Dec 02, 2025 Urban Transportation

COMMISSIONER CHEN, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ PRESENT.

SO I AM SUSAN SUMMERS, I'M THE CHAIR.

I'M PRESENT.

UH, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER, OUR VICE CHAIR HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER KAMAN, OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN BELIEVE HE IS OUT TODAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER BROWN.

COMMISSIONER BUFFO.

COMMISSIONER PRASAD PRESENT, UH, COMMISSIONER SORIN PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER JACOBSON.

PRESENT GR GREAT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE COMMISSIONER BUFFO IS LIKE LITERALLY SITTING DOWN RIGHT NOW, SO THAT DOES BRING US TO SEVEN, WHICH GIVES US A LITTLE SQUEEZE ROOM THERE.

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

UM, SO, UM, AS ALWAYS, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS GENERAL, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

SO THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS WHO ARE SIGNED UP ON AN ITEM, UM, NOT RELATED TO OUR AGENDA.

UM, WE'LL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

AND WE DO HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS TODAY.

SO, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START CALLING THOSE JUST IN THE ORDER.

I HAVE HERE THE FIRST BEING, UH, FELICITY MAXWELL.

WE CAN SKIP TO OUR SECOND ONE AND WE CAN RETURN TO SEE IF, UH, FELICITY IS HERE LATER.

JONATHAN SOPI.

YEAH, ANY OF THOSE IS GOOD.

AND JUST MAKE SURE YOU PRESS THE BUTTON TILL IT'S GREEN AND THEN YOU SPEAK AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES AND YOU, UM, SOMEBODY WILL BE TIMING THAT FOR YOU.

PERFECT.

GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

THANKS.

MY NAME IS JONATHAN SOBE.

I'M AN AUSTIN RESIDENT, AND I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF RETHINK 35.

WE ARE A GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY, UH, GROUP, UM, ADVOCATING FOR SAFE AND UM, EFFICIENT MOBILITY PROJECTS.

UM, APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME IN CONSIDERING ALL THESE DIFFERENT, UM, TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, AND ESPECIALLY RELATING TO HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS, WHICH IS WHAT I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT TODAY.

UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, HIGHWAY, HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS, UM, DON'T HELP TRAFFIC.

THEY OFTEN, UM, INCREASE, UH, RATHER THAN REDUCE CONGESTION.

AND THIS IS, UM, BECAUSE OF, UM, INDUCED DEMAND, WHICH, UM, WE HAVE SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN FOR DECADES THAT HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS DON'T WORK.

IF WE LOOK AT THE I 10 PROJECT IN HOUSTON, WE KNOW THAT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THAT PROJECT, AND IT IS STILL TOPPING THE LIST OF ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED HIGHWAYS AT IN TEXAS.

AND SO WE'D RATHER SEE PROJECTS THAT, UM, REDUCE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, WHICH IS ONE OF, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN'S GOALS.

AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE THINK THAT HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS, OF COURSE, CONFLICT WITH, UM, AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND, UM, THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IMAGINE AUSTIN.

AND SO, UM, WE ALSO THINK THAT THIS, UH, THESE SORT OF PROJECTS CONFLICT WITH VOTER INTENT.

SO, UM, WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT, UM, BALLOT MEASURE IN 2020, UM, VOTERS LIKE MYSELF VOTED IN FAVOR OF THAT.

AND OF COURSE, UM, HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS, OF COURSE WOULD GO, UH, DIRECTLY AGAINST THAT.

AND THERE'S ALSO, UM, HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPACTS WITH HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS.

I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT.

COMMUNITIES NEAR HIGHWAYS, FACE HIGHWAY RATES OF ASTHMA, CARDIOVASCULAR DI DISEASE, DEMENTIA, AND A LOT OF OTHER HEALTH RISKS.

AND ALSO INCREASED NOISE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS DIMINISHED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR NEIGHBORHOODS NEARBY.

THERE'S ALSO ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER QUALITY CONCERNS, UM, PROJECTS, UM, LIKE THE MOPAC, UM, PROJECT THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY, UM, COULD RISK DEGRADING ONE OF AUSTIN'S MOST CHERISHED PUBLIC SPACES AND A, A REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT NATURAL RESOURCE.

AND THIS WOULD UNDERMINE DECADES OF HARD WORK BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE ADVOCATED TO KEEP THAT, UM, AS A NATURAL RESOURCE FOR US TO ENJOY.

UM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT PRO PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT.

WE WOULD SUPPORT PROJECTS THAT DECREASE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED AND DECREASE EMISSIONS OR PROJECTS THAT, IN THAT IMPROVE TRANSIT BIKING AND WALKING ALONG

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ALL CORRIDORS.

AND, UM, ANY PROJECT THAT WOULD REDUCE SERIOUS CRASHES THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH VISION ZERO.

UM, AND ALSO PROJECTS THAT WOULD IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND WATER QUALITY, ESPECIALLY AROUND SENSITIVE AREAS LIKE LADY BIRD LAKE AND BARTON SPRINGS.

SO WE WOULD ASK YOU TO FORMALLY OPPOSE ANY SORT OF HIGHWAY EXPANSION PROJECT AND TRULY RETHINK, UH, WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THE, WITH THESE AREAS.

UM, PROJECTS LIKE MOPAC SOUTH, WE, UM, PRESENT REALLY A, A, A TURNING POINT FOR US.

WE SHOULD, UH, ARE WE GONNA DOUBLE DOWN ON THE BAD, UH, DECISIONS OF THE PAST, OR ARE WE GONNA WORK TO IMPROVE, UM, MOBILITY IN THE AREA? THANK YOU.

I'M GONNA MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE I, I SEE THAT ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS DID SIGN UP THAT THEY'RE SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR, AND I'M WONDERING, ARE THESE ARE OUR, ARE OUR SPEAKERS, CAN I GET SOME GUIDANCE FROM STAFF ON THAT? LIKE, SO WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON ITEMS, NOT ON THE AGENDA.

AND THEN IF THEY HAVE COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT IS TAKEN UP.

IS THAT, DO I HAVE THAT CORRECTLY? SO THAT IS, IF IT'S AN ACTION ITEM.

SO WE, UM, TEND TO, IF IT'S A NON-ACTION ITEM, JUST TAKE IT NOW, TAKE IT JUST TYPICALLY AS PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, AS IT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN DO, THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

UM, I'LL NOW CALL THEN, UH, WITH THAT I'LL CALL BOBBY LEKI.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

BOBBY LAVINSKY.

I'M AN ATTORNEY FOR STATE OF OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UM, AND I REALLY CAN'T IMPROVE TOO MUCH ON THE COMMENTS FROM THE PRAYER SPEAKER.

HIGHWAY EXPANSION JUST DOESN'T WORK.

UM, AND SO WHAT I CAN SPEAK TO IS HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS PROJECT.

UM, SO THIS WAS ORIGINALLY ROUND BACK IN THE 20 12, 20 15 TIMELINE.

THE COMMUNITY HAD A HUGE RESPONSE TO IT.

THEY WERE VERY MUCH AGAINST IT.

WE HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOW UP TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE PROJECT, AND IT WAS ULTIMATELY SHELVED.

UM, AND IT GOT BROUGHT BACK.

UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.

WE'VE GOT SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.

I'M USUALLY HERE SPEAKING ABOUT THIS UNHAPPY LITTLE GUY, WHICH IS A SALAMANDER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTED, UH, SPECIES FROM THIS PROJECT.

UM, AND, UH, WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

WE, IT'LL BE TALKED ABOUT.

I'M SURE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ALL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, BUT WE KNOW HOW THAT GOES WITH THESE HIGHWAY EXPANSION PROJECTS.

ONCE YOU GET THE BOULDER ROLLING, IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD TO STOP IT.

UM, WHAT I WILL ALSO SAY IS MAYBE GIVE A GLIMMER OF HOPE HERE.

SO THIS PROJECT IS BEING ADVANCED BY THE C-T-R-M-A, WHICH IS A REGIONAL BODY WITH A SEVER MEMBER GROUP.

WHAT WE ARE REALLY ASKING FOR LEADERS LIKE YOU ON THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, IS TO BE WORKING WITH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOURSELVES TO GO SPEAK TO THOSE BOARD MEMBERS AND REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO MAYBE RETHINK THIS, THIS PROPOSAL.

WE HAVE A RESOLUTION FROM THIS, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN SAYING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN ALTERNATIVE CONSIDERED.

WE HAVE A RELU, UM, A LETTER FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY ASKING CTMA TO DO A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CONSIDERED SINCE 2015.

UM, WE REALLY JUST NEED THE CTMA TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A STEP BACK, REALLY CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, IS THIS THE FUTURE THAT WE WANT FOR OUR CITY? IS THIS THE, THE IMPACT THAT WE WANT IN OUR ENVIRONMENT? AND IF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO, I THINK THERE'S A BETTER, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN APPROACH MOBILITY AND TRANSIT THAT WOULD BETTER SUPPORT OUR, OUR RESIDENTS AND THE CITY'S PLANS, INCLUDING PROJECT CONNECT, LIKE THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER WAS, UM, WAS MENTIONING, UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE TO JUMP OUT, UM, RIGHT AFTER I SPEAK TO GO TO ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'VE ASKED US TO COME SPEAK TO THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

WE HAVE RESOLUTIONS FROM MANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE OPPOSING THIS PROJECT.

THERE'S A WIDESPREAD CONCERN ABOUT THIS, AND I HONESTLY, I DON'T HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING FOR IT.

UM, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE CTMA, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.

RIGHT NOW, THE LET YEAR THAT'S, THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS 2027.

THAT'S DEAD CENTER INTO THE CONSTRUCTION OF I 35 CENTRAL.

UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO HAVE I 35 CENTRAL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THE EXACT SAME TIME AS MPAC SOUTH.

SO IF, IF IT'S REALISTIC THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THE CONSTRUCTION AFTER I 35, WHY AREN'T WE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT ALTERNATIVES THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT AND WOULD BE IN BETTER IN LINE WITH THE FUTURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN COULD BE PROUD OF? UM, THIS ISN'T THE PROJECT TO BE PURSUING, AND WE REALLY NEED YOUR VOICES TO SAY THAT.

UM, YES, WE CAN, UH, DO YOU HAVE A, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAVE TO GO, BUT DO YOU HAVE A MOMENT FOR A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER? I I JUST WANNA ASK YOU THIS, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED ON THIS, YOU TOUCHED ON IT.

UH, CRMA IS DOING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT INSTEAD OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

UM, COULD YOU FOR, UH, OTHER FOLKS TOUCH ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO? AND I KNOW TRAVIS COUNTY HAS GOTTEN INVOLVED

[00:10:01]

ON THAT FIGHT.

HAS THE CITY ALSO PUT IN A WORD SAYING THEY WOULD LIKE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT? SO, I'M JUST GONNA BE CLEAR.

SO TECHNICALLY PURSUING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT'S NOT INAPPROPRIATE.

BECAUSE REALLY WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN AT THE END OF THAT IS DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

AND IF YOU ARE, THEN YOU PURSUE AN EEIS.

UM, BUT I THINK THE PROBLEM HERE IS WHAT WE'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IS THAT ANY, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT ARE BEING IDENTIFIED, THEY'RE GONNA MITIGATE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

SO THEY'LL DO A FONZI TO AVOID HAVING TO DO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

TRAVIS COUNTY'S MAKING THE POINT, HEY, THIS IS LIKE THE MOST LIKE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE CORRIDOR IN TRAVIS COUNTY.

IT'S EIGHT MILES STRETCH OF THE EDWARDS RECHARGE ZONE, RIGHT? UPSTREAM OF BARTON SPRINGS.

IF THERE'S EVER AN IM, UH, AN AREA WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, IT'S GONNA BE THIS, THIS PROJECT.

SO WHY ARE WE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PLAYING FSE WITH SOMETHING THAT REALLY SHOULD BE DOING A AN EIS, UM, I, THEY'RE GONNA SAY THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO AN E EA AND IT'S GONNA BE EQUIVALENT TO AN EIS.

BUT WHAT I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO ASK THEM IS WHY NOT DO AN EIS INSTEAD OF THE, THE ANSWER A QUESTION OF WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO DO AN EIS? WHY ARE YOU NOT DOING AN EIS THANK YOU.

SORRY.

I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTOOD.

WHAT ACTUALLY IS THE DIFFERENCE THEN BETWEEN AN ASSESSMENT AND, OH, SO AN E IS MUCH, IS A MUCH MORE THOROUGH EVALUATION AND SMUG GOT MORE PUBLIC PROCESSES THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THE PROCESS.

IT'S MORE FORMALIZED.

UM, SO THERE ARE A LOT MORE PROTECTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC INVOLVED IN IT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, IF AT THIS STAGE, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, 15 YEAR PROCESS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE COULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM IS A RESET WHERE WE COULD GET SOME ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AS PART OF AN EIS.

AND SO UNDER THE NEW NEPA GUIDELINES, IT WOULD ONLY TAKE TWO YEARS.

I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO DO THAT.

UM, BRANDON, I THINK IT SAYS NADAY, IF I MESSED THAT UP.

I'M SO SORRY.

AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

TESTING.

UH, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS BRANDON NIDAY.

I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF AURORA.

UM, WE'RE AN ALL VOLUNTEER GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION DEDICATING TO ADVANCING HOUSING, ABUNDANCE, PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, SAFE STREETS, WALKING, BIKING, PUBLIC TRANSIT.

UH, I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO OPPOSE THE MOPAC SOUTH EXPANSION IN ITS CURRENT FORM.

UH, I WON'T REPEAT TOO MUCH OF WHAT RETHINK AND, UH, MR. LEWINSKY SAID, BUT, UH, I THINK THIS PROJECT FUNDAMENTALLY CONTRADICTS WHAT AUSTIN VOTERS SAID THEY WANT.

UH, WE APPROVED PROJECT CONNECT SPECIFICALLY TO OFFER MOBILITY OPTIONS, UH, BEYOND DRIVING.

AND WE'RE FACING A PROPOSAL TO ADD UP TO FOUR TOLD EXPRESS LANES ON MOPAC.

UH, THIS PROJECT WAS CONCEIVED IN 2013, AND SINCE THEN, OUR CITY HAS TRANSFORMED ITS VISION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE.

AND, UH, THIS PROJECT KIND OF REVERSES THAT.

THE PROBLEMS, UH, WITH THE EXPANSION ARE PRETTY CLEAR.

FIRST, IT UNDERMINES OUR CLIMATE COMMITMENTS.

AUSTIN DECLARED A CLIMATE EMERGENCY IN 2019.

TRANSPORTATION'S OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF CARBON EMISSIONS.

ADDING TOLL LANES STILL INCREASES VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INDUCED DEMAND DOESN'T CARE WHETHER THE LANES ARE TOLL OR FREE.

IT CONTRADICTS OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

IT, UH, SECOND, IT THREATENS PUBLIC HEALTH.

UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, WASN'T MENTIONED BEFORE IS THAT THIS EXPANSION WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE TRAFFIC NEAR AUSTIN HIGH, WHICH, UH, EXPOSES STUDENTS TO HARMFUL, UM, POLLUTION.

