1. May 2009 Changing Direction Federal transportation funding Christof Spieler http://ctchouston.org

2. May 20092

3. 3 FHWA FTA

4. May 20094

5. 5 In the road business since 1893 FHWA

6. May 20096 Federal roadway funding

7. May 20097 Federal roadway funding Photo: Kir Murray

8. May 20098 Federal roadway funding

9. May 20099 The Grand Parkway

10. May 200910 Step 1: Add project to Regional Plan 1966: add to Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan

11. May 200911 Step 2: Environmental clearance Segment ETxDOT released the Segment E Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in Dec 2007 record of decisionFHWA granted a record of decision in Sept 2008 federal lawsuitSierra Club filed a federal lawsuit over the inadequacy of the environmental assessment in March 2009 Sept 2008: Record of Decision Dec 2007: Segment E Final Environmental Impact Statement 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007: public meetings 1993-2007: Environmental process

12. May 200912 Step 2: Environmental clearance

13. May 200913 Step 3: Feds fund the project March 2009: TxDOT allocates $181 million to Grand Parkway

14. May 200914 Missing step: Assess cost effectiveness The 15 miles of SH 99 from I-10 to US 290 will cost $1 billion to build and maintain over its lifetime, while only generating $162 million in gas taxes. – TxDOT, November 2006

15. May 200915 Missing step: Assess cost effectiveness “The Grand Parkway… will be an opportunity to open up areas for development in the Greater Houston area” – John Barton, TxDOT

16. May 200916 In the transit business since 1961 FTA

17. May 200917 The Southeast Line METRO’s Southeast rail line

18. May 200918 Step 1: Alternatives analysis Feb 2002, May 2002, Jan 2003, Mar 2003: public meetings Dec 2001- Nov 2003: Alternatives Analysis study

19. May 200919 Bonus step: Referendum November 2003: Voters approve METRO Solutions

20. May 200920 Step 2: Add project to regional plan June 2004: public workshops February 2004: TPC adds Southeast Line to RTP

21. May 200921 Step 3: Meet cost-effectiveness requirements June 2005: METRO switches to BRT April 2005: FTA gives medium-low rating

22. May 200922 Step 4: Environmental clearance February 2007: Record of Decision January 2007: Final Environmental Impact Statement July 2006: Draft Environmental Impact Statement, public hearing Feb/Mar 2006: Public workshops

23. May 200923 Step 5: Try again Oct 2007: METRO goes back to LRT

24. May 200924 Step 6: Environmental clearance (again) July 2008: Record of Decision May 2008: Supplemental EIS, public hearing October 2007: FTA asks for SEIS

25. May 200925 Step 7: Risk analysis 2008-present: risk assessment

26. May 200926 Step 8: Feds fund the project, maybe? May 2009: FTA indicates that FFGA may be issued FY2010 March 2009: $30 million from stimulus on second try

27. May 200927 15.2 miles6.2 miles Which project should be funded?

28. May 200928 Which project should be funded? $622 million$680 million

29. May 200929 Which project should be funded? 103,246 people+jobs (3 mi.)163,000 people+jobs (1/2 mi.)

30. 30 “This Administration believes that people should have options to get to work, school, the grocery or the doctor that do not rely solely on driving. We want to transform our transportation system into a truly multimodal system with strong alternatives to driving in order to maximize highway capacity, combat traffic congestion, reduce our reliance on oil and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.” - Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation

31. May 200931 FHWA FTA Do we need to kick the buckets?

32. May 200932 Questions? http://ctchouston.org