Regional Transit Vision Draft Vision Framework MAY 2022 For Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Table of Contents 1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................3 Proximity To Transit - Urban................................................................................................................................................... .19 Changes to Regional Services.............................................................................................................................................. .20 What is the Regional Transit Vision?................................................................................................................4 About This Report.................................................................................................................................................................. .4 4 Unconstrained Vision Concept...........................................................................................21 Transit in Charlottesville Today........................................................................................................................5 What is the Unconstrained Vision Concept?...................................................................................................22 The Existing CAT System....................................................................................................................................................... .5 What Changes for the Entire Network?................................................................................................................................. .22 The Existing Jaunt system..................................................................................................................................................... .5 What Would It Cost?.............................................................................................................................................................. .22 What Is Transit’s Goal?.....................................................................................................................................6 Unconstrained Vision Concept - Urban............................................................................................................23 The Role of Land Use............................................................................................................................................................ .6 What Changes for Urban Services?...................................................................................................................................... .23 What’s Possible with Better Transit?...............................................................................................................7 Unconstrained Vision Concept - Regional.......................................................................................................24 How Transit Creates Freedom............................................................................................................................................... .7 What Changes for Regional Services?.................................................................................................................................. .24 From Better Access to Higher Ridership............................................................................................................................... .7 Access in the Unconstrained Vision Concept..................................................................................................25 2 How Did We Get Here?....................................................................................................8 Isochrones............................................................................................................................................................................ .25 Access to Jobs....................................................................................................................................................................... .26 The Market for Transit......................................................................................................................................9 The Demand for Transit......................................................................................................................................................... .9 Proximity in the Unconstrained Vision Concept..............................................................................................27 The Need for Transit.............................................................................................................................................................. .9 Proximity To Transit - Urban................................................................................................................................................... .27 Civil Rights............................................................................................................................................................................. .9 Proximity To Transit - Regional............................................................................................................................................... .28 The Community.................................................................................................................................................11 5 What’s Next?........................................................................................................................30 What Does The Community Value?....................................................................................................................................... .11 What’s next for the Regional Transit Vision?...................................................................................................31 3 Constrained Vision Concept...............................................................................................13 These are Draft Concepts..................................................................................................................................................... .31 Funding Transit...................................................................................................................................................................... .31 What is the Constrained Vision Concept?.......................................................................................................14 Land Use and Transit............................................................................................................................................................ .31 What Changes for the Entire Network?................................................................................................................................. .14 The Regional Transit Vision Process..................................................................................................................................... .31 What Would It Cost?.............................................................................................................................................................. .14 What is the Constrained Vision Concept?.......................................................................................................15 What Changes in the Urban Network?.................................................................................................................................. .15 Constrained Vision Concept - Regional...........................................................................................................16 What Changes in the Regional Network?.............................................................................................................................. .16 Access in the Constrained Vision Concept......................................................................................................17 Isochrones............................................................................................................................................................................ .17 Access to Jobs....................................................................................................................................................................... .18 JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |2 1 Introduction JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |3 What is the Regional Transit Vision? I ntro ducti o n The Charlottesville Area Regional Transit Vision Plan is a col- and vanpooling only work when several people who know each 1. Introduction, the section you’re currently reading, that pro- laborative effort to evaluate transit service in the City of other come from and go to the same place at the same time. vides background and context for this study. Charlottesville and the Counties of Albemarle, Green, Louisa, These options may work for some commuters going to the Fluvanna, Buckingham, and Nelson and to establish a clear, long- University or to downtown Charlottesville, but they rarely work 2. How Did We Get