Travis County Commissioners Court
January 19, 2010,
Item 26
>> number 26 is to consider and take appropriate action on request from the down tine alliance for county participation in study of the feasibility of a downtown Austin transportation management association.
good morning.
>> thank you.
>> I'll pass them down for you.
>> thank you.
>> my name is thomas butler.
i'm program director with the downtown alliance.
i thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning.
i want to take a couple minutes to explain an effort that the downtown Austin alliance is undertaking.
and request county's participation in that effort.
one of the downtown Austin alliance's primary goals is to ip prove access to downtown and mobility within downtown.
we know that access is vital to the continued economic health of downtown and by extension to the entire region.
as we have more and more vehicles on the street, of course that access is more and more difficult.
we know that one key to improving the access is capital improvement projects such as roads and rail.
we also know that those projects we think of that as the supply of capacity, have a long time line and are generally very expensive.
as we continue to support those we also wanted to look at something more immediate and we looked at demand side of that equation and how do you add just the demand for the capacity that we already have.
one of the documents you have before you is printed out powerpoint and there's a short definition of transportation demand management.
i'll summarize it even more.
it's using strategies to move more people and fewer vehicles.
there's a variety of ways to do that.
we see here in Austin some of these implements now.
although a bit of a piecemeal basis.
what we are interested in is the establishment of a transportation management association, which is a group that works primarily to implement these strategies in more of a systemic way.
there's a short definition also of a transportation management association there for you.
we came to the conclusion that this was a course of action to pursue over time.
we have researched many other cities that have transportation management associations because they often work in a geographic area.
we have seen many examples in down towns around the country.
in may of this year we invited the gentleman who is an executive director of transportation management association in portland, oregon, to visit and speak to us at a breakfast eat.
it was eye opening.
he explained when they began efforts in 1998, I believe, they saw that they would no longer be able to bring additional single occupant vehicles into their business district.
they set goals for mode splits they wanted to see, much more of a split, higher percentage of people coming in by transit, bicycle, walking, carpooling.
they set some pretty aggressive targets and wanted to go from 72 percent drive alone rate to a 33 percent drive alone rate.
and that was over the period of 1994 to 2015.
they are very close already to their goal.
they still have four years to go.
but that was a tremendous achievement.
we were very inspired, to say the least, and would like to see something similar happen here in Austin.
fortuitously, about that same time Texas transportation insurance tut was wrapping--institute was wrapping up a study on the possible application and outcome of tma and more transportation demand management programs in the Austin area.
they broke the area down by employment regions.
the downtown area was right behind the university area in the region that would benefit the most.
fairly large document.
i didn't want to print the whole thing out for you.
but I have e-mailed it over to peter and asked that he make that available for you.
you do have on the fourth page of your, of the powerpoint handout, that moderate implementation of transportation demand management strategies would reduce a 2.3 reduction in peak period trips over a five-year period, aggressive implementation could reduce single occupant vehicles by up to 9.9 percent, which is very significant.
following our review of that research, we enlisted the aid of par son springer hoffman and one of his researchers very experienced with these sorts of associations.
we requested proposals from several national consultants.
and with the aid of our researcher, david ungama, we went over the documents.
we think we found the best proposal in one from a company called urban trends out of washington d c.
the other document you have before you is a copy of their proposal.
quickly going through the of that, what they are proposing is a feedibility study for transportation management association.
a lot of research done by tti would typically be the kind of research they would do at beginning of their process that has already been done for them.
but what they would have left to do would be to assess the feasibility, the attitudes and willingness of private and public stakeholders who would both need to take part in an association in order to ensure success.
and those people who would also benefit from it.
that would entail sare is of stakeholders meetings, and feasible study, where an organization would be housed, how it would be run and staffed.
they could come back with the recommendation that maybe that is not the way for us to go but they would offer some other suggestions.
based on the preliminary discussions, they think downtown Austin is primed for a transportation management association and would get maximum benefit.
>> any of this would consider, if I could interrupt you.
i can wait until you finish.
i have a couple of questions.
>> I will wrap it up really quickly.
the last of what they would produce would be a business plan and an implementation plan.
they would assist us with the implementation of the transportation management association.
i mentioned that they would probably help us determine the cost of what it would cost to run an association for the first three years.
conventional wisdom looking at other organizes around the country shows we would be looking at about 2000 to 250,000 to run the program for the first three years.
we are not here today to seek funding.
that would be premature.
>> 250,000 to run the program?
>> that is the expected cost that will be revealed by the study.
and just to be clear, I'm sorry, it is the study right now that we are seeking participation in.
>> I understand.
i'm just talking about the cost to actually operate the business plan for the program.
>> yes, sir.
>> is that had a continuing cost of $250 now?
let me wait until you finish the presentation.
my questions are coming before you finish.
i'm sorry.
go ahead.
>> okay.
the cost for the study is $27,200.
>> I understand.
