This chapter describes a set of service improvements designed to provide public transportation service to East Lafayette and South Lafayette.  They were developed through a collaborative process that included CityBus staff and input from area businesses and the public.  Several field trips completed for the study provided additional information used in the design process.  The purpose of the fieldwork was to look at land use patterns, development sites, and other factors that affect route design and transit operations.

 

The proposed improvements include modifications to existing routes and new routes.  One of the primary design objectives was to provide cost-effective public transportation that would have a minimal impact on annual operating costs.  Another key goal was to provide connections to major activity centers that are direct and easy to understand.  The proposed improvements will give some residents and businesses a new transportation alternative.  For existing customers, the CityBus service area will be expanded and access to new and planned activity centers will be provided.

 

The success of the proposed improvements will partly depend on how growth is managed in these developing areas.  If new residential areas and retail centers are designed to make it easier for buses to circulate and stop at customer-friendly locations, CityBus will be able to provide more efficient and cost effective improvements in the future.

 

East Lafayette Service Improvements

 

Area Description

 

The primary land uses in East Lafayette include residential, institutional, and medical facilities.  The Clarian-Arnett Medical Center, currently under construction, and the already completed Arnett Surgery Center are major, new activity centers.  In addition to everyday work trips, this site will probably generate a large number of patient and visitor trips.  According to hospital representatives interviewed for the study, CityBus will be able to access the property.  A bus stop will probably be located along the internal circulation road near the main entrance.

 

Another development that contributed to the interest in East Lafayette transit improvements is the new community center being constructed by Faith Baptist Church.  This center will offer a variety of programs that will be open to residents from throughout the community.  Prior to this study, the church approached CityBus and requested they consider extending transit service to the new center.

 

CityBus already offers outstanding connections between routes and travel destinations throughout Lafayette and West Lafayette through timed-transfer schedules that meet at the Downtown Transfer Center.  It is strongly believed that any new transit routes or other improvements should take full advantage of the existing route network and transfer center to help minimize operating and capital costs.

 

Proposed Improvements

 

This section presents a set of alternatives designed to serve East Lafayette.   All of them involve modifying the existing Route 7 SR 26 East, which operates between the Downtown Transfer Center and Meijer store located at the intersection of SR 26 East and CR 500 East.  

 

East Lafayette – Alternative One (Sub-Option A)

 

Alternative One (Sub-Option A) extends Route 7 to the new Clarian-Arnett Medical Center and the community center at Faith Baptist Church.  The proposed alignment also serves the single-family housing areas east of CR 500E.  A map of the proposed alignment is provided on the following page.  The sub-options described below involve different service frequencies, and do not affect the alignment.

 

Alternative One – Sub-Option A

Key Operating Characteristics

 

Round Trip Mileage

21.2 miles

Average Speed (based on current route)

15.0 mph

Estimated Round Trip Run Time

85 minutes

Layover/Driver Recovery

5 minutes

Total Estimated Run Time Per Trip

90 minutes

Weekday Hours of Operation

6:15 AM – 7:40 PM

Weekday Frequency

30 minutes

Weekday Vehicle Requirement

3

Saturday Hours of Operation

6:45 AM – 6:40 PM

Saturday Frequency

30 minutes

Saturday Vehicle Requirement

3

Sunday Hours of Operation

8:45 AM – 5:40 PM

Sunday Frequency

90 minutes

Sunday Vehicle Requirement

1

 

The weekday frequency of service (30 minutes) is maintained, but the Saturday frequency improves from 60 minutes to every 30 minutes.  Under this sub-option, it is necessary to set the Sunday frequency at 90 minutes to minimize the vehicle requirements and costs.  The hours of operation also stay about the same.  The number of buses required under this option increases to three on weekdays and Saturdays.  One vehicle is required on Sunday.

 

The projected revenue hours and miles of service for Sub-Option A are compared to existing levels in the following table.  

 

 

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Existing

Proposed

Existing

Proposed

Existing

Proposed

Revenue Hours

26.33

37.5

10.0

33.0

10.0

9.0

Revenue Miles

353.5

530.0

172.7

466.4

143.9

127.2

 

East Lafayette – Alternative One (Sub-Option B)

 

Alternative One – Sub-Option B is based on the same modified Route 7 alignment.  Under this option, however, the weekday service frequency will be 30 minutes while the Saturday and Sunday frequency will be 90 minutes.  Based on these specific frequencies, the weekday vehicle requirement is three vehicles while one vehicle is needed to operate the Saturday and Sunday service.

