The Purple Line light rail expansion in Houston has moved forward, providing benefits to the community. The 6.6 mile, 10 station line will connect major activity centers like universities and medical centers while alleviating traffic congestion. It faces challenges like minimizing utility disruption along the congested corridor. Features include sleek rail vehicles, contemporary stations featuring local art, and stops near sports stadiums. The line will improve transit access and support development, helping address longstanding flooding issues.
The TOD Study presented yesterday looked carefully at land use and transportation patterns, and then suggested the general contours for a reshaped downtown. Six potential development clusters were identified, including: the North Avenue Gateway (between Memorial Circle and I-95), the Central Corridor (between I-95 and the Metro-North tracks), Crossroads (the heart of the downtown, near the intersection of Huguenot and North), the West Gateway (where Huguenot and Main meet near Pintard), the East Gateway (around Echo Bay and Faneuil Park), and the I-95 Gateway (near the end of Palmer Avenue.)
Georgia Traffic Mega Projects December 2019Steven Simms
A summary of mega-transportation & transit projects that could make big improvements to Atlanta's traffic. Plus, a deeper dive into using elevated gondolas as a mass transit solution in Atlanta.
This is the transportation planning module I developed for the Suncoast Section of the Florida APA's AICP prep course. I deliver it each March to help new professionals prepare for the exam.
The TOD Study presented yesterday looked carefully at land use and transportation patterns, and then suggested the general contours for a reshaped downtown. Six potential development clusters were identified, including: the North Avenue Gateway (between Memorial Circle and I-95), the Central Corridor (between I-95 and the Metro-North tracks), Crossroads (the heart of the downtown, near the intersection of Huguenot and North), the West Gateway (where Huguenot and Main meet near Pintard), the East Gateway (around Echo Bay and Faneuil Park), and the I-95 Gateway (near the end of Palmer Avenue.)
Georgia Traffic Mega Projects December 2019Steven Simms
A summary of mega-transportation & transit projects that could make big improvements to Atlanta's traffic. Plus, a deeper dive into using elevated gondolas as a mass transit solution in Atlanta.
This is the transportation planning module I developed for the Suncoast Section of the Florida APA's AICP prep course. I deliver it each March to help new professionals prepare for the exam.
Mass transit system refers to public shared transportation, such as trains, buses, ferries etc that can commute a larger number of passengers from origin to destination on a no-reserved basis and in lesser time. It can also be termed as Public Transport.
GROWING THROUGH TRANSIT: a plan for transit oriented development in downtown ...John-Mark Palacios
Student TOD proposal at Florida Atlantic University. Suggests redevelopment of a different site than that chosen by Fort Lauderdale for All Aboard Florida and Tri-Rail Coastal Link.
Transit-oriented development (TOD): Integrating rail and commercial developme...Atkins
Atkins' technical director Jason Hutchings explores the ways in which cities across the world can gain maximum benefit from their investment in transport, commercial and civic projects through transit oriented development (TOD). TOD facilitates and encourages the use of public transport and provides alternative revenue streams for transport providers and operators, reducing their reliance on state funding for capital investment and operation/maintenance costs. It means transit systems are more popular, accessible and better connected for the commuting population, and commercial property development can be integrated and benefit from such a holistic approach to critical city centre locations. But TOD is not without its challenges. Atkins illustrates the issues and solutions across a range of international projects.
This presentation was first delivered in May 2013 at the 3rd Annual Modern Railways Conference, Singapore.
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) results in the creation of compact, walkable and liveable communities with access to amenities built around high quality mass transit stations. However, the discourse around TODs in India is more of a densification and value capture approach, which is necessary, but yet an incomplete conversation for the Indian context. This webinar, presented by Todd Litman, Himadri Das and Lubaina Rangwala addresses the major challenges and learnings from the ‘implementation’ of a TOD.
