Chapter III 1990 Transit System The level of transit service offered has direct impact on both system revenues and system operating costs. Higher levels of service more route coverage, greater frequency is attractive to the public resulting in more riders and higher fare box revenues. Provision of higher service levels, however, results in higher operating costs. Thus, the transit service, rail and bus, assumed for patronage, revenue and operating cost analysis must be realistic in terms both of providing service to attract riders and of presenting a cost commensurate with the ridership generated. AUTHORIZED REGIONAL SYSTEM (ARS) re This system In 1968, WMATA adopted a 98-mile regional rail transit system which, with minor modifications, is now under construction. is officially designated as, the Authorized Regional System (ARS). The basic service patterns to be offered have been analyzed in detail by WMATA, resulting in the following assumed operation, illustrated in Figure 111-1: Rockville-Glenmont Line--would operate from Rockville, Maryland, to Glenmont, Maryland, via Bethesda, to the downtown Washington central businesd district, Union Station, and Silver Spring. Vienna-New Carrollton Line--would operate from Nutley Road in Fairfax County, Virginia, to New Carrollton, Maryland, via Rosslyn, the northerly river crossing, and the downtown central business district. Huntington-Addison Road Line--would operate from Huntington in Greenbelt Road-Branch Avenue, Franconia, and Springfield REGIONAL RAPID RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM 1996d3 Adopted March 1968. Revised February 1969 June 1970. Authorized by Congress December 1969. Metaya tiensiT oeer southerly river crossing and the Pentagon to both Springfield A more detailed description of the METRO routes will be found in Chapter VII, System Operating Costs. In addition, Figure VII-1 in that chapter depicts the rapid-rail service frequencies assumed. A train every 2 to 4 minutes will service most stations in the peak hours. Off-peak service to most stations varies from every 3 to 6 minutes in the midday to every 5 to 10 minutes in the early morning and late evening. ARS Operation Schedule For purposes of this net revenue analysis, it was assumed that the ARS would be constructed and put into operation in eight phases, the first beginning June 30, 1975 and the last on July 15, 1981. Table 111-1 indicates the extent and duration of each phase. A-more precise description of the assumed schedule is given in Chapter VI Parking Facilities The private automobile used for both park-and-ride and kiss-and-ride trips will be the access mode for many trips made on the METRO rail system. In recognition of this fact, design of the system has included the provision of patron parking lots at 32 locations providing 25,000 spaces. Table 1-|| below, presents the parking spaces planned for each station and the parking cost assumed in the study for purposes of estimating use of parking facilities and the revenue generated. ASSUMED BUS SERVICES Bus operations not only will serve as the rail access mode for 60% of all rail trips, but it will also serve those transit trips which do not make use of the METRO rail system. As such, the bus network is an integral part of the total regional transportation network. Objectives The primary objectives in the development of the 1990 bus-routing network were to: Link the residential areas with the rapid-rail system Link outlying shopping and business centers with the Provide continuation of certain radial routes within D.C. Link high employment areas not served directly by the |