COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS

Final Recommendations

STUDY OVERVIEW

Study Goals
Ensure PVTA services continue to meet and support community needs Ensure bus service is an attractive option for as many people as possible Ensure PVTA services are operated in the most cost effective and efficient way possible

Study Overview
Examination of existing conditions
Survey with transit riders/non-riders Interviews with stakeholders Market analysis

Detailed review of existing transit system

Individual routes Overall service network

Develop scenarios based analysis and discussion Collect public input and comment
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Public and Stakeholder Outreach

Met with Stakeholders early in process Rider/Non-Rider Survey CSA Web-page on PVTA Website
Received some 200 comments on webpage

Met with drivers at each of PVTAs garages Held four public meetings, two riders-drop in sessions and two drop in sessions with drivers

Market Analysis
Identify areas with greatest demand
Population and employment density High need populations

Older adults Persons with disabilities Low income households

Consider planned and emerging projects

Union Station Rail Service Casino Development in downtown Springfield
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System Level Analysis

Consider system productivity overall Help classify and categorize routes Supports development of service guidelines
PVTA Cost per Rider by Route
PVTA Average: $2.05 per passenger

30 31 37

20

34 35 45

17 48 38 32

21 43 10 11 14 13 23 41 15 40 24 22 46 39 42 25 44 12 19 27 39E

Route Level Evaluations

Route schedule and routing Ridership by stop Ridership by time of day Relative productivity Strengths and weaknesses and improvement options Staff and public input

Service Development and Analysis

Created two scenarios for service improvement

- System Update: minor changes and updates - System Restructure: major restructuring - Discussions, comments and questions led to preferred scenario - Largely reflects System Restructure option but includes elements of both

Presented options to public, drivers and PVTA staff

PREFERRED SCENARIO

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System Restructuring Overview

SERVICE TYPE/CATEGORY
Bus Rapid Transit Key Corridor Routes Tier I Key Corridor Routes Tier II Urban Radial Village Connectors Community Circulators College Shuttles/Five Colleges Routes Express

Simplify service, make it easier to use and to understand

- Straighten routes - Increase repeating patterns - Reduce deviations and limit off-street stops - Guide system investment - Ties service levels to productivity - Includes service guidelines

Create a system hierarchy or framework

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Strategic Approach

Increase investment on highest ridership corridors

- Identifies handful of key corridors and strengths investment in the system spine:
Route 7 - State Street Route 1A SBT to Five Town Plaza Route 1B SBT to Chicopee Big Y Route 2A - SBT to Mass DET Route 2B SBT to East Longmeadow Route 43 - Northampton to Amherst

Introduce grid elements to Springfield Increased use of community circulator

- Develop two cross-town routes - Reduce fixed-route service in some areas
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CHANGES IN SPRINGFIELD AREA

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Introduce Bus Rapid Transit on State Street

Fast, direct service Limited stops off of State Street Improved stops and passenger amenities Use signal priority and queue jumpers to decrease travel time May be implemented with local service
For example: Wal-Mart

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Develop High Frequency Corridors

Corridors with highest ridership and most density Most service is provided with these routes Transit supportive environment
Employment Services Higher need populations

Operate with 15 or 20 minute service for most of the day Service is available 7 days a week
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Introduce Cross-town Service

Starts to create a grid, so people dont have to travel into downtown to change direction Two cross-town routes
Inner Route
East Longmeadow Big Y to Chicopee Center via White, Walnut, Liberty and Fairview Ludlow Center to Cannon Center via Center, Parker and Cooley

Outer Route

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Second-Tier Key Corridors

Adds connections to Holyoke via Chicopee and West Springfield Routes operate with roughly 30 minute service during peak and hourly off peak Some services also have express versions of same route

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Urban Radials
Service to Agawam, Westfield, Long meadow and lower density neighborhoods in Springfield Routes operate with roughly 60 minute service all day

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Express Routes Connecting to SBT

Provide connections between hubs:
Holyoke to Springfield via Chicopee and I-391 Holyoke to Springfield via the Holyoke Mall Springfield to Enfield Amherst Holyoke Holyoke Mall Springfield (weekend only)

Add two new express services connecting SBT:

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Village Connectors
Connect village centers 60 minute service all day
Chicopee to Holyoke

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Implement Flex Service

Agawam East Longmeadow Westfield Hadley/Granby Wilbraham East Springfield

Use flexible (small bus) service

- Where demand is lower - Where demand is difficult to serve

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Implement Flex Service

Agawam East Longmeadow Westfield Hadley/Granby Wilbraham East Springfield

Connects with fixed route system As demand increases, may transition to fixed-route service

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CHANGES OUTSIDE OF SPRINGFIELD

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Express Routes
Highlight express services
Branding with X Create separate schedules Schedule with regular service (i.e. hourly) Holyoke Community College Five Colleges Hampden County Correctional Facility at Stonybrook

Routes funded by institutions

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Holyoke
Simplify circulation through downtown and close-in neighborhoods to the west and north
Alignment being finalized Service every 30 minutes

Improved service through The Flats

Hourly service to HTC and Chicopee Marketplace/Chicopee Center Holyoke Mall Holyoke Community College Westfield State University Springfield Bus Terminal Chicopee

