January 2009 Transportation 2009 Support for transportation choices and alternatives Jon Boyd
January You might expect people to be interested… In the next 20 years, our region will spend more than $100 billion on transportation infrastructure That’s $5 billion of public funds annually Sidewalks, streets, highways, rail lines affect us all Where and how we build infrastructure dramatically affects quality of life in our communities
January but more than 40 agencies are planning… TxDOT Texas Department of Transportation Local cities TIRZ Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones You & Me Transportation’s “pecking” order Neighborhoods HCTRA Harris Cty Toll Road Auth Counties MD Management Districts
January … and the process takes many years
January If neighborhoods want better projects and better quality of life, then what do we do?
January Members of the Citizens’ Transportation Coalition are working for: The Citizens’ Transportation Coalition envisions transportation solutions that improve quality of life. OUR VISION CTC advocates a broad-based public educational and planning process to identify neighborhood aspirations and the best transportation options to achieve them. OUR MISSION
January What kinds of transportation policies might improve our quality of life?
January We need strategies both to accommodate growth and to preserve neighborhoods… Dan Burdem Town Center article
January We need to build more mobility choices 1 out of 5 adult Texans cannot or does not drive Everyone is a pedestrian at some times in their lives –children, injured, disabled, seniors, and poor –even you… when your car is in the repair shop
January We need to make public transit more effective Transit requires appropriate development (min density) ask for complementary local development guidelines We can make the case for additional funding: –ask Congress to bring federal transit dollars here –ask Texas legislators to fund freight and commuter rail –ask Counties to fund local transit options
January We need to invest in freight rail…
January And we need agencies to cooperate…
January So… when neighborhoods are ready to make something happen, what can you do?
January Consider adopting the CTC resolution
January Questions?