Transcript Historic Preservation of the Dinky in both Function and Form Alain L. Kornhauser, PhD Professor, Operations Research & Financial Engineering Director, Program in Transportation Faculty Advisor,

Historic Preservation of the Dinky
in both
Function and Form
Alain L. Kornhauser, PhD
Professor, Operations Research & Financial Engineering
Director, Program in Transportation
Faculty Advisor, Princeton Autonomous Vehicle Engineering (PAVE)
Founder, ALK Technologies, Inc.
Chairman, Advanced TRansit Association (ATRA)
and
Vice Chairman, New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology (inactive)
Presented at: New Jersey Historic Sites Council - February 16, 2012
Purpose of Historical Preservation
• Preserve the Function and Form of Historically
Important elements of the Built Environment.
• Dinky:
– Functioning since 1865
– Current Form since about 1915 (1st move*)
– Station moved again ~1986 to current location
• A shame that the 1865 Built Environment wasn’t
preserved.
– The station would be Functioning substantially
better because of its close proximity to Nassau Street
*There may have been a short earlier move to the pre-1915 location
1st move* (~1915)
From Blair Arch to “north” end of existing platform
Pre-1915 images
~1250 Feet
*There may have been a short earlier move to the pre-1915 location
2nd move ~1986
2nd move Enabled by “1984 Contract”
• Contract is written in plain English (no legalese)
with Clearly stated purpose crafted by:
– Princeton Borough Mayor: Barbara Boggs Sigmund
– Princeton Univ. President: William G. Bowen
– NJ Transit
• Provide $$$ Subsidy to NJT to help continue the Function
• Maintain the historic character (Form) of the station
• Provide for better pedestrian access to campus (pro quo)
2nd moved 185 feet to create better E-W mobility
for Forbes Student
from: the end of the platform,
to: the Freight Building
Pre-1985 to Present Terminus
~185 feet
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
Issue Today:
• Preserve the Function and Form of the
current Dinky station!
Function Endangered?
Only if Moved Away from “Nassau Street”
Location !, Location !, Location!
12,000 Residents (Boro)
10,000 Students (PU, Seminary, Rider)
30,000 Jobs (Boro + Twnshp; Census)
All about
Preserving
and Enhancing
Walk Access!!
Princeton – Princeton Jct. (2.7 Miles)
50% Walk & Ride
~500 patrons/day
43/150 Solid Top 30%
Walk&Ride Accessibility Lost by
Moving the Dinky Terminus South
Assumptions:
1. All walk in a straight line to the station
2. All Walk&Ride trips production/attraction are
uniformly distributed in the half plane north of the
current terminus.
3. Walk&Ride Area Lost =~ R*D*(2*cos q + sin q )
where R = prime walk distance
D = Distance Terminus moved (460 ft)
q = sin-1 (D/R)
¼ Mile Walk&Ride Accessibility Analysis
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
¼ Walk&Ride Service Areas
49% Prime Walk&Ride Area Lost
Nothing is gained to the south to offset the losses to the north
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
1/2 Mile Walk&Ride Accessibility Analysis
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
1/2 Walk&Ride Service Areas
24% Prime Walk&Ride Area Lost
Nothing is gained to the south to offset the losses to the north
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
Conclusions:
Walk&Ride Accessibility Analysis
• 49% loss of ¼ mile prime walking area implies loss of
Walk&Riders could be as high as 49% and a 25% loss
of Dinky ridership.
•24% loss of ½ mile walking area implies at least a 24%
loss of Walk&Riders and at least a 13% loss of Dinky
ridership
• University can readily build the Arts Complex
without moving the station:
Now
Same Scale
“After (in Univ. Self Serving View)”
“After w/o moving Dinky”
• Other issues:
Congestion:
Existing Congestion @ Alexander & University Place
Flow Pattern @ Alexander & University Pl.
(After one-way patterns on Lower University & Upper Alexander)
One-ways Produce Minimal Conflicts;
Readily Accommodate Pedestrians
Dinky / McCarter Parking
Parking:
~7
Existing Dinky Parking
On-street:
~100
Small lot:
~62
Commute Lot : ~150
Total:
~340
Yield: ~375 Boarders/day;
~680 McCarter Patrons
25
26
32
~10
62
~150
(Commuter Lot)
62
Baker surface lot
178
(Each Floor of Lot 7)
Area around the Dinky Station
Dinky
Station
Parking
Garage
Faculty
Road
Alexander
Road
Arts
District
No need to “move the station” to access the parking garage
Can readily do at-grade crossing
(it is how cars get there now or go under the tracks at south end of garage)
At-grade
Xings
can readily
provide
accessibility
(100s exist on
NJT today)
(These are ones on the Dinky)
East-West Pedestrian Flow
East-West Pedestrian and Vehicular Flow
The Dinky