PRT DEVELOPMENT IN PRT DEVELOPMENT IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIAFRESNO, CALIFORNIA

Presented 1-12-08

ATRA Workshop – Washington DC

By Dennis Manning

Development HistoryDevelopment History

• Spring 2005 Advanced Transportation is first introduced as candidate for tax funds.

• Summer 2005 Tax Expenditure Committee wrestles competing demands. Main divide is roads vs. mass transit

• A seeming impasse results

Development History (cont.)Development History (cont.)

• Advanced technology is presented to fill gap between roads and transit, and as insurance for when new transit technologies become available.

• A Downtown Group gives report to the City with a PRT vision.

• PRT is included in the expenditure plan for $36,000,000

• Committee approves Plan 23 to 1• 11/4/06 Voters pass by 77%

Fresno Urban Area

Fresno Urban Area StatisticsFresno Urban Area Statistics

• Population – 600,000• Area – 140 sq mi• Density – 4,300 per sq mi

Possible Sites for PRTPossible Sites for PRT

• Downtown Area• California State University of Fresno• Riverpark – Mall/Commercial Area• Hospital Complex• New mixed use development projects

Fresno Fresno Downtown Downtown AreaArea

Parking in DowntownParking in Downtown

Downtown StatisticsDowntown Statistics

• Area - 2.3 sq miles• Employment - 25,000• Residents - < 1000

CSUF CAMPUS – Aerial CSUF CAMPUS – Aerial

Riverpark – Mall and CommercialRiverpark – Mall and Commercial

Downtown PlusesDowntown Pluses

• Area is most in need of rehab• Best chance to enhance property

values and business activity• Best show case of PRT technology

Downtown MinusesDowntown Minuses

• Difficult place for construction• Clash with historical places• Likely high NIMBY factor• Very large number of agencies and

stakeholders

CSUF Campus PlusesCSUF Campus Pluses

• Low number of stakeholders and decision makers

• Campus is an innovative setting• Will help, not clash with bus system and

proposed BRT

CSUF MinusesCSUF Minuses

• It’s a niche. PRT might not expand• Doesn’t test commercial impacts• High visual intrusion problem• Ridership might be modest • Must address stadium problem

Riverpark PlusesRiverpark Pluses

• Likely high ridership• No historical building problem• Single owner of majority of properties• Low NIMBY problem• Easy to expand

Riverpark MinusesRiverpark Minuses

• Possible clash with downtown interests• Moderately high number of agencies

and stakeholders involved including Caltrans

Current Status of PRT Current Status of PRT DevelopmentDevelopment

• $3m Countywide Public Transportation Infrastructure Study (PTIS) Underway in February. PRT is Included.

• Parallel PRT studies of various potential locations underway in June

• At CSUF Campus, Downtown, and Riverpark

THE FUTURETHE FUTURE

?

Predictions are difficult especially when you are talking about the future - Yogi Berra