Juneau Downtown Tourism Transportation Study

1. Juneau Downtown Tourism Transportation Study May 27, 2003

2. Presentation Outline • Project Introduction and Overview • Pedestrian Issues Food for Thought • Existing Conditions Summary • Your Ideas for Improvement

3. Project Introduction and Overview

4. Project Purpose • Evaluate travel in downtown Juneau and along the waterfront during the tourism season. • Blend creativity with practicality to develop alternative transportation strategies to improve safety, flow, and accessibility for all modes of travel.

5. Project Team

6. Project Schedule

7. Current Project Status • Summary of previous planning work completed in the downtown Juneau and waterfront areas. • Summary of key issues and concerns related to tourism and transportation identified from stakeholder interviews. • Document, evaluate, and summarize the existing transportation systems in the study area. • projects.kittelson.com/Juneau_Tourism_Traffic

8. Pedestrian Issues - “Food for Thought”

9. Existing Conditions Summary

10. Introduction • Topography of Juneau dictates linear growth • Only one continuous connection between the northern residential areas and the downtown • Impressive transit and bicycle ridership despite the relative small size and climate of Juneau • ~10% of peak hour travel into downtown • The summer tourist season has unique characteristics and needs related to pedestrian and vehicular travel

11. Themes from Previous Studies • Steady and continuing growth in the tourism industry (60% growth in cruise ship passengers since 1996)

12. Themes from Previous Studies • Existing systems constrained by geography, narrow rights of way, and historic buildings

13. Themes from Previous Studies • Parking supply and management in the downtown area • year-round lack of appropriate parking • not directly linked to tourism

14. Themes from Previous Studies • Pedestrian congestion during the summer tourist season • narrow sidewalks and street furniture • pedestrians use the street to avoid congestion on the sidewalk • Traffic congestion increases during the tourism season • vehicles servicing the tourism needs • conflict with pedestrian traffic • Tourism-related vehicle staging areas near the waterfront

15. Previous Recommendations • Increase capacity of existing infrastructure • Roadways • Sidewalks • Tourism Vehicle Staging Areas • Docks

16. Previous Recommendations • Improved management of existing facilities (especially where capacity cannot be increased) • coordinating tour bus departure schedules • altering tourism travel patterns by refocusing land uses and attractions

17. Summary Of Stakeholder Interviews • Stakeholders identified: • Government Agencies • Community Groups • Downtown Businesses • Neighborhood Associations • Waterfront Operators • Tourism Industry & Operators • Delivery Services

18. Summary Of Stakeholder Interviews • Key themes and concerns: • Pedestrian flow and safety • Potential for pedestrian and vehicle conflict • Congestion and conflicts between delivery vehicles, service vehicles, and tour operations

19. Summary Of Stakeholder Interviews • Key themes and concerns (con’t): • Keep downtown Juneau vibrant and useable • Plan for future development and growth • Plan for future growth of tourism • Maintaining efficient and safe access to the water

20. Summary Of Stakeholder Interviews • Key themes and concerns (con’t): • Efficient management of tourism demand • Minimize impacts of tourism operations on local businesses • Providing for and better managing parking options

21. Existing Conditions Inventory • Existing connectivity, capacity, and accessibility: • Pedestrian Travel • Public Transit Travel • Private Transit Travel • Vehicular Travel

22. Pedestrian Travel • Off-season pedestrian system functions acceptably • During peak season walking is major mode of travel for tourists into downtown • capacity of existing sidewalk system frequently exceeded

23. Pedestrian System • S Franklin Street between Taku Smokeries and Marine Way • Older sidewalks • More tourist oriented store fronts • Street furniture (newspaper dispensers, lights, etc) • Multiple attractions on both sides of the street

24. Pedestrian System • S Franklin Street between Taku Smokeries and Marine Way • Older sidewalks • More tourist oriented store fronts • Street furniture (newspaper dispensers, lights, etc) • Multiple attractions on both sides of the street

25. Pedestrian System • High crossing locations on S Franklin Street: • Whittier Street (Alaska State Museum) • Willoughby Avenue (Juneau Visitors Center)

26. Pedestrian System • Pedestrian confusion at Marine Way-S Franklin Street turnaround

27. Narrow sidewalk sections Pedestrian System

28. Pedestrian System • Narrow sidewalk sections

29. Pedestrian Travel • Narrow sidewalk sections

30. Pedestrian Travel Desires

31. Public Transit Travel • Capital Transit Routes in Downtown • Route 3 • Route 4 • Douglas Route • Express/University • Major Transit Stops (“Waypoints”) • S Franklin Street (between Marine and Ferry) • The Capital Building (Seward between 4th and 5th) • The Archive Building (Willoughby)

32. Public Transit Travel • Three routes currently use the cruise ship terminal as turnaround point • Can add to vehicular congestion along the docks

33. Public Transit Travel • New Downtown Transit Center • CBJ is currently planning a new transit center off of 3rd Street (between Whittier and Willoughby)

34. Public Transit Travel Paths

35. Private Transit Travel • Wide variety of providers who service tourist industry: • charter coaches • shuttle buses • vans • trolleys • taxis

36. Private Transit Travel • Best Management Practices • limits operation of private transit vehicles • specifies travel routes • restricts certain ingress and egress access movements to facilitate traffic flow

37. Private Transit Travel • Passenger loading locations and staging areas

38. Private Transit Travel • Passenger loading locations and staging areas

39. Private Transit Travel Desires

40. Private Transit Travel Desires

41. Roadway System Inventory • Egan Drive-Marine Way-S Franklin Street-Thane Road • 12,000-15,000 vehicles per day • two-lane facility through most of study area • widening at intersections

42. Roadway System Inventory • Delays to drivers as a result of pedestrian congestion • Potential for future growth

43. Roadway System Inventory • Concern for travel speeds and safety • Differences between vehicle and pedestrian environment

44. Roadway System Inventory • Vehicle accessibility for businesses • Ingress/egress • Deliveries and loading

45. Feedback?Your Ideas for Improvements?

46. Next Steps • Alternatives Development • Feedback Opportunities • Comment flyer • Project web site email • On-going project information: • projects.kittelson.com/Juneau_Tourism_Traffic • Public Event #2 – late July 2003

47. Questions &Feedback

48. Your Ideas for Improvements • Developing signage and other elements to assist tourists

49. Your Ideas For Improvement • Sea walk concept

50. Your Ideas For Improvement • Gastineau Avenue connection