Financial- COPS (Official Statement/Drafts)

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;,- <~ r--~}~ ~ ~.:.1 traffic (sometimes for several minutes) or would have to pull alongside the curb in several 120- foot long bus zones, each of which would eliminate scores of parlcing places along busy downtown business frontages. Passengers waiting at bus ~tops would congest the sidewalks, as some locations could have 100 or more transit patrons waiting for their buses in the peak periods. _ The racetrack system is also inefficient and undesirable for the transit district. Buses must circ:alate for prolonged periods of time, wasting fuel and contributing to the automotive n~ise and air pollution in the congested downtown area (althaugh our new CNG buses, replacing the diesel fleet over the next 10 years, are cleaner-operating than cars). Nmeteen buses circulating in city traffic waste valuable route time that can be better used pmviding coverage in the outlying regioas of the service area. From an operations perspective, it is much preferred to come into downtown directly, using less congested streets to access an off-street transit facility designrd for and dedicated to the needs of the bus system. The on-street system is also unappealing to transit's customers. Transfers between bus routes are made difficult at best. Comfortable, centralized waiting facilities couldn't be made available at all staps throughout the area. Access to t~-ansit informarion and services can't be provided centially and efficiently. Senior citizens, riders in wheelchairs, and riders cariying packages or accompanying small children find themselves having to cross streets or slip between parked cars in order to get to their bus. The racetrack system is very diff cult to find in U.S. cities, as its shortcomings have led to its replacement with dedicated off-street facilities. Downtown Salem is, by desigq automobilo-oriented. It is designed to be accessed by autos, and, from a transportation planaer's perspective, the street system does a reasonably good job of ineeting its goals--today. Cherriot administrators, perhaps surprisingly to some follcs, support the investment that has been made in the auto-friendliness of the downtown area. Good streets, adequate parking, and synchronized traffic flow are all positive attributes for our commwuty's residents. And by effectively managing traffic, the auto-friendly investments prove transit-friendly as well, helping the Cherriots move transit riders into and out of the downtown area quickly and efficiently. The key concept in planning the transportation future of the downtown area is balance. Effectively meeting the. needs of auto users as well as transit users provides unproved choices, and a higher quality of life for Salem and Keizer citizens. Facility Design Needs Proceeding from the notion that a dedicated transit facility o£ some sort is needed, what types of design features are desirable? Fmm the studies that have been conducted by the District and from obsecvations in other cities, several facility characteristics can be identified as necessary for the Cherriot transit center. First, the facility needs to be as compact as possible, and Iocated off-street. Ttus enables the auto-oriented street system to function to its lughest level, snd removes the conflicts that are inherent in mixing buses and autos in the downtown area. The transit center needs to allow for independent access and egress for each of the buses using the facility. This is vital from the standpoint of efficiency of operations. Each bus should be able to azrive at the station, load and unload passengers, and depart from the station independently from other buses. A stalled bus in the current station traps all buses that are . behind it until the bus can be started or towed away.