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One Center City Advisory Group Advisory Group January 12, 2017
One Center City
Advisory Group
Advisory Group
January 12, 2017
o Guiding Principles
o Near-Term
Opportunities and
Challenges
o 2019 Conditions
Without Any Action
o Solution Types
AGENDA
2
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
3
ONE CENTER CITY GUIDING PRINCIPLES [DRAFT]
o Create flexible systems that can
evolve over time
o Prioritize accessibility, pedestrian
mobility and multimodal connectivity
o Support social sustainability and
economic prosperity for all
o Optimize use of limited street and
sidewalk space for people and goods
o Provide safe, affordable, reliable and
efficient transportation options
ONE CENTER CITY GUIDING PRINCIPLES [DRAFT]
o Design the street experience and
public realm so that they are inviting,
engaging, safe and supportive of
social connections and community-
building
o Reduce vehicles and emissions and
use sustainable building practices
o Design for the health, safety and well-
being of all who live in our community
using established race and social
justice guidelines
ONE CENTER CITY OVERVIEW
6
NEAR-TERM SOLUTIONS
ADVISORY GROUP MEETING ROADMAP
NOV
• One Center City Values & Guiding Principles
• Near-Term Roadmap Overview
JAN - 1
• Opportunities, Challenges, and Types of Solutions
Applying Guiding Principles to Near-Term Solutions•
JAN - 2
• Near-Term Options Packages
Questions & Answers on Near-Term Strategies•
FEB
• Near-Term Strategies Input, Alignment with Guiding Principles
Refinement & Advancement Exercises•
Draft Near-Term Solutions Recommendation > Implementation 7
7
INTEGRATED PLAN
o 20-year vision
Performance measures (e.g.,
mode share and travel time)
Projects, programs and
policies
Mobility strategies across
modes
Public realm plan
Funding and phasing strategy
o
o
o
o
o
KEY ONE CENTER CITY TIMEFRAMES
2019
2023
2035
• Multimodal solutions to approaching challenges
Solutions implementable in the next 2 years•
• Taking advantage of ST2 buildout (2021 & 2023)
Actionable plan with implementation focus•
• Long-range vision and policy context
spirational plans and projectsA•
NEAR-TERM CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES (2017-2021)
10
A TIME OF OPPORTUNITY AND CHALLENGE
WE HAVE:
o Rapid growth, including near-term private and public projects
Regional transit system expansion
Technological change
o
o
WE WANT:
o Safe, affordable, reliable and efficient transportation options
Inviting and engaging public realms that support social connections and community-building
Visible and equitable benefit from our public investments
o
o
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WASHINGTON STATE
CONVENTION CENTER
EXPANSION
o Construction begins in
2018 with planned
opening in 2020
Construction closes
Downtown Seattle Transit
Tunnel bus access
Construction impacts to
traffic and transit on Olive,
Pine, Pike and Union
Provides opportunity to
deliver public benefits
o
o
o
SOUND TRANSIT (ST2) LINK
LIGHT RAIL EXPANSION
o 2021 Northgate Link
2023 East & Lynnwood
Link
2024 Federal Way Link
All present opportunities
for restructuring bus
service to further
enhance regional transit
access
o
o
o
ST2 EAST LINK LIGHT RAIL
CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS
o East Link construction
closes access to D-2 bus
access ramp (from I-90)
into downtown,
September 2018
I-90 bus access ramp
closure changes access
to Downtown Seattle
Transit Tunnel and
surface streets
o
TUNNEL BUS OPERATIONS
15
o Seven routes and Link
light rail currently operate
in Downtown Seattle
Transit Tunnel
Fast and reliable pathway
for buses today; improved
light rail operations in the
future
During closures, tunnel
buses primarily operate on
2nd, 4th and 5th Aves
through Center City
o
o
SR 99 PROJECTS &
WATERFRONT SEATTLE
o Multiple projects related to
SR 99 tunnel change how
people access and move
through the Center City
Removal of Alaskan Way
Viaduct and Waterfront
Seattle projects will
transform Seattle’s central
waterfront
o
