City of Charlotte

LYNX Blue Line Extension

City of Charlotte - Blue Print for Change2011 North Carolina Planning Conference – NC APA

October 5, 2011

City of Charlotte

Today’s Session

• Background• Problem Statement

• Collaborative Framework• BLE Process• Results

• Takeaway• Open Discussion

City of Charlotte

Background

LYNX Blue Line Light Rail• Opened November 24, 2007• Uptown Charlotte to I-485 at

South Boulevard – 9.6 miles

• 15 stations (7 park & rides)• Operates seven days a week

from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.• Service frequency

– Rush hour: 10 minutes– Non-rush hour: 15-20 minutes

• Ridership exceeded projections

City of Charlotte

Background

LYNX Blue Line Extension Project• Located within the Northeast Corridor• Provide a transportation alternative in overburdened corridor• Coordinate land use and transportation planning• Implement region’s land use policies and goals• LYNX Blue Line Success is CATS’ Lesson Learned

City of Charlotte

Problem Statement

• Problem: How to Manage a Project in a Changing Economy?– Sales tax revenue shortfall – How could the City afford to continue implementing long

range transportation & planning goals?

• MTC Direction: Reduce Cost and Accelerate Schedule– Cut capital cost by 20%– Reduce annual operating and maintenance costs by 6.5%– Open project in 2016

City of Charlotte

Strategic Blueprint

•Provides a light rail corridor from I-485 South to UNC-C fully integrated with bus services that provides an expanded network of transit services to region

•Positive public perception of project

•Stakeholders vested in outcome

•LYNX BLE project in preliminary engineering

•Impact to funding plan and schedule resulting from shortfall of sales tax revenue

•Project scope needs to be reduced to achieve financially feasible project

Current State Future State

Citizens; Planning; Finance; CDOT; EPM;Utilities; UNC-Ch; University City Partners; CCCP;

NCDOT; MTC; City CouncilFTA; Railroads; Media;

Businesses; County permitting

Key Stakeholders

Approach/Actions

Measures/Success CriteriaObtain FFGA; deliver project on schedule & within budget; meet ridership goals; maintain our safety performance; satisfied customers; positive perception by public and stakeholders

•Team approach to scope reduction•Evaluation of project delivery•Staffing plan that utilizes available resources and expertise•Funding plan/ government relations strategy•Project Management•Operations plan

City of Charlotte

Collaborative Strategy

• Leverage Collaboration

– Develop & use collaboration-oriented policies– Integrate service delivery in practice– Remove obstacles– Gain efficiencies– Gain time– Provide solutions/avoidance problems

City of Charlotte

Collaborative Implementation

• Policy – Centers, Corridors & Wedges Growth Framework– General Development Policies– System, Function and Area Plans– Station Area Plans

• Practice– Growth Strategy Steering Team– NE Corridor Collaborative Team– NE Corridor Infrastructure Program– BLE Project Team

City of Charlotte

Collaborative Imperative

• Organizational Culture Shift• “Run The Business” Philosophy:

– Individual business unit responsibility• “One Business” Philosophy:

– Collective business unit responsibility

• Outcomes• Improved decision-making• Internal & external services delivered more effectively• Citizens see ‘Their Concerns’ addressed more

holistically

City of Charlotte

Strategic Blueprint

•Provides a light rail corridor from I-485 South to UNC-C fully integrated with bus services that provides an expanded network of transit services to region

•Positive public perception of project

•Stakeholders vested in outcome

•LYNX BLE project in preliminary engineering

•Impact to funding plan and schedule resulting from shortfall of sales tax revenue

•Project scope needs to be reduced to achieve financially feasible project

Current State Future State

Citizens; Planning; Finance; CDOT; EPM;Utilities; UNC-Ch; University City Partners; CCCP;

NCDOT; MTC; City CouncilFTA; Railroads; Media;

Businesses; County permitting

Key Stakeholders

Approach/Actions

Measures/Success Criteria

•Team approach to scope reduction•Evaluation of project delivery•Staffing plan that utilizes available resources and expertise•Funding plan/ government relations strategy•Project Management•Operations plan

Obtain FFGA; deliver project on schedule & within budget; meet ridership goals; maintain our safety performance; satisfied customers; positive perception by public and stakeholders

City of Charlotte

Process to Redefine BLE Project

• Late 2010 through early 2011

11/22 – Key Business Executives meeting

11/29 – Project Management Team meeting

12/01 – City Transportation & Planning Cabinet

12/03 – FTA Quarterly meeting in Atlanta

12/07 – Project Management Team meeting

12/09 – Growth Strategy Steering Team meeting

12/15 – MTC Meeting – Information Item01/10 – City Council Dinner Briefing

01/11- 01/13 – Public meetings

01/26 – MTC meeting (adopt revised BLE LPA)

