Transcript Prince William County Potomac River Commuter Ferry Study

Prince William County Potomac River
Commuter Ferry Study & Route Proving
Exercise
A Summary of Project Purpose and Results
Presented by:
Charles “Cody” Smith, PE
Greenhorne & O’Mara
September 23, 2010
Study and Route Proving Exercise Goals
1. Obtain actual run times between ferry stops in VA, MD & DC
2. Obtain vessel wake measurements during runs
3. Obtain noise measurements at various points along the Potomac
River
4. Observe operations to determine feasibility of docking locations
5. Determine likely capital and operating costs for service
6. Determine likely fares and ridership using VDOT 2000 feasibility
study model
7. Apply data to previous 2000 ferry study and provide conclusions &
recommendations
RPE Vessel
General Particulars:
Length Overall.…………98 feet
Beam……………………31 feet
Draft…………………….5.5 feet
Speed……………………30 knots
Passenger Capacity……...149 people
Belmont Bay
Indian Head
Fort Belvoir
Marshall Hall
National Harbor
Old Town Alexandria
Reagan National Airport
Washington D.C.
(Southwest Waterfront)
Washington D.C. (Anacostia
Waterfront)
Quantico
--
13.3
30.9
27.8
21.1
14.6
28.1
32.2
52.3
48.9
61.9
57.4
57.8
Harbor Station
7.41
--
25.6
22.5
15.8
9.3
22.8
26.9
47.0
43.6
56.6
52.1
52.5
Prince William
Marina
13.47
10.50
--
3.1
9.8
18.9
31.9
36.0
56.1
52.7
65.7
61.2
61.6
Occoquan
Harbour Marina
12.96
9.99
0.51
--
6.7
15.8
28.8
32.9
53.0
49.6
62.6
58.1
58.5
Belmont Bay
11.84
8.87
1.63
1.12
--
9.1
22.1
26.2
46.3
42.9
59.5
51.4
51.8
Indian Head
8.11
5.14
6.73
6.22
5.10
--
14.0
18.1
38.2
34.8
47.8
43.3
43.7
Fort Belvoir
15.68
12.71
14.04
13.53
12.41
7.70
--
6.9
27.0
23.6
36.6
32.1
32.5
Marshall Hall
17.36
14.39
15.72
15.21
14.09
9.38
3.04
--
24.1
20.7
33.7
29.2
29.6
National Harbor
26.60
23.63
24.96
24.45
23.33
18.62
12.28
10.02
--
11.0
24.0
19.5
19.9
Old Town
Alexandria
27.49
24.52
25.85
25.34
24.22
19.51
13.17
10.91
3.29
--
13.4
8.9
9.3
Reagan National
Airport
30.10
27.13
28.46
27.95
26.83
15.78
13.52
5.90
2.71
--
19.7
20.1
Washington D.C.
(SW Waterfront)
32.31
29.34
30.67
30.16
29.04
24.33
17.99
15.73
8.11
4.92
6.25
--
5.2
Washington D.C.
(Anacostia
Waterfront)
32.85
29.88
31.21
30.70
29.58
24.87
18.53
16.27
8.65
5.46
6.79
3.14
--
Time and Distance
from potential
docking locations
22.12
Distance (Miles)
Time (Minutes)
Occoquan Harbour Marina
•Waiver of no-wake
zones
Prince William Marina
•Use of more suitable
vessel
Harbor Station
Anticipated Travel
Times are Result of:
Quantico
Anticipated
Run Times
and Distances
Estimated Capital Improvement Costs
Woodbridge to Washington D.C.
(Anacostia Waterfront)
Marshall Hall, MD to Fort Belvoir, VA / Marshall
Hall, MD to Washington D.C. (Anacostia
Waterfront)
Transportation Capital Cost
Estimate
$19,300,000
$12,300,000
Service Point Capital Cost
Estimate
$2,500,000 to $10,500,000
$3,400,000 to $8,600,000
Total
$21,800,000 to $29,800,000
$15,700,000 to $20,900,000
Capital Cost
Fare Box Recoveries and Required Ridership
Based on other system fare box recoveries, study team assumed a fare box
recovery of 40% would be necessary to consider a ferry service viable
Based on estimated operational costs of $3,885,500/year, minimum annual
fare collection would be $1,554,200
Average round-trip ferry service fare was set by study team to roughly equal
average round-trip VRE service fare. Average round-trip fare for ferry
service was set at $11.00/passenger
In order to meet minimum annual fare collection requirements, ferry service
would be required to provide 280,000 person-trips annually
Comparison of Ferry Service to PRTC & VRE
Statistic****
PRTC Commuter Bus Service
VRE Commuter Train
Service
Annual Operating Cost
$12,408,491**
$46,192,429*
$3,885,000
Annual Fare Revenue
$5,641,332*
$19,685,561*
$1,905,750
Fare Box Recovery Percentage
45.5%**
42.6%
49.1%
Annual Operating Subsidy
$6,767,159**
$26,506,860
$1,979,250
Unlinked Annual Passenger Trips
1,738,556**
3,386,974*
337,838***
Operating Subsidy/Passenger Trip
$3.89**
$7.83
$5.86
Proposed Ferry Service
*As published in the National Transit Database
** As provided by PRTC
*** 95% of ferry riders assumed to take ferry both to and from work. Remaining 5% assumed to travel only one way on ferry
and take alternate transportation home
****Annual Operating Costs, Annual Fare Revenue and Unlinked Annual Passenger Trips for PRTC and VRE are system-wide
and not specifically for the Woodbridge to S.E. Washington D.C. trip pairing
Study and Route Proving Exercise Conclusions
1) The commuter ferry service described in this report will require public financial
support and be operated in a manner similar to that of PRTC or VRE.
2) Based on the data and analysis contained herein, a public commuter ferry operation
has the potential to offer a commuting option to the public that in terms of travel
time and service between the area of Occoquan, VA and SE Washington D.C. would
be competitive with those commuter services offered by PRTC and VRE.
3) Public commuter ferry service between points in Maryland and Virginia appears to
also have real promise given the significant amount of travel time saved as a result
of ferry usage
4) No significant noise or wave impacts associated with ferry service are anticipated
given the operating parameters specified herein.
Study and RPE Recommendations
1) The process of obtaining speed restriction waivers along the Potomac River should
be initiated.
2) A more rigorous market analysis should be undertaken to analyze prospective
demand by market in order to account for all the significant variables bearing on
usage and estimated ridership diversions by mode.
3) Continued coordination with local governments and military installations that front
the Potomac River should be pursued. While commuter ferry service from Prince
William County to Washington D.C. appears viable, there is great potential for a
ferry operation to serve cross-river commuters between Southern MD and VA.
4) Initial investigations into an authority to oversee ferry operations should also be
discussed with those counties and cities that might have an interest in commuter
ferry service.