COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT

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1 COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Meeting Date: 4 July 2016 Subject: Boards Routed Through: Transit Master Plan Community Services Advisory Board Date: 13 June 2016 Issue: Council is being asked to endorse the final draft of the Airdrie Transit Master Plan as recommended by the Community Services Advisory Board. Background: In May 2015, Council unanimously endorsed the recommendation of the Community Services Advisory Board to proceed with a Transit Master Plan based on the following objectives: 1. Establish a formal policy framework for Airdrie Transit services 2. Establish public transit service standards for Airdrie Transit services 3. Review current service delivery models with future recommendations 4. Review current network design with future recommendations The City of Airdrie retained the consulting firm, Dillon Consulting, to develop a comprehensive 10 year transit master plan for the City based on these four objectives. The Transit Master Plan is intended to serve as a policy framework to provide strategic direction in the development and delivery of Airdrie Transit s core services. Purpose of a Transit Master Plan In 2015, Council endorsed the Transportation Master Plan which provides direction for transportation planning to enhance Airdrie s quality of life and economic vitality through the provision of a transportation system that offers balanced choice. Included within the Transportation Master Plan was a high-level strategy related to mode share targets including public transit services. The Transportation Master Plan targeted a 6% mode share using public transit by This 6% mode share would result in two million

2 passenger trips provided by public transit by This is a very aggressive target given that Airdrie Transit provided approximately 210,000 passenger trips in Municipal Development Plan AirdrieONE Sustainability Plan Transportation Master Plan Transit Master Plan The Transit Master Plan is intended to move Transit towards the two million passenger trip target. While two million may be overly aggressive over the next ten years, the Transit Master Plan outlines a number of guiding principles and associated strategies that will achieve one million passenger trips by the end of One of the key deliverables of the Transit Master Plan was an assessment with future recommendations to improve local transit service. Airdrie s local transit system underperforms, experiences low ridership and receives negative feedback from transit customers. The system has remained largely unchanged since 2010 despite rapid community growth and a large increase in population. The result is a community with poor coverage with only 41% of homes within a 5 minute walk of the transit stop and an inability to attract new customers to the service. Based on these factors, it was determined that a new, innovative model to expand transit services within Airdrie would be required. The common practice of purchasing additional buses and implementing more fixed routes would not address the fundamental challenge of enticing residents to use Airdrie Transit services while being fiscally responsible. The key recommendations within the Transit Master Plan strike a balance between developing an innovative model to deliver services while doing so in a fiscally responsible manner. Customer/Stakeholder Engagement The Transit Master Plan has been guided by input and feedback from existing transit customers. The result is a plan that addresses pressing concerns such as the difficulties of using the Dial-A-Bus service. It also identifies opportunities to increase transit usage and ridership, (i.e. improving the service delivery model of local transit) and a long-term vision towards a transit network with new regional connections such as Calgary Transit s Green Line LRT. Engagement with existing transit customers was launched in late 2015 and included surveys distributed on all Airdrie Transit buses as well as an online survey. The online survey was available to both transit customers and the general public. Over 200 completed surveys were received from customers and the general public. The common themes identified in the onboard and online surveys included: Request for more frequency and extended services on weekdays (regional and local) Replacement of Dial-A-Bus with fixed-route service Better connections from local to regional services

3 The feedback and comments received from the initial surveys were used to draft the service concepts presented at the public open house in April The purpose of the open house and the subsequent online engagement tool was to test the service concepts with transit customers for further feedback. The service concepts received a mixed response from those at the open house and those who shared their feedback via the online engagement tool. The common themes identified by customers included: Approximately 50% of respondents were unable to identify anything they liked about the local service concepts models (viewed service as too limited) Respondents expressed confusion about the conceptual dynamic transit service model Respondents supported additional frequency and reduced regional transit travel times Concern regarding the lack of all regional buses stopping at the South Transit Terminal The open house provided transit customers and the general public with a second opportunity to share their feedback regarding the future of Airdrie Transit services. Dillon Consulting utilized this second stage of engagement to further refine the service concepts and ultimately to prepare the key recommendations within the Transit Master Plan. Policy Framework The adoption of a formal policy framework will establish Council s clear levels of service for Administration to deliver to the community. The policy framework starts with a set of guiding principles that identifies what and where Airdrie Transit is headed in the future. The guiding principles should be forward thinking and reflect the vision, goals and policy direction of a city in transition. Three guiding principles were developed with corresponding and measurable objectives that tie into each principle. These form a strong foundation for a recommended service strategy. The guiding principles and service strategies are further supported by a service standards document, as each service standard can be linked to achieving one of the guiding principles/objectives in the plan. The three guiding principles provide a balanced approach to service quality, customer service, financial performance and broader community objectives. The three guiding principles are identified below: 1. Transit will Connect People with Place 2. Transit will Plan, Design and Implement Sustainable and Accessible Transit Infrastructure and Services for the Community 3. Transit will Balance System Growth with Affordability and Efficient Operations Service Standards Service Standards provide for a consistent and fair evaluation of both existing and proposed services and establish a framework for guiding decisions on how to best serve the diverse travel needs of customers within prevailing budgetary and resource limits. The Transit Master Plan further defines the recommended Service Standards in terms