Here?, which shows the work we did to term vision for efficient, equitable and effective transit service in for workplaces and destinations in more suburban areas, or for evaluate where transit would perform well, where transit is the region. non-traditional commute times. needed, and what the people of Charlottesville think about transit and what its goals should be. This project is being led by the Thomas Jefferson Planning 1 Another alternative could be on-demand dial-a-ride service, District Commission and is funded by the Virginia Department similar to the paratransit service that is required for eligible 3. The Constrained Vision Concept, a network concept based of Rail and Public Transit. It supports the work of the Regional disabled users by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or on an increased investment in transit. Transit Partnership (RTP), which strives to improve communica- subsidized ridehailing. Both options are extremely expensive 4. The Unconstrained Vision Concept, a network concept that tion and collaboration between the three transit providers that to extend to the general public, because each trip would cost imagines what transit could look like if we built a network to operate in the region. nearly the equivalent of a taxi ride. JAUNT currently operates maximize important transit goals. a general public dial-a-ride like service, but its hours of service The goal of the Transit Vision Plan is to establish a single unified are extremely limited and it requires a reservation one-day in 5. What’s Next, which shares the next steps for the Regional vision for transit service in the Charlottesville area that can be advance. These limitations exist, in part, to reduce the total cost Transit Vision and the engagement process to allow the shared and supported by all the members of the RTP and its of the service by limiting its use. community and stakeholders to respond to this Draft Vision constituents. The planning effort will include a study of the Framework. region’s existing conditions, including transit services, trans- Public transit on fixed routes can help bridge the gap, particu- portation patterns, and land development practices. It will also larly in the urbanized area, where it can do two critical things: This report complements past work done by the Regional Transit include asking the community about its values and priorities for Vision project team, including: the future of the region’s public transit. The project will result in • Extend how far people can go on foot, or on a bicycle, pro- viding some of the benefits of access to a private vehicle but • Development of the Vision Statement, Goals, and Objectives the development of strategies and integrated transit network at a much lower cost and without relying on friends or family. (summary available here) concepts to reach the community’s goals. • Replace driving trips in times and places where driving a car is • Phase One of Public Engagement on the Vision (summary Why focus on transit? inconvenient or too expensive. available here) The the Charlottesville region there are a range of transporta- In rural areas, where people, jobs, and destinations are much • A Land Use Assessment of the region (report available here) tions needs and challenges. In particular, housing costs have farther apart, it is harder for transit to cost-effectively deliver • A Transit Propensity Assessment for the region (report avail- recently become a major challenge for people who work in significant improvements in access to opportunity purely able here) Charlottesville, forcing people to endure longer commutes from because it takes so much more time between destinations. The more affordable locations outside the city and the urbanized primary cost of transit is paying the operator to drive the vehicle. This Draft Vision Framework report provides some content from area. Even within the urbanized area, topography, historic red Therefore, when destinations are far apart, it costs far more these prior reports to clarify how the study team developed the lining practices, and a range of other challenges mean that there per trip to serve with transit. Nevertheless, transit can play an two Vision Concepts. can be long distances between homes, schools, shops and jobs. important role in rural areas by providing an insurance against Most people cannot meet their transportation needs on foot, social isolation, a critical link to essential services like shopping scooter or bicycle alone. This suggests a significant opportunity and medical services, and access to jobs for those with no other for public transit. transportation options. Of course, transit isn’t the only alternative to owning and driving a car. Ridehailing (like Uber and Lyft) and taxis are available in About This Report some parts of the region. But these options are more expensive This report is the culmination of our work thus far on developing per mile than driving a private car, so very few people can afford the Vision and is broken down into several sections: to use them on a daily basis. Other alternatives like carpooling JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |4 Transit in the Region Today I ntro ducti o n Transit in the Urbanized Area explained above. The map at right shows the existing transit network in The map also shows the circulator Charlottesville and the urbanized areas of Albemarle County. routes that the University of Virginia Every route is color-coded based on its frequency during midday operates around the university on a weekday. grounds. These circulators operate every 15 minutes or better most of Frequency is often the dominant element of travel time, particu- the day, providing very useful service 1 larly for shorter trips in urbanized areas. More frequent service between the various university facili- dramatically improves how far you can go, by providing several ties. Many universities operate their linked benefits: own circulator services since universi- ties have high internal demand and • Shorter Waits. Waiting for the bus may be the most onerous specialized needs. There are oppor- part of using transit, since you’re not moving at all. The more tunities in the long-term where IF the often the bus comes, the less time you wait. region invested more heavily in transit • Faster Connections. Connections are the glue that com- and provided all-day frequent service bines a pile of individual routes into a network. The ability to through the University grounds, change from one route to another is critical to reach all the some internal circulation within the University could be handled by those places that are inevitably not on the line you happen to be on. regional transit services. Today, Frequency makes connections easy, because the next bus is however, only the CAT Trolley service always coming soon. is frequent enough to be useful for • Easier Recovery from Disruption. Frequent service is more internal circulation on the grounds. reliable. If a bus breaks down, the next bus is coming soon. • Spontaneity. Rather than building your life around a bus schedule, you can turn up at the stop and go. Because these benefits are independent of each other, transit becomes exponentially more useful as frequency improves. Low frequencies and limited hours of service are one of the main ways that transit fails to be useful, because it means service is simply not there when the customer needs to travel. In the case of transit in Charlottesville and Albemarle, most routes operated by CAT only come every hour, with some routes coming slightly more frequently at every 20-30 minutes. CAT makes extensive use of timed transfers to improve connections between these less-frequent routes. Our analysis of the two Vision concepts is based on a Baseline Network that CAT has created as part of its System Optimization Plan and is set to launch later in 2022. In this network, frequen- cies on some lines are improved, including 15 minute frequency on the Trolley. In the transit world, routes that come every 15 minutes or more often are the most useful, for the reasons JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |5 Existing Transit in Rural Areas I ntro ducti o n Since the Regional Transit Vision is meant to encompass all of the region, we have also looked at services operated by Jaunt within Albemarle County and in the surrounding counties: Green, Louisa, Fluvanna, Buckingham, and Nelson. Most Jaunt services are demand-response or dial-a-ride services. For most Jaunt services, a rider must call ahead, at least one day in advance, and book a time to be picked up, dropped 1 off, and then picked up again once they’re done. While these kinds of services make sense in a service area with the size and relatively low population density of much of the rural area in the region, these services put sever limitations on a person’s ability to travel around the region, or even within one’s own county. Scheduling trips a day ahead takes out spontaneity, which means that you have to build your life around when you’ve booked a trip. Jaunt also operates several CONNECT services. These services connect Crozet, Buckingham, the US 29 North corridor, and Lovingston with Charlottesville. However, these services do not operate all day. They have only one or a few trips in the morning toward Charlottesville and return trips in the afternoon. If you have to make a trip between those times, some areas are served by a Jaunt demand-response when CONNECT is not operating. Changes in technology may enable Jaunt to switch to a more on- demand model, where trips can be booked on very short notice. Such a change would significantly improve access for rural cus- tomers and free people in rural areas from having to so carefully schedule their daily travel if they rely on transit. Providing that greater level of flexibility, however, would require additional resources so that Jaunt could have vehicles ready and waiting to respond to spontaneous requests. