470 likes | 488 Views
General Purpose Lanes on I-77. The Plan…. February, 2015. Overview. Project Overview Status Actions Q&A. The Problem. Congested stretch of four lane road from mm21 to exit 36… with “no money” to widen it. A Solution. Add a general purpose lane in both directions 13 miles
E N D
General Purpose Lanes on I-77 The Plan… February, 2015
Overview • Project Overview • Status • Actions • Q&A
The Problem Congested stretch of four lane road from mm21 to exit 36… with “no money” to widen it
A Solution • Add a general purpose lane in both directions • 13 miles • $80- 130M (est) Source: “I-77 Feasibility Study,” December 7, 2009
The Current Plan • Privately Operated Toll Lanes • 27.5 Miles • $655 M Source: NCDOT Press Release, April 11, 2014
How Toll Lanes Work • Built and operated under an exclusive 50 year contract • Vehicles with 3+ occupants use lane for free • Electronic Tolling- no toll booths • Guaranteed minimum speed • No limit on tolls • “Congestion pricing” • More congestion in “free” lanes = higher price to use toll lanes Business Model Ensures Congestion
Difference General Purpose Lanes Toll Lanes • ~13miles 27.5miles • ~$100 million $655 million • 2-4 lanes All of RoW • Able to expand U.R.I.F. No improvements for 50 years
Why the difference? Majority of travel time savings Majority of Cost Source: RFP
Example: Toll Lane Flyover Source: NCDOT
The Cost Of Toll Lanes Source: I-77 JLTCO Report, 4-25-14, WI77 analysis
Taxpayer Obligation • Taxpayer Contribution $88M • For private tolling lanes • Taxpayer Subsidy $75M • To cover potential revenue shortfalls • Taxpayer Bonus Allocation $30M • For improving private toll lanes Total: $193M Substantial Taxpayer Involvement for Having “No Money” Source: I-77 JLTCO Report, 4-25-14, WI77 analysis
Toll Rates 2015 $20 Round Trip When Toll Lanes Open Source: I-77 HOT Lanes Technical Memorandum #6, Stantec, Sept 4, 2012
Toll Rates 2035 $40 Round Trip In Twenty Years ??? Source: I-77 HOT Lanes Technical Memorandum #6, Stantec, Sept 4, 2012
Cintra’s Answer Source: “How much will I-77 tolls cost?”, WCNC, August 21, 2014
Congestion On General Lanes Average Commute Time- Charlotte to Mooresville Commute Time Lengthens By An Hour per Day Source: I-77 HOT Lanes Technical Memorandum #6, Stantec, Sept 4, 2012
Typical Access Point Source: Executed Comprehensive Agreement
Access Points South of Exit 33 South of Westmoreland At Hambright South of WT Harris Exits 23, 25, 30, 31 Bypassed Source: Transportation Funding Update, Huntersville Town Board, Oct 20, 2014
Where Would You Locate Your Business/Home? Lake Norman? Guaranteed congestion and increased travel costs Concord? I-85 widened with GP lanes/New Interchanges Gastonia? I-85 to be widened with GP lanes/CLT Proximity Rock Hill? I-77 No Tolls/Low Taxes/CLT Proximity LKN: A Uniquely Poor Position
Debt Service CA 91 I-95 MIA HOU, DEN, MSP, SAN + 6 OTHERS Historically high tolls required from second smallest metro area Source: Financial Plan, Cintra, June 26, 2014; WI77 Analysis; “Managed Lane Pricing Guide”, FHWA, 2012
Why would our government fund such a project? We cannot assume the bond markets will come to their senses
Status • “Commercial Close” • Contract signed June 26, 2014 • Lawsuit Filed January 20, 2015 • “Financial Close” Deadline Missed • Was supposed to be January 22, 2015 • What happened?
Financial Close • Cintra posted a $15 million “Financial Close Security” bond at contract signing • Financial close deadline:210 days from contract signing • Contract allows extension in the case of… • A “Relief Event” • A “material adverse change” in the bond terms • Cintra posts a $50 million bond Source: Executed Comprehensive Agreement, June 26, 2105
So what happened? • Jan 19: NCDOT and Cintra amend the contract • Extends financial close to April 19, 2015 • “By mutual agreement” • No penalty for Cintra, and… • The taxpayer pays for re-financing fees $2.3M in legal fees to craft an unenforced contract Source: Executed Comprehensive Agreement Amendment 1, January 19, 2015
A New Funding Paradigm: STI • Passed last summer • HB 817 • Replaces Equity Formula • Favored rural over urban areas • More data-driven • Supposed to remove pork politicking
NCDOT STI Scores for I-77 Project Source: “STI & I-77” press release, NCDOT How Does This Rank Against Other Statewide Projects?
