September 2015 Service ChangesPublic Information Meetings

August 13 & 18, 2015

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MEETING PURPOSE

Thank you for joining us and participating in this community discussion.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide information about service changes that will be effective on Monday, September 7, 2015.

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MEETING POLICIES

Be considerate of meeting attendees and COTA staff – please silence cell phones and other technology

When it is your turn to make a comment or ask a question, please remain at your seat and we will call on you

Ask one question at a time so the appropriate COTA staff member may address your comment

Comments and questions are limited to two (2) minutes per person

Participants are encouraged to complete comment cards

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TIMELINES

COTA modifies service three times per year – the first Monday of:

• January

• May

• September

September 2015 changes will begin on Monday, September 7• Labor Day holiday service on September 7

• Regular service will begin on September 8 (Tuesday)

TRANSIT SYSTEM REDESIGNSeptember 2015 Service Changes

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TRANSIT SYSTEM REDESIGN (TSR)

A 2014 comprehensive review of the COTA network recommended improvements to better meet the needs of the growing and diverse communities of the region

Board adopted policy guidelines on service investment:

• 70% will be invested in high-ridership corridors

• 30% towards covering areas that are important to serve but currently attract low-ridership

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TRANSIT SYSTEM REDESIGN (TSR)

Proposed improved network will feature more frequent service, simplified routes, and connections to new locations – with more service 7 days a week!

Public meetings will be held Oct. - Nov. 2015

• COTA will continue to solicit public input throughout the two-year implementation process

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TRANSIT SYSTEM REDESIGN (TSR) - TIMELINE

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ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR AFFECTED CUSTOMERS

Although the TSR will provide transit access to more people in more places, some changes will result in reduced service in certain areas.

COTA and our community partners are ready to work to provide solutions for affected customers:

• MORPC RideSolutions provides a variety of services for commuters traveling to and from work

• 1-888-742-RIDE (7433) or www.morpc.org/ridesolutions

• HandsOn Central Ohio connects people with specialists to help find the transportation source that best fits your needs

• (614) 221-2255 or www.211centralohio.org

• COTA Mainstream is a service for individuals whose disability prevents them from using fixed-route bus service

• (614) 275-5828 or www.cota.com/mobilityservices

TRAVEL TIMESSeptember 2015 Service Changes

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TRAVEL TIME ADJUSTMENTS

Travel times will be adjusted to improve on-time service on the following lines:

Local

• 2 N High (Weekday)

• 3 W Mound (All Days)

• 5 W 5th Ave (Weekday)

• 6 Sullivant/Mt Vernon (Weekday)

• 7 Neil/Whittier (Weekday)

• 10 E Broad/W Broad (All Days)

• 18 Kenny (Weekday)

Express

• 58 Dublin(Weekday)

• 59 Dublin/Metro (Weekday)

LOCAL LINESSeptember 2015 Service Changes

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SERVICE/FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS

1 Cleveland/Livingston (Sunday)• Additional 7:30 & 8:30 p.m. trips added to/from Downtown

2 E Main (Saturday & Sunday)• Earlier morning service added between Reynoldsburg and

Downtown

• All service will go at least as far as Great Eastern Shopping Center

3 Northwest Blvd (Sunday)• New Sunday service added between Kingsdale and Downtown

every 60 minutes from approximately 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

4 Indianola/Parsons (Saturday and Sunday)• Saturday: Improve to approximately 30 minutes, from 40 minutes

• Sunday: Improve to approximately 30 minutes, from 60 minutes

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SERVICE/FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS

8 Hamilton Ave (Weekday)• Improve to 15 minutes, from 30 minutes from approximately 9

a.m. to 3 p.m.

