The Ithaca Downtown Transportation System Unlocking mobility in 21st Century Ithaca May 2, 2002

The BIG Questions….  What is an intermodal transportation center?  What is the concept for Ithaca’s Downtown Transportation System (DTS)?

What is an intermodal transportation center?  A gateway linking local and regional modes of transportation.  A connection to the national ground transportation network.  A design to express unique attributes of a community.  Intermodal means linking two or more modes of transportation

A Community Gateway  Serve intercity buses (rail), local transit buses, tour buses, taxis, long and short-term parking, bicycles and pedestrians.  A catalyst for economic development.  A community landmark.

National Transportation Network  US DOT strategic plans call for building a network of intermodal centers to integrate intercity and local services.  It is in the national interest to build redundancy in the nation’s transportation system after 9/11.

Community Design Example: Williamsport’s Trade & Transit Centre (TTC) View from TTC Built In 1999, the TCC is in the heart of downtown Williamsport, adjacent to a court house, banks and a parking garage.

TCC’s Public Amenities  Building Design  Passenger Shelters  Signs & Information  Brick Crosswalks  Public Art A design sympathetic to community character.

TCC’s Public Amenities  Building Design  Passenger Shelters  Signs & Information  Brick Crosswalks  Public Art Designated bus stops (bays) for loading & unloading.

TCC’s Public Amenities  Building Design  Passenger Shelters  Signs & Information  Brick Crosswalks  Public Art

TCC’s Public Amenities  Building Design  Passenger Shelters  Signs & Information  Brick Crosswalks  Public Art

TCC’s Public Amenities  Building Design  Passenger Shelters  Signs & Information  Brick Crosswalks  Public Art Celebrating transportation heritage.

Little Rock, AK

LaFayette, IN Moved old railroad station to new location to serve Amtrak, Greyhound bus, and local transit.

Intermodal Transportation Centers in Upstate NY ElmiraBuilt in 1998 SyracuseBuilt in AlbanyBuilt in BinghamtonIn Planning RochesterIn Planning IthacaIn Planning

The BIG Questions….  What is an intermodal transportation center?  What is the concept for Ithaca’s Downtown Transportation System (DTS)?

Ithaca’s Downtown Transportation System  Recognizes the traditionally strong ties between TCAT and downtown Ithaca  A gateway for people traveling to and from downtown Ithaca.  Increases the capacities of bus, bicycle and pedestrian facilities at the Ithaca Commons.  An alternative to increased auto travel arising from new development.  Supports partnerships in economic development in Ithaca.

Ithaca’s Downtown Transportation System  New pedestrian and bus facilities around the Ithaca Commons as a system.  Enable people to travel downtown by bus and circulate as pedestrians.  Add capacity (space) to transit and intercity bus facilities for more people to efficiently and comfortably travel by bus.  Work in partnership with other stakeholders to build the City’s economy and quality of life.

Ithaca DTS Conceptual Elements  Construct an intermodal center under the Green Street Parking Garage.  Construct a new shelter at Aurora St.  Rehabilitate the Seneca St. shelter.  Deploy a bus traveler information.  Construct brick crosswalks at intersections with bus stops around the Ithaca Commons.  Install pedestrian information signs around Commons.

Ithaca Commons is TCAT’s Hub 28 out of 39 TCAT bus routes radiate from the Commons. The Green St. & Seneca & Tioga Sts. stops serve 78% of the 627,000 annual passengers boarding and alighting from TCAT buses at the four bus stops around the Commons.

 Serve TCAT, intercity and tour buses.  Provide bus/taxi connections.  Provide secure bicycle storage. Intermodal Center

 216 TCAT bus departures  30 intercity bus departures  At 10 minute intervals from 6am-8pm  246 TOTAL bus departures Number of buses at Intermodal Center – weekdays 6am-8pm

 Moving intercity buses to the intermodal center will add a net increase of 9 buses/day to East Green Street.  Existing TCAT passengers and buses would move across the street to the intermodal center. Intermodal Center - New Buses

 Approximately 288,000 TCAT passengers would use the intermodal center annually. Intermodal Center - Passengers

 Approximately, 179,000 intercity bus passengers would use the intermodal center annually. Intermodal Center - Passengers

 The existing shelter, built in 1976, is too small and outmoded for passenger loads.  TCAT buses face conflicting turns moving to the left across Green St.  TCAT buses use the lane in front of Library to make transfers.  TCAT passengers use the sidewalk space to find their right bus. Intermodal Center – Solves Challenges on Green St.

