City of Tucson

1
City of Tucson Major Transit Investment Study
Arizona Transit Association Conference April 1,
2008
2
Why Is This Project Being Considered?

• Connect major activity centers
• Create economic development
• Support population and employment growth
• Improve transit service
• Support Downtown and UA growth and development
• Mitigate parking constraints
• Preserve neighborhoods

3
Project Development Process

• Alternatives Analysis
• Locally Preferred Alternative
• Circulate Draft EA
• Small Starts Documentation
• Final EA / FONSI
• Project Development Approval
• Advanced Design
• Construction Grant Agreement
• Construction
• Operation

4
What is Modern Streetcar?

• Fixed-guideway electric rail system
• Operates in mixed traffic
• Articulated for tight radii turns
• Compatible with on-street parking
• Shares lanes and stops with buses and bicycles
• Safe in high pedestrian areas
• Low floor with multiple doors
• Can share track with historic trolley
• Approximately 130 passengers/vehicle (35 seated /
  95 standing)

5
Operates Safely in Mixed Environments

• Operates safely in pedestrian zones
• Compatible with on-street parking
• Shares transit stops with buses

6
Modern Streetcar Design Philosophy

• Keep it simple and inexpensive
• Use off the shelf equipment
• Avoid utilities
• Minimize street capacity impacts
• Minimize loss of on-street parking
• Design for ease of construction
• Blend with urban environment and neighborhoods
• Provided user-friendly service

7
Modern Streetcar Adopted as the Locally
Preferred Alternative (LPA)

• Unanimous approval from the City of Tucson Mayor
  and Council on April 4, 2007
• Local funding approved as part of the Regional
  Transportation Authority (RTA) Plan vote on May
  16, 2006
• LPA alignment operates from University of Arizona
  to Downtown Tucson

8
(No Transcript)
9
Project Details

• Alignment length 4 miles
• 19 stations
• 7 modern streetcars
• Peak/off-peak headways 10/20 minutes
• Ridership estimate from AA 3650 per
  weekday

10
Project Funding

• Capital costs 145 million (YOE)
• Some capital costs absorbed by other (e.g., 4th
  Ave Underpass)
• RTA funding 88 million
• Includes operating costs of 1 million annually
  starting in 2012
• Small Starts funding
• Will submit for a 50 percent federal share

11
Public Involvement

• Technical Advisory Group (TAC)
• Agency Stakeholders
• Examples TDOT, Sun Tran, PAG, Pima County, UA,
  OPT
• Community Liaison Group (CLG)
• Community Stakeholders
• Examples neighborhood associations, community
  groups, community leaders
• Public Meetings
• Multiple open houses at Historic Depot
• Project Website - www.tucsontransitstudy.com

12
Project Schedule

• Alternatives Analysis (AA)
• May 2006
• Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)
• April 2007
• Draft Environmental Assessment (EA)
• Sept 2007
• Small Starts Submittal
• Jan 2008
• Begin Construction
• Mar 2009
• Operation
• Dec 2011

13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)