The webinar recording can be seen here - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/335456930
Related Research - http://embarqindiahub.org/reports/towards-walkable-sustainable-bengaluru-accessibility-project-indiranagar-metro-station
Related webinar - http://embarqindiahub.org/webinars/parking-effective-tool-manage-travel-demand-transit-oriented-developments
Transit Oriented Development is the exciting fast growing trend in creating vibrant, livable, sustainable communities. Also known as TOD, it's the creation of compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities centered around high quality train systems.
transit oriented development california
transit oriented development principles
examples of transit oriented development
transit oriented development abstract
transit oriented development case studies
transit oriented development hawaii
transit oriented development seattle
transit oriented development benefits
Luong Minh Phuc, General Director, Urban-Civil Works Construction Investment Management Authority of HCM (UCCI)
Presented at Transforming Transportation 2016
Mass transit system refers to public shared transportation, such as trains, buses, ferries etc that can commute a larger number of passengers from origin to destination on a no-reserved basis and in lesser time. It can also be termed as Public Transport.
GROWING THROUGH TRANSIT: a plan for transit oriented development in downtown ...John-Mark Palacios
Student TOD proposal at Florida Atlantic University. Suggests redevelopment of a different site than that chosen by Fort Lauderdale for All Aboard Florida and Tri-Rail Coastal Link.
Transit-oriented development (TOD): Integrating rail and commercial developme...Atkins
Atkins' technical director Jason Hutchings explores the ways in which cities across the world can gain maximum benefit from their investment in transport, commercial and civic projects through transit oriented development (TOD). TOD facilitates and encourages the use of public transport and provides alternative revenue streams for transport providers and operators, reducing their reliance on state funding for capital investment and operation/maintenance costs. It means transit systems are more popular, accessible and better connected for the commuting population, and commercial property development can be integrated and benefit from such a holistic approach to critical city centre locations. But TOD is not without its challenges. Atkins illustrates the issues and solutions across a range of international projects.
This presentation was first delivered in May 2013 at the 3rd Annual Modern Railways Conference, Singapore.
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) results in the creation of compact, walkable and liveable communities with access to amenities built around high quality mass transit stations. However, the discourse around TODs in India is more of a densification and value capture approach, which is necessary, but yet an incomplete conversation for the Indian context. This webinar, presented by Todd Litman, Himadri Das and Lubaina Rangwala addresses the major challenges and learnings from the ‘implementation’ of a TOD.
The webinar recording can be seen here - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/335456930
Related Research - http://embarqindiahub.org/reports/towards-walkable-sustainable-bengaluru-accessibility-project-indiranagar-metro-station
Related webinar - http://embarqindiahub.org/webinars/parking-effective-tool-manage-travel-demand-transit-oriented-developments
Transit Oriented Development is the exciting fast growing trend in creating vibrant, livable, sustainable communities. Also known as TOD, it's the creation of compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities centered around high quality train systems.
transit oriented development california
transit oriented development principles
examples of transit oriented development
transit oriented development abstract
transit oriented development case studies
transit oriented development hawaii
transit oriented development seattle
transit oriented development benefits
Luong Minh Phuc, General Director, Urban-Civil Works Construction Investment Management Authority of HCM (UCCI)
Presented at Transforming Transportation 2016
8 major public transportation expansion projectsJLL
U.S. submarkets with public transportation outperform the national office market for vacancy, rents and development levels. The reason? More and more workers are demanding offices served by public transportation and so are companies to recruit and retain talent.
This shift in market dynamics coincides with the push for more public transportation infrastructure by voters and elected officials across the country. Take a look at some of the largest public transportation projects across the United Sates.
Running head LOS ANGELES UNION STATION AS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPME.docxcharisellington63520
Running head: LOS ANGELES UNION STATION AS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
LOS ANGELES UNION STATION AS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Los Angeles Union Station as a Sustainable Development Project
Institution
Course Name
Name
Date
I. Development description of rebuilding the Union Station in Los Angeles
Located strategically in Northeastern of Downtown Los Angeles, the Union Station celebrated its 75th anniversary this year since it began operations. Owned by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a private governing body, this public facility serves approximately 1.643 million passengers a year. Significant dates of this station include beginning official operation in 1939, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and became part of the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1972 (Maltzan, 2011). In September 17, 2014 the master vision of upgrading this facility was revealed. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) revealed the final project’s master plan that seek to transform this historic station into a more modern facility in the contemporary environment that need sustainability.
