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MAKING TRACKS - Vol. 3, No. 1 - Winter 1997
Entire contents of MAKING TRACKS is copyright © 1996 by Village Crosstown Trolley Coalition,
but may be reproduced either in whole or in part with a clear acknowledgment of the source.
Please report any errors to us at VCTC. Thanks.
Inside this Issue
"Fare Deals" Around U.S. Spur Light Rail Projects
Business Group Proposes Wider Sidewalks on 8th St.
Trolley Topics
Streetcars and the Streetscape (Lecture/Slide Show)
Letter from the Editor
By William K. Guild
The spectacular success of light rail in the U.S. is due in no small measure to the self-service, barrier-free fare system adopted in the eight cities across the country which have built modern light rail transit lines. Instead of forming long lines to board vehicles single-file while fumbling for tokens or change, light rail passengers purchase or validate their tickets before boarding, often at curbside vending machines, and are free to enter any of several doors to each car. This significantly reduces "dwell time" at stations and eliminates the clogged aisles so common near the farebox on buses.
Other fare-related factors in light rail popularity are liberal "inter-modal" (bus-rail) transfer policies, multi-ride discounts and time-based ticketing, which are offered in various combinations to customers on these systems. By providing an attractive alternative to auto usage, rather than simply collecting a fare for each ride, transit operators are able to increase their ridership base while generating customers for business and shopping districts along their routes. Best of all are tickets which allow passengers to re-board at no additional fare, long advocated by VCTC to encourage both transit usage and patronage of business establishments located along the Village Crosstown corridor.
Two of the MTA's recently-announced innovations "elimination of 2-fare zones and volume discounts for MetroCard users" are due to take effect in mid-1997 and early 1998, respectively. These are welcome developments for New Yorkers, but hardly revolutionary. As illustrated in the table below, transit systems in other American cities routinely offer not only inter-modal transfers and volume discounts, but also time-based tickets and passes.
Fares on the Village Crosstown trolley, like those on the planned 42nd Street light rail line, should be integrated into the general fare structure of NYC Transit buses and subways. Indeed, the March 1994 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 42nd Street project specifies an equivalent base fare, with free transfers to and from connecting bus routes. With the end of the 2-fare zone, subway transfers should certainly be included in any light rail fare plan.
Under the 42nd Street plan, as on all existing U.S. light rail systems, passengers purchase tickets at either automatic vending machines (AVMs) located at each stop or from designated ticket outlets. Fare inspectors make random checks for proof-of-payment, either onboard or as passengers disembark, and are empowered to issue summonses for non-compliance. Unlikely as it may seem to skeptical New Yorkers, this so called "honor system," backed by stiff fines, has worked very well in cities across the U.S. and around the world.
As for transfers, light rail tickets generally are accepted to board buses and bus transfers are accepted as proof-of-payment on LRVs, subject to date and time limits much like those appearing for many years on New York bus transfers. Single-trip tickets typically are good for rides commencing within two hours of purchase or validation by a trackside AVM. Dallas explicitly allows a round trip on the same route with a single local ticket so long as the return leg starts within 90 minutes. With full- and multi-day tickets, and weekly or monthly passes offered on these systems, customers are encouraged to make maximum use of transit.
The MetroCard, introduced as the first step in the MTA's "fare deal" program two years ago, was planned in part to facilitate inter-modal transfers and innovative time-based fares. With all 468 subway stations on line (3,600 buses are already equipped) and with completely new software up and running, NYC Transit officials insist that the system will be fully operational by next July.
After studying various transfer options, officials have concluded that the best solution is also the simplest--allowing a MetroCard user to enter the system twice within a two-hour period for a single fare. A rider transferring from bus to subway, for example, would insert the card into a farebox and then "swipe" it through a subway turnstile, but the fare would be deducted only on the bus. In addition to facilitating inter-modal transfers, this solution will eliminate paper bus-to-bus transfers and also ease some problematic transfers between subway lines.
