National Academies Press: OpenBook

Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations (2012)

Chapter: Chapter 6 - General Station Access Guidelines

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Page 54
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 - General Station Access Guidelines." 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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Page 55
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 - General Station Access Guidelines." 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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Page 55
Page 56
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 - General Station Access Guidelines." 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 56
Page 57
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 - General Station Access Guidelines." 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 57
Page 58
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 - General Station Access Guidelines." 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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Page 58

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54 Station access improvements should reflect the needs and opportunities of individual stations, as identified through the planning process. These improvements will depend on where each station is located and its relation to pedestrian, bicycle, feeder transit, and automobile access. Land availability, costs, and uses; future development plans; and community attitudes will influence the location and type of specific improvements. Transit station designs should attempt to accommodate and coordinate all access modes wherever possible, and some level of pedestrian access always should be provided, even for the most auto-oriented stations. However, the appropriate mix of access services should each reflect local context (e.g., densities, development patterns, street systems, and connecting transit services). This chapter and the chapters that follow contain guidelines for providing access to stations. The guidelines present best practices for improving multi-modal access and providing seamless connections for passengers. They are based on a literature review, research team observations, and synthesis of access guidelines for BART, WMATA, and RTD (Denver). Trade-offs are usually necessary to balance competing objectives. They are especially important where new stations are planned and are also useful where existing station access is being upgraded. Trade-offs can include strategic choices (e.g., providing TOD in place of a parking lot) or they can include fiscal alternatives, such as alternative funding strategies for additional feeder transit service. The eight-step planning process outlined in Chapter 2 provides a framework for appro- priately considering these trade-offs. Where trade-offs are required, agencies should use locally developed guiding principles (e.g., access mode hierarchy and evaluation criteria) to select actions. Moreover, achieving many best practices will require collaboration with local jurisdictions to make access improvements to the local transportation network. The station access spreadsheet tool (in Appendix C) provides a way to quantify station access improvements. Background Rapid transit has played an important role in the development of urban areas for more than a century, especially around stations. Stations along both legacy and new lines have benefited from the travel time savings, frequent service, and reliability. Legacy Rail Transit Service “Legacy” rail transit services were built to improve access to city centers, better serve built-up areas, and stimulate land development in outlying areas. They usually resulted in increased development both in the CBD—the prime example of TOD—and in outlying areas. C H A P T E R 6 General Station Access Guidelines

General Station Access Guidelines 55 Rapid transit service built before the mid 1920s was expected to stimulate land development that would generate population growth and new transit ridership. An explosion of automobile ownership and the collateral effects of the Great Depression ended this approach (19). The legacy lines mainly ran over, under, or adjacent to major streets, and penetrated the communities they traversed. They were characterized by close station spacing and reliance on walk-in patrons and perhaps bus (or streetcar) riders who sometimes were required to pay an additional fare. Multiple-track operation in New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia enabled both express and local service. At major junctions with cross-town local transit routes, large commercial centers sometimes emerged. Examples include 149th Street and Fordham Road in the Bronx; Flushing and Jamaica in Queens; Uptown and Englewood in Chicago; Davis Street in Evanston, Illinois; and Central and Harvard Squares in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Post–World War II Lines Newer rapid transit service (built since World War II) extended farther out into lower-density residential areas. Often located along railroad or freeway rights-of-way, these lines had wider station spacing. Stations relied largely on bus and park-and-ride access and some of the transit agencies (e.g., MBTA) became the largest parking operators in their regions. There was less synergy between the transit service and the surrounding land development in many corridors. Creating TODs often depended upon public intervention (e.g., zoning and other incentives), as well as strong market forces. Still, where public policies were supportive and market forces were strong, TOD became a reality. Commuter Rail Lines From the beginning, commuter rail service relied on both pedestrian and private vehicle access. During the last several decades, major expansions of park-and-ride facilities occurred along commuter rail lines, especially at outlying locations. Land development impacts have varied widely, depending upon station location and age. Commuter rail serves established cities and growing suburbs. Stations in places like Stamford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island, Newark, New Jersey, and White Plains, New York, have become major development nodes. Intermediate stations usually have neighborhood commercial and institutional development. New suburban and exurban stations, often surrounded by vast parking lots, usually have little TOD, but there are exceptions. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Increasing demand for high-quality rapid transit service coupled with the relatively low development cost has led many communities to build BRT lines instead of traditional rail transit. BRT also offers greater operating flexibility. Ottawa found that a BRT system could be built for half the cost of rail transit, and that it would cost 20 percent less to operate. Boston selected BRT for the Silver Line due to its operational cost and service benefits. Land development benefits associated with full-featured BRT may be similar to those found along rail transit lines, although data on TOD surrounding BRT is limited. Ottawa and Pittsburgh experienced significant capital investment in properties near its BRT stations, and property values along Brisbane, Australia’s, busway grew by 20 percent following its construction (20).