City of Charlotte

• Stakeholder meetings– UNC Charlotte, University City Partners, CMC-University

• Recommendations announced at MTC Meeting on December 15, 2010

• Extensive media coverage • Public meeting

– Oasis Shriner’s Center held January 12, 2011– 28 attendees

• Public survey (at meeting and on-line)– 298 responses– 76% support changes overall

Public Process

City of Charlotte

Guiding Philosophy

• Maintain project goals– Land Use – Support the

Region’s Centers, Corridors & Wedges Growth Framework

– Mobility – Improve access & mobility in the corridor & region; increase transit

– Environment – Preserve & protect the environment

– Financial – Develop affordable, cost-effective transportation solutions

– System Integration – Develop transportation improvements that function as part of a larger transportation system

City of Charlotte

• Maintain flexibility for the future– Schedule – Minimize potential BLE schedule delays

(Environmental, Design, Right of Way (ROW), Construction)– Easy to Add Later – Cuts easiest to add later through adjacent

development or other projects– Equity - Consistency between corridors and travel markets;

preserve service to existing riders– Safety and Reliability – Safe and reliable transit system for

patrons, employees and the public– O & M Costs – Extent to which capital cost reductions also

facilitate achieving a 6.5% reduction in O & M Costs– Lessons Learned – Maintain capacity, provide sufficient parking,

accommodate special events and protect safety items such as grade separations

Guiding Philosophy

City of Charlotte

Obtain FFGA; deliver project on schedule & within budget; meet ridership goals; maintain our safety performance; satisfied customers; positive perception by public and stakeholders

Strategic Blueprint

•Provides a light rail corridor from I-485 South to UNC-C fully integrated with bus services that provides an expanded network of transit services to region

•Positive public perception of project

•Stakeholders vested in outcome

•LYNX BLE project in preliminary engineering

•Impact to funding plan and schedule resulting from shortfall of sales tax revenue

•Project scope needs to be reduced to achieve financially feasible project

Current State Future State

Citizens; Planning; Finance; CDOT; EPM;Utilities; UNC-Ch; University City Partners; CCCP;

NCDOT; MTC; City CouncilFTA; Railroads; Media;

Businesses; County permitting

Key Stakeholders

Approach/Actions

Measures/Success Criteria

•Team approach to scope reduction•Evaluation of project delivery•Staffing plan that utilizes available resources and expertise•Funding plan/ government relations strategy•Project Management•Operations plan

City of Charlotte

North Tryon Street Typical Section

Benefits of full typical section•Enhances connectivity to light rail stations•Provides multi-modal facility – accommodates bikes and pedestrians•Satisfies adopted Urban Street Design Guidelines•Consistent with improvements made in South Corridor (SCIP)•Eligible for federal and state funds

City of Charlotte

Strategic Decisions for the Future

Where Collaboration Made a Difference• Maintains project purpose and need – project length• Maintains vision for North Tryon Street – Tryon typical section• Retains majority of ridership - still reaches UNC Charlotte

which is a major ridership generator• Keeps 3-car platforms and systems (South Corridor Lesson

Learned)• Provides ability to expand capacity by purchasing more

vehicles and adding storage capacity• Allows future extension to I-485 and Cabarrus County

City of Charlotte

•Provides a light rail corridor from I-485 South to UNC-C fully integrated with bus services that provides an expanded network of transit services to region

•Positive public perception of project

•Stakeholders vested in outcome

•LYNX BLE project in preliminary engineering

•Impact to funding plan and schedule resulting from shortfall of sales tax revenue

•Project scope needs to be reduced to achieve financially feasible project

Current State Future State

Citizens; Planning; Finance; CDOT; EPM;Utilities; UNC-Ch; University City Partners; CCCP;

NCDOT; MTC; City CouncilFTA; Railroads; Media;

Businesses; County permitting

Key Stakeholders

Approach/Actions

Measures/Success CriteriaObtain FFGA; deliver project on schedule & within budget; meet ridership goals; maintain our safety performance; satisfied customers; positive perception by public and stakeholders

Strategic Blueprint

•Team approach to scope reduction•Evaluation of project delivery•Staffing plan that utilizes available resources and expertise•Funding plan/ government relations strategy•Project Management•Operations plan

City of Charlotte

Takeaways

• REMEMBER YOUR PURPOSE • FRAME IT UP

• ACHIEVE BUY-IN – Don’t forget the Customers!

• LEVERAGE YOUR RESOURCES – You can achieve More with Many!

City of Charlotte

Open Discussion

• What issues has this changing economy posed to your community?

• How can you apply a similar framework to develop a blueprint for change?

• How can you collaborate with other departments, internal and external stakeholders to develop a strategic solution?

City of Charlotte

Questions