Southwest LRT Project Craig Lamothe, AICP Senior Project Manager 2011 MN State Planning Conference September 29, 2011

Twin Cities Transit System Profile Today’s Topics Twin Cities Transit System Profile Previous Regional New Starts Projects Hiawatha LRT Northstar Commuter Rail Central Corridor LRT Federal New Starts Program Primer Southwest LRT Project Alternative Analysis Phase Recap Preliminary Engineering Phase Preview

Twin Cities Ridership

Metro Transit Ridership (2010)

Peer Comparison: 2009 System Ridership

Peer Comparison: Ridership per Capita

Buses Artic Buses: 163 Standard 40’ Buses: 735 Hybrid Buses: 97 Metro Transit Fleet Buses Artic Buses: 163 Standard 40’ Buses: 735 Hybrid Buses: 97 Light Rail 27 cars Commuter Rail 18 Passenger Cars 6 Locomotives

2030 Transitway System

Project Cost: $715.3 million Hiawatha LRT (Blue Line) 12 miles 19 Stations Project Cost: $715.3 million 2011 Annual Operating Budget: $26.7 million Avg. Weekday Ridership (Aug ‘11): 35,069 2010 Total Annual Ridership: 10,500,000

Project Cost: $320 million 2011 Annual Operating Budget: $17.0 million Northstar Commuter Rail 40 miles 6 stations Project Cost: $320 million 2011 Annual Operating Budget: $17.0 million Avg. Weekday Ridership (Aug. ‘11) 2,696 2010 Total Annual Ridership: 710,400

2015 Est. Operating budget: $25.4 million 18 new stations Central Corridor LRT (Green Line) 11 miles 2015 Est. Operating budget: $25.4 million 18 new stations Projected weekday ridership: Over 40,000 by 2030 $957 million

New Starts Overview Systems Planning Alternatives Analysis Select LPA, Full Funding Grant Agreement Alternatives Analysis Final Design Commitment of Non-Federal Funding, Construction Plans, ROW Acquisition, Before-After Data Collection Plan, FTA Evaluation for FFGA, Begin Negotiations Proj Mgmt Over-sight Construction Preliminary Engineering Complete NEPA Process Refinement of Financial Plan Select LPA, MPO Action PMP FTA Decision on entry into PE FTA Decision on entry into FD Systems Planning

Evaluate the mode and alignment options for a particular corridor Alternatives Analysis (AA) Phase Evaluate the mode and alignment options for a particular corridor Benefits, costs and impacts of transportation options Complete with the selection of the locally preferred alternative (LPA) and adoption of the LPA into the region’s long range transportation plan

Consider design options to refine LPA and complete the NEPA process Preliminary Engineering (PE) Phase Consider design options to refine LPA and complete the NEPA process Hone the estimates of project cost, benefits, impacts and schedule Finalize management plans Demonstrate technical capabilities to develop the project Commit local funding sources

Final Design (FD) Phase Prepare final construction plans, contract packages, detailed specifications and bid documents

New Starts Evaluation Process

Peer “New Starts” Projects July 2011 Status P N Pending FFGA New FFGA E Existing FFGA E Seattle, WA St. Paul- Minneapolis N Portland, OR E Hartford, CT P Sacramento, CA New York, NY E E Salt Lake City, UT P E N. Virginia-Dulles, VA E P San Francisco N E E Denver, CO N San Jose, CA Dallas, TX E E P Houston, TX Orlando, FL Honolulu, HI P P

Peer “New Starts” PE Projects September 2011 Status Minneapolis,- St. Paul, MN Vancouver, WA Pawtucket, RI Portland, OR Sacramento, CA San Jose, CA Salt Lake City, UT Los Angeles, CA Charlotte, NC Los Angeles, CA Houston, TX Honolulu, HI

SWLRT: Historical Timeline Alternatives Analysis LPA Selected LPA Amended into TPP MC requests to Enter PE FTA approves Entry into PE 2005 - 2009 Nov. 4, 2009 May 26, 2010 Aug. 31, 2010 Sept. 2, 2011

SWLRT: AA Phase Transit Technology Review Identification of Alignments and Stations Initial Set of Alternatives No Build Enhanced Bus Build Alternatives (BRT & LRT)

Est. Project Cost: $1.25 billion SWLRT: Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) 15 miles 17 new stations Est. Project Cost: $1.25 billion

$30.6M in Local Funds Committed to Date SWLRT: Project Budget $375 million $625 million $125 million $125 million $30.6M in Local Funds Committed to Date

Preliminary Engineering Final Design Construction Revenue Operations SWLRT: Anticipated Schedule Preliminary Engineering Final Design Construction Revenue Operations 2011 - 2013 2013 - 2014 2014 - 2017 2018

Procurement of Engineering Services Complete 30% Design SWLRT: PE Phase Procurement of Engineering Services Complete 30% Design Procurement of Environmental Services Complete Final Environmental Impact Statement Establishment of a Project Office Secure Municipal Consent from 5 Cities

For Further Information and Updates http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/SW/SouthwestLRT.htm Mark Fuhrmann, Program Director – New Starts Rail Projects 651-602-1942 mark.fuhrmann@metc.state.mn.us Chris Weyer, Project Director - Southwest LRT 651-602-1932 chris.weyer@metc.state.mn.us