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |6 What Is Transit’s Goal? I ntro ducti o n Transit can serve many different goals. Different people and Transit agencies often have to maximize both of these goals with communities value these goals differently. It is not usually pos- limited funds. In the Charlottesville area, most of the funding that sible to excel towards all of these goals at the same time, and is dedicated to transportation goes to roads. While roads do certainly not within a limited budget. have a role to play in the broader transportation system, when they are over-prioritized for funding, that can leave other modes Understanding which goals matter most in Charlottesville is a key behind step in imagining a better transit system. 1 Possible goals for transit include: • Economic: transit can give businesses access to more The Role of Land Use workers, and workers access to more jobs, and give students more access to education and training. Transit can also allow Land use patterns and transportation systems are always inter- for continued economic growth beyond what congestion related subjects. However, the connection between the two would prevent. is especially significant for transit services. Traditional transit systems are almost always most efficient and successful in places • Environmental: increased transit use can reduce air pollu- with land use patterns featuring characteristics such as mixed- tion and greenhouse gas emissions. Transit can also support uses, relatively high densities, and widely available bicycle and more compact development and help conserve land. pedestrian infrastructure. Transit service can still be offered in places without those characteristics but may require innovative • Social: transit can help meet the needs of people who are in or alternative service approaches. situations of disadvantage, providing lifeline access to ser- vices and jobs. Much of the Charlottesville region is largely rural, with the excep- tion of the City of Charlottesville proper and parts or Albemarle • Health: transit can be a tool to support physical activity County near Charlottesville proper. by walking. This is partly because most riders walk to their bus stop, but also because riders will tend to walk more in between their transit trips. • Personal Liberty: By providing people the ability to reach more places than they otherwise would, a transit system can be a tool for personal liberty, empowering people to make choices and fulfill their individual goals. Some of these goals are served by high transit ridership. For example, transit can only support continued economic growth without congestion if many people ride the bus rather than drive. The environmental benefits of transit also only arise from ridership. Other goals are served by the simple presence of transit. A bus route through a neighborhood provides residents insurance against isolation, even if the route is infrequent and few people ride it. A route may fulfill political or social obligations, for example by getting service close to every taxpayer or into every municipality. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |7 What’s Possible with Better Transit? I ntro ducti o n How Transit Creates Freedom increase the likelihood that transit will be useful. Greater rider- ship also means: On transit, the extent of your freedom is determined by: » Protecting the Economy from Congestion. Higher • The network of transit lines with their frequency and speed, ridership means fewer cars on the road. which determines how long it takes to get from A to B. » Environmental Benefits including reducing emissions • The layout of the city and region. How many destinations are that cause air pollution and climate change. These benefits 1 near each transit stop? Access to places where there are more depend on people using transit instead of driving, so they useful destinations to jobs, services, etc. is valuable to more become greater as more people ride transit. people. • Increased Access to Opportunity. This is an important We define access as “the places and people you can reach within policy outcome independent of transit ridership, for several a given amount of time”. It can also be thought of as the “wall reasons: around your life”. » Access to Basic Needs. People who do not or cannot The way the network and a city’s layout determine access from drive need to have means to access essential tasks like food any point is simple math, but it’s very important: shopping and medical appointments. Expanding where • Access is key for keeping people employed. If you are decid- people can go expands how many of these trips are pos- ing where to live based on how you’ll reach your job, school, or sible on transit. relatives, you are asking a question about access. » Economic Opportunities for Low-Income People. For • Access from any location gives that location value. Real many people, lack of transportation is a primary barrier to estate firms routinely study where you can get to by car from a accessing jobs. To empower people to improve their lives, property, and this is the same analysis for transit. useful transportation must be available to those who either can’t afford a car or aren’t able to drive. From Better Access to Higher Ridership » Reduced Isolation. Lack of transportation is also a barrier for people at risk of social isolation, including many senior As an individual, transit becomes more useful when it provides citizens. you with more freedom. So planning for useful transit means planning for more freedom. More broadly, transit ridership arises » Civil Rights. The ability to move around the city is a from providing useful access to many people. So while increasing measure of physical freedom. People who lack transporta- many peoples’ freedom does not in itself predict ridership, it is a tion are effectively less free. For a variety of reasons, people necessary foundation. with low incomes and people of color are less likely to own a car. Improving the ability of transit to get people to useful In planning for better transit, increasing the number of places places means increasing the rights and freedoms of those many people can reach in a reasonable amount of time is the who are most disadvantaged. source of ridership that can be influenced the most. Expanding where people can go quickly on public transit helps meet many other useful goals, thanks to: The maps on the right show how many places someone can reach from UVA • Higher Ridership. People will only use transit if transit is Hospital in 60 minutes in the baseline network (in grey), the Constrained useful. The essence of usefulness is that it’s possible to make concept (in orange), and the Unconstrained concept (in green). These maps many trips that need to be made in a person’s life. When we are one of the ways we measure the success of a transit network and are key make more trips possible in a reasonable amount of time, we to our analysis of a future for transit in Charlottesville. