Triangle Regional Transit

[orulz]

A couple of articles about TTA regional rail from Triangle Business Journal over the last couple of months that slipped by under the radar:

Regional rail may be scaled back as TTA struggles for funding - details how TTA is looking at further cost-cutting measures (don't worry, no more stations will be axed) and additional revenue sources to bring the cost down and the local share up to the magic 50% number.

TTA stop a plus in property buy - shows proof that some people are willing to invest in potential TOD along the line (in this case, at the Highwoods station) even in spite of the uncertainty regarding the whole project.

In other news, reading the May 25th Board of Trustees meeting minutes I found an interesting tidbit of information. The vehicles, which will be manufactured by UTS/Rotem, will have stainless steel bodies (shiny and rust-free). That's different from all the renderings that have been released up until now, and stainless should end up looking and weathering better then plain painted steel. There will be a mockup (presumably full-size?) on display at the APTA expo in September. This mockup will have the TTA logo painted on it, but the colors will be different since dark red/dark green would look like crap on a stainless steel backdrop. Hopefully come September, we'll see some nice photos of the TTA rail vehicle in the N&O This will be big news outside the Triangle too, since this will be one of only two DMUs designed to run on US railroads since Budd's failed SPV2000 in 1980.

Lastly, some pessimistic ramblings:

The more I think about it the more closer I come to concluding that TTA shot itself in the foot by not having a broad, sweeping plan from the outset. The first line basically serves downtown-to-downtown traffic, which most people don't need, so many immediately pass it off as a waste of taxpayer money. At this stage, if TTA made a bigger deal about future expansions in an effort to gain broader support, they'd be stuck with the task of changing peoples' minds. I can see it now: "First they wanted to waste $650 million of taxpayer money, now they want to waste more?!" People who are against the rail line now will oppose any further plans without even looking at the benefits. It may just be that the TTA rail line, as proposed, is dead.

At any rate, I think I heard that the reworked models are due out some time in July, so we'll get an idea of what's going to happen before too long.

[ChiefJoJo]

I found this page from another thread--it's got some renderings of the DT Raleigh station location plus some other info from meetings with the Boylan Heights neighborhood association.

[orulz]

I found this page from another thread--it's got some renderings of the DT Raleigh station location plus some other info from meetings with the Boylan Heights neighborhood association.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Those renderings are from 2001 or 2002, when TTA still planned to build the tracks on an elevated structure over the Boylan Wye, with a grade crossing at Boylan Ave. Due to neighborhood opposition, they changed their plans to involve an open cut with tracks below the Wye. On the whole, it might be a bit more expensive, but it will be less disruptive, and the station ended up in a location with better access to downtown (Hargett and West.)

[urbanvb]

Those pics are impressive. I do hope rail happens for your area.

[ChiefJoJo]

Those renderings are from 2001 or 2002, when TTA still planned to build the tracks on an elevated structure over the Boylan Wye, with a grade crossing at Boylan Ave.

You're right on... I just wish we could see some renderings of the new station layouts... and of course we will all be waiting unil next month when we should find out modeling results that will likely make or break this project.

[orulz]

Operating on the assumption that their funding will be restored, and not wanting to fall too far behind schedule, TTA has relased put out a RFQ for developers to manage the transit-oriented development that will go on around each of the stations. The press release is here; the RFQ document (6mb PDF) can be downloaded from this page. You're supposed to leave an e-mail address in order to download.

Incedentally, this document contains aerial photographs and site plans for all of the stations. It's not the same as a 3D rendering, but it should give you a bit of an idea of what things will look like.

[jlblaes]

There is a short blurb on TBJ about the Triangle Transit Authority's quest to obtain a long-term federal commitment to help fund construction of a regional rail system faces an important deadline Oct. 1.

Triangle Biz Journal Link

JB

[ChiefJoJo]

Here's the N&O article

[Subway Scoundrel]

To show how old they are , they do not even have the New Hope Church road station included. Now maybe the web site is incorrect and mentioning this. I hope not as that is my station.

[orulz]

Originally, the TTA main line was planned as 18 stations, to be built in 2 phases. There were 16 stations in phase 1, from Spring Forest Road in North Raleigh, to the Duke Medical Center in Durham. Phase 2 would have consisted of two more stations in North Raleigh, at the Northeast Regional Center just inside 540, and Durant Rd just outside. I think the US15/501 corridor between Durham and Chapel Hill would have been built before the Phase 2 extension in Raleigh ever happened.