10 E Broad (Weekday)• Earlier morning service: Additional early a.m. trips from The

Limited Logistics Center to Downtown Columbus

18 Kenny-OSU (Sunday)• Improve to 30 minutes, from 60 minutes, between Downtown and

Resler Drive/Sawmill Road

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SEASONAL ROUTE: 98 COLUMBUS ZOO (ZOO BUS)

End of seasonal serviceWeekday: Friday, September 4, 2015

Saturday: September 5, 2015

Sunday/Holiday: September 7, 2015 (Labor Day)

EXPRESS LINESSeptember 2015 Service Changes

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SERVICE/FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS

57 Hilliard (Weekday)

• Earlier morning and earlier evening service

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ROUTE CHANGE: 58 DUBLIN (WEEKDAY)

Goal: Improve on-time service, simplify the alignment, and reduce vehicle maintenance issues caused by speed humps by discontinuing deviation off of Riverside Drive

Discontinued stops:

• Riverside Green Dr

• Cranston Dr

Alternative stops:

• Dublin Dale Dr Park & Ride

• Griggs Dam Park & Ride

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TEMPORARY PARK & RIDE: 58/59 DUBLIN (WEEKDAY)

Goal: Provide a temporary Park & Ride location in Dublin during construction of Bridge Street Corridor project

Temporary Location:6801 Village ParkwayDublin, OH 43017

Anticipated Implementation Date: November 2015

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DISCONTINUATION: 60 ARLINGTON (WEEKDAY)

Alternative service:• Line 61 (Express) at

Bethel Rd or Kenny Rd

• Local lines 3 and 19 (Kingsdale Shopping Center to Downtown)

• Additional alternatives can be found on the Schedules and Trip Planner pages at cota.com

Goal: Reallocate hours from low ridership lines to improve service on more productive lines

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DISCONTINUATION: 66 HILLIARD/OSU (WEEKDAY)

Goal: Reallocate hours from low ridership lines to improve service on more productive lines

Alternative service:• Lines 2, 7 or 18 with

transfer to Line 57 or Line 5

• Additional alternatives can be found on the Schedules and Trip Planner pages at cota.com

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I-670 BUS ON SHOULDER PROGRAM

Conditions:

• May be used when traffic speeds drop below 35 mph

• Buses not to exceed traffic speeds by more than 15 mph

• Shoulder use at the operator’s discretion

• Express lines in the area that may be utilizing the shoulder: Lines 38, 39, 40 and 41

• Any COTA bus in service or returning from service may use shoulder

Goal: Improve on-time arrival by allowing COTA buses to use inside (left) shoulder to avoid traffic

Example – Source: Cincinnati Metro

CROSSTOWN LINESSeptember 2015 Service Changes

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SERVICE/FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS: 81 HUDSON-OHIO

Extend service to Rickenbacker area• Weekday: every 30 minutes (6 a.m. - 10 p.m.)*

• Additional trip leaving the area at approximately 11 p.m. remains in effect

• Saturday: every 60 minutes (6 a.m. -10 p.m.)*• Sunday: every 60 minutes (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.)*

Weekend service between University City and Frebis Ave & Studer Ave

• Saturday: every 30 minutes (6 a.m. - 10 p.m.)*• Sunday: every 30 minutes (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.)*

*Span of service is approximate

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ROUTE CHANGE: 81 HUDSON-OHIO (ALL DAYS)

Goal: Provide more service to job centers in the Rickenbacker area

New alignment: Continue north/south on Alum Creek Drive (no Williams-Millstone-Thimbleberry Rds loop)

• All weekday service continues to Rickenbacker area

• Weekend service continues to Rickenbacker area or ends at Frebis Ave and Studer Ave

Discontinued stops:• Thimbleberry Rd

• Millstone Rd

• Williams Rd

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COTA/GREAT COLLABORATION: 81 HUDSON/OHIO

Goal: Improve access to job centers in the Rickenbacker area through Groveport Rickenbacker Employee Access Transit (GREAT)

• Led by City of Groveport with financial assistance from Village of Obetz

Service:

• Three GREAT shuttle lines planned to connect between COTA bus stops and area employment centers

• Planned bus stop improvements at COTA bus stops where transfers to GREAT shuttles will occur