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |8 2 How Did We Get Here? JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC |9 The Market for Transit H ow Did We G et H ere ? A “strong transit market” is mostly defined by where people are, Notably, both Crozet and Lake Monticello in Fluvanna County and how many of them are there, rather than by who people are. have higher than average densities of both seniors and residents We learn about transit needs mostly by examining who people under 18. are and what life situation they are in. One of the first questions we asked was: where would transit Civil Rights make the most sense, either in terms of providing access to the Another factor we consider is race and ethnicity. While it is most people overall or in terms of where it’s needed the most? not indicative of need, transit agencies like CAT and Jaunt are required to ensure that their service does not disproportionately The Demand for Transit disadvantage any one group, as enshrined by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The map below shows roughly the density of resi- To determine where transit is most likely to be in demand (and is dents per racial/ethnic group in the study area. therefore the most likely to generate higher ridership), we look at 2 several factors • Residential density, which is the number of people per square mile, • Job density and type, which is the number of jobs per square mile and what types of jobs there are per square mile • Walkability, which is how well-connected and complete is the street network for pedestrians (and by association, transit riders), • The number of zero-vehicle households, and • The number of low-income households In the Charlottesville area, residential density is at its most highest in the City of Charlottesville and urban Albemarle The Need for Transit County. Job density is even more concentrated in this “urban While demand tells us where transit is most likely to “wanted”, it core”, with the exception of low-wage and retail jobs, which are doesn’t tell us the whole story. There are also indicators of need in the outer parts of the urban core or in more suburban parts of where good quality transit service is needed the most by the the region, owing to the land use of the region. people who live or work there. Some of these indicators include: Walkability is concentrated in the urban core as most of the • The number of low-income households, Charlottesville area is either highly rural with limited street con- nectivity, or highly suburban with high street connectivity, but • The number of seniors, and only for automobiles. • The number of residents under the age of 18. Zero-vehicle households tend to be clustered within the City of While data can tell us where transit would be the most beneficial Charlottesville, and mostly in fairly walkable areas of the city. Members of these groups of people tend to have either limited and who transit would benefit the most, it doesn’t tell the full access to a private automobile or are not able to drive. story. We also need to ask the community what they value about These factors relate to each other to create areas of transit transit and where they see its benefits. “potential”, or areas where a combination of density, walkability, In the Charlottesville area, these groups are clustered within the and proximity to destinations can enable higher ridership. city of Charlottesville, with some pockets in the outer counties. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 10 Land Use Plans in the Region H ow Did We G et H ere ? For a Regional Transit Vision, the existing density and land use The primary growth areas along US 29 are north of surrounding the towns of Mineral and Louisa. Additionally, pattern is important but not the only defining factor in thinking Charlottesville. One of the previously mentioned development there is a small area designated for mixed-use development in about the long-term markets and needs for transit. Much will areas of Albemarle County (Places 29) extends north along US 29 the northwestern corner of the County adjacent to the Town of change throughout the region as it grows over the next 20 years. to the Hollymead area. Beyond Hollymead, the corridor contin- Gordonville, located on US 33. Finally, Louisa County also des- Therefore, the study team looked at the region’s land use plans ues north into Greene County, which expects continued growth ignated a large growth area around Lake Anna. In addition to to consider what might change. in the Ruckersville area near the intersection of US 29 and US 33. County residents, this area will likely attract significant numbers of tourists and second-home buyers. Of particular interest are designated growth areas in the region. The I-64/US 250 corridor features growth areas both west and The map at right shows designated growth areas across the east of Charlottesville. The community of Crozet is on US 250 Greene County has only established one growth area outside of region as described in the land use plans from each jurisdiction several miles west of Charlottesville. To the east of the region’s the previously described corridor of US 29 at Ruckersville. This in the region. These growth areas define places that are more urban core, localities established multiple growth areas along additional area is in and around the Town of Stanardsville on US likely to be key destinations for transit in the future or region this corridor. These include the Village of Rivanna in Albemarle 33. hubs where different transit services might connect. County, and Zion Crossroads in Louisa and Fluvanna Counties. 2 Proceeding east is the Ferncliff, Shannon Hill, and Gum Springs Nelson County intends to concentrate its future growth around Lovingston and in the areas around Colleen and Schuyler. It also Urban Core growth areas in Louisa County. Local comprehensive plans envi- sion nodes along the I-64 corridor that consist of mixed-use anticipates an area of mixed-use development along Route 151 The City of Charlottesville’s comprehensive plan aspires to create cores surrounded by low-density residential neighborhoods. in Nellysford and Wintergreen. Due to the popularity ofAssessment Land Use its adult a more vibrant community, bringing together places where beverage attractions and the Wintergreen Resort, the RouteMemo Technical 151 corridor attracts significant numbers of outside visitors and its residents live, work, and play. It seeks to accomplish these using strategies such as increasing the number and styles of Designated Rural Growth Areas county residents. Figure 6 | This map depicts the designated growth areas throughout the region. While each locality adopts its own housing units, encouraging in fill development on under utilized Localities expect that most of the remaining future Comprehensive Plan and land use policies, there are common tendencies and shared approaches. properties, and increasing commercial vitality and density in development will concentrate around existing appropriate areas. The City is currently updating its comprehen- towns, unincorporated villages, and other desig- sive plan. While these policies will continue into the next update, nated growth areas identified by each County. Most Charlottesville also envisions greater densities throughout its localities express a strong desire to preserve their municipal boundaries. rural lands and utilize these growth areas to contain future development and avoid sprawl. The urbanized areas of Charlottesville extend beyond the city limits into neighboring Albemarle County. To preserve its natural Buckingham County located its primary growth resources and rural character, Albemarle County has established areas along the Route 15 corridor surrounding the development areas as the primary locations for future growth. Town of Dillwyn. It also has designated growth areas Three of the development areas—the Southern and Western around Buckingham Courthouse. Neighborhoods, Pantops, and Places 29—are immediately adja- cent to Charlottesville. The remaining development areas include Fluvanna County has established community plan- Crozet and the Village of Rivanna, located short distances west ning areas surrounding Fork Union, Palmyra, and and east, respectively, of Charlottesville on US 250. Scottsville. However, its largest community planning areas are those in the areas of Lake Monticello and Zion Crossroads. The comprehensive plan also des- Growth Corridors ignated much of the remaining northern portions of Moving beyond the Charlottesville urban core, localities des- the County as rural residential development areas. ignate their future growth areas around major interregional Louisa County located most of its higher density transportation corridors. These corridors include US 29, which growth areas along the I-64/US 250 corridor. It also follows a north-south alignment, and I-64/US 250, which follows designated areas for mixed-use and residential an east-west orientation. development in the central portion of the County Urban Core JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC The City of Charlottesville’s comprehensive plan aspires to create a more vibrant community, bringing | 11 together places where its residents live, work, and play. It seeks to accomplish these using strategies such as increasing the number and styles of housing units, encouraging infill development on The Community H ow Did We G et H ere ? What Does The Community Value? How would you rate the benefits of transit? What goals should transit aim to prioritize? We asked respondents about the benefits that transit brings We gave respondents a set of five (5) potential goals for transit To find out what residents of the Charlottesville area thought and asked them to prioritize how important they would be. They about the role transit plays in their lives and what better transit and asked them to rank how important they are. Some of these benefits included: are: could bring them, we put out a survey to find out. 673 people responded to this survey to tell us what they think about transit’s • Helping people access jobs and services, • Enhance: High quality and high frequency transit role in the region. • Improving air quality and reducing environmental impacts, • Expand: Expand the region’s transit service We asked them about: • Reducing transportation costs, • Collaborate: Improve internal and external communication • How better transit service would improve their lives, to increase transit-supportive land use decisions • Reducing traffic and congestion, among others • How they rank the benefits of transit, • Improve Equity: Improve transit access for people in need Most respondents ranked “Helping low-income people access 2 • Which goals transit should aim to prioritize, jobs and services” highly, with “Providing transportation for • Support: Enhance the region’s economy by improving people with limited physical mobility” as the second-highest access to employment and services • Where they would want additional funding for transit spent, benefit. Most people put Improve Equity as a top priority for transit, with How could better transit service improve your life? 70% of respondents marking it as “Very Important”. The next We asked people how better transit service could improve two were Expand and Enhance, showing an appetite for better their lives and the benefits it would bring them. Most people transit service in the region. responded by saying that better transit would help them live without a car or help their family live with fewer cars, or that better transit would reduce their time spent in traffic and looking for parking. Others responded by saying that better transit would make it easier to get to stores and services for their basic needs. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 12 H ow Did We G et H ere ? If the region had more money for transit, how would you Wait or Walk? invest it? Finally, we asked respondents to consider whether they’d rather: We asked respondents what they would prioritize if there were more funding for transit. Some of the choices included: • Walk further, but spend less time waiting for transit, or • Extending service to places that don’t have transit service • Wait longer for transit, but spend less time walking • Higher frequency service on existing services We ask about this tradeoff because transit can reach people in two different ways: by concentrating a higher amount of service • More service during rush hours (more buses coming more often) onto fewer streets, or by • Faster service, separated from traffic, on the busiest corridors getting closer to people by distributing lower amounts of service across several streets. When we consider how we design transit • More service on weekends networks, we have to consider how willing people are either to 2 • More service at night walk to service or wait to service. • Adding more shelters, benches, and other amenities to bus Respondents overwhelmingly preferred to spend less time stops. waiting and would be willing to walk further to do so. Most people ranked “Extending service to new places” highly on what they’d prioritize for additional funding. Others wanted to prioritize improving frequencies. Interestingly, people tended to rank improving the amenities at bus stops lowest. By putting together what the data tells us about where transit would be in the most demand, where transit is the most needed, where it has the best potential to improve the lives of people, and how people value transit, we can then start envisioning a network that meets those needs going into the future. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 13 3 Constrained Vision Concept JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 14 What is the Constrained Vision Concept? 3 C o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept The Constrained Vision Concept would create a network that What Changes for the Entire Network? improves upon the existing system—but is limited by cost. It assumes the creation of a new regional funding mechanism In the Constrained Vision, we expanded the hours that every for transportation in the Charlottesville area. This new regional service operates on (or span of service). Most fixed-route ser- funding mechanism would provide a new transit funding vices and several regioanl services in this concept will now run resource for the region. This type of regional funding mecha- seven days a week. We’ve also maximized the amount of “all nism is new to Charlottesville, but is already in use elsewhere day” service—that is, service that runs consistently both during in Virginia. For example, the Central Virginia Transportation the morning and evening peak periods and during the middle of Authority (CVTA) provides new funding opportunities for trans- the day. portation projects in the Richmond area. For the purposes of constructing a Constrained Vision Plan for the region, the study What Would It Cost? team discussed various potential assumptions with the Regional Transit Partnership and key stakeholders. Based on those con- Because a transit agency’s costs can vary widely, we look at versations, the Constrained Vision Plan is built on the following revenue hours as one way to determine how much transit service financial assumptions: costs. Revenue hours are defined as each hour a vehicle spends running on the street, picking up and dropping off passengers. • A regional funding framework similar to the CVTA in the Revenue hours generally track with an agency’s operating costs. Richmond region and most funding dedicated to the regional transit system. Using tax revenue sources (sales and fuels For services operated by CAT, the Constrained Vision would taxes) similar to the CVTA, the region could produce about represent a 113% increase in the total amount of revenue hours $26 million annually to support transit services. compared to the existing service. For services operated by Jaunt (excluding ADA paratransit service), the Constrained Vision • The new regional funding would supplant most existing local would represent a 154% increase in the total amount of revenue funding sources for transit, so that most local contributions hours compared to the existing service. These figures only to transit funding would no longer be needed. The primary represent the cost of running the service and do not take into downside to this assumption is that currently local govern- consideration any capital costs. ments contribute about $8 million per year, collectively, to CAT and JAUNT. If regional funding mostly supplants this The next pages will show maps of the constrained network with local funding, then the net new dollars available to increase commentary on changes made to the network as compared transit service is only about $18 million. to the Baseline Network. Subsequent pages will discuss the changes in access, proximity, and span of service in the concept. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 15 What is the Constrained Vision Concept? 3 C o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept What Changes in the Urban Network? The urban network is largely based on the baseline network with some key changes to the network where they would be the most beneficial. This includes improvements to the frequency on Route 7 to provide service every 20 minutes and enhancing service on the 2A and 2B to provide 15-minute frequencies along Avon Street. This concept would also extend the Trolley to Pantops and create two new branches of the trolley, greatly expanding transit service in Pantops. The concept would provide hourly all-day service to the airport, UVA’s North Fork Research Park, and Hollymead with an extended Route 7. This means that once an hour, one bus on the 7 will run between downtown Charlottesville and the North Fork Research Park. We’ve assumed that the on-demand zones as proposed in the Albemarle Transit Expansion Study would be in place in this network. No changes have been made in this scenario to routes currently operated by UVA. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 16 Constrained Vision Concept - Regional 3 C o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept What Changes in the Regional Network? The regional network in the Constrained Vision Concept looks similar to the Baseline Network in terms of the name and types of services, but the span (how many days and hours each service runs) and the number of trips changes. CONNECT routes All CONNECT routes would now run seven days a week and provide two additional trips a day compared to the Existing network. This concept would also create new CONNECT lines to Louisa and Palmyra. Changes made to the urban network would also enable the extension of the 29 North CONNECT from Hollymead all the way to Ruckersville. Circulator services (intra-county) Existing county-wide circulator services provided by Jaunt would be expanded in Nelson, Greene, Louisa, and Fluvanna counties, as well as an expansion of the Albemarle County rural demand response service. There would also be a new circulator service in Buckingham County. These services would now run all day, seven days a week, but would still require a reservation the night before. Link services (intra-county to and from Charlottesville) Link services connecting to Charlottesville and urban Albemarle County would be the same as in the existing network. