TPC votes to start 2035 RTP comment period

Fiscally constrained

Jon Boyd, Jul 26, 10.

The Houston-Galveston Area Council’s (H-GAC) Transportation Policy Council (TPC) approved a staff recommendation to commence a thirty-day public comment period on three scenarios for revising the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), the long-range plan required by federal statute. The vote was unaminous, with one abstaining. Because of declining revenue projections, the “baseline” scenario would reduce the $157 billion plan to $87 billion. The other two scenarios suggest ways in which more revenue could be raised to enable increased spending.

Any regional project, or any project receiving state or federal funds, must appear on the RTP in order to move forward in the planning process. Yet the federal statute requires that the long-range and short-range plans be fiscally restrained. Alan Clark, H-GAC’s Director of Transportation Planning, described the fiscal constraint requirement to the TPC. The RTP can only contain a list a projects that can be financed through funds that are reasonably available, and reasonable cost calculations in terms of year of expenditure dollars. Big-ticket projects that remain in the baseline scenario include just over $6 billion for the exurban Grand Parkway, $4.8 billion for expansion of US 290, and $1.7 billion for improvements to State Highway 288 - together almost 15% of the entire remaining plan.

What does it mean to take a project out of the plan? Clark said that by taking a project out of the RTP, the state cannot develop or acquire right of way for them, and they cannot receive environmental clearances.

To bring the RTP into compliance, TPC must prioritize projects based on a reasonable assessment of revenue and costs. Clark reassured TPC that they have already taken steps toward fiscal constraint when it revised the short-range plan and a new ten-year list of projects based on TxDOT’s newest revenue projections. He also issued a caveat that transportation revenue is dropping, but demand for capacity is not. He foresees little change to demographic forecasts, and the recession has had only slight impacts to regional growth.

David Crossley reported on Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) staff recommendations and comments from TPC members last week:

Reductions in the expected transportation revenues for the Houston region will require massive cuts in the list of projects in the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). In a discussion at the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s (H-GAC) RTP and Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Joint Subcommittee meeting today, staff told members that the plan will be updated soon to reflect a drop from $157 billion to less than $87 billion. Consequently, many projects will have to be cut from the plan, which by federal law must be revenue-constrained.

Staff noted that most of the projects affected are not local ones, but Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) initiatives. TxDOT’s James Koch said “about 2012, there are zero dollars for new projects.” Everything will go to maintenance, and “even at that our system is going to deteriorate.”

“Things are not going to be the same,” said TxDOT’s Rakesh Tripathi. “There’s not going to be some Houdini act to fix this.”

In other actions today, TPC voted unanimously to approve a resolution allowing changes to the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) the 2008-2011 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), TIP amendments 250 and 251.

The TPC also approved H-GAC staff recommendations on two grant programs, the substance of TIP Amendment 251. First, TPC approved Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) funds to design and construction of a park and ride in Brazoria County to serve SH 288. JARC is a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant program mandated by 49 U.S.C. 5316, and sometimes called, “section 5316 funds.” Six other regional projects competed for this round of JARC funds.

The second of these staff recommendations, relating to the New Freedom Program, was approved by TPC as a part of TIP Amendment 251. H-GAC received no grant applications for this round, and staff recommended expanding funding for two existing programs. The first will obligate $393,534 to a Fort Bend Paratransit program, in order to, “provide attendants (ambassadors, purchase mini-van, provide mobility management and project administration.” The other grantee, Harris County RIDES Plus, will receive $203,049 for adding 7-9 additional staff. The New Freedom Program, enabled by 49 U.S.C. 5317 and also administered by FTA, aims to improve transportation for persons with disabilities beyond the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

TPC approved Amendment 250, allocating section 5309 funding to a New Starts project, and several regional Bus and Bus-Related Facility Projects. Federal statute 49 U.S.C. 5309 enables this category of FTA funding, falling under three categories: Bus and Bus-Related Facilities, Fixed Guideway Modernization, and New Starts. Nearly $2 million in New Starts will resurrect the Galveston Trolley, which has been out of operation since Hurricane Ike.