CENTER CITY BIKE
NETWORK
o Expanding the Center City
Bike Network:
• 2nd Ave Protected Bike Lane
extended N to Denny Way
7th Ave southbound Protected
Bike Lane from Bell to Pike
8th Ave northbound Protected
Bike Lane
•
•
MAJOR TRANSIT PROJECTS
o Center City Connector (CCC) streetcar will provide 5 minute all-day frequency in dedicated lanes
Streetcar system will connect 8 Center City neighborhoods
Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit project will provide frequent east-west connections between downtown and First Hill/Capitol Hill
o
o
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT
o Private development
planned for 2017-2019
will impact downtown
street network
10,000+ residential
units under construction
as of Fall 2016
11M+ square feet of
institutional, office and
retail space approved or
under construction as of
June 2016
o
o
•
A TIMING CHALLENGE
Fall 2
018
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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2017
OCC Near-
Term Plan
2nd Ave PBL
open
1st Ave
utility
relocations
(CCC)
2018
DSTT
closes to
buses
Convention
Center
construction
begins
Center City
Connector
(CCC)
construction
begins
D2
Roadway
closes
2019
Madison BRT
open
SR 99 Tunnel
open*
Alaskan Way
Viaduct
demolition*
Alaskan Way
construction
begins*
2020
Convention
Center open
Center City
Connector
open
Alaskan Way
open to
buses*
2021
Northgate Link
open
North Portal
streets open*0
2022 2023
Lynnwood & East
Link open
Alaskan Way
open to traffic*
* - Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program project timelines dependent on completion of the SR 99 Tunnel
2019 BASELINE - WITHOUT ANY ACTION
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2019 BASELINE
o PURPOSE: to help us understand
what 2019 looks like if no action is
taken beyond currently planned
investments
2019 TIMEFRAME: to represent
conditions during period of
maximum constraint
HOW WE USE IT: to compare
benefits and impacts of near-term
alternatives to be developed by
One Center City project
o
o
2019
BASELINEWHAT IS ASSUMED FOR 2019
BASELINE?
STREETS &
TRAFFIC
1st Ave: 2 lanes
repurposed for
streetcar
2nd and 4th Aves: 10-
15% increase in traffic
volumes
Some curb lanes
repurposed on 1st,
Madison, and Spring
TRANSIT
Bus routes operating in Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel move to surface street pathways
Center City Connector & 1st Ave Streetscape Improvements
Madison Bus Rapid Transit with pedestrian and streetscape improvements
BICYCLE
2nd Ave protected bike
lane extended N to
Denny Way
7th Ave southbound
protected bike lane
from Bell to Pike
8th Ave northbound
protected bike lane
2019
BASELINE
END OF BUS OPERATIONS IN
DOWNTOWN TRANSIT TUNNEL
o Shift 7 of the busiest bus
routes in regional transit
system to downtown surface
streets – 40 trips each
direction per PM peak hour
Increased delays on 2nd, 4th
and 5th Aves & some
freeway access points
More bus riders will be
waiting on downtown
sidewalks
o
o
80 buses
total per PM
peak hour
11k riders
per PM peak
2019
BASELINEBUS COMMUTERS
DELAYED
23% Decrease in PM peak bus
speed on 2nd Avenue
43%Decrease in PM peak
bus speed on 4th Avenue
3.5+
Minutes per afternoon
commute
2,500Hours of additional bus
passenger travel time
each weekday
2019
BASELINETRANSIT AGENCIES PAY MORE TO
PROVIDE SAME AMOUNT OF BUS SERVICE
Additional delay for buses on 2nd, 4th, 5th Aves and at
freeway access points will increase costs:
Photo by Oran Viriyincy
$6-7 M*
Additional annual
operating cost to maintain
current service levels
15+Additional transit vehicles
needed to maintain current
frequencies
* - Estimate does not include all potential cost increases associated with operational
changes in downtown such as the D-2 roadway closure
2019
BASELINE
MORE BUS RIDERS WAITING ON
DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS
SUFFICENT ROOM FOR PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
Clear area for pedestrians to pass through bus zone with limited conflicts due to street
furniture arrangement or bus rider activity
