Chicago Transit Authority RED LINE EXTENSION ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS STUDY SCREEN 2 December 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 a translator for the Spanish speaking community is available this evening SLIDE: Screen 2 Public Involvement Process Open Houses are scheduled as follows: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 6:00 – 8:00 pm (presentation begins at 6:15 pm) Historic Pullman visitor Center 11141 South Cottage Grove Chicago, Illinois Thursday, June 4, 2009 6:00 – 8:00 pm (presentation begins at 6:15 pm) Woodson Regional Chicago Public Library 9525 South Halsted Street Chicago, Illinois Facilities are accessible to people with disabilities SLIDE: Tonight’s Speakers Darud Akbar, Moderator ? Chicago Transit Authority Jeffery Busby, Strategic Planning Manager ? Chicago Transit Authority Ronald Shimizu, Red Line Study Area Manager ? Parsons Brinkerhoff SLIDE: Outline of Presentation -- Discuss Status of Red 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 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: 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 each screen of the Alternatives Analysis Process to arrive at a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) SLIDE: Purpose and Need -- Significant Bus and Passenger Congestion at 95th Street Red Line Station -- Lengthy Bus Trips to Access 95th Street Red Line Station -- Far South Area Residents Experience 20% Longer Commute Times than Rest of City -- Traffic Congestion is expected to grow along with 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 Small photographs illustrating each technology SLIDE: Universe of Alternatives – Corridors Nine corridors are identified: I-57 Expressway, Halsted Street, Union Pacific Railroad, Wentworth Avenue, State Street, Michigan Avenue, King Drive, Cottage Grove Avenue / Metric Electric, I-94 Bishop Ford Freeway Map: Map of the study area with all corridors drawn 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: Screen 1 Evaluation – Findings -- The following corridors advanced for further analysis * Bus rapid transit on Halsted Street, at-grade * Bus rapid transit on Michigan Avenue, at-grade Maps: Small maps indicating the alignment of each corridor. The Halsted Corridor begins at the 95th Street terminus of the Red Line. It proceeds west on 95th Street to Halsted Street. The corridor turns left onto Halsted, moving south to 127th Street. The Michigan Avenue Corridor begins at the 95th Street terminus of the Red Line. It proceeds east on 95th Street to Michigan Avenue. The corridor turns right onto Michigan, moving south to 130th Street. SLIDE: Screen 1 Evaluation – Findings -- The following corridors moved forward to for further analysis * Heavy rail transit on the Halsted Street corridor, elevated and underground * Heavy rail transit on the UPRR corridor, elevated and trench * Heavy rail transit on Michigan Avenue corridor, elevated and underground Maps: Small maps indicating the alignment of each corridor. The Halsted Corridor begins at the 95th Street terminus of the Red Line. It proceeds south along I-57 to Halsted Street. The corridor turns left onto Halsted, moving south to a terminus at Vermont Street. The UPRR Corridor begins at the 95th Street terminus of the Red Line. It proceeds south on I-57 to the UPRR right-of-way corridor. The corridor turns left onto the UPRR ROW, moving south to a terminus at 130th Street near I-94. The Michigan Avenue Corridor begins at the 95th Street terminus of the Red Line. It proceeds south along I-94 to Michigan Avenue. The corridor turns right onto Michigan, moving south to a terminus at 127th Street. SLIDE: Screen 1 Public Involvement Process -- Two Public Meeting * April 10, 2007 at Chicago State University * April 11, 2007 at West Pullman Branch Chicago Public Library -- More than 140 people attended the public meetings -- Met with stakeholders and elected officials -- Over 200 comments submitted and answered -- Significant media coverage NEW SECTION: SCREEN 2 ANALYSIS SLIDE: Screen 2 Process -- Step 1 – Alternatives Definition -- Step 2 – Preliminary Evaluation * Physical