TRAVIS COUNTY ALREADY EXCEEDS EPA SAFETY THRESHOLDS.

MORE LANES MEANS MORE CARS, MEANS MORE POLLUTION, WHICH MEANS MORE RESPIRATORY HARM.

UH, THIRD, IT ENDANGERED PROTECTED SPECIES AND WATER QUALITY, AS MR. LUKI MENTIONED.

UH, AND THEN FINALLY, IT JUST CONTRADICTS OUR OWN PLANS.

THE, UH, AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, VISION ZERO, UH, THE 50% NON-DRUG ALONE, UH, SHARE GOAL, ALL POINT AWAY FROM HIGHWAY EXPANSION.

UH, THIS PROJECT MOVES US BACKWARDS.

TOLLING DOESN'T FUNDAMENTALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM, UH, SOLVE TOLLS MANAGED DEMAND ON THESE SPECIFIC LANES, BUT WE'RE BUILDING MASSIVE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CEMENTS A CULTURE OF DRIVING.

IT FRAGMENTS NEIGHBORHOODS AND CONSUMES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT COULD FUND TRANSIT, BIKING AND WALKING INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY CALLED FOR A REFINED PROJECT THAT, UH, DOESN'T INCREASE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED TO ORE EMISSIONS.

UH, TRAVIS FOR COUNTY ALSO, UH, REQUESTED A FULL EIS, UH, WITH GENUINE ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS.

UH, THESE ARE REASONABLE REQUESTS.

ACKNOWLEDGING HOW MUCH OUR REGION HAS CHANGED SINCE, UH, 2013.

UH, WE URGE THE COMMISSION TO SUPPORT ALTERNATIVES THAT TRULY SERVE OUR STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN GOALS, REDUCING SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLE TRIPS, PRIORITIZING TRANSIT AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, AND PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'LL NOW CHECK AGAIN FOR FELICITY MAXWELL.

ARE GONNA, UM, MOVE ON TO OUR, UM, UH, AGENDA.

IT SEEMS SHE IS NOT HERE.

SO WE

[1. Approve the minutes of the Urban Transportation Commission Regular meeting on 10/7/2025.]

SO THAT BRINGS

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US TO ITEM ONE, APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING FROM OCTOBER 7TH, 2025.

COMMISSIONERS.

THOSE WERE CIRCULATED.

IF YOU'RE HERE IN PERSON, IT IS IN YOUR PAPER PACKET AS WELL.

UM, SO THIS IS OCTOBER 7TH.

WE DID NOT MEET IN NOVEMBER DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM.

SO, UM, Y'ALL CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

ANY DISCUSSION? SCENE? NONE.

UM, I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE MINUTES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[4. Presentation from Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) regarding the South Mopac Project. Presentation by Charlotte Gilpin, GEC Project Manager, CTRMA]

UM, COMMISSIONERS, I'M GONNA, UM, IN LIGHT OF SOME OF OUR STAFF, UH, NEEDS TODAY AND THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE, UH, FOLKS COMING OUT TO US FROM C-T-R-M-A TODAY, WE'RE GONNA, UM, GO AHEAD AND TAKE OUR DISCUSSION ITEM FIRST TODAY, ITEM FOUR.

I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.

AND I, UM, WE HEARD SOME SPEAKERS, UH, SPEAKING ABOUT THIS ITEM.

BASICALLY, UM, WE'RE NOT POST-IT FOR ACTION, SO WE WOULD NOT BE FOR SURE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION.

WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS.

AND THE REASON I REQUESTED THIS PRESENTATION IS, UM, THIS COMMISSION, ALTHOUGH HAS HEARD A LOT AND DONE A LOT ABOUT HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION, WE REALLY HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THIS PROJECT EVEN IN MY TENURE ON THIS BOARD.

I, I KNOW, I THINK I'M THE LONGEST SERVING.

UM, SO, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR ABOUT THE C-T-R-M-A, UH, MOPAC SOUTH PROJECT.

SO WE THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY.

SO WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM FOUR.

THAT'S A PRESENTATION FROM CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY, C-T-R-M-A REGARDING THE SOUTH MOPAC PROJECT.

AND OUR PRESENTATION IS BY CHARLOTTE GILPIN, WHO IS THE GEC PROJECT MANAGER FOR C-T-R-M-A.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL PRESENTERS.

SO Y'ALL FEEL FREE TO JUST GET SETTLED, INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, OR WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

I'LL JUST SAY, MY NAME IS MIKE SEXTON.

I'M DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING FOR C-T-R-M-A, SO SHE'LL BE DOING THE PRESENTATION, BUT I'M HERE FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AS WELL.

HI, AGAIN, AS MENTIONED, I'M CHARLOTTE GILPIN, UH, PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE RMA.

UM, BEAR WITH ME AS I, THERE WE GO.

MAYBE.

I FEEL LIKE I NEED GLASSES.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR INVITING US TO, UH, TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MOPAC SOUTH.

LARGELY WHAT I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING HERE TODAY IS A PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD SHARED WITH THE MOBILITY, UM, COMMITTEE AS WELL WITH CITY OF AUSTIN ABOUT FIVE, SIX MONTHS BACK.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE, FOR THAT MEETING, WE WERE COMING OUT OF, UM, OPEN HOUSE SIX.

AND UNTIL WE'RE FINISHED WITH THE NEXT PUBLIC PHASE, THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY NEW INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO, TO SHARE.

SO THIS WILL BE FAMILIAR MAYBE TO SOME OF YOU WHO SAT IN ON THAT.

SO, FOR INTRODUCTION OF THE PROJECT, MOPAC SOUTH, THE LIMITS ARE FROM CAESAR CHAVEZ DOWNTOWN INTERCHANGE TO SLAUGHTER LANE.

AND THE TRANSITIONS ON EITHER END OF THAT, IT'S APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES IN LENGTH.

UM, THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND AGAIN, OUR RECENT ACTIVITY WAS THE OPEN HOUSE IN NOVEMBER TO JANUARY OF THIS PAST YEAR.

UM, FOR OUR CURRENT ACTIVITY, WE ARE PREPARING THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED PRIOR TO A PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WE ARE PLANNING FOR EARLY 2026.

AS WELL AS OTHER ADVOCACY BIKE, UM, ADVOCACY GROUPS, WE'VE ADDED, UH, SHARED USE PATH AND SIDEWALKS TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE CORRIDOR AS WELL.

LIKE ALL C-T-R-M-A PROJECTS, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, UH, THROUGH PUBLIC INPUT AND FOCUSED ON OUR SHARED COMMUNITY VALUES, WHICH WE, UH, WORK HARD TO REINFORCE THROUGH PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND INPUT.

UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE STUDY, WE'VE HOSTED OVER SIX OPEN HOUSES.

WE'VE HOSTED SEVERAL TECHNICAL WORK GROUP MEETINGS.

WE'VE MET WITH STAKEHOLDERS ONE-ON-ONE, AND WE'VE RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF OF COMMENTS.

WE HAVE TAKEN THAT PUBLIC INPUT AND INCORPORATED IT INTO THE PROJECT AS IT HAS, AS IT'S EVOLVED.

UM, I THINK, UH, PARTICULAR THINGS OF INTEREST THAT MAY BE FOR THIS MOBILITY COMMITTEE IS FOLLOWING OUR TECHNICAL WORK GROUPS.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2024, WORKING WITH CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF, WE INCREASED THE STANDARD DESIGN WIDTH OF OUR SHARED USE PATHS FROM EIGHT FEET TO 12 FEET.

SO THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING NEW THAT, THAT FOLKS WILL BE SEEING, UM, IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

UM, WE ALSO ADDED, SO PRIMARILY THE SHARED USE PATH THAT WAS SHOWN PREVIOUSLY TO THE PUBLIC WAS TO CLOSE GAPS IN THE SHARED USE PATH SYSTEM ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE CORRIDOR.

AND AGAIN, WORKING WITH, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN

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AND ADDED, UM, KIND OF CLOSING THE BOX AS WE'VE CALLED IT, BUT ADDING MORE CROSSINGS AT MAJOR INTERCHANGES LIKE, LIKE TWO 90 TO IMPROVE, UM, MOBILITY CROSSINGS THERE FOR BIKE AND PED.

UM, ALSO I THINK OF INTEREST, UH, FOR THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE OUR COORDINATION ON TRANSIT WITH CAP METRO.

SO WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY IN FACT, FOLLOWING, UM, CAP METRO'S COORDINATION ON THE 2035 PLAN, WE, YOU KNOW, HAD MADE AN ACTION.

I TOUCHED BASE WITH THEM ONCE THEY FINISHED THAT, THAT COORDINATION.

AND WE WERE ABLE, AGAIN, JUST TO REAFFIRM THAT, UH, THEY THINK EVEN THOUGH ANYTHING ON MOPAC SOUTH IS ONLY IN THEIR, THEIR LONG RANGE PLAN, BUT WHERE WE HAVE SHOWN ACCESS POINTS TO THE EXPRESS LANES WOULD SERVE, UH, A, WOULD APPROPRIATELY SERVE ANY SORT OF TRANSIT THAT THEY ADD TO THE CORRIDOR.

UM, SO WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT KNOWING THAT WE'RE AS ALIGNED AS WE CAN BE, UH, WITH WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR, THEIR PROCESSES.

UM, SO AGAIN, JUST BRIEFLY COVER WHAT WE'RE GONNA HIT HERE FOR OPEN HOUSE SIX COMMENT.

UM, WHAT WAS PRESENTED WITHIN OPEN HOUSE SIX WAS THE RECOMMENDED BUILD ALTERNATIVE, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

UM, IT WAS THE CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TO HELP SHAPE THE STUDY.

WE SHARED THE EVALUATION OF THE BUILD ALTERNATIVES, UM, THE EVALUATION OF THE OPERATIONAL CONFIGURATIONS, AND I'LL HIT ON SOME OF THIS VOCABULARY AS WE GO THROUGH.

AND THEN A DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICAL STUDIES TO BE COMPLETED.

SO WE'RE GONNA DO A BRIEF HIGHLIGHT OF EACH OF THESE ITEMS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.

SO THE REASONABLE BUILD ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE LOOKED AT INCLUDED, UM, HOV LANES, UH, TRANSIT ONLY LANES INCLUDED, GENERAL PURPOSE ONLY, LANES INCLUDED TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT, TRAFFIC SYSTEM MANAGEMENT, UM, AS WELL AS THE EXPRESS LANES.

SO THE OPTIONS THAT REALLY MET, UM, PURPOSE AND NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WERE THE HOV LANES, THE TRANSIT, AND THE EXPRESS EXPRESS LANES.

SO THOSE REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES WERE EVALUATED AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE THEN PRESENTED, UM, AT OPEN HOUSE, SORRY, UM, WHAT YOU'LL SEE PRESENTED, UM, AT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT OPEN HOUSE SIX TO MOVE FORWARD AS THE BUILD ALTERNATIVE IS THE EXPRESS LANES.

AND THAT'S, UM, WHAT WE REFER TO AS OPERATIONAL CONFIGURATION TWO TWO C.

I'LL DESCRIBE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE GO THROUGH.

THE REASON THAT THAT'S SELECTED IS BECAUSE THE EXPRESS LANES OFFER THE HIGHEST FORM OF RELIABILITY FOR THE MOST USERS.

UM, IT PROVIDES THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PEAK TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS FOR, AGAIN, THE MOST USERS.

UM, AND FOR ALL VEHICLES ON THE GENERAL PURPOSE LANES AS WELL AS EXPRESS LANES PROVIDES TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS.

AND AGAIN, WHAT I'M SAYING, ALL USERS, THAT THE KEY POINT HERE IS THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLES.

IT'S THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO SHARE VEHICLES.

IT'S THOSE THAT ARE RIDING IN THE BUSES AND TRANSIT ON THE LANES.

IT'S THOSE IN THE GENERAL PURPOSE OR THE EXPRESS LANES.

UM, AND THE BENEFITS, AGAIN, UM, WITH THIS RELIABILITY IS THAT IT, UH, SUPPORTS THE RELIABILITY FOR BOTH EMS AND TRANSIT MAKING TRANSIT MORE FEASIBLE, UM, MORE APPEALING TO USERS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE OTHER MOBILITY OPTIONS ON THE CORRIDOR WITH THE EXPANDED SHARED USE PATH.

SO THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM UP THERE.

UH, AGAIN, I'LL HIGHLIGHT A FEW.

AND THAT IS THE OPTIMIZATION OF THROUGHPUT ON THE CORRIDOR.

UM, AGAIN, THAT THIS OPTION ALLOWS US, THIS ALTERNATIVE RATHER ALLOWS US TO SERVE ALL ROADWAY USERS THAT WE'RE CREATING DEPENDENT, UH, CONSISTENT, RELIABLE ROUTE FOR TRANSIT.

AND THAT WE'RE FACILITATING CONGESTION MANAGEMENT BY INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS AND, AND BICYCLES ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

SO, TWO C UH, I'M NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO DIG INTO THIS MORE, BUT SPECIFICALLY, UM, WE HAD SEVERAL, UH, WHAT WE CALLED OPERATIONAL CONFIGURATIONS.

AND THOSE SPECIFICALLY ONLY RELATED TO DIFFERENCES IN THE CORRIDOR BETWEEN BARTON, UM, SKYWAY AND DOWNTOWN.

SO IT WAS JUST HOW WOULD EXPRESS LINKS CONNECT TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

UM, AND TWO C WAS SELECTED, UM, THROUGH A SERIES OF OF PUBLIC INPUTS AND JUST REFINEMENTS.

AND WHAT THIS MEANS, THE DESCRIPTION TWO EXPRESS LANES WITH ELEVATED RAMPS NEAR BARTON SKYWAY ELEVATED IN THIS CONTEXT, REFERS TO WHAT IS A STANDARD, TYPICAL BRAIDED RAMP THAT YOU'LL SEE ON A LOT OF, UM, OF HIGHWAYS WHERE YOU HAVE ONE RAMP WEAVING OVER THE OTHER ONE.

AND THAT'S JUST SO YOU CAN OPTIMIZE, UM, ENTRANCE LOCATIONS VERSUS EXIT LOCATIONS.

[00:25:01]

UM, SO TWO C WAS SELECTED BECAUSE IT HAD THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF, UM, PUBLIC SUPPORT.

IT HAD THE ABSENCE OF ELEVATION OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.

SO WHAT'S PRESENTED HERE IS AT EQUAL GRADE WITH WHAT EXISTS CURRENTLY, UM, SAFETY, THE WISHBONE RAMPS, THOSE ELEVATED RAMPS ALLOW US TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WEAVING THAT OCCURS, WHICH NOT ONLY HELPS, UH, WITH EFFICIENCY, UH, WHICH IS TO, TO MOVE VEHICLES WITH LESS CONGESTION, BUT ALSO HELPS WITH SAFETY, WHICH IS TO REDUCE POINTS OF CONFLICT WITH VEHICLES.

