Transit First: Culver City Washington Boulevard Transit Lane Feasibility Study

Abstract

Author(s): Lu, Jeffery | Advisor(s): Blumenberg, Evelyn | Abstract: The goal of the Culver City Transportation Department (Culver CityBus) is to icreate a great community for all to live and work by developing connected, autonomous, and shared-use transportation services and infrastructure.i In line with this goal, the City is developing a set of plans and programs to enhance multi-modal travel. These include support for transit-oriented development, a microtransit pilot program, and efforts to improve traffic safety. Additionally, the Culver City Transportation Department sponsored the Washington Boulevard transit lane feasibility study. The agency designated the section of Washington Boulevard, bounded by National Boulevard to the east and Ince Boulevard to the west, as a pilot design corridor for implementing a bus lane. The purpose of the Transit First: Culver City Washington Boulevard Transit Lane Feasibility Study is to explore and showcase transit lane design concepts to improve the efficiency and convenience of transit as a mobility option. The recommendations are intended to be consistent with existing conditions in the City as well as current policies and programs. Transit service in Culver City can be improved; it suffers from slow bus speeds, poor on-time performance, andoperhaps as a consequenceodeclining ridership. These indicators are exacerbated by congested traffic conditions as well as an under-investment in multi-modal infrastructure. To improve transit service in and through Culver City, this report presents four different design concepts. The first concept is the narrowest in scope and, perhaps, could be implemented most easily. It is a Westbound Only Bus Lane that could fill the pressing need for reliable morning peak period, peak directional trips. The other three concepts require larger efforts; however, they would contribute more substantially to broader visions that the city has for Washington Boulevard. The three mid-term and long-term interventions propose transit lanes in conjunction with bike infrastructure. They include a Westbound Only Bus Lane with Elevated Bike Lanes, Two-Way Bus Lanes with Elevated Bike Lanes, and Two-Way Bus Lanes with Elevated Bike Lanes and A Reversible Traffic Lane. Each of the four design concepts has different benefits and costs, including diverse effects on use of the street and on the larger community. The Westbound Only Bus Lane would improve transit service at the lowest cost relative to the other three options. The mid-term and long-term concepts require substantial budgets to fund roadway surface construction and sign/signal installation. The Two-Way Bus Lanes would greatly improve travel times and, therefore, likely increase ridership by approximately 40%, but they also would have effects on auto throughput due to the reduction in the number of general traffic lanes. This report closes with a set of recommendations for the implementation of successful bus lanes. This process should be inter-departmental with continuous efforts to involve diverse stakeholders and members of the community. The study will serve as an editable and adaptable document for future project development and implementation in the City.