II. Purpose of rebuilding
The Union Station is due for major innovation to build a modern super transportation station. Although several projects including New transit station on El Monte Busway, Southern California Regional Interconnect Project, and Former Run-Through Tracks Project have been proposed before and fail to receive attention from legislators, the approved 2014 master plan was developed for California High-Speed Rail project. This project seeks to transform the Union Station into a major hub of transportation with new rail system and new railway station infrastructure. The Metro Authority indicated that the California High-Speed Rail system project will improve rail transportation and passengers will be able to travel from this station to Transbay Terminal in San Francisco in less than three hours(Chester and Horvath, 2010). As the master plan of the new station reveal, the project will feature aerial structures that will be built above the existing platform and underground structures. Apart from improving transportation, increasing convenience and serving more passengers, this project aims to utilize resource in order to enhance sustainability in the transport sector in California. In America, California is the most populous State, with most polluted cities from motor vehicles, port operations and various industries; any sustainable transportation project is welcome.
III. Demographic Snapshot of the Los Angeles
The neighborhood is an important stakeholder and a major consideration during a major infrastructure development. The proposed station will have numerous activities going on during building. During the process of rebuilding this station, it is expected to give inconveniences to the Los Angeles residents and neighboring residen.
Intermodal transport hub – an international case study
Denver Union Station is the main railway station and central transportation hub in Denver, Colorado. It is located at 17th and Wynkoop Streets in the present-day LoDo district and includes the historic terminal building, a train shed, a 22-gate underground bus facility, and light rail station.
In 2012, the station underwent a major renovation transforming it into the centerpiece of a new transit-oriented mixed-use development built on the site's former railyards.
The station house re-opened in the summer of 2014 as a combination of the 112-room Crawford Hotel, several restaurants and retails and a dining hall.
The paper for my group's my final project for the Urban Planning Capstone Course at Texas A&M. This paper goes even more in-depth (as expected!) than the PowerPoint about our study of the mobility and infrastructure in the downtown College Station area. As I mentioned when I uploaded the PowerPoint, I really enjoyed working on this project and I want to continue this kind of research as a professional Urban Planner!
1. QUICK LINKS News Blogs Photo Galleries Videos BusOps Jobs Directory BusCon Magazine Technology
Post a comment | Comments 0 | 2
Management & Operations
Houston's light rail expansion moves forward with
Purple Line
Posted on October 14, 2014
Siemens rail cars, like the one seen here promoting
businesses along the new transit corridors, are in
service on Houston’s METRORail system and offer
fast, reliable transport that will expand with the opening
of the new Southeast/Purple Line and the East
End/Green Line in 2015.
Since 1983, when Houston’s first rail plan was proposed, light rail has come a long way in the
city. While the city faced numerous political, legal and financial challenges in the first two
decades, forward-thinking leaders persisted knowing that the urban core was getting congested
with the rapid increase in the city’s population. In 2001, their efforts were rewarded when the
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), which serves Houston and the
surrounding areas, broke ground on the city’s first light rail line.
The successful construction of the 7.5-mile, 16-station Red Line, which ran from the
University of Houston-Downtown to south of Reliant Park along the streets of Main,
Fannin and San Jacinto, paved the way for more light rail expansion. In 2003, voters
approved a referendum to expand Houston’s light-rail system by another 26 miles.
Last year, METRO opened the 5.3-mile Red Line extension that heads north. When
the first passenger boards the new Purple Line in 2015, Houstonians will add
another successful chapter in their growing support for mass transit.
