Final Presentation

July 2017

First-last mile environmental lifecycle assessment of multimodal
transit in Los Angeles
CHRISTOPHER G. HOEHNE – DOCTORAL STUDENT
M I K H A I L V. C H E S T E R – A S S O C I AT E P R O F E S S O R
C I V I L , E N V I R O N M E N TA L , & S U S TA I N A B L E E N G I N E E R I N G
A R I Z O N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

Outline
 Project motivation

 Project overview and scope
 Project methodology & data
 Life cycle impacts (per passenger mile)
 Multimodal impacts (per passenger trip)
 Reducing 10% of system GHG impacts

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 2
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Motivation in transportation
 There is a strong understanding of the
environmental impacts from unimodal trips.
 There is limited knowledge of the environmental
impacts from multimodal trips.

 Very limited knowledge of impacts from
automobile access and egress with transit.
Sources: Chester et al. 2013, LA Metro

Project Overview
 Assess impacts generated from 10
LA transit systems and LA
automobiles.
 Transit systems included:
 Metro Light Rail Transit (LRT, 4 lines)
 Metro Heavy Rail Transit (HRT, 1
line)
 Commuter Rail Transit (CRT, 1 line)
 Metro Local Bus
 Metro Rapid Bus
 Metro Express Bus
 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT, 1 line)

 LA Auto:
 25 MPG sedan

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 4
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Modal Split in LA
Modal Split

Transit Modal Split

1%

3%

3%

3%

2%

NonMotorized,
14%

Blue
6%

Purple/Red
10%
Orange/Silver 3%

Auto,
82%

Non-Motorized
Metro Transit

Bus 73%
(Local/Rapid/Express)

Auto
Other

Estimate via California Household Travel Survey
(Caltrans, 2013)
Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 5
Final Presentation | July 2017

Bus
Blue
Gold

BRT
Expo

Heavy Rail
Green

Estimate via LA Metro boardings
(LA Metro, 2016)
First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Life-Cycle Assessment Scope

 Vehicle
manufacturing
 Infrastructure
construction
 Electricity
production and
generation

 Material and
fuel extraction

 Vehicle operation & maintenance
 Infrastructure operation & maintenance
© Hydro-Québec

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 6
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Life Cycle Grouping

Automobiles/Buses

Rail

System Boundary

Vehicle
Manufacturing

 Vehicle Manufacturing
 Battery Manufacturing
 Transport to Point of Sale

 Train
 Transport to Point of Sale

Operation

 Propulsion
 Idling

 Propulsion
 Idling

Maintenance

 Typical Maintenance
 Tire Replacement
 Battery Replacement

 Typical Train Maintenance
 Train Cleaning
 Flooring Replacement

Construction

 Roadway

 Track
 Station

Operation

 Roadway Lighting
 Herbicide Use

 Track, Station, and Parking Lighting
 Herbicide Use
 Train Control
 Miscellaneous (Escalators,
Equipment)

Maintenance

 Roadway Maintenance

 Track and Station Maintenance

Parking

 Curbside Parking

 Dedicated Parking

 Gasoline/Diesel/Natural Gas
Extraction, Processing, &
Distribution

 Raw Fuel Extraction and Processing,
Electricity Generation, Transmission &
Distribution

Infrastructure

Energy Production
Extraction, Processing, &
Distribution

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 7
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Data & Tools
Trip data:
 California Household Travel Survey (CHTS, 2012-13)
 LA Metro On-board Surveys (2013 – current)
Transit operational data:
 Ridership & Operation Reports (2013 – current)

 Engineering design documents, Google Earth
Life-cycle Modeling:
 Modeling tools including SimaPro, GREET, CiRNLCA, and other components
 EcoInvent and EIOLCA database and empirical
studies
Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 8
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

LA Metro Rail Energy Use
Yearly LA Rail System Energy Use vs System Passenger Miles Traveled (PMT)

* Reflects 2013-2014 data
Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 9
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Bus & Metrolink Drive Cycles
 Local, Express, and Rapid Bus drive cycles were
estimated by matching similar empirically tested cycles
in similar buses (excluding Orange BRT).
 Estimated system fuel consumption (based on mileage)
was 4% lower for buses, and 7% lower than locomotives.
 Metrolink drive cycles developed from similar
locomotive operation impacts from Fritz (1994).

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 10
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Trip Characteristics (CHTS)
 Trip characteristics
determined for
each region/transit
system.

 Aggregation at the
zip code level, over
900 sub-regions.
 Auto trips are
shorter distance
than transit for
same ODs.

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 11
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Transit Access & Egress in LA
Access & Egress Modes
(2012-13 CHTS)
3%

16%

95%

Metro Bus
Walk/Bike

Auto

Access Mode
(2012-13 Metro Surveys)
11%
26%

79%

85%

Metro Rail

Metro Bus

Other

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 12
Final Presentation | July 2017

Walk/Bike

68%

Metro Rail
Auto

Other

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Per Passenger-mile Impacts
GHGs (g CO2e/PMT)

Respiratory (mg PM2.5e/PMT)

Smog (g O3e/PMT)

Note that
auto trips in
LA are ~2 pax
per trip

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 13
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

GHGs per Passenger-Trip
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS (kg CO2e per passenger trip)

Auto occupancies may be lower when
accessing or egressing transit

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 14
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

GHGs per Passenger-Trip
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS (kg CO2e per passenger trip)
Local Bus + Auto:
Uncommon, high
access distance

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 15
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Local vs Remote Impacts Per Passenger Trip

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 16
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

Present

Reducing 10% of GHG Impacts

Percent Shift Away from Auto Access/Egress

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 17
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

la.transportationlca.org
REPORT and DATA

chris.hoehne@asu.edu
mchester@asu.edu
/in/chrishoehne
/in/mikhailchester/

GHGs per Passenger-Trip (Long Term)
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS (kg CO2e per passenger trip)

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 19
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles

GHGs per Passenger-Trip (Long Term)
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS (kg CO2e per passenger trip)

Local Bus + Auto:
Uncommon, high
access distance

Hoehne & Chester | Arizona State University | Slide 20
Final Presentation | July 2017

First-last mile environmental life-cycle assessment
of multimodal transit in Los Angeles