Intermodal Center - Tour Bus Welcome Center  Support tourism by motorbus.  Short term bus parking  Visitor Information  Close proximity to retail, restaurants, theaters & hotels.

Intermodal Center - Transactions  Bus Information & Ticketing.  Provide information in multi-language formats, use international symbols, & serve people with visual disabilities.  Traveler information network showing bus arrivals & departures.

Intermodal Center - People/Bus Spaces  People waiting areas.  Drop off and pick-up areas for buses, cars and taxis.  Assigned bus bays.  Accessible facilities.  Bicycle parking & storage.

Intermodal Center - Bus/Taxi Connections  Provide direct connections between Intercity Buses, TCAT Buses and taxis.

Intermodal Center – Commons Connections  Ready access to Center Ithaca.  One block walk to Ciminelli Office/Hotel Project and the Holiday Inn  Improve Home Dairy alley to Commons.

Intermodal Center: A Community Asset  Provides public amenities and customer services: information, communications, security, and restrooms.  Be a high quality urban design.

The Ithaca DTS  Construct an intermodal center under the Green Street Parking Garage.  Construct a new shelter at Aurora St.  Rehabilitate the Seneca St. shelter.  Deploy a bus traveler information.  Construct 20 brick crosswalks at intersections around the Ithaca Commons.  Install pedestrian information signs around Commons.

TCAT’s Commons Stops  TCAT’s bus shelters at Seneca and Aurora Streets were built in 1976 as part of the Ithaca Commons.  Propose to rehabilitate the Seneca St. shelter. Propose to remove and install a new bus shelter at Aurora St.

Seneca Street Shelter  Enlarge existing shelter.  Add awnings to parking garage wall.  Add signage, heat, phone, bus traveler information, bike storage and seating.

Aurora Street Shelter  Replace existing shelter.  Add signage, heat, phone, bus traveler information, bike storage and seating.

The Ithaca DTS  Construct an intermodal center under the Green Street Parking Garage.  Construct a new shelter at Aurora St.  Rehabilitate the Seneca St. shelter.  Deploy a bus traveler information system.  Construct 20 brick crosswalks at intersections around the Ithaca Commons.  Install pedestrian information signs around Commons.

Traveler Information  Goal 1: 24 x 7 x 365 access  Goal 2: Enable the public to know where all the buses are at all times and to plan trips easily  Internet – – Mailing lists  Telephone  TCAT NEW Internet Trip Planner

Traveler Information: Internet  Internet-based passenger information system. Track buses on-line, set an alarm to get bus.  Telephone accessible passenger information system.

The Ithaca DTS  Construct an intermodal center under the Green Street Parking Garage.  Construct a new shelter at Aurora St.  Rehabilitate the Seneca St. shelter.  Deploy a bus traveler information.  Construct pedestrian amenities.  Opportunities for partnership.

Pedestrian Amenities  Provide pedestrian-scale information signs.  Build brick crosswalks to TCAT facilities.

Partnerships  Public Art  Culture & History  Visitor Services  Bus Tourism  Dinner & Theater Tours  Bike & car rentals  Funding

Partnership: Project Funding FederalStateLocalTOTAL FFY2000$1,103,732$137,967 $1,379,665 FFY ,946 77, ,682 FFY ,778 77, ,222 TOTAL$2,340,456$292,557 $2,925,570 Congressman Maurice Hinchey sponsored three years of federal appropriations to pay 80% of the project cost. New York State will provide a 10% match. Local share is 10%.

A Downtown Transportation SYSTEM  To enable people to travel to Downtown Ithaca with the least environmental impact.  To create partnerships to build great public spaces in Ithaca.  It is a once in a generation opportunity, a vision with resources.  We must have a location determined by July 2002 or risk losing the federal funds.

How you travel downtown matters.