National Case Studies Rail Transit

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National Case Studies Rail Transit

• 201 W 5th Street, Ste 600
• Tulsa, OK 74103

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Overview

• Cities who implemented rail transit
• Diversity of Technologies
• Light Rail Transit (LRT) (Dallas, St. Louis,
  Portland)
• Heavy Rail
• Commuter Rail (Nashville, Albuquerque)
• Streetcar (Little Rock)
• Why? Planning for Growth

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Myths about rail transportation

• Why build rail when busses do the same thing
  cheaper
• Fixed nature of rail
• Propensity to ride rail vs. bus

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Technologies Described

• Overhead power supply (except DMU)
• Can operate in mixed traffic
• Vehicles can be multi-unit or single unit
• Better flexibility for meeting passenger demand
• Examples Portland, St. Louis, Dallas

Light Rail Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Streetcar
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
MAX Portland, OR
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Technologies Described
A DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) car is a variation
of light rail that uses diesel fuel as opposed to
overhead electric lines. Example Austin, TX
Light Rail Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Streetcar
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Technologies Described

• Steel wheeled, electric powered vehicles
• Two or more cars operating on completely grade
  separated guideway
• Vehicles powered by low level 3rd Rail
• Examples New York, Boston, Atlanta
• Electric powered

Light Rail Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Streetcar
Chicago L
Atlanta MARTA
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Technologies Described

• Usually uses existing freight track upgraded to
  handle passenger traffic
• Rail cars can be double decker and equipped with
  Wi-Fi for better productivity on the commute
• Usually diesel-powered
• Examples Nashville, Albuquerque
• Pulled by a locomotive

Light Rail Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Streetcar
Nashville MusicCity Star
Albuquerque RailRunner Express
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Technologies Described

• Usually more tourist oriented
• Rail lines tend to be short in length (
• Stops are frequent, allowing for more dense
  development
• Does not aim to reduce congestion, but does allow
  for tremendous economic development

Light Rail Heavy Rail Commuter Rail Streetcar
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Studies Show

• Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
• 39 increase in residential property values
  served by rail
• 53 increase in office property values served by
  rail

• St. Louis
• 4.3 billion in development since 1993 opening of
  starter line within ½ mile of stations
• 2,865 new residential units
• 5.7 million sq. feet of development within ½ mile
  of the stations

Trinity Railway Express Commuter Rail (Dallas-Ft.
Worth, TX)
Source TCRP Report 102, Federal Transit
Administration
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Studies Show

• A 1996 Texas Study showed
• Each 1 shift in regional travel from cars to
  transit resulted in increased regional income of
  2.9 million and 226 regional jobs

Trinity Railway Express Commuter Rail (Dallas-Ft.
Worth, TX)
Source Miller, Robinson, Lahr (1999)
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Nashville Commuter Rail

• Nashville Metro Pop. 1.2 million
• 32 mile line, 6 stations
• Opened September 2006
• Total Cost 41 million
• Federal funding 24 million (58)
• Annual Operating Cost 3 million
• Ridership 1,900/day

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MusicCity Star Nashville
Grand Opening Sept. 2006
Mt. Juliet Station Platform
Riverfront Station
Lebanon Station Platform
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St. Louis MetroLink Light Rail (LRT)

• 38 Mile System
• 16 Mile Starter Line Opened 1993
• Connected downtown with the Airport
• Total Cost 348 Million (for first 16 miles only)
• Weekday ridership of 50,000
• Taxes to support Light Rail are 6 per person
  annually1
• 1Garrett, Thomas. (2003) Light Rail Transit
  Myths and Realities. Federal Reserve Bank of St.
  Louis. Accessed 6/15/2007. Link
  http//www.stlouisfed.org/publications/br/2003/d/p
  ages/2-article.html

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St. Louis MetroLinkEconomic Development

• 55 Million Westin Hotel
• Since 1993 - 4.3 billion of development within ½
  mile (10 minute walk) of the original 16 miles of
  alignment

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St. Louis MetroLink
Above MetroLink serves the Lambert International
Airport and downtown St. Louis Left MetroLink
serves the Scottrade Center (formerly Savvis
Center) which hosts the St. Louis Blues NHL Team
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Little RockRiver Rail Streetcar
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Little RockRiver Rail Streetcar

• 2.5 Miles
• 19.6 million cost
• 200 million in new development since 2004
  opening
• Fare 0.50 per round trip
• Serves Alltel Arena in N. Little Rock
• Crosses the Arkansas River
• 80 funding from federal sources
• Now links downtown to Clinton Presidential Library

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Economic Development
Other Streetcar systems in the United States
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AlbuquerqueRail Runner Express

• 47 mile commuter rail
• Completely funded with state money
• Part of Gov. Richardsons 1.6 billion
  transportation program
• 135 million total cost (50 million to purchase
  51 miles of BNSF rail, 75 million for 10
  railcars 5 locomotives)
• Est. Annual Operating cost - 9 million
• Ridership 2,000 each weekday

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AlbuquerqueRail Runner Express

• Fare 1-3 depending on distance traveled
• Took only 3 years to build
• Double decked railcars with Wi-fi

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The MARTA CaseAtlanta

• MARTA built in late 70s
• No land use policy around transit stations was
  adopted
• Almost 30 years later, still primarily surface
  parking lot despite increasing land values
• 1996 study showed there was neither a positive
  or negative impact on total population and total
  employment in station areas.

Bollinger C. and Ihlanfeldt, K. The Impact of
Rapid Rail Tranist on Economic Development The
Case of Atlantas MARTA. Journal of Urban
Economics. 42, 179-204.