Use of a Charrette in BRT Station Area Planning Thomas W. Williams, PE AECOM / Sr. Project Manager Grand Rapids, Michigan QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW

Outline of Presentation Project & BRT Overview Charrette Overview The Charrette Timeline Key Points for Success QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW

BRT Project Overview ~10 miles long Very Small Starts program Three adjacent cities:  Grand Rapids  Kentwood  Wyoming QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Stations will have architectural canopies

BRT Components Guideway:Guideway: Existing streets Vehicles:Vehicles: Hybrid, Low-floor & multiple doors Operating Plan:Operating Plan: 10-minute frequency in peak, 15- minute off-peak, overlays with existing local service QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW

BRT Components Technology:Technology:  Off-board fare payment  GPS and “Next Bus” Display  Traffic Signal Priority Stations:Stations: Architectural canopy, raised platform (10”), signage, lighting, next- bus display, fare vending, security cameras QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW

Southern 4 miles of corridor were developed in the post-WWII era with very auto-oriented form The southernmost two stations were selected for study in the charrette

Charrette Purpose intense collaboration developing a solutionproblem“An intense collaboration aimed at developing a solution to a problem” QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW

How do you transform an auto-oriented land use with a “sea of parking” into a walkable, mixed-use, transit-oriented area?Our particular problem: How do you transform an auto-oriented land use with a “sea of parking” into a walkable, mixed-use, transit-oriented area?

Charrette Iterations QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Concept based on the National Charrette Institute’s Feedback Cycles Duration of Charrette must allow the feedback cycles

Charrette Preparation 10 months:  Selection of study area *  Grant applications * 3 months:  Receive grants  Determine appropriate technical personnel facilitators  Investigate potential charrette facilitators college students  Investigate availability of area college students in urban planning and architectural programs Technical Personnel  Urban Planners  Architects  Landscape Architects  Transit Planners  Traffic Engineers  Municipal Engineers *The charrette was organized by the local MPO, Grand Valley Metro Council.

QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Charrette Preparation 2 months:  Develop requirements for facilities (design team studio and public meeting location)  List land owners, business owners, and developers to invite to charrette  Circulate preliminary schedule and meeting descriptions to elected officials  Data collection  Develop drafts of handouts and invitations

QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Charrette Preparation 1 month:  Checklists for supplies and equipment  Collection of GIS data and printing of maps  Purchase of supplies  Distribute invitations for a kick-off meeting  Kick-off meeting included: What is BRT? What is a Charrette? What is Transit-Oriented Development?

QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Charrette Week Day 1 AMDay 1 AM: Development of Concepts in Small Groups Day 1 PMDay 1 PM: Design Team examined concepts for commonalities, differences and interesting features Day 2Day 2: Design Team merged public concepts into a few alternatives

QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Charrette Week Day 3 AMDay 3 AM: Continued development of alternatives Day 3 PMDay 3 PM: Presentation to public officials and the interested public. Gathered comments Day 4Day 4: Synthesized preferences into a single preferred preliminary plan

QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Charrette Week Day 5 AMDay 5 AM: Stakeholder and technical review Day 5 PM and Day 6 AMDay 5 PM and Day 6 AM: Production of exhibits Day 6 PMDay 6 PM: Presentation of the preferred plan

Two Concepts from Day 1 Small Groups

Day 6 Preferred Plan

Before Photo and After Rendering Turn an urban drain into a development asset

Before Photo and After Rendering

Turn the utility easement and linear bike trail into a development asset

QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW Post-Charrette Activities Summary Report Sample form-based zoning code (to assist cities with required zoning changes) Continued discussion about:  Placement of BRT platforms  “Complete Streets”  Shared Parking and Park-and-Ride

Key Summary Points Prepare!Prepare! Have the data, exhibits, supplies and people needed for success. Trust!Trust! Collaborative development even with a wide range of agendas resulted in an acceptable plan. Follow-up!Follow-up! Don’t let the work sit on a shelf. Develop a plan to move toward implementation. QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW

Comment from a 70+ year old participant: “I’ve seen over fifty years of planning conducted in this area. Public involvement for this planning typically involved a meeting where the plan was unveiled. [This charrette process] is how planning should be done!”

Use of a Charrette in BRT Station Area Planning Thomas W. Williams, PE AECOM / Sr. Project Manager Grand Rapids, Michigan QUALITY TRANSIT ― NOW