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Planning for Transit in the World‟s Most Livable City:
What Portland and the Rest of North America Can Learn
From Vancouver
Alan Jones – Director
Steer Davies Gleave
Suite 970, 355 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 2G8
Canada
October 2010
www.steerdaviesgleave.com
Our Rail~Volution Session
Ι Transportation and Land Use in the 21st Century and Beyond
Ι What will our cities and regions look like 20 years from now?
Ι Fifty years from now?
Ι The decisions we make today about shaping our communities toward
more walkable, sustainable, economically viable design will be
important in the future.
Ι This overview session focuses on new projects, modes and ways of
thinking for dealing with urban realities and challenges around the
world.
Ι Take a close look at the innovative planning efforts being undertaken
in three progressive areas and see how those efforts can be translated
to your region.
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An Urban World
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Sustainable Land Use ?
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A Future for Suburbia ?
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“Ladies and
gentlemen, the
situation is not
good…
The world’s
climates are
changing, the
mammals are taking
over, and we all
have a
brain about the
size of a golf ball”
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A Warm Globe Future ?
Livability and a Healthy Lifestyle
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Vancouver, the Worlds Most Livable City
The Economist - 2010
Ι Economist scoring of 98 out of
100 potential points
Ι Ranked highly for:
■ Quality of life
■ Economic stability
■ Quality health care
■ Strong education system
■ Livable communities
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Vancouver, British Columbia –
The World‟s Most Livable City
Ι City includes 1/3 of the region‟s
total employment
Ι Primary growth in commute
choices has been by transit,
biking, or walking
Ι Local, regional, & national focus
on:
■ Creating convenient
transportation options
■ Greater use of transit
■ Transit-friendly land use
■ Reducing reliance on the car
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Vancouver in Context
Vancouver in Context
Ι Significant urban centre for Western Canada
Ι Consistent population growth currently at approximately 600,000
(within city limits) & 1.5 million in the metro area
Ι Population is projected to increase by 137,000 (23%) within the City
and by 54% to 3.39 million within the region (2041)
Ι Existing transit network of bus, SkyTrain, Canada Line, seabus, etc.
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Metro Vancouver Population and Employment Projections 2040
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Vancouver and Greater Vancouver –Long Term Targets
Ι TransLink‟s Transport 2040- Long term Plan
Ι Targets: 50% sustainable modes share (walk, bike, transit)
Ι Currently 30%, fourfold increase with growing population
Ι BC Provincial Transit Plan
Ι 22% Transit Mode Share by 2020
Ι GHG reduction target: 33% by 2020, 80% by 2040
Ι City of Vancouver
Ι 28% Transit Mode Share by 2020
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Extensive Trolleybus and bus network
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SkyTrain System
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Canada Line- opened 2009
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Canada Line- underground in Downtown
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University of British Columbia (UBC) Corridor
Ι Significant transit corridor crossing the Canada Line and SkyTrain
Ι Major activity centres at City Hall, health care facilities, & UBC
Ι Mix of commercial & residential densities
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UBC
Downtown
Broadway
Skytrain
Canada
Line
N
Commercial/Broadway
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Derrick Ulian photo
MirandaNelsonphoto
B Line at Commercial/Broadway
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VCC Clark SkyTrain Station- Millennium Line
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Broadway Corridor- East Vancouver
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Broadway and Main Street- “Uptown Vancouver”
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Broadway and Trafalgar (east of Arbutus)
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Kitsilano- Residential Neighbourhood
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Broadway and Mac Donald -Kitsilano
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Kitsilano- local neighbourhood
Point Grey
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University Boulevard (University Endowment Lands)
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University of British Columbia- Campus Site
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University of British Columbia Campus
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Ι Lead: TransLink, BC Province
Ι Partners:
■ City of Vancouver
■ Metro Vancouver
■ University of British
Columbia
■ University Endowment Lands
Ι Problem/Vision/Objectives
Ι MAE assessment
Ι Alignment Designs
Ι Technology Review
Ι BRT, LRT & Rail Rapid Transit
Ι Ridership & traffic modelling
Ι Stakeholder inputs
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UBC Rapid Transit Project
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UBC Line Rapid Transit Project – Problem Statements
Ι The problem statement defines the „purpose and need‟ for the study
Ι Agreed UBC Line Rapid Transit Project problem statements developed:
■ Existing transit services do not provide sufficient capacity or reliable
enough service to the major regional destinations and economic hubs
within the Broadway Corridor
■ Transit trips and mode share need to increase to reduce vehicle
kilometres traveled (VKT) and GHG emissions, both directly
and by supporting the Regional Growth Strategy and other
regional objectives
■ Regional funding for transit is limited and needs to balance a range
of rapid transit investment priorities
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UBC Line Rapid Transit Project – Vision and Mission
Ι The Vision explains the overall aim or purpose of the UBC Line
Rapid Transit Project
■ A rapid transit service that serves and shapes a great region and
communities and strengthens its livability and sustainability by
providing a viable alternative to the private car
Ι The Mission defines how the planning will be done and what
outcomes the UBC Line should achieve/deliver
■ To plan a rapid transit service that is accessible, convenient, safe,
reliable and environmentally and financially sustainable that
integrates with the regional transportation system and contributes
to the achievement of transportation, environmental and land use
objectives and targets
Vancouver Embraces a New Approach for the UBC Corridor
MAE
Deliverability
Economic Development
Environment
FinancialSocial
Community
Transportation
Urban Development
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Ι Multiple account evaluation (MAE)
Ι MAE analysis & prioritization process successfully used throughout the
UK & continental Europe
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UBC Line Rapid Transit project:
Design Work Books- 1:1,000 Drawings and Design Stage 1 (DF1)
Ι Early start on 1:1000 plans – surface and grade-separated
Ι Maximising segregated operation and junction priority
Ι Identifying key issues
■ Station and stop locations
■ Pedestrian and bike amenities
■ Land-use, property impacts and development opportunities
■ On-street parking, servicing and deliveries
■ Area-wide traffic and bus circulation issues- “Complete Communities”
Ι Subsequent Design Stages will
develop the design(s) and
address the issues/opportunities
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The “Complete Community” Approach
Ι Vancouver- Street Hierarchy
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University
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Commercial
Stakeholder Engagement & Workshops
Ι Design charrettes (decision accelerator)
Ι Designing complete streets (design a cross section)
Ι 100 participants
Ι A “game changer”
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“Best Bus” Option
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Transit Integration & Complete Streets- BRT Option
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UBC Simulation UBC Simulation
Transit Integration & Complete Streets- LRT Option
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UBC Simulation UBC Simulation
Rail Rapid Transit- Underground Station Entrance Granville/City
Centre
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Rail Rapid Transit- Canada Line Broadway/City Hall Station
Entrance
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Rail Rapid Transit- Entrance- Information & Ticketing
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Rail Rapid Transit- typical underground station platform
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Transit Technology Review- Olympic Line- Streetcar
Demonstration
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Sacramento
Ι Streetcar
Ι Light Rail Transit…
Ι or European Street Tram ?