UM, IT DELIVERS THE MOST.

UM, AND SO IN THAT SENSE, IT DELIVERS THE MOST OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND DELAY SAVED.

UM, IT ALSO HAD FEWER IMPACTS.

AND WHEN WE SAY IMPACTS, WE'RE REFERRING TO THINGS LIKE, UM, PARKLAND.

SOME OF THE OPTIONS, UH, REQUIRED ADDITIONAL PARKLAND, ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY.

AND, UM, ALSO CONCERNS BY CITIZENS OF HAVING CONNECTIVITY CHANGED AND CLOSER TO AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND THIS IS NOT, IT KEEPS ALL, UM, EXIT POINTS FROM THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM WHERE THEY CURRENTLY ARE.

SO THIS IS A MAP OF ALTERNATIVE TO SEE THE RECOMMENDED BUILD ALTERNATIVE FOR ORIENTATION.

THIS IS REALLY JUST FOCUSING FROM, AGAIN, THE ROUNDABOUT, THE BARTON SKYWAY AREA NORTH.

UM, YOU'LL SEE LADY BIRD LAKE THERE ACROSS THE, KINDA THE TOP OF THE PAGE THERE.

THIS MAP LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN THE MAPS WE HAVE SHARED PREVIOUSLY.

THERE IS NO NEW INFORMATION ON HERE.

HOWEVER, UM, WHAT WE HAD DONE IS WE RESPONDED AGAIN TO PUBLIC COMMENT FROM OPEN HOUSE SIX, UM, SHARING THAT THOSE PREVIOUS STYLE MAPS WERE, UM, WERE NOT AS, AS, AS EASY TO UNDERSTAND AS KIND OF A MORE TRADITIONAL, I'M GONNA CALL IT A GOOGLE MAP KIND OF STYLE.

SO WE'VE PROVIDED SAME INFORMATION, JUST A DIFFERENT STYLE, HOPEFULLY HELP CONNECT WITH A FEW MORE STAKEHOLDERS ON THAT.

THE ONE DIFFERENCE, HOWEVER, THAT YOU WILL SEE IS THAT WE, AGAIN, IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC INPUTS AND REQUESTS, WE WORKED ON REFINING THE NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE EXPRESS LANES COMING FROM 360.

SO FOR ATTENTION, THE EXPRESS LANES ARE THE GREEN TO THE CENTER, THE GENERAL PURPOSE ARE THE YELLOW.

AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS A BUTTON.

NO, I CAN'T, UM, HIGHLIGHT.

BUT TALKING, TALKING ABOUT YET THAT LOWER BLOCK THERE.

EXACTLY.

THANK YOU FOR THE ASSISTANCE THERE, .

UM, AND THAT IS THE LOCATION WAS MOVED A BIT FURTHER NORTH.

WHAT THIS ALLOWS TO HAPPEN IS THAT ANY USERS COMING FROM 360 TURNING TO MOPAC NORTH WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO GET ONTO THE MOPAC NORTH, UM, GENERAL PURPOSE LANES AND MERGE OVER TO ENTER THE EXPRESS LANES.

THIS ALLOWS MORE VEHICLES IF THEY WISH TO ENTER THOSE EXPRESS LANES BEFORE THE NEXT ENTRANCE, WHICH IS FURTHER UP AT, UM, 22, THE 2222 ENTRANCE.

OTHER THAN THAT, ALL ENTRANCES AND EXITS THE SAME.

UM, THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT ABOUT THE ELEVATED RAMPS, WHICH YOU SEE THERE IN LIKE THAT PURPLE, UM, COLOR.

YEAH, THANK YOU, IS THAT THESE ARE THE, WHAT WE REFER TO AS A, A BRAIDED RAMP.

UM, SO I'LL TALK ABOUT THE NORTHBOUND DIRECTION.

IF YOU WERE IN THE EXPRESS LANE DRIVING NORTH AND YOU WANTED TO EXIT TO DOWNTOWN, YOU WOULD ENTER INTO A RAMP THAT, UM, ELEVATES OVER THE GENERAL PURPOSE LANES AND TOUCHES BACK DOWN ON THE OUTSIDE OF THOSE LANES, UM, NEAR THE EXISTING ON RAMP FROM FROM B CAVE.

WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT ALLOWS THOSE VEHICLES TO NOT NEED TO MERGE ACROSS THE, THE THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC THERE, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY IN, IN THE OUTSIDE.

UM, AND CLOSER TO THAT DOWNTOWN ENTRANCE, WHICH WOULD BE, UM, THE DESIRED USAGE POINT FOR BASICALLY ANYONE TAKING THAT EXIT.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS THERE IS ANOTHER EXIT ON THE VERY NORTH END OF THE PROJECT NEAR THE ENFIELD AREA, JUST PAST ENFIELD THAT ALLOWS, UM, USERS TO ACCESS THE MIDTOWN AREA.

SO ANYONE USING THE WISHBONE RAMP WOULD BE TRYING TO GET TO DOWNTOWN FIRST STREET, FIFTH STREET, OR, OR ENFIELD.

UM, MOVE ON TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL.

SO THIS SLIDE LISTS THE VARIOUS TOPICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, EVALUATIONS.

AND THIS IS ALL OF THE TOPICS THAT FOR, UH, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, UM, OR AN EIS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO, TO COVER, UM, THE PUBLIC.

THE, WHEN WE PUBLISH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, IT WILL CONTAIN INFORMATION ON, ON ALL OF THESE TOPICS.

UM, WE WON'T BE GOING THROUGH THEM HERE IN DETAIL TONIGHT, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE.

UM, THE, UM, ALSO WANTED TO COVER THE NONT TOLD IMPROVEMENTS.

SO AGAIN, LONG LIST HERE.

I THINK THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I, I THINK THAT THE URBAN COMMISSION WOULD BE MOST INTERESTED IN.

I PUT THOSE AT THE TOP.

THAT IS, AGAIN,

[00:30:01]

THE INCREASED, UH, PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST OPPORTUNITIES.

AND THEN IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WE HAVE, I'M GONNA GO BACK A SLIDE JUST TO SHOW THIS.

WE HAVE A LOOP RAMP ON THE VERY NORTH END.

UM, SO ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER, NORTH OF THE RIVER, UM, WHAT YOU SEE IS A LITTLE LOOPED CIRCLE.

YES, EXACTLY.

AND WHAT THAT DOES IS VEHICLES THAT ARE MOVING, UM, WESTBOUND TO, UH, THAT WOULD NOT WANT TO BE GOING SOUTHBOUND ON MOPAC, THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE THAT LOOP RAMP, UM, AVOIDING THE, THE LIGHT CYCLE AND THE BACK THAT HAPPENS ALL ALONG, UM, SIXTH STREET THERE.

AND THEY CAN ENTER MOPAC THAT WAY.

WHAT THIS DOES THEN IS FREE UP THAT EXISTING LEFT TURN THAT'S THERE AT ATLANTA STREET.

AND THAT LEFT TURN WOULD REMAIN, BUT WOULD, UH, WE'RE ENCOURAGING IT TO BE BASICALLY A FOR TRANSIT ONLY, UH, LEFT TURN LANE TO HELP, UM, TRANSIT MAKE THAT TURN WITHOUT TRAFFIC BEING IN THEIR WAY.

SO THOSE ARE TWO OF THE NONT TOLD IMPROVEMENTS THAT I THINK ARE, ARE NOTABLE FOR DOWNTOWN KIND OF URBAN AREA.

THE OTHERS, UM, INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, WIDENING OVER OVER THE LAKE, UM, INCLUDE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO BY ADDING U-TURN BRIDGES TO HELP FLOW.

IT INCLUDES ADDING NONT HOLD BYPASSES, SO VEHICLES DON'T NEED TO WAIT AT AT LIGHTS.

UM, AND GENERAL REPAVING OF GENERAL PURPOSE LANES THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR, UM, AS WELL AS MANY DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL RAMP IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH THE CORRIDOR.

UM, SO FOR PROJECT BENEFITS, WE'VE GENERALLY HIT ON, ON MOST OF THESE, BUT, UM, AGAIN, WE'RE OFFERING THIS, UH, CONFIGURATION BRINGS MANY NONT TOLD IMPROVEMENTS ALONG WITH IT.

IT OFFERS A REDUCTION IN PEAK TRAVEL TIME AND IMPROVE RELIABILITY FOR, UM, THE MOST USERS THROUGH THE CORRIDOR.

WHENEVER WE SAY OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EFFICIENCY, I ALSO WANNA UNDERSCORE THAT THAT BRINGS WITH IT THE INHERENT IMPROVEMENTS OF SAFETY.

UM, IT CREATES A DEPENDABLE ROUTE AGAIN, FOR TRANSIT AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES.

WE'RE PROVIDING A DA COMPLIANT BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES.

UM, AND A KEY ITEM THAT WE'RE ASKED OFTEN ABOUT RELATED TO THE, TO THE ENVIRONMENT IS THE, UM, WATER QUALITY.

AND SO I WANNA SPEAK JUST TO THAT ONE BRIEFLY, WHICH IS WE WERE ABLE TO MEET THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS OUTLINED WITHIN OPEN HOUSE SIX, WHICH IS TO REMOVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS FOR THE INCREASED IMPERVIOUS COVER BETWEEN TODAY'S CURRENT CONDITION AND THE POST PROJECT CONDITION THAT DOES EXCEED TCE Q'S REQUIREMENT OF, OF 80%.

UM, SO I DO WANNA SPEAK TO THAT, TO THAT COMMITMENT.

UM, THE REASON THAT TSS OR THE TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS IS IMPORTANT IS THAT JUST SERVES AS A, AN INDICATOR CONSTITUENT FOR GENERAL HEALTH AND WATER QUALITY.

SO FOR NEXT STEPS, UM, AS I'VE SHARED, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS COMPLETING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH WOULD THEN BE PUBLISHED.

WE WOULD THEN MOVE TO A PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WOULD BE BOTH VIRTUAL, UM, MEANING PEOPLE CAN GO AND VIEW THE INFORMATION ONLINE.

THERE WILL ALSO BE A IN-PERSON PUBLIC HEARING IF PEOPLE PREFER THAT.

WE HAD OVER 20 EXPERTS THERE AND AVAILABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT CONCERNS OR ISSUES THEY MAY HAVE TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE MATERIALS PRESENTED.

UM, AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT PUBLIC HEARING, WE WILL BEGIN ADDRESSING, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE WILL SHARE THOSE COMMENTS AND RESPONSES AS WE PREPARE A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.

AND THAT WOULD THEN BE SUBMITTED FOR, UM, REVIEW BY TXDOT TO MAKE A DETERMINATION, UM, FOR NEPA WHETHER THERE'S A FINDING OF, OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OR NOT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD FOR YOU TODAY.

I DO WANNA ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO VISIT THE WEBSITE.

REMIND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE PROJECT, YOU HAVE ABILITY TO SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS AND COMMUNICATION ON, ON THE WEBSITE, SO YOU CAN SAY UP TO DATE ON EVENTS FOR THE PROJECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I DO WANNA SAY COMMISSIONERS, UM, WE, WE OBVIOUSLY REALLY WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROPOSED PROJECT.

THIS WAS SOMETHING AS SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS SHARED, HAS REALLY BEEN TALKED ABOUT.

LIKE I REMEMBER 20 12, 20 13, LIKE, UM, THE, THOSE PROPOSALS IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE HAVE NEVER THIS COMMISSION AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW MUCH OTHER COMMISSIONERS KNEW KNOW ABOUT THE PROJECT.

SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BRING Y'ALL OUT.

I THINK THAT IN LINE WITH THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

UM, AND WHEN WOULD THAT OPEN? YOU SAID EARLY 2026? YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE A DATE THAT'S YET PUBLISHED, BUT, UM, AGAIN, I'D, I'D ENCOURAGE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE GIVING LOOK AHEADS WHEN WE HAVE THAT DATE SET, BUT I'D EXPECT IT TO BE, UM, IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF, IN THE FIRST QUARTER.

THINK WHEN THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE A 60 DAY PERIOD, UM, OR WHAT ARE YOU ANTICIPATING WITH THAT? SO IT'S REQUIRED TO BE A 15 DAY PERIOD.

SO I

[00:35:01]

UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO AT LEAST DO TWICE THAT, LIKE A 30 DAY PERIOD.

A OKAY.

SO I THINK THAT THIS, THIS BODY WOULD LIKELY WANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SUBMIT SOME OFFICIAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND TAKE ACTION FOR THAT OFFICIAL COMMENT PERIOD.

SO WE'LL ANTICIPATE THAT AND WATCH THAT TIMELINE CLOSELY.

BUT BEFORE WE DID THAT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR AND ASK QUESTIONS.

I'M NOT GONNA ASK ANY QUESTIONS, AT LEAST NOT RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M GONNA GO TO VICE CHAIR SCHUMACHER.

AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT.

I KNOW WE'RE NOBODY'S IDEA OF A FUN TUESDAY NIGHT, SO APPRECIATE IT.

UM, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL DID THEIR SPEAK FOR YOURSELF? YEAH.

, WELL, OR MAYBE OUR IDEA OF A FUN TUESDAY NIGHT, UM, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL DID THEIR, UH, RESOLUTION ABOUT, UH, DURING THE LAST, UH, OPEN COMMENT PERIOD, THEY HAD THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY BEING FINDING A PARK AND RIDE LOCATION SOMEWHERE ALONG MOPAC, WHICH IS PART OF THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION PLAN.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE CITY, BUT I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT CAP METRO AND ROUTES, BUT SPECIFICALLY A PARK AND RIDE AND WHAT WOULD MAYBE THE ACCESS LOOK LIKE TO THAT? WE DID, WE HAD A, A JOINT MEETING WITH CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF, CAP METRO, UM, A TPI FEEL LIKE I'M LEAVING SOMEBODY OUT THERE.

BUT, UM, POINT IS WE, WE MET WITH A LOT OF FOLKS TO BRING THIS TOPIC BACK UP AND ESSENTIALLY AFFIRM, UH, I GUESS THE RMAS LAND LONGSTANDING POINT THAT THEY'RE HERE TO HELP SUPPORT, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY THE AGENCY TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT.

SO CAP METRO FIRST NEEDS TO KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING ROUTES, WHAT THOSE ROUTES MAY LOOK LIKE, UM, AND LOOKING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO HELP SUPPORT ON THAT LAND DEVELOPMENT SIDE.

AND, AND IF I COULD JUST FOLLOW UP, WHEN YOU SAY SUPPORT, WHAT COULD THAT LOOK LIKE? COULD THAT LOOK LIKE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, A T BRIDGE, LIKE TDO BUILDING TOWARDS, UH, THE TECH RIDGE PARK AND RIDE, RIGHT.

WOULD YOU BE, WOULD CTRA BE WILLING TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE TO CONNECT TO A PARK AND RIDE FACILITY, I GUESS IS MY QUESTION.

YEAH, I THINK IT CAN LOOK LIKE A LOT OF THINGS.

