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The New Transportation Planning Paradigm. 2012 ITE Western District Conference Don Samdahl, P.E., PTP Julie Morgan, AICP. June 2012. Uncontrolled growth. Past Planning Practices. The good old days?. The Problem - or is it?. Striking the Right Balance. Land Use Growth.
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The New Transportation Planning Paradigm 2012 ITE Western District Conference Don Samdahl, P.E., PTP Julie Morgan, AICP June 2012
Uncontrolled growth Past Planning Practices The good old days?
The Problem - or is it?
Striking the Right Balance Land Use Growth Transportation Plan Adequate Facilities (LOS Standard) Financial Resources
Big Regional projects are essential to our future Funding will be there Typical Planning Responses- Variation 1
Wish and pray that congestion goes away- the minimalistic approach Typical Planning Responses- Variation 2
The Result of Today’s Paradigm Disconnect between Planning & Reality Source: New York Times
Performance Standards Land Use Plans Funding Availability The Reality Out of Balance
Evolving Community Values • Recognizing Choices and Tradeoffs • Sustainability (ecology, environmental, economy) • Accessibility (people and goods) • Mobility • Hierarchy of Modes (size) • Pedestrian • Bicyclist • Bus • Auto • Truck • Train
Community Values Matter • Balancing Objectives • Reducing vehicle travel time • Increasing pedestrian crossing times, delay, and exposure to vehicles • Increasing distances between land uses • Increasing stormwater runoff • Removing riparian habitat • Increasing heat island effect
LOS: In the Eye of the Beholder To a driver: LOS A To a driver: LOS F To an economist: LOS F To an economist: LOS A
Illustration of Alternative 5 (bicycle/pedestrian bridge) and analysis by mode Whose LOS is most important? Source: Conventional Level of Service Analysis, Thresholds, and Policies Get a Failing Grade, Milam and Mitchell, 2007
Moving Closer to Balance • More realistic performance standards • More transparent planning processes
How Have we Paid for these Transportation Improvements? • Traditional Funding Sources • Grants • Local Improvement Districts • City General Funds • Developer Environmental Mitigation Agreements
Typical Transportation Funding Plan • Use Existing Funding Sources • Seek New Funding Sources
Impact Fee Program City adopted 30%= $56 Million Revenue
Typical Transportation Funding Plan • Use Existing Funding Sources • Seek New Funding Sources
Example 2-City of Manteca, CA – In Need of a Paradigm Shift? “There is a disconnect between land use utilization patterns in the adopted Plan and the financial reality of constructing the infrastructure necessary to accommodate that utilization.”- Community Development Action Plan, January 2008
How to Achieve Better Balance? • Choices • Modify expectations about traffic operations (reduce LOS thresholds) • Modify design standards • Change prioritization criteria • Reduce vehicle demand • Change land use plans • Increase cost of vehicle travel Depend on other community values
Balanced, layered multimodal networksthat serve pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists, and freight/goods movement. Example 3- A Balanced Transportation Plan with Constraints
But Can the City Afford this Plan? Proposed Transportation Plan • $ 360-400 M over 20 years • $ 16-20 M annually to achieve desired LOS Funding Realities • Historic Capital Expenditures= $5 M annually • Next 20 years= $100M
What to do? • Identify other funding sources • Adjust LOS standards (matched to values) • Reexamine land use growth expectations
Other Approaches: Eliminate Traditional LOS Metrics • Paso Robles: daily capacity utilization • St Helena: accessibility • Emeryville: Quality of Service • Fort Collins: multi-modal LOS • Redwood City: balance needs of all users
Don Samdahl • d.samdahl@fehrandpeers.com • (206) 576-4242 • Co-author • Julie Morgan Questions?