Also known as the Southeast Corridor line, the 6.6-mile, 10-station Purple Line
begins downtown and travels southeast along Capitol and Rusk to the Palm Center
near MLK and Griggs. The line travels through Houston’s Third Ward, one of
Houston’s oldest African-American communities, and connects to Texas Southern
University and the University of Houston Central Campus. The last portion of the
Enter e-mail address here
Latest Articles See more
Sign up for Newsletters
Receive latest news and stories
View the latest enewsletter here
INIT Reduces Environmental Impact Through
Zero-Waste-to-Landfill Certification
Five Questions with the Ventura County
Transportation Commission's Darren Kettle
Does Your Transit, Motorcoach Battery Pack
Enough Power?
Subscribe Digital Edition Advertise with us About us
Bus Rail Motorcoach Accessibility Government Issues Operations Security Sustainability University Research Events
Page 1 of 7Houston's light rail expansion moves forward with Purple Line - Management & Operatio...
6/9/2015http://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/news/292564/houstons-light-rail-...
2. track will enable riders to transfer at the EaDo/Stadium station to travel through the
historic East End. Riders can also continue onto Central Station to transfer to the
Red Line for travel up or down Main Street.
“The Purple Line will accommodate existing and future travel demands in the
Southeast Corridor and improve transit services to major activity centers, including
the downtown district, major universities, and the Texas Medical Center,” said Jose
Enriquez, program manager, Southeast Corridor, METRORail Construction.
To successfully complete this project, METRO, in May 2007, commissioned
Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN), a planning, engineering and program
management firm headquartered in Houston, to serve as prime designer under the
Houston Rapid Transit (HRT) joint venture contract. Headed by the Parsons
Transportation Group, the joint venture team included Granite Construction, Kiewit
Texas Construction L.P. and Stacy and Witbeck Inc.
The Purple Line also will make convenient stops at
Houston Astro’s Minute Maid Park (pictured),
Houston Dynamo’s BBVA Compass Stadium and
the University of Houston’s new TDECU football
stadium.
Project Features
The project team incorporated a number of distinctive features to enable commuters to have an
enjoyable travel experience. Sleek, new light rail vehicles (manufactured by Siemens) powered
by an overhead catenary system will quickly transport passengers to work in comfort and style.
The trains, which can carry 200 passengers per car, are equipped with eight wide-opening,
sliding doors, four on each side of the vehicle. The low floor will enable passengers to board at
street level, providing easier access for people of all abilities. The door spacing is optimal for
passenger flow — the time necessary to enter and exit the vehicle. The design of the interior
maximizes passenger space, using a knee-to-back seating arrangement and a large standing
area with extra hand straps and grab bars for passenger safety. In addition to the amplified
passenger space and wide doorways, the vehicle is also equipped with two designated
wheelchair spaces, allowing priority seating for disabled passengers as well as two bicycle
racks, located at front and rear doorways.
The 10 stations are contemporary in architectural style, composed of steel beam
columns supporting a glass canopy. Each station features customized design
through an impressive art program that enhances its appeal to commuters. To
capture the essence of the surrounding community through which the Purple Line
travels, METRO commissioned a team of local artists to create art for the station’s
windscreen glass panels. The murals along the Purple Line feature the powerful
contributions of African-Americans to Houston and the state of Texas in a dynamic,
historical timeline that unfolds from one station to the next.
Community Benefits
The Purple Line will provide numerous benefits and opportunities to the Houston
community. Thousands of residents will be able to access the Purple Line to
commute to work, which will help pull cars off the road, alleviate the congestion on
the corridor and save money on gas and parking. Residents will be able to take the
Products See All
Mobileye Collision
Avoidance System
Quantum automatic
rear-facing
wheelchair
securement station
Passenger Access
Ramp
Electric Door
Actuator
Upgrading a Bus Facility for CNG: What You
Need to Know
A New Wave of Fire Suppression On Board
Public Transportation Vehicles
WHITEPAPERS
Bus Rooftop Air Conditioning System
Overview
Bus Air Conditioning Systems:
Compressors and Engine Mount & Drive
Kits
Bus Air Conditioning Systems: BTU
Ratings
More White Papers
Page 2 of 7Houston's light rail expansion moves forward with Purple Line - Management & Operatio...