4 of the type of service (regional, local, demand-responsive), design standards (i.e. walking distance to transit, hours of service, frequency), and performance standards (i.e. on-time performance, ridership, introduction to new communities). An example of one of the proposed service standards is listed below: Local Transit Routes and Demand-Responsive Transit Maximum walking distance to closest transit stops in the urban area of Airdrie will be: 400 metres to 90% of residences 250 metres to 90% of medium and high density residential developments 150 metres to major seniors' residences and activity centres 600 metres to 90% of industrial land uses The full list of Service Standards is available in the Transit Master Plan and the Service Standards working paper. Key Findings of the Transit Master Plan Dillon Consulting completed a comprehensive review of existing Airdrie Transit services, from a peer review, to identifying challenges within the existing network that required further action. The following are three major challenges identified within the Transit Master Plan: Urban Form/Community Design: The most significant challenge for Airdrie Transit is that the land use and roadway network it operates on is not conductive to effective fixed-route transit operations. Much of the existing land use in Airdrie is low density single family residential units that are designed to face away from the skeletal road network which fixed-route transit operates. There are also few pedestrian connections to the skeletal road network, limiting access opportunities from neighbourhoods within a reasonable walking distance. Without sufficient people within a close proximity to a transit stop, fixed-route transit is ineffective. The result is a local transit system that achieves very low ridership and a poor return on its investment (22% cost recovery). Satisfaction with Dial-A-Bus and ACCESS Airdrie: Transit customers shared their feedback regarding the on-demand availability and/or service reliability. On-demand services include Dial-A-Bus (weekday evenings and Saturday) and ACCESS Airdrie. Customers shared their frustration with the existing on-demand services throughout the public consultation process. Dial-A-Bus customers were particularly frustrated by the booking process and lack of availability of the service both during the week and on Saturdays. ACCESS Airdrie customers shared the same frustrations and the decrease in service reliability (buses not showing up at the scheduled time of pick-up) in the past 12 months. Lack of Community Coverage: The report makes note of the various challenges facing the implementation of an effective and efficient transit network. The current transit network covers approximately 41% of Airdrie s urban area defined as residents within 400 metres or 5 minutes walk of a transit stop. This is considered to be a very poor level of access to Airdrie Transit services as most local transit systems strive to

5 have between 75 to 90% of residents within the urban area. One of the reasons for low level of access is partially due to the disconnected road and pedestrian networks which limits connections to arterial and collector roads. A second factor is Airdrie s rapid growth and Transit s inability to react to this growth. Key Recommendations from the Transit Master Plan The key recommendations identified within the Transit Master Plan are based upon customer feedback received throughout the public consultation process. It is also important to note that the implementation plan for the key recommendations for all transit services span multiple years and would be subject to the annual budgeting process. Local Transit Service: The local transit system is proposed to undergo the most significant changes to address its many challenges (productivity, connectivity, accessibility). This will include revising the current three fixed-route service which operates every 30 minutes during peak hours and 60 minutes off-peak hours with two perimeter routes travelling in opposite directions every 30 minutes throughout the day. Service along the Main Street corridor will be provided by extending Route 900 from the South Transit Terminal to the Gateway commercial area. Figure 1 Final Recommendation: Local Transit Route Structure Table 1 Final Recommendation: Local Transit System Design Current Recommended Service Design 3 Fixed Routes 2 Fixed Routes