 

The hours of operation remain the same.  Operating characteristics and the projected revenue hours and miles of service are detailed in the following tables.

 

Alternative One – Sub-Option B

Key Operating Characteristics

 

Round Trip Mileage

21.2 miles

Average Speed (based on current route)

15.0 mph

Estimated Round Trip Run Time

85 minutes

Layover/Driver Recovery

5 minutes

Total Estimated Run Time Per Trip

90 minutes

Weekday Hours of Operation

6:15 AM – 7:40 PM

Weekday Frequency

30 minutes

Weekday Vehicle Requirement

3

Saturday Hours of Operation

6:45 AM – 6:40 PM

Saturday Frequency

90 minutes

Saturday Vehicle Requirement

1

Sunday Hours of Operation

8:45 AM – 7:10 PM

Sunday Frequency

90 minutes

Sunday Vehicle Requirement

1

 

 

 

 

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Existing

Proposed

Existing

Proposed

Existing

Proposed

Revenue Hours

26.33

37.5

10.0

12.0

10.0

10.5

Revenue Miles

353.5

530.0

172.7

169.6

143.9

148.4

 


 

East Lafayette – Alternative Two (Sub-Option A)

 

Similar to Alternative One, this variation extends Route 7 to the Clarian-Arnett Medical Center, but it does not serve the Faith Baptist Church community center and the single-family neighborhoods east of CR 500E.  It also eliminates two existing segments of Route 7 that serve areas north of SR 26E (Union Street) and south of SR 26E (Kossuth Street).  The proposed Route 7 alignment for Alternative Two is presented on the following page.

 

The key operating characteristics for this alternative follow:

 

Round Trip Mileage (proposed)

12.6 miles

Average Speed (based on current route)

15.0 mph

Estimated Round Trip Run Time

51 minutes

Layover/Driver Recovery

9 minutes

Total Estimated Run Time Per Trip

60 minutes

Weekday Hours of Operation

6:15 AM – 7:40 PM

Weekday Frequency

30 minutes

Weekday Vehicle Requirement

2

Saturday Hours of Operation

6:45 AM – 6:40 PM

Saturday Frequency

30 minutes

Saturday Vehicle Requirement

2

Sunday Hours of Operation

8:45 AM – 6:40 PM

Sunday Frequency

60 minutes

Sunday Vehicle Requirement

1

 

The weekday frequency of service is the same (30 minutes), and the Saturday frequency improves from 60 minutes to every 30 minutes.  Under Sub-Option A, the number of buses required to operate weekday service stays the same (i.e. two), but the Saturday requirement increases from one to two due to the improved frequency of service.

 

Based on these characteristics, the projected revenue hours and miles of service are compared to the existing levels in the following table.  As the table shows, weekday hours and miles stay about the same, but they increase significantly on Saturday and Sunday.

 

 

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Existing

Proposed

Existing

Proposed

Existing

Proposed

Revenue Hours

26.33

26.0

10.0

33.0

10.0

10.0

Revenue Miles

353.5

327.6

172.7

289.8

143.9

126.0

 


 

East Lafayette – Alternative Two (Sub-Option B)

 

Sub-Option B utilizes the same Alternative Two route alignment.  Under this option, the weekday service frequency is 30 minutes, but the Saturday and Sunday frequency is 60 minutes as shown below. 

 

 

Round Trip Mileage (proposed)

12.6 miles

Average Speed (based on current route)

15.0 mph

Estimated Round Trip Run Time

51 minutes

Layover/Driver Recovery

9 minutes

Total Estimated Run Time Per Trip

60 minutes

Weekday Hours of Operation

6:15 AM – 7:40 PM

Weekday Frequency

30 minutes

Weekday Vehicle Requirement

2

Saturday Hours of Operation

6:45 AM – 6:40 PM

Saturday Frequency

30 minutes

Saturday Vehicle Requirement

2

Sunday Hours of Operation

8:45 AM – 6:40 PM

Sunday Frequency

60 minutes

Sunday Vehicle Requirement

1

 

Based on the operating characteristics of Sub-Option B, the existing and projected revenue hours and miles of service are compared in the following table.