TRB Planning Applications Identifying the Long-Range Transportation Improvement and Funding Needs for Urban Areas in Texas By Kevin M. Hall, Texas Transportation Institute Tim Lomax, Ph.D., P.E. Texas Transportation Institute Greg Lancaster, Texas Department of Transportation

TRB Planning Applications Identifying Needs and Solutions Texas Mobility PlansTexas Mobility Plans –Cooperative effort:  25 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs);  Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT);  Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). –Develop “Needs-Based” Plans

TRB Planning Applications What is a “Needs-Based” Plan? Extension of current financially constrained planning process (i.e. MTP’s);Extension of current financially constrained planning process (i.e. MTP’s); Identifies/addresses unmet needs;Identifies/addresses unmet needs; Return to “Vision” oriented approach:Return to “Vision” oriented approach: –Mobility goals that lead to…  Multimodal corridor solutions, including…  People and Freight. Strategic plan and funding requirements – not a detailed project list.Strategic plan and funding requirements – not a detailed project list.

TRB Planning Applications Mobility Plans and the Texas Congestion Index (TCI) A process and one of several performance measures;A process and one of several performance measures; Estimation techniques to produce the measures developed from:Estimation techniques to produce the measures developed from: –Urban travel demand models; and, based on –Air quality modeling procedures; Statewide consistent model and air quality conformity analysis process (TxDOT-TPP).Statewide consistent model and air quality conformity analysis process (TxDOT-TPP). What is it?

TRB Planning Applications Texas Congestion Index Examines results with freeways, arterials and transit;Examines results with freeways, arterials and transit; Peak period travel (6 AM to 9 AM; 4PM to 7PM);Peak period travel (6 AM to 9 AM; 4PM to 7PM); Used to measure current and future conditions;Used to measure current and future conditions; Can perform “What-If” scenarios;Can perform “What-If” scenarios; Open process for user input.Open process for user input.

TRB Planning Applications Texas Congestion Index Basis of measurement is:Basis of measurement is: Value of Time Required for a Trip During Peak Period (6-9 a.m., 4-7 p.m.) Value of Time Required for the Same Trip at Free-Flow Speeds

TRB Planning Applications Texas Congestion Index TCI Value of 1.3:TCI Value of 1.3: –Indicates that a peak period trip requires 30 percent more travel time than the same trip at free flow speeds – or – –A 20 minute free-flow trip would require 26 minutes in the peak.

TRB Planning Applications “Needs-Based” TDM Process Step 1: MTP assignment;Step 1: MTP assignment; –Capacity restraint assignment; –Identifies links exceeding congestion threshold value. Step 2: All-or-nothing assignmentStep 2: All-or-nothing assignment –Basis for identifying “needs” and adding capacity; Step 3: Edit links on network exceeding threshold congestion level;Step 3: Edit links on network exceeding threshold congestion level; 5 Steps (Primarily Automated)

TRB Planning Applications “Needs-Based” TDM Process

TRB Planning Applications “Needs-Based” TDM Process Step 4: Mobility assignment;Step 4: Mobility assignment; - Second capacity restraint assignment. Step 5: Determine network and assignment result differences between MTP and “Mobility” assignments.Step 5: Determine network and assignment result differences between MTP and “Mobility” assignments. Continued

TRB Planning Applications “Needs-Based” TDM Products FacilityTypeDeltaVMTDeltaVHT Delta Lane Miles Interstate-8, Freeway89,3871, Prin. Art. 112,5802, Minor Art. -272,845-6, Corpus Christi Study Area Example Note: Summed for all area types.

TRB Planning Applications “Needs-Based” TDM Products Corpus Christi Long Range Plan

TRB Planning Applications “Needs-Based” TDM Products Corpus Christi Needs-Based Plan

TRB Planning Applications “Needs-Based” TDM Process Travel model runs to support Mobility Plans:Travel model runs to support Mobility Plans: –Base year; –Forecast (MTP Improvements); –“Needs-Based”/Mobility Plan; –No-build scenario; –Innovative financing option. –Interim years if available…

TRB Planning Applications “Basic” TCI Calculation Steps Obtain planning model volumes with transit trips already removed;Obtain planning model volumes with transit trips already removed; Derive travel speeds on links by hour from volumes and capacities;Derive travel speeds on links by hour from volumes and capacities; –Utilizes air quality process. Use free-flow speeds as “base case”;Use free-flow speeds as “base case”; –Table of equals by urban area.

