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Texas Department of Transportation Corpus Christi District. U.S. 181 (Harbor Bridge) Environmental Documentation and Schematic Development Citizens’ Advisory Committee March 7-8, 2006. Welcome. Tonight’s Agenda. Introductions Project status and schedule
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Texas Department of TransportationCorpus Christi District U.S. 181 (Harbor Bridge) Environmental Documentation and Schematic Development Citizens’ Advisory Committee March 7-8, 2006
Tonight’s Agenda • Introductions • Project status and schedule • New approaches to transportation project funding • Public input process for design guidelines for new bridge • Alternative alignments for new bridge • Preparation for public meeting
Project Status • Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) • Schematic Development • Public Involvement
EIS • Conducted field survey of historic resources in January 2006 • Began draft park land impact evaluation (T.C. Ayers Park) • The red and orange corridor will be studied in detail • Ready to begin impact evaluation of proposed alignments
Schematic Development • Continued to develop alternative alignments • TxDOT prepared review comments on four alternatives. • Met Jan 23 with the City of Corpus Christi, MPO, and the Port of Corpus Christi
Public Involvement • Developed project website: www.harborbridgereplacement.com • Planned CAC meetings • Held stakeholder meetings
Transportation Funding Issues • Who pays? • How much do we pay? • Why do we have a problem with transportation funding? • What does the future hold?
Who Pays? • Federal government • TxDOT • Both • None of the above
Who Pays? You pay
How Much Do We Pay? • State gas tax - $0.20/gal of gas consumed • Federal gas tax - $0.184/gal of gas consumed
Is the State Gas Tax Spent Just on Highway Construction? • Federal gas tax – 90% returned to Texas • State gas tax – 60% spent on highways
How the state fuel tax is spent? Public Schools 24¢ ($695.1 million) TxDOT 59¢ ($1.702 billion) DPS 13¢($376 million) Other 4¢($120.9 million)
Why Do We Have a Problem with Transportation Funding? Recent studies indicate that: • Passenger cars used 209 gallons less in 2002 than 1970. • Trucks used 220 gallons less in 2002 than 1970. • However, we drive twice as many miles today than 25 years ago.
Why Do We Have a Problem with Transportation Funding? 1980 2003 % Increase • Population 14 million 22 million 57% • Vehicles 11.7 million 18.9 million 61% • Lanes – miles 175,000 189,000 8%
State Gas Tax Trends $0.30 $0.25 $0.216 $0.20 $0.15 $0.10 $0.075 $0.05 $0.024 $0.00 1963 2003 Purchasing Power in 2003 Source: Edward J. Regan, Moving Off the Gas Tax: Implications for the Toll Industry, August 2004, Tollways.
What Does the Future Hold? • More fuel efficient vehicles • By 2010, fuel consumption reduced another 30 to 40%
What Does the Future Hold? (cont.) • Great for the environment • Great for conservation • Great for reducing our reliance on foreign oil
What Does the Future Hold? (cont.) But not so great for transportation funding…. particularly if we continue to rely on the gas tax
What Does the Future Hold? (cont.) SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
What Does the Future Hold? (cont.) • Short term – now until about 2020 • Long term – After 2020
Long Term Direct User Fees: • Pilot Program currently underway by Oregon DOT • Participants do not pay a gas tax • Instead, participants pay a user fee based on distance traveled • Vehicles and pumps equipped with GPS technology
Short Term • Expansion of toll roads • Tax on highly fuel efficient vehicles • Increased investment from the private sector in the funding of highways • Indexing the gas tax to inflation
Main Span and Navigation Clearance Proposed Red Corridor Alignment 1642’ 200’ 800’ Channel
Main Span and Navigation Clearance Proposed Orange Corridor Alignment 860’ 200’ 300’ Channel
Steel Box 200 600 Segmental 200 600 Truss 500 1,200 Arch 500 1,200 1,600 Cable Stayed 600 1,500 Suspension 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Span in Feet Source: FHWA Bridge Type vs. Span Length