Constraints (Right-of-Way Requirements) * Social & Economic Factors (Demographics and Employment) * Environmental Factors (Noise, Visual, Natural and Cultural Resources) * Transportation Factors (Travel Time, Transit Connectivity and Traffic) -- Step 3 – Detailed Evaluation * Capital Cost Comparison * Operating and Maintenance (O&M) Cost Comparison * Ridership Potential * Cost Effectiveness SLIDE: Step 1 – Alternatives Definition Integrated the most suitable technologies, alignments and potential station locations Map: Map of the study area with the Halsted Street, UP Railroad, and Michigan Avenue Corridor indicated. SLIDE: Step 1 – Alternatives Definition Bus Rapid Transit, Halsted Street and Michigan Avenue, at-grade. Maps: Map of each corridor with proposed station locations. -- Map of Halsted Street BRT corridor between 95th Street and Vermont. Halsted corridor is drawn following previously-described alignment. Stations are labeled every one-half mile at arterial road intersections such as 103rd Street and 111th Street. There are nine total stations. -- Map of Michigan Avenue BRT corridor between 95th Street and 127th Street. Michigan corridor is drawn following previously-described alignment. Stations are labeled every one-half mile at arterial road intersections such as 103rd Street and 111th Street. There are eight total stations. SLIDE: Step 1 – Alternatives Definition Heavy Transit, Halsted Street, UP Railroad and Michigan Avenue, at-grade. Maps: Map of each corridor with proposed station locations. -- Map of Halsted Street heavy rail transit corridor between 95th Street and Vermont is elevated and underground. Halsted corridor is drawn following previously-described alignment. Stations are labeled approximately every mile. There are four total proposed station locations. -- Map of UPRR heavy rail transit corridor between 95th Street and 130th Street at I-94 is elevated and trench. The UPRR corridor is drawn following previously-described alignment. Stations are labeled approximately every mile. There are four total proposed station locations. -- Map of Michigan Avenue heavy rail transit corridor between 95th Street and 127th Street. Michigan corridor is drawn following previously-described alignment. Stations are labeled at mile intervals and key arterial road intersections with bus routes such as 103rd Street and `111th Street. There are four total stations. SLIDE: Step 2 – Preliminary 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 SLIDE: Step 2 -- Preliminary Evaluation and Preliminary Findings -- Corridors that Meet the Criteria of the Step 2 Evaluation Process * Halsted Street BRT At-grade * Halsted Street HRT Elevated and Underground * UP Railroad (UPRR) HRT Elevated and Trench -- Corridors that Do Not Meet the Criteria of the Step 2 Evaluation Process * Michigan Avenue BRT At-grade * Michigan Avenue HRT Underground * Michigan Avenue HRT Elevated SLIDE: Step 3 – Detailed Evaluation -- Project costs and FTA Criteria * Capital cost comparison * Operating and maintenance (O&M) cost comparison * Ridership potential * Cost effectiveness SLIDE: Step 3 -- Detailed Evaluation and Preliminary Findings -- Corridors that Meet the Criteria of the Step 3 Evaluation Process * Halsted Street BRT At-grade * Halsted Street HRT Elevated * UP Railroad (UPRR) HRT Elevated -- Corridors that Do Not Meet the Criteria of the Step 3 Evaluation Process * Halsted Street HRT Underground * UP Railroad (UPRR) HRT Trench SLIDE: Screen 2 Evaluation – Preliminary Findings The Alternative moving forward are: Halsted Street Corridor, Bus Rapid Transit, at-grade Halsted Street Corridor, Heavy Rail Transit, Elevated UPRR Corridor, Heavy Rail Transit, Elevated SLIDE: Next Steps -- Screen 2 * Confirm corridor findings * Incorporate comments from public meetings * Confirm no build and transportation system management (TSM) alternatives -- Screen 3 * Detailed baseline alternative * Detailed refinement of alternatives * Identify Locally Preferred alternative (LPA) * Continued public involvement SLIDE: 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 December 18, 2008 -- 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