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Home My WebLink About1975-01-20_COUNCIL MEETINGr A a THE EDINA BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION 1A 4801 WEST FIFTIETH STREET • EDINA, MINNESOTA 55424 CHAIRMAN Raymond Bechtle SECRETARY Lois Strupp TREASURER Ray O'Connell MEMBERS: William E. Bitter Kay Brown Dorothy Conner David Dietrich Dorothy Durn Rosemary Gubrud • Bernice Kenkel Betsy Kuntz Benjamin Larson Adeline Lindboe Joan Lonsbury Mary Ness Ken Rosland Donna Skagerberg Leigh Wakefield Lois Wilder Mary Emma Willson i i ionorable Jamies Van Val'L.:enberg 4EO1 West Fiftieth Street P,earr Jim, The -di.na Bicentennial Coiimdssion seeks perr.'ission from the City Cor.ncil to use the designs of the City Seal and Logo. ',4e ,vnul.'. li r:e to reprrduce the seal in green )nc '. wh -. on sticky clecals. School c'lildren will neri::le these amoung t'-!e4.r peers to stick onto notebooks - and other personal property. The logo Gesi(n wo-ld be '.sec for earl: green on light green penants. We h ve riot worked o,t the merchanc?izing yet. Fer-haDs Scouts will handle them. The stickers ar(; Tenants are meant for pror-otion ano civic pric.;e. We plan no profit to the cor- -,mission from these sales. We expect to re(fleem only cur costs. For you._r information, we do hope to sell Bicentennial Booster Buttons to hell-) SMDT)ort our ccr,.r..issicn. respectfully, Kay Brown, Director Edina Bicentennial Comr.;iss?.on I TO: Edina City Council' FROM: Edina Transit eomfrtssion Based on the Transportation Transit Study and Edina.Transit Committee observations, the Edina Transit Committee recommends that the Edina City Council officially request the Metropolitan Transit Commission to respond to the following requests: (1) =f implementing the circulator system in the 494 -100 Southdale area as proposed in the transit study with the aid and cooperation of the City of Edina. (2) Increased Express service from the City of Edina to downtown Minneapolis and other St. Paul and Minneapolis -areas,-as the transit study indicates 80% of Edina residents work out of Edina. _6 (3) The Mc i-mplre t more service for the western Edina areas. (4) The MTC seek to establish an area Transit Terminal facility in the Southdale vicinity. _ (5) The MTC consider some form of Dial -A -Ride service, or other para- transit systems, for Edina. (6) The MTC seek to use small buses within Edina.for. intra -Edina service as residents indicate a decided preference for a smaller vehicle than is presently used. (7) Additionally, the MTC continue to periodically market the present service as Edina has sent a transit map, and newsletter to all Edina homeowners. K-Z: R.-, 44:." i ram MIE*?O RANDUM City of �Edlna 4801 WEST FIFTIETH STREET • EDINA, MINNESOTA 85424 927 -8861 TOt Edina'City Council and Metropolitan Council Metropolitan Transit Commission FROM': Warren C. Hyde, City Manager and Chairman, Edina Transit Committee SUBJECT: Summary of Edina Transportation Transit Study Attached -_s a summary of the transit study,conducted by Curtis L. Sippel & Associates for the city of Edina. It is a two part Summary of the 104 page report b,y she con - sultant. Part I covers the objectives of the study and the major conclusions. Also, the major points in current resident trave-l/transit behavior is covered. Part II covers the evaluation of different transit service - and vehicle alternatives by Edina residents. It also relates that the residents react differently to choice of preferred service and vehicle versus usage of preferred service and vehicle by :type of travel need. It is a rather lengthy summary but it was necessary to capture and retain the essence of the related areas in the report. EDINA TRANSPORTATION TRANSIT STUDY PA RT I This report is a result of extensive data collection effort spanning the months June through September, 1974. The study represents an original effort to understand resident behavior and ..attitudes toward travel /transit in this community. The report provides information relevant to the Qualitative aspects of demand`. Interpretation of this data and translation into quantitative estimates of usage deserves careful consideration. The.strength between interest in transit service and actual usage when provided ' is tenuous. This.suggests a conservative approach in estimating levels of demand. The data was collected from two sources: Edina households and residents who work in Four High�Activity Centers (HAC's)* proximate to or within the City. The direct objective of the survey of Edina households was to provide the information base from which to analyze current resident travel /transit behavior and to evaluate- resident reaction to various public transit alternatives. The objective of the High Activity Center survey was to uncover..what opportunities the City of Edina may have in providing additional work trip service to the HAC's and during- the -day service directly between them. *These HAC's include: Edina Industrial Park including Radisson South, Pentagon Office Park, Yorktown Shopping Center, and Southdale including S outhdale Medical complex. Major Conclusions (High Activity Center) 1. Emphasis must be placed on changing the travel /transit behavior of the HAC group. 