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Final Recommendations
STUDY OVERVIEW
Study Goals
Ensure PVTA services continue to meet and support community needs Ensure bus service is an attractive option for as many people as possible Ensure PVTA services are operated in the most cost effective and efficient way possible
Study Overview
Examination of existing conditions
Survey with transit riders/non-riders Interviews with stakeholders Market analysis
Develop scenarios based analysis and discussion Collect public input and comment
4
Met with drivers at each of PVTAs garages Held four public meetings, two riders-drop in sessions and two drop in sessions with drivers
Market Analysis
Identify areas with greatest demand
Population and employment density High need populations
30 31 37
20
34 35 45
17 48 38 32
21 43 10 11 14 13 23 41 15 40 24 22 46 39 42 25 44 12 19 27 39E
PREFERRED SCENARIO
10
11
Strategic Approach
13
14
Operate with 15 or 20 minute service for most of the day Service is available 7 days a week
15
Outer Route
16
17
Urban Radials
Service to Agawam, Westfield, Long meadow and lower density neighborhoods in Springfield Routes operate with roughly 60 minute service all day
18
19
Village Connectors
Connect village centers 60 minute service all day
Chicopee to Holyoke
20
21
Connects with fixed route system As demand increases, may transition to fixed-route service
22
23
Express Routes
Highlight express services
Branding with X Create separate schedules Schedule with regular service (i.e. hourly) Holyoke Community College Five Colleges Hampden County Correctional Facility at Stonybrook
24
Holyoke
Simplify circulation through downtown and close-in neighborhoods to the west and north
Alignment being finalized Service every 30 minutes
25
Holyoke Routes
Routes
11X Holyoke Community College 20 Holyoke / Springfield via Holyoke Mall and Riverdale Street 21 Holyoke / Springfield via Chicopee 23 Holyoke / Westfield via HCC 24 Essex-Appleton / Holyoke Mall / Holyoke Hospital 25 South Hadley / Granby / Holyoke Mall 29X Amherst to Springfield via HTC 41 Northampton / Easthampton / HCC 48 Northampton Veterans Park 90 Inner Cross-town
Proposed Changes
Evening trips to Springfield stop at Holyoke Mall Eliminate deviations to South Street Mall and Riverdale Plaza Consolidate alignment in Chicopee (Meadow Street) Extend to Westfield State University Revamp to Holyoke Circulator Operate as flex route or community shuttle 6 limited-stop round trips Operate year-round; Extend to Holyoke Mall Increase service from hourly to half-hourly New cross-town service from HTC to East Longmeadow
26
Chicopee
Concentrates connections at two hubs
Chicopee Marketplace Chicopee Center
Simplified service
27
Chicopee Routes
Routes
1B Springfield / Chicopee Marketplace 19 Holyoke / Chicopee via Chicopee Marketplace 21 Holyoke / Springfield via Chicopee 90 Inner Cross-town
Proposed Changes
Split from 1A serving Sumner Ave Consolidated Routes 19 and 22
Consolidate alignment in Chicopee (Meadow Street) Cross-town service from Holyoke Transportation Center to East Longmeadow
28
Northampton
Minor route changes Respond to community requests Simplify service by making it more consistent
29
Northampton Routes
Routes
40 Minuteman Express 41 Northampton/ Easthampton/ HCC 42 Northampton/ Williamsburg 43 Northampton/ Hadley/ Amherst 44 Florence Heights
Proposed Changes
Combined with Route 43 Operate as BRT Operate year-round Extend to Holyoke Mall Operate service hourly Add service to Survival Center Combined with Route 40 Operate as BRT Split into two routes to double up coverage between Hampshire Plaza and downtown Northampton
Operate with high frequency every day of the week Keep bus on main road to extent possible Improved stops and passenger amenities Use signal priority and queue jumpers to decrease travel time
31
Amherst
Minor route changes Eliminate unproductive route segments Eliminate some weekend service due to lack of riders Combine routes to increase connectivity Add daily express service between Amherst, Holyoke, Holyo ke Mall and Springfield Bus Terminal
32
Route
Proposed Changes
Amherst Routes
Five Colleges Routes Unchanged
32 Puffers Pond Atkins Corner Combined to create new Route 33 Retain UMass to Atkins Corner segment when Route 38 is not operating 33 East Pleasant Street 34/35 Orchard Hill Mullins Center Campus Shuttle 37 Amity Shuttle 29X Amherst/ Holyoke/ Springfield Express 40 Minuteman Express 43 Northampton/ Hadley/ Amherst Operate from Cushman Center to Route 9 Shopping via Amity Street Eliminate stop at Haigis Mall (stop on street) (saves one bus) Combine to create new Route 33 New routes Combine with Route 43 Operate as BRT Combine with Route 40 Operate as BRT
45 Belchertown Center UMass Eliminate weekend service (unproductive) 46 South Deerfield UMass Eliminate weekend service (unproductive) End service at Whately P&R instead of Deerfield Center 33
Westfield
Split Route 10 into two routes:
Westfield center to Springfield Bus Terminal Westfield center to Westfield State University
Route 23 extended to Westfield State University Use Flex Route to serve areas off the main travel corridors (Union Street and Western New England Hospital)
34
Westfield Routes
Route
10 West Springfield/Westfield State University
Proposed Changes
Divide into two routes: Westfield Center to Springfield Bus Terminal Westfield Center to Westfield State University Eliminate deviation to Union Street in downtown Westfield Eliminate deviation to University Park Apartments Extend from Westfield Center to Westfield State University Provide local circulation and connections (serve Union Street) No change
23 Holyoke Westfield via Holyoke Community College Add Flex Route OWL Shuttle
35
BENEFITS
System Improvements
Eliminates unproductive and under-productive parts of the system Re-invests resources into new services and more productive parts of the systems Adjusts services to demand and need
New Services
Bus Rapid Transit on State Street and Route 9 Creates an additional three high frequency corridors
Main Street from SBT to Chicopee Center Carew/St. James Main/Belmont/Summer
Benefits
Service Hierarchy Service Performance Guidelines Calls out Express Routes Specifically
Service is easier to understand, use and communicate Ties service levels to productivity
- If routes are unproductive at current level, then they can be downgraded to match service with demand
- Operate Bus Rapid Transit in strongest markets - Operate community shuttles where ridership and density is lower - Use different service levels and types in between
39
37.35
$2.26
$1.91
Existing Network
Preferred Scenario*
40