PROJECT UPDATEPUBLIC OPEN HOUSE #3

OCTOBER 174:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Dakota County Northern Service Center

AA PROCESS

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Project Scoping

We are here

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1. PROJECT SCOPING: PURPOSE AND NEED

PROJECT PURPOSEThe purpose of the Robert Street Transitway is to provide the necessary transit infrastructure and service to meet the long-term regional mobility and local accessibility needs between downtown St. Paul and areas within Dakota County.

PROJECT NEED Forecasted growth in travel demand Limited transit service and time-efficient transit options Needs of people who depend on transit Roadway congestion and shift toward multimodal investments Regional objectives for growth

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1. PROJECT SCOPING: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

GOALS Improve mobility and accessibility Enhance the effectiveness of transit service within the corridor Provide cost-effective and financially feasible transit solutions Support and enhance existing communities and planned development Support healthy communities and sound environmental practices

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2. PRELIMINARY SCREENING

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WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN PRELIMINARY SCREENING? Does the alignment meet the

project purpose? Does the alignment show

ridership potential? Does the alignment match a

transitway mode’s recommended facility type, system length, and physical needs?

2. PRELIMINARY SCREENING:

ALTERNATIVESPreliminary screening considered alignment and mode alternatives generated by fall 2012 open houses, the Robert Street Steering Committee, and the 2008 feasibility study.

Alternatives included: 33 unique alignment

segments 7 mode alternatives

2. PRELIMINARY SCREENING:

RESULTSAlternatives advanced through preliminary screening: Robert Street Arterial BRT Robert Street Streetcar TH 52 LRT/Dedicated Busway TH 52 Highway BRT Concord Arterial BRT Concord Streetcar

These alternatives: Met the project purpose Showed ridership potential Fit a transitway mode

A possible service extension to Rosemount was advanced for sensitivity analysis.

3. CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION AND PRELIMINARY EVALUATION

WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION OF ALTERNATIVES? Alignments Service plans Cross sections Facilities Conceptual station design

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3. PRELIMINARY EVALUATION

WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN PRELIMINARY EVALUATION?

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Assess alternative’s ability to: ■ Provide cost-effective

and financially feasible transit solutions

1. Engineering Constraints

Assess alternative’s ability to: ■ Improve mobility and

accessibility■ Support healthy communities and sound environmental practices

2. Ridership Potential

Assess alternative’s ability to: Enhance effectiveness

of transit service within the corridor

Improve mobility and accessibility

3. Capital Improvement Needs

Proj

ect G

oal

3. PRELIMINARY EVALUATION:

RESULTSAlternatives advanced through preliminary evaluation: • Robert Street Streetcar• Robert Street Arterial BRT• TH 52 Highway BRT

These alternatives showed the best ability to satisfy project goals based on one or more factors including: Physical impacts Projected ridership Cost-effectiveness

A service extension to Rosemount was evaluated separately from preliminary evaluation. Further study of a traditional express bus service along TH 52 is recommended for analysis outside of this study.

4. ADVANCED DEFINITION AND FINAL EVALUATION

ADVANCED DEFINITION WILL INCLUDE: Runningway alignment Stations Service plans Traffic controls Operating facilities design

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4. ADVANCED DEFINITION AND FINAL EVALUATION

ADVANCED DEFINITION WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO EVALUATE:• Cost estimates• Economic development and land use• Environmental and natural resources• Environmental justice• Mobility• Traffic operations• Travel demand

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4. ADVANCED DEFINITION AND FINAL EVALUATION

INFORMED BY:• Purpose and Need local

• Adopted goals, objectives, and evaluation measures

• Metropolitan Council Regional Transitway Guidelines regional• Capital Investment Criteria – Section 10.8

• FTA New Starts national• Project Justification Criteria

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We are here

NEXT STEPS TODAY

WHAT’S NEXT TODAY?We invite you to: Review materials Ask questions Sign-up for email list Fill out comment cards Provide feedback on preliminary alternatives

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THANK YOU!

WWW.ROBERTSTREETTRANSIT.COM