By Scott Pohl, WKAR
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-933472.mp3
LANSING, MI –
The Capital Area Transportation Authority is considering applying for federal funds to improve operations from the state Capitol in Lansing to Marsh Road in Okemos.
A series of public meetings this week will look at the alternatives being considered. They include light rail, modern streetcar, and bus rapid transit.
Bus rapid transit, using a dedicated traffic lane, appears to be the most likely approach CATA will take.
WKAR's Scott Pohl spoke with CATA Assistant Executive Director Debbie Alexander about what the system would look like.
AUDIO:
SCOTT POHL: "Let's begin with an update on this process."
DEBBIE ALEXANDER: "We are presenting the results of what we called a detailed analysis on four modes: the baseline, which is traditional bus, enhanced slightly; BRT, bus rapid transit; light rail; and modern street car. We've done a detailed analysis against those, to determine whether or not any of them are viable options for us to further study."
POHL: "Is part of the information coming out if any or all of those have been determined to be not viable for this market?"
ALEXANDER: "Yes, there are definitely those that are not viable."
POHL: "And they are?"
ALEXANDER: "We'll learn that the most expensive of them is light rail and street car, and the least expensive of those is bus rapid transit. And, indeed, we've even had to make modifications to the original idea of bus rapid transit, in order to make it financially competitive."
POHL: "Is doing nothing also on the table?"
ALEXANDER: "Doing nothing is always an option, but I would caution the community at this point, because all we're doing is really submitting an application to FTA, the Federal Transit Administration, to determine whether or not they believe we are a viable project. We have much more work to do, two or three more phases before we would even put a shovel in the ground, so it's a little premature, if we have a competitive project, for the community to say we don't want to move forward', but it is the community's decision."
POHL: "When approaching the federal government for this sort of funding, one could take the position that we should shoot for the moon, because we're not going to have to pay for it ourselves. Has that sort of thinking ever been part of the process here?"
ALEXANDER: "We do have to have some commitment financially, so the operating costs of these systems will be born by the local community. So, we are taking that into consideration, and we do have to have something that we can sustain. The nice thing about the option we're presenting at this point, bus rapid transit modified, is that it really is what we call heavy BRT. It looks very much in its infrastructure like rail, without the rail, so that if in the future we get great success out of a system like a BRT, then you go back in and you lay the tracks down, but you have the stations and everything developed for a higher speed option."
POHL: "What can you tell me about financing this system, both the federal funding part, should the federal funding come through, and what the local taxpayers and riders of the system would wind up having to pay for?"
ALEXANDER: "It's a little premature to determine that distinctly. We have many pots of funding that come into this region already dedicated to transit, that could for a short time be diverted to this, things such as CMAQ funding, Congestion and Mitigation Air Quality funding, and other roadway funding. Also, this is a state-owned road, so the state has state highway funding that could also, is a possibility to divert to this roadway. So, there's a lot of different pots, and in the meetings, you'll see that, or if you go on the website (www.migrtrans.org) you'll see that, what those all are, but there would be an operating expense, and there would also be match to the federal money. Match in this state has traditionally come from the state, and we would be looking to the state for that match as well. So, it is a little premature to say how all that's going to happen, because there are so many details that are yet to be done. The only thing we accomplished in the study was to determine, is there a mode? What is it? And, is it competitive with the federal process?"
POHL: "Is it also too early to think about the likelihood or unlikelihood of getting that state money?"
ALEXANDER: "It's not too early to start, and in fact, we are not the only system in the state that are looking at systems like this. You know, many people already know that the Detroit Woodward Avenue project is looking at light rail. Grand Rapids is also looking at what we call a BRT light system. It's not as, it doesn't have the dedicated lanes we're speaking about, but it does have roadway improvements. And so, they are ahead of us a bit, and we are all working together to get the state match for these projects."
POHL: "Give me some detail on how it would function, how it would improve over the current system."
ALEXANDER: "Well, it would first of all be a dedicated transitway in the middle of the corridor, from the Capitol building all the way out to Marsh Road. In doing so, we would have about 23 stations along the corridor. Those stations would have level boarding with the vehicle, so that people can just walk on without having any steps or ramps. In addition, all the faring, all the paying your fare, would happen at the station, so that the boarding time is less than 20 seconds."
POHL: "You mention the system being such that passengers wouldn't have to step up to get on the bus. Would you need new buses in any fashion? Would you have to modify the existing buses?"
ALEXANDER: "New buses are in the financial plan. It would be articulated buses though. We're familiar with seeing those. The difference here is that we may have three doors instead of only two doors; we may have doors on both sides of the bus so that we can pull into a station on either side. And then these buses also have a special system in them that allows them to pull into the station close enough that there is no gap between the platform and the bus."
POHL: "Including the stops that would be along the way, can you give me even a rough estimate how long it would take to travel from the state Capitol to you said Marsh Road, is that correct? How long would that trip take?"
ALEXANDER: "Currently, it takes about 45 minutes to make that trip, and it's going to be about seven or eight minutes less than that. So, somewhere around 37 minutes or so."
POHL: "What would this mean to motorists on the corridor?"
ALEXANDER: "Well, like we would hope, many more people this more rapid transit option and would not use their automobile to make that travel, but also because we're not stopping buses in full traffic, it actually takes the bus out of the traffic flow, it allows the traffic flow to move more smoothly."
POHL: "Does it affect traffic trying to cross the street?"
ALEXANDER: "That would all be controlled at intersections. The stations would be only at places where pedestrian crossings could be controlled and traffic could be synchronized with the way the bus is operating. So, those details are taken care of in the next, future stages."
POHL: "Would this system remove left turn lanes for motorists? How would it affect left turns?"
ALEXANDER: "Left turns and right turns will still be possible onto Grand River, the way we have it envisioned right now, for every place you can do it today, it wouldn't stop that. But, the community, and as we develop this, could make decisions about whether or not that's what they want to retain, so we have not made the decision that it would impede anything, but we have not made the decision that it wouldn't, if future development shows that the community would like it to change, to function differently."
POHL: "Can you cite cities that are already using this sort of system that people may have visited, to give them a better picture perhaps of how it would work in Lansing and East Lansing?"
ALEXANDER: "Yes, as a matter of fact. In June, we brought into town Eugene, Oregon, who has a similar system. And also, Cleveland, which has a very nice heavy BRT system that's been very successful."
POHL: "So, these sessions are designed to spread the word about what you might well decide to be targeting, but also to get public feedback, with an eye perhaps to changing the plan or going for another option, if that's what the people are telling you they want? Is that part of what these meetings are designed to do?"
ALEXANDER: "It's the third step in our education of the community about this type of service. It is new to our community, so they'll come and they'll learn about the process that we went through. They'll see what the conclusions are. And, of course, we will be happy to take any concerns that they have about the proposal, and we would like to know whether or not the community believes that this region really should take this kind of initiative, really, as a stimulant to the economic future of our community."