56 Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations Station Access Objectives The following broad objectives underlie rapid transit station access: • Provide convenient, safe, and secure access for all station users. • Make transfers easy, attractive, and seamless. • Recognize that pedestrian access is the basis for all aspects of station access design. • Reflect the needs of all users, including the elderly and persons with disabilities. • Optimize each mode’s access to the station. • Develop access designs that encourage and reinforce transit ridership. • Design access that is acceptable to users, transit and highway agencies, and surrounding communities. To the maximum extent practical, access designs should connect stations with their surrounding communities. Sometimes this integration can be achieved through good urban design or TOD. Station access priorities depend on each station’s location, history, setting, land uses, and density. Station access plans should generally consider, at a minimum: 1. Pedestrians and bicyclists, 2. Bus riders, 3. Auto passenger drop-off and pick-up, 4. Short-term parking, and 5. Long-term parking. Access designs should reflect established transit and highway best practices and standards. These include TCRP Report 10: Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual, AASHTO’s “Green Book” and park-and-ride and pedestrian guides, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, state-developed design manuals, and transit agency design and operating standards. Additional Considerations Several overriding considerations are important in planning for access to public transit stations. These include nontraditional auto access and travel patterns. Planners should be aware of the following and consider how they may affect station access decisions. Reverse commutes and nontraditional commute patterns create both a challenge and opportunity for transit agencies. Reverse commuters require access provisions at stations where the majority of passengers are egressing, and vice versa. Accessing passengers may compete for space in the areas immediately surrounding the platforms. Provisions should be made, however, as they use reverse-direction service that is often under-utilized. In fact, where permitted, some reverse commute riders use suburban park-and-ride lots to store their vehicles while they are home, using them to travel between the station and their work. This can be complementary with traditional commute patterns if the timing is right. Car sharing and bike sharing are emerging to expand the reach of transit. In suburban locations where land uses and transit service are not as dense, riders can use car sharing and bike sharing to reach destinations beyond walking distance from the station. Agencies should consider provisions for car and bike sharing services, with preferential placement near the station. Carpooling and vanpooling to stations is also growing in popularity, particularly where parking is priced and/or limited in supply. In fact, some communities have seen the emergence of casual carpools, in which drivers pick-up passengers at designated locations and take them

General Station Access Guidelines 57 to stations. Access for these users should be prioritized above other auto access, as they provide more boardings per vehicle storage area. Likewise, dial-a-ride or paratransit service connects mobility-impaired riders to the rapid transit service. Connections for these vehicles must be ADA-accessible. Lastly, design considerations should emphasize flexibility where needed. Design guidelines are often intended for areas with few space limitations. However, many transit stations are con- fined by existing infrastructure and development, and it may be appropriate to allow design exceptions that result in considerably improved overall station access. Overview of Options Station access improvements are usually provided on the approaches to stations, in the areas adjacent to stations, and between the station entrances and station platforms. Exhibit 6-1 shows some improvement opportunities pertaining to areas on station approaches and adjacent to stations. Opportunities at the immediate approaches to the station are identified under “Approach,” and those in the larger station area under “Environs.” Subsequent chapters provide additional detail for each access mode. Exhibit 6-1. Station access improvement opportunities by access mode. Type of Improvement Approach Environs 1. Pedestrians and Bicyclists 1-1. Provide paved sidewalks at least 5 feet wide 1-2. Remove sidewalk clutter near station entrances 1-3. Provide station entrances through the buildings 1-4. Build pedestrian overpasses and/or underpasses 1-5. Provide weather-protected connections to adjacent land use 1-6. Install traffic signals at busy junctions 1-7. Improve night visibility 1-8. Install intersection safety improvements (e.g., crosswalks) 1-9. Install wayfinding on approaches to station 1-10. Install bicycle lanes 1-11. Provide bicycle paths 1-12. Provide secure bicycle storage at stations 2. Bus 2-1. Provide free or low-cost transfers 2-2. Provide bus transfer opportunities in enclosed areas 2-3. Improve service frequencies 2-4. Establish limited-stop bus service 2-5. Establish new bus routes to serve station 2-6. Reroute existing bus routes to serve station 2-7. Locate bus stops near station entrance 2-8. Break bus routes to better serve station 2-9. Separate station bus access from automobile access 2-10. Establish off-street bus terminal 2-11. Provide off-vehicle fare collection at station 2-12. Provide additional lane for bus stops on cross street at station 2-13. Prohibit rush period parking along bus route 2-14. Install transit signal priority at signalized intersections 2-15. Install curb or interior bus lanes 2-16. Install bus bays or bus bulbs along approach roads 2-17. Build “bus bridge” over freeway with rapid transit in median 2-18. Provide bus storage area (continued on next page)

58 Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations The public agencies that plan, design, and implement possible improvements depend upon the type of improvement and interagency working arrangements. Sometimes several agencies share responsibility for specific improvements. Close working arrangements between transit and roadway agencies are essential. Sequence of Access Design Chapters The chapters that follow are: Chapter 7 Pedestrian Access to Transit Chapter 8 Bicycle Access to Transit Chapter 9 Transit Access Chapter 10 Automobile Access and Park-and-Ride Chapter 11 TOD and Station Access Type of Improvement Approach Environs 3. Automobiles (including park-and-ride and kiss-and-ride) 3-1. Provide passenger drop-off (kiss-and-ride) at stations 3-2. Build park-and-ride facility (lot or garage) at station 3-3. Separate access facilities for park-and-ride and for transit 3-4. Price park-and-ride low relative to transit and CBD parking costs 3-5. Provide direct pedestrian access from parking to station 3-6. Arrange parking facility to minimize walking distances 3-7. Minimize conflicts on pedestrian access routes (where possible) 3-8. Expand park-and-ride facility (add spaces) 3-9. Provide direct freeway access to parking facilities 3-10. Provide separate bus storage area 3-11. Provide short-term parking areas and price accordingly 3-12. Improve traffic operations on roads serving park-and-rides 3-13. Construct new access route 3-14. Integrate park-and-ride with transit-supportive development 3-15. Provide taxi/limousine loading area 3-16. Install a one-way street couplet 3-17. Eliminate peak or all-day parking 3-18. Add intersection capacity Exhibit 6-1. (Continued).

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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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