Highest scoring funded project 73 “Statewide” funded projects I77 General Purpose Lane Project Projects to be funded Projects unfunded I77 scores higher than 33 funded projects I-77 GP project through Lake Norman Lowest scoring funded project Source: STI 9-24-14 STI 3.0 Total Score 377 Unfunded Projects A General Purpose Lane Project Would Likely Be Funded…
The “Bad” News: STI Corridor Cap • “No more than 10% (or about $200 million) may be assigned to any one project or group of projects within the same corridor during a five year period.” • …”I-77 South projects would out score, and use all of the corridor funds available for at least the next ten years….” • “Right of way purchase for the I-77 South projects begin in 2024, with actual construction still further out.” Rather than a 10 year wait, we have a 9 year window to widen I-77!!!! Source: “STI & I-77” press release, NCDOT, July 24, 2014
The Better News… • “Under the STI law all projects that were projected for construction after July 1, 2015 are subject to scoring under the new funding formula.” • “Because the I-77 North Managed Lanes (North of I-277) project is scheduled to begin construction before July 1, 2015 it is not subject to the new law and was not scored under STI.” It’s now 2015…. Source: “STI & I-77” press release, NCDOT, July 24, 2014
Why would NCDOT rank a GP project? • “I-77 is …a critical, north-south transportation corridor for the Charlotte-metro region and beyond.” • “Because the project is designed to address an immediate need…” • “…the (toll lane project) enables NCDOT to address a critical need…” Because NCDOT is on record as saying widening I-77 is critical Sources: I-77 HOT Lanes EA, July 2013; Fix I-77 Now! Blog, NCDOT, June 26, 2014
What’s next? • Continue with the lawsuit • Rank a GP project starting July • Simply follow the process • Requires political support
What can you do? • Contact your state representative • Rep Charlie Jeter: Charles.Jeter@ncleg.net • Rep John Bradford: John.Bradford@ncleg.net • Rep John Fraley:John.Fraley@ncleg.net • Sen Jeff Tarte: Jeff.Tarte@ncleg.net • Sen David Curtis: David.Curtis@ncleg.net • Address each individually • Be respectful- remember, we can’t do this without them! • Use titles Tell them we want a GP solution scored under STI
What else can you do? • Tell your friends and neighbors • Fliers for business • “Like” us FB • Raleigh road trip • Donate!
How can businesses help? • You run a “special” and donate a portion of the proceeds • We promote your business • 5,000+ FB “likes” • 20-30000 weekly reach • Locals • Support our issue • Zero cost • Honor system • A win-win!
About Widen I-77 • A 501(c) (3)organization • Donations are tax deductible • Subject to IRS reporting and auditing Your best shot at widening I77 without tolls!
Thank YouWidenI77PO Box 792Cornelius, NC 28031wideni77@hotmail.comwideni77.org
Bonus Allocation- All Projects Source: CRTPO Agenda, Feb 18, 2015
Bonus Allocation- New Projects Source: CRTPO Agenda, Feb 18, 2015
Bonus Allocation- LKN New Projects Source: CRTPO Agenda, Feb 18, 2015
How Did We Get Here? “We have $70 billion in identified and ranked transportation projects with only $11 billion to pay the bill.”
Some NC Transportation “Needs” • $6.4 Billion for toll roads • 9 out of 10 most expensive projects are tolled • $4.6 billion “cost to NCDOT” • $717 million for new 4-lane • From Lenoir (pop 19,000) to Tarleton (pop 11,000) • $306 million to widen NC-33 • From Grimesland (pop 400) to Aurora (pop 500) • $600 Million for Urban Loops • Wilkesboro, Red Springs, Lillington et al With these “needs”, no wonder NCGA really wants to build tolls… Source: NCDOT 9-24-14 Priority 3.0 Final Scores
North Carolina’s First Toll Road Triangle Expressway Financial Results Operating Exp: $21M Revenues: $24M Debt Service: ~$50M $47M Annual Shortfall Who pays the difference? Source: NCTA Annual Report, WI77 analysis
Reprioritizing Transportation Funding A B C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 E D F G Division(20%) ~$1.2B Regional (40%) ~$2.4B Statewide (40%) ~$2.4B Project Merit (Data) Per capita by region Equally to Divisions Interstates/ NHS/STRAHNET /Tolls/Etc (S) + Hwys, Airport, Rail, Transit (S) + (R) + Local Three-Plus Chances for Funding GP Lanes HB817, Strategic Transportation Investments,
Strategic Mobility Fund- Criteria Division(20%) ~$1.2B Regional (40%) ~$2.4B Statewide (40%) ~$2.4B • Benefit/Cost • Congestion • Economic competitiveness • Freight • Multi-modal • Pavement condition • Lane width • Shoulder width • 100% • Benefit/Cost • Congestion • Economic competitiveness • Freight • Multi-modal • Pavement condition • Lane width • Shoulder width • 70% • Benefit/Cost • Congestion • Economic competitiveness • Freight • Multi-modal • Pavement condition • Lane width • Shoulder width • 50% • Local considerations • 50% • Local considerations • 30% Much Greater Emphasis on Project Merit