2. Small buses are the preferred vehicle choice, with subscription and on -line service, the preferred service choices. 3. However, estimates of usage frequency indicate that the respond- ents generally are still unwilling to completely relinquish the auto as a work trip mode. 4. During- the -day transit service questions produced: (a) The destinations for these trips are most frequently within Edina followed by downtown Minneapolis. (b) As would be expected for during- the -day travel needs, Dial - A -Ride service using regular cabs was the most preferred service /vehicle combination. Major Conclusions (Household Survey) 1. A high dependence on the auto, with data collected very similar to HAC areas on job activity. 2. Residents generally dissatisfied with present service but not anxious to see increased property taxes for better service. 3. Over 80% of job- oriented trips have destinations out of Edina. 4. Over 80% of household non -job and after- school activity trips occur within Edina. 5. Traditional on -line transit with small buses is most preferred by Edina.residents. -2- Household Survey Results - Personal Interview Edina households defined by the survey results are 3-4-people families, who own 2 cars and have lived in Edina for close to 14 years. (Pg. 39)* The "energy crisis" has changed transportation habits in some ways for 40% of the Edina households. (Pg..39) Public transit service was reported by respondents as available at an average distance of 5_blocks from the household; public transit is not used on a regular basis by over 80% of Edina households. (Pg. 40) A majority of the respondents were not satisfied with the current public transit services.. The most commonly cited reasons for dissatisfaction were that bus service isn't convenient to home and that the bus doesn't serve desired destinations. Households in Northeast Edina were most satisfied with the current public transit service. (Pg. 40 -41) An April 1st cutback in school bus service was known by slightly over half of the respondents. A substantial number of households in East Central and Southeast Edina are making additional school trips because of this cutback. There was largely negative opinion about the possibil- ity of public transit service replacing school buses. (Pg. 42) The majority of households in Edina felt that the proposed system of free public transit, to be financed by property taxes, was overwhelmingly not a good idea. 82% rejected this idea. (Pg. 44) Households did indicate a sizeable amount of support (48%)f or increased city expenditures.to improve public transit service; were generally unwilling to pay additional property taxes . for improved service; and felt the costs of the public transit service should be split with the Metropolitan Transit Commission.. (Pg. 43) The results are based on a 3% sample of Edina households and approx- imately 25% return of questionnaires from Edina employees in HAC's. Current Resident Travel /Transit Behavior JOB ORIENTED TRIPS: Travel Mode (Pg. 13,15,59,63) RAC - Auto (car pool, driver, or passenger) 81% - Walk 10% Bus less than 7% Household - Auto (car pool, driver, or passenger). - Bus less than * Page number indicating source of data in report. -3- 91% 7% 0 Departure Times HAC - A.M. 7:30 - 9:00* - P.M. 4:30 - 6:00* Household - A.M. 6:30 - 8:30* - P.M. 4 :30 - 6 :00* * Other times comprise less than 10% of total per half -hour. HAC A.M. - P.M. Household - A.M. - P.M. Travel Time Less Less Less - Less 15 - than 15 minutes than 15 minutes than 15 minutes 30 minutes than 15 minutes 30 minutes 70% 66% 75% 62% 93% 87% 35% 55% 32% 55% DURING- THE -DAY TRIPS: (Job oriented responses) HAC - 93 of the 208 respondents travel during the days and (Pg.14) make an average of 7 -8 trips per week. Of the 93 who travel during the day, 31.2% travel within Edina. The usual purpose of the trip is work related or.a lunch trip. Household - 45% of the respondents travel during the day and make (Pg.61,62) an average of 10 -11 trips per week. 86% of the trip destinations were out of Edina. As 80% of Edina residents work outside of Edina, both trip origin and destination is out of Edina. 