New! System-Wide Transit Corridor Plan for the San ... - Omnitrans

Chapter 3
Existing Conditions
This chapter describes the existing conditions in
the Omnitrans service area that affect the existing
and potential future transit ridership. All of the
material presented here is summarized to
describe the variations between the BRT
corridors.
Population and employment data are presented to
show where person trips are generated. The
demographic data identifies populations and
geographic areas that are more likely to consider
transit modes of travel. Traffic conditions are
shown to identify areas of congestion, which
present both a challenge and opportunities for
increased transit service. Land use data and
policies are used to demonstrate the presence or
absence of transit-oriented development patterns,
and provide current and planned levels of
development in the corridors. Existing transit
conditions are discussed as a key requirement of
the Very Small Starts process.
3.1 Existing Demographic Profile
This section presents demographic data for the
San Bernardino Valley, for the ten BRT corridors,
and for current transit riders. Existing demographic
data is derived from the San Bernardino Valley
Travel Demand Focus Model, described in detail in
Chapter 4. The demographic ridership data shown
in Table 3-1 for current transit riders are used to
demonstrate how the existing conditions contribute
to existing transit ridership.
3.1.1 Corridor Demographics
Year 2006 levels of employment and population
densities were analyzed as part of the LRTP, and
are shown in Exhibits 3-1 and 3-2, respectively. A
wide range of demographic information was
analyzed for the various major transit corridors as
shown in Table 3-1, as well as for the overall
Omnitrans service area. The following statistics
were selected because they are indicators of
potential transit usage in an area and gauge
potential transit opportunities.
In general, transit corridors that serve a mix of
high population and employment densities are
more likely to generate more transit trips in the
corridor. Additional transit trips are attracted to
corridors that have certain socio-economic
characteristics, such as low income and low levels
of vehicle availability.
• Population and Population Density. Table
3-1 shows that the population of the
Omnitrans service area is almost 1.46 million
people, as of 2006. The ten corridors studied
serve populations ranging from 70,000 to
215,000 people. Three corridors (Corridors 2,
3 and 6) each serve at least 10% of the
population of the Omnitrans service area,
while two other corridors (Corridors 7 and 8)
each serve about 5% of the population. The
total population is divided by the total land
area in each corridor to calculate the
population density. The average population
density of the Omnitrans service area is
almost 3,000 persons per square mile. Every
corridor with the exception of Corridor 7 has a
greater population density than the average
value. Corridor 2 has both the greatest total
population and the highest population density.
• Minority Population. Minority (defined as all
persons not considered non-Hispanic white)
populations are high throughout the ten
corridors and the Omnitrans service area in
general at 63%. The minority populations
observed in the individual corridors range from
53% in Corridor 10, up to almost 80% in
Corridor 5.
• Age Distribution. Young people and the
elderly are less likely to drive or have cars.
The age distribution in all of the corridors is
typically very young, with almost half of the
population in Corridor 1 (E Street) and
Corridor 2 (Foothill Boulevard East) being of
college age or younger.
• Poverty Status. Lower incomes are often
correlated with transit usage. Overall, almost
16% of the population in the Omnitrans
service area has incomes below the poverty
level. However, poverty levels in individual
corridors vary widely, from higher
concentrations of more than 25% in Corridor 1
and 28 percent in Corridor 2 to the lowest
concentration of 8% in Corridor 7.
System-Wide Transit Corridor Plan 47