Final Report - Pima Association of Governments

High Capacity Transit System Plan - Final Report June 2009
Transit Technologies Analysis
Operator cabs are generally provided at both ends of the vehicle to allow bi‐directional operation.
Trains can operate as a single or multi‐car train. The LRT stations may have high‐ or low‐level
platforms. Depending on the train characteristics, ramps may be required for ADA compliance, as
shown in Figure 29.
For the peer review of LRT systems, the current systems in Portland, San Diego, Dallas,
Baltimore, and San Jose were considered.
Figure 29
Example of LRT Vehicle with Wheelchair Ramp (San Diego)
Average revenue speed for the peer review systems is 5‐10 mph in central business district
operation and 30‐40 mph in express operation on dedicated right‐of‐way. Maximum operating
speed is 55 to 65 mph.
Number of Corridors
The number of LRT routes greatly varies from city to city depending on the urban area size and
the distribution of population density through the metropolitan areas. The peer review study
showed a range of one to three LRT routes for the selected urban areas.
Corridor Length
The total length of the LRT corridors in the systems reviewed ranged from 30 miles to 66 miles
depending on the size of the urban area as well as the location and proximity of the employment
centers to residential areas. Average corridor length ranges from 16 to 22.6 miles.
Average Station Spacing
LRT service provides less frequent stops than the bus service and the peer review systems have a
range of a stop every 0.70 mile to 1.3 miles. LRT stations typically require advanced facilities to
make the boarding process faster and easier. Station spacing may range from three to five blocks
in dense downtown environments.
Service Frequency
53