S475:Sustainable Transportation Analysis and Rating System

Peter Hurley; Portland Bureau of Transportation

George Dondero; Santa Cruz County RTC

Sine Adams, AICP; Parsons Brinckerhoff

APA’s 2012 National Planning Conference

Agenda

STARS 101

Application: Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Plan

Application: C-TRAN Bus Rapid Transit Project

STARS Next Steps

Q&A

Key Learning Objectives

>Triple Bottom Line >Performance Outcomes>Innovative Analysis

STARS 101

Why STARS?

Create Better Outcomes

What is STARS?• Voluntary, national system• For use by public & private sector • Process to focus and simplify alternative

analysis and decision-making

planet

people prosperity

STARS

STARS’ Foundations

Sustainability as defined by The Natural Step and organized by the Triple Bottom Line

STARS Four Step Process

1. FoundationSTARS Workshop | Baseline Data | Survey Users

2. FrameEstablish goals, performance measures and targets

3. TestTest strategies to meet targets | Make decisions | Get rated

4. Follow-upMonitor on-going performance

STARS Performance Dashboard Alternative 1 Alternative 2

Improve Access +10% +5%

Reduce Fatalities and Injuries Medium High

Economic Benefit $12/year $9m/year

Greenhouse Gas Emissions - 11% - 7%

Equity Medium High

Outcome: Local Economic Benefit

Seven performance areas cover the triple bottom line:• Integrated process• Access and mobility• Safety, health, and equity• Climate and energy• Ecological function• Cost effectiveness• Economic benefit

Plus “Community Context” for local customizing

STARS-Plan

STARS - Project

STARS Safety, Health, and Equity Credits

STARS Applications

• Regional Transp. Plan• Transit Corridor Project• City Transportation Plan• Station Area Plan• EcoDistrict Transp. Plan• Bike/Ped Trail Project• Safety, Health & Equity

Analysis

STARS-Plan Pilot Santa Cruz County Regional

Transportation Plan

Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission2014 Regional Transportation PlanApproach:

• Laundry list• Align with community values: integrated goals• Shrinking revenues• Meet state mandates for GHG emissions• Build on prior STARS Project work

Significance of the RTP• Engage public• Declare policies, goals &

objectives• Develop alternatives• Guide funding decisions• Comprehensive guide to

coordinate

Steps Completed

Workshops for – agency partners Public

Online survey for public input

Draft Policies, Goals & Targets

Integrating Sustainable Principles into Regional Transportation Plan

Triple Bottom Line Aspect

STARS Credit Category STARS Goal

People

Access & Mobility

Improve people’s ability to meet most of their daily needs without having to driveImprove the convenience and quality of trips, especially for walk, bicycle, transit, car/vanpool trips

Safety & Health

Improve multimodal safety, especially for the most vulnerable users* Improve health by increasing physical activity by people using the transportation system Improve air quality

Equity

Reduce disparities in healthy, safe access to key destinations for transportation-disadvantaged populations**Demonstrate that planned investments do not disproportionately impact transportation-disadvantaged

Next Steps

• Draft Goals, Policies and Targets to RTC board – May 17• Analyze projects for meeting goals• Develop scenarios • Prioritize projects & programs• Complete Draft Plan and circulate – Feb. 2014• Adopt Regional Transportation Plan – May 2014• Submit RTP to STARS for rating

Challenges • Data needs• Takes time to explain• Learn from LEED• Political support

Benefits

• Compliments existing tools• eg: Green Roads, Smart Mobility Framework

• Longer planning horizon – 50 year• Requires Evaluation = credibility• Includes all modes

Benefits

• Is context sensitive• Adaptable• Expandable• Accounts for full life-cycle costs

Benefits

• Encourages strategies of all types –“soft” and “hard”

• Supports known strategies• Encourages innovation• Foundation is solid, easily explained• Inclusive of all major stakeholders-

environmental, economic, social equity

ObservationsFits description of planning’s “Emerging 4th Wave” or Era of Sustainable Growth (Timothy Chapin, JAPA Winter 2012)

STARS-Project Pilot C-TRAN Fourth Plain Transit

Improvement Project

Fourth Plain Transit Improvement Project

Fourth Plain Corridor

Why We Chose to Use STARS

• Client identified sustainability throughout the RFP• Shows non-typical project benefits and costs,

including:• Net cost to taxpayers • Lifecycle costs• Social costs of GHG emissions

• Up front or behind the scenes

Better freight mobility

Increased bus capacity

Access to businesses

Improved parking

Improved aesthetics of the corridor

Increased awareness of business / services along corridor

Economic vitality of the corridor

Improved pedestrian crossings

Increased pedestrian/bike access

Reduced energy consumption

Cleaner air/environment

Cost effectiveness of the project

Improved transit travel time/predictability

Safety and security

0% 10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Highest priority High priority Neutral Low priority Lowest priority

Community Priorities

Transit Project Goals

• Goal 1: Improve Corridor Transit Service

• Goal 2: Create a cost-effective, long-term transit solution

• Goal 3: Meet Current and Projected Corridor Travel Demand

• Goal 4: Enhance the Safety and Security of the Corridor

• Goal 5: Support Economic Vitality and Corridor Revitalization Efforts

• Goal 6: Support a Healthy and Livable Community

Fourth Plain TIP DashboardTSM BRT Over 20 years

$7.19 $3.12 Net cost per boarding ride

$54.3 M $22.5 M Net cost to local taxpayers

$6.2 M $17.5 M Money retained in local economy

930,000 2,630,000 Gallons of fuel saved

8,300 23,400 Greenhouse gas emission reduction (metric tons)

C-TRAN Goal 2: Create a Cost-Effective, Long-Term Transit Solution

Objective: Develop a cost-effective project

Photo source: http://howtolivelocal.com/2011/05/why-should-you-move-your-money-to-a-local-bank/

C-TRAN Goal 6: Support a Healthy and Livable Community

Objective: Avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the natural environment

Photo source: http://alansmoneyblog.com/2008/05/09/top-13-most-fuel-efficient-cars-that-save-you-money/

C-TRAN Goal 6: Support a Healthy and Livable Community

Objective: Avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the natural environment

Fourth Plain TIP Dashboard

TSM BRT …over the 20 year lifetime of the project…

$7.19 $3.12 per boarding ride

$54.3 M $22.5 M amount paid by local taxpayers

$6.2 M $17.5 M transportation costs saved

930,000 2,630,000 gallons of gasoline saved

8,300 23,400 metric tons of CO2 (GHG) not emitted

Next Steps

STARS Phased Development

1 – Development

• Project 1.0• Plan 1.0• Safety, Health, and

Equity

2- Testing

•Pilot projects•Project 2.0 •Plan 2.0

How Does STARS Compare?

RoadsTransit

Bike Ped

TDM, TSM , Land Use

Planning Construction Operations Other Infrastructure

Greenroads H H

Envision L M M M M L H

FHWA INVEST H M L L M

LEED ND L L M L M H

STARS H H H H L M

Potential Plans or Projects?

Create Better Outcomes

Visit the STARS Websitewww.transportationcouncil.org

Sine Adams, AICP – Parsons Brinckerhoff(503) 274-8772 |adamssi@pbworld.com

Peter Hurley – Portland DOT/STC(503) 823-5007 |peter.t.hurley@portlandoregon.gov

George Dondero – Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission

(831) 460-3200 |gdondero@sccrtc.org