>> that would take place between February of this year and October of this year.
currently the downtown Austin alliance board of directors has approved spending up to $10,000 toward that cost.
capital metro and city of Austin have approved spending $6,000.
and we had here today to ask that the county come in as partner also ats 6,000.
the county is a major downtown employer.
major part of the public sector here.
and we would hope that you would be a participant and also a primary been factorer with your employment body here.
>> okay.
>> that concludes.
i am happy to answer any questions.
>> thank you.
didn't mean to interrupt you during.
>> that is fine.
>> the questions jump out of your head and sometimes you counties hold them back.
anyway, thank you very much.
and my concern is several.
number unwith, when you mentioned--number one, when you mentioned the cost of 250,000 to operate the business plan, how would that be funded?
>> part of the feasibility study will suggest funding mechanisms.
we know a lot of regions that have implemented tma, transportation management association, have been in nonattainment areas and they had c mac money to rely on.
we unfortunately don't have that designation and that would probably not be an option available for us, but we would look for other sources of money including private and public sector.
>> so this is an effort going toward achieving, ensuring that we stay within an attainment status that we are in now.
>> yes.
>> but my understanding is that we could be looking at a new set of standards as far as attainment is concerned.
>> yes, sir.
>> and the new standard that we will be looking at would be about, if this is, if it goes that direction, would be about 60 parts per billion which would be accepted, as opposed to now over 75 parts per billion with attain am.
we predict we won't meet that, which means we will be in nonattainment status.
so the funding mechanism of this $270,000, I am wondering as you are asking the county now to put up, what, $6,000 in this particular $27,000 effort, so I have some concern about that.
not saying that I don't think it's something we maybe should do, but my concern is several.
especially if this particular business plan will come back and say, well, you put this up, this $6,000 up to go along with the other things.
we'll let request come back to also fund the $270, divided by the three entities, cap metro, city of Austin and Travis County to divide that.
(change in captioners) I'm just kind of nervous about especially in tough economic times as we're in, especially on the taxes that people are crying about.
the city of Austin is the big kid on the block, they can do everything.
they have all sources of way of generating revenue but here at Travis County we have two ways, through property taxes and finding fees, that's it.
we don't own no utility, we don't own this, we don't own that some of when we go to the general fund, that's something that comes from the person out there struggling paying their property taxes, or their fines and fees.
some concern about that.
even though we're set aside money earlier, and I'm not knocking it, I think it is a good idea, but a lot of loose ends for me and I'm just laying these loose ends out.
not discrediting you or anybody else and what anybody is attempting to do, I'm not, but just laying these loose ends out and hoping they can come together for the benefit of the whole.
but when we're talking about tax dollars here in Travis County, we've got to really be careful because Travis County has a very limited way of getting money here on the table, whereas the city has very, very -- many windows they put money on their table to spend.
we don't have the luxury.
so we've got to be very careful on how we spend taxpayer's money, especially after we only got two sources of bringing in the revenue.
>> yes, sir.
>> you understand what I'm saying?
>> yes, sir.
so I'm not knocking what you're doing, I think there needs to be a lot of other things -- I think it is a great idea but I'm laying it out like I see it.
>> you raise a number of interesting points.
if I may address those, the public input and what we would be proposing, the purpose of the study is to asker is taken that, the strategy -- ascertain that, what strategies strategies woult in Austin and that would be through public comment and stakeholder surveys and one-on-one interviews with major employers from downtown and also be interviews and survey work done with employees who would be the main beneficiaries of the service.
>> thomas, can I ask you a couple of questions?
>> yes.
>> can you tell me what other major cities in Texas have tma?
>> houston has at least one, I believe two.
and dallas has one, as well.
i'm not sure about san antonio.
i would have to check on that one.
>> okay.
and in the houston and dallas experiences with their tmas, does the tti study show their reduction in vmt attributable to their tmas?
>> the tti study was specific to Austin.
>> okay.
my understand, after watching the presentation on several occasions is capacity for the central business district with toward vehicular traffic is maxed out?
>> yes.
>> this is no more capacity to be built for vehicular traffic.
and you had pointed out our stake in the central business district.
i have to confess I thought this is a city thing, not a county thing, but we are a major in the business district and destination for people doing jury duty and coming to central booking and doing business with our courts.
what is the daa's -- what is the plan with regard to pulling in private partners for the eventual program.
not the study by the actually tma?
>> part of the primary study will be, as I said, the interviews and survey work that goes hand in hand with educational efforts to explain to our major employers exactly what strategies could be implemented, get their feedback on that and work on how that could benefit them and that is in a variety of ways from bringing up parking to -- which also results in monetary savings if they're not paying for employee parking, results in higher customer satisfaction if they're able to reach downtown for their business needs, higher employee satisfaction if they're not finding themselves sitting on the highway for an extra 20 minutes on the way to work.
there are a number of benefits, most of which can be quantified and we would track that very closely and quantify that over the operation.