TRB Planning Applications “Basic” TCI Calculation Steps Calculate recurring and incident delay:Calculate recurring and incident delay: Account for delay reduction “credits” for operational improvements “not in model”;Account for delay reduction “credits” for operational improvements “not in model”; Summarize by geography, system element and time;Summarize by geography, system element and time; Calculate measures (i.e. TCI value).Calculate measures (i.e. TCI value). Continued

TRB Planning Applications Identifying the Funding Gap 1.71 – No Build Scenario * MTP Improvements (Financially-Constrained Plan) (Financially-Constrained Plan) 1.08 – Mobility Plan Eliminating Severe Congestion 1.39 – Innovative Unfunded Gap TCI Values Values 1.00 – No Delay Financing Solutions

TRB Planning Applications Estimating the Cost of Implementing Mobility Plans What is the cost for adding the lanes miles to eliminate V/C ratio > 1.0 in MTP?What is the cost for adding the lanes miles to eliminate V/C ratio > 1.0 in MTP? –5 years of letting history analyzed to develop cost factors Four main project categories:Four main project categories: –New capacity on new right-of-way; –New capacity on existing right-of-way; –New capacity and reconstruction; and, –Reconstruction only.

TRB Planning Applications Lane Mile Costs Categories Area:Area: –DFW-Houston; –Austin-San Antonio-El Paso; –All other urban areas. Four main project categories;Four main project categories; Roadway type: Freeway or arterial, andRoadway type: Freeway or arterial, and Area type (CBD, urban, suburban, rural).Area type (CBD, urban, suburban, rural).

TRB Planning Applications Lane Mile Costs New Construction on New Right-of-Way (million $) Area Type - FacilityType Dallas-Ft. Worth Houston Austin San Antonio El Paso All Other UrbanAreas CBD Freeway CBD Arterial Urban Freeway Urban Arterial Suburban Freeway Suburban Arterial Rural Freeway Rural Arterial

TRB Planning Applications Lane Mile Costs Other Construction: New capacity on existing ROW, new capacity and reconstruction, and reconstruction only (million $) Area Type - Facility Type Dallas-Ft. Worth Houston Austin San Antonio El Paso All Other UrbanAreas CBD Freeway CBD Arterial Urban Freeway Urban Arterial Suburban Freeway Suburban Arterial Rural Freeway Rural Arterial

TRB Planning Applications Lane Mile Costs Other Construction category weightings:Other Construction category weightings: –New capacity on existing right-of-way 40% –New capacity and reconstruction 50% –Reconstruction only 10% Most accurately represent future project mix,Most accurately represent future project mix, Costs for interchanges, ramps, elevated structures also estimated….Costs for interchanges, ramps, elevated structures also estimated….

TRB Planning Applications Significant Mobility Needs in State $188 billion in needed projects to achieve acceptable levels of mobility in Texas;$188 billion in needed projects to achieve acceptable levels of mobility in Texas; $102 billion estimated to meet those needs;$102 billion estimated to meet those needs; Therefore; there is a total funding gap of $86 billion…Therefore; there is a total funding gap of $86 billion…

TRB Planning Applications Significant Mobility Needs Locally Dallas-Fort Worth: $19.5 billionDallas-Fort Worth: $19.5 billion Austin: $18.3 billionAustin: $18.3 billion Houston: $16 billionHouston: $16 billion El Paso: $10.5 billionEl Paso: $10.5 billion Tyler: $349 millionTyler: $349 million Harlingen-San Benito: $139 millionHarlingen-San Benito: $139 million Brownsville: $97 millionBrownsville: $97 million

TRB Planning Applications Significant Mobility Needs Locally Total additional lane miles needed for the eight TMAs in Texas:Total additional lane miles needed for the eight TMAs in Texas: –11,346 lane miles (2025 value) Lanes miles used as a surrogate for all types of congestion relieving projectsLanes miles used as a surrogate for all types of congestion relieving projects

TRB Planning Applications Conclusions Mobility plans:Mobility plans: –Identify needs beyond MTP; –Identify benefits of addressing needs; –Examine innovative solutions to address unmet needs;

TRB Planning Applications Questions???