Archive | September, 2014

Transit Insight from Big Data

By Chris Smith on September 29, 2014 in Transportation Planning

When: Friday, October 3, 12-1 p.m.
Where: Room 204 of the Distance Learning Center Wing of the Urban Center at PSU

Speaker: Mohja L. Rhoads, South Bay Cities Council of Governments
Topic: Using “big data” for transportation analysis: A case study of the LA Metro Expo Line

Summary: Access to a comprehensive historical archive of real-time, multi-modal multi-agency transportation system data has provided a unique opportunity to demonstrate how “big data” can be used for policy analysis, and to offer new insights for planning scholarship and practice. We illustrate with a case study of a new rail transit line. We use transit, freeway, and arterial data of high spatial and temporal resolution to examine transportation system performance impacts of the Exposition (Expo) light rail line (Phase 1) in Los Angeles. Using a quasi-experimental research design, we explore whether the Expo Line has had a significant impact on transit ridership, freeway traffic, and arterial traffic within the corridor it serves. Our results suggest a net increase in transit ridership, but few effects on traffic system performance. Given the latent travel demand in this heavily congested corridor, results are consistent with expectations. The benefits of rail transit investments are in increasing transit accessibility and person throughput within high-demand corridors; effects on roadway traffic are small and localized.

For more information or to view the seminar, click here.

Decision time for Powell/Division

By EngineerScotty on September 29, 2014 in Powell/Division

Tomorrow, September 29, Metro will host a combination steering committee/open house on the Powell/Division project, in which staff recommendations will be presented. Not too surprisingly, staff recommendations include:

Bus instead of rail (LRT or Streetcar). This is expected, as the proposed budget and timeframe for the project is simply not compatible with a rail solution, having numerous rail projects happening during the Great Recession (and its numerous service cuts) has made rail a bit more politically difficult, and many preliminary documents and materials have referred to it as a “BRT” project. At this point, various grades of BRT are being considered, ranging from “dedicated busway” to “frequent service bus plus”. Even at the low end, the solution calls for 1/2 stop spacings, vehicles larger than a 40′ bus, stations with amenities, and faster boarding (which I assume means fare collection that does not involve the driver).
The proposed alignment would be to cross the river using Tilikum Crossing, then use Powell out to at least SE 50th, transitioning to Division between 50th and I-205 (TBD), and Division to Gresham, with a possible connection to Mount Hood CC, with several different alignments possible in Gresham. A transition at SE 82nd seems to have quite a bit of public support.
Riders want a service that is “discernibly quicker” than the existing 4 and 9 bus lines.

Among the next steps are consideration of various potential station areas along the route, and potential impacts/changes to local transit.

A big pile of documents can be found here.

Almost October Open Thread

By EngineerScotty on September 28, 2014 in Open Threads

A long nasty project at work has finally wrapped up; apologies for the extended absense.

Tualatin voters passed a public-vote-on-light-rail measure earlier this month. Unlike a similar recent measure in Tigard, this one only affects LRT and not BRT, and does not require the city to issue pointless statements that it is “opposed” to light rail. Tualatin’s mayor has indicated that any major capital improvements involving city funds would likely be referred to the voters regardless.
A major steering committee meeting tomorrow (9/29) for the Powell/Divison Project, one that is likely to narrow the scope of the project somewhat. A separate post will cover this.
Last week there was a Portland Streetcar derailment, when a switch leading to the garage under I-405 was not properly closed, causing a N/S car to jump the tracks when reaching said switch. A technical question: MAX signals are designed to inform operators of the position of upcoming switches, and most (if not all) of the primary operational switches are electronically controlled and integrated into the signalling/dispatch system; a MAX operator will (or should) know if he’s about to be routed onto a siding or into a yard. Does the PSC signalling infrastructure have the same safeguards?
A new hassle for the poor and credit-challenged (or at least those who have cars): electronic repossession (or remote disabling) of automobiles.

Our Two Latest Transit Appliances

By Chris Smith on September 24, 2014 in Transit Tools

When classes begin at the new Collaborative Life Sciences Building (a PSU/OHSU joint venture) in South Waterfront, students will be greeted by not one, but TWO large-screen transit appliances in the building.

The building atrium is cavernous. The screen is taller than my daughter – 80″ inches on the diagonal I believe (our biggest ever) – but still looks small in the space!

Transportation between the building and the PSU main campus will be a bit constrained this year (next year MAX will carry a lot of the load), so information about Streetcar arrivals is important!