1

ITS-NY ANNUAL MEETING

Bus Rapid Transit in New York City:

Bus Lane Operations on One-Way Arterial Streets

June 9, 2011

Ted Orosz AICP,

Director Long Range Bus Planning MTA New York City Transit

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Overview • BRT Program in New York City

• Fordham Road Results

• M15 SBS Performance Report

Traffic, Bicycle and Pedestrian Data

Transit Ridership and Speed

2011 Implementation

• Nostrand Avenue Project

• 34th Street Project

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Background

• MTA New York City Transit:

– Operator of New York City’s public transit system

– Part of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York State)

– Over 5.2 million subway and 2.7 million bus trips per day

• New York City Department of Transportation:

– Operator of New York City’s streets, free bridges, and Staten Island Ferry

– Maintains street and traffic signal infrastructure

• Agency partnership key to project success

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Bus Speeds Dropping in NYC

9.1

8.48.1

5

6

7

8

9

10

1996 2002 2006

Ave

rag

e S

pe

ed

(M

PH

)

5

Sources of Bus Delay

Dwell Time

22%

In Motion

Time

54%

Stop Delays

21%

Other Delays

3%

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Select Bus Service Phase I

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Bx12 SBS: Fordham Road-Pelham Pkwy

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Bx12 SBS: Results

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M15 SBS: First/Second Avenues

8.5 miles / 14KM from South

Ferry to 125th Street

Currently served by M15 bus

route

Over 54,000 weekday riders

Bus speeds have been declining

Ridership has been decreasing

Within ¼ Mile / 400M:

537,000 residents

78% of households do not own a car

57% of residents commute by transit

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2010 Implementation

M15 Select Bus Service

launched October 10,

2010 (10 -10 -10)

- Over 10 miles of

dedicated bus lanes

- NYPD and camera

enforcement of bus lanes

- off-board fare payment

- longer station spacing

- low-floor, three-door

buses

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2010 Implementation

Doubled the protected bike lanes in New York City

Installed over 50 pedestrian refuge islands

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M15 SBS: Features

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M15 SBS: Features

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M15 SBS: Second Avenue Subway Construction

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M15 SBS Performance

30% increase from former Limited to SBS

4,000 new M15 trips per day

Bus ridership in Manhattan down 5%

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

March 2010 March 2011

Av

g.

Daily R

iders

hip

M15 Local

M15 SBS

M15 Limited

Ridership

Running Time

Time at bus stops

Time in motion

Bus lane violations

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M15 SBS Performance

40:06 35:36

18:54

12:04

18:07

17:59

03:37

02:56

M15 LTD M15 SBS

Bus In Motion Stopped at Bus Stops

Stopped at red lights Other Delays

M15 Limited vs. M15 SBS

SBS 12 minutes (15%) faster

than Limited

68:35

80:44

Ridership

Running Time

Time at bus stops

Time in motion

Bus lane violations

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M15 SBS Performance

Summonses issued by NYPD January 1, 2011 to March 31, 2011

Parking in

Bus Lane

Driving in

Bus Lane Total

First Avenue 2,009 72 2,081

Second Avenue 2,536 78 2,614

Summonses issued through Bus Lane

Camera program: 5,800

Through April 5, 2011

Ridership

Running Time

Time at bus stops

Time in motion

Bus lane violations

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Traffic Data PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes

PM Peak hour: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Before data collected June 9-15, 2009