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 17 3 C o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Changes to Regional Services Because the Constrained Concept does not dramatically change the types of services operated outside the urban area (only how long a service is operational for during the day), proximity isn’t a useful way to demonstrate the change in service. Instead, we visualize how the service has changed either by how many hours each service runs during the day (for Circulator services) or how many trips per day each service makes (for CONNECT services). The charts below demonstrate how the Constrained Concept affects regional services. In the Constrained Concept, we have scaled up all Circulator services to operate seven days a week, from 6 am to 7 pm. We’ve also expanded CONNECT services by providing an additional 5 one-way trips (or 2.5 round-trips) for each service and have introduced services to Louisa and Palmyra. Link services (services from regional destinations to and from Charlottesville) remain similar to today. Existing Regional Network Constrained Regional Network Hours of Service per Jaunt service Hours of Service per Jaunt service High service (8+ hours/day) Moderate service (4-8 hours/day) Limited service (0-4 hours/day) No service High service (8+ hours/day) Moderate service (4-8 hours/day) Limited service (0-4 hours/day) No service Service Service Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Albemarle County Demand Response 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm Albemarle County Rural Circulator 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm Lovingston Circulator 8am-4pm 8am-4pm Lovingston Circulator 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm Fluvanna County Circulator 8:30am-4pm 8:30am-4pm 8:30am-4pm Fluvanna County Circulator 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm Louisa County Circulator 6am-5pm 6am-5pm 6am-5pm 6am-5pm 6am-5pm Louisa County Circulator 6am-7pm 6am-7pm 6am-7pm 6am-7pm 6am-7pm 6am-7pm 6am-7pm Greene County Circulator 8:30am-5pm 8:30am-5pm 8:30am-5pm 8:30am-5pm 8:30am-5pm Greene County Circulator 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm Buckingham County (No Circulator) Buckingham County Circulator 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm 7am-8pm Existing Regional Network Constrained Regional Network Trips per day per Jaunt CONNECT service Trips per day per Jaunt CONNECT service 7+ trips per day 4-6 trips per day 1-3 trips per day No service 7+ trips per day 4-6 trips per day 1-3 trips No service Service Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Service Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday CRZ-E Crozet East 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips CRZ-E Crozet East 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips CRZ-W Crozet West 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips CRZ-W Crozet West 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips 12 trips CRZ-L Crozet PM Loop 1 trip 1 trip 1 trip 1 trip 1 trip CRZ-L Crozet PM Loop 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 29N 29 North 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 6 trips 29N 29 North 11 trips 11 trips 11 trips 11 trips 11 trips 11 trips 11 trips BUCK-E Buckingham East 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips BUCK-E Buckingham East 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips BUCK -N Buckingham North 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips BUCK-N Buckingham North 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips LOVE Lovingston 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips 2 trips LOVE Lovingston 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips 7 trips Palmyra PALM Palmyra 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips Louisa LOU Louisa 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips 5 trips JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 18 Access in the Constrained Vision Concept 3 C o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Isochrones New Retained Access Access Lost One way we visualize the usefulness of transit and how it connects people to places is with isochrones. Each isochrone shows how far you can go from a given loca- Access tion in a reasonable amount of time, as an area on a map. We can then calculate the number of people and jobs in this area In the Constrained Vision, the places you can reach does increase from the Baseline Network, but not significantly in certain areas. Because the Constrained Vision is based on what is proposed to operate in 2022, no one would be worse off compared to baseline. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 19 3 C o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Access to Jobs A key measure of the usefulness of transit is how it connects people to employment. Job access is an indicator of both the work opportunities that can be reached by transit, and the busi- nesses and services customers or clients could choose to travel to. The map to the right shows the change in the number of jobs someone can reach by walking and transit in 60 minutes when comparing the Baseline and Constrained Vision Concept net- works. Each hexagon on the map is shaded by the percentage increase or decrease in jobs reached. In the Constrained Vision, most places see minor increases in access, with some areas to the south and in the north of the study area seeing more significant changes, largely due to increased frequencies. Note that as this concept was based on the Baseline Network, no one would be worse off compared to Baseline and any decreases are related to a lack of detail on timed transfers between routes. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 20 3 C o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Proximity To Transit - Urban If access measures the different places people can get to on transit, proximity measures how close people are to transit. We measure proximity as the number of people that are within a 1/2 mile to a stop on a route. Proximity is also a valuable measure for more rural/regional areas as the places one can walk to and from a transit stop are more spread out. In the Constrained Vision, proximity to higher-frequency transit (service that comes every 15 minutes or better) is improved within Charlottesville and urban Albemarle County (noted here as the Charlottesville/ Albemarle MPO), but proximity to any transit does not change, as the network has not significantly changed compared to baseline. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 21 4 Unconstrained Vision Concept JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 22 What is the Unconstrained Vision Concept? 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept The Unconstrained Vision Concept is a fundamental rethink of transit service in the Charlottesville area. It imagines a future where the transit network is substantial enough to meet the key community goals around economic development, land use, housing affordability, climate, and other policy goals. In this sense, one could also call this the Policy Network, as it supports many community policies. What Changes for the Entire Network? In the Unconstrained Vision, we expanded the hours that every service operates on (or span of service) and the days that every service operates on. Every service in this concept will now run seven days a week. On weekdays, most services on both the urban and regional networks would run at minimum from 7 am to 8 pm, with some services running to midnight. We’ve also maxi- mized the amount of “all day” service—that is, service that runs consistently both during the morning and evening peak periods and during the middle of the day. What Would It Cost? Because a transit agency’s costs can vary widely, we look at revenue hours as one way to determine how much transit service costs. Revenue hours are defined as each hour a vehicle spends running on the street, picking up and dropping off passengers. Revenue hours generally track with an agency’s operating costs. For services operated by CAT, the Unconstrained Vision would represent a 310% increase in the total amount of revenue hours as compared to the existing service. For services operated by Jaunt (excluding ADA paratransit service), the Unconstrained Vision would represent a 704% increase in the total amount of revenue hours as compared to the existing service. These figures are for operations only and would exclude any capital cost. The next pages will show maps of the constrained network with commentary on changes made to the network as compared to the Baseline Network. Subsequent pages will discuss the changes in access, proximity, and span of service in the concept. