Annual Meeting 18 January 2017 By Doug Funke President, Citizens - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

Citizens for Regional Transit Annual Meeting

18 January 2017

By Doug Funke President, Citizens for Regional Transit

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

Topics

• Selected Highlights from the Road Show

– The past, the dream, the reality – Transportation and the environment – The cost of sprawl – Economics of transit (to eat or drive?)

• Progress to Date and During 2016

– Petition results (ongoing) – Accomplishments and objectives

• Making Buffalo Niagara transportation great

again!

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

What We Had and Lost

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But We Had a Different Dream in the 1950s and 1960s

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But that Dream Has Become a Nightmare

Muir Glacier, Alaska, NASA Climate 365

Greenland Glacier Melt, 2016

CO2 Levels Increasing

Polar Ice Cap Melting

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6 Courtesy of Mark Paradowski from the Preservation-Ready Sites

00

Surface parking Parking ramp HarborPlace (with parking)

Key

But that Dream Has Become a Nightmare (cont.’)

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The Environment: To Drive or Take Transit?

Added CO2 emissions is NEGLIGABLE to transit vehicle already in service But AVOIDS pollution from driving … If 1 person takes transit instead of driving (alone)

= 0.96 pounds of CO2 PPM* avoided

If 3 people choose transit instead of driving (alone)

= 2.88 pounds of CO2 PPM avoided

Choose Transit:

* PPM = per passenger mile

BICYCLE

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The Math Is Simple

8

3.4 acres

600

1 train (Four cars) 12 buses Anywhere from 150 to 600 cars (270 shown here) Adapted from: Transport Sydney Trains (http://www.sydneytrains.info/about/environment/)

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Sprawl = Added Taxpayer Expenses

FY ‘18 Operating Expenses = $197,347,847 13% total NFTA budget spent just to maintain lanes built since 1990

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Location and Transportation Efficient Budget Impacts

0 car households Car-dependent Exurbs

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability/fact_sheets/transandhousing.pdf

Source: USDOT, Federal Highway Administration

http://www.cnt.org/repository/HT2010-Fact-Sheet-National.pdf

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Transportation Takes a Bigger Bite Out

• f Budgets of the Working Poor

http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/special_reports_and_issue_briefs/issue_briefs/nu mber_01/html/median_percent_of_personal_income_spent_on_commuting_by_income_group_1999.html

Median Percent of Personal Income Spent on Commuting by Income Group and Mode, 1999

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And We’re Leaving the Poorest Among Us High and Dry

12

• 30% Buffalo households don’t own a car

For those riding transit:

Source: GBNRTC Survey, 2012

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And We’re Leaving the Poorest Among Us High and Dry (cont.’)

• Bus rider household incomes
• 86% < $35,000
• 14% > $35,000
• Light rail household incomes
• 71% < $35,000
• 29% > $35,000

Source: GBNRTC Survey, 2012

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Transit Oriented Development = Economic Growth Example: Tempe, AZ

• Tempe, AZ

– Positively transformed neighborhoods – Provided $4B boost to the economy – Trolley circulator under consideration based on LRT success

Tempe feeling many positive, unexpected benefits from light rail. http://www.mnn.com/green- tech/transportation/stories/tempe-feeling-many-positive-unexpected-benefits-from-light-rail

“I’m a Republican, and I didn’t vote for Proposition 400. The light rail was a very expensive form of transportation. But the fact that it cleared up a blighted area and brought immense economic development is something that made me very interested… The light rail exceeded what it set out to do. There is value in these systems beyond just transporting people.”

• Onnie Shekerjan, Tempe Councilwoman and

Committee on Technology Chairperson

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Why is Public Transit Important?

The Environment

Courtesy of Mark Paradowski from the Preservation-Ready Sites

00

Surface parking Parking ramp HarborPlace

Key

Reclaim Our City Economic Development Fairness, Economic Justice

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But Cities Across America Are Rediscovering Public Transit

Cleveland, OH Tempe, AZ Minneapolis St. Paul. MN San Diego, CA Salt Lake City, UT

Detroit!

And… Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Galveston, Houston, Kansas City, Kenosha, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Newark, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Oakland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Seattle, San Francisco, Tacoma, Tampa, Tucson, Washington DC, …

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Cities Going Car Free

• Oslo, Norway – city center car free by 2019
• Madrid, Spain – ban cars on 500 acres of city center by 2020
• Chendu, China – only half of roads will allow cars by 2020
• Hamburg, Germany – creating green network of connected

walkable spaces (network will cover 40% Hamburg by 2035)

• Copenhagen, Denmark – building superhighway for bikes by

2918 (many already opened). Pledges to be carbon neutral by 2015.

• Paris, France – Limits cars in city on selected days based on

license plate number. Will allow only electric cars by 2020

• London, England – Charges daily fee ($12.50) for use of

diesel engines. Will ban diesel cars by 2020

• Brussels, Belgium – Streets near city square have always

been car free. Seeking ways to expand. Will have car free day in September.

• Mexico City – Bans cars in city by rotating license plate

number.

