Transcript RR-02-2004-10-14-Presentation #1 v.6

Southern California Transportation
The Missing Link
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
1
To Sylmar,
Santa Clarita,
Lancaster
Regional Rail - The Missing Link
To Oxnard
Chatsworth
Northridge
Van Nuys
Burbank
Airport
Lankershim
(Red Line)
Burbank
Glendale
Present and Future San Fernando
Valley Transportation
• Regional Rail
– From S.F. Valley to Union Station
– From S.F. Valley to the Santa Clarita
x Clarita and the Antelope Valley
– From S.F. Valley to Oxnard / Montalvo
Union Station
Inglewood
METRO Blue Line
• Imagine
– From Union Station to LAX / South Bay
– From S.F. Valley to Santa Barbara /
xGoleta
– From the Antelope Valley to LAX
– From Oxnard to the South Bay
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
LAX @
Aviation/Imperial
South Bay
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
2
Proposed Regional Rail Map
• Proposed and
existing
stations
To Newhall, Santa Clarita,
Princessa, Acton and
Lancaster
Chatsworth
Northridge
Sun Valley
Sylmar/San
Fernando
Van Nuys
Burbank
Airport
Burbank
Glendale
Bart Reed, The Transit Coalition: Next
revisions to this map: Extend to show
Lancaster, Extension to Goleta
Union Station
Inglewood
MTA Blue Line
LAX
Aviation/Imperial
South Bay
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
3
San Fernando Valley Transportation Today
• Roads: Local, Secondary & Primary
arterials, freeways
• Grade Separated Heavy Rail:
(Red Line)
– Stations: N. Hollywood & Universal City
• Metrolink Commuter Rail:
– Stations: Chatsworth, Northridge, Van
Nuys, Burbank Airport, Burbank Downtown,
Sylmar, Sun Valley & Glendale
• Bus: Local, Limited & Rapid
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
4
Roads
• Freeways at capacity
• Strong local opposition to freeway widening
• Recent experience with 101 widening proposal
• Road enhancements just shift the problem
•
•
•
•
To the next bottleneck
More parking
More traffic on local streets
Degradation of neighborhoods
• Result: long journeys at slow speeds
• Less time for family and other activities
• Frustration and stress in everyday life
• But … currently no good alternatives for
xmost people
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
5
Grade Separated Heavy Rail: (Red Line)
• Red line subway serves only small part of
xthe San Fernando Valley
• Access to the Red Line is important
– Orange Line Rapidway will help
– City of Burbank adding connection
xbetween Red Line and Burbank
xemployment centers
• The “Achilles Heel” of transit may be the
x“last mile” between station and final
xdestination
– Problem made worse by low density and
xdesign for the auto, not the pedestrian
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
Nice train!
Now how to I get home?
6
Metrolink service
• No longer just a morning/evening commuter service
• Popularity requires additional capacity
– Cars leased & service added (Daily News; Oct 1, 2004)
• But:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Only 10 round trips per day on Ventura County Line
Only 12 round trips per day on Antelope Valley Line
No weekend service on Ventura County Line
Limited Saturday service on AV Line
No Sunday service on AV Line
Limited reverse commute service
No evening service
No entertainment or sports event service
–
Source: Metrolinktrains.com
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
7
Bus Transit
• Operates in heavy traffic
• Slow speeds, long journey times
– Local bus: 9-12 mph
– Rapid bus: 15 mph
– (average auto speed: 33 mph)
– Typical 10-30 minute traffic condition
xdelays for bus
• Even “Rapid Bus” is slow
– Unsuited to the long commutes of many
xin Los Angeles
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
8
Case Study - Northridge to Union Station
• Metro Bus Line 166 and Red Line
– Total elapsed time over 100 minutes
• Source: MTA traffic planner
–
–
–
–
Bus service is irregular, unreliable
Transfer connections not guaranteed
Transfer wait often lengthy
Actual time often worse, unpredictable
• Source: Bart Reed, passenger
•
Will Orange Line help?
– Two changes of vehicle
• Local Bus, to Orange Line Rapidway, to Red Line
– Not much better
• Must cross major arterial to transfer to/from Red Line
•
Metrolink
– 40 minutes, with five stops!