I'M GONNA LET MIKE SPEAK TO THAT FROM THE AGENCY, BUT THERE'S NOTHING FIRM OR FINAL.

I THINK A LOT OF IT IS WHAT ARE THOSE DISCUSSIONS NEED TO BE, UH, LOCATIONS THE BIGGEST THING WHERE GONNA PUT IT, UH, DO YOU NEED A T RAMP DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT, UM, THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT FAR.

I THINK STILL IT'S SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, SO THERE'S LOTS OF TALK ABOUT WHERE CAN YOU PUT IT.

UM, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP IS HOW TO CONNECT IT TO THE EXPRESS LANDS.

IT COULD JUST BE SIMPLE ENOUGH TO GET IT ON A RAMP AND NOT HAVE TO BUILD ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

UM, THEY HAVE A FACILITY, UH, CAT METRO RUNS ONE FROM LAKELINE AREA ONTO THE EXPRESS LANES CURRENTLY ON THE NORTH SIDE COMING DOWN.

AND THERE'S NO DIRECT ACCESS.

THEY JUST USE THE EXISTING TOLL FACILITIES TO UTILIZE THE EXPRESS LANES AND IT FUNCTIONS WELL FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING.

UM, I SEE A, A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.

SO I, I'M ONE OF THE NEW YORK COMMISSIONERS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO READING MORE ON THE WEBSITE.

UM, COULD YOU JUST GENERALLY DESCRIBE WHAT THE INCREASED, UH, PEDESTRIAN OPPORTUNITIES ARE THAT YOU MENTIONED ON ONE OF THE SLIDES? YEAH, SO IT, UM, THAT, THAT ENCOMPASSES A FEW THINGS.

SO ONE IS WHAT WE CALL CLOSING THE GAPS.

I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE CORRIDOR AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SECTIONS THAT HAVE EXISTING SHARED USE PATH.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME GAPS WITHIN IT.

SO WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A CONTINUOUS PATH ALONG THE CORRIDOR TO BE USED.

AND THEN, UM, WHEN YOU GET TO INTERSECTIONS, OFTENTIMES THERE WASN'T NECESSARILY, UH, DESIGNATED PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING TO INCORPORATE THAT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK A MAJOR, UM, GAP WITHIN THE CORRIDOR WAS THE TWO 90 INTERCHANGE AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS SAFE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, UM, AT THAT INTERSECTION.

SO WE'VE, UM, SINCE BEEN WORKING TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO, INTO THE PROJECT.

UM, COMMISSIONER BUFFET.

HI, I'M COMMISSIONER BUFFET.

I REPRESENT DISTRICT ONE.

UM, MY QUESTION OH IS ABOUT THE REDUCED, UM, TRANSIT TIME.

I'M FAMILIAR WITH, UM, STUDIES THAT SUGGEST THAT HIGHWAY EXPANSION DOES NOT LEAD TO REDUCED, UH, TRAVEL TIME AND IN FACT INCREASES CONGESTION.

I'M NOT AWARE OF THE OPPOSITE, BUT YOU MENTIONED A FEW TIMES THAT THE CURRENT PROPOSED STUDY WITH THE EXPRESS LANES WOULD REDUCE TRANSIT TIME.

SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? YEAH, UM, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT BOTH FOR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR MOPAC SOUTH WHILE ALSO REFERENCING MOPAC NORTH, WHICH IS, UM, KINDA OUR BEST CASE STUDY WITH WITHIN THE AREA BECAUSE THAT'S, UH, ALSO THE MANAGED LINK CONCEPT.

FOR BOTH GENERAL PURPOSE LANES AND EXPRESS LANES.

SO FIRST WITH, UM, WITH THE TRAFFIC STUDIES, THE MODEL STUDIES THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE COMPLETED, WE DO SHOW THAT THERE WOULD BE REDUCED TRAVEL TIMES IN THE 2045

[00:40:01]

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MORE IN THE EXPRESS LANES BECAUSE IT IS A MANAGED SYSTEM.

SO, UH, REMEMBERING THAT THE MANAGED SYSTEM FUNCTIONS BY ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO METER, UM, SELF-SELECTED USERS WHO ARE WILLING TO ENTER THAT AS, AS TRAFFIC GETS MORE CONGESTED RIGHT.

THE PRICE GOES UP.

FEWER PEOPLE MAYBE WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO ENTER THAT.

BUT THE RMA WORKS WITH CAP METRO TO ALLOW TRANSITS TO USE THE EXPRESS LANES AT NO COST.

SO THEY ARE ALWAYS BENEFITING FROM THAT RELIABLE TRANSIT TIME AND REDUCED TRAVEL TIME, THE PUBLIC TRANSIT LIKE BUSES, THE PUBLIC TRANSIT.

RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, SITTING IN THE MORE CONGESTED, UM, GENERAL PURPOSE LANES.

AND SO WHEN I REFER TO THE, THE BENEFIT FOR TRANSIT, IT'S THAT, AND, UH, MIKE MAY KNOW BETTER OR MAYBE, UH, SOMEONE ELSE, BUT I, I DO KNOW THAT WHEN THE EXPRESS LANES OPENED ON MOPAC, THE RIDERSHIP FOR THOSE CAP METRO ROUTES THAT WERE COMING FROM THE NORTH TO DOWNTOWN MM-HMM .

MORE THAN DOUBLED.

I WANNA SAY IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE A 70%, MAYBE EVEN HIGHER PERCENT INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP ALONG THOSE ROUTES.

AND IT'S BECAUSE SUDDENLY THERE WAS A CONSISTENT, RELIABLE ROUTE FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE MASS TRANSIT.

AND ONLY THING I'D ADD IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE ONLY THINKING OF THE BUS ROUTES.

UH, WE DO ALSO ALLOW, UH, RIDE THE RIDE SHARE PROGRAM IN FACILITIES AS WELL.

SO THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS TO HAVE A RIDE SHARE VEHICLE THROUGH CAT METRO THAT ALSO CAN USE A FACILITY FOR FREE.

THERE WOULD NOT BE A CHARGE.

SO, UH, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE PARK AND RISE, I GUESS IS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

YOU CAN HAVE RIDE SHARES WHERE MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE, UH, CARPOOLING ESSENTIALLY.

AND WE ALLOW THOSE IN THE FACILITY FOR FREE AS WELL.

THAT'S THE, LIKE THE CAT METRO VAN POOL WHERE YOU BAND TOGETHER WITH SOME NEIGHBORS AND GET A DEDICATED VEHICLE TO CARPOOL TOGETHER, I THINK.

I'M LOOKING AROUND FOR SOME OTHER QUESTIONERS.

AS I SAY, WHEN THINGS ARE SHAPED BY PUBLIC INPUT, IT'S THAT WE OFTEN GET A COMMENT, WE'RE LIKE, YES.

COMMISSIONER JACOBSON.

UM, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, I'M CURIOUS IN THE E THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE PRESENTING, UM, DOES, WILL THAT INCLUDE LIKE UNDERSTANDING THE, THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THIS SYSTEM, UM, JUST AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO LIKE WHAT INCREASED COSTS WILL HAPPEN? LIKE, IS THERE A WAY TO UNDERSTAND A BASELINE OF LIKE, WHAT IF WE DID NOTHING AND WE WAITED AND WE HAD MORE TIME? LIKE, IS THERE A WAY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CURRENT IMPACT IS TO THE, TO THE ENVIRONMENT? YEAH.

AND EXCUSE ME, I THINK I NEED TO CLARIFY IT 'CAUSE I MISSED THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION.

DID YOU, DID YOU ASK LIKE WITH WHAT WE'LL BE PRESENTING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING, WAS THAT THE YES, I'M QUESTION.

I JUST WONDER LIKE, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN GET A BASELINE OF, YOU KNOW YEAH.

WHATEVER RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED, WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON CURRENTLY? YES.

SO I'M, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT.

SO, SO PART OF THE STANDARD REQUIRED NEPA PROCESS IS THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF VOCABULARY.

LIKE EVERYBODY HAS VERNACULAR AROUND THEIR, THEIR THEIR THING, RIGHT? BUT AS, UH, AS I WAS DESCRIBING THESE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE LOOKED AT, THOSE ARE THE BUILD ALTERNATIVES, DIFFERENT THINGS WE CAN DO.

BUT PART OF THE NEPA PROCESS IS THAT WE ALWAYS MOVE FORWARD THE NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE FOR COMPARISON.

SO WITHIN THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS, THERE'S SECTIONS THAT TALK ABOUT IF WE DID NOTHING, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT'S, WHAT'S EITHER THE BASELINE OR WHAT'S, MAYBE OFTENTIMES THERE ARE TRULY, UM, NEGATIVE IMPACTS BY NOT DOING A PROJECT, RIGHT? SO WE DO LIST OUT AND TALK ABOUT THE BASELINE AND WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE FROM THAT NO BUILD, SO THAT THERE IS A COMPARISON TO THIS BUILD ALTERNATIVE BEING, BEING EVALUATED.

DOES THAT ANSWER ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OR HOW, HOW, HOW CAN I HELP WITH CLARIFY THAT THAT IS THAT, UM, AND I'M JUST, IF YOU MIND HELPING ME UNDERSTAND, IS THE EA PROCESS STILL ONGOING? IS IT STILL TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THAT AS WELL? OR TO LIKE TALK ABOUT METHODS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT? IS THAT STILL YEAH.

ONGOING PROCESS? IT, IT, IT IS.

AND SO, UM, TO, TO CLARIFY WITH THE NEXT STEPS AS WE'RE PREPARING THIS DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS THE, UM, LIKE THE LAST STAKEHOLDER OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU CAN EITHER READ, READ THE ASSESSMENT FOR THOSE THAT ARE MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, WANT TO GO THROUGH THE DETAIL.

WE WILL ALSO HAVE, UM, SLIDES AND MATERIALS TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IN THERE SO THAT MAYBE THEY CAN GET THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN DECIDE IF THEY WANNA GO LOOK AT THE, AT THE FULL REPORT, MORE AT THE FULL ASSESSMENT MORE.

AND THAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THINGS WERE CONDUCTED.

IT'LL OUTLINE THE METHODOLOGIES, THE RESULTS, AND THEN, UM, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON IT.

AND THEN AS I WAS DESCRIBING, FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THAT PUBLIC HEARING, THE PROJECT TEAM REVIEWS EACH COMMENT AND PREPARES RESPONSES FOR THOSE.

AND OFTENTIMES MAKES ADJUSTMENTS LIKE I'VE BEEN DESCRIBING,

[00:45:01]

LIKE, GREAT, GREAT POINT.

YES, WE CAN DO THIS.

YES, WE CAN ADD IT.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO LISTENING TO PUBLIC INPUT.

COMMISSIONER BUFFET, UM, FORGIVE ME, I'M, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION FOR AN EMBARRASSING LONG TIME FOR HOW LITTLE I UNDERSTAND THESE PROCESSES.

SO, UM, UH, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE SORT OF LIKE TIMELINE GOING FORWARD.

UM, SO THIS WHOLE INITIATIVE, IT SOUNDS LIKE WAS KICKED OFF A LITTLE OVER 10 YEARS AGO.

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF IF THERE WAS CLEAR, UM, INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THE, LIKE THAT THIS PROJECT WAS NOT DESIRED OR THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT OR WHATEVER.

UM, I GUESS WHAT ARE, WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT TO HAPPEN AND LIKE, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE SURENESS OF THIS WHOLE THING MOVING FORWARD? SO I CANNOT COMMENT ON ANYTHING FROM A POLICE OF CERTAINTY.

LIKE THAT'S NOT, NOT NOT MY POLICE, NOT MY ROLE KIND OF THING.

BUT I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS A BIT AND THAT AGAIN, IT'S, UM, KIND OF TIES TO THE COMMENTS I JUST OFFERED, WHICH IS THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE HOLD MM-HMM .

UM, WHILE WE'RE ALWAYS, LIKE, AS AN AGENCY, THERE'S ALWAYS AN, AN EMAIL YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT, RIGHT? MM-HMM .

BUT THESE, THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE MILESTONES FOR THE PROJECT WHERE WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION TO SHARE, TO PRESENT AND, UM, I THINK ARE THE PRIMARY POINT AND THE OFFICIAL POINT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT AS, AS AN OPTION AND A TIMEFRAME TO LIKE GET INVOLVED MM-HMM .

AND OFFER THAT I DO KNOW FOR CITY OF AUSTIN THAT THEY, UM, HAVE IN THE PAST AT LEAST WORKED TO, UM, COORDINATE COMMENTS, PROVIDE LIKE A CONSOLIDATED COMMENT LETTER FOR, FOR THE PROJECT, KINDA SPEAK WITH A UNIFIED VOICE.

UM, SO THAT WOULD BE THE OFFICIAL TIME PERIOD TO BE DOING THAT.

UM, THAT IS AGAIN, PLANNED FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR.

WE WOULD THEN BE TAKING THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THAT MEETING TO REVIEW ADDRESS, RESPOND TO COMMENTS MM-HMM .

UM, AND THEN IT'S A FEW MORE MONTHS AFTER THAT TO FINALIZE THE EA AND HAVE IT, UM, REVIEWED UNTIL WE GET TO WHAT THEY CALL AN ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING.

AND THAT IS WHEN, UM, A, A GROUP OF, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WITHIN TDOT ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION, UH, REVIEW THE ASSESSMENT, THE WORK, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC COMMENT REPORTS AND THE HISTORY AND OFFER OF A FINDING ON THE PROJECT MM-HMM .

UM, IF A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IS RECEIVED, THEN THERE'S MANY OTHER DECISION POINTS ON WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.

BUT I, I GUESS MY REAL QUESTION IS LIKE, WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PUT LIKE A GO NO, NO-GO DECISION ON THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

IT, IT IS TXDOT AS THE NEPA DELEGATE.

SO WITHIN, UM, AND WHAT DOES NEPA STAND FOR? YEAH.

SO, UH, , SO WITHIN OUR FRAMEWORK, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS THE, UM, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, THE EPA.

WE HAVE LIKE 1963 LAW.

IT'S THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, UM, ACT.

AND WITHIN THAT PROCESS, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL NEPA FOR SHORT.

UM, THEY HAVE A FEW STATES THAT THEY'VE DELEGATED THIS REVIEW AUTHORITY.

SO WE HAVE A GROUP WITHIN TO THAT FUNCTIONS THE SAME AS A GROUP WITHIN THE FEDERAL EPA.

AND SO THAT GROUP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING THESE DOCUMENTS, UM, AND ISSUING FINDINGS.

UM, I'M LOOKING AROUND, I THINK IF ANYONE WHO HASN'T HAD A QUESTION, BUT COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER.

TYPICALLY, UM, HAS HELD DESIGN WORKSHOPS AND WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS LIKE THAT WITH, UM, BARTON SPRINGS, EDWARDS, AFER CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND JUST, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STEPS ALONG THERE.

UM, SO IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS CAN PLAY OUT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, BUT ASSUMING, UM, EVERYTHING, LET'S JUST SAY STAYS ON TRACK, YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION POSSIBLY 20 27, 20 28 AT THE EARLIEST, WHICH WOULD BE, AM I WRONG ON THAT? YOU FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN.

