Chicago Transit Authority ORANGE 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 and translators for the Polish and Spanish speaking communities are available this evening SLIDE: Tonight’s Speakers Darud Akbar, Moderator ? Chicago Transit Authority Jeffery Busby, Strategic Planning Manager ? Chicago Transit Authority Ronald Shimizu, Orange 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 Orange Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study 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: 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 -- Relieve roadway, bus and passenger congestion at Midway Airport Orange Line station -- Better accommodate tremendous growth in employment opportunities along Cicero Avenue and air travel at Midway since the opening of the Orange Line in 1993 -- Reduce lengthy bus trips to access Orange Line -- Alleviate traffic congestion due to expected growth in study area population and employment SLIDE: Opportunity for Improvement -- Extend rapid transit service south from Midway Airport Orange Line terminal * Improve access to, within, and beyond study area * Support economic development and job opportunities * Shorten transit travel times through faster and more direct routing Map: Illustration of numerous bus routes that service Midway Station and Ford City that would benefit from a rail extension. SLIDE: FTA Evaluation Process The Purpose and Need is first defined, the evaluation criteria are applied, and options within the Universe of Alternatives are eliminated until, at the end of the process, there is a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). Flow chart illustrates process of examining a universe of alternatives, application of evaluation criteria, and narrowing options during the Alternatives Analysis Process to arrive at a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) 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 List of Corridors: Cicero Avenue, Belt Railway / Cicero Avenue, Belt Railway / Kostner Avenue, Pulaski Road List of Profiles with small renderings: At-grade, Elevated, Trench, Underground SLIDE: Study Area Map that highlights the study area. The study area is bounded by 79th Street in the south, 59th Street / Midway Orange Line Station in the north, Pulaski road to the east, and Laramie Avenue as the western boundary. SLIDE: Cicero Avenue Corridor Map that illustrates the Cicero Avenue Corridor. The corridor begins at the Midway Orange Line Station (59th Street) and extends south to 76th Street near the Ford City Mall. SLIDE: Belt Railway / Cicero Avenue Corridor Map that illustrates the Belt Railway / Cicero Avenue Corridor. The corridor begins at the Midway Orange Line Station (59th Street) and travels south along the Belt Line Railway Corridor. At or near 6900 south, the corridor veers west to join Cicero Avenue. The corridor continues south on Cicero Avenue to 76th Street near the Ford City Mall. SLIDE: Belt Railway / Kostner Avenue Corridor Map that illustrates the Belt Railway / Kostner Avenue Corridor. The corridor begins at the Midway Orange Line Station (59th Street) and travels south along the Belt Line Railway Corridor. At or near 6900 south, the corridor veers east to join Kostner Avenue. The corridor continues south on Kostner Avenue to 76th Street near the Ford City Mall. SLIDE: Pulaski Road Corridor Map that illustrates the Pulaski Road Corridor. The corridor begins at the Midway Orange Line Station (59th Street) and travels east on 59th Street to Pulaski Road. At Pulaski Road, the corridor turns south, following Pulaski Road to approximately 75th Street and terminating near Daley College. SLIDE: Corridor Considered in the Alternatives Analysis Study Map that illustrates all four corridors on one map. SLIDE: Universe of Alternatives in the Alternatives Analysis Study Flow chart that illustrates 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 and Heavy Rail Transit SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Process Preliminary Findings Corridors that meet the criteria of the Screen 1 evaluation process: Cicero Avenue, Belt Railway / Cicero Avenue, and Belt Railway / Kostner Avenue 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 Cicero Avenue Corridor at-grade Heavy Rail transit on the Belt Railway / Cicero Corridor both in trench and elevated Heavy Rail transit on the Belt Railway / Kostner Corridor both in trench and elevated SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Process Preliminary Findings Flow chart that illustrates two technologies plus three corridors plus two 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. 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