Ironically, since MetroCard data cannot be spot-checked visually, some adjustment would be necessary to coordinate the new NYC Transit fare collection system with a barrier-free proof- of-payment system for light rail. Again, the simplest solution may be the best--on-line trackside AVMs issuing time-stamped proof-of-payment tickets good for two hours on light rail. If a MetroCard were used to pay for the ticket, the card could be used again within two hours for a bus or subway ride with no further fare deduction. Likewise, if a MetroCard customer obtained a light rail ticket within two hours of having boarded a bus or subway, the AVM would make no further deduction. Passengers with valid proof-of-payment tickets would be free to get on and off light rail vehicles at will. This feature, strongly urged by VCTC, would be especially attractive to visitors and deserves the support of local merchants who would benefit from an increased tourist business.
Other than as an add-on for monthly commutation tickets for Metro-North and LIRR riders, the MTA has put forward no specific plans to incorporate MetroCard into a system of time-based fares. Yet daily, weekly, monthly and even annual fares (in Portland, Oregon) are now accepted "and expected" in other cities.
As shown in the table below, all of the new American light rail operations are integral parts of transit systems which offer monthly passes, encouraging commuters to use transit on a regular basis. In addition to volume discounts of 7% or more on purchases of 10 or 11 tickets, most transit systems also offer one day, multi-day or weekly passes, particularly attractive for tourists and other visitors. Such passes, which must be priced to give at least a minimal saving to the customer based upon anticipated use, encourage even greater use of transit by pass holders.
It would not be difficult to adapt daily, weekly or monthly Metro-Cards to barrier-free light rail. The trackside AVM could simply issue a proof-of-payment ticket good for a period not exceeding the time left on the MetroCard, automatically blocking issuance of duplicate tickets. The duration of light rail tickets might be limited to one day, perhaps at the option of the customer. Of course, if weekly or monthly MetroCards were visually distinctive like the new rail commutation tickets, with expiration dates clearly marked, a separate proof-of-payment ticket would be unnecessary.
VCTC applauds the MTA's progress on inter-modal transfers and volume discounts, but believes that time-based fare options are long overdue in New York. Daily, weekly and monthly passes, strategically priced, will attract increased patronage to the entire system, stimulating fuller, more efficient use of transit facilities while reducing reliance on motor vehicles with their noise, congestion and pollution.
| City/ System | Base Fare | Multi-Trip Discount % | One-day Pass | Monthly (Ratio to Base) |
| Baltimore | $1.35 | N/A | $3 | $54 (40x) |
| Buffalo | $1.25 | 8% | N/A | $44 (35x) |
| Dallas | $1.00 | 9% | $3 | $30 (30x) |
| Denver | $1.00 | 27.5% | $3 | $27 (28x) |
| Portland | $1.05 | 9.5% | $3.25 | $36 (34x) |
| Sacramento | $1.25 | 9% | $3 | $45 (36x) |
| San Diego | $1.00 | 7% | $5 | $24.50 (25x) |
| San Jose | $1.10 | N/A | $2.20 | $33 (30x) |
| New York | $1.50 | 9% (Proposed) | N/A | N/A |
Notes: In off-peak hours Denver's base fare is reduced to 50 cents. Denver, Portland and San Diego also offer distance-based fares. Buffalo and Portland have downtown "fare-free" zones. Baltimore does not offer "inter-modal" transfers, but one-day and monthly passes are valid on all transit modes.
By George Haikalis
Honi Klein, Executive Director of the Village Alliance Business Improvement District (BID), has unveiled her organization's plan for reinvigorating the half-mile long commercial strip on 8th St. from 6th Avenue to Astor Place. Prepared by Village architect Guy Lindsay Kohn, the plan was presented at a community forum sponsored by the BID on November 25, 1996, attended by over 100 residents, merchants, property owners and representatives of civic associations.
Centerpiece of the plan is widening the sidewalks to 15 feet on each side while narrowing the forty foot roadway to 30 feet. Parking meters, signs, lampposts and fire hydrants leave barely 4 feet for pedestrians on the existing 10 foot wide sidewalks, the narrowest on any major crosstown street in the city. Retail business on 8th Street is dependent almost entirely on foot traffic, according to Faith Hope Consolo, a nationally-recognized merchandizing expert who spoke at the forum. Thus wider sidewalks, favored by 74% of local residents, are critical to encouraging retail activity along this street.
