ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Options for a Comprehensive Parking, Transportation, and Urban Design

Strategy

April 14-15, 2008

Study Approach• Existing Conditions

– Parking

– Pedestrian circulation

– Transit

– Other modes

• Future Needs

– Parking demand/losses

– Peer review

– Goals

• Options & Alternatives

– Transportation, urban design

– Pros/cons, tradeoffs

– Multi-level

• Final Strategy

– Components

– Costs, funding

– Priorities, implementation

– Information

– Verification

– Growth information

– Feedback

– Agreement

– Input

– Feedback

– Acceptance

– Support

COMMITTEE/STAKEHOLDERS

Goals

• Develop a comprehensive circulation system

• Support the vision, mission and strategic plan of the University

• Promote sustainability

• Provide a menu of travel options

• Provide parking for those groups for whom no reasonable alternative to driving exists

• Make RIT a walkable & multi-modal community

• Make campus walkable in all seasons

• Promote travel demand management (TDM)

General Observations• Prime parking spaces are at capacity; parking

further from core available but requires longer walk

• Long headways make transit to and around campus an unattractive alternative for most

• The campus is generally walkable, but severe weather makes walking long distances difficult

• The campus lacks a coherent bicycle system, even though the terrain and layout make it bikeable

• Lack of viable alternatives for commuters

Open Houses and Surveys

• Open houses held March 17 and 18 – 140 faculty, students and staff

participated

– received input on existing conditions and issues

– comments received in various formats

• Parking and transportation survey– Over 1,000 responses

– faculty, staff and students represented

What We Heard…

Not willing to pay anything,

even if it becomes diffic ult for

me to find a s pace

Willing to pay even more

(s ay $75 or more per quarter)

to know that there s hould

always be a s pace available

F aculty

S taff

S tudents

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

When it c omes to paying for parking I am...

willing to pay a s mall fee (les s

than $10/quarter) to help cover

operation and enforcement cos ts willing to pay a modes t amount (les s

than $50/quarter) and know that

• Faculty/staff generally prefer assurance of parking spot over flexibility; students value more flexibility

• Majority of campus willing to pay for parking; varied opinions on how much

• Most not willing to pay for permits in parking garage

• Aesthetics and amenities for parking important, but not critical

• No agreement on whether new parking should be focused in lots or garages

What We Heard…

Budget Game Results

0%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%18%20%

Enc

lose

d Walk

ways

Sidew

alks & P

edes

trian

Pat

hs

Bike

Facilit

ies

Sur

face

Par

king

Stru

ctur

ed P

arkin

g

Trans

it/Shu

ttles

TDM

Gen

eral U

niver

sity F

unds

Do

llars

All

ocate

d

Students

Staff

Faculty

Campus Transportation

Focus on Pedestrians &

Other Non-Motorized Modes

Transit Focus

Here? Here?

Here?

Increasing distance

Campus Transportation

Pedestrian Focus

Transit Focus

Parking

TDM

PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

What We Heard…

• More covered walkways and tunnels for weather protection

• Better maintenance and plowing of sidewalks/paths

• Complete paths around campus

• Better lighting

• Improve pedestrian signage and wayfinding

• Improve walks through parking lots

General Observations and Issues for Pedestrians on the RIT Campus

The compact density of the campus makes

improving pedestrian linkages a feasible task.

The “quarter mile” is a barrier between the

dorms and both student life and academic areas.

General Observations and Issues for Pedestrians on the RIT Campus

The walks in from the northern parking fields are

long and unpleasant.

General Observations and Issues for Pedestrians on the RIT Campus

…as are those from the other large surface lots.

General Observations and Issues for Pedestrians on the RIT Campus

Pedestrian routes from southwest are fragmented

and lead to service road environments.

General Observations and Issues for Pedestrians on the RIT Campus

Areas for Improvement

Areas for Improvement

Five focus areas.

5 The “Town Square”

1 The “Quarter Mile”

2 The “Spine”

3 The “Fingers”

4 The “Thumbs”

Three possible approaches to the “Quarter Mile.”

1: Student Life Center

improvements, intensive

new landscaping

2: Below grade route and

amenities

3: A new program

element to shorten open

exposure

View to Woods

Areas for Improvement

Areas for Improvement

A series of interventions along the “spine” to improve

pedestrian amenity.