WELL, THERE, LIKE I WAS SAYING THERE, SO THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS HERE.

SO, UH, AGAIN, I'M SAYING IF WITH LIKE CAPITAL, IF, IF THE PROJECT RECEIVES A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, RIGHT, UM, WHICH WOULD BE PROBABLY SUMMER LATE, YOU KNOW, END OF THIS YEAR, THEN THE, THEN THE CTRA COULD DECIDE TO SPONSOR THE PROJECT.

THAT'S NOT A GIVEN.

IT'S A DECISION TO BE MADE.

IF THEY DECIDE TO DO THAT, IF THEY DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DESIGN, THEN THERE WOULD BE A A PERIOD FOR, FOR DESIGN, UM, PROCESS, WHICH AGAIN, THEN GOES BACK TO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

AND THE RMA

[00:50:01]

SO IF THE PROJECT WERE TO GET TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS, UM, WE'VE, WE WOULD ESTIMATE THE SOONEST WE WOULD POSSIBLY GET TO CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE LIKE 2028.

YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO, AND LEMME JUST BACK OFF FROM AN OFFICIAL DATE.

REGARDLESS, IT LOOKS LIKE THE TIMELINE IS SYNCING UP PRETTY CLOSELY WITH THE TIMELINES OF, UH, PROJECT CONNECT AND, UH, PROBABLY MORE SIGNIFICANTLY I 35, I THINK WE WOULD ALL EXPECT MOPAC TO GET INCREASED, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, AS A RESULT OF UH, UH, I 35 CONSTRUCTION.

I MEAN, JUST SAY I WAS COMING BACK FROM UH, SAN MARCOS AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO GO ON I 35, I'M GONNA TAKE MOPAC, TAKE THE LONG WAY AROUND.

UM, SO RIGHT.

OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING.

WHAT IMPACTS TO THE EXISTING LANES ON MOPAC WILL THERE BE DURING CONSTRUCTION? AND THEN WHAT HA WHAT IF ANY COORDINATION HAVE YOU HAD WITH A TP, UH, T CITY OF AUSTIN TO DEAL WITH JUST THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION WE'RE GONNA HAVE IN THE NEXT DECADE? YEAH, I'LL GO.

UM, SO WE'RE NOT IN ANY PHASE WHERE WE REALLY WOULD DIVE INTO CONSTRUCTION.

UM, AND THE REASON IS WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD.

UH, WE'RE JUST IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL STAGE.

OUR BOARD HASN'T COMMITTED TO BUILDING ANY PROJECT YET.

SO IT REALLY ISN'T A STEP THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT ALL THE COORDINATION.

WHAT WE ARE PART OF IS AN ORGANIZ OR COMMITTEE, A GROUP THAT'S ALSO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S, PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

UM, THEY HAVE AN APP.

UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS INCLUDING, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HOW ALL THESE PROJECTS ARE GONNA INTERPLAY WITH EACH OTHER DURING DIFFERENT PHASES OF CONSTRUCTION.

SO AS THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE BEING BUILT ARE BEING BUILT, THEY ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TRAFFIC CONTROL PHASING, WHAT'S GONNA BE CLOSED, WHAT'S GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE THINGS CLOSED IN THE SAME WEEKEND IMPACTING TRAFFIC AND THEY'RE USING THAT, UH, THE SOFTWARE THAT THEY'RE STILL DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM, THEY'RE STILL DEVELOPING TO LOOK AT HOW THERE COULD BE DECISIONS WHERE, HEY, I 35 DON'T CLOSE THIS WEEKEND.

WE'VE GOT THIS MAJOR DELIVERY COMING IN FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.

YOU CAN'T DO THIS CLOSURE.

AND THOSE THINGS ARE COORDINATED.

SO IF MOPAC WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, WE ARE PART OF THAT GROUP AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM.

AND IF THERE'S ANY CLOSURES OR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR, UH, I WOULD SAY LIKE I 180 3 NORTH THIS PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, IT'S SORT OF A SIMILAR CONCEPT WHERE YOU'RE WIDENING TO THE MIDDLE, ALL THE LANES ARE BEING MAINTAINED DURING CONSTRUCTION.

THERE'S OVERNIGHT CLOSURES WHEN TRAFFIC'S AT A LULL, SO TO SPEAK.

UM, BUT KEEPING LANES OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION IS SOMETHING I 35 IS COMMITTED TO.

IT'S SOMETHING MOST EVERY AGENCY COMMITS TO.

IT'S TRYING TO KEEP THOSE LANES OPEN DURING TRAFFIC.

SO PEAKS AND, AND GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE COORDINATING.

I GET YOU DON'T WANNA PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE HERE, BUT I, I COULD ALSO SEE THAT REALLY PLAYING INTO AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.

UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF, IF TWO HIGHWAYS HAVE REDUCTIONS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TRAFFIC MOVING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE CITY THAT BRINGS INCREASED EMISSIONS PLAYS INTO YOUR EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT.

EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST DOING, YOU KNOW, NIGHT CLOSURES THAT COULD IMPACT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL ROUTES, YOU MAY HAVE TO REROUTE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL TO A, A ROUTE THAT IT'S MAYBE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO ON.

SO ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING AT WHAT THAT MODELING WOULD LOOK LIKE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT I 35, EVERYTHING ELSE, ALL THE OTHER CONSTRUCTION AND HOW YOUR PROJECT WOULD PLAY INTO THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS? THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP IF THIS PROJECT WERE TO MOVE FORWARD IS TO REALLY LAY, GO INTO THOSE, BUT THAT DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.

BUT THAT WOULDN'T, THAT WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AFTER THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT? CORRECT.

THEM SOME IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

I'M, I THINK I'M GONNA, I'VE FORMULATED A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UM, MYSELF NOW.

SO, UM, THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT, AND IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO PULL UP THE MAP REAL BRIEFLY.

I DON'T, I DON'T LOVE THAT.

'CAUSE THEN I CAN'T SEE MY PEOPLE ONLINE, BUT AT LEAST JUST BRIEFLY SO THAT WE CAN GET ONE MORE LOOK AT THAT AND REMIND OURSELVES, UM, THAT THESE PURPLE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THOSE PURPLE UM, LINES ARE THE ELEVATED RAMPS THAT ARE, AND THAT IS A SEGMENT THAT WOULD BE HIGHER THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY THERE.

IS THAT I HAVE THAT CORRECTLY YES.

FROM JUST NORTH OF BARTON SKYWAY UP TO ABOUT ROLLING WOOD IS THAT, AND THAT'S A PLACE THAT'S REALLY SEEN AN INCREASED, UH, ELEVATION OVER WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND.

DO I HAVE THAT CORRECTLY? I I DON'T, I'M JUST CHECKING MY UNDERSTANDING.

UM, SO THE, THOSE RAMPS ARE GOING UP.

THOSE RAMPS ARE UP, YEAH.

OVER, LIKE IF THIS IS MOPAC TODAY, THOSE RAMPS ARE GONNA BE ABOVE

[00:55:01]

CORRECT.

MAYBE NOT TOTALLY DETERMINED YET, BUT IN SOME WAY.

UM, IS THAT THE ONLY SEGMENT, UM, THAT YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE HAVING ELEVATED RAMPS THAT ABOVE THAT OF TODAY? I MEAN, I, THIS IS, I KNOW FOCUSING ON THE SEGMENT THAT'S PROBABLY, WELL CANDIDLY, THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL.

I WOULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT'S REALLY DEAR TO PEOPLE'S HEARTS, RIGHT.

BY THE PARKS AND THE LAKE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL AND DOWN ALL THE THINGS.

HASHTAG ALL THE THINGS MM-HMM .

UM, SO, UH, BUT LIKE SOUTH OF THIS MIGHT, THERE, THERE MIGHT BE OTHER NEW ELEVATED RAMPS OR, YEAH, SO I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT ELEVATED STRUCTURES SOUTH, SOUTH OF HERE.

SO, UM, KIND OF IN LINE MOVING SOUTH, UM, YOU'LL HAVE THE, THE TWO 90 INTERCHANGE.

WE'LL BE COMPLETING RAMPS THERE.

UM, AND THAT'S FROM THE, UH, BASICALLY THE, UM, EASTBOUND DIRECTION IF YOU'RE TRAVELING ON TWO 90 TO GET NORTH ONTO MOPAC OR IF YOU'RE TRAVELING SOUTH ONTO MOPAC TO GET WESTBOUND.

SO WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE COMPLETING THAT PART OF THE INTERCHANGE.

UM, AND THEN THERE ARE, UH, BRAIDED RAMPS SOUTH OF THE TWO 90 INTERCHANGE NEAR WILLIAM CANNON TO KIND OF HELP UNTANGLE THE MASSIVE CONGESTION THAT HAPPENS THERE WITH, UM, ON RAMPS AND OFF RAMPS.

AND SO BY REVERSING SOME OF THOSE POINTS OF ENTRANCE AND EXIT ONTO THE HIGHWAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, IMPROVE FLOW IN THOSE AREAS.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE IN THE SEGMENT THAT'S, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, UM, THE SORT OF THE MOST CENTRAL SEGMENT, UM, AND THOSE PURPLE RAMPS, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE AT ALL YET OF HOW HIGH THOSE MAY BE? UM, WE DO, AND THAT IS ON THE SCHEMATIC.

I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER IN MY HEAD, SO I CAN'T QUOTE YOU, BUT IT IS ON ONLINE.

WE, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, WE CAN OFFER YOU AN ANSWER ON THAT.

UM, BUT ROUGHLY THERE, SO LIKE BY, I'M GONNA USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.

BY THE TIME YOU'RE KIND OF CROSSING LIKE B CAVE ROAD, THEY'RE PRETTY WELL EQUIVALENT TO THAT EXISTING STRUCTURE LOCATION.

SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT OF REFERENCE THAT IF YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF DRIVING UNDER B CAVE ROAD AND YOU SEE THE HEIGHT OF THE, OF THE HIGHWAY GOING OVER B CAVE MM-HMM .

UM, WE'RE GONNA BE AT A VERY SIMILAR ELEVATION KIND OF AT THAT POINT AS THOSE RAMPS ARE ARE COMING BACK IN.

BUT, BUT IT WOULD BE HIGHER, FURTHER SOUTH.

UM, IT'LL BE HIGHER, FURTHER SOUTH.

UM, ACTUALLY MAYBE EVEN THE SAME, SAME ELEVATION, I GUESS I KIND OF HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, AT THE MAP AND THE, THE PROFILE, AGAIN, IT'LL HAVE TO GO UP INITIALLY TO ESSENTIALLY LIKE CLEAR OVER THE MAIN LANES.

SO I THINK THE, THE, THE HIGHEST POINT IS CLOSER TO WHERE WE'RE DIVERGING FROM THE EXPRESS LANE.

AND THEN IT CONVERGES BACK TO, TO EXISTING.

WHEN YOU GO DOWN THAT BAR, THE ROADWAY IS GOING DOWNHILL.

RIGHT, EXACTLY.

THAT'S WHY I WAS SAYING IT'S KIND OF A CHALLENGING QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE, UM, AT THAT POINT WE'RE KIND OF COMING BACK DOWN THE HILL.

SO IF WE'RE, THERE'S NATURAL ELEVATION AS WELL, IN OTHER WORDS, RIGHT? YEAH, EXACTLY.

I UNDERSTAND.

I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A, A VISUAL OF WHAT IT, WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

UM, SO I, I GUESS I WOULD SUGGEST, SUGGEST TWO, TWO THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE.

THERE IS A VIDEO THAT WE SHARED AT OPEN HOUSE SIX THAT IS LIKE A, A VIRTUAL FLY THROUGH MM-HMM .

OF THE PROJECT.

UM, AND SO, SO YOU MAY WANT TO, TO DO THAT JUST TO KINDA GET A, A, A A A BETTER, EASIER VISUAL.

YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT THE SCHEMATIC.

I JUST KNOW THAT SOMETIMES LIKE S SCHEMATICS AREN'T NECESSARILY THE MOOSE USER FRIENDLY THING TO LOOK AT, BUT IT WOULD, IT DOES SHOW YOU, UM, DOES SHOW YOU KIND OF THE DIFFERENT EL RELATIVE ELEVATIONS.

OUT TO THE C-T-M-R-M-A BOARD, GO SPEAK AT THEIR MEETINGS AND OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.

UM, SO, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I I THINK THAT, UM, TO SOME OF THE, IT'S KIND OF A, IT'S, I'M GONNA GET TO A QUESTION, BUT ONE OF THE, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER BUFFET WAS ASKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.

SO LIKE, IF YOU CAME OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND THE TXDOT ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATORS TOLD YOU THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO A DEEPER, DEEPER LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.

DO I HAVE THAT CORRECTLY? IS THAT CORRECT? BUT IF THEY SAID THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT, UM, I FORGET THE RIGHT WORD, NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IS IN NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, THEN YOU MOVE INTO SORT OF THE MORE POLITICAL PHASE OF FINALIZING THE APPROVAL AND, AND DOING DESIGN AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

UM, SO, UM, SO MORE THAN LIKELY, AS ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS REFERENCED IS THAT I, I WOULD PERSONALLY ANTICIPATE THAT TXDOT WOULD PROBABLY FIND NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

I'M SURE THAT'S YOUR GOAL AS WELL.

YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD A PROJECT.

UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THAT OCCURRED, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY C-T-R-M-A BOARD IS A VENUE THAT PEOPLE COULD REACH

[01:00:01]

THAT'S, SO THAT'S A PLACE WHERE, UM, HECK SOMEONE COULD TO APPLY TO BE ON THE CTM RMA BOARD IF A VACANCY COMES OPEN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S A VENUE WHICH CAN INFLUENCE THE DIRECTION OF C-T-R-M-A IS WORKING WITH YOUR BOARD, THAT THAT IS ALSO CORRECT.

YES, CORRECT.

OUR BOARD'S APPOINTED BY TRAVIS COUNTY, THREE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY TRAVIS COUNTY.

THREE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY WILLIAMS COUNTY.

THE CHAIR'S APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

SO YES, YOU CAN GET ON OUR BOARD, YES.

OKAY, GREAT.

THAT, OR EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANNA GET ON THE BOARD, YOU CAN TALK TO PEOPLE ON THE BOARD OR EMAIL THEM OR DO WHATEVER YOU WOULD DO WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

WE, WE HAVE MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME SPEAK AT.

THERE'S OPEN COMMENT, IT'S RUN, WE ARE A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, SO THERE'S THE SAME RULES APPLY TO US AS ABSOLUTELY LIKE OUR TOMA RULES AS WELL.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF LIKE HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR SOME OF OUR COMMISSIONERS.

UM, SO I THINK THAT COULD BE A POINT OF INFLUENCE, OBVIOUSLY ADVOCATING WITH THE CITY AS UTC, WE, OUR MAIN THING IS, IS ADVISING CITY COUNCIL, SO WE CAN ADVISE CITY COUNCIL.