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Alstom Citadis – Vehicle Options & Examples
Vehicle Arrangement Options
Vehicle Cab Options
Ι Lyon, France – 32.4m long (full low floor access)
Ι 56 seated, 145 standing – 201 passengers total
(4 passengers/m2)
Ι Dublin, Ireland – 40.8m long (partial low floor with
full low floor access)
Ι 80 seated, 230 standing – 310 passengers total
(5 passengers/m2)* Images & information supplied courtesy of Alstom
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Station Area Planning: European Style
Dublin LRT- Urban Style LRT and related TOD
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All r
oute
opti
ons
Single
Preferred
Option
High level assessment
against objectives
(200+ options) (Pre-Sift)
Assessment against
MAE criteria
(30 to 10 options)
Detailed assessment
(6 to 1 options)
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
MAE Process of Applying Accounts & Narrowing Options
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Phase 1 Pre-Sift Process – Corridor Identification
Ι Identified around 200 corridors wholly within the study area
Ι Initial assessment completed using high level criteria
Ι Technologies applied to corridors that passed the first screening
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Phase 1 Sift Process – Summary Conclusions
Ι 30 Options passed the pre-sift evaluation
■ 2 BRT option
■ 12 LRT options
■ 8 RRT options
■ 8 technology combination options
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Phase 2 Multiple Account Evaluation
Preliminary ResultsUBC Line Rapid Transit Study
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Bus Rapid Transit Alternative (BRT)
Ι 13.3km, 13 stops, 33.4mins, 2 min headway, 3,000 capacity (phpd)
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Light Rail Transit Alternative 1 (LRT1A and LRT1B)
Ι 13.5/14.3km, 13/13 stops, 26.5/28.7 mins, 4 min headway, 7,200 capacity (phpd)
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Light Rail Transit Alternative 2 (LRT2)
Ι 13.5/12.0km, 13/13 stops, 26.5/24.7 mins, 5+7.5/3 min headway, 5,760+1,920/ 7,680 capacity (phpd)
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Rail Rapid Transit Alternative 1 (RRT1A and RRT1B)
Ι 13.5/12.4km, 13/12 stops, 20.1/18.5 mins, 3 min headway, 7,800 capacity (phpd)
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Combination Alternative 1 (Combo1)
Ι 12.0/5.5km, 13/7 stops, 24.7/10.3 mins, 3 min headway, 4,800/7,800 capacity (phpd)
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Illustration of MAE results- summary presentation material
Ι Partnership Approach is essential
Ι Multiple Account Evaluation
ensures balanced assessment
Ι Consider wide range of technology
options
Ι Complete Corridor approach is key
Ι Transit, land use, and demand
management to meet the targets
Ι “Integration isn‟t easy..but it‟s
worth it !”
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UBC Project: Lessons Learned
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Thank you
MAE Accounts
Ι Social Community - major community impacts
■ Fit with the existing community; pedestrian and cycle links and
connections; impacts on First Nations; ability to improve accessibility to
transit and mobility for low-income households (equity); impacts to
quality of life; noise; health benefits; security and safety implications;
visual intrusion and community cohesion/severance; and, effects on
heritage and archeology.
Ι Transportation - impacts on transit users and non-transit users affected by the
project.
■ Value of the change in travel time for transit and road users; automobile
operating cost savings for road users; safety benefits; travel time
reliability and system crowding.
Ι Urban Development - impact on land value and land use
■ Value uplift at/between station areas; potential property tax increases;
general impacts on land use.
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MAE Accounts
Ι Deliverability - implementation and feasibility issues
■ Constructability; acceptability (public and political); funding; and policy
support.
Ι Economic Development - direct and indirect income and employment
impacts: short-term (during construction) and long-term (ongoing
operations)
■ Incremental employment, income and GDP during construction;
incremental annual employment, income and GDP during the operational
phase; incremental taxes (provincial and federal); impact on goods
movement.
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MAE Accounts
Ι Environment - a high level assessment to identify the likely
environmental impacts of the options:
■ impacts of the construction and operation; effects on reductions in GHG
emissions over the life of the project; nature and magnitude of other
environmental impacts.
Ι Financial – all fiscal measures, expressed as a net present value (NPV)
of costs.
■ Includes: direct costs of building and operating the service; direct
revenues from the operation of the service; and, indirect costs and
revenues that are either incurred or avoided due to the rapid transit
service.
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