Chicago Transit Authority ORANGE LINE EXTENSION ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS STUDY SCREEN 2 April 2009 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 -- Discuss Status of Orange Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study * New Starts Overview * Screen 1 Findings -- Screen 2 Preliminary findings -- Public Involvement process NEW SECTION: STATUS OF 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: FTA’s 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 screening process to arrive at a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). 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: 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 to Screen 2 SLIDE: Universe of Alternatives – 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: Universe of Alternatives – Profiles List of profiles examined: Elevated, At-Grade, Trench, Underground Illustrations: Cross sections or rendering and photographic examples of each profile type SLIDE: Corridors Considered in the AA Study Four corridors are identified: Cicero Avenue, Belt Railway / Cicero Avenue, Belt Railway / Kostner Avenue, Pulaski Road SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation Process Findings Bus Rapid Transit, Cicero Avenue Corridor, At-Grade - This corridor begins at the Midway Orange Line Station and follows Cicero Avenue to Ford City Mall near 76th Street Heavy Rail Transit, Belt Railway / Cicero Corridor, Trench & Elevated - This corridor begins at the Midway Orange Line Station and continues on the Belt Railroad right-of-way to approximately 67th Street. Around 67th Street, it moves southwest to Cicero Avenue, then south on Cicero Avenue to Ford City Mall near 76th Street. Heavy Rail Transit, Belt Railway / Kostner Corridor, Trench & Elevated -- This corridor begins at the Midway Orange Line Station and continues on the Belt Railroad right-of-way to approximately 67th Street. Around 67th Street, it moves southeast to Kostner Avenue, than south on Kostner Avenue and terminating at Ford City Mall near 75th Street Maps: Maps illustrate each corridor SLIDE: Screen 1 Public Involvement Process -- Public Meeting on August 19, 2008 at Ford City Mall -- More than 100 people attended the public meeting -- Met with stakeholders and elected officials -- 108 comments submitted and answered NEW SECTION: SCREEN 2 ANALYSIS SLIDE: Screen 2 Process -- Step 1 – Alternatives Definition * Conceptual Alignment Refinement * Operating Plans -- Step 2 – Detailed Evaluation * Physical Constraints * Social & Economic Factors * Environmental Factors * Transportation Factors * Capital Cost Comparison * Operating and Maintenance (O&M) Cost Comparison * Ridership Potential SLIDE: Alternatives Definition -- No Build Alternative -- Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative * Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) combined with TSM Alternative -- Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) Extension via Belt Railway/Cicero Avenue -- Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) Extension via Belt Railway/Kostner Avenue SLIDE: No Build Alternative -- Existing CTA heavy rail transit service terminating at the Midway Station -- Existing CTA and Pace bus service SLIDE: Transit Service Management (TSM) Alternative -- Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) redefined to be part of the TSM alternative -- Express bus between CTA Midway station and Ford City Mall * No exclusive lane * No intermediate Stop * Transit Signal Priority SLIDE: Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) Alternative – Belt Railway / Cicero Avenue -- Belt Railway Section * HRT under 59th Street * HRT under 63rd Street * HRT over Marquette Road * Around new Lee Pasteur / Hurley School * Over west side of railroad yard -- Cicero Avenue Section * Above Cicero Avenue or * On east side of Cicero Avenue Map: Map illustrating above-described alignment SLIDE: Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) Alternative – Belt Railway / Kostner Avenue -- Belt Railway Section * HRT under 59th Street * HRT under 63rd Street * HRT over Marquette Road * HRT turns east just north of railroad yard * HRT over railroad yard -- Kostner Avenue Section * Above-grade on Kostner Avenue Map: Map illustrating above-described alignment SLIDE: HRT Alternative Belt Railway Section Aerial illustrating 63rd Street at corridor alignment Cross section illustrating HRT corridor in a trench parallel to active Belt Railway trains. SLIDE: HRT Alternatives – Elevated Example Artist rendering of an above-grade HRT track with train in the center median of Cicero Avenue, a four-lane arterial road. SLIDE: Step 2 – Detailed Evaluation Evaluation Factor -- Physical constraints * Right-of-way requirements -- Social and Economic Factors * Demographic and Employment -- Environmental Factors * Noise, Visual, Natural and Cultural Resources -- Transportation Factors * Travel time, transit connectivity, and traffic -- Capital Cost -- Operating and Maintenance Cost -- Ridership Potential SLIDE: Table illustrating the Step 2 Detailed Evaluation -- The TSM alternative offers benefits in capital costs and operation and maintenance costs, but is less advantageous under the transportation criteria analysis -- The HRT Belt Railway/Cicero corridor offers benefits in transportation and ridership -- The HRT Belt Railway/Kostner corridor offers benefits for transportation and ridership, but is not beneficial for physical and capital costs. Table Summary: The HRT Belt Railway / Cicero corridor offers more advantages and is the recommended Locally Preferred Alternative. SLIDE: Table illustrating estimated costs of three alternatives. TSM -- Capital costs -- $40 million, annual Operation and Maintenance costs is $2.6 million, Annual ridership is 500,000 HRT Belt Railway / Cicero Corridor -- Capital costs is $400 million, annual Operation and Maintenance costs -- $4.3 million, Annual ridership is 3,000,000 HRT Belt Railway / Kostner Corridor -- Capital costs is $700 million, annual Operation and Maintenance costs -- $4.3 million, Annual ridership is 3,000,000 SLIDE: Screen 2 Evaluation – Preliminary Findings The Locally Preferred Alternative Preliminary Recommendation is Heavy Rail Transit Extension via Belt Railway / Cicero Avenue NEW SECTION: NEXT STEPS SLIDE: Next Steps -- Incorporate public comments -- Confirm Screen 2 preliminary findings for LPA and conclude Alternatives Analysis study -- Review findings with FTA -- CTA Board to approve LPA -- Ongoing public involvement * Sign-in cards will be used to create a contact list to send notices and updates * 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 May 6, 2009 (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