National Academies Press: OpenBook

Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations (2012)

Chapter: Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
×
Page 39
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
×
Page 40
Page 41
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
×
Page 41
Page 42
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
×
Page 42
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14614.
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33 The access modes used by passengers arriving at rapid transit stations relate closely to the devel- opment patterns and densities of each station’s catchment area. They also reflect the opportunities available in the station area for walking, bicycling, feeder bus transit, and automobile access (including parking). This chapter shows the general relationship between station access modes and land use. It sets forth a station typology for commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, and BRT. It then discusses station boardings and arrival modes and shows the effects of major park-and-ride facilities on station boardings. Finally, it suggests station access policy guidelines based on the typology and charac- teristics of each access mode. General Considerations Passenger access to rapid transit stations can be provided by several modes. These modes vary by system and station location. On a system-wide basis, they reflect the age and coverage of the system, and the characteristics of the system’s service areas. The multi-modal dimension of individual station access is clearly illustrated by access provisions at the Sierra Madre Station along Los Angeles’ Gold Line. A weather-protected footbridge over a freeway (Exhibit 4-1) provides access to the center island station platform. This bridge connects with the fourth floor of a five-story parking garage. Bus stops and bicycle lockers are provided on the first floor of the garage and a pedestrian route to the surrounding area’s street network is provided from the garage elevators. The access mode emphasis at any given station depends upon surrounding land use types and densities, frequency of connecting bus services, street spacing, sidewalk availability and connectivity, and the number of parking spaces provided. Exhibit 4-2 shows a generalized modal use pattern as a function of distance from the city center (a surrogate for density). There are, however, many site-specific corridor conditions that influence passenger arrival and departure modes. Accordingly, more systematic station classification systems were developed. Station Typologies The project team developed station typologies for each rapid transit mode to provide an overview of the types of stations currently in use in transit systems throughout the United States and Canada. These typologies illustrate general characteristics for stations, including land use intensity, feeder transit connections, parking availability, and the quality of the pedestrian network. C H A P T E R 4 Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance

34 Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations The typology described in this paper relates only to physical factors present at transit stations and within the station area (roughly defined as ½ mile, although this may vary by station). Station types provide a general idea of the attributes and access/egress mode characteristics associated with the different stations and their primary function within the greater transportation system. In practice, stations will rarely fit a given station type exactly; rather, most stations will share the characteristics of multiple types. Traditionally, most non-CBD transit stations served primarily as trip origins, with passenger destinations located in the CBD. However, as suburban employment increases and transit expands to serve this market, “reverse” and suburb-to-suburb commutes via transit are increasing. To capture the effects of egress planning in the typology, the typology includes both origin and destination non-CBD stations. Source: Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Exhibit 4-1. Footbridge providing access to Sierra Madre Station, CA. Exhibit 4-2. Conceptual illustration of density’s effect on access mode choice.

Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance 35 A station typology can help to serve as a starting point for station access planning. In most cases, tools and strategies to improve transit access and egress will only be applicable for a limited set of station types. As a result, successful planning should carefully consider the unique conditions at each individual station. Stations were reviewed according to eight categories: • Housing density—a characterization of the housing density in the area around the station. This attribute provides insight into the potential riders that live within walking distance of the station. • Scale—average building height in the area surrounding the station. Building scale relates to walkability, density, and activity levels, and helps to illustrate the feel of the station area when combined with some of the other categories. • Distance from CBD—a measure of the typical station type’s location within the metro area. Stations further from downtown will tend to serve a different market than those closer to the CBD. Stations closer to the urban core tend to emphasize pedestrian connections while commuter stations focus on providing enough parking to meet demand. These locational attributes will vary according to transit mode and other land use considerations. • Supporting Transit Network—the level of transit connectivity to other transit services available at the station. This measure identifies how the station operates in the context of the overall transit network and indicates the station’s ability to serve a wide-ranging area. • Pedestrian/Bike Access—a measure of the completeness and attractiveness of the pedestrian and bicycle networks around the station. Well-formed connections for pedestrians and bicycles are important for assuring successful station access. • Surrounding Land Uses—description of the land use mix in the station area. Stations adjacent to different land use types serve different functions. • Parking Facilities—the level of off-street parking accommodation provided at the station type. • Access/Egress—simple classification (Access/Egress/Both) describing the primary role of the station in the transportation system. Some stations are located at the “home” end of the journey for most passengers, while others represent the destination. This distinction is impor- tant because passengers are more likely to have access to a private vehicle at the “home,” or access station. A suggested station access typology is shown in Exhibit 4-3. This classification system applies to stations along commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, and BRT lines. The typology also shows where each access mode should be encouraged. The CBD, which relies mainly on pedestrian access, is included in the urban commercial category. The table defines station type in terms of land use, density, scale, and distance from the CBD. It describes the surrounding land and use, the pedestrian and bicycle access features of the existing transit network, and the likely availability of parking facilities. Example stations are given for each typology. The challenge is to place each station into a specific typology. Therefore, in some circumstances, it is desirable to adopt a simplified station typology model. Such an approach stratifies stations into five base types: (1) CBD, (2) urban—medium to high density, (3) suburban low-density, (4) terminal stations (both transit and auto-dependent), and (5) special conditions. Examples of Station Arrival Modes As part of the research effort, access mode data for over 450 rail transit stations at eight transit systems were collected and summarized. Station types were assigned to each station. The weekday daily average percentage of station users (for all trips) arriving by a particular mode was then com- puted. The results are shown in Exhibit 4-4. Appendix D provides the complete set of access data.

36 Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations Station Area Type Housing Density Scale (# of stories) Distance from CBD Supporting Transit Network Ped/Bike Access Urban Commercial High >5 0-10 miles Intermodal facility/transit hub High-quality network; good connectivity High-Density Urban Neighborhood High >5 0-10 miles Subregional hub High-quality network;good connectivity Medium- Density Urban Neighborhood Medium 2-5 5-10 miles Some local bus connections High-quality network; good connectivity Urban Neighborhood with Parking Medium 2-5 5-10 miles Subregional hub High-quality network; high-volume roadways may limit connectivity Historic Transit Village Medium- High 2-5 10-40 miles Some local bus connections High-quality network; good connectivity Suburban TOD Medium-High 2-8 5-15 miles Some local bus connections Good network within station area, some high-volume roadways Suburban Village Center Medium- High 2 – 5 5-15 miles Subregional hub Limited connectivity, some high-volume roadways Suburban Neighborhood Low- Medium 1 – 3 5-15 miles Some local bus connections Limited connectivity, some high-volume roadways Suburban (Freeway) Low 0-2 10-20 miles Employer shuttles, limited bus connections Isolated, difficult connections Suburban Employment Center Low 1 – 3 5-15 miles Some local bus connections, employer shuttles Poor connectivity, high- volume roadways Suburban Retail Center Low 1 – 3 5-15 miles Some local bus connections Poor connectivity, high- volume roadways Intermodal Transit Center Low- Medium 1-3 5-15 miles Intermodal facility/transit hub Good connections between systems; isolated Freeway/ Highway Park & Ride Low 0-2 15-40 miles Employer shuttles, limited bus connections Isolated, difficult connections Busway Varies Varies 10 – 30 miles Subregional hub High-volume roadways, difficult connections Special Event/ Campus Low- Medium 1 – 3 Varies Some local bus connections Limited connectivity with emphasis on special facility Shuttle Station Low 0-2 15 – 40 miles Employer, airport, special event shuttles Isolated, difficult connections Satellite City Low-Medium 1-3 >30 miles Subregional hub High-quality network; good connectivity Legacy Low 0-2 Varies Limited connections Isolated, difficult connections Exhibit 4-3. Station access typology.

Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance 37 Surrounding Land Use Access/ Egress Parking Facilities Example Stations Rapid Transit Modes Office, residential, institutional, retail, entertainment, and civic uses Both No off-street parking 16th Street/Mission (BART) Lloyd Center (TriMet) East Liberty (Port Authority) Heavy Rail Light Rail BRT Residential, neighborhood retail, limited office Access No/limited off- street parking Kingsbridge Road (NYCT) Heavy Rail Residential, neighborhood retails Access No/limited off- street parking Western – Pink Line (CTA) West Baltimore (MARC) Othello Station (Sound Transit) Euclid Ave/71st St (Cleveland RTA) Hoboken – 14th Street (NY Waterway) Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Light Rail BRT Ferry Residential, neighborhood retail Access Off-street parking available Anacostia (WMATA) Heavy Rail Residential, neighborhood retail, limited office Access Some off-street parking Greenwich Station (Metro North) Commuter Rail Residential, neighborhood retail Both Some off-street parking Bethesda (WMATA) Davis Street (Metra) Orenco Station (TriMet) Tunney’s Pasture (OC Transpo) Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Light Rail BRT Residential, neighborhood retail, commercial Access Some off-street parking available Downtown Littleton (RTD) Van Nuys (LA Metro) Light Rail BRT Residential, retail, limited office Access Some off-street parking available South Bank (PAT) Pleasant Park (OC Transpo) Route 915 - Columbia (MTA) Quincy (MBTA) Light Rail BRT Commuter Bus Ferry Varies Both Park-and-ride prioritized Owings Mills (MTA) Heavy Rail Office, retail and limited residential Egress Park-and-ride prioritized McCormick Road (MTA) Maple Island (Lane Transit) Light Rail BRT Retail, limited office Egress Park-and-ride prioritized Great Mall Transit Center (VTA) Warner Center (LA Metro) Light Rail BRT Varies Both Park-and-ride often prioritized Forest Hills (MBTA) Mukilteo (Sound Transit) Bellevue Transit Center (Sound Transit) Hoboken Transit Terminal (NY Waterway) Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Commuter Bus Ferry Varies Both Park-and-ride prioritized Golden Glades (TriRail) I-485/South Blvd (CATS) Eagleson (OC Transpo) Sammamish Park & Ride (Sound Transit) Commuter Rail Light Rail BRT Commuter Bus Varies Access Park-and-ride prioritized El Monte Bus Station (LA Metro) Commuter Bus Entertainment, airport, and/or civic uses Egress Limited off- street parking available Hartsfield Airport (MARTA) Hamburg Street (MTA) Airport Station (MBTA) Heavy Rail Light Rail BRT Varies Egress Some off-street parking Great America (ACE) Commuter Rail Residential, retail, limited office Both Park-and-ride prioritized Elgin (Metra) Port Townsend (WSDOT Ferry) Commuter Rail Ferry Varies Access Some off-street parking St. Denis (MARC) Commuter Rail

38 Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations Information was not available for some stations types, including busway, shuttle, and “legacy” rapid transit stations. These stations are individual by system and location: each has its own history and context. System-wide Station Access Modes System-wide station access modes in Denver and Washington, D.C., are shown in Exhibit 4-5. Washington’s Metro, which has a larger service area and a stronger CBD than Denver, has a greater proportion of walking trips and a lower proportion of automobile trips. Buses accounted for about 20 percent of the boardings in both systems. Heavy Rail and Light Rail Access Examples of heavy rail and light rail station types, boardings, and passenger arrival modes at individual stations are shown in Exhibit 4-6 and Exhibit 4-7 respectively. Key observations are: • The station typology works in classifying stations. However, in some cases, additional classification appears desirable. • At most stations, more than one mode serves a significant percentage of arriving passengers. Station Type Average Access Mode Percentage Walk (%) Bicycle (%) Feeder Bus (%) Auto (Drop- off) (%) Auto (Park- and-Ride) (%) Urban Commercial 82 1 10 2 5 High-Density Urban Neighborhood 72 2 14 4 10 Medium-Density Urban Neighborhood 80 1 9 4 7 Urban Neighborhood with Parking 35 3 21 10 31 Historic Transit Village 25 1 3 17 53 Suburban TOD 32 2 13 14 39 Suburban Village Center 30 2 16 12 40 Suburban Neighborhood 29 1 11 13 46 Suburban Freeway 10 1 12 12 65 Suburban Employment Center 29 3 25 9 36 Suburban Retail Center 30 2 19 11 39 Intermodal Transit Center 27 1 36 6 30 Special Event/Campus 55 2 24 6 13 Satellite City 7 6 12 16 59 Exhibit 4-4. Average station access mode share by station type.

Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance 39 • The main access modes are walking, transit, and auto driving. Bicycles, where present, usually account for less than five percent of passenger arrivals. • The highest numbers of boardings (and alightings) are in the CBD and some adjacent high- density areas. Pedestrian access dominates in the CBD, followed by transit. • Transit and walking are the main means of arrival in cities and at other non-CBD stations serving high-density areas. However, where parking is provided, walking and automobile access can be greater than access by feeder transit. Stations at well-established commercial centers also rely on the three main access modes. • Suburban stations rely mainly on park-and-ride access, followed by transit. While park-and- ride access dominates at multi-level garages, adjacent bus terminals can serve a quarter of all passenger arrivals. • Urban and suburban transit centers can bring more passengers into stations than in areas of similar density without such facilities. Well-planned transfers are essential at these locations. • Major BRT interchange facilities can account for half or more of all passenger arrivals. Commuter Rail Boarding Data on selected access modes for six high-ridership Metra commuter rail stations in long- established Chicago suburbs were obtained. The average access mode percentages are shown in Exhibit 4-8. Approximately 0.75 parking spaces were provided per boarding passenger at these stations. Automobile Access The prevalence of auto access among various rapid transit stations is shown in Exhibit 4-9. The data for the New York area excludes the New York City subway system that relies mainly on pedestrian access. Exhibit 4-10 shows arrival mode share at stations with major park-and-ride facilities along Boston’s Red Line in 1984. Automobile access dominated, accounting for almost 60 percent of all boardings at these stations. However, there were still considerable proportions of pedestrian and bus access at most of the stations. Access Mode Denver LRT WMATA(%) SW Corridor (%) SE Corridor (%) Drove Alone 35 40 29 Carpooled - 5 1 Dropped Off 5 5 9 Subtotal Auto 40 50 39 Bus 29 21 22 Walked 28 25 33 Bicycled 3 1 1 Other 0 3 5a Total 100% 100% 100% a 4% commuter rail Source: Denver RTD and WMATA Exhibit 4-5. Weekday station access modes in Denver and Washington, D.C.

40 Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations City & System Station Type Weekday Boardings Percent by Arrival Mode (%) Walk Bicycle Transit Drive alone Drop- off Other San Francisco (BART) Montgomery St. CBD 32,520 91 1 7 0 1 0 Oakland City Center CBD 13,380 92 1 4 0 1 0 16th St. Mission Urban Commercial 11,400 72 6 16 2 4 0 Downtown Berkeley Urban Commercial 11,930 84 5 7 2 2 0 Walnut Creek Suburban Neighborhood 6,040 24 2 13 47 14 0 Boston (MBTA): Blue Line Wonderland Suburban Neighborhood 4,350 10 0 17 65 8 0 Beachmont Urban Neighborhood with Parking 1,900 50 1 7 34 8 0 Orient Heights Urban Neighborhood with Parking 2,710 28 1 34 23 15 0 Maverick Medium-Density Urban Neighborhood 5,550 64 0 23 8 4 0 Boston (MBTA): Orange Line Oak Grove Suburban Neighborhood 4,970 31 2 22 26 19 0 Sullivan Square Intermodal Transit Center 6,070 28 0 53 16 3 0 Downtown Crossing CBD 3,410 88 0 14 2 2 0 Chinatown Special Urban 1,810 83 1 11 2 1 2 Back Bay Urban 3,140 45 0 53 0 0 2 Massachusetts Ave Urban-High Density 2,720 87 2 9 1 0 1 Ruggles Urban 4,410 54 0 42 4 0 0 Stony Brook Special Urban 2,380 94 0 0 3 3 0 Forest Hills Intermodal Transit Center 10,480 31 0 51 13 5 0 Boston (MBTA): Red Line Alewife Suburban Employment Center 7,570 27 6 24 36 7 0 Harvard Square High-Density Urban Neighborhood 10,210 49 1 48 2 1 0 Central Square Urban Commercial 7,860 84 1 12 3 1 0 Downtown Crossing CBD - 86 0 13 0 0 1 Andrew High-Density Urban Neighborhood 3,670 66 1 23 6 4 0 JFK/ UMass Special Event/Campus 4,280 51 0 37 7 5 0 Quincy Center Suburban Neighborhood 5,930 42 1 31 17 9 0 Quincy Adams Suburban Freeway 3,180 8 0 3 78 11 0 Braintree Suburban Terminal 3,040 13 0 9 52 25 0 Ashmont Urban Terminal 4,590 55 0 29 10 6 0 - Indicates data not available Source: BART, MBTA Exhibit 4-6. Examples of station boardings and arrival modes (heavy rail rapid transit).

Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance 41 City & System Station Type Weekday Boardings Percent by Arrival Mode (%) Walk Bicycle Transit Drive alone Drop- off Other New Jersey Transit Trenton (3 Stations) Urban/CBD - 32 6 36 14 7 5 Downtown Camden (4 Stations) Urban/CBD - 26 3 54 5 8 4 Regional Park-and-Ride (3 Stations) Suburban - 4 0 4 77 13 2 Town Center/Other (10 Stations) Suburban - 25 2 18 41 11 3 Portland, OR (TriMet) Hatfield Government Center Suburban Village Center 640 34 0 30 29 7 0 Hillsboro Central TC Suburban Village Center 900 58 0 27 7 8 0 Willow Creek Transit Center Intermodal Transit Center 780 18 0 41 36 5 0 Beaverton Transit Center Suburban Retail Center 3,860 58 0 25 8 9 0 Pioneer Square South Urban Commercial 11,490 86 0 13 1 0 0 Old Town/ Chinatown Urban Commercial 2,350 87 0 7 5 1 0 Lloyd Center/NE 11th Ave Urban Commercial 2,840 70 0 16 13 1 0 Gateway/NE 99th Ave TC Intermodal Transit Center 4,640 15 0 44 38 3 0 E 162nd Ave Medium-Density Urban Neighborhood 940 70 0 10 8 12 0 Gresham Transit Center Suburban Village Center 2,200 37 0 34 22 7 0 Portland Int'l Airport Special Event/ Campus 2,040 89 0 6 2 3 0 - Indicates data not available Source: NJ Transit, TriMet Exhibit 4-7. Examples of station boardings and arrival modes (light rail transit). Mode Percentage of Arrivals (%) Drive alone 47 Carpool 4 Dropped off 14 Subtotal Auto 65 Walk 22 Bus 11 Other 35 Source: Metra Exhibit 4-8. Commuter rail access mode percentages (Metra).