• Alignments and stop locations still being finalized

Planned Implementation Date: October 2015

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ROUTE CHANGE: 89 HAMILTON RD (ALL DAYS)

Goal: Make service simpler and more direct

New alignment: Continue north/south on Hamilton Rd (no Williams Rd-Marketing Pl-Directors Blvd loop)

Discontinued stops:• Williams Rd• Marketing Pl• Directors Blvd

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ROUTE CHANGES: 95 MORSE-HENDERSON

Goals: • Make service more simple and direct and reduce customer confusion

caused by deviations from major roads

• Consolidate duplicative service

• Make service more useful by improving frequency between Easton Transit Center and North High Street to every 15 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays

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ROUTE CHANGES: 95 MORSE-HENDERSON

New alignment (Weekday): From Morse Rd & Northland Ridge Blvd – continue east/west on Morse Rd (no Northland-Ridge Blvd-Northland Park Ave-Tamarack Blvd loop)

Discontinued stops: • Northland Ridge Blvd, Tamarack Blvd, and

Northland Park Ave

Discontinued stops (All Days): • Morse Rd & Hamilton

Rd east of Easton Transit Center

Alternate Service: 89 Hamilton Rd

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ROUTE CHANGES: 95 MORSE-HENDERSON

New alignment: • From Bethel Rd. & McKitrick Blvd – continue on

Bethel Rd (no McKitrick-Drew Ave-Reed Rd loop)• From Bethel Rd. & Jasonway Ave (eastbound) –

turn right onto Jasonway Ave and right on Olentangy River Rd

• From Henderson & Olentangy River Rd (westbound) – turn right onto Olentangy River Rd, left onto Jasonway Ave and left on Bethel Rd

Discontinued stops: • McKitrick Blvd, Drew

Ave, Reed Rd

• Henderson Rd (between Olentangy River Rd and Knightsbridge Blvd)

• Knightsbridge Blvd

• Olentangy River Rd

• Bethel Rd (north and east of Jasonway Ave)

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SEPTEMBER 2015 PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES

Questions about

September 2015 Service Changes?

BUS STOP SERVICEIMPROVEMENT PROJECT

September 2015 Service Changes

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BUS STOP SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Project Goal: Space out bus stops to balance vehicle travel time with how far customers must walk to access stops, in order to:• Improve operational efficiency• Reduce maintenance costs of underutilized bus stops• Improve travel times, where possible

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BUS STOP SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Lines analyzed for changes in September 2015:

• 12 McKinley/Fields (Local)*

• 13 US 33/Watermark (Local)*

• 14 Harmon/Greenlawn (Local)

• 15 Grove City (Local)

Bus lines that share stops with the above lines may also be affected by bus stop changes as part of this project

Public comment period about these changes was held from June 15 - July 3

• 49 Southeast (Express)

• 55 Gender (Express)*

• 83 Oakland/Weber (Crosstown)

*Analysis completed with no resulting stop changes

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BUS STOP SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Maps of all final changes, and a list of all affected stops are available for review at this meeting, and are available online at COTA.com/BSSIP

Commuter Bulletins have been posted at all affected bus stops

Questions about the

Bus Stop Service Improvement Project?

RELATED COTAINITIATIVES & PROJECTS

September 2015 Service Changes

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CMAX CLEVELAND AVENUE BRT

Goal: Provide rapid transit service along Cleveland Avenue, the second busiest transit corridor in the system

Update: • President Obama’s FY 2016 budget includes funding for 80% of

system construction

• Final Design complete:

• Bus branding

• Station design

• Property acquisitions

• Next Steps

• Public artwork

• Pre-construction outreach

For more information visit COTABRT.com

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CMAX CLEVELAND AVENUE BRT

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Goal: Vision for the future of transit – 2025, 2040 & 2050

• Not restrained by mode or funding

• Project and initiatives identified and prioritized by the public (you!)

• Final Report will recommend implementation strategies for community – COTA, public agencies, private sector

Check out COTA.com/NextGen for more information

NEXTGEN

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THANK YOU!

General Questions?