Prioritization of Public Transportation Investments: A Guide for Decision-Makers (2021)

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2021 T R A N S I T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 227 Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the Transit Development Corporation Subject Areas Passenger Transportation • Planning and Forecasting Prioritization of Public Transportation Investments A GUIDE FOR DECISION-MAKERS Naomi Stein Scott Middleton Peter Plumeau EBP Boston, MA William Robert Spy Pond Partners, LLC Arlington, MA Richard Perrin T. Y. Lin International Rochester, NY

TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 227 Project H-58 ISSN 2572-3782 ISBN 978-0-309-67422-5 © 2021 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, NHTSA, or TDC endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. Cover figure: Credit: EBP NOTICE The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transporta- tion Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Transit Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM The nation’s growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Cur- rent systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating prob- lems, adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and introduce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Coopera- tive Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report 213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987 and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration—now the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problem- solving research. TCRP, modeled after the successful National Coop- erative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), undertakes research and other technical activities in response to the needs of transit ser- vice providers. The scope of TCRP includes various transit research fields including planning, service configuration, equipment, facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and administrative practices. TCRP was established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992. Pro- posed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, TCRP was authorized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). On May 13, 1992, a memorandum agreement outlining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooperating organi- zations: FTA; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, acting through the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the Transit Development Corporation, Inc. (TDC), a nonprofit educational and research organization established by APTA. TDC is responsible for forming the independent governing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Commission. Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the TOPS Commission to formulate the research program by identi- fying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS Commission defines funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. The panels prepare project statements (requests for propos- als), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, TCRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Because research cannot have the desired effect if products fail to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on disseminat- ing TCRP results to the intended users of the research: transit agen- cies, service providers, and suppliers. TRB provides a series of research reports, syntheses of transit practice, and other supporting material developed by TCRP research. APTA will arrange for workshops, train- ing aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure that results are imple- mented by urban and rural transit industry practitioners. TCRP provides a forum where transit agencies can cooperatively address common operational problems. TCRP results support and complement other ongoing transit research and training programs. Published research reports of the TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet by going to https://www.mytrb.org/MyTRB/Store/default.aspx Printed in the United States of America

e National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. e National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president. e National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. e three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. e National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org. e Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. e mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. e Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. e program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S CRP STAFF FOR TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 227 Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Lori L. Sundstrom, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs Gwen Chisholm Smith, Manager, Transit Cooperative Research Program Dianne S. Schwager, Senior Program Ocer Jarrel McAfee, Senior Program Assistant Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications TCRP PROJECT H-58 PANEL Field of Policy and Planning Todd Lang, Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Baltimore, MD (Chair) Celeste Chavis, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD Kerry Stuhr Doane, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT Daniel Goldfarb, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, Arlington, VA Maria Habba, Michigan Department of Transportation, Lansing, MI John Hodges-Copple, Triangle J COG, Durham, NC Sarah Moran, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Philadelphia, PA Erin Morrow, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Washington, DC Je Scott Owen, TriMet, Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, Portland, OR Lorraine Marcus Snorden, Hanover, MD Cain Williamson, Atlanta Regional Commission, Atlanta, GA Ryan Long, FTA Liaison DeLania L. Hardy, Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations Liaison Matthew H. Hardy, AASHTO Liaison

TCRP Research Report 227 provides practical advice for transportation agencies looking to improve their prioritization practice for public transportation projects. It focuses on capital projects and cross-modal decision-making, specically the comparison of public transit and non-transit projects. is guide is designed to support leadership, management, and technical and planning sta at metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), state departments of transportation (DOTs), and public transit agencies as they increasingly use structured methods and formal criteria (quantitative and qualitative) to prioritize transit capital projects and undertake cross-modal decision-making. At the same time, the guide tackles recognized challenges associated with shis toward more quantitative approaches, recognizing that transit projects seeking to compete for funding are oen at a disadvantage because they have benets that are either dicult to quantify or that have traditionally been inadequately addressed by methods developed with highway capacity improvement projects in mind. is research, conducted by a team led by EBP and supported by Spy Pond Partners and T. Y. Lin, draws on existing national research, published guidance, an online questionnaire of agency prioritization practices, case study interviews, and input from practitioners to develop recommendations for improvements to the state of practice. Government agencies making public transportation investment decisions have dierent policy, regulatory, and funding environments; serve communities with public transit markets of dierent sizes and needs; and possess a variety of data and technical capabilities. is guide addresses that diversity while also highlighting attributes of successful practice that apply across dierent contexts. One key component of this work is the recommended criteria for the prioritization of public transportation investments. Another is the practical demonstration of how the implementation of recommended criteria can aect cross-modal prioritization outcomes. Because the demand for public transportation investments far exceeds the funds available, agencies need proven methods to decide where to allocate limited resources. In this envi- ronment of limited funding and tough choices, performance-based investment decision- making empowers agencies to be more accountable, transparent, and rigorous with respect to the multiple objectives of transportation investments—including both traditional traveler benets and broader societal benets and equity outcomes. In addition to TCRP Research Report 227: Prioritization of Public Transportation Investments: A Guide for Decision-Makers, this research project produced a PowerPoint presentation that is available as a supplementary deliverable on the TRB site. e PowerPoint presentation is available at TRB.org by searching for “TCRP Research Report 227.” F O R E W O R D By Dianne S. Schwager Staff Ofcer Transportation Research Board

1 Summary 3 Chapter 1 Introduction 3 1.1 Prioritization of Public Transportation Investments 3 1.2 Background: e Need for Guidance 5 1.3 Benets of Transit Investments 7 1.4 Building Blocks of Success: How to Use is Guide 10 Chapter 2 Understanding Your Situation 10 2.1 e Inuence of Funding, Policy, and Regulations 12 2.2 e Importance of Program Denition 14 2.3 Impacts of the Decision-Making Context 16 Chapter 3 Building Successful Practice 16 3.1 Attributes of Successful Prioritization Practice 18 3.2 Decision Criteria at Capture the Benets of Public Transportation 19 3.3 Data and Capability Requirements 22 3.4 Evaluation Criteria Come in Many Forms 24 3.5 Avoiding Modal Bias 26 Chapter 4 Guidelines for Application 26 4.1 Roadmap to Strengthening Transit Prioritization 26 4.2 Criteria and Strategies for Your Situation 36 Chapter 5 Spotlight on Equity Assessments 36 5.1 Introduction to Equity Analysis 37 5.2 Methods for Analyzing Equity 38 5.3 Practices in Transit Equity Analysis 41 Chapter 6 Demonstration of Cross-Modal Prioritization 42 6.1 Objectives and Measures 44 6.2 Test Projects 46 6.3 Analysis Approach 50 6.4 Analysis Results 58 6.5 Pilot Demonstration Conclusions 59 Chapter 7 Conclusions 59 7.1 Key Findings 61 7.2 Further Research 63 Bibliography C O N T E N T S

65 Appendix A Summary of Questionnaire Feedback on Transit Prioritization Needs 67 Appendix B Interview Guide and List of Agency Interviews 70 Appendix C Noteworthy Criteria Practices 74 Appendix D Additional Detail of Cross-Modal Prioritization Demonstration