86% of these trips were work- related trips. It is important to note that better than 40% indicated public transit was available to them for during- the -day travel. This suggests many Edina residents work in the core city areas versus the suburban areas. NON -JOB ORIENTED TRIPS: (Household only) (Pg. 65 -71) Non -job activity travel is often necessary to provide transport- ation for others (mainly the school and activities of children).; nearly 80% of these trips having destinations within Edina. Indications are that public transit could reduce auto usage for trips of this type. -4- Other non -job activities are primarily shopping followed by recreational /social destinations are nearly always in Edina and the automobile is heavily relied on. Other auto passengers were frequently involved these trips. Trips per week averaged 6 -7. If public transit were available, less than 40% indicated that non -job trips would be significantly reduced. Although 20% indicated that they didn't know, possibly suggesting that better than 50% of the non -job trips would be significantly reduced. SCHOOL ORIENTED TRAVEL (Pg. 72 -76) ` 85% of the respondents (secondary or post- secondary respondents) attended either an Edina junior, high, senior high school or the University of Minnesota (either campus). 54% of the respondents rode a school bus and 29% either drove auto, car pooled, or was an auto passenger to school. 85% left for school between 7 -8 a.m. and 70% were at school in 15 minutes. 81% left school between 1 -4 p.m. and 60% were at home in,less.than 15 minutes. Over half of respondents indicated a need to travel during the day or immediately after school, an average of 5 -6 times per week. 80% of the destinations were within Edina, and were shopping, recreational /social, or some other personal business. trips. -5- PART II Desirability of Selected Transit Service Alternatives And Transit Vehicle Alternatives In addition to determining current resident travel /transit behavior, a portion of the survey consisted of determining resident reaction to various public transit alternatives. The residents were asked which transit service alternative they preferred and then asked which type vehicle should provide this service. The following are the transit service and transit vehicle .alternatives used in the survey: TRANSIT ALTERNATIVES Dial -A- Ride: You phone for service. Vehicle picks you up and delivers you to any destination in Edina. Ride is shared with other passengers. Fare is fixed. , Subscription Service: A concept similar to a car pool but using larger vehicles. You would pay a fixed fee in advance for this door -to -door service on some periodic basis. Collector Service: Vehicle picks you up at or near your residence; delivers you to a destination in Edina where you could board another transit vehicle to complete your trip to final destination. Ride is shared with others. Fare is fixed. Express Service: Vehicle travels on additional passengers between trip's destination at High Activity Centers Pentagon Office Park, Radisson South This express service may be combined passenger collection service. Fare origin and destination. major highways. Does not accept point of origin and point(s) of such as Southdale, Yorktown, Complex or Edina Industrial Park. with park- and -ride or additional is fixed relative to distance between On -Line Service: Typical public transit service. Vehicles travel along a fixed route, picking up and discharging passengers at designated points along the route. Fare is fixed. TRANSIT VEHICLE ALTERNATIVES Regular Size Buses - 25 to 40 passengers Smaller Buses 15 to 25 passengers Van -Type Trucks - 10 passengers Limousine Cabs - 11 passengers Regular Cabs - 4 passengers Desirability of Selected Transit Service Alternatives HAC: On -line service is most preferred. Dial -A -Ride is next most preferred service with Southdale and Yorktown areas strong supporters of this type service. Subscription, Collector, and Express (within Edina) showed greater` strong undesirability (0) versus strong desirability (5)(Pg. 16 -17) HOUSEHOLD: On -line service is most preferred. Express service is next most preferred with Dial -A -Ride receiving support from all areas except the southwest area. (Pg. 45 -46) Desirability of Selected Transit Vehicle Alternatives HAC: Small buses are most preferred. Van type trucks and regular size buses have nearly same appeal as next most preferred vehicle. Regular size buses in Yorktown and Southdale areas received support as second best transit vehicle whereas the van -type truck received substantial support from the Pentagon Office Park area as the second best transit vehicle. (Pg. 18 -19) HOUSEHOLD: Small buses are most preferred, regular size buses are next most preferred. Other vehicle types rated much lower although van -type truck received some support in the southwest and southeast areas. (Pg. 47 -48) -7- Preference for Transit Service Alternatives by Tvoe of Travel Need HAC: Work -trip - On -line service is most preferred. (Pg. 20) Subscription and Dial -A -Ride service rated near even as the second best service types with subscription service rating better in Pentagon Office.Park and Southdale areas. *No response or non -use of service was very high in both Yorktown and Edina Industrial Park.. During- the -day - Dial -A -Ride is most preferred. On -line is rated second best. *Again, no response or non -use rated high in all areas. HOUSEHOLD: In Edina - 61% indicated use.of preferred service with on -line (Pg. 49 -50) service most