The plot thickens.

Last year when TTA's funding problems became apparent, Phase 1 was trimmed back to 12 stations - 9th Street in Durham to Government Center in Raleigh. Unfortunately, this means that the station at New Hope Church Road is no longer included in Phase 1.

I'm not sure if the four trimmed stations were lumped in with NE Regional Center and Durant Road as a larger phase II, or if they're now considered phase 2 of a 3-phase project. But anyway, the "party line" is that phase 1 will come on line in 2008, and phase II could happen as soon as 2011-2012. We'll see how things actually go.

[orulz]

Here is a better rendering of the TTA DMU:

Slick! Seems NJT wants some of these too, so they're negotiating an option to join the contract. Part of me wishes there were a door on the front so that a two married-pair, four-car train could have one compartment rather than two seperate ones. But the other part of me likes it this way because these trains will be sleek! They probably won't be running any four-car trains at first anyway.

This is all assuming they get the federal funding sorted out...

[orulz]

I went to the TTA Board of Trustees meeting yesterday. I heard a few interesting things about the rail line, some good news, some bad, and some ... well, neither.

• The cost-benefit analysis model rewrite is not just tweaking the previous ones that they were using; it involves starting from scratch and working with the FTA at every step along the way to make sure that they will accept the results once it's done. It's proven to be a difficult task because transportation patterns in our metro area are so different from anywhere else in the country.

• The model will be complete someme in September or towards the end of August. Assuming the results are satisfactory, that would allow for a full funding grant agreement to be issued in May 2006. TTA wants to get all bids awarded and ready to go before then, so that the contractors can start moving dirt ASAP.

• We may see work going on out there before the FFGA, as utilities located within and across the NCRR right-of-way are moved.

• TTA is still shooting for operational status by the end of 2008, but any number of things could go wrong to push that into 2009.

• Now that the engineering designs have been finalized (except for the DT Raleigh segment between Boylan and Government Center) TTA has hired a consultant to generate a final cost estimate. The estimate is not complete, but this consultant has found what he says are "serious flaws" in the current estimate. Doesn't sound like good news, but I guess we can only wait until the estimate is done.

• All 16 of the original stations, from Duke Medical to Spring Forest, will be built before any other lines are started.

• The mock-up vehicle for the APTA expo is under construction by UTS. They had some in-progress pictures that they passed around to the board members, and from what I saw (from across the room) they were very slick. I asked if I could get a copy of those photos but I haven't heard back from TTA yet. It looked as if the mock-up will be like a short, non-operational, walk-in model with the same exterior and interior design as the final vehicle.

In other transit-related news, TTA's express services start on August 8th. They will offer nonstop trips from Raleigh to Durham and Raleigh to Chapel Hill. Read this article from the Herald-Sun for a bit better description.

[ChiefJoJo]

Thanks for the info, orulz. You seem to be everywhere!

What you stated seems to mesh with what I have heard, although from my sources, the modeling results may not be what we want. I have met the individual responsible for essentially awarding FTA new starts grants, and have heard indirectly that even if the modeling comes in OK, TTA is going to have to show more than just numbers to obtain the FFGA. There needs to be a "story" behind the numbers--ie, benefits to low income communities, economic development, etc. FTA has become much more strict with their review of proposals in the last couple of years, and TTA was not quite prepared for that level of scrutiny.

If TTA swings and misses on this, it will be a huge blow to transit in the Triangle IMO.

[orulz]

Interesting that you mention a "story behind the numbers." John Claflin, TTA's general manager, implied that TTA has those parts of the equation in order. For example, he said that the FTA recognizes that TTA has taken huge steps in the direction of TOD compared to the last evaluation, implying that TTA might get better marks there in the next round of New Starts analyses. And while those things do matter, the most fundamental question is still "What are your costs, and what is your ridership?" - and that seems to be what TTA is struggling with, rather than the "story."

Or, at least that's how TTA's G.M. made it seem.

Another interesting tidbit: TTA is actually considered to be a shortline railroad by the FRA, meaning that TTA gets unceremoniously lumped into the "commuter rail" category by the FTA. But as we know, the "commuter rail" moniker is not appropriate, since the service will bear a much greater resemblance to a light rail line. Some people can understand the distinction, but some of the bureaucrats and higher-ups involved in the decisionmaking process have a hard time grasping the concept.