SO THOSE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD IMPACT THIS PROJECT.

UM, THIS IS REALLY MORE OF A COMMENT, AND I, I JUST WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR.

LIKE, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND I ALWAYS WANNA SAY I CAN, UM, RESPECT THE WORK THAT SOMEONE IS DOING WHILE SORT OF DISAGREEING AS WELL.

AND WHERE I, I REALLY AM CHALLENGED, AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THIS PROJECT WHERE I'M REALLY CHALLENGED WITH THE WAY THAT WE APPROVE FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

I MEAN, THIS ISN'T EVEN JUST A TEXAS, AUSTIN, OR TEXAS PROBLEM IS THAT, UM, THE WAY THAT WE DO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT STATEMENTS OR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROCESS TENDS TO BE MORE, THE PATH IS EASED FOR HIGHWAY PROJECTS.

AND IN MY OPINION, MADE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY CHALLENGING, UH, FOR TRANSIT PROJECTS.

AND, UM, AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT THIS IS A FEDERAL PROBLEM.

I THINK IT'S A STATE PROBLEM.

IT'S A PROBLEM ON DIFFERENT LEVELS, AND I INTEND TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING IN ALL LEVELS MYSELF TO TRY TO EVENTUALLY CHANGE THAT PROCESS NATIONALLY.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S VERY, UM, VERY CHALLENGING WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, THIS IS JUST A COMMENT, LIKE ON THE WAY THAT ASSESSMENT IS DONE FOR HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS, UM, AND HOW WE EVALUATE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT OR NOT THINKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE VMT IS VERY CHALLENGING FOR ME.

AND, UM, WHAT'S V-M-T-V-M-T IS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED.

SO LIKE A LOT OF, UM, OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS MENTIONED THIS IDEA THAT LIKE, GENERALLY WHEN YOU ADD ROADWAY CAPACITY, THE GENERAL EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT YOU INCREASE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, WHICH THEN HAS ALL KINDS OF OTHER IMPACTS.

AND WE DO CALL OUT VMT AT DIFFERENT PLACES IN OUR STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND OTHER PLACES.

SO, UM, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A COMMENT AND IT'S NOT, YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE PROCESS THAT EXISTS.

UM, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THIS IS, TO ME, SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES MORE WORK AND, UM, I STRUGGLE.

I JUST STRUGGLE WITH THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA FIND NO, NO, POTENTIALLY BE FINDING NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, YOU KNOW, MIDWAY THROUGH LIKE QUARTER THREE OR QUARTER FOUR NEXT YEAR.

AND THAT'S A LITTLE, UM, IT'S HONESTLY MIND BOGGLING TO ME.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND.

THIS IS JUST A COMMENT.

UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND I REALLY FELT LIKE OUR COMMISSION JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT THIS.

I LEARNED A LOT TODAY AS WELL.

I PROBABLY KNEW MORE THAN SOME.

SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING OUT AND, AND, UH, PRESENTING TO US.

AND, UM, I THINK WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR WEBSITE, UM, AND WE HAVE A SENSE OF HOW TO ADVOCATE AS WELL WITH YOUR BOARD.

I THINK SO I WANNA LOOK TO MY FOLKS ONLINE, ESPECIALLY IF ANYONE DID HAVE QUESTIONS THAT DIDN'T HA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY YET.

MAYBE WE CAN TAKE DOWN THE SLIDE THERE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAD TWO QUICK COMMENTS MYSELF.

ARE, ARE WE, DO WE KNOW THAT THE, THIS PRESENTATION WAS NOT ON THE BACKUP? YEAH, I, OKAY.

I RECEIVED IT.

I I GOT IT.

IT WILL BE ON BACKUP, UM, TOMORROW MORNING.

UM, AND I DID TRY TO SIGN UP FOR THE EMAIL ON YOUR WEBSITE AND IT SAID, FAILED.

PLEASE TRY AGAIN.

SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, OKAY.

WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE REACH OUT.

I'M SURE THAT'S NOT YOUR, YOUR JOB, JUST SO YOU KNOW, .

YEAH, I DID IT A FEW TIMES.

WELL, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I, I THINK COMMISSIONERS, UM, WE MIGHT TALK ABOUT IT IN FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, BUT I THINK WE WOULD, MIGHT WANNA TIME, UM, SOME KIND OF ACTION, UM, UNSURE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT, UM, IN, IN LINE WITH Y'ALL'S COMMENT PERIOD IN THE NEW YEAR.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT TODAY.

YEAH, THANKS FOR HAVING US.

[01:05:02]

DIRECTLY INTO OUR STAFF BRIEFINGS.

THAT DOES CONCLUDE ITEM FOUR, AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE

[2. Staff briefing regarding Vision Zero. Presentation by Joel Meyer, Transportation Officer, Austin Transportation and Public Works]

UM, THANK YOU FOR WAITING.

WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP ITEM TWO, WHICH IS A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING REGARDING VISION ZERO.

UM, OUR PRESENTATION IS BY JOEL MEYER, WHO'S A TRANSPORTATION OFFICER WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

JOEL MEYER, UH, TRANSPORTATION SAFETY OFFICER.

I LEAD THE VISION ZERO PROGRAM WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.

UM, HAPPY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GIVE SOME UPDATES ON THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING.

UM, LEMME SEE IF THIS CLICKER WORKS.

ALRIGHT, SO WE ALWAYS LIKE TO START WITH, UH, HIGH LEVEL TRENDS.

UH, VISION ZERO IS OUR CITY'S POLICY AND PROGRAM TO ELIMINATE TRAFFIC FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES.

SO LOOKING AT YEAR TO DATE, THIS IS THROUGH OCTOBER 10TH.

UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE DOWN, UH, QUITE A BIT COMPARED WITH THIS TIME LAST YEAR, AND ALSO THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEAR AVERAGE.

UM, WITHIN THAT, YOU KNOW, FATALITIES ARE STILL, UM, KIND OF STUBBORNLY HIGH.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, SLIGHTLY UP FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

BUT REALLY WHERE WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THESE DECREASES ARE COMING FROM THOSE SERIOUS INJURIES.

UM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IN MY PRESENTATION WHY WE THINK THAT IS, UM, LOOKING AT THOSE SAME NUMBERS BROKEN DOWN BY MODE INVOLVED IN THOSE CRASHES.

UM, YOU CAN SEE MOTOR VEHICLE, PEOPLE IN MOTOR VEHICLES JUST MAKE UP THE, THE MAJORITY OF OUR FATALITIES SERIOUS INJURIES, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY SEEING REDUCTIONS ACROSS ALL NODES THIS YEAR COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS YEARS.

UM, AND ESPECIALLY GOOD TO SEE THOSE PEDESTRIAN NUMBERS COMING DOWN.

UM, WHICH IS SORT OF A REVERSAL OF A TREND.

WE'VE AN INCREASING TREND WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE PAST DECADE OR SO.

UM, SAME MODAL NUMBERS, JUST LOOKING AT FATALITIES.

AGAIN, RELATIVELY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE WITH THESE, SO THERE'S A BIT MORE FLUCTUATION.

UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE UP A LITTLE BIT IN MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES.

UM, FIVE OF THOSE DID COME FROM THE, THE ONE CRASH ON I 35 BACK IN MARCH.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, SINGLE EVENTS LIKE THAT CAN REALLY, UH, CHANGE THE NUMBERS QUITE A BIT.

BUT AGAIN, SEEING REDUCTIONS IN PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES, UM, AND SOME OTHER MODES IS, IS GOOD TO SEE.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, IN THIS PRESENTATION IS, UH, VISION ZERO'S 10 YEAR REPORT, AND, UH, REALLY COMMEMORATING 10 YEARS SINCE VISION ZERO WAS ADOPTED AS OFFICIAL CITY POLICY, UH, BACK IN 2015.

SO THIS OCTOBER WE PRODUCED A, UH, KIND OF A RETROSPECTIVE REPORT, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE, THE TRENDS WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, SOME OF THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AS A CITY, AND THEN ALSO BEING VERY, UH, UPFRONT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT REMAIN LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

SO YOU CAN FIND THIS REPORT ONLINE, UH, AT THE, THE URL THERE AT THE BOTTOM.

BUT IN THAT REPORT WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE KEY MILESTONES, UH, A LOT OF THE POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED, A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE MADE, UM, LOOKING AT THE INJURY AND FATAL CRASH TRENDS OVER TIME, HOW THOSE HAVE CHANGED SOME OF OUR MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS ACROSS SOME OF OUR THREE PILLARS.

SAFETY CULTURE, DESIGNING FOR SAFETY, AND PROMOTING SAFE BEHAVIORS.

I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE HERE LATER.

AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, THE ONGOING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

SO REALLY LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE COORDINATING WITH, WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.

UH, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF OUR FATALITIES DO OCCUR ON, UH, STATE OWNED ROADWAYS.

UM, THINGS LIKE THE, THE INCREASING SIZE AND WEIGHT OF VEHICLES ON OUR, ON OUR ROADWAYS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO A LOT OF THE, THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING.

SO WE REALLY GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL ABOUT THAT IN THE REPORT.

UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE TR THE TRENDS THAT WE HIGHLIGHT IN THE REPORT.

UH, THERE ON THE LEFT SIDE, WE LOOK AT THE COMBINED SERIOUS INJURIES FATALITIES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, FATALITIES, AGAIN, HAVE SORT OF FLUCTUATED YEAR TO YEAR, BUT, UH, HAVE REMAINED, UH, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY CONSISTENT.

IT'S REALLY THOSE SERIOUS INJURIES.

WE'RE SEEING, UH, SOME, SOME POSITIVE SIGNS.

AND ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, 2024, WE SAW THE FEWEST NUMBER OF SERIOUS INJURIES AND FATALITIES COMBINED SINCE VISION ZERO HAS BEEN ADOPTED.

SO, UM, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS COME DOWN.

UH, ON THE TOP RIGHT, THAT'S THE SPLIT BETWEEN FATALITIES ON, ON STATE OWNED ROADWAYS VERSUS CITY OWNED ROADWAYS.

UM, THE OVERALL TREND WE'VE SEEN, SEEN OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IS INCREASING SHARE OF FATALITIES ON STATE OWNED ROADWAYS.

WHILE THOSE ON CITY OWNED ROADWAYS HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY FLAT OR EVEN HAVE GONE DOWN IN SOME YEARS, UM, WE THINK THAT'S JUST THE RESULT OF, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS MORE INFLUENCE, WE HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER THE OPERATION AND DESIGN OF THOSE CITY ON ROADWAYS.

AND THEN THE BOTTOM RIGHT, UH, IS REALLY HIGHLIGHTING AUSTIN COMPARED WITH OTHER TEXAS CITIES.

THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, CITIES THAT FACE A LOT OF THE SAME CHALLENGES WE DO.

[01:10:01]

SORT OF REMAINED FLAT OR, OR INCREASED.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A TREND THAT WE ALSO WANT TO TRACK TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHER SIMILAR CITIES.

AND THEN I'D SAY LIKE THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS TENURE REPORT WAS SOME ANALYSIS THAT WE DID LOOKING AT THE SAFETY INVESTMENTS WE, AS A COMMUNITY HAVE MADE OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, REALLY LOOKING ACROSS DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FROM MAJOR INTERSECTIONS TO, UH, BIKE LANES, TO TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECTS, AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW THOSE PROJECTS HAVE IMPACTED CRASHES, INJURIES AND FATALITIES.

AND WE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXCITING RESULTS TO SHARE IN TERMS OF THE, THE INJURY AND FATALITY REDUCTIONS WE'RE SEEING, THE, THE SPEED REDUCTIONS WE'RE SEEING ON THINGS LIKE, UH, ARTERIAL SPEED LIMIT CHANGES, UM, AND THEN COMPREHENSIVE COST REDUCTIONS.

SO THESE ARE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH INJURIES AND, AND CRASHES.

SO THINGS LIKE PROPERTY DAMAGE, UH, HOSPITALIZATION BILLS, INSURANCE RATES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT REALLY, UH, IMPACT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE A NATIONAL SORT OF METHODOLOGY TO, TO, UM, QUANTIFY THAT.

AND SO WE'VE REPORTED ON THAT AS WELL.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, I THINK WE, WE THINK WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE THESE RESULTS.

WE HAVE A WHOLE METHODOLOGY PAPER THAT GOES ALONGSIDE THIS, DIGGING INTO THE DETAILS OF, UM, WHERE THESE INVESTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, UM, REALLY ENABLED BY THE, THE BOND FUNDING THAT VOTERS HAVE APPROVED, UH, OVER THE PAST DECADE.

SO, UH, YEAH, REALLY HAPPY TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE RESULTS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING MORE OF THESE PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.

UM, KIND OF NOW KIND OF GETTING INTO, UH, KIND OF CURRENT ACTIVITIES WITH VISION ZERO, UM, DESIGNING FOR SAFETY, THIS IS REALLY AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO IS DESIGNING OUR STREETS, UH, TO, TO LOWER SPEEDS, TO PROVIDE SEPARATION BETWEEN MODES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, SO LOOKING AT VISION ZERO BOND FUNDING, WE'VE COMPLETED OUR 2016 BOND PROGRAM LOOKING AT MAJOR INTERSECTIONS.

UH, BY THE END OF THIS, UH, YEAR, WE WILL HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED THE 2018 BOND AS WELL.

SO THAT WAS, UH, ALSO MAJOR INTERSECTIONS, BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE STREET LIGHTING, TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN FOR 2020, WE'RE ABOUT 67%, UH, OBLIGATED TO PROJECTS RIGHT NOW.

UM, I THINK THE, THE KEY POINT THERE IS WITHIN THAT ASTERISK, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE $9 MILLION OF THAT, UH, LOCAL MOBILITY BOND FUNDING IN 2020 BOND TO SECURE AN ADDITIONAL $35 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS.

SO WITH THOSE FEDERAL GRANTS, WE, WE TYPICALLY HAVE TO PROVIDE A 20% MATCH TO GET THOSE FUNDS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA TAKE US ON SORT OF A LONGER TIMELINE TO COMPLETE THOSE GRANT PROJECTS.

BUT BEING ABLE TO USE THAT LOCAL FUND FUNDING IS REALLY CRITICAL TO, TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND EXPAND THESE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO I REALLY JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.

UM, AND THAT'S REALLY PRI PRIMARILY TAKING THE, THE FORM OF THOSE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL GRANTS.

THAT'S A FEDERAL SAFETY PROGRAM THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL FROM A FEW YEARS AGO.

AND AUSTIN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON THREE CONSECUTIVE GRANT APPLICATIONS THROUGH THAT.

SO, UM, YEAH, MORE TO COME WITH THAT.

WE'LL, WE'LL, IT'S JUST REALLY GONNA ALLOW US TO DO MORE OF THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS.

UH, AND THEN JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ONE PROJECT IN PARTICULAR THAT BROKE GROUND IN OCTOBER, UH, THAT CAMERON ROAD DESSA ROAD SAFETY PROJECT.