42 Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations Urban Area Popu- lation Transit System Transit Mode Year Auto Total Auto AccessDriver Passen- ger Drop- off New York – No. New Jersey, NY- NJ-CT-PA 21,200,000 LIRR, Metro North, NJT CRR, ferry, express bus 1998 32% 8% 40% Chicago, IL- IN-WI 9,160,000 Metra CRR 1994 55 6 13 74 CTA HRT 1997 8.5 <0.7 a 3.0 12± San Francisco – Oakland – San Jose, CA 7,040,000 Caltrain CRR 2001 40.3 12.8 53.1 BART HRT 1998 39 10 49 Houston – Galveston, TX 4,670,000 Metro Commuter bus (HOV) 1995 75.0 4.1 79.1 Pittsburgh, PA 2,360,000 PAT LRT 1996- 97 36.5 1.1 8.0 45.6 PAT Bus incl. busway 1996- 97 7.7 0.2 2.9 10.8 Portland, OR- WA 2,260,000 Trimet LRT 1997- 98 25.9 1.1 6.1 33.1 Sacramento- Yolo, CA 1,800,000 RT LRT 1996- 97 22.5 0.5 5.1 28.1 Buffalo, NY 1,170,000 NFTA LRT 1997- 98 17.7 1.0 2.0 20.7 Note: Sources: Adapted from TCRP Report 95 (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) a Percentage shown is for “other” mode of access, including auto passenger (in parked auto), thus the true auto passenger percentage is less. The corresponding total auto access percentage is necessarily approximated. Exhibit 4-9. Prevalence of auto access among transit riders (percent of access). System Walk Bus Park- and- Ride Dropped Off Other Braintree Station 5% 10% 58% 27% 1% Quincy Adams Station 6 3 80 10 <1 Quincy Center Station 24 41 21 13 0 Wollaston Station 44 2 40 15 0 North Quincy Station 33 4 52 10 1 All Five Stations 25 12 46 16 1 Source: Adapted from TCRP Report 95 (2, 11) Exhibit 4-10. Arrival modes at selected Red Line stations (Boston).

Station Typology, Access Modes, and Access Policy Guidance 43 Access Policy Guidelines The above information regarding access mode share characteristics based on station typology and rapid transit service suggest several lessons for improving transit access. Transit agencies should establish station access policy guidelines both for upgrading existing stations and look- ing toward future system expansion. Several systems have already established such guidelines, including BART and WMATA. The guidelines should apply to both new and existing stations. They should provide both arrival mode and transit station development policies, as population and employment characteristics in the ½- to 1-mile area around stations have an important bearing on passengers’ choice of access mode. • Transit agency policies often encourage low-cost, high-capacity access modes that produce the highest ridership and revenue benefits for the transit operator at the least cost. • The number of people accessing a station by walking increases with increasing population density within a ½-mile radius. The presence of local retail and the absence of significant crime are also conducive to walking. • Coordinating the bus routes and schedules of the various bus operators serving stations should be encouraged. • Parking, while costly, remains essential. Parking charges can cover some or all parking operating costs, depending on demand and market factors. Transit agencies should consider the following guidelines in establishing station access policy: • All modes should be considered, as most stations will have at least some arrivals by each access mode. • A station typology can be used to govern the arrival modes that should be encouraged or discouraged at particular types of stations. • Access targets may be set for each station type to help guide decisions regarding appropriate access improvements. System-wide targets also may be established. • It is more difficult to successfully develop park-and-ride in built-up areas. Small park-and- ride facilities around such stations should generally not be provided due to potential impacts of spillover parking on adjacent neighborhoods; however, provisions for passenger drop-off and pick-up could be desirable. • Walking should be particularly encouraged as an access mode for stations in built-up areas. This outcome can best be achieved by increasing or intensifying the density of residential developments within a ½-mile radius of stations. Pedestrian access should be safe, convenient, pleasant, and direct. Sometimes it is possible to improve pedestrian access by buying a parcel or building a pedestrian bridge across barriers. • Transit service standards for local (feeder) bus service should encourage clear, frequent, and direct routes. Fare policies should minimize costs to transfer between feeder buses and rapid transit.

Next: Chapter 5 - Travel Demand Considerations »
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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 153: Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations is intended to aid in the planning, developing, and improving of access to high capacity commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, and ferry stations. The report includes guidelines for arranging and integrating various station design elements.

The print version of TCRP Report 153 is accompanied by a CD-ROM that includes a station access planning spreadsheet tool that allows trade-off analyses among the various access modes--automobile, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit-oriented development--for different station types. The appendices to TCRP Report 153 are also available on the CD-ROM.

The items contained in the CD-ROM are also available for download below.

In 2009 TRB released TCRP Web-Only Document 44: Literature Review for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations, which describes the results of the literature review associated with the project that developed TCRP Report 153.

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