• Source: Metrolinktrains.com
– Reliable, speedy, but limited service
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
9
Case Study #2 – S.F. Valley to LAX or El Segundo
• No alternative to 405 Freeway
– Auto
– City of LA DOT Commuter Bus
– Flyaway service to LAX
– Direct Local/Limited bus service terminated 06/2003
– Rapid & Municipal Local Bus can take up to 3 hours
• Elapsed time … anyone’s guess.
– 405 HOV Lanes up to a decade away
– Listen to traffic reports on the radio
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
10
Looking into the Future - Base Case
• Continued but slower population growth
– California: 10.1 million to 11.3 million in 2040
• Continued growth in auto driving
– US (from 1980 to 2000 per DOT BTS)
• Drivers + 31.2%
• Miles driven + 81.2%
– San Fernando Valley
• No reason to believe the trend is any different
• Big housing developments in outlying areas
• No major freeway enhancements
– Some short term improvements searching for funding
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
11
Regional Rail: Chatsworth to Union Station
and Antelope Valley to Union Station
• Interconnect with service to Orange County and San
xBernardino for jobs, education and medical needs
• Proposed increase in service
• Significance of Union Station
• Significance of other stations on route
• Travel alternatives made possible
• Connects long distance commutes from home to jobs
• Connects event participants: Concerts, plays, regional
xattractions, art, sporting events and meetings
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
12
Bart Reed, The Transit Coalition: Eliza from Metrolink will get us a current map
Metrolink Map
• Existing
xinfrastructure
• Wide
xgeographic
xreach
• Ridership and
xsystem growth
• Social benefits
xsuch as air
xquality
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
13
Proposed Increase in Service
• Increase service level from Chatsworth and Antelope Valley
xto Union Station
– No less than half-hourly, all-day weekday
– Evening and weekend service
– Additional service during peak travel demands
• Stations already in place
• Add Lankershim Station: direct connection to Red Line
• Double track already in place East of Balboa Blvd
– Track capacity is in place
– Additional passing tracks as required between
xChatsworth and Van Nuys
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
14
Significance of Union Station
• Regional Rail Hub - A Huge Potential Asset
– Gold Line to Pasadena and East Los Angeles
– Amtrak to San Diego / San Luis Obispo
– Red Line
•
•
•
•
To Blue Line (South Los Angeles, Long Beach)
To Expo Line (USC, Coliseum, Exposition Park)
To Wilshire residential / office district
To Hollywood entertainment / office district
• Employment Center
– Office, Retail, Government, Wholesale, Nonprofit
• Cultural and Sports
–
–
–
–
Staples Center and proposed developments
Dodger Stadium, Shrine Auditorium
Disney Hall, Music Center, The Cathedral
Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Loft / Art District
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
15
Warner Center, Chatsworth, Northridge and Van Nuys
•
•
•
•
•
Warner Center Office Hub / Orange Line Terminus
Chatsworth Industrial Center
Los Angeles Pierce College
Northridge Mall Retail Center
Cal State Northridge
– 28,000 students
– 3,300 faculty and staff
• Van Nuys
– Served by Rapid Bus / Orange Line connection
– Van Nuys Blvd. Government Center
– Los Angeles Valley College
– Sherman Oaks / Encino Commercial District
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
16
Burbank and Glendale
• Burbank Airport
– Approx 400,000 passengers per month
• Source: Burbankairport.com
• Burbank
– Major entertainment industry employment
• Bus to Media Center employment
– Close to Media District
– Downtown Media City Center retail / entertainment
• Glendale
– Employment center
– Trolley to Metrolink station is under study
• Source: Daily News: Sept 1, 2004
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
17
Regional Rail from Union Station to South Bay
• Would use MTA Harbor Sub Division (HSD)
– Owned by MTA
• Would require:
– Flyover at Redondo Junction over the Alameda Corridor
– Refurbish and upgrade track to bi-directional
– Stations
– Grade crossing improvements / full separations
• Potential direct service from S.F. Valley to South Bay
– Establish rail as commuter service of choice
– Major speed advantage on long distance regional trips
– Comparable bus service trip times are prohibitive
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
18
Potential Stations
• Long Beach Blue Line (interchange at Slauson)
– 70,000 boarders per day
– 40 minutes to Downtown Long Beach
• Inglewood City Center
• LAX / Imperial at Aviation
– Proposed Intermodal Transportation Center
• Fast “People mover” to Los Angeles International Airport
– Interchange with Green Line, bus services
– LAX and El Segundo employment
• 55 million passengers in 2003 (www.lawa.org)
• Daytime population of 70,000 in El Segundo (www.elsegundo.org)
• 59,000 jobs on or near LAX (www.lawa.org)
• South Bay
– Bus connections to Beach Cities
– Walk to employment centers
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
19
Metro Rail and the South Bay - Today
• Green Line offers the “ride to nowhere”
• No useful connections to beaches
• Shunned by Beach City governments
• We don’t want “those people” here
• Not enough to excite South Bay residents
Impressive but underused stations
• Affluent
• Car owners
• Concerns
– Convenience
– Timeliness
– Safety
Welcome to the South Bay!
