• Department Interviews to refine scope, support development of Guiding Principles

• Focus on Regional Strategy early

• Understand financial assumptions/capacity through 2035

• Initiate early tasks to define key opportunities

• Regular DART Board briefings to gain feedback and update on progress

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16

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HOV Element

• Consistent with Regional Plan

• 116-mile network

• $250 million for DART share (10%)

DART HOV Capital Project Share Removed from Financial Plan in FY2011

Bus Element

• 77-mile Enhanced Bus network

• 20 miles of Rapid Bus service

• Strengthened Express Bus service

• $160 million capital cost

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All 2030 Bus Corridor Recommendations Removed from Financial Plan in FY2011

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Rail Element

Cotton Belt

West Dallas Scyene

West Oak Cliff

Extension Southport

All 2030 Rail Corridor Recommendations Removed from Financial Plan in FY2011