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KFH GROUP, INC.

Town of Ashland Transit Services Plan

Draft Final R eport

December 22, 2008

In Association w ith

Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

Prepared for:

Town of Ashland, Virginia

4920 Elm Street, Suite 350 Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 951-8660FAX (301) 951-0026


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Draft Final Report

Town of AshlandTransit Service Plan 1-1

Chapter 1

Introduction

BACKGROUND

The Town of Ashland, Virginia is avibrant, small college town located about17 miles north of Richmond, Virginia.While the Town has a rich historyassociated with transportation (specificallythe railroad), there is no public transitavailable for area residents, businesses, orvisitors. There has been interest indeveloping a public transportationprogram for the Town for several years;however, a viable service and organizational structure had not previously emerged. TheTown possesses many characteristics that would suggest that a transit program will beviable, including a vibrant downtown, a college (Randolph-Macon), a passenger rail

station, and proximity to a major city.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) providedconsultant assistance to the Town for the development of the Town of Ashland TransitService Plan. The purpose of the planning study was to develop a transit route andservice plan to devise a public transit program to connect residents and students withemployment, shopping, entertainment, health care, and other destinations within theTown limits. KFH Group, Inc., in close consultation with Town staff and VDRPT staff,developed the plan, which is documented in this draft final report. The study wasconducted between October and December, 2008.

STUDY DESCRIPTION

The Town of Ashland Transit Service Plan examined existing and future land usepatterns, population and employment destinations, and trip generators that typicallysupport transit services. In order to get public input concerning the need for public


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Town of AshlandTransit Service Plan 1-2

transit in Ashland, a public opinion survey was conducted. Local human service agencyrepresentatives were also contacted to solicit qualitative information concerning theneed for transit in the Town.

An inventory of existing transportation services in the area was developed and

examples from peer towns and cities in Virginia were documented. Based on the dataand information collected for the needs analysis and the inventory, a series of servicealternatives were developed. These alternatives were presented to the public and theTown Council on November 18, 2008, and again on December 2, 2008. The TownCouncil and Staff then chose an alternative to pursue for implementation.

IMPLEMENTATION

The Town of Ashland will use this plan as a basis to apply for funds from the

VDRPT on to implement transit service in the Town. The current grant application cycleopened on December 1, 2008 and the grant application is due to VDRPT on February 1,2008. If the Town is awarded grant funding, service can be implemented in Fiscal Year2010.

PLAN ORGANIZATION

This Plan, which fully documents the data collection, analysis, decision-making,and implementation, is organized into the following five chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Transit Needs Analysis

Chapter 3: Existing Transportation Services and Peer Examples

Chapter 4: Potential Alternatives for Providing Transit in the Town of Ashland

Chapter 5: Recommended Transit Service Plan


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Figure 2-1: RANKED DENSITY OF POTENTIALLYTRANSIT DEPENDENT PERSONS

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Legend

Town Boundary

I2 Amtrak StationRailroad

Major Highway

Street

Randolph-Macon College

Census 2000 Block Groups

Ranked Density

High

Medium

Low

0 0.5 1

Miles

Data Sources: ESRI Data CD, Town of AshlandPlanning & Community Development Dept.

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Figure 2-2: RANKED PERCENTAGE OF POTENTIALLYTRANSIT DEPENDENT PERSONS

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SC

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Legend

Town Boundary


Major Highway

Street



Ranked Percentage

High

Medium

Low

0 0.5 1

Miles


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Figure 2-3: POPULATION DENSITYAshland, Virginia

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Legend

Town Boundary

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RailroadMajor Highway

Street



Population Density (Persons/Square Mile)

More than 2000

1000 - 2000

500 - 1000

Less than 500

0 0.5 1

Miles


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Figure 2-4: MAJOR TRIP GENERATORSAshland, Virginia

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Major Trip Generators


Multi-Family Housing

Major Employer

Medical Facility

Human Service Agency

Hotel/Motel

Government Facility

Point of Interest

Shopping CenterSchool/Daycare

College/Voc. School

Daycare

School

Grocery/Pharmacy

Farmer's Market

Grocery Store

Pharmacy

Park/Open Space

Lake/Pond

0 0.5 1

Miles

Data Sources: ESRI Data CD, Town of Ashland Planning & Community Development Dept., Internet Research

Town Hall

Library

Hanover County CSB

Wal-Mart

Hanover Arts &Activities Center

YMCA

Ashland JunctionShopping Center

Ashland HanoverShopping Center

Police Dept.

PostOffice

Gandy

Elementary

Legend

Town Boundary

I2 Amtrak Station

Railroad

Major Highway

Street

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Figure 2-5: NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING BELOWTHE POVERTY LEVEL

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Legend

Town Boundary


Major Highway

Street



Number of People Living Below Poverty Level

More than 200

100 - 200

Less than 100

0 0.5 1

Miles


2-13


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Exhibit 3-2: Front Royal Area Transit Map and Schedule


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