3: Pool building improvements.

Possible route enclosure.

6: Assess Courtyard improvements.

7: Galleria and link to “spine”

at possible new garage.

8: Three level hub in Gleason.

9: Link ground to bridge level.

10: New quad and

pedestrian precinct.

1: Use/façade improvements

at Student Life Center.

2: Stair/elevator link to

possible shuttle

route.

4: Entry pavilion to tunnel level.

5: New tunnel level link.

Areas for Improvement

Tie the tunnel level strongly to the at-grade “spine.”

3: Good existing stair to ground

floor of SAU

6: Create a new connection to

ground floor in Gosnell

7: An entry at grade ties to

proposed Global Village route

8: A new hub in Gleason ties all

three levels together

1: A direct grade connection

to possible shuttle route

2: New glass pavilion on axis of

quarter mile: links tunnels to

Administration Circle

4: New tunnel link (landscape

over, daylight from south)

5: New link between Wallace

Library and Gosnell

Selective interventions at north parking fields to

improve pedestrian amenity.

1: Pedestrian fingers:

• improve existing

• restore lost

• establish new

• add windbreaks and

landscaping

Areas for Improvement

2: Plan new program

elements to enhance

connection from lots to

campus

TRANSIT

What We Heard…

• Better connections between housing and campus

• More buses/reduce headways/run shuttle in both directions

• Extend hours for shuttle (nights and weekends)

• More off-campus destinations (downtown, shopping)

• Better information about transit service

• Look at other options on campus (trolley, people mover)

Existing Route 28

Potential For Transit Spine

Transitways

BusesLow-floor designs Campus branding

Potential Transit Spines

Spine Option A

Spine Option A

Spine Option A: Apartment Service

Spine Option A: Apartment Service

Spine Option B

Spine Option B

Spine Option B: Apartment Service

Spine Option B: Apartment Service

BICYCLES

What We Heard…

• Better bike facilities– Bike lanes on campus streets

– Separate paths through campus

• More bike parking

• Better bike parking options (covered, storage)

• Reduce bike/ped conflicts (eg, Quarter Mile)

• Improve off-campus connections

• Look at other options to encourage bicycling (eg, bike rentals)

Primary Bike Movements

Campus Bike Paths

Univ of Colorado - Boulder Rutgers University

Rutgers University

Univ of Wisconsin - Madison

Univ of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Segregated bike paths Multi-use paths On-street bike lanes

Sharrow lane markings

NC State University

Park Point

Legend

existing

path

proposed

path

proposed bike

route/share

the road

signage

Bike Paths

bikeway

developed w/

transitway

Potential Core Bike Paths

Improve paving on existing

path in short term

Coordinate design of

route w/ transit way

Delineate path w/

signage and markings

Create path through

wooded area

Bike Amenities

• Bike parking– Covered

– Storage

– Strategic locations

• Bike station (minor repairs, info booth)

• Bike signage and wayfinding

• Bike rentals

• Education and promotion

• Campus/regional bike map

PARKING

What We Heard…

• Varied opinions on permit fee structure (many value free parking, many value reserved spaces/ convenience)

• Look at other permit structures/systems

• General support for new garage instead of more surface lots

• Encourage alternative modes to reduce parking demand

• Discourage resident students from driving and parking on campus

• Provide shuttles from lots to campus core

• Develop remote park-and-ride lots with shuttle service

Peer Comparisons

Peer Comparisons

*Non-reserved permits

free at RIT

Peer Comparisons

*Non-reserved permits

free at RIT

Parking Challenge

Inexpensive

Convenient Enough

Convenient & Enough Parking,

But Not Inexpensive

Potential Garage Sites

1

2

54 3

6

• Subsidized transit use

• Ridesharing (van and carpooling)

• Real-time ridesharing program

• Preferential/guaranteed parking for ridesharers

• Guaranteed rides home

• Parking vouchers

• Parking restrictions, pricing

• Park and ride

• Carsharing (Flexcar)

• Flexible work schedules

• Information dissemination, promotion, marketing

TDM to Reduce Parking Needs

YOUR THOUGHTS?