About integrating cycling and public transport in the City of Utrecht, The Netherlands.

1. LESSONS FROM UTRECHT
Linking Transit with Walking and Biking
(The City of Utrecht, NL, 2011/9/27)
8-5-2006 1

2. The ultimate lesson?
“I think we need to make people
aware that our traffic concepts of
today are not sustainable and will be
of no use for the future of our society
and our planet.”
Dr. Wolfgang Schuster (Mayor of Stuttgart, Germany)
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3. The Netherlands (1)
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4. The Netherlands (2)
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5. Some demographic facts
United States Maryland Washington DC The Netherlands Utrecht
Founded 1776 1788 1790 1579 50 AD
Inhabitants (city) 308.7 mln 5.8 mln 602,000 16.7 mln 313,000
(region) 5,580,000 640,000
Area (sq mi) 3,717,796 12,407 68 16,034 (1) 38
Inhabitants (/sq mi) 8.3 465.3 8848.9 1039.6 8179.9
(1) 1,29x State of Maryland
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6. About the City of Utrecht
Facts
• Fourth largest city in the Netherlands.
• Over 300,000 inhabitants.
• Largest University in the Netherlands.
• Busiest railway station of the country (more
passengers a year then Schiphol Airport).
• Still growing economy (despite global recession).
Modal split 1885 .
• Motor vehicles: 38.5 %
• Public transport: 10.8 %
• Bicycles: 28.0 %
• Pedestrians: 21.2 %
• Others: 01.5 %
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7. Development of the city in the 20st century
1920 . 1940 .
1980 . 2000 .
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8. Traffic congestion
122,000
Imbalance between Numbers show
incoming & outgoing
traffic. 61,700 incoming traffic during
morning rush hours.
58,500
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9. What to do about this?
1. New regional railway network 2. New light rail & streetcar lines .
INTEGRATION!
3. Improving bicycle facilities 4. Improving road network.
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10. Step 1: New regional railway network
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11. What is Randstadspoor (RSS)?
Facts
• Regional network of commuter trains.
• Using existing railway corridors.
• 10 new stations in region.
• Most railway lines widened from
2 to 4 tracks.
• 4-6 trains per hour.
• Realisation between 2002 and 2015.
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12. Construction started in 2002
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13. Reconstruction of the main railway station
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14. Aerial overview of a construction site
Rebuilding main station +
adding extra platforms
Enlarging several tunnels
New commuter station
Rebuilding bicycle tunnel
From 4 to 6 tracks
Two level free crossings
From 2 to 4 tracks
Rebuilding station +
new bicycle tunnel
Extra railroad bridge
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15. Animation of the new commuter network
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16. Step 2: New light rail & streetcar lines
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17. The first light rail line (SUNIJ-line)
17th of December 1983 (opening of new light rail line) 2000 (renovated light rail car)
2007 (low-floor light rail car on loan from Mulhouse) 2010 (second hand cars from Vienna)
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18. Then building a network of separated bus lanes
Facts
• First complete line opened in 2001.
• Linking the main railway station and
the university campus.
• Line passes through inner city.
• Second line to Leidsche Rijn (almost)
completed.
• All bus lanes can be changed into light
rail or streetcar lines.
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19. The next step: light rail & streetcar lines
Such a network ...
• Creates a more efficient and flexible
public transport system.
• Improves the accessibility and
livability in the region.
• Can transport more passengers then
the current bus network.
• Creates more and new transfer points.
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20. A regional network of light rail & streetcar lines
Facts
• Network of existing & new lines.
• Upgrading existing light rail to
Nieuwegein and IJsselstein.
• Building two new lines to De Uithof.
• Building a new line to Leidsche Rijn.
• 4-8 trams per hour.
• Realisation between 2012 and 2025.
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21. The planned regional network in 2025
OVERVECHT
BINNENSTAD
ZEIST
LEIDSCHE RIJN
DE UITHOF
NIEUWEGEIN
IJSSELSTEIN
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22. Why more public transport to the university campus?
Facts
• Growth of university campus by 25%.
• Establishment of many health- &
knowledge institutions.
• Growth of mobility in 2020 by 30%:
- employees from 20,000 to 30,000.
- students from 50,000 to 60,000.
- visitors of hospitals increasing to
1 mln. per year.
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23. Why a light rail line to the university campus?
Facts
• Overcrowded extra long busses.
• Busses stand in traffic jams on
separate bus lanes.
• High transportation value: 37,000
travelers per day.
• Total transportation value of more
then 70,000 travelers per day in
2020 (growth of +50%).
Long term
• Two public transport axes needed.
• New light rail line to De Uithof can be
built very quickly.
• Second line will be built after and
passes the inner city (now bus lane).
• This second line will partly be a
streetcar line.
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24. Planning and construction
2006: Final decision on route.
2009: Regional vision on network.
