First Name | Carolyn |
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Last Name | Chase |
Email Address | cdchase@movesandiego.org |
Affiliation | Move San Diego, Inc. |
Subject | Critical importance of transit performance standards |
Comment | The Proposed Scoping Plan acknowledges (in the section Recommended Actions pages 47-50) that: "Enhanced public transit service combined with incentives for land use development that provides a better market for public transit will play an important role in helping to reach regional targets." and "Quality of life will be improved by increasing access to a variety of mobility options such as transit...." Yet there is no strategic analysis of the performance requirements for "enhanced public transit service." There seems to be an unexamined belief that simply providing more funding for transit will lead to reductions in vehicle-miles-traveled. However an examination of the facts - in San Diego County - shows the opposite. Even after of billions of dollars invested in Light Rail transit capital infrastructure, VMT has steadily increased. In fact, the existing RTP for the region, shows that even after all transit investments in the plan VMT will be increasing by 38.8% (UCSD Environment and Sustainability Initiative (ESI) Dec. 2008). The region is approving significant density increases that are called "Transit Oriented Density" but that lead to significant traffic increases and a resulting backlash against density because the transit services are insufficient. What can we conclude from this? The transit projects need to change. Why? Market research shows that unless transit trip times are competitive with driving times, drivers (especially in California) will not change to taking transit. The numbers of driver who will change without competitive trip times is not significant enough to either impact traffic or GHG emissions. What works? Applying global best planning practices here. It may indeed shock some, but we do not currently apply global best transit planning practices here in California - or the United States. There are many barriers to this and they need to be understood or else advancing billions into existing plans will actually setback our goals of mitigating climate change. Please see the recent FTA Study: Advanced Network Planning for Bus Rapid Transit http://www.nbrti.org/docs/pdf/BRT%20Network%20Planning%20Study%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf The study's central finding is that the Quickway model which is little understood or practiced within the United States, can offer significant benefit to urban regions intent on creating more effective transit networks. More than being "the poor man's light rail," Quickways--fully grade-separated bus guideways--can cost-effectively support a range of local, express, and branching services that together create significant public value, lead to major increases in ridership, and even lead to "phase shifts" in the role that transit plays in a region. Quickways, rather than being a "stepping stone" to light rail, are rather a fundamental building block in creating transit networks better matched to modern city form. In every international case cited, the Quickway model was chosen--or backed into--as a response to the absolute need to meet ambitious ridership or mode split targets which were developed exogenous to the transit planning process. For U.S. cities that choose to set similar targets, Quickway infrastructure and service planning can become powerful tools to helping achieve these goals. Such targets need to be set by the State in order for projects to qualify for funding or to be consistent with any SB375 Sustainable Communities Strategy planning. |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2008-12-08 09:04:43 |
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