UM, THIS IS A SIX AND A HALF MILE LONG CORRIDOR, REALLY ADDRESSING MULTIMODAL SAFETY NEEDS, UM, IN ONE OF AUSTIN'S HIGHEST CRASH CORRIDORS.

SO A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN ARE INJURED OR KILLED ON CAMERON DESSAU EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO GET SOME, UM, SOME NEW PROTECTED BIKE FACILITIES, SOME TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADES, STREET LIGHTING, NEW CROSSINGS, REALLY ACROSS THAT WHOLE CORRIDOR.

SO, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION HERE FOR THE NEXT, REALLY FOR THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS.

BUT IT'S GONNA REALLY, UH, SLOW THINGS DOWN AND IMPROVE SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.

UH, PROMOTING SAFE BEHAVIORS.

THIS IS REALLY TALKING MORE ABOUT THE EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT KIND OF COMPONENTS OF VISION ZERO.

UM, WE, WE FOCUS OUR EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS ON FOUR KEY BEHAVIORS LISTED THERE.

UM, THIS TIME OF YEAR WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON DISTRACTED DRIVING.

UM, AS, AS PEOPLE'S COMMUTES GET DARKER EARLIER, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO REMIND PEOPLE TO, UM, SLOW DOWN, PUT THEIR PHONES DOWN, AND PAY ATTENTION TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THEIR VEHICLES.

ESPECIALLY, UM, ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE, WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY KIND OF STRENGTHENED OUR COLLABORATION WITH A PD RECENTLY.

UM, I THINK WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITH NEW LEADERSHIP AT A PD, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT, UM, MORE PATROL OFFICERS OUT ON THE ROADWAYS, REALLY FOCUSING ON THINGS LIKE SPEEDING AND DISTRACTED DRIVING.

SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON WITH VISION ZERO IS REALLY, UH, SHARING DATA WITH A PD UH, COMMAND ANALYSTS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE, THE HOTSPOTS ARE IN THEIR,

[01:15:01]

IN THEIR, UH, SECTORS, WHAT THE, UH, MOST DANGEROUS DRIVING BEHAVIORS ARE THAT THEY SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON.

AND THAT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT, THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO KIND OF, UH, EXPAND WITH THE, WITH THIS NEW, WITH THESE NEW RESOURCES.

UM, WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED THE NO REFUSAL DWI INITIATIVE TO 365 DAYS PER YEAR.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT TOOK EFFECT LAST YEAR.

THIS IS REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, IMPAIRED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT AND, UM, HELPING TO, UH, PROCESS THESE DWI ARRESTS TO GET OFFICERS BACK ON THE STREET MORE QUICKLY.

UH, SO THAT'S BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, A SU A SUCCESS IN, IN THAT WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN D-W-I-R-S SINCE THAT HAS BEEN EXPANDED.

WHAT IS NO REFUSAL, DWI, SO NO, NO REFUSAL.

IT'S, UH, ESSENTIALLY A PROGRAM WHERE, UH, VISION ZERO IS HELPING TO FUND, UH, A PD OVERTIME STAFF.

THEY HAVE DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERTS, UH, ON, ON CALL ESSENTIALLY, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO COLLECT EVIDENCE, THEY'RE ABLE TO PROCESS BLOOD SEARCH WARRANTS, UM, AND REALLY ALLOW THE OFFICER TO NOT HAVE TO DO ALL THE PAPERWORK THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THAT SO THEY CAN GET BACK OUT ON THE STREET AND DO MORE ENFORCEMENT.

SO A LOT OF IT'S, UH, SORT OF ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, BUT IT REALLY, FROM WHAT OUR OFFICERS HAVE TOLD US, IS THAT IT REALLY FREES THEM UP TO DO MORE ENFORCEMENT.

SO, SO WHAT'S THE NO REFUSAL PART SPECIFICALLY? OH, THE, THE, THE NO REFUSAL REFERS TO, UH, THE ABILITY, UH, FOR OFFICERS TO, UH, ISSUE A BLOOD SEARCH WARRANT WHEN PEOPLE REFUSE, UM, A, A BREATHALYZER.

AND THAT REALLY HELPS WITH, UM, EVIDENCE COLLECTION, IT HELPS WITH PROSECUTION.

SO THERE'S KIND OF MULTIPLE COMPONENTS TO THAT.

OKAY, THANKS.

EMS INCIDENT DATA INTO ALL OF OUR VISION ZERO TOOLS.

AND THEN ONE OTHER, UH, UH, SORT OF NEW PROGRAM I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS, UH, VISION ZERO'S PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND THEIR D-W-D-W-I COURT AND TRANSFORMATIVE YOUTH JUSTICE PROGRAMS. SO THESE ARE DIVERSION PROGRAMS THAT ESSENTIALLY ALLOW FOR PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR DWI TO PARTICIPATE IN, UM, ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS THAT CAN ALLOW THEM TO GET IT EXPUNGED OFF THEIR RECORD.

SO THINGS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING, UH, ALCOHOL MONITORING DEVICES INSTALLED IN THEIR CARS, OR, UM, WRAPAROUND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR, FOR YOUTH WHO ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, ARRESTED FOR DDWI, GIVING THEM JOB TRAINING, ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO REALLY GIVE THEM AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY, UM, TO KIND OF AVOID THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

SO THIS HAS BEEN, UH, THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM LAST YEAR, UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM AND, AND REALLY EXPLORE OTHER WAYS TO, UH, TO, UH, REDUCE RISK RECIDIVISM AMONGST THOSE POPULATIONS.

UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO 2026, UM, I, I MENTIONED WE'RE REALLY GETTING INTO THE HEART OF, UH, OF OUR BOND SPENDING.

UH, WE'RE REALLY ACCELERATING THE DELIVERY OF THESE SAFETY INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE BEEN ENABLED BY THESE BONDS.

UM, SO WE HAVE SEVEN MAJOR INTERSECTIONS THAT'LL START CONSTRUCTION IN 2026.

UM, I MENTIONED THE CAMERON ROAD, UH, SAFETY PROJECT.

AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER KIND OF MULTIMODAL SAFETY PROJECT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON IN, UH, THE MONTOPOLIS COMMUNITY.

SO WE, WE'VE ALREADY HAD, UH, ONE ROUND OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

WE'RE GONNA BE GOING OUT BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THIS SPRING, REALLY LOOKING TO IMPROVE, UM, SAFETY FOR ALL ROAD USERS ON THAT KIND OF KEY SOUTHEAST AUSTIN CORRIDOR.

UM, ON THE PLANNING SIDE, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING SOME WORK AROUND, UH, LIGHTING.

WE'RE DEVELOPING A, A CITYWIDE LIGHTING PLAN IN, UH, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND PARKS AND RECREATION.

UM, UH, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, UH, TAKE A HOLISTIC LOOK AT HOW THE CITY APPROACHES LIGHTING, BOTH FROM A, UH, A TRAFFIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO FROM A A, A CRIME PERSPECTIVE, UH, A LIVABILITY A QUALITY OF LIFE PERSPECTIVE.

SO, UH, WE'LL BE DOING A LOT OF, UM, LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES, DEVELOPING GUIDELINES FOR STREET LIGHTING, PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING, TRAIL LIGHTING, AND REALLY DEVELOPING SORT OF A PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW THE CITY APPROACHES, UH, PROACTIVE INSTALLATION OF, OF LIGHTING ACROSS THE CITY.

UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO COME BACK TO THIS GROUP IF, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT PLAN.

UM, IN 2026, WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE AND, UM, UH, ARE GONNA BE SEEKING MORE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

UH, ALSO DEVELOPING A ROUNDABOUT DESIGN GUIDE, UH, ROUNDABOUTS ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL, UH, INTERSECTIONS DESIGNS WE CAN HAVE TO IMPROVE SAFETY.

SO WE REALLY WANNA, UH, MAKE SURE WE HAVE STRONG POLICIES AND DESIGN GUIDELINES AROUND ROUNDABOUTS IN AUSTIN.

AND THEN ON THE ANALYTICS SIDE, YOU KNOW, DATA REALLY UNDERPINS ALL THE WORK WE DO IN VISION ZERO.

SO WE, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME, UM, ON THE QUALITY OF OUR DATA, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT NEW TOOLS.

UM, WE'LL BE UPDATING OUR HIGH INJURY NETWORK IN 2026.

THIS IS OUR NETWORK OF, UH, STREETS IN AUSTIN THAT REALLY HAVE AN OVERREPRESENTATION OF SERIOUS INJURY AND FATAL CRASHES.

IT'S A REALLY EFFECTIVE, UH, PLANNING LEVEL TOOL THAT ALLOWS US TO IDENTIFY HIGH PRIORITY CORRIDORS.

AND THEN SORT OF A LONGER TERM PROJECT THAT, THAT WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS ON IS, UM, INCORPORATING

[01:20:01]

SO CURRENTLY WE'RE USING MOST, UH, MOST OF OUR TOOLS ARE, ARE DRIVEN BY CRASH DATA THAT COMES FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO RESPOND TO CRASHES.

BUT WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF UNDER-REPORTING.

SO A LOT OF TIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, AN, AN AMBULANCE WILL RESPOND TO A CRASH POLICE OFFICER, UH, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T GET CALLED FOR WHATEVER REASON.

AND THERE'S THIS WHOLE DATA SET OF EMS INCIDENTS THAT WE'RE BUSY INCORPORATING INTO OUR TOOLS.

SO THAT'LL GIVE US A LOT MORE INSIGHT INTO THE MAGNITUDE OF CRASHES WHERE THESE CRASHES ARE HAPPENING.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH A MODE LIKE E SCOOTERS, UM, WHERE A LOT OF THOSE INCIDENTS GO DIRECTLY TO A HOSPITAL OR, UH, YOU KNOW, POLICE AREN'T CALLED, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT BETTER, UM, INSIGHT INTO, INTO THAT MODE IN PARTICULAR.

AND WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.

HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO USE MY PRIVILEGE AND ASK THE FIRST QUESTION THIS TIME AROUND.

UM, IT KIND OF FEEDS IN FROM SOME OF OUR PRIOR DISCUSSIONS AT THIS MEETING TODAY, BUT IT IS ABOUT, IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT, UM, HIGHWAY SAFETY AND FATALITIES.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY NOTABLE EARLY ON IN THE PRESENTATION WHERE YOU NOTED THAT LIKE THERE'S LITERALLY A VISIBLE BUMP, UM, IN THE, UM, UH, IN THIS NUMBER HERE, UH, WHERE THE SERIOUS INJURY AND FATALITY TRENDS YEAR TO DATE THROUGH OCTOBER 10TH, WHERE WE SEE THIS, UM, NUMBER ON THE MOTOR VEHICLE, THAT, THAT FIVE OF THOSE ARE REALLY FROM THE ONE INCIDENT ON I 35, WHICH I WILL NOTE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION EXPANSION.

SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE, UM, WANTED TO UNDERSTAND AS WE EX, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE ON OUR ENDLESS, UM, CYCLE OF HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS IN THE CITY, UM, IS, IS HOW, ESPECIALLY DURING CONSTRUCTION, HOW THOSE, UM, THOSE FACILITIES ARE PERFORMING ON SAFETY.

AND I KNOW THAT THOSE AREN'T CITY OF AUSTIN FACILITIES, BUT LIKE, WE NEED THAT DATA TO UNDER THAT ALSO HELPS US WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT.

LIKE, WE CAN TALK A LOT ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF BUILDING THIS? MAYBE THERE'S GONNA BE SAFETY IMPACTS BY REDUCING, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT REDUCING RAMPS CROSSING OVER ONE ANOTHER AND PEOPLE SWITCHING LANES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND, AND I COULD UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THERE'S ALSO AN IMPACT LIKE DURING CONSTRUCTION OF, OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE Y'ALL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE DATA ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE DATA THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE, YOU KNOW, UM, REALLY USEFUL TO THIS COMMISSION.

I'M SURE IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO CITY COUNCIL.

I'M SURE IT'D BE USEFUL TO CITIZENS AND ADVOCATES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN WONDERING, OR PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME ACTUALLY AROUND TOWN, LIKE, IS IT GETTING MORE DANGEROUS ON 35 WHILE WE'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THAT NORTH SECTION? AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE, WE ARE, WELL WE ALREADY ARE IN CONSTRUCTION IN THE CENTRAL SECTION.

IT'S NOT IMPACTING US AS MUCH YET, BUT IT HAS STARTED.

AND LIKE, WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE ON SAFETY? SO LIKE, UM, I WANNA, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EVEN HAVING A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM JUST ABOUT THIS, BUT, UM, UH, I THINK THAT THIS IS SOME DATA THAT'S REALLY NEEDED.

DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT OR ANY INITIAL, DO YOU HAVE DATA ON THAT AT THIS TIME ABOUT CONSTRUCTION, HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION? YEAH, SO THE CRASH DATA WE RECEIVE DOES HAVE A FLAG WHETHER OR NOT IT OCCURRED IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE.

SO WE CAN PULL THAT DATA AND LOOK AT TRENDS.

UM, YOU KNOW, ADMITTEDLY I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON, YOU KNOW, SORT OF TRAFFIC CONTROL ON HIGHWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT KNOW, I THINK IT'S A SORT OF A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.

YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY CHANGING TRAFFIC PATTERNS.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THINGS PEOPLE AREN'T EXPECTING, WHICH CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SAFETY ISSUES AT THE SAME TIME, SOMETIMES IT SLOWS THINGS DOWN AND CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THINGS SAFER.

SO I THINK WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF DIG INTO THAT.

AND I THINK ESPECIALLY AS WE ENTER THIS PERIOD OF INCREASED CONSTRUCTION WITH I 35 AND PROJECT CONNECT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE TRENDS AND MAKING SURE WE UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S HOTSPOTS ARISING.

SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY A COLLABORATION, NOT, NOT JUST ON THE CITY SIDE, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT TEXT OUT.

I, I KNOW THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, STANDARDS ON HOW TO SET UP TRAFFIC CONTROL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO COLLABORATE ON THAT.

SURE.

I MEAN, I WILL SAY DRIVING ON, I, I LIVE IN NEAR THE SECTION OF I 35 THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION NORTH RIGHT NOW.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE I'M TRYING TO AVOID GETTING ON IT BECAUSE IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A MAD MAX SITUATION QUITE HONESTLY.

BUT, UM, WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS THERE'S NO ESCAPE.

LIKE IF SOMETHING'S GOING WRONG, THERE'S NO LIKE SHOULDER, THERE'S NO WAY, LIKE IT'S A LOT OF POINTS OF THAT YOU'RE LITERALLY BOXED IN WITH WALLS ON EITHER SIDE.

SO THAT'S JUST, I MEAN, YOU'RE RIGHT THAT MAYBE IT'S SLOWING THINGS DOWN AND THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT I JUST, I FEEL LIKE IT'S UNSAFE, BUT FEELING THAT WAY DOESN'T REALLY GET ME VERY FAR, WHICH IS WHY I NEED DATA.

SO LIKE, UM, ANYWAY, UM, THE MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY ON THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY BY ME.