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 23 Unconstrained Vision Concept - Urban 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept What Changes for Urban Services? High-Frequency Routes and Corridors We’ve introduced a network of high-frequency corridors with several routes that run every 15 minutes or more during the day, seven days a week. These high-frequency routes include: • A new Route 1 (formerly the Trolley), connecting Fontaine Research Park, UVA, UVA Hospital, Downtown Charlottesville, and Pantops; • Routes 2 and 3, converging at Fifth Street Station, connecting Avon Street (on Route 2) Fifth Street and Crescent Hall (on Route 3) • Route 16 between Barracks Road and Downtown Charlottesville, connecting with the North Grounds of UVA, and • Route 7, connecting the US-29 Corridor via Fashion Square Mall, Barracks Road, UVA, UVA Hospital, and Downtown, Route 7 is unique as it will be part of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor along US-29. This BRT corridor would provide a higher level of transit service and priority for buses travelling along the corridor. The investment in higher speeds on this corridor reflects its importance in the overall network, and that this corridor is much longer than others in the region, and therefore speed of service is important to improving access. The rest of the fixed-route network in Charlottesville and urban Albemarle County would operate at 30-minute frequencies during the day. More Routes to New Places This network would also provide all-day service to the airport, UVA’s North Fork Research Park, and Hollymead every 20 minutes. In addition, new hourly services to and from regional destinations would improve connectivity between Charlottesville proper and the rest of the area. Key Transfer Locations Four points would enable transfers between services: a redeveloped Fashion Square Mall, Barracks Road Shopping Center, Fifth Street Station, and a new facility near Market Street in downtown. UTS and Services Through UVA In the Unconstrained Vision, service in and around UVA’s main campus and satellite facilities is bolstered by fixed-route transit. Thus, UVA has the opportunity to reallocate its service hours into the U route as shown in this concept that complements the rest of the transit network and provides connectivity that is similar to some of the existing UTS routes. As UVA is concur- rently preparing its Master Plan, which will inform future directions on land use and mobility corridors, routes travelling through UVA are subject to change. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 24 What is Bus Rapid Transit? 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept A Higher Standard of Transit Any number of these priority measures can and should be and crosswalks connecting to those sidewalks. As part of a implemented along a BRT corridor or route, often with specific broader transit network, BRT should also enable connections to Bus rapid transit, or BRT, is a type of transit service where buses interventions at certain areas (like dedicated lanes in an area other routes and can serve as a “backbone” for the rest of the have priority over general traffic though a set of measures like more likely to be congested). transit network. dedicated lanes, queue jump lanes, and signal priority. Often these measures are paired with wider stop spacing to increase the average speed of service. When done properly, and with Where is BRT? frequent service, bus rapid transit can provide many of the ben- Bus rapid transit is being used by cities around the US and the efits of rail transit, namely higher capacity, higher speed, and world to provide higher-quality transit service. In Virginia, the improved customer experience, with more flexibility. most notable examples are GRTC’s Pulse line in Richmond and What Does Good BRT Look Like? the is Metroway corridor in Arlington and Alexandria. High-Quality Operations Bus rapid transit services are often on routes with high ridership or passenger demand. Therefore, the quality of service along the route should be high as well. This often means running a service An example of dedicated transit lanes in suburban Toronto, Canada. that is available at least every 15 minutes, seven days a week, from morning to evening. At this level of service, there’s no need to consult a schedule or timetable - a bus will be there soon. Amenities For Improved Efficiency and Passenger Experi- ence BRT services often have widely-spaced stops compared to tradi- BRT systems often include a higher set of passenger amenities tional bus services. Stops are often spaced every 1/2 mile, while compared to the conventional bus network. These amenities vehicles on conventional bus services may stop as often as every both improve the customer experience, and may improve the GRTC’s Pulse line, showing some of the features of BRT like dedicated stops, dedicated 1/4 mile or less. speed and reliability of service. These amenities often include: lanes, distinct buses, and improved pedestrian access. Transit Priority • Distinct stops or stations with shelters, real-time passenger information displays, ample seating, and other high quality What could BRT look like in Transit priority is what helps bring many of the benefits of bus rapid transit. There are many interventions that can be imple- amenities; Charlottesville? mented along a BRT corridor, especially at intersections, to • All-door boarding, with off-board fare payment and proof of Given the importance of US-29 to the region and its long and improve transit speed and reliability. Without transit priority payment, enabling passengers to buy a ticket in advance and continuously developed path, the Unconstrained Vision includes measures, a bus rapid transit line risks being delayed by board at any door, reducing the time spent at a stop; BRT from downtown through UVA to Fashion Square Mall and traffic and cannot be considered “rapid”. Transit priority can onward to the airport. Service would be operated by Route 7 consist of: • Level boarding at stops and stations, which enables pas- every 10 minutes at midday along the core of the route from sengers to board faster and improves the accessibility for downtown to Brookhill with 20 minute service north to the • Dedicated lanes, either in the center of the road (median) or passengers travelling with strollers, wheelchairs, or other airport. on the sides of the road next to the curb; mobility devices; The region has choices into the level of investment it wants to • Signal priority at intersections, including but not limited to: • Distinctly-branded vehicles, often with special seating put to transit along US-29. A BRT service along US-29 with a high dedicated lights for transit vehicles, early or extended green layouts, dedicated spaces for bicycles, or other amenities. level of transit priority and a high quality of delivered service signals triggered by transit vehicles; and/or would improve access in the region, both directly along its route Connectivity With Other Modes • Physical measures like queue jumps, which allow transit and throughout the rest of the network. vehicles to get a “head start” at intersections. High-quality transit like BRT should connect easily with other modes of travel. At BRT stations, there are often ample sidewalks JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 25 Unconstrained Vision Concept - Regional 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept What Changes for Regional Services? New All-Day Fixed Routes There would be six new fixed-route services operating seven days a week between Charlottesville and these destinations: • Crozet • Scottsville • Lovingston • Palmyra • Louisa • Ruckersville These services would largely replace the CONNECT services provided by Jaunt in the baseline network and the Constrained Concept. New On-Demand Zones Fixed-route services services would be complemented by seven new on- demand transit zones, enabling people within these zones to book a ride on the same day and travel within the zone or connect to a fixed-route service. These zones would be in: • Crozet • Esmont and Scottsville • Lake Monticello • Zion Crossroads • the town of Louisa • Earlysville (with connections to Hollymead) • Keswick (with connections to Pantops) Enhanced Circulator Services Finally, existing county-wide circulator services provided by Jaunt would be expanded in Nelson, Greene, Louisa, and Fluvanna counties, as well as rural Albemarle County. There would also be a new circulator service in Buckingham County. These services would now run all day, seven days a week, but would still require a reservation the night before. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 26 Proximity in the Unconstrained Vision Concept 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Proximity To Transit - Urban If access measures the different places people can get to on transit, proximity measures how close people are to transit. We measure proximity as the number of people that are within a 1/2 mile to a stop on a route. Proximity is also a valuable measure for more rural/regional areas as the places one can walk to and from a transit stop are more spread out. In the Unconstrained Vision, both proximity to higher-frequency transit (service that comes every 15 minutes or better) and proximity to any transit is improved within Charlottesville and urban Albemarle County (noted here as the Charlottesville/Albemarle MPO). More groups of people are now served by transit and especially by high-frequency transit. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 27 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Buckingham County Baseline Unconstrained Vision Proximity To Transit - Regional In the Unconstrained Vision, proximity to transit is also improved in the rest of the Charlottesville region. In these charts, we only show residents and jobs as our analysis is based on block groups and block groups are not fine-grained enough in rural areas to allow for any significantly useful demo- Nelson County graphic measures. Baseline Unconstrained Vision Legend Notes Proximity is measured as being located within 1/2 mile of a bus Fluvanna County stop or within 1/2 mile of potential on-demand service. Proximity is measured on the midday of the week. Baseline Unconstrained Vision *24-Hour Reservation service indicates a service similar to the Jaunt Link or Circulator services today. Riders must call the day before to schedule service. Albemarle County (outside Charlottesville) Greene County Baseline Baseline Unconstrained Vision Louisa County Unconstrained Vision Baseline Unconstrained Vision JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 28 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Town of Louisa Baseline Unconstrained Vision Proximity To Transit - Regional In the Unconstrained Vision, proximity to transit improves in the rest of the Charlottesville region. In these charts, we only show residents and jobs as our analysis is based on block groups and block groups are not fine-grained enough in rural areas to allow for any significantly useful demo- Lake Monticello graphic measures. Baseline Unconstrained Vision Legend Notes Proximity is measured as being located within 1/2 mile of a bus Palmyra stop or within 1/2 mile of potential on-demand service. Proximity is measured on the midday of the week. Baseline Unconstrained Vision *24-Hour Reservation service indicates a service similar to the Jaunt Link or Circulator services today. Riders must call the day before to schedule service. Crozet Ruckersville Baseline Baseline Unconstrained Vision Scottsville and Esmont Baseline Unconstrained Vision Unconstrained Vision JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 29 Access in the Unconstrained Vision Concept 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Retained New Isochrones Access Access Lost One way we visualize the usefulness of transit and how it connects people to places is with isochrones. Each isochrone shows how far you can go from a given loca- Access tion in a reasonable amount of time, as an area on a map. We can then calculate the number of people and jobs in this area In the Unconstrained Vision, the places you can reach change dramatically from the Baseline Network, in large part due to high-frequency routes that make connect- ing to other places faster and more reliable. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 30 4 U nc o n s trained V i si o n C o ncept Access to Jobs A key measure of the usefulness of transit is how it connects people to employment. Job access is an indicator of both the work opportunities that can be reached by transit, and the businesses and services customers or clients could choose to travel to. The Unconstrained Vision Concept vastly expands the number of jobs accessible to most people in Charlottesville and across most of the city compared to the Baseline Transit Network. The map to the right shows the change in job access across the city. Large areas of the city see job access increases of over 100%, with some parts of the city seeing increases of 500% or more. Portions of the map that did not show change in the Constrained Vision would experience significant changes in access. This is due to the greatly expanded reach of the network and the improved frequencies as a whole. In the case of Crozet and Keswick, most of these changes are driven by new on-demand transit zones that provide internal circulation and connect to the broader fixed-route network. JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 31 5 What’s Next? JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 32 What’s next for the Regional Transit Vision? 5 What ’s N e x t ? These are Draft Concepts • Pricing: the cost of transit fares relative to competing modes. to transit service and focusing development closer to transit service. It’s important to note that the two network concepts presented The transit agency only has complete control of the first element in this report are draft concepts. That means that there are (service). It has partial control over the fourth (price) but only in more conversations to be had with both stakeholders in the terms of the transit fare. In general, local or state governments The Regional Transit Vision Process Charlottesville area and with the public on what we should pri- have complete or partial control over the other three elements. Development of the Regional Transit Vision is a three-step oritize going forward. We hope that these concepts will facilitate process, with each step designed to build off the progress made Cities and state governments control the density of land by disccussion on transit’s role in Charlottesville and what the future in each previous phase determining the zoning and approving or not approving devel- could bring. opment. They set parking policies, which dramatically affect both 1. Listen: This stage focuses on educating the public and stake- the density of land use and the cost of competing modes. They Funding Transit control walkability through land use decisions and the manage- holders on the existing conditions and influences that will likely have an impact on transit in the region and listening ment of streetscapes, signal timing, and crossing locations. They to and striving to understand local aspirations and ideas for Transit costs money to maintain and operate. In the Regional manage curbs and determine parking locations, parking enforce- future transit service Transit Vision, the Constrained Concept considers its budget for ment, loading zone locations, and traffic enforcement. They service in the context of a Regional Transportation Authority or manage street priority by allocating lanes among competing 2. Envision: Building off the Listen phase, this stage focuses RTA. This RTA would manage funds that would provide contin- uses. Overall, cities have as much control, if not more, over the on confirming the draft vision and goals and exploring long- ued reliable investment for transportation projects throughout success of transit than transit agencies. term transit alternatives for the region. These alternatives the region. RTAs are present in Virginia, most notably in will provide an opportunity to explore and test different Northern Virginia as the NVTA and in the Richmond area as the Some key policies that the City of Charlottesville and the coun- approaches to serving the region’s long-term needs and CVTA. The exact mechanism by which a Charlottesville area RTA ties in the region can focus on in improving the ability of transit learning about the tradeoffs and choices. would get these funds is subject to continued discussion, but to carry many riders include: is vital to delivering on the recommendations of the Regional 3. Affirm: Building off the Envision phase, the Affirm phase will Transit Vision. • Prioritizing pedestrians and safe crossings along frequent confirm reactions to the alternatives and related policy direc- transit corridors; tion. It will focus on developing the draft Regional Transit It is clear that the Charlottesville region has an appetite for • Prioritize transit movement on frequent corridors so that Vision Plan based on the prior stages and public and stake- better transit service and ensuring transit is well-funded will buses full of people are not delayed by lower occupancy holder input. support this desire. vehicles; This report is part of the Envision phase and content from this Land Use and Transit • Prioritize connected streets and connected pedestrian paths report, including the Draft Concepts, will go out to the public for near frequent transit corridors to maximize the walkable area feedback in the summer of 2022. In many places, the ability of transit to run quickly and reliably around bus stops with frequent service; is most often the result of things outside the transit agency’s control. High transit ridership results from a four legged stool: • Reducing or eliminating parking requirements near frequent transit corridors; • Transit Service: a well-connected network with high fre- quency, long spans, reasonable speeds, high reliability and Close coordination between the City of Charlottesville, the sufficient capacity. TJPDC, the counties, and the transit agencies will be required to ensure that development and land use is supportive of high- • Land Use: the density, walkability, linearity and proximity of quality transit. residents, jobs, and other land uses. In the Charlottesville region, CAT in a unique position being a • Street design: the ability of transit to use certain streets, to division of the City of Charlottesville, which means there is a make turns, and whether transit has priority that protects it from potential opportunity for the planning department to work more congestion. closely with the transit department to prioritize both access JARRETT WALKER + A S S O C I AT E S Regional Transit Vision - Draft Recommendations TJPDC | 33