Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Bus Management Solution

US Transportation Collection2010PDFResearch PaperKack, DavidHayden, LarryRegister, DavidMontana State University. Western Transportation InstituteIteris, Inc.Montana State University. Western Transportation InstituteAlaskaTraffic congestionNational parksParkwaysRural transportationBus transportationBus terminalsBus trafficMendenhall Glacier Visitor CenterThe Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center (Center) is one of the most visited public recreation sites in the state of Alaska. Half a million visitors a year, arriving mostly aboard tour buses, cause the Center to experience problems with crowding, traffic congestion and vehicle-caused air pollution. Large peaks in visitation, typically occurring about mid day during the middle of the week, result in pedestrian and vehicular congestion at multiple locations. The existing circulation pattern mixes private vehicle, tour bus, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. Current traffic congestion degrades the visitor experience with delays, bus noise, and exhaust fumes. The solution to the congestion is active management of tour bus arrivals and departures. Bus management will be accomplished by a combination of a reservation system, an automated traffic management system. This solution is based on a five year time-frame, although the solution could operate for a longer period of time. The solution is based on the existing infrastructure at the Center, including the number of parking spaces available for vehicles (buses) at the Center. This document presents the solution that was selected by the Tongass National Forest after a review of three main management options. Previous documents related to this project include Technical Memorandum #1; the Concept of Operations document, the Functional Requirements document, and the Bus Management Options document. Information from those documents is not necessarily included herein, but is data that the staff at the Tongass National Forest used to decide which solution option to select.133