[ChiefJoJo]

Interesting that you mention a "story behind the numbers." John Claflin, TTA's general manager, implied that TTA has those parts of the equation in order.

That is what I heard from a person that actually had a conversation with someone at FTA who overseas all new starts proposals. The general feeling I got was that TTA was not in a good position now, but perhaps their conversation took place before some of the additional work that TTA has done in recent months since their "not recommended" rating earlier this year.

TTA gets unceremoniously lumped into the "commuter rail" category by the FTA

As I understand, TTA's "regional rail" system is unique in it's design and operation among all other systems in the nation in that it splits the difference between commuter rail and light rail. That makes sense since our commuting patterns are so unusual.

On a positive note, TTA just announced express bus service between DT Raleigh and DT Durham and DT Raleigh and DT Chapel Hill.

[yfreemark]

I got this image off of a powerpoint presentation given by a TTA person - it shows the TTA car's proposed interior. Sorry about the crappy quality - it's the largest image I got.

You might notice the lack of interior poles, meaning that they don't expect people to be standing and also the route layout above the door. Looks ok, IMO.

[orulz]

According to this article, TTA expects to recieve $18 million dollars for the rail system in this year's federal budget. $18 million isn't a lot, and it definitely isn't a FFGA (Full Funding Grant Agreement) but it's a step. I expect they'll use this money to relocate all the utilities in and across the NCRR right-of-way.

Or, is this article just a case of posturing by the TTA administration?

In other news, they got three submissions for their RFQ for the position of "master developer" at the TTA stations. The "master developer" will manage TOD around each station.

[Tayfromcarolina]

Sounds good. I would like to see this project go ahead and break ground. Would be a great Catalyst for the area I think. But it still should connect with the airport.

[urbanesq]

Sounds good. I would like to see this project go ahead and break ground. Would be a great Catalyst for the area I think. But it still should connect with the airport.

Seems like the most oft-cited complaint about the TTA's plans are the lack of connection to RDU. A couple of points about that, though:

1. There WILL be a connection to RDU, it's just that a train won't pull directly up to the terminal. Think about it, though-- there are very few airports in this country where that's the case. Until very recently, you had to hop a shuttle from Logan to the rail line in Boston. In TTA's case, you'll hop a short shuttle from either RTP station and be taken to the terminal curbside in 5 minutes. That's as fast as from the remote parking lots; I call that service to the airport.

2. The Phase I trains will run on new track in existing right-of-way. There's no existing R/W to the airport, so TTA would have been forced to buy an entirely new corridor. Not cheap in that area, and tough given the existing development patterns out there.

3. It's my understanding that, at least initially, the RDU Authority didn't want the train there because of fears it would interfere with future terminal renovations or runway re-designs, and (probably more importantly) that it would cut into their parking profits.

4. TTA's studies of the useage patterns of other systems with direct airport connections found that, interestingly enough, people just don't take trains to airports. I don't think I would-- who wants to schlep luggage and everything on a train? Maybe on a quick business trip, but with the family? No way! What TTA projected based on their studies was that if you added a direct airport connection, the number of additional daily riders on the system as a whole was negligible. The core service that TTA's rail line will offer is a commuter service. It's my recollection that the extra riders were expected to be people who work at the airport, not travelers. The additional cost was over $1million per rider. No offense to anyone who works at RDU, but totally not worth it.

I'd much rather see the Duke Hospital station, or at least a couple of the North Raleigh stations than a different/closer/direct airport connection given these factors.

[orulz]

You're right. It seems that at least half of the random people that I talk to about the rail system (usually while stuck in traffic on TTA buses) complains about the lack of an airport connection. I speculate that most of these people are just regurgitating this criticism without thinking because they read it somewhere or heard it from someone, but the root causes probably stem from one or more of the following:

1: TTA had been advertsing a plan of direct connections to the airport for long time (until quite recently, in fact) before they realized that the ridership just wasn't there. That leaves the public feeling like they've been baited-and-switched.

2: A rather large portion of the Triangle (say 25%) would probably use the train to go to the airport rather than calling a taxi or paying for long-term parking, both of which are hassles and cost a lot.

