The Primary Transit Network: Laying the Groundwork for a "Popular" Transit System in Baltimore

In July, we began discussing what it will take to broaden the appeal of public transit to a much wider market in Baltimore than currently exists, and support a network of walkable, vibrant communities. We laid out fundamental elements which, when combined, would have a transformative effect on how transit is perceived and used:

1. Creation of a Primary Transit Network
2. Effective branding and marketing of transit
3. Dedicated transit lanes and rights of way
4. Robust use of customer information tools

While we're on the subject, let's add a fifth and very important element that was omitted in the original post:

   5. creating transit-supportive land uses and development patterns around transit stops.

For this post, however, we begin to expand on and tackle each of these, one at a time, beginning with 1. Creation of a Primary Transit Network. 

Defining the Primary Transit Network

The idea of developing and applying a Primary Transit Network in Baltimore, in order to make the system more legible and user-friendly, is a new and unique proposal There has been no previous initiative to study or implement this concept in a comprehensive manner. Primary Transit Networks are common throughout Europe and are beginning to catch on in North America. So, what is a Primary Transit Network, and why is it useful? Consider the following information, which comes from the City of Minneapolis' Primary Transit Network Report, completed in 2005:

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The Primary Transit Network (PTN) is a permanent network of all transit lines — regardless of mode or agency — that operates every 15 minutes or better all day for at least 18 hours every day.  The PTN can be defined based on performance criteria for five key dimensions of transit quality as follows:

Frequency.  PTN services run all day at frequencies of 15 minutes or better.  A 15-minute headway

represents the point at which a transit rider no longer needs to consult a schedule to use the service.  It also permits transfers to be made rapidly, even without the timing of transit connections.  The threshold frequency of 15 minutes is the point at which the benefits of transit tend to grow exponentially.
Span.  The PTN runs a minimum 15-minute frequency for at least 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

This is important because the PTN must reduce auto dependence, allowing all types of trips to be accommodated on transit, not just commuting.  The service may operate more than 18 hours a day. Reduced frequencies beyond the 18-hour span would not preclude a line from being a PTN service.   

Speed.  PTN services have an average operating speed of no less than 30% of the speed limit. This

operating speed accounts for stops.  Thus, the service transports riders more quickly than most of the conventional transit lines in Minneapolis.   It is important that transit speed not be measured relative to average auto speeds, because if the PTN is stuck in congestion, the total person-capacity of the transportation network will decline.  To increase person capacity, it is critical that average transit travel speeds approach their theoretical maximum speed.  Speed may be the most important single  factor since travelers overwhelming tend to choose the fastest means.
Reliability. Permanence and reliability are anchors of the PTN.  Actual headways between

consecutive buses will exceed scheduled headways by a coefficient of variation not to exceed 0.30. 

Users who know the schedule can expect the PTN services to operate on schedule. 
Loading.  Standing loads are acceptable, but crush loads are not. Improved frequencies may be

required to alleviate crush loads.  Appropriate equipment is used to ensure the comfort of passengers

and the efficiency of PTN services.

Characteristics of a Primary Transit Network 

Based on the operating and performance criteria defined above, a PTN is able to accomplish 

what other transportation modes cannot.  Some of the most beneficial characteristics of a PTN 

include efficiencies and other elements that make it a very attractive means for moving people 

throughout Minneapolis.  As emphasized in the Minneapolis Plan, the city’s economic and social 

vitality are reliant on a comprehensive and balanced transportation system.   At a minimum, a 

PTN should appeal to many rider groups, reduce trips made by automobile, offer highly 

productive service, and require low passenger subsidies.   

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Currently, Baltimore's public transit system have a number of fixed routes that operate according to some or all of these characteristics, including the Metro Subway, Light Rail, the four MTA "QuickBus" routes and the Charm City Circulator, shown in this map below that we developed for the 20-minute neighborhood workshop.

Yet, these routes are not structured as an integrated or unified system - either operationally, physically, or how they are marketed, branded, or perceived by the general public. This represents an enormous opportunity that, so far, has simply not been leveraged.

Other cities besides Minneapolis are beginning to identify Primary Transit Networks including Calgary, Tampa, Seattle, Spokane, Portland, and Washington DC. This week, Human Transit blog describes Spokane's approach to mapping its PTN, and Greater Greater Washington recently did a post about how WMATA, the transit agency for Washington, DC has recently published their "frequent bus map".