6 Frequency 30 Minutes Peak 60 Minutes Off-Peak 30 Minutes All Day Fleet Required 6 Buses 4 Buses Dial-A-Bus Weekday Evenings 6 9 P.M. Saturday 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. Replaced by Fixed Route Service operating every 60 minutes Service Hours 17,600 16,600 Dynamic Transit Service: Dynamic Transit service is an innovative model to increase community coverage using an on-demand service. Customers using the service would book their transit trip by either a mobile app or via telephone. The customer would indicate the pick-up (bus stop for public, civic address for ACCESS Airdrie clients) and final destination and the system would create the most efficient trip, including the opportunity for shared-rides. Customers would pay the same fare for local or regional transit. Dynamic transit trips can be booked up to one hour in advance and will connect transit customers with the desired fixed-route service (local or regional). Dynamic transit will be considered an extension of the existing transit network and thus the same user fees will apply. Dynamic Transit service will be introduced in the urban areas of Airdrie that are not within a 400 metre (5 minute) walking distance of a fixed-route stop. The dynamic transit service model will improve access to transit service from 41% of the urban area to 100% of the urban area. Dynamic transit will be used to provide service to new and developing areas which will provide residents in those communities with a public transit option which does not exist today. Figure 2 Dynamic Transit Model Implementation Plan for Local Transit Services Changes to the Local Transit service and implementation of the dynamic transit service are planned to occur over a multi-year period. The table below summarizes the changes:

7 Table 2 Proposed Implementation Plan for Local Transit Services Action Proposed timeline Service Impact Acquire Dynamic Transit software Q Test on ACCESS Airdrie Replacement of Dial-A-Bus service with 2 Fixed Routes Introduction of Dynamic Transit model in Hillcrest & Bay Springs Implement Dynamic Transit model to remaining areas Replacement of 3 Fixed Route service with 2 Fixed Routes Q Q Q Q ,736 additional annual service hours Service coverage increase. Budget impact. 100% service coverage 1,255 fewer annual service hours (reinvested in replacement of Dial-A-Bus) Introduce Sunday Service Q annual service hours Introduce additional Fixed Route Q ,389 annual service hours Introduce additional Fixed Route Q ,389 annual service hours ICE Route 900: The all-day ICE Route 900 service will see a number of changes in the coming years. First, and as identified above, Route 900 will supplement the local transit by providing service along the Main Street corridor. This will improve connectivity to the Route 900 service as the service currently only provides service from the South Transit Terminal. The service will also see an increase in frequency moving from service every 75 minutes to every 60 minutes. The final revision to Route 900 will be the terminus in Calgary. The service will be re-designed to end at Rundle LRT station in northeast Calgary, no longer providing service to McKnight-Westwinds LRT. This decision is based upon a number of factors including better access to healthcare services at the Peter Lougheed Hospital, improved regional connections via Calgary Transit s future North Crosstown Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) connection to the University of Calgary, and Foothills Medical Centre.

8 Figure 3 Final Recommendation: Route 900 Route Structure Table 3 - Final Recommendation: Route 900 System Design Current Recommended Service Design 1 Fixed Routes 1 Fixed Routes Frequency 75 Minutes 60 Minutes Daily Trips 13 (Monday-Saturday) 16 (Monday-Saturday) Fleet Required 1 Bus 2 Buses

9 Service Hours 6,100 12,200 Commuter ICE: The existing Intercity Express (ICE) Routes 901 and 902 are the bestused Airdrie Transit services and the only service in need of increased capacity. The onboard passenger survey and online resident survey identified a desire for more service by respondents, during both the morning and afternoon commutes. Continued investment in the ICE service will play a significant role in moving towards the transit mode share targeted identified in the Transportation Master Plan. The Transit Master Plan outlined opportunities to shorten travel times along the corridor, freeing up existing bus hours to provide an additional northbound and southbound run during the AM and PM peak periods using the existing fleet and service hours. Figure 4 - Final Recommendation: Route 901/902 Route Structure Table 4 - Final Recommendation: Route 901/902 System Design Current Recommended (Immediate) One-Way Travel Time minutes 901: minutes 902: minutes Daily Trips 901: 2 trips AM & PM 902: 3 trips AM & PM 901: 3 trips AM & PM 902: 4 trips AM & PM Fleet Required 5 Buses 5 Buses Service Hours 8,100 8,100

