11 Tunde Balvanyos, Ph.D. Bus Rapid Transit Coordinator, Pace APTA BRT May 2009

2 Pace Service area: Chicago’s 6 county suburb 3500 square miles Low density Suburban and exurban, satellite cities Over 270 municipalities Regional transit services: Metra commuter rail, CTA

3 Pace’s service Challenges: –Large, low density, multi-jurisdictional area –Frequent at grade rail road crossings –New travel markets –Budget

4 Strategic Plan Strengthen core service Core routes: –High ridership –High recovery ratio –Regional connectivity –New travel markets Premium quality, direct, fast, frequent service

5 Strategic Plan BRT in mixed traffic on arterial streets – Arterial BRT - ART ART increases service level at minimum expense to the maximum number of people under the shortest implementation time frame

6 ART Feasibility Study Strategic plan identified 24 strategic arterial corridors  ART Network Feasibility Study –Where to start implementing the ART Network –What can be implemented in the short-term (10years) First ART route must be a success, showcase: –Short implementation –Successful operation –Generate political and community support for mode –Generate new riders

7 ART Feasibility Study Network Development 24 strategic arterial corridors Industry experience  criteria: –Existing ridership –Potential ridership –Connect with existing transit system Method: –socio-economic and transit data evaluation –Existing regional travel demand studies

8 ART Feasibility Study Network Development Result: Map shows 13 corridors of Group 1 NoLowNo3 MediumLimited2 YesHighYes1 Connect Potential ridership Existing ridership Group

9 ART Feasibility Study Network Development 13 corridors evaluated in more detail Criteria: –Existing ridership: (FTA)‏ –Potential ridership –Connecting Pace’s sub-regions Method: –Route segmentation –Detailed socio-economic evaluation –Combined socio-economic and transit service evaluation –Segments ranking –Linked viable segments into routes –Determined termini –Connected the 6 routes into network of ART routes

10 ART Feasibility Study Network Development Short-Term Network: Dempster Street Milwaukee Avenue Oakbrook Corridor Harlem Street 95th Street Halsted Avenue

11 ART Feasibility Study Most Feasible Route 6 routes of Short-Term ART Network  most feasible Criteria: –Transit Ridership Current Potential –Regional Connectivity –Support Institutional Community Operating Divisions –Travel Time Savings At Stops At Signals (queue jump lane, TSP)‏ Along the route (number of Rail road grade crossings, availability of turning lanes)

12 ART Feasibility Study Most Feasible Route Method: –No modeling –Existing Pace studies: TSP and Queue Jump –Field review, AVL data –Outreach meeting to communities Result: –Most feasible route: Milwaukee –2 phases of the Short-Term ART Network: Milwaukee, Dempster, Oakbrook Harlem, 95 th street, Halsted Avenue

13 Result 2 phases of the Short-Term ART Network: Milwaukee, Dempster, Oakbrook Harlem, 95 th street, Halsted Avenue

14 Length Current Riders # of comm. and their supportAlignment Need for feeder service Peak riders ROW: # of lanes, delays Dempster /5 +identifiedno 59% good Milwaukee identifiedno 56% good Oakbrook Forestpark /5 -notyes 70%+ better Cermak ~ /5 Ø identified ART Feasibility Study Most Feasible Route

15 ART Feasibility Study Results Recommendations: –Start planning study on Milwaukee, Dempster routes and Oakbrook corridor at the same time –After Alternatives Analyses are completed decide which of the three routes be the showcase first ART –10-year Short-term ART Network 6 routes, 72 miles –Medium and Long-Term Network: ART rubber-tire light rail and rubber-tire commuter rail

16 Summary ART Network will become the core service of Pace Frame for agency’s services Fully suburban network of ART