Now, let's think logically about it for a minute.

The vast majority of the people who ride the train to the airport wouldn't use it for anything else, and that would never amount to more than a couple trips per year per person. It's the aspect of the rail system that would affect the greatest number of people but it makes up a very small number of actual boardings, compared to the 2% of the Triangle that will use it 300 days a year.

Service through the airport with DMUs to a station at the terminal is not physically possible (without a long tunnel beneath the runways or a massive elevated structure over the terminal. There just isn't enough space for the trains to turn around. That costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Guess what TTA doesn't have? Money!

As urbanesq pointed out, there is a plan to eventually connect the airport to the rail line, although it will involve a transfer to a people mover or a BRT shuttle. As long as it has level boarding (so people don't have to lift any rolling luggage) I think it will work just fine. By and large, people are already used to riding people movers to get around large airports, so this fit right in.

Finally, a spur line with DMUs would be physically possible, but then you either end up with transfers or much more complicated service, with reduced effective headways. We'd end up with three different routes: Raleigh-RTP-Durham, Raleigh-RTP-Airport, and Durham-RTP-Airport, and passengers would have to know the difference between the trains and time their arrivals accordingly. Quite frankly, that sounds like it would suck.

Personally I would rather see the Chapel Hill line go in before the North Raleigh stations, because so many people already using transit there anyway. Duke Medical Center should not have been postponed in the first place.

[monsoon]

IBM has been an excellent corporate citizen and has brought a great deal of good to the Triangle. As a further demonstration of this good corporate citizenship, they are going to apparently donate the land needed to build one of the TTA's rail stations in RTP. This support only has to boost the TTA's chances in getting the required funding to build the line. Now if only some of the other corporations in the area would help out.

More information at this link

[orulz]

One of the stations is so close to IBM's main campus (something like 13,000 people work there - largest IBM operation in the world) that IBM will probably get more financial benefit out of having the station there than they would from keeping the land.

[monsoon]

I'm not sure I understand that logic. Those employees are going to work those jobs regardless of whether the TTA line is built or not and IBM does not pay their transportation costs. The rail line may or may not make it easier for them to get to work, but I don't see where IBM will gain anything beyond making the lives for everyone there better than it is now. Benefits which may bring some indirect benefits to the company but will also server others in the park equally as well.

To my knowledge this is the only company in NC that has made a direct money contribution to rail mass transit. They have done a good thing.

[Subway Scoundrel]

I'm not sure I understand that logic.  Those employees are going to work those jobs regardless of whether the TTA line is built or not and IBM does not pay their transportation costs.  The rail line may or may not make it easier for them to get to work, but I don't see where IBM will gain anything beyond making the lives for everyone there better than it is now.  Benefits which may bring some indirect benefits to the company but will also server others in the park equally as well.

To my knowledge this is the only company in NC that has made a direct money contribution to rail mass transit.  They have done a good thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can tell you one benefit to IBM. IBM, like other tech and large companies, it is all about cost. Cost is king and saving cost is how you make your career. There are a lot of people who travel internationaly from the RTP campus. If you could catch the train to the Metro center and then the shuttle to RDU and it was quick and easy, there is no need to drive to the airport and pay $10 a day. For a day or 2/3 day trip, it may not make sense. Depends on how easy and fast it is. Also, that land they are giving is not buildable for office or anything else. Only good for a rail station so it is a good. Actually, where I park is about 75 yards from the stop. The largest IBM office buildings are near this stop. One of the reasons I bought my house is it is 1 mile from a Phase 2 stop.

[DanRNC]

I agree that Chapel Hill should have had priority over North Raleigh in the plans for the TTA. As someone that commutes every day from Chapel Hill to Duke I witness the steady stream of cars heading out to the Park. Most people living in Meadowmont and Southern Village I would assume work in RTP, Raleigh, or Durham. In addition, with construction of Carolina North it would seem that a significant amount of people will be commuting into town from the surrounding areas.

Not to say that North Raleighites don't work in RTP, I just don't see that mentality leaving the SUVs behind to take a train. Chapel Hill already has the most progressive view on mass transit in the state (Leave Your Car Behind Campaign and free bus service) and leaving our community out of this just doesn't make much sense. Economically it may have repercussions as many if not all surface lots in town will be history with the new developments downtown.