10 Implementation Plan for Regional Transit Services Changes to Regional transit services are planned to occur over a multi-year period. The table below summarizes the changes: Table 5 Implementation Plan for Regional Transit Services Action Proposed Timeline Service Impacts Implement Immediate-term Modifications to Route 901/902 Q Minor route revisions, 4 additional trips per day Implement service modifications to Route 900 along Main Street and to Rundle LRT Implement Medium-term Modifications to Route 901/902 Increase capacity to Route 901/902 based on demand Q Additional 6,100 annual service hours. Improved service coverage along Main St. Q Reduced travel times. Two additional ICE buses and additional 3,240 annual service hours. 4 additional trips per day Reviewed as customer demand warrants ACCESS Airdrie: The key recommendation for the ACCESS Airdrie service focuses on supplementing the existing accessible transit service with the Dynamic Transit service. This would allow for dynamic transit vehicles to be used to provide additional ACCESS Airdrie capacity during periods of peak demand, thus reducing the rate of unaccommodated trips and increasing the ability to book spontaneous trips. An additional recommendation is that Airdrie Transit implements a travel training program for registered ACCESS Airdrie passengers to encourage more use of the accessible conventional transit service. This includes the new Dynamic Transit service as well as the ICE route 900 extension to Peter Lougheed Hospital. This will provide an additional travel option for ACCESS Airdrie customers needing to travel to Calgary for medical care. The Travel Training program would follow the train the trainer model to account for limited Transit staff resources to coordinate the program directly with clients. Transit staff would work with local community social service providers to train their staff on public transit services. Table 6 Implementation Plan for ACCESS Airdrie Service Action Acquire Dynamic Transit software (to be used for ACCESS Airdrie as well) Introduction of Dynamic Transit for peak period ACCESS Airdrie trips Proposed Timeline Q Service Impacts Self-serve option for clients. Budget impact. Q Reduce unaccommodated trips. Cost to be negotiated with successful service provider. Develop and implement Travel Q Program to be administered by

11 Training Program Transit Department to community social service providers. Introduce Sunday Service Q Service to be provided ondemand. Cost to be negotiated with successful service provider. Alignment with AirdrieONE: The investment and delivery of public transit services aligns with two key principles of the AirdrieONE Sustainable Plan: 1. Economic Prosperity The City s public transit services provide and enhance labour mobility locally and regionally. Provision of public transit services improves the City s competitiveness as local businesses have the ability to attract and retain workforce. 2. Sustainable Transportation Public transit services are identified as one of the key strategies for improving sustainable transportation outcomes within the AirdrieONE Plan. The goal being to design a system that moves people and that improves sustainability, safety and convenience. Airdrie Transit s services have achieved this outcomes as evident by the growing ridership levels over the past five years. Boards Routed Through: At the June 13, 2016 meeting of the Community Services Advisory Board, the Board unanimously endorsed the draft Transit Master Plan for Council s final approval. Alternatives/Implications: 1. Council can choose to endorse the Transit Master Plan. If endorsed, Administration will utilize the key recommendations within the Transit Master Plan to plan for future resource requirements. Council would have the opportunity to review the proposed levels of service as outlined within the Transit Master Plan as part of the budget process. 2. Council can choose to endorse the Transit Master Plan subject to any modifications or changed directed by Council. If endorsed, Administration will utilize the key recommendations within the Transit Master Plan to plan for future resource requirements. Council would have the opportunity to review the proposed levels of service as outlined within the Transit Master Plan as part of the budget process.

12 3. Council can choose to table the report and direct staff to provide clarification(s) and/or provide additional information of changes to the Transit Master Plan, as required. 4. Council can choose to not endorse the Transit Master Plan. Administration will continue to plan and resource service levels based on current practices.

13 Communications Plan: Transit staff will work collaboratively with Corporate Communications to develop Communications Plans associated with the recommended implemented plan. In addition, copies of the Transit Master Plan and the supporting working papers will be made available through the project s webpage on airdrietransit.ca. Recommendation: That Council endorses the recommendation of the Community Services Advisory Board to adopt the Transit Master Plan. Chris MacIsaac Transit Coordinator Presenter: Department: Reviewed by: Attachments: Appointment: Chris MacIsaac Transit Michelle Lock Transit Master Plan Dennis Kar, Associate Dillon Consulting Limited