Ironically, 43% of the businesses lining 8th Street are shoe stores--perhaps the largest concentration in the city--but patrons have little sidewalk space to show off their new shoes. Pedestrian volumes are amongst the highest in the city for a neighborhood retail district, averaging 2,000 to 2,500 persons per hour, according to a Cooper Union study completed last December. At peak periods, such as Friday evenings, pedestrian volumes can double. In contrast, peak motor vehicular traffic ranges from 400 to 600 vehicles per hour. Assigning two thirds of this 60-foot wide crosstown street to motor vehicles seems illogical.
Also speaking at the forum was NYC Transportation Commissioner Christopher R. Lynn, who noted the importance of subway access to this well-known shopping area. VCTC's proposed light rail line through the 8th St. corridor would not only compliment existing north-south subway access, but also link the extreme east and west sections of the Village to the transit system by providing fast, safe and reliable transit to these areas with no subways.
Yet the question remains--why have any auto traffic at all on 8th Street? VCTC's plan for a pedestrian and trolley-only street would produce an even more dramatic change, eliminating the noise, pollution and vibration of a steady procession of motor vehicles. And the widening of the sidewalks, as indicated earlier, would allow cafes and shops to expand out into the sidewalks, further enhancing the street scene. For the second year in a row the Village Alliance BID demonstrated what an auto-free 8th St. would be like--sponsoring a "Rock n' Roll" Fashion Show on Thursday, September 19, 1996. While fashion tastes may vary, there is no question that the street became a walker's paradise. VCTC's plan for a river-to-river crosstown streetcar will make this auto-free space more accessible and attractive.
Community worries about the relocation of traffic to nearby streets may be unfounded, based on traffic counts conducted by VCTC before and during the fashion shows. Less than 25% of 8th St.'s normal evening peak hour volume of 450 vehicles relocated to 10th St--most of this traffic simply disappeared. And this was with very little advance warning to motorists. While more comprehensive counts should be made, these results are consistent with other studies of traffic "shrinkage."
One concern expressed by several 8th St. residents is that an increase in pedestrian traffic might produce a carnival-like atmosphere. But unlike the quiet residential streets in the Village, 8th Street is already a lively street. An increase in foot traffic should be accompanied by augmented security measures, and Ms Klein and her BID have demonstrated their ability to improve security as well as to eliminate graffiti and litter.
VCTC believes that as planning proceeds for widening the sidewalks on 8th St. careful consideration should also be given to our proposal to eliminate auto traffic and add a trolley. We commend Honi Klein for proposing the next logical step--wider sidewalks.
John Shapiro, a principal in the Greenwich Village-based planning firm Abeles Phillips Preiss & Shapiro, recommended that the Times Square Business Improvement District support the 42nd St. Light Rail Transit Line. His report, prepared for the BID, said that the trolley would bring new visitors to the Times Square area, and would improve its look and ambiance. The report found that the trolley would have little negative impact on service delivery, security or sanitation, and few businesses would be inconvenienced. The little-publicized report, produced in 1994, counters many of the claims made by trolley opponents.
At a high level meeting at City Hall on September 6, 1996, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani gave the go-ahead for a Federally-funded feasibility study that will allow the four prospective bidders on the project, local utility firms and representatives from cities with existing systems to review and comment on the extent of utility relocation that will be needed to construct the trolley. The City's road building establishment has disputed the amount of work needed and suggested a much larger financial commitment by the City to rebuild that part of 42nd St. not affected by the trolley. This study will permit resolution of these issues. Development at the western end of the 42nd St., and expansion of Javits Center are contingent on the improved access that will result from the trolley.
an illustrated lecture by George Haikalis
WED., JAN. 8, 1997 6pm-8pm
co-sponsored by the Municipal Art Society and Auto-Free New York
members $4, guests $7
at: MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY
457 Madison Ave. (50th St.), NYC
Letter From the Editor
If trolleys can exist in Buffalo, NY--the state's second largest city--why not here in New York City? As we celebrate the beginning of our third year of publication, this issue of MAKING TRACKS explores the fare structure of light rail transit in cities around the United States, including Buffalo. The other cover story is about the "New 8th Street" as proposed by the Village Alliance Business Improvement District (BID). Thanks for reading!
Michael Goodman, Editor
NY Today
TimeOut New York
CitySearch New York
