Chapel Hill Transit Strategic Service Plan August 2017

Chapel Hill Transit Strategic Service Plan August 2017

Agenda ■ ■ ■ State of the System Strategic Service Plan Overview Priorities and Needs (September 2015) Strategic Service Plan Issues and Opportunities Next Steps NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. 2

State of the System

Chapel Hill Transit Existing Service ■ 23 weekday routes ■ 8 weekend routes – 8 on Saturday – 2 on Sundays ■ EZ Rider demand response (ADA) service ■ “Safe Ride” latenight service ■ Tar Heel Express Source: Chapel Hill Transit NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Chapel Hill Transit Existing Service ■ Focused on UNC (all routes touch UNC) – Radial service on UNC campus – Schedule is adjusted to the UNC academic calendar ■ Emphasis on weekday service – Commuter Routes – Campus Circulation NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Chapel Hill Transit Service Frequency NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Millions Significant Ridership Growth 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Passenger Trips ■ Trend Source: National Transit Database NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Thousands Significant Increase in Service Provided 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Revenue Hours ■ Trend Source: National Transit Database NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Recent Planning Efforts ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 2020 Chapel Hill UNC Campus Master Plan Carrboro Vision 2020 DCHC 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan CHT North-South BRT Orange County Bus & Rail Investment Plan Orange County Transit Plan UNC Transportation & Parking Five-Year Plan Chapel Hill Bike Plan

■ Source: U. S. Census Bureau

■ Source: Triangle Regional Model

Chapel Hill-Carrboro Travel Patterns Local workers are coming from ■ Residents are working in Source: U. S. Census Bureau, 2013, On. The. Map Application, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program.

Future Transit Service NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Strategic Service Plan Overview

Strategic Service Plan ■ Intended to position CHT for continued success – Ensure service is aligned with community and Partner goals – Balance resources with agency, Partner, and community needs – Craft strategy for future growth and development – Respond to regional opportunities NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Long-Term Strategic Issues for Evaluation ■ BRT – Potential opportunities and challenges ■ Coordination with Go. Triangle – Ensure effective and productive relationships with regional transportation providers ■ Regional Transit Initiatives – Implications of transit initiatives in Orange County, Wake County, and Chatham County, as well as the potential for commuter service and other opportunities ■ Transportation System Planning – Account for related transportation system planning, including pedestrian and bicycle planning, as well as other related mobility plans NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Long-Term Strategic Issues for Evaluation ■ Environmental Impacts – Evaluate consistency with the Town of Chapel Hill's carbon reduction pledge ■ Future Development – Evaluate planned future development within Chapel Hill and Carrboro, as well as in the greater region ■ Park-and-Ride Corridors – Ensure CHT is well-positioned for future capital and land procurement needs ■ Transit Hubs – Evaluate the potential for transit hubs within CHT’s existing service area with a goal of reducing transit vehicles dwelling on street and facilitating transfers ■ Light Rail Integration – Develop recommendations for how to leverage the regional investment in light rail NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Priorities and Needs (September 2015)

Partners Committee Priorities (September 2015) 250% UNC 200% Carrboro Chapel Hill 150% 100% 50% 0% Bring average fleet age Maintain partner Add BRT capital and Expand local service to industry standard revenue shares within service and redesign the current formula transit network to improve efficiency NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Partners Committee Priorities (September 2015) ■ Adding BRT capital and service is the top priority for Chapel Hill ■ Expanding local service is more of a priority for Carrboro and Chapel Hill than for UNC ■ Maintaining Partner revenue shares within the current formula is more important for UNC and Carrboro than it is for Chapel Hill NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Desired Outcomes from Strategic & Financial Planning Study (September 2015) ■ Nearly all respondents expressed need for a reasonable, fiscally constrained plan – Predictable funding mechanisms – Should explore additional revenue sources (e. g. , publicprivate partnerships) ■ Maintain quality of service, gradually expand – New fleet vehicles are a priority ■ Plan should be comprehensive and detailed; Partners and public should be able to understand tradeoffs ■ Plan should recognize growth of regional transit service as an opportunity, not threat *Information is derived from open-ended responses in the September 2015 survey NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Expectations and Goals for CHT (September 2015) ■ Continue operating a quality of service that meets growing and changing transportation needs of the community – Gradual expansion to areas not currently served – Expanded weekend service ■ Support system with a culture of planning and revenue development – Improve and expand within constraints of realistic fiscal plan ■ Meet growing demand through operational shifts – Integrate with new regional transit projects – Account for changes in land use patterns ■ Diverse community needs should be met through a cohesive partnership *Information is derived from open-ended responses in the September 2015 survey NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Strategic Service Plan Issues and Opportunities

Vision of Chapel Hill Transit Service Fast forward 10 years from now…. The local newspaper has just released a headline about CHT. What is your vision that is expressed in the headline? ■ Share the vision: – What steps are necessary in your mind to reach that vision? – What are the challenges you face reaching that vision? NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. 26

Goals & Objectives ■ What do you hope to see as a result of this study? ■ What are the biggest challenges or obstacles you see in reaching those goals and objectives? ■ What should CHT’s values be? ■ Are there other key constituents with whom CHT should conduct outreach/get input for this plan? NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. 27

Wrap-Up ■ Is there anything else we should consider as we begin this study? NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. 28

Next Steps

Next Steps ■ ■ Continue gathering stakeholder and public input Evaluate planning context Conduct high level system and route analysis Begin evaluating long-term strategic issues NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. 30

Project Schedule UNC-Chapel Hill in Session Information Gathering Service Evaluation and Strategic Issues Initial Recommendatio ns Preferred Recommendat Publi ions Publ ic Inpu t Draft and Final Reports Supportive Project Tasks, Stakeholder Input, and Ongoing Coordination with CHT Staff 2017 August/September October December 2018 February April June Project Completion NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. 31

Thomas Wittmann 1402 Third Avenue, Suite 1200 Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 428 -1926 twittmann@nelsonnygaard. com Cristina Barone 1402 Third Avenue, Suite 1200 Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 428 -1928 cbarone@nelsonnygaard. com NELSONNYGAARD CONSULTING ASSOCIATES © 2017