preferred'and Dial -A -Ride 'rated a close second. Averaged 3 -4 trips per week. Out of Edina - 58% indicated use of preferred service with express service the most preferred and on -line service rated second. Averaged 3 -4 trips per week. Preference for Transit vehicle Alternatives by Type of Travel Need HAC: Work -trip - Small bus is most preferred (28 %). (Pg. 21) Regular cab (18 %) appeared as second best vehicle which is counter to the ratings of.vehicles for transit earlier -in report. *Again, the no response and non -use of vehicle was significant. Rates -even with regular cabs which was second. choice (18 %) . During- the -day - Regular cab.is most preferred (25 %). Small bus is next most preferred (18 %). Although the no response or non -use was 32% indicating many have no need for during- the -day travel. HOUSEHOLD: In Edina - small buses are most preferred (43 %). (Pg. 51) Regular cabs are rated second as preferred choice (18 %). except in the southeast area where cab use rated very low. Out of Edina - regular buses are most preferred (49 %). Small buses are rated second (29 %). All other vehicle types have very little support. Preference for Transit Service /Transit Vehicle Combinations by Type of Travel Need HAC: Work -trip - The following combinations were most preferred: (Pg. 22) (1) Small }pus, subscription service (2) Small bus, on -line service (3) Regular bus, on -line service (4) Regular cab, Dial -A -Ride During- the -day trips - The following combinations were most preferred: (1) Regular cab, Dial -A -Ride (2) Small bus, Dial -A -Ride (3) Van trucks,.Dial-A -Ride (4) Regular cab, on -line service (5) Small bus, on -line service (6) Regular bus, on -line service HOUSEHOLD: In Edina - The following combinations were most preferred: (Pg. 52) (1) Small bus, on -line service (2) Small bus, Dial -A -Ride (3) Regular cab, Dial -A -Ride Out of Edina - The following combinations were most preferred: (1) Regular bus, express service. (2) Regular bus, on -line service (3) Small bus, express service Over 80% preferred either regular or small bus with any type of service out of Edina. Usage of Preferred Alternatives HAC: Work -trip - Subscription service has preferred usage with the (Pg. 23 -26) average number of trips being 5 trips per week. On -line service is second in anticipation of more riders than non - riders. During- the -day - Dial -A -Ride is the service most expected to be. used with all other service alternatives to receive . equal use and non -use. The estimated number of trips per week is 4. In terms of usage in HAC areas, the respondents indicated: 45% would use preferred service 40% would not use preferred service 15% undecided In terms of the 4 HAC areas, Southdale (includes medical complex) and Pentagon Office Park show most anticipated usage of preferred alternatives. HOUSEHOLD: Within Edina - On -line service, followed by Dial -A -Ride, (Pg. 53 -55) shows the most anticipated usage if the preferred alterna- tives were available. Out of Edina - Express service, followed by on -line service, shows the most anticipated usage if they were available. In terms of usage of preferred service, the respondents indicated: In Edina - 50% would use preferred service 34% would not use preferred service 16% undecided The average number of trips would be less than 4 per week, indicating that work -trips would not be transit - oriented most of time. Out of Edina - 46.5% would use preferred service 35% would.not use preferred service 18.5% undecided The average number of trips per week is less than 4 again, indicating that transit would not be regularly used for the work trip. Most households were willing to pay $.30 for transit travel inside Edina. Sixty cents was a possible fare outside of Edina travel, but a thirty cent fare was much preferred. (58% responded favorably to both fare levels for trips within Edina; 82% favorably for trips outside Edina.) -10- HIGH ACTIVITY CENTER Response to Circulator System Proposal: (Pg. 27,32) Small buses (15 to 25 passengers) would circulate every 10 to 15 minutes through the business, office, shopping and medical facilities located near Highway 494 in the southeast corner of Edina, extending north along France Avenue to Highway.62 (the. Crosstown). Stops would be made along a fixed route near the Radisson South Complex, Pentagon Park, Southeast Edina Industrial Park, Yorktown Shopping Center, Southdale Shopping Center, and Fairview / Southdale Medical Complex. 61% indicated that they felt the system was.a good idea 12.5% did not 26.5% undecided Usage and Willingness to Pav Selected Fares 44% of the respondents indicated non -use of system even though 61% felt the system was a good idea. Edina Industrial Park showed little interest in system. Those that indicated use of the system would use the system an average of 5 times a week. 25% favored a $.30 fare for a one -way trip and it would appear that only a fare less than $.30 a trip would be acceptable. -11-