Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Seattle Center City Streetcar Workshop July 20, 2007

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Transit Plan - Goal … Transit every 15 minutes … 18 hours a day … 7 days a week …

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Existing and Future Transit

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Seattle Candidate Streetcar Corridors All UVTN routes are initial candidates for streetcar service. Today: Criteria Evaluation Mapping Exercise

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Screening Criteria Grade Street Geometry Physical Barriers Possible Terminal Location Utilities Volume/Capacity Ratio Duplication of Service Transit-Supportive Land Uses Industrial Zoning

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Grade Grades inhibit streetcar operations 0% to 6% - acceptable 6% to 10% - if all other screening criteria are met > 10% - eliminated

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Street Geometry Interchanges Turning movements (<90° unacceptable) Weaving or curvature needs Exclusive right-of-way needs Transit priority needs (bridges, underpasses) Wheel noise

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Other Physical Barriers Low bridges or skyways –>14’ of vertical clearance –< 14’ of vertical clearance – fatal flaw Narrow streets –Lane widths narrower than 10 ft is a fatal flaw At-grade freight railroad crossing –Requires difficult approval process – fatal flaw

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Terminal Location Needs reasonable location to terminate and connect to other transit: –No strong connection to transit hub is treated as a fatal flaw

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Utilities Relocation of major utilities (water, storm or sanitary) may be too costly: –>6 ft from trackway –3-6 ft from trackway –<3 ft from trackway

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Speed and Reliability Traffic congestion inhibits successful streetcar –Corridor or segments with volume/lane ratios greater than the average plus one standard deviation is treated as a fatal flaw (unless exclusive ROW)

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Duplication of Service Corridors that directly compete for riders with existing or programmed LRT service should be eliminated.

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Land Use Types LowMediumHigh Airport GeneralCommercial Small ScaleCommercial General Golf CourseDowntown Secondary OfficeDowntown Edge Industrial GeneralOffice-Residential Medium DensityDowntown Entertainment Industrial LightMixed Use - Residential MediumDowntown Primary Office Institutional (E.g. Cemetery)Office / Convertible SpaceDowntown Retail Protected Open SpaceResidential Medium DensityLive Work Units ParksResidential High Density WaterMixed Use - Residential High RailwayMixed Use with Retail Residential Low DensityOffice- Residential High Retail Single StoryTransit Oriented Use Trolley Railway Vehicular Right-of-Way

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Land Use Types, cont’d “Low” transit-supportive land use: –Residential density < 10 units/acre –Industrial –Low-scale commercial development –No significant mixed-use development

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Industrial Zoning Streetcar garage needs to be located on track connected to main alignment: –No industrial zoning within ½ mile of corridor is treated as a fatal flaw.

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Summary Grade –0% to 6% - acceptable –6% to 10% - if all other screening criteria are met –> 10% - eliminated Street Geometry –Interchanges –Turning movements (<90° unacceptable) –Weaving or curvature needs –Exclusive right-of-way needs –Transit priority needs –Wheel noise Physical Barriers –Low bridges or skyways >14’ vertical clearance < 14’ vertical clearance –Lane widths narrower than 10 ft –At-grade freight railroad crossing Possible Terminal Location –No strong connection to transit hub is treated as a fatal flaw

Evaluation Criteria for Seattle Streetcars Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Summary, Cont’d Utilities –>6 ft from trackway –3-6 ft from trackway –<3 ft from trackway Volume/Capacity Ratio –Volume/lane ratios greater than the average plus one standard deviation Duplication of Service –Corridors that directly compete for riders with existing or programmed LRT Transit-Supportive Land Uses –See list Industrial Zoning –No industrial zoning within ½ mile of corridor