• New York City – Designating car free areas (e.g., Times

Square, Herald Square, Madison Square Park now car free)

http://www.businessinsider.com/cities-going-car-free-2016-8/#oslo-norway- will-implement-its-car-ban-by-2019-1

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Buffalo-Niagara Citizens Are Demanding Better Transit

18

GBNRTC One Region Forward Results:

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What Our Leaders Are Saying

“At the end of the day, we will only succeed in creating more opportunity through connecting people with transit, through connecting people by putting the jobs where they are accessible and by not continuing to spread and sprawl them out all over"

ESD Chairman Howard Zemsky

“It means jobs will be created as we build our rail line to Amherst. It also means city residents will be able to get to jobs in our largest suburb"

Mayor Byron Brown

Cuomo’s support for more miles of Metro Rail is “huge”. ”How many years have we seen pushback on that? We don’t see that anymore.” The extension to Amherst will address the “transportation night mere commuters face on a daily basis.”

County Executive Marc Polencarz

“We will support the extension of the light rail, providinga direct connection for tens of thousands of jobs.”

Governor Andrew Cuomo

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

Topics

• Selected Highlights from the Road Show

– The past, the dream, the reality – Transportation and the environment – The cost of sprawl – Economics of transit (to eat or drive?)

• Progress to Date and During 2016

– Petition results (ongoing) – Accomplishments and objectives

• Making Buffalo Niagara transportation great

again!

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

Our Work…

Operational Monitoring Legislative Advocacy Public Education Research Serve on Committees Advocacy Building

• NFTA CAC
• NFTA Project Committees

(Amherst study, DL&W extension

• GBNRTC 1RF
• NRGC Transportation

Committee

• Mayor’s Train Station

Siting Committee

Partnerships

• PPG
• WNYEA
• VOICE Buffalo
• CEJ
• NYPTA
• NFTA Board
• GBNRTC
• NRGC
• Newsletter
• Website, Facebook, Twitter
• CRT public meetings
• Letters to the editor
• Doug’s road show
• Table at shows
• Buffalo Place
• NRGC
• Meet with legislators
• Support proposed

legislation

• Position papers
• NY Transit Day
• Transit trends (e.g., TOD)
• Investments in other cities
• Technical and financial

issues

• Attend conferences
• Petitions
• Individuals
• Organizations
• Mayors & Councils
• Attend public meetings

and hearings

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Petition for a Transit Revolution

1. Establish long-term sustainable transit funding 2. Extend Metro Rail along highest demand corridors 3. Replace Exchange Street and Depew stations with multimodal center

Interfaith Peace Network

• f WNY

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Buffalo Common Council

Village of Orchard Park

City of Niagara Falls

• Mayor Paul Dyster
• NF City Council

City of North Tonawanda

• Mayor Arthur Pappas

City of Tonawanda

• Mayor Rick Davis

City of Buffalo

• The Buffalo

Common Council Village of Hamburg

• Village Council

Town of Cheektowaga

• Town Council

Village of Orchard Park Orchard Park

• Mayor Jo Ann Litwin

Clinton Village of East Aurora

• Mayor Alan Kasprzak

Buffalo-Niagara Needs a Transit Revolution

1. Extend Metro Rail along highest-demand corridors 2. Replace Exchange St. and Depew Stations with 21st century multimodal transportation centers 3. Establish long-term sustainable transit funding Town of Lancaster

• Town Board

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Goal 1: Stable Public Transportation Finances

Still to Do

• Establish long-term,

dedicated funding for transit

Successes

• Unanimous WNY State Delegation Support

for increased transit budget

• Averted $10M deficit
• One Region Forward established goals
• Legislation disallowing forgiveness of

mortgage recording tax signed into law

• Transit Petition
• Strong support from area leaders

– City, County, State levels – Long-term fixes proposed

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Goal 2: Replace Exchange Street and Depew Stations

Still to Do

• Select site
• Obtain funding
• Make it happen

Successes

• Worked with PPG on Exchange

Street Station replacement

• Broad broad support established

– National and State-level political support – Governor's challenge and commitment of $25M – Mayor’s station siting committee

• Media attention

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Goal 3: Expand the Transit System

Still to Do

• Finish Amherst planning, do EIS, get

funding, extend transit

• Complete plans for light rail to the

airport and implement

• Extend light rail to New Era Field
• Build out entire system (as original

planned)

Successes

• Averted sale of DL&W ROW
• Amherst extension in planning
• DL&W Terminal extension in

planning

• Trolley in Niagara Falls
• Proposed gondola study

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

Topics

• Selected Highlights from the Road Show

– The past, the dream, the reality – Transportation and the environment – The cost of sprawl – Economics of transit (to eat or drive?)

• Progress to Date and During 2016

– Petition results (ongoing) – Accomplishments and objectives

• Making Buffalo Niagara transportation great

again!

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

Select Site for New Multi-modal Transportation Center and Initiate Planning

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Extend Light Rail into DL&W Terminal

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Select Alternative for Amherst Extension and Build It!

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Connect Our Waterfront with Transit

Old Fort Niagara

Historic Lewiston Artpark Whirlpool State Park Devils Hole NYS Power Vista

Niagara Falls Tonawandas (Erie Canal) Buffalo

To Toronto

Buffalo News, November, 2013

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Connect our Region with Transit

Population = 9 million GDP = $450 billion

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How can you help?

• Sign up for our newsletter
• Become a member of Citizens

for Regional Transit

• Call your State legislators

– Support better funding for public transportation – Build a new multimodal train station

• Help solicit organizations to sign
• ur petition demanding a transit

revolution

• Write a letter to the editor

CITIZENS for REGIONAL TRANSIT

Thank You for Your Support