Increased connections to major destinations

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Holyoke Routes
Routes
11X Holyoke Community College 20 Holyoke / Springfield via Holyoke Mall and Riverdale Street 21 Holyoke / Springfield via Chicopee 23 Holyoke / Westfield via HCC 24 Essex-Appleton / Holyoke Mall / Holyoke Hospital 25 South Hadley / Granby / Holyoke Mall 29X Amherst to Springfield via HTC 41 Northampton / Easthampton / HCC 48 Northampton Veterans Park 90 Inner Cross-town

Proposed Changes
Evening trips to Springfield stop at Holyoke Mall Eliminate deviations to South Street Mall and Riverdale Plaza Consolidate alignment in Chicopee (Meadow Street) Extend to Westfield State University Revamp to Holyoke Circulator Operate as flex route or community shuttle 6 limited-stop round trips Operate year-round; Extend to Holyoke Mall Increase service from hourly to half-hourly New cross-town service from HTC to East Longmeadow

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Chicopee
Concentrates connections at two hubs
Chicopee Marketplace Chicopee Center

Simplified service

Consistent alignment on Route 21 Consolidation of Routes 19 and 22

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Chicopee Routes

Routes
1B Springfield / Chicopee Marketplace 19 Holyoke / Chicopee via Chicopee Marketplace 21 Holyoke / Springfield via Chicopee 90 Inner Cross-town

Proposed Changes
Split from 1A serving Sumner Ave Consolidated Routes 19 and 22

Consolidate alignment in Chicopee (Meadow Street) Cross-town service from Holyoke Transportation Center to East Longmeadow

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Northampton
Minor route changes Respond to community requests Simplify service by making it more consistent

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Northampton Routes

Routes
40 Minuteman Express 41 Northampton/ Easthampton/ HCC 42 Northampton/ Williamsburg 43 Northampton/ Hadley/ Amherst 44 Florence Heights

Proposed Changes
Combined with Route 43 Operate as BRT Operate year-round Extend to Holyoke Mall Operate service hourly Add service to Survival Center Combined with Route 40 Operate as BRT Split into two routes to double up coverage between Hampshire Plaza and downtown Northampton

48 Northampton Veterans Increase service to 30 minute frequencies Park

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Introduce Bus Rapid Transit on Route 9

Operate with high frequency every day of the week Keep bus on main road to extent possible Improved stops and passenger amenities Use signal priority and queue jumpers to decrease travel time

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Amherst
Minor route changes Eliminate unproductive route segments Eliminate some weekend service due to lack of riders Combine routes to increase connectivity Add daily express service between Amherst, Holyoke, Holyo ke Mall and Springfield Bus Terminal

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Route

Proposed Changes

Amherst Routes
Five Colleges Routes Unchanged

32 Puffers Pond Atkins Corner Combined to create new Route 33 Retain UMass to Atkins Corner segment when Route 38 is not operating 33 East Pleasant Street 34/35 Orchard Hill Mullins Center Campus Shuttle 37 Amity Shuttle 29X Amherst/ Holyoke/ Springfield Express 40 Minuteman Express 43 Northampton/ Hadley/ Amherst Operate from Cushman Center to Route 9 Shopping via Amity Street Eliminate stop at Haigis Mall (stop on street) (saves one bus) Combine to create new Route 33 New routes Combine with Route 43 Operate as BRT Combine with Route 40 Operate as BRT

45 Belchertown Center UMass Eliminate weekend service (unproductive) 46 South Deerfield UMass Eliminate weekend service (unproductive) End service at Whately P&R instead of Deerfield Center 33

Westfield
Split Route 10 into two routes:
Westfield center to Springfield Bus Terminal Westfield center to Westfield State University

Route 23 extended to Westfield State University Use Flex Route to serve areas off the main travel corridors (Union Street and Western New England Hospital)

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Westfield Routes

Route
10 West Springfield/Westfield State University

Proposed Changes
Divide into two routes: Westfield Center to Springfield Bus Terminal Westfield Center to Westfield State University Eliminate deviation to Union Street in downtown Westfield Eliminate deviation to University Park Apartments Extend from Westfield Center to Westfield State University Provide local circulation and connections (serve Union Street) No change

23 Holyoke Westfield via Holyoke Community College Add Flex Route OWL Shuttle

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BENEFITS

System Improvements
Eliminates unproductive and under-productive parts of the system Re-invests resources into new services and more productive parts of the systems Adjusts services to demand and need

New Services
Bus Rapid Transit on State Street and Route 9 Creates an additional three high frequency corridors
Main Street from SBT to Chicopee Center Carew/St. James Main/Belmont/Summer

New express service

Summer service from Springfield to Six Flags in Agawam Community circulators

Amherst to Springfield via Holyoke Springfield to Enfield via I-91

Benefits
Service Hierarchy Service Performance Guidelines Calls out Express Routes Specifically

Service is easier to understand, use and communicate Ties service levels to productivity
- If routes are unproductive at current level, then they can be downgraded to match service with demand

Adjusts services to match markets

- Operate Bus Rapid Transit in strongest markets - Operate community shuttles where ridership and density is lower - Use different service levels and types in between

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Benefits and Costs

Weekday service costs and hours increase by 6% Estimated weekday ridership increase between 10 and 15% Estimated increase in riders per hour is also expected to increase between 10 and 15%
44.32

37.35

Riders per hour

Cost per rider

$2.26

$1.91

Existing Network

Preferred Scenario*

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