THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP TRANSIT PLAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

FEBRUARY 6, 2014

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MEETING PURPOSE

• Update the Project Management Committee (PMC) on current activities and the information gained through our recent public involvement activities.

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AGENDA

• Welcome

• Project Status

• Existing Conditions

• Stakeholder/Public Engagement Feedback

• Ongoing Engagement/ Information

• Next Steps

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PROJECT STATUS

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MILESTONE: Vision, Guiding Principles, Process, & Criteria

MILESTONE: Alternatives Development

MILESTONE: Recommendations

MILESTONE: Acceptance & Next Steps

MILESTONE: Screening & Analysis

Board Briefing, Focus Groups,

Town Hall Board Briefings, Public Review

Board Briefings, Focus Groups,

Public Open House

Public Board Meeting

• Board concurrence on vision, guiding principles, & criteria

• Town Hall - January 22, 2014

• Outreach activities

• Website & survey

• Scoping of alternatives

• Analysis & prioritization of alternatives

• Development of recommendations

• Completion & implementation steps

Fall 2013 Winter 2013-14 Spring 2014 Summer 2014

EXISTING CONDITIONS UPDATE

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Builds partnerships to share costs and benefits

• Provides high quality services

• Preserves the commuting services to Houston

• Supports congestion mitigation

• Enhances the multi-modal transportation network

• Results in actionable projects in the near term and long term

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AREA PROFILE

• Provides high quality services – Relatively young

community (39.5) – Affluent area with average

household income over $100,000

• Preserves the commuting services to Houston – Located 27 miles north of

Houston – Significant employment in

The Woodlands – Heavily car-oriented

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AREA PROFILE

• Supports congestion mitigation – ~70% of households

have two or more vehicles

– 80% of employed residents drive to work alone

– Mean travel time to work ~31 min

– The Woodlands Town Center 60% built out

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AREA PROFILE

• Provides high quality services – Limited local transit

options (Brazos, trolley, waterway cruiser, etc.)

– On demand services – No connection to the

METRO network in Harris County

• Preserves the commuting services to Houston – Limited weekday Park &

Ride service to Houston – Woodlands Express –

Greatest demand to Downtown Houston

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AREA PROFILE

• Supports congestion mitigation – Well served by local

road network – Potential reverse

commute programs from Houston (or other)

• Enhances the multi-modal transportation network – Fragmented pedestrian

and cycling network & facilities

– Long-term transit fare compatibility across the region

PROJECT STUDY AREA

RESEARCH

GO

SLIN

G R

D

SPRING STUEBNER RD

FUTURE

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AREA PROFILE

• Provides high quality services

– Free Town Center Trolley – Low ridership, with net increase in ridership of 8% between 2008 and 2012

• Recent increase holiday service/ridership

– Waterway Cruiser – net decrease in ridership over time – limited service

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AREA PROFILE

• Preserves the commuting services to Houston – Overall Park & Ride

ridership increases by 2.5% between 2008 and 2012

• Enhances the multi-modal transportation network – Mobility planning – Consideration of cycle

as a transportation mode

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POPULATION

• Supports congestion mitigation – Increasing population

distribution trend over the next 27 years

• Enhances the multi-modal transportation network – Population density increases adjacent

to I-45, Research Forest Drive, Woodlands Parkway, village centers

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EMPLOYMENT

• Preserves the commuting services to Houston – Largest employment centers

located along the I-45 corridor

• Supports congestion mitigation – Increasing employment density by

2040 along key travel corridor of I-45

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LAND USE

• Enhances the multi-modal transportation network – Increase in future residential land use

– Additional commercial and mixed use zones

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT UPDATE

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UPDATE: TOWN HALL & FOCUS GROUPS

• January 9th – Transit providers

• January 21st – Mobility Committee

• January 22nd – Conventions and Hotels – The Woodlands Development – Town Hall Meeting

• January 23rd – Major Employers and Healthcare Providers – Government Partners and Elected Officials

• January 24th – Cycling and Athletic – Coventry Development

• February 5th – Village Associations

• February 6th – Interfaith Center Seniors Event

• Direct participation from approximately 70 + stakeholders in January/February events

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UPDATE – ONLINE SURVEY

• 278 participants (as of February 5th)

• Survey will close on February 24th

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Builds partnerships to share costs and benefits

• Provides high quality services

• Preserves the commuting services to Houston

• Supports congestion mitigation

• Enhances the multi-modal transportation network

• Results in actionable projects in the near term and long term

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Build Partnerships to Share Cost and Benefits

• Not much support of taxing businesses unless there is a serious return on investment

• Potential for partnerships between Springwoods Village and The Woodlands (TW)

• Each village has a shopping center; partnerships with retailers could allow for bus stops

• Funding should come from combination of taxes, businesses and government

• Tax on every bike that is sold to go toward cycling improvements

• Model bond money campaign after CISD’s bond campaign • Partial funding should come from where people are traveling

Information presented reflect an overview of the comments received

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Provide High Quality Services

• Some businesses must increase their rates in order to provide a higher rate of pay to offset traveling costs to TW

• Shuttle service is an option some businesses are providing for their guests, employees and customers

• Trolley and water taxi hours are limited and not seen as a true mode of transit, but if services were expanded, there is potential to function as transit within Town Center and to employment centers

• Maintenance of trolleys is an issue • Lack of parking is an issue • Perception of safety is key to enhance pedestrian connectivity • On-demand service needs improvement – difficult to

understand schedules and information is hard to read on vans • Newer (Town Center) buses may improve perception of transit • Dependability and frequency of transit is key

Information presented reflect an overview of the comments received

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Preserves the Commuting Services to Houston

• TW is in a good position economically to enhance existing conditions and look at needs for the future.

• Most employees do not live in TW. Commute from outside areas.

• For service workers, reverse commute Express bus would be too expensive

• Don’t forget those who are commuting not just from/to Houston, but those from other areas (north – Conroe, Montgomery County; west – Magnolia, etc.)

Information presented reflect an overview of the comments received

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Enhances the Multimodal Transportation Network

• Even though mall and Town Center are fairly close, there are serious connection issues that prevent people from walking

• I-45 is a major barrier for those traveling other ways than a vehicle

• Trolley or water connections between Research Forest/Lakeside, Hughes Landing, & the Town Center for lunchtime users

• Buses and trolleys need bike racks to encourage multimodal use

• Signage would help people understand which paths are for bikes, pedestrians, vehicles, etc.

• Improve critical sidewalk connections

Information presented reflect an overview of the comments received

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Results in Actionable Projects in the Near & Long Term

• Strategize how to use road shoulders to enhance cycle access • Create a major N-S bike connection and major E-W bike

connection for safety • Car Share should be considered • Bike Share should be considered • Consider Complete Streets in future designs • Trolley connection between the Town Center & Hughes Landing • Look into underutilized parking lots for potential new Park and

Ride locations • Synchronize the traffic lights • Employees could encourage alternative forms of transit by

sponsoring a day for their employees to take modes other than a car to work

• Create app to make it easy to see when trolleys will arrive

Information presented reflect an overview of the comments received

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ONGOING ENGAGEMENT

• Input on alternatives & options screening

• Project website

• Public board updates

• PMC meetings

• Media

• Spring focus groups

• Spring event

NEXT STEPS

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NEXT STEPS

• Finalize range of alternatives (with public input)

• Conduct initial alternatives screening

• PMC review

• Board briefing

THANK YOU