6/9/2015http://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/news/292564/houstons-light-rail-...
3. Purple Line, and connect to METRO’s vast bus network or other rail lines, to go to
businesses, schools, hospitals, restaurants, retail shops, music concerts, arts and
other entertainment venues throughout the city. The Purple Line also will make
convenient stops at Houston Astro’s Minute Maid Park, Houston Dynamo’s BBVA
Compass Stadium and the University of Houston’s new TDECU football stadium.
The light rail project will provide fast, dependable service to the University of
Houston. Three new stops will serve the University of Houston campus: the corner
of Scott and Elgin, on Scott behind the new TDECU football stadium and on
Wheeler near Calhoun. Students, faculty and staff from Texas Southern University
can also access the Purple Line.
Local investments from both private and public entities will help redevelop existing
neighborhoods and bring new life to the community. The project has already spurred
a number of developments. The Houston Independent School District reconstructed
an elementary school to serve the area; a new private K-12 school developed along
the corridor; and numerous housing redevelopments, including large apartment and
condominium complexes are taking shape in conjunction with the rail corridor
improvements.
To build the Purple Line, HRT relocated and rebuilt 16 miles of public utilities, 6.6
miles of roadway and more than 11 miles of sidewalks and driveways, significantly
improving the infrastructure along the corridor. The project also helped resolve some
local flooding issues which had existed in the community for years.
As part of the improvements, METRO, working with the City of Houston, upgraded
the Columbia Tap Trail, a popular multi-use hike and bike trail in southeast Houston.
The upgrades include an irrigation system, sod, plantings and installation of trees to
further enhance the trail’s natural setting. Finally, the project will preserve historic
properties while providing a critical transportation option.
Elected officials, civil rights leaders and residents
in May at the unveiling of a bronze statue of Martin
Luther King, Jr. METRO worked with the
community to make the memorial possible as it
designed and constructed the Purple/Southeast
Light Rail Line station adjacent to MacGregor
Park.
Complex Challenges
The scale and complexity of the project created numerous challenges. The Purple Line lies in a
highly used corridor for public and private utilities, including communications, gas, electric,
sanitary sewer and water lines. As such, a major component of the project was minimizing the
disturbance to the utilities. To achieve this, the design and construction teams collaborated to
implement an embedded guideway throughout the alignment. This solution, which reduced the
depth of the section, had multiple benefits such as minimizing utility disturbance, decreasing
material quantities needed for construction, eliminating costly soil stabilization and providing an
all-weather asphalt working surface for the embedded track. The minimized track section saved
a significant amount of time and money for the project.
Page 3 of 7Houston's light rail expansion moves forward with Purple Line - Management & Operatio...
6/9/2015http://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/news/292564/houstons-light-rail-...
4. Also, the rail alignment lies on or adjacent to the University of Houston property for
approximately one mile. Right-of-way negotiations between the university and
METRO were lengthy due to the university’s master plan improvements, which
included a new football stadium. The project team looked at a number of different
options for alignment along the university campus while other construction activities
took place. Working closely with the stakeholders, the team reached the best
alternative to fit the needs of all parties while re-sequencing work activities to allow
for a beneficial solution.
“Finalizing design and construction of the Purple Line at the university’s new TDECU
stadium location was especially challenging as it required coordination between two
large public entities at a time when both were finalizing designs for mega projects,”
said Enriquez. “Considerable effort was put into examining infrastructure
configuration, pedestrian flow, and future public transit needs around the project
sites.”
