Replacing Parking with Transit: Evaluation of Bus Service to Offset Parking Loss During Construction of Light Rail Extension at San Diego State University

The San Diego State University (SDSU) bus service analysis study was undertaken to address two related issues—mitigation of the parking impacts of Mission Valley East (MVE) light rail transit (LRT) line construction at SDSU and the potential for “trolley emulation” service in advance of the opening of the extension. The study was undertaken to develop cost-effective bus service options to meet immediate mitigation needs and encourage travel patterns and ridership in the MVE corridor. The Metropolitan Transit Development Board estimates that 940 spaces in five campus lots will be affected by MVE construction. The recommended option is a shuttle service designed to serve the “high ridership” estimate during the peak demand hours from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from lots at Qualcomm Stadium to the west and Grossmont Transit Center to the east of SDSU. The availability of parking on the SDSU campus in the evening, combined with the likelihood of early morning commuters continuing to drive and park on campus in the absence of parking issues before 9:00 a.m., argues against extended hours of operation. The recommended option provides sufficient service to accommodate the estimated daily riders who would lose their parking spaces because of construction, and it could accommodate additional ridership without increased costs, especially outside of the 8:00 to 9:00 peak morning hour. In addition to the value of the study findings, the process developed to address parking mitigation needs at SDSU because of LRT construction can be applied to other service planning efforts in which demand is uncertain and no similar services exist to guide an analysis.