Capital District Transportation Authority North/South Corridors Study and Action Plan Parsons Brinckerhoff In association with Creighton Manning Engineering Arch Street Communications

North-South Corridors Study Recommend the most effective services for commuters traveling in the corridors between Saratoga and Albany Evaluate Existing Northway Express Commuter Rail Light Rail Transit (LRT) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

Recommend the most effective services for commuters traveling in the corridors between Saratoga and Albany

Evaluate

Existing Northway Express

Commuter Rail

Light Rail Transit (LRT)

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

New Visions 2030 Growth Scenarios Status Quo Trend Concentrated Growth Trend Hyper-Growth Concentrated Hyper-Growth

Status Quo Trend

Concentrated Growth

Trend Hyper-Growth

Concentrated Hyper-Growth

Commuter Rail Characteristics Longer corridors, wider station spacing Operates on active and inactive freight and inter-city rail lines Diesel or overhead electric propulsion Locomotives pulling cars or DMU/EMU Typically one station in downtown

Longer corridors, wider station spacing

Operates on active and inactive freight and inter-city rail lines

Diesel or overhead electric propulsion

Locomotives pulling cars or DMU/EMU

Typically one station in downtown

Light Rail Transit Characteristics Medium-length corridors, more frequent station spacing Inactive rail or dedicated right-of-way Overhead electric or diesel propulsion Often operates in-street downtown Usually several stops downtown

Medium-length corridors, more frequent station spacing

Inactive rail or dedicated right-of-way

Overhead electric or diesel propulsion

Often operates in-street downtown

Usually several stops downtown

Bus Rapid Transit Characteristics Medium-to-shorter corridors, frequent station or stop spacing Partially or fully dedicated right of way On-board diesel or hybrid propulsion Can operate on-street or in dedicated right-of-way

Medium-to-shorter corridors, frequent station or stop spacing

Partially or fully dedicated right of way

On-board diesel or hybrid propulsion

Can operate on-street or in dedicated right-of-way

BRT System Components ITS & Fare Payment Stations & Stops Service Plan Vehicles Running Ways & TSP

Spectrum of BRT Systems BRT “Lite” Mixed traffic Queue jumps Skip stops “ Exclusive” BRT Dedicated ROW Signal priority Larger fixed stations

BRT “Lite”

Mixed traffic

Queue jumps

Skip stops

“ Exclusive” BRT

Dedicated ROW

Signal priority

Larger fixed stations

LA Metro Railroad Corridor BRT Before After

Proposed Translink Eugene/Springfield BRT Lane Before After

Before

Four Preliminary Commuter Rail Alternatives

Five Preliminary BRT/LRT Corridors

Findings Proposed improvements to NX and local bus services sufficient to meet future demand in US 9/I-87 corridor Light rail expensive relative to potential market Commuter rail options can build-on investments made for other purposes

Proposed improvements to NX and local bus services sufficient to meet future demand in US 9/I-87 corridor

Light rail expensive relative to potential market

Commuter rail options can build-on investments made for other purposes

Findings River Corridor has high potential benefits Existing riders and new markets Higher market demand than US 9/I-87 corridors Focuses regional transit investment in targeted redevelopment areas

River Corridor has high potential benefits

Existing riders and new markets

Higher market demand than US 9/I-87 corridors

Focuses regional transit investment in targeted redevelopment areas

Findings River Corridor alignments require further analysis Conversion of CPR alignment to BRT Potentially complicated and expensive Proposed street alignment on US 4/NY 32 Too slow to attract longer distance, express trips Develop improvements to increase speed

River Corridor alignments require further analysis

Conversion of CPR alignment to BRT

Potentially complicated and expensive

Proposed street alignment on US 4/NY 32

Too slow to attract longer distance, express trips

Develop improvements to increase speed

Action Plan

Near-Term 2009-2014 Northway Express Restructure routes & increase service Provide reverse commute service Simplify fare zone structure Rationalize fares/equity in discounts Study potential priority treatments Implement 2 nd Exit 9 park-and-ride lot

Restructure routes & increase service

Provide reverse commute service

Simplify fare zone structure

Rationalize fares/equity in discounts

Study potential priority treatments

Implement 2 nd Exit 9 park-and-ride lot

Near-Term 2009-2014 River Corridor BRT Refine project re: FTA Small Starts Develop consensus on BRT and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policies Identify preferred BRT alignment (CPR Rail or US4/NY32 On Street Alignments) Complete development and begin construction

Refine project re: FTA Small Starts

Develop consensus on BRT and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policies

Identify preferred BRT alignment (CPR Rail or US4/NY32 On Street Alignments)

Complete development and begin construction

Near-Term 2009-2014 West Corridor Commuter Rail Extend selected existing Amtrak trains to Saratoga Double track the existing rail line to Schenectady (State project) Construct station in Albany at Broadway Construct SUNY-Airport-Harriman station

Extend selected existing Amtrak trains to Saratoga

Double track the existing rail line to Schenectady (State project)

Construct station in Albany at Broadway

Construct SUNY-Airport-Harriman station

Mid-Term 2015-2020 Northway Express Construct queue jumps & signal priorities Increase NX service frequency Develop Saratoga local shuttles such as a Luther Forest connection

Construct queue jumps & signal priorities

Increase NX service frequency

Develop Saratoga local shuttles such as a Luther Forest connection

Mid-Term 2015-2020 River Corridor BRT Complete construction of River Corridor facilities Begin service operations

Complete construction of River Corridor facilities

Begin service operations

Mid-Term 2015-2020 West Corridor Commuter Rail Add shuttle services to SUNY and Albany International Airport Construct intermediate station at Ballston

Add shuttle services to SUNY and Albany International Airport

Construct intermediate station at Ballston

Long-Term 2021-2030 Northway Express Construct managed-use lanes in the Northway corridor Increase NX service frequency

Construct managed-use lanes in the Northway corridor

Increase NX service frequency

Long-Term 2021-2030 River Corridor BRT and West Corridor Commuter Rail River Corridor Enhance service to respond to demand Commuter rail Expand commuter rail service by procuring rail equipment

River Corridor

Enhance service to respond to demand

Commuter rail

Expand commuter rail service by procuring rail equipment

Thank You!