Chicago Transit Authority YELLOW LINE EXTENSION ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS STUDY SCREEN 1 August 2008 SLIDE: Schedule for Tonight’s Meeting -- Structure of the Meeting -- Questions and answers process * Submit your comments in writing on comment cards * Comments and questions will be grouped and answered by topic * All comments and questions will be addressed on CTA’s website -www.transitchicago.com * An interpreter for the hearing impaired is available this evening SLIDE: Tonight’s Speakers Darud Akbar, Moderator ? Chicago Transit Authority Jeffery Busby, Strategic Planning Manager ? Chicago Transit Authority Alan Winn, Yellow Line Study Area Manager ? Parsons Brinkerhoff SLIDE: Outline of Presentation -- Describe Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) required “New Starts” process -- Define Alternatives Analysis study steps -- Emphasize the importance of Public Involvement -- Discuss status of Yellow Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study SLIDE: FTA’S Required New Start Process Flow chart shows New Start Process: Concept Development, Alternatives Analysis Study (present stage), Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Impact Statement, Final Design, Construction, then Operation. SLIDE: Alternatives Analysis (AA) Studies -- FTA requirement for federal funding for transit expansion (New Starts) -- Identifies transit opportunities and ensures all practical solutions are considered -- Ensures planning is consistent among all New Starts projects throughout the country -- Provides opportunity to gather information and receive public input -- Identifies Locally Preferred Alternative SLIDE: Alternatives Analysis Process – Key Steps -- Define Purpose and Need -- Identify all possible transportation alternatives called the “Universe of Alternatives” -- Evaluates viability of possible alternatives through a screening procedure -- Identify Locally Preferred Alternative -- Provide public involvement during each of the key steps. SLIDE: Public Involvement Process -- Key component of the Alternatives Analysis study -- Opportunity to provide information and receive public input * Your comments are needed to complete this screening process -- Community outreach * General public, elected officials, community and civic organizations, local and state agencies -- Ongoing public involvement / input * Meetings announced through public notices and advertisements * Project updates on the CTA web site - www.transitchicago.com, accessible at local public libraries NEW SECTION: STATUS OF STUDY SLIDE: Purpose and Need -- Enhance access to the concentration of institutional, employment and retail activity in the Old Orchard Road area -- Leverage existing transit infrastructure to provide locally oriented rapid transit service -- Support local land use and development goals -- Alleviate traffic congestion due to expected growth in Skokie population and employment SLIDE: Opportunity for Improvement -- Extend rapid transit service north from Yellow Line terminal at Dempster Street: * Improve access to, within, and beyond study area * Support economic development and job opportunities * Shorten transit travel times through faster and more direct routing SLIDE: FTA’S Required New Start Process Flow chart shows progress: Concept Development, Alternatives Analysis Study (present stage), Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Impact Statement, Final Design, Construction, then Operation. SLIDE: Evaluation Process – Screening Detail -- Screen 1 – Review Universe of Alternatives * Eliminate alternatives based on technology, corridor and profile * Advance strongest alternatives to Screen 2 -- Screen 2 – Detailed Definition and Evaluation * Define alignments and operating service plans * Evaluate alternatives including transit ridership, capital costs, and neighborhood resources along the alignment -- Locally Preferred Alternative SLIDE: Screen 1 Process 1. Define the Universe of Alternatives 2. Evaluate all Potential Technologies 3. Evaluate all Potential Alignments (Corridors and Profiles) 4. Evaluate all Potential Combinations of Technological and Alignment Alternatives 5. Advance Strongest Combinations NEW SECTION: TECHNOLOGIES EVALUATED SLIDE: Universe of Alternatives Considered – Technologies List of technologies examined: Automated Guideway/Monorail, Bus Rapid Transit, Commuter Bus, Commuter Rail, Heavy Rail Transit, High Speed Rail, Light Rail Transit, Local Bus, MagLev, Personal Rapid Transit, Streetcar SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed -- Automated Guideway/Monorail Picture: Example of a Monorail SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed – Bus Rapid Transit Picture: Examples of Bus Rapid Transit SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed – Commuter Bus Picture: Example of a Commuter Bus SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed -- Commuter Rail Picture: Example of a Commuter Rail train SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed – Heavy Rail Transit Picture: Example of Heavy Rail Transit SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed – High Speed Rail Picture: Example of High Speed Rail SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed – Light Rail Transit Picture: Example of Light Rail Transit SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed -- Local Rail Picture: Example of a Local Rail SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed -- MagLev Picture: Example of a MagLev Train SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed – Personal Transit Picture: Example of a Personal Rapid Transit car SLIDE: Technologies Reviewed -- Streetcar Picture: Example of a Streetcar NEW SECTION: CORRIDORS AND PROFILES EVALUATED SLIDE: Universe of Corridors and Profiles Considered Four corridors are listed: Edens Expressway, Union Pacific Railroad, Gross Point Road / Skokie Boulevard, Skokie Boulevard List of Profiles Considered: At-grade, Elevated, Trench, Underground SLIDE: Study Area Map: Yellow Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study Area with the boundaries of Dempster Street to the south, Old Orchard Road to the north, Skokie Boulevard to the east and Central Avenue/Harms Road to the west. At the southern boundary of the map is the Skokie / Dempster Street Yellow Line terminus. SLIDE: Edens Expressway Corridor Map of the Edens Expressway Corridor. The corridor begins in the south at the Dempster Street Yellow Line Station. If then follows Dempster Street west to the Edens Expressway. It continues north along the Edens Expressway to its northern terminus at Old Orchard Road. SLIDE: Union Pacific Railroad Corridor Map: This corridor begins at the Dempster Street Yellow Line Station and continues north along the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way. Near the Edens Expressway, it offers an east or west possible alignment and location for the terminal station at Old Orchard Road. The east option is near Niles North High School and Old Orchard Mall and the West option is near the Cook County Courthouse. SLIDE: Gross Point Road / Skokie Boulevard Corridor Map: This corridor begins at the Dempster Street Yellow Line Station. It follows the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way to Gross Point Road. At Gross Point Road, the corridor turns right and travels northeast on Gross Point Road to Skokie Boulevard. At Skokie Boulevard, the corridor turns left and continues north to Old Orchard Road and the Old Orchard Shopping Mall. SLIDE: Skokie Boulevard Corridor Map: This corridor begins at the Dempster Street Yellow Line Station. It travels east on Dempster Street to Skokie Boulevard where it turns left (north). At Skokie Boulevard, the corridor continues north to Old Orchard Road and the Old Orchard Shopping Mall. SLIDE: Corridors Considered in the AA Study Four corridors are identified together in a map: Edens Expressway, Union Pacific Railroad, Gross Point Road / Skokie Boulevard, Skokie Boulevard SLIDE: Universe of Alternatives in the Alternatives Analysis Study Flow chart that illustrates the aforementioned eleven technologies plus four corridors plus four profiles equals the Universe of Alternatives. The Universe of Alternatives is 178 combinations including No-Build and Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Note that not all technologies can be applied to each alignment. NEW SECTION: SCREEN 1 EVALUATION SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Criteria -- Technologies Evaluation Criteria: Speed, Station Spacing, Customer Capacity, Proven Reliability -- Corridors and Profiles Evaluation Criteria: Social Factors, Transportation Factors -- Technologies and Corridors Evaluation Criteria: Effects on Neighborhoods, Physical Constraints, Operational Constraints, Opportunities to access Other Transit Services. SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Process Preliminary Findings -- Technologies that meet the criteria of the Screen 1 evaluation process * Bus Rapid Transit * Heavy Rail Transit SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Process Preliminary Findings -- Corridors that meet the criteria of the Screen 1 evaluation process: * UP Railroad (UPRR) * Gross Point Road / Skokie Boulevard SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Process Preliminary Findings Three combinations of technologies, corridors, and profiles have been determined to be appropriate to move to Screen 2 evaluation: -- Bus Rapid Transit on the UPRR Corridor at-grade -- Bus Rapid Transit on the Gross Point Road / Skokie Boulevard Corridor at-grade -- Heavy Rail Transit on the UPRR Corridor in trench, at-grade, and elevated SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Process Preliminary Findings Flow chart that illustrates two technologies plus two corridors plus three profiles equals the Universe of Alternatives moving forward. The Universe of Alternatives is 5 combinations including No-Build and Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Note that not all technologies can be applied to each alignment. The technologies, profiles, and corridors moving forward were those combinations listed in the previous slide plus the No-Build and TSM. NEW SECTION: NEXT STEPS SLIDE: Next Steps -- Incorporate public comments -- Confirm Screen 1 preliminary findings for LPA and conclude Alternatives Analysis study -- Refine the alternatives -- Continue public involvement * Sign-in cards will be used to create a contact list to send notices and updates * Meetings announced through car cards, customer alerts, local media, and contact list * Project updates on CTA web site – www.transitchicago.com SLIDE: Questions and Comments -- CTA representatives are available to answer additional questions -- Written comments and questions accepted through September 2, 2008 (two weeks from today) -- Contact information: Mr. Darud Akbar, Chicago Transit Authority, Government and Community Relations P.O. Box 7567 Chicago, IL 60680-7567 dakbar@transitchicago.com CTA Customer Service: 1-888-YOUR-CTA TTY: 1-888-CTA-TTY1