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
20
Metro Rail - South Bay to Union Station
• Tortuous journey to Union Station
– 23 stops
– Approximately 100 minutes
– Two changes of train
– Wait in Freeway median at Rosa Parks
Why was it built this way?
• 85 decibel noise
• Personal decision
– “No” to a $150K job in Burbank
– “No” to commute from South Bay
A simple sound barrier would have helped.
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
21
Regional Rail and the South Bay
• Fast, comfortable ride to important employment
destinations:
– LAX ITC (one stop)
– Downtown Los Angeles (four stops)
– Glendale (five stops)
– Burbank (six stops)
• Enough to excite South Bay residents
or governments
– Get serious about local feeder
connections
– Voila, Regional Rail can take you to
the beach
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
22
Case B - High Energy Prices - Passenger Miles per Gallon
Metrolink train - 600
seats
240
Hybrid car - four
passengers
160
MTA Bus - 40 seats
120
Hybrid car - driving
alone
40
Average car - driving
alone
25
Big SUV - driver
alone
12
0
50
100
150
200
250
• Current Metrolink trains compare very favorably with other
means of transport
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
23
Bart Reed, The Transit Coalition: Ed Tennyson wrote me about this specific topic. He may provide us with good info.
Electrification Option
• Successful Metrolink lines may be electrified if and when
xeconomic conditions are appropriate
• Benefits of electrification
– Higher person miles per gallon equivalent
• Combined cycle generation more efficient than diesel
– Electricity generated from fuels other than oil/gas
• Coal
• Nuclear
• Renewables
–
–
–
–
No local pollution
Lower maintenance
Longer depreciation periods
Faster and quieter operation
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
24
Conclusions
Some Benefits of Regional Rail
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fast, comfortable, viable transit alternative to auto
– Expands a concept already proven to be popular
Eases long commutes
– Allows reading, relaxation during commute
Uses existing infrastructure and ROW
Upgrade of infrastructure benefits goods movement
– Removes trucks from the road
Leverages and enhances other transit investments
Energy efficient transportation in an era of much more
expensive energy
– Especially transportation fuels (oil and gas)
– Can be electrified
Traffic mitigation
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
25
Traffic mitigation
• Some possible journey times with Regional Rail, including
xuse of the Harbor Sub Division.
– Northridge to LAX ITC, 70 minutes
– South Bay to Glendale, 40 minutes
– LAX ITC to Burbank Airport, 45 minutes
– Glendale to Northridge, 30 minutes
– Santa Clarita to Norwalk, 80 minutes
– Chatsworth to Cal State Los Angeles, 55 minutes
– Ontario Airport to LAX ITC, 100 minutes
• Sources: Metrolinktrains.com, and our estimates of 30 minutes from Union
Station to LAX, 10 minutes from LAX to South Bay.
• Result: for many, a viable alternative to Freeways
• Routes 5, 101, 118, 170 and 405 from Valley
• Routes 105, 110 and 405 from South Bay
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
26
Goal
• Work with an MTA Board Member to get
the Harbor Sub Division included in the
Metrolink Strategic Plan.
• Specifically … we would like the LA
County Transportation Authority
Regional Planning Department to
request that the Metrolink Strategic Plan
include a possible extension to LAX and
the South Bay Galleria down the Harbor
Sub Division .
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
27
Regional Rail: The Missing Link
12463 Telfair Ave. * Sylmar, CA 91342-3736 * V: (818) 367-1661 * F: (818) 362-7997
www.transitcoaltion.org * www.regionalrail.org * www.friendsofmetrolink.org
Prepared by Andrew Shaddock and Bart Reed
7/17/2015 8:15 AM
RR-02-2004-10-15-Presentation #1
28