The team also addressed clearance issues at the existing I-45 bridge overpass at
Scott Street, a high-density intersection. The existing bridge, which was built in the
1950s, had a vertical clearance of 14 feet and 8 inches. With the overhead wire of
the light rail vehicle reaching a height of 14 feet and six inches, the clearance
underneath the bridge became a pinch point. Also, the columns under the bridges
were tightly spaced, which prevented the widening of the street, presenting
horizontal clearance issues.
“We were installing 27 feet of new light rail lines between columns spaced 68.5 feet
apart but we had to do that without reducing the existing traffic capacity as part of
Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) requirements,” said Thomas
Duncan, PE, PTOE, LAN’s traffic engineering group manager. “Building a light rail
guideway in this tight configuration while addressing the requirements of multiple
stakeholders and meeting METRO’s standards presented significant challenges.”
Working with METRO, the City of Houston and TxDOT, HRT realigned Scott Street’s
existing northbound and U-turn lanes. Crash walls were added between the columns
to meet TxDOT and METRO standards. This complex street modification design
addressed the vertical and horizontal clearance issues, eliminated the need for a
very costly bridge modification or reconstruction, and saved the project significant
time in phasing and construction.
Introducing a light rail line in a dense corridor also created operational capacity
issues. The Purple Line has 22 intersections controlled by traffic signals and 55
intersections without signals. The design team performed a detailed intersection
operational analysis using VISSIM to study several modes of transportation
including vehicular traffic, existing bus routes and pedestrian movements. The
results of this analysis demonstrated that when the Purple Line is constructed, the
integrity of the traffic network will be maintained through the year 2035.
Another challenge involved choosing a new home for a live oak tree dedicated to Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., which is now known as the “Tree of Life.” When METRO
began planning the Purple Line route down MLK Blvd, the 30-year-old tree was in
the middle of the planned MacGregor Park-MLK Station. Working with elected
officials, community stakeholders, and METRO staff, the project team helped build a
memorial plaza across the street from the station to place the tree.
Conclusion
The Purple Line is well on track for a 2015 grand opening. Concurrent with the
Purple Line, Houston METRO also will open the 3.3-mile East End/Green Line that
Page 4 of 7Houston's light rail expansion moves forward with Purple Line - Management & Operatio...
6/9/2015http://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/news/292564/houstons-light-rail-...
5. Tags: Houston Metro LAN light rail Purple Line
travels along Harrisburg from the Magnolia Park Transit Center through the historic
East End to a variety of downtown entertainment and business destinations.
Combined with the North Line that opened last December, the three new lines will
triple light-rail’s footprint in Houston. With these steps, Houston is making great
strides, joining the list of cities with top-notch mass transit systems — no small feat
for this famously car-centric city.
Philip L. Meaders, P.E., is a Vice President at Lockwood,
Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), a planning, engineering
and program management firm. To contact Philip, please e-mail
pmeaders@lan-inc.com.
View comments or post a comment on this story. (0 Comments)
More News
Uber chief touts service as answer to public
transportation gaps
Recently introduced UberPOOL, which has multiple
passengers and destinations in one ride.
Gov. Baker unveils $83 million MBTA winter resiliency
plan
Calls for investments this summer and over the next five
years in snow removal equipment, infrastructure upgrades
and operations during harsh weather to improve service
reliability.
Ford announces new features for 2016 Transit vehicle
New additions include SYNC 3, rearview camera technology
and new customization options.
MTA New York City Transit President Bianco to retire
Carmen Bianco, 63, became acting president of New York
City Transit in April 2013 and was permanently appointed to
the position in September 2013 following a nationwide
search. He had previously served since March 2010 as sr.
VP, Department of Subways.
WMATA temporarily suspends 'issue ads'
The ads bring in approximately $2 million dollars annually, so
suspending those kinds of ads for the remainder of the year
could cost the agency approximately $1 million, according to
WMATA. The agency said its decision had nothing to do with
any particular ad.
See More News
Post a Comment
Name
Email Address
Page 5 of 7Houston's light rail expansion moves forward with Purple Line - Management & Operatio...
6/9/2015http://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/news/292564/houstons-light-rail-...