WMATA's New Frequent Bus Map

Next time, we'll explore the 2nd tenet of creating a popular transit system, "Effective Marketing and Branding of Transit."

Laying the Groundwork for a "Popular" Transit System In Baltimore

As we continue to work on analyzing places in Baltimore for suitability as 20-minute walkable neighborhoods, we are beginning to focus on how transit and bicycle infrastructure could be optimized to connect and support a network of walkable places and destinations.

In order to foster such a regional network of 20-minute neighborhoods, a key ingredient is that public transit must become a truly popular form of transportation. A "popular" transit system is one that is as attractive as driving (if not more so) to those who can afford to drive for many trip purposes, and one that is patronized by a wide cross section of residents and visitors in a metropolitan area. A transit system can only be popular when a pervasive "transit culture" exists that supports public transit as an integral part of daily life and civic pride.

Washington, DC's MetroRail is perhaps the best known model of a popular transit system in this country. This popularity didn't happen overnight, but took decades to develop and foster. New York City, Boston, and San Francisco have managed to maintain popular transit systems which are used by a large cross section of the population, and for varied trip purposes. Other cities like Philadelphia and Chicago also have a popular transit culture, but to a somewhat lesser extent.

Even cities that until recently had no modern transit systems to speak of such as Denver, Seattle, Portland, Dallas, Charlotte, Houston, and Minneapolis are aggressively expanding their light rail lines and focusing on developing transit oriented development around stations. These are cities where transit culture is gradually beginning to emerge because of deliberate policies and actions to make it happen.

In other parts of the world in cities across Europe and Asia, and even South America, transit culture is being strengthened as strategies for reducing carbon emissions and investment in sustainable mobility options are being expanded at an accelerating pace.

Baltimore, in contrast, has plenty of transit service, but no real transit culture or popular constituency. Public transit in Baltimore could be describe as anything but popular. Rather, there is more of a feeling that transit is tolerated - by those who use it and those who don't. Baltimore's rail lines - the Central Light Rail and the Metro Subway - are not perceived or marketed as part of a unified system and are notorious for being slow and "going nowhere" respectively. Local bus routes are seen as the mode of last choice, and commuter buses are used by a minuscule portion of the region's labor force. The MARC commuter rail lines are tailored primarily for Washington, DC -bound workers and don't even operate on the weekends. The planned east-west Red Line light rail, which has been in planning for seven years and will not open for at least another eight years under the most optimistic scenario, has been the subject of fierce opposition and controversy. All the while, new highway widening projects and downtown parking garages continue to get built here with relative ease.

So what will it take to for public transit to become popular and widely embraced in Baltimore? And why does it matter?

The answer to the second question of why it matters should be obvious to anyone. The most successful metropolitan areas going forward into the 21st Century will be built around sustainable mobility networks: in other words, those that rely less on highways and driving as the only practical choice for getting around, and rely more on providing attractive transit and biking options to and from walkable destinations within their metro area.

Baltimore's demographic landscape has been changing over the past decade and there has been a dramatic influx of young creatives who are predisposed to using alternative transportation including transit and biking. This is a growing market that, by and large, want to live in walkable neighborhoods where there is typically less dependence on driving. Yet, at the same time, there is also a widespread sentiment that a usable transit system here is the one missing ingredient in what could otherwise be world-class city.

Creating a decent transit system that newcomers have experienced elsewhere and demand will likely be a key factor in being able to attract and retain the educated, creative generation in the Baltimore Region. At this point in time, there should be sense of urgency in re-imagining our transit system as Baltimore competes against the other cities mentioned above who are positioning themselves to capture this next generation.

So, to begin laying the groundwork for a popular transit system in Baltimore, consider these fundamental elements which, when combined, would have a transformative effect on how transit is perceived and used:

1. Creation of a Primary Transit Network
2. Effective branding and marketing of transit
3. Dedicated transit lanes and rights of way
4. Robust use of customer information tools

Upcoming blog entries will start to address each one of these elements in depth and reveal how Baltimore currently fares, what other cities are doing right, what the opportunities are here, and what it will take to do it.