>> one of the tools you're looking at with regard to tdm strategies to influence travel choices, one of the tools you're looking at in regard to educating employers downtown about the qualified transportation benefits to the federal government?
>> absolutely.
>> we are also looking at that now and trying to figure out how it would fit in our joe all plan.
you had mentioned a of thousand ask, and I had spoken with charlie earlier, if part of the study is to find out what major employers and what geographic areas of the central business district would be most appropriate for a tma.
that's my understanding.
am I correct?
>> yes.
>> so we're not sure at this point whether the county, as one of those employers, would be appropriate for inclusion or the county's campus most appropriate for inclusion.
and my understanding from champly was that it is a -- charlie was that it was a of thousand app fan we're not included in the tma that we would be refunded.
>> that is an important point and thank you for bringing that up.
i was at that meeting and that is what we would be willing to do.
>> thank you for corroborating that on the record.
i appreciate it.
is it the goal for the daa -- does the daa have a goal at this basis point regard to private participation in the annual program costs that would be somewhere between 200 and 250,000?
>> well, it would be premature to set a specific goal as we don't know exactly what the cost would be.
i would say as a general goal we will be aggressively seeking public and private participation.
>> and at this point, just with regard to the study since the study is projected to be 27,200, daa does represent more than a third as a private, not for profit entity, but representing downtown business owners, it is representing more than a third of the cost of the study?
>> yes.
>> thanks.
>> mr.
priest.
>> morris priest.
i just wanted to mention to you that I was thinking about some of the issues that Commissioner Davis brought up earlier, and university of Texas, you know they have said that they're not going to contribute anything to any of the downtown transportation modes, rail or anything.
they have been just, you know, strongly stating that, yet the city is recently had two proposals on their agenda, one for 200,000, one for $300,000, and $155,000 of one of those studies that they had on the city council agenda was to give money to ut to do a study.
and becausecally, what I'm saying is, you know, we have studied these issues to death.
we have a technical advisory committee with campo, Austin urban transportation boards and commissions, the city council.
there is more organizations studying this thing to death than there is dollars.
and so I would just, you know, ask you all not to spend another dime on studying anything because we don't first of all have the funds, just like when he came up here and you all sent the letters out for funding because they were concerned about their planning organization not having funds, which none of us in the community that were informed about this topic thought that there would be any danger.
the next week at another group, the transit working group, I saw joe just a few days after being here answer says txdot is going to fund our mpos so we don't have to worry about funding.
but I think that all of these issues I've seen on transportation lead up to just more and more funding that goes to nothing that's going to, you know, help us in transportation.
but this thing has really just been studied to death and we just need the funding and spending more money on studies is just not a good idea.
thank you.
>> what steps will you take to insure that we don't duplicate work that others have either already doing or have done?
>> a great deal of the work that others have done is on the supply side of the equation, as I mentioned at the very beginning, looking at how to bring in rail, how to increase capacity on mopac, and as I mentioned, those are very important and we support those efforts.
this is one of the only efforts, there is community solutions coalition which also does some traffic, excuse me, transportation demand management work, however, they're much broader in scope, they are city wide and beyond.
this would be very specific to downtown and would focus their efforts and would, in fact, use their efforts as one of the tools in the tool box.
>> I may have missed this already but how did you arrive at the figure of of thousand?
>> the daa board approved spending up to 10,000 that left a balance --
>> what the?
>> the downtown Austin alliance board approved --
>> downtown Austin alliance board.
>> yes, sir, our board of directors, approved spending up to 10,000 of the study cost.
we began seeking public participation in the first two public entities that we spoke with who were able to participate were the city and capital metro.
they were both willing to do of thousand, anticipating a third partner which would roughly split the difference between the total cost of what the daa was able to pay.
>> they've already agreed to contribute the of thousand 6,00?
>> yes, sir.
anything else?
>> I would like to see if there is anyway possible -- I would like to get more information.
do we have to make a decision today?
is it going to hurt anything?
>> does affect you all if we wait a week?
>> it does not.
>> because there is still a lot of loose ends out floor me and if I vote on something I want to make sure I have all the adequate information that I need to make that type of vote.
and again, some questions that I asked about, you know, coast of this, the future, and I guess is that an on going cost of $270,000 we're talking about?
>> that's the three-year cost.
>> just the three-year cost.
$270,000 for the next three years for the business plan to be implemented?
>> yes, sir.
>> is that right?
>> yes, sir.
>> all right.
and again, I'm just really concern about the public input, what the study -- where the study actually would be incurred and, of course, you know, Travis County is also doing something very innovative right now and that is going to be coming up very shortly and that's express shuttle, getting folks in and downtown to Travis County for Travis County employees, to also reduce the emissions, vehicle emissions, that's the purpose of that.
now --
>> back on next week, right?
>> yeah.
so if you let me just --
>> back on next week.
>> let me allow for that.
>> January 26.
>> thank you.
i will be giving you a call.
i will get a contact number for you.
>> thank you.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 4:03 PM
