Route B2: Presentation for Public Meeting #2 - Metrobus Studies

2010 Service Evaluation Study
Public Meeting #2
Route B2
October 21, 2010
1

What Will We Be Doing At This Meeting?
• Introduce project team
• Describe study purpose and background
• Review project schedule and progress
• Review preliminary recommendations
• Roundtable discussion of preliminary
recommendations
• Describe next steps
2

Project Staff
• Girum Meseret, WMATA
• Tim Rosenberger, PB
• Brian Laverty, PB
3

What is the Purpose of this Project?
• Examine the service efficiency of various
routes to improve:
–on-time performance
–reliability
–frequency
–travel time, and
–bus stop amenities
4

Project Background
• Why this project?
–WMATA and partner jurisdictions are
taking a systematic look at bus routes
throughout the region
• What is the goal of the study?
–Recommend service improvements as
part of annual budget process
5

Project Background
• Project Methodology
–Collect and analyze data
–Talk to bus operators, service planners,
and passengers
–Develop and evaluate service change
plans
–Develop recommendations and
implementation strategy
6

Project Schedule
• Collect and analyze data, July to August
• Public meeting, 9/1/2010
• Develop and evaluate service change plans,
October
• Prepare draft recommendations, October
• Public meeting to discuss preliminary
recommendations, 10/21/2010
• Final recommendations, January 2011
7

Existing B2 Service
8

Summary of Public Comments
• Routes are often untimely and unreliable
• Often overcrowded
• Bus-bunching is common
• Too slow
• Buses sometimes pass by without picking up
passengers because they are too crowded
• Need more service or increase in frequency of
service
9

Bus Service Recommendations

Weekday Short-Turn Trips
• Overlapping short-turn trips on top of existing
weekday B2 service:
• Mount Rainier to Potomac Ave Station
• Anacostia Station to H Street/Benning Road
NE
11

Weekday Short-Turn Trips
Peak:10 min.
Off-Peak: 15 min.
Peak:7 min.
Off-Peak: 10 min.
Peak:10 min.
Off-Peak: 15 min.
12

Short-Turn Trip Service Characteristics
Mon -
Thurs
Day Segment Start End
Short turn: Mt Rainier to
Potomac Ave Metro
Short turn: Anacostia to
H/Benning
AM
headway
Midday
headway
PM
headway
5:30 AM 7:00 PM 20 30 20
5:30 AM 7:00 PM 20 30 20
Evening
headway
Full Trip (Mt Rainier to Anacostia) 4:30 AM 1:30 AM 20 30 20 30
Friday
Short turn: Mt Rainier to
Potomac Ave Metro
Short turn: Anacostia to
H/Benning
5:30 AM 7:00 PM 20 30 20
5:30 AM 7:00 PM 20 30 20
Full Trip (Mt Rainier to Anacostia) 4:30 AM 3:30 AM 20 30 20 30
Saturday Full Trip (Mt Rainier to Anacostia) 4:30 AM 3:30 AM 20 18 20 30
Sunday Full Trip (Mt Rainier to Anacostia) 4:30 AM 1:30 AM 30 24 24 30
13

Increase Weekday Running Time
Additional weekday time for the route:
Direction AM Peak Midday PM Peak Evening
Southbound 6 min 6 min 8 min 14 min
Northbound 2 min 6 min 5 min 3 min
14

Widened Headways
Widened headways
would improve
reliability without
using additional
buses.
Day
Mon - Fri
Saturdays
Sundays
Time Period
Existing
Headway
New
Headway
B2 AM Peak 10 12
B2 Midday 15 16
B2 PM Peak 10 12
B2 Evening 30 36
B2 PM Peak 20 21
B2 Evening 30 31
B2 AM Peak 30 31
B2 Midday 24 25
B2 PM Peak 24 26
B2 Evening 30 31
15

Operations Recommendations

Additional Supervision
More street supervisors assigned to areas along
the route to alleviate bus bunching
17

Traffic Signal Priority
Traffic signal priority at:
• Northbound Minnesota Avenue
SE at Pennsylvania Avenue
• Southbound Eastern Avenue at
Bladensburg Road
18

Traffic Signal Priority Locations

Bus Stops
Eliminate some stops:
• T Street at 16 th Street, SE
• E. Capitol Street at 19 th Street
• Bladensburg Road at 35 th Street, NE
Move some stops:
• 15 th Street/Potomac Avenue, SE - moved northeast
to the other side of Kentucky Avenue
• SB 15 th Street SE at Pennsylvania Avenue, SE –
move 250 feet north on 15 th Street SE
Consolidate some stops:
• 14 th Street NE between C and D Streets NE
20

Locations of Recommended Modifications
21

Maintenance Recommendations

Improve Maintenance
Continue and improve
maintenance practices
that reduce missed trips
due to mechanical
breakdowns
23

Amenities Recommendations

Needed Amenities
Enhance bus stops
by implementing
amenities where
needed, according
to WMATA Bus
Stop Guidelines, or
where in need of
repair.
Level
Amenity
Number
needed or
deficient
Basic Bus Stop Sign 12
Basic 5’x8’ Pedestrian Pad 22
Basic Sidewalk at Least 4’ Wide 33
Basic Lighting 33
Level 1 Information Case 32
Level 1 System Map 42
Level 1 Trash Can 6
Level 1 Shelter 38
Level 1 Seating 35
Level 2 Rear Pedestrian Pad 42
Level 2 NextBus LED 8
25

Other Recommendations

Passenger Behavior
• Emphasize passenger rights and responsibilities,
especially with regard to students using the
route.
• Implement an elementary/middle school program
teaching students proper riding etiquette and
rules of behavior:
• Successful programs in Akron, Ohio and Broward
County, Florida
27

Summary of Recommendations
Bus Service:
• Implement short-turn trips on top of existing service
or improve reliability by widening headways
• Increase weekday running time
Operations:
• Additional street supervision
• Traffic signal priority at key intersections
• Eliminate, move, and consolidate some stops
28

Summary of Recommendations
Maintenance:
• Continue and improve maintenance practices that
reduce missed trips due to mechanical breakdowns
Amenities:
• Enhance stop amenities on route, according to
WMATA Bus Stop Guidelines
Other:
• Emphasize passenger rights and responsibilities
• Implement elementary/middle school program to
improve riding etiquette
29

Recommendations and Public Comments
• Routes are often untimely and unreliable:
– Additional time added in schedule and added
short-turn trips would improve schedule
adherence/reliability
• Often overcrowded:
– Short-turn trips and additional street supervision
would reduce overcrowding in busiest sections
• Bus-bunching is common:
– Additional street supervision and traffic signal
priority would more evenly space buses
30

Recommendations and Public Comments
• Too slow:
– Moving, consolidating, and eliminating stops too
close together and traffic signal priority where
warranted would speed up the route
• Buses sometimes pass by without picking up
passengers because they are too crowded:
– Reducing overcrowding with short-turn trips and
additional street supervision would cut back on
these instances
31

Recommendations and Public Comments
• Need more service or increase in frequency of
service
– Added short-turn trips would lower headways
between buses and increase service between H
Street/Benning Road NE and Potomac Avenue
Station
32

Roundtable Discussion
• Break up into small groups.
• Each group will have a moderator.
• Moderator will run through a list of
questions.
• Each group will appoint a representative
to summarize their discussion.
33

Next Steps
• Develop and evaluate alternative service
improvement plans
• Prepare recommendations
• Develop implementation plan
• Incorporate into budget process
• Implement phased improvements
34

How Can You Participate?
• Project Hot Line:
– 202-370-2915
• Website:
– www.Metrobus-Studies.com
35