Click to edit Master title style 1 Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates Public Meeting

Click to edit Master title style 2 Why Undertake the Effort?  Nashville is growing rapidly – from a small city to a large city  As the city and county have grown, so have transit demands  Transit improvements have greatly lagged overall growth 2

Click to edit Master title style 3 Why Undertake nMotion? 3  Nashville Vital Signs Report: –“The ability of our residents to move around the region in their cars is quickly deteriorating and will continue to do so unless we provide better transit options.”  NashvilleNext: –Improving transit was second highest priority for stakeholders –Preferred future includes much stronger transit system  The AMP Controversy: –Disagreement on project and approach, but agreement that Nashville needs better transit

Click to edit Master title style 4 System Assessment: Challenges  Difficult operating environment –Nashville is one of the most sprawling metro areas in the country –Densities are not sufficiently high in many areas for high levels of transit service –Wide arterials are difficult for passengers to cross

Click to edit Master title style 5 System Assessment: Strengths  Strong core network of routes to and from downtown Nashville  Started development of higher-quality services (BRT Lite)  Other improvements based on available resources: –Music City Central –Music City Circuit –More frequent service 5

Click to edit Master title style 6 System Assessment: Weaknesses  Service isn’t attractive or convenient enough for most –Infrequent service –Limited hours –Much service is slow –Nearly all service to/from downtown; makes travel to other locations inconvenient Classification Frequency (minutes) Number of Routes Most FrequentUp to 3017 Frequent LimitedLimited or Express 22 Circuit MTA Route Types

Click to edit Master title style 7 System & Market Assessment Peer comparison: –14 current peers: Metro areas that are similar to what Nashville is today –6 “aspirational” peers: Metro areas that are similar to what Nashville is growing to become Current PeersAspirational Peers AkronAtlanta AlbuquerqueAustin CincinnatiCharlotte DaytonDenver El PasoRaleigh Fort WorthKansas City Hartford Indianapolis Jacksonville Louisville Memphis Richmond Springfield, MA Syracuse 7

Click to edit Master title style 8 System & Market Assessment  Compared to aspirational peers, Nashville MTA: –Spends much less than all but one –Provides much less service –Carries are fewer riders Green = highest peer Grey = 2 nd highest peer Red = lowest peer $80 Raleigh $261 Atlanta $87 Nashville Operating Spending per Capita $180 Austin 1.9 Atlanta 0.8 Nashville 1.1 Kansas City Service per Capita (VSH) 1.6 Austin 15 Nashville 86 Atlanta 20 Raleigh Ridership per Capita 39 Austin 8

Click to edit Master title style 9 Potential Improvements  Frequent Transit Network/High-Capacity Transit Network –Robust transit systems are built around a network of fast and frequent services. –Depending upon size and area: –Regional rail –Rapid transit –Light rail –BRT –Bus –How should Nashville develop a High-Capacity Transit Network? 9

Click to edit Master title style 10 Potential Improvements  High-Quality/High-Capacity Services –A High-Capacity Network will need to provide high-quality service –What types of high-quality service should be developed, for example? –Light rail –Streetcar –Full BRT BRT Lite –Other –Where? 10

Click to edit Master title style 11 Potential Improvements  Transit Emphasis Corridors –Some high-volume corridors are served by multiple routes –Priority can be provided to transit to make service faster and more comfortable –Should Transit Emphasis Corridors be developed? –Where? 11

Click to edit Master title style 12 Potential Improvements  Much More Frequent Service for Longer Hours –Convenient service takes you where you want to go when you want to go in a reasonable amount of time. –How frequently would service have to run for you to consider it convenient? –How late should it run? –In what areas should this be done? 12

Click to edit Master title style 13 Potential Improvements  Service to More Places –To and in newly developing areas –Better connections outside of downtown –New crosstown routes –New regional routes –New express routes –Which places have the greatest need for new service? –How important is it to expand to new places versus improving existing services? 13

Click to edit Master title style 14 Potential Improvements  Faster Service –Except for the BRT Lite lines, much service is slow with frequent stops and indirect routings –Service can be made faster by making alignments more direct, consolidating stops, and implementing transit priority –How important is speed? –Is it more important than short walk distances to stops? –Which speed improvements would you prefer most? 14

Click to edit Master title style 15 Potential Improvements  Transit Priority –Transit can be made faster through the use of: –Exclusive bus lanes –Peak period only bus lanes –Queue jump lanes –Transit signal priority –The use of freeway shoulders by express buses –Do you support transit priority? –Where and which types? –Under what conditions? 15 Queue Jump Lane Signal Priority

Click to edit Master title style 16 Potential Improvements  Simpler Service –Some service is very complicated –Long indirect and circuitous routings –Different variants –Complicated schedules –Is service too complicated? –Would you use it more if it were simpler? 16

Click to edit Master title style 17 Potential Improvements  More Comfortable Facilities With Better Amenities –Waiting for the bus is a major part of the transit experience –Most MTA stops have relatively limited facilities –How important is providing more comfortable facilities? –What amenities are most important to you? Benches, real-time passenger information, etc.? –Where? 17

Click to edit Master title style 18 Potential Improvements  Real-Time Information –Real-time information allows riders to better time their arrival at stops and reduces wait times –It eliminates the uncertainty often associated with transit use – did I miss the bus, is it still coming, etc. –How important is real-time information? 18

Click to edit Master title style 19 Potential Improvements  Other –Many other improvements are also possible, for example: –Improving public information –Rebranding services (and maybe the MTA) to improve legibility and image –Improving schedules –Better coordinating routes –Developing outlying transit centers –Increasing park and ride opportunities –Access and pedestrian improvements on major arterials with bus service –Are there specific improvements that you would like us to examine? 19

Click to edit Master title style 20 Summary  All reasonable options are on the table  Project will include extensive civic engagement  Plan intended to determine what will be needed to develop a great transit system 20

Click to edit Master title style 21 Project Overview & Work to Date 1.Extensive stakeholder involvement Throughout 2.System and market assessment April 3.Develop transit vision June 4.Identify opportunities September 5.Develop system improvement scenarios October 6.Evaluate and vet scenarios December 7.Conduct financial analysis October 8.Develop Recommendations March ‘16 21

Click to edit Master title style 22 Stakeholder Involvement 22 DISCUSS YOUR IDEAS AT PUBLIC MEETINGS VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE DISCUSS YOUR IDEAS ON OUR MINDMIXER TOWN HALL ON THE PROJECT WEBSITE COME ONBOARD OUR nMOTION BUS BOOK A PLANNER FOR YOUR OWN EVENT DESIGN YOUR OWN TRANSIT SYSTEM ON THE PROJECT WEBSITE AND MORE…