Transcript Restoration of Historic Streetcar Services in Downtown Los
Restoration of Historic Streetcar Services in Downtown Los Angeles APTA A quick overview August 2, 2011
Context: Downtown L.A.
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Central Business District
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Project Study Area (PSA) 4
Back to the Future
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Original Los Angeles
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Where Will it Go
Started with Core Service Area 8 8
Alternatives evaluated in Initial Screening 9
Modern
Vehicle Options
Replica Historic • • • • New Cars Quiet, smooth ride, and ADA compliant Best transportation vehicle Portland, Seattle, Tacoma • • • New Cars Built to Antique Design Good tourist attraction Tampa, Little Rock, Charlotte, San Pedro • • • • Actual Antiques Very nostalgic Expensive to maintain Philadelphia, Seattle, Memphis, San Francisco 10
Introduction
• Key players • Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (
CRA/LA)
• Los Angeles Streetcar, Inc. (
LASI
) • City of Los Angeles (
CLA
) • Federal Transit Administration (
FTA)
• Metro (
MTA
) 11
Purpose and Need
• Project purpose?
– Restore historic streetcar service – Connect activity centers and districts – Improve surface transit circulation – Support population and employment growth – Support economic revitalization – Support alternative modes of travel within downtown Purpose and Need Initial Screening Final Screening Locally Preferred Alternative 12
Streetcar 101
• What is a streetcar?
– Fixed-guideway electric rail system – Operates in mixed traffic or pedestrian zones – Can be articulated for tight radii turns – Compatible with on-street parking – Shares lanes and stops with buses – Can be low floor with multiple doors – Bicycles accommodated on board – Capacity ranges from 80 to 130 passengers/vehicle – ..OR A BUS ON METAL WHEELS
Transit & More
• • • • Last Mile Solution Easily integrates with current and future transit systems Community and Economic Development 24/7 Neighborhoods – Round the Clock Activity – – Eyes on the Street / Safety Less demand for parking 14
Advantages
• The Streetcar is seen as a catalyst to increase investment in the older sections or underutilized sections of downtown LA.
• It creates a permanent physical presence with in-street rail and catenary wires.
• It supports the area bus system.
• It’s a local circulator designed for short trips.
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Initial Screening
Evaluation criteria: Planning – Length – Connectivity – Travel time – Ridership potential – Transit integration – Economic development – Historic integrity – Expandability Implementation – Capital Costs – O&M Costs – Community support – Plans and guidelines – Local funding – Traffic and parking – Street grade – Risks – Fatal Flaws Purpose and Need Initial Screening Final Screening Locally Preferred Alternative
Expectations
• The proposed alignments should support 20,000 + riders a day. A big number for streetcars, a small number for downtown bus lines.
• It will INCREASE bus and rail ridership. One more layer of transit service in an area heavily accessed through transit.
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Economic Development
Cost & Funding Estimates
Capital Cost = $110MM
$45M M
Operating Cost = $5MM
$,5MM $1,MM $10M M
Private
CRA FTA $55M M $3,5M M
Private
Fare Box Sponsorship 19
Development Perspective
Fixed rails promote investor confidence Encourages, inspires, and attracts mixed-use development Enhances resident and business owner sense of pride Attracts visitors who normally would not travel through the area Encourages multi-modal activity and exploration (and therefore discretionary spending) 20
Stimulating the Local Economy
• • Economic Development – 35 million sf is entitled, approved, or planned in DTLA = 100,000+ additional permanent jobs – 90 million sf of developed space within ¼ mile of alignment DTLA needs “stimulus” of our own and a Streetcar is the vehicle to do it 21
The Changing Housing Market
¼ of Renters and Buyers will be Looking for Housing in Neighborhoods like Downtown LA Because of Demographic Changes and Traffic
Households are older and smaller Single households are becoming the majority Households are more diverse Technology trends spur transit choices Unending traffic and congestion 22
Affordability Translates to Demand
Living with One Less Car = $8,500 in Annual Savings
Median income households in Southern California spend $12,000/year on transportation and $12,240 on housing = 52% of household budget Owning one less car per median income household could reduce housing plus transportation costs to 41% of budget 23
Instant Marketing Investment
Density of People and Activity = Will Increase Property Values and Sales Taxes Received
Projected 10,000 daily ridership used for financial analysis.
More Residents More Businesses More Visitors More Activity 24
Portland Example
In Portland’s Pearl District
140 projects worth $3.5 billion: 10,000 housing units with 5.5 million sf retail City met 20-year housing goal in 7 years 25% of housing is affordable 11,000 Streetcar riders a day 400 new businesses along the line: 90% locally owned with mostly women and minority ownership Major increase in pedestrian traffic 25