MODERATE ROOM FOR PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
Pedestrians have to navigate their way through a manageable crowd of waiting bus
riders and other street furniture
MINIMAL ROOM FOR PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
Pedestrians have limited pathway through crowd of waiting transit passengers
2019
BASELINE
CENTER CITY
BICYCLE
NETWORK
o Higher volumes on surface
streets create tradeoffs with
Center City Bike Network
implementation (prior to
2021)
o Specifically:
• North – south protected bike
lane east of 3rd Avenue
South downtown connection
to Dearborn through
International District
Connection from downtown
to Capitol Hill
•
•
2019
BASELINE
INCREASED PRESSURE ON
CENTER CITY SYSTEM
People on Bicycles Commercial Loading Parking & Curb Uses
Pedestrians & Public Realm Auto Travel Surface Transit
2019
BASELINEFOCUS AREA FOR NEAR-TERM
SOLUTIONS (2017-2021)
o Denny Triangle,
Commercial Core,
and International
District
Pathways for
regional bus traffic
Multimodal
transportation hubs
o
o
NEAR-TERM SOLUTION TYPES
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DEVELOP NEAR-TERM SOLUTIONS TO TAKE PRESSURE
OFF DOWNTOWN SYSTEM
o Develop solutions that support guiding principles
Make choices about use of limited street right-of-way and public spaces
Address needs of all users
Consider implementation phasing and timing of local and regional projects
o
o
o
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TYPES OF NEAR-TERM SOLUTIONS
Transit Service
Restructuring
Surface Transit
Operations
Pedestrian &
Public Realm
CC Bike Network
Implementation
TRANSIT SERVICE
RESTRUCTURING
WHAT IS IT?
o Changes to bus services
to reduce number of trips
going through key “points
of constraint”
Optimize use of transit
hubs and light rail capacity
o
TRANSIT SERVICE RESTRUCTURING
WHERE WOULD IT APPLY?
o Bus routes that currently
travel through points of
constraint
Bus routes where
passengers can connect
to light rail and other
modes
Where there is opportunity
to ensure passenger
experience is maintained
or improved
o
o
SURFACE TRANSIT & STREET OPERATIONS
WHAT IS IT?
o Designate more lane capacity for transit
Adjust signal timing and phasing
Prioritize transit movements through
intersections
Speed up passenger boarding at busy bus stops
o
o
o
SURFACE TRANSIT & STREET OPERATIONS
WHERE WOULD IT APPLY?
o On north–south Avenues
carrying regional bus traffic
On streets where changes
are needed to support other
modes
On existing transit carrying
streets where there is
opportunity to improve
operational efficiency
o
o
WHAT IS IT?
o Improvements to pedestrian connections at transit hubs and major bus zones
Activation of public realm
Declutteringunnecessary street furniture, bus stop facilities, and signage
o
o
PEDESTRIAN AND PUBLIC REALM
PEDESTRIAN AND
PUBLIC REALM
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WHERE WOULD IT APPLY?
o Streets and hub areas with
high and/or increasing
pedestrian volumes
At places where bus stops
connect to light rail stations,
and other mobility options
Any location where capital
investments are planned
o
o
CENTER CITY BICYCLE NETWORK
IMPLEMENTATION
WHAT IS IT?
o Implement key Center City
protected bike facilities
identified in the City’s Bicycle
Master Plan
Advance work underway by
Center City Bike Network team
Balance street right-of-way
and operational tradeoffs in the
near-term as critical
transportation projects are
completed
o
o
CENTER CITY
BICYCLE
NETWORK
IMPLEMENTATION
WHERE WOULD IT APPLY?
o Center City Bike Network
corridors including:
• Downtown to Capitol Hill
4th/5th Avenues
2nd Ave to S Dearborn St
•
•
o Where there are tradeoffs in
repurposing rights-of-way for
protected bicycle facilities,
especially in the near-term
OTHER NEAR-TERM STRATEGIES
o Parking management
Wayfinding
Real-time information
Transportation demand
management
Curb management
Public space activation
Shared mobility
o
o
o
o
o
o
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THANK YOU
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