After data collected April 4-10, 2011

- 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000

60th St

42nd St

34th St

23rd St

14th St

June 2009 April 2011

Second Avenue

- 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

14th St

23rd St

34th St

57th St

60th St

June 2009 April 2011

First Avenue

Very minor changes in traffic volumes through project area

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Traffic Data Taxi Speeds

Second Avenue First Avenue

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

14th St - 23rd St 23rd St - 34th St 34th St - 40th St 40th St - 59th St

11/2009 11/2010

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

14th St - 23rd St 23rd St - 34th St 34th St - 40th St 40th St - 59th St

11/2009 11/2010

Traffic speeds remained mostly level through project area

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Safety Data

Before

After

Percent

change

Total

Before

Average

per 4

months

Crashes 1,144 381 375 -2%

Crashes with

injuries 241 80 69 -14%

Total Injuries 268 89 74 -17%

Houston St to 34th Street on First and Second Avenues*

Before period: December 1 to March 31 of 2007-8, 2008-9 & 2009-10

After period: December 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011

*Note: Updated from CAC presentation to more accurately reflect construction finish date and other methodology improvements

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-

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

June 2010 November2010

December2010

January2011

February2011

March 2011 April 2011

787

2,007

+155%

1,238

+57%

1,004

+28%

1,191

+51%

1,441

+83%

1,994

+153%

Before After

First Avenue Between St Marks Pl and E 9th St

Cyclist Volumes – 12 Hour:7am-7pm, Weekdays

Notes:

Data from a single weekday count (06/29/10; 11/03/10; 12/09/10, 01/06/11, 02/15/11, 03/08/11, 04/21/11)

Bicycle Volumes (weekdays)

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Second Avenue Between St Marks Pl and E 9th St

Cyclist Volumes – 12 Hour:7am-7pm, Weekdays

Notes:

Data from a single weekday count (06/24/10; 11/03/10; 12/09/10, 01/06/11, 02/15/11, 03/08/11, 04/21/11)

-

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

June 2010 November2010

December2010

January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011

1,247

+2% 1,226

1,067

-13% 1,049

-14%

1,129

-8% 1,023

-17%

1,903

+55%

Before After

Bicycle Volumes (weekdays)

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2011 Implementation Transit Signal Priority

Traffic signals from South Ferry to Houston St to provide additional green

time for buses (Fall 2011)

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2011 Implementation Bus Bulbs

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2011 Implementation Bus Bulbs

Early action implementation of a

limited number of bus bulbs in

2011

Remainder in 2012

Bulbs will contain stormwater

management component where

feasible

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2011 Implementation Proposed Bicycle Facilities E 34th Street to E 59th Street

2010:

Bike paths installed below

34th Street

2011:

Extend bike facilities to 59th

Street

Existing Cycling Volume at

50th Street:

First Ave: 828*

Second Ave: 1,118*

*Average of 3 single day counts (7am-7pm) May, August and

September 2010

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9.3 miles /15 KM from

Williamsburg Bridge to

Sheepshead Bay

Currently served by B44 bus

route

• 44,300 weekday riders – 5th

busiest bus route in city

• Buses travel at an average

speed of 7-8 mph

Within ¼ Mile / 400M:

• 300,000 residents

• 62% of households do not own a

car

• 60% of residents commute by

transit

B44 SBS: Nostrand/Rogers Avenues

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Current Conditions

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Build Conditions

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M34 SBS: 34th Street 2 miles /3.2 KM across

Manhattan

Currently served by M16/M34

bus routes and numerous

commuter buses

• 33,000 weekday riders

• Buses travel at an average

speed of 4.5 mph

Severe Pedestrian Crowding

• 6,000+ peds/hour

Major Growth Expected

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34th Street SBS: Features • Bus Lanes

– Curbside bus lanes installed in 2008

– 2/3 of corridor will be upgraded to offset bus lanes

• Off-board fare collection

• New low-floor buses

• Bus bulbs at 14 stations

• Real Time Arrival Information

• Limited TSP

<- Livingston Street in Downtown Brooklyn – similar cross section

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Lessons Learned: Bus Lanes • Offset bus lanes work better

– for both buses and communities

• Red paint and overhead signs are very effective at helping keep bus lanes clear – but red paint requires maintenance

• Cameras are more reliable than police for enforcement, but aren’t necessarily moneymakers (except for the vendors)