2010: Design on implementing lines in
station area completed.
2011: Start building substructure.
2013: Start building tracks and catenary.
2017: Planned opening.
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25. Map of new the light rail to the university campus
E.
A.
D.
B.
C.
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26. A. Implementing light rail in the railway station area
Sub projects
a) Linking existing and new light rail
lines.
b) New tram stop on eastern side of
the main railway station.
c) New bus stop on western side.
d) Second crossing of railway tracks.
e) Linking new line from Leidsche
Rijn to the network.
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27. B. Impression of the southern city area
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28. C. Impression of the green belt area
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29. D. Impression of the university campus
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30. E. Impression of the new transfer point De Uithof
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31. Animation of the new light rail line
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32. Step 3: Improving bicycle facilities
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33. About cycling in the City of Utrecht
Facts
• 36% of all trips < 7.5 km are done
by bicycle.
• 91,000 cyclists pass the inner city on
working days.
• 22,000 bicycle stands around main
railway station and in city centre.
• 8 secured bicycle parkings around
main railway station.
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34. Bicycle Program
Making an extra investment of
€ 67 mln. ($90 mln.) by:
A. Upgrading five busiest routes.
B. Building missing links.
C. Creating more & better parking.
D. Introducing public bicycle program.
E. Increasing promotion of the bicycle.
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35. A. Upgrading five busiest routes (1)
Facts
• The bicycle network has an
average distance between
routes of 400-500 metres.
• Improving traffic lights.
• Creating more bi-directional
crossings for bicycles.
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36. A. Upgrading five busiest routes (2)
Foto Hondsrug
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37. B. Building missing links
New tunnel in a regional bicycle route .
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38. C. Creating more & better parking
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39. D. Introducing public bicycle program (OV Fiets)
Facts
• A public bicycle system for transport
hubs like railway stations, light rail
stops, bus terminals, Park & Ride, etc.
• Over 200 rental locations.
• Over 60 self-service bicycle dispensers.
• More than 850,000 trips in 2010.
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40. D. Increasing promotion of the bicycle (1)
Information panels .
Advertisements & campaigns . First stage of Giro d’Italia 2010 .
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41. D. Increasing promotion of the bicycle (2)
en
Bicycle maps & routes .
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42. D. Increasing promotion of the bicycle (3)
Promotion of electric bicycles .
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43. The final step: Integration!
Both infrastructure and policy
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44. Utrecht Centraal: Busiest railway station in the country
Facts
• Major transport hub in the heart of
The Netherlands.
• 160,000 daily train and 100,000 bus &
light rail passengers on weekdays.
• 9 guarded bicycle parking's (total
capacity 10.000 bicycles).
• Over 7.000 unguarded bicycle parking
places.
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45. Bicycle parking at Utrecht Centraal
Guarded parking (paid) . Guarded parking (paid) .
Guarded parking (non-paid) . Street parking .
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46. Commuter rail stations
Facts
• On some regional railway stations 60% of all passengers come by bicycle.
• The number of train users increased after the improvements.
• Dutch Railways improved bicycle parking facilities in cooperation with
municipalities.
• Temporary bi-level bicycle parking facilities (further improvements in the future).
• The bicycle parking is not guarded and in the open air, but well used.
• Also Park & Ride facilities for cars were added.
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47. Other modes of public transport
Light rail . Light rail .
City bus . Regional bus .
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48. Other locations
Offices . Schools .
Shops . Theatres .
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49. The OV chip card
Facts
• Is an electronic travel pass.
• Can be used nationwide in all modes
of public transport.
• Both personal passes and passes for
tourists.
• Replaces paper tickets in the entire
country.
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50. Taking bicycles into trains
Facts
• 39% of all train users come to the
station by bicycle.
• Folding bicycles are allowed in both
long distance and commuter trains.
• For normal bicycles someone has to
buy a separate bicycle-ticket.
• Normal bicycles usually aren’t allowed
during rush hours.
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51. Some other aspects
National website OV9292 . Temporary road signing .
Smaller maintenance vehicles . Regional mobility pass .
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52. RSS Vaartse Rijn: The ultimate transfer point?
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53. Thank you for your attention!
Ronald Tamse, The City of Utrecht (NL), 2011/09/27
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54. Lessons from Europe
Linking Transit with Walking and Biking
How will the Dutch remake their largest train station?
What about current efforts to develop a five-line light rail system in Utrecht?
What are their lower-cost strategies for bicycle and pedestrian access to transit,
bicycle parking, and traffic safety strategies to safely integrate tracks into roadways?
Join a roadway and transit designer for the Cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht, to learn
how the Europeans do it -- and what lessons we can learn from their success.
Moderator: Catherine Ciarlo, Transportation Director, Office of the Mayor, City of
Portland, Oregon
Ronald Tamse, Traffic Consultant, City of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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