SO, YEAH, THAT, THAT'S MY QUESTION, COMMENT.

UM, I SEE OTHER PEOPLE, COMMISSIONER BUFFET.

BIKEWAY PATH THAT'S BEEN REROUTED AROUND, UM, TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRAINS TRACKS.

UM, IT'S NOT HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION, BUT THE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LANCE ONN STRONG

[01:25:01]

THAT WHOLE AREA IS SO SKETCHY NOW.

UM, AND IT'S SORT OF A CREEPY REMINDER WITH THAT ONE GHOST BIKE, UM, ON THAT SPECIFIC CORNER.

UM, AND WHENEVER I RIDE MY BIKE PAST THERE, THERE'S LIKE, THERE'S LIKE STRAIGHT UP, JUST LIKE AN ENTRANCE TO THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE THAT IS LIKE, DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S ALWAYS, UH, MONITORED.

SO, UM, IN ADDITION TO LIKE HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION IMPACT, I'D BE CURIOUS ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER IMPACT.

YEAH, MY GROUP WOULD BE HAPPY TO KIND OF PULL TOGETHER SOME, SOME DATA ON THAT.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD REMINDER TO KIND OF TRACK THOSE TRENDS TOO.

IT'S, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES HAPPENING YEAH.

IN THE, IN THE RIGHT OF WAY THESE DAYS.

SO YEAH, AND CERTAINLY DURING A HIGHWAY PROJECT IT COULD CHANGE, YOU KNOW, IN THE COURSE OF A MONTH, THE CONFIGURATION COULD BE CHANGED, RIGHT? SO LIKE IT CAN CHANGE ON THE GROUND, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, THAT THE CITY IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH TXDOT ABOUT THAT.

UM, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER, THANK YOU.

YEAH, SO I JUST WANNA FIRST START BY THANKING YOU.

THE WORK YOU DO IS SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT I THINK WHAT'S REALLY AMAZING IS HOW WELL YOU DOCUMENT THE WORK YOU DO.

UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO, YOU KNOW, WALK BIKES AND TAKES TRANSIT MOST PLACES, UH, I CAN ALWAYS FEEL, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SAFETY IMPACTS WHEN THESE INFRASTRUCTURE GOES INTO THE GROUND.

UH, BUT VISION ZERO IS REALLY THE, THE ONLY, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT'S REALLY, OR PROGRAM THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON PROVING THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY TRUE.

THAT, THAT IT DOES HAVE THE SAFETY IMPACTS THAT WE ALL KNOW AND FEEL.

UH, SO I DID WANNA SAY THAT HAVE A TOTALLY SEPARATE QUESTION.

UM, USUALLY WHEN WE DO THE, UH, VISION ZERO ANNUAL REPORT, UH, UH, ITEM, THERE'S A GENTLEMAN WHO COMES HERE AND IN PUBLIC COMMENT REMINDS US THAT, UH, THE CITY IS NOT ENFORCING, UH, DISTRACTED DRIVING ORDINANCES THE SAME WAY, UH, WE WERE 10 YEARS AGO.

SO ON THE TOPIC OF PROACTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, CURIOUS IF, IF YOU GUYS IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE ANY, HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH A PD ABOUT, UH, MAYBE IMPROVING THAT? YEAH, I THINK DISTRACTED DRIVING IN PARTICULAR IS A VERY DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR TO ENFORCE.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO, UM, CATCH SOMEONE IN THE ACT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF LOOPHOLES IN THE STATE LAWS THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, I SAW A PRESENTATION FROM CHIEF CHANCELLOR AT MOBILITY COMMITTEE LAST MONTH WHERE THEY SHOWED AS THEY'VE SORT OF REORGANIZED THEIR PATROLS AND HAD MORE OFFICERS OUT ON THE STREETS, THEY HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK IN, UM, CITATIONS FOR SPEEDING, FOR DWIS, FOR DISTRACTED DRIVING.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE RESULT OF JUST HAVING MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET.

SO THAT REALLY REVERSES A TREND WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.

I THINK, UM, I THINK IT WAS SPEEDING CITATIONS WERE DOWN SOMETHING LIKE 90% OVER THE LAST DECADE UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN THEY STARTED TO, TO COME BACK UP AGAIN.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT, UM, WITH THIS NEW KIND OF FOCUS AND RESOURCES BEING GIVEN TO PRO PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT, WE'LL SEE, START TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS COME UP.

VISION ZERO IS NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE, ENFORCEMENT ISN'T OUR PRIMARY METHOD OF, UH, IMPROVING SAFETY, BUT WE DO THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE, THE PUZZLE.

WE HOPE IT VERY EXCITING.

UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, WHICH IS A COMMENT AND A QUESTION.

SO, UM, I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO NEAR DOVE SPRINGS, AND I WANTED TO APPLAUD THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE THERE ON ROUNDABOUTS, UM, IN, IN LIEU OF LIGHTS THAT WERE, WE'RE DEFINITELY GETTING VERY CONGESTED AND WE'RE DEFINITELY A DETRACTION TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY A, A PRETTY ACTIVE PEDESTRIAN AREA.

UM, SO I'LL BE CLOSELY MONITORING THEM ON TOPLESS, UH, DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.

AND MY ONLY QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE GRANTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, SOME OF THE FEDERAL GRANTS AND THE MATCHING GRANTS.

HAVE ANY OF THOSE BEEN AFFECTED OR CUT OR IN GENERAL, HAVE WE SEEN ANY OF THESE, UM, FEDERAL MATCHING GRANTS BEEN BEEN IMPACTED BY THE NEW ADMINISTRATION? SO FOR, FOR THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL GRANTS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN MUCH OF AN IMPACT WITH THOSE, LUCKILY.

UM, I THINK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS JUST SOME DELAYS IN PROCESSING PAPERWORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, UH, SO FAR, UM, THINGS HAVE BEEN MOVING FORWARD AND, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE.

I KNOW THERE'S OTHER GRANTS WITHIN, UH, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS AND WITHIN THE CITY THAT HAVE BEEN RESCINDED.

BUT SO FAR, UH, THE SAFETY GRANTS HAVEN'T BEEN, UH, TOUCHED.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, I JUST WANNA TRIPLE CHECK ONLINE, BE MAKE SURE, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO COMMISSIONER BUFFEL.

DO ANY OF OUR ONLINE FOLKS HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY.

COMMISSIONER BUFFET, YOU CAN GO AHEAD.

I JUST, I FORGOT, I WANTED TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST TWO PAGES OF THIS PRESENTATION.

THE, THESE DECREASES IN THE TOTAL SERIOUS INJURIES AND FATALITIES IS OVER THE LAST, WELL, I GUESS THE AVERAGE FROM 19 TO 23, AND THEN 24 TO 25 IS PRETTY AMAZING.

SO KUDOS.

YEAH,

[01:30:01]

CONTINUE TO COME DOWN, FOR SURE.

YEAH, THAT'S ALL.

YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY FOR A LONG TIME I THINK ADVOCATES, LIKE, WE'VE BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY WITH VISION ZERO FOR A WHILE, AND THEN WE FELT LIKE MAYBE ARE WE SEEING THE RESULTS? AND SO I SEE THIS LAST TWO YEARS.

I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO FIGURE OUT MORE ABOUT THE WHY OF THAT.

I'M SURE THAT'S EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT, BUT IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHY OR LIKE, LIKE IF THERE ARE ANY LIKE CLEAR, UH, TRENDS OR PATTERNS ABOUT THAT REDUCTION AND, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE DEFINITELY HELPFUL.

UM, HELP US TELL THE STORY AND HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING WELL, THAT'S, THAT IS WORKING.

SO, UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND, AND TO FINALLY SEE THAT COMING DOWN IS REALLY, REALLY FEELING AMAZING AND, AND IT'S A ACCOMPLISHMENT.

PRECISIONS IANS ZERO, IT'S ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR OUR CITY.

AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKE LITERALLY PEOPLE'S LIVES HERE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S GREAT.

IT'S AMAZING.

YEAH, AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

WE, WE HAVE A BOLD GOAL OF ZERO, SO THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE OUR GOAL, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF RECOGNIZE AND, UH, AND SHOW, LIKE, LIKE THE OTHER COMMISSIONER WAS SAYING, THE RESULTS WE'RE SEEING.

AND I, I THINK ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, WE CAN SHOW, UM, THESE BOND DOLLARS ARE BEING USED TO SAVE LIVES, PREVENT INJURIES AND CRASHES.

YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO MORE OF THAT IN THE FUTURE.

I'M GONNA LOOK ONE MORE TIME FOR, FOR OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION, PARTICULARLY THOSE ONLINE.

AND I JUST WANNA ALSO EMPHASIZE FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL ONLINE, IF YOU'RE EVER TRYING TO GET MY ATTENTION AND YOU DON'T SEEM TO BE GETTING IT, YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST UNMUTE YOURSELF AND SAY, HEY, CHAIR, RECOGNIZE ME.

SO ALWAYS, ALWAYS KNOW THAT YOU CAN JUST UNMUTE YOURSELF IF YOU NEED TO.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.

TO ITEM THREE, WHICH IS A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE LIVING STREETS PROGRAM.

ALL RIGHT FOLKS, THAT DOES TAKE US

[3. Staff briefing regarding Livings Streets Program. Presentation by Matthew Macioge, Program Consultant, Austin Transportation and Public Works]

OUR PRESENTATION IS BY MATTHEW, IT'S MAGE MAGE I, YEP.

UH, A PROGRAM CONSULTANT IN AUSTIN, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

HI EVERYBODY, THANKS FOR HAVING US BACK.

UM, OUR TEAM'S ALWAYS EXCITED TO COME HERE.

SO I'M GONNA PRESENT TWO MAJOR THINGS FOR YOU, UH, STATS FROM LAST YEAR AND THEN, UM, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING TO THE PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY WITH HEALTHY STREETS, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR THREE ACTIVATIONS.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT BE NEWER TO WHAT A LIVING STREET IS, WE HAVE THREE ACTIVATIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.

THROW A BLOCK PARTY IN THE STREET AND WE WILL HELP PROVIDE YOUR EQUIPMENT, ENSURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR ONE DAY UP TO, UH, THAT TIME PERIOD FOR ONE BLOCK PLACE STREETS, WHICH IS A SIMILAR, UH, ONE BLOCK AREA UP TO 12 HOURS PER WEEK, UP TO THREE DAYS PER WEEK.

AND YOU CHOOSE THE WEEKS WE PROVIDE THE EQUIPMENT.

AND THEN THAT ALLOWS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS TO CONGREGATE AND PLAY AND ACTIVATE YOUR STREET.

AND THEN HEALTHY STREETS, WHICH IS OUR LARGEST SCOPE, WHICH IS THE CONNECTING ASPECTS OF OUR PROJECTS, WHICH USES ACCESS CONTROL POINTS TO CREATE SAFER STREETS, CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS AND DESTINATIONS THROUGH MULTIPLE BLOCKS OVER THE LAST TWO ACTIVATIONS FOR BOTH SIX MONTH PERIODS OF TIME.

SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU GUYS AN IDEA.

LET ME GO INTO THE FUN FACTS, 'CAUSE UH, LAST TIME I WAS HERE YOU GUYS ASKED ME A VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION, HOW MANY DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO THIS YEAR? WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.

BUT FIRST I WANNA START OFF WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, KIND OF FOLLOW UP WITH OUR RESOLUTION AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE RESOLUTION THAT PUT THE PROGRAM INTO PLACE.

AND THAT FIRST PIECE WAS TO INTEGRATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES INTO THE LIVING STREETS PROGRAM.

IN FACT, I WOULD KIND OF PHRASE THAT THE WAY MY COLLEAGUE MARGARET WOULD SAY IS, YOUR TEAM JOINED MY EXISTING PROGRAM.

UM, BECAUSE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES HAD BEEN AROUND FOR SEVEN YEARS AND PLACED STREETS IN HEALTHY STREETS ONLY CAME ABOUT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND POST PANDEMIC PERIOD OF TIME.

BUT THE PROBLEM WITH NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES WAS THAT IT WAS DONE THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS AS A PERMIT PROCESS FOR TRANSPORTATION OR, UH, TEMPORARY USE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY PERMIT.

AND THAT IS A VERY CUMBERSOME PROCESS TO ANY RESIDENT TO GO THROUGH.

WE HAVE SIMPLIFIED THAT AND I WILL QUOTE THIS STATEMENT WAY SIMPLER SITE HOPE I DID IT RIGHT.

IT WAS ALMOST TOO EASY.

[01:35:03]

UM, WE LAUNCHED THE NEW APPLICATION PROCESS IN OCTOBER AND TODAY, UH, WE HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE COMMENTS LIKE THAT.

A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES ARE REPEAT CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS THAT COME BACK AND THE WORD IS NOW SPREADING THAT IT'S MUCH EASIER TO DO.

AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO SEE AN UPTICK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN FOLDED UNDER OUR WEBSITE FOR ALL OF LIVING STREETS.

SO ALL THREE PROGRAM ELEMENTS ARE LISTED TOGETHER.

ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE CLEARER, THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS CLEANER, AND THE TEAM COUP SUPPORTS EACH OTHER.

SO A YEAR AGO, YOU HAD TO COME AND PICK UP YOUR CLOSURES FROM OUR FACILITIES.

AS OF ABOUT A YEAR AGO, NINE MONTHS AGO, WE STARTED DELIVERING NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES TO YOUR SITE.

AND I WANT YOU TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE WITH ME.

THREE FOOT BY TWO FOOT TRIANGLES AND A SIX FOOT LONG BAR DOESN'T FIT IN EVERY CAR.

IF YOU'RE A SINGLE FAMILY WITH ONE VEHICLE, GETTING THAT EQUIPMENT TO AND FROM YOUR HOME MAY BE A BURDEN.

WE WANTED TO INCREASE OUR EQUITY EQUITY AND WITH THE PLAY STREETS PROGRAM AND HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM, OUR OPERATIONS TEAM IS ALREADY ON IN THE FIELD ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO ADDING THIS AS A DELIVERY MECHANISM JUST INCREASES THAT EQUITABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S OUR UPDATE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY.

AND HERE'S THE FUN FACTS.

I'M GONNA START ON THE RIGHT SIDE 'CAUSE THAT'S THE, OR MY RIGHT SIDE.

UH, THE, THE GEOGRAPHIC IMAGES, WE ALWAYS PRESENT COUNCIL DISTRICT DATA, UM, JUST AS A WAY TO BREAK IT DOWN TO WHERE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

AND OVER THE LAST YEAR WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE 180 3, 2 90 35 AREA, SPECIFICALLY IN THE BRENTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, AND WE ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE FACT THAT ALL THE STREETS IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE LISTED AS CLASS ONE RIGHT AWAY, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE ACTING AS RESIDENTIAL ROADWAYS 25 MILES PER HOUR, LESS THAN 40 FEET WIDE.

THAT'S KIND OF THE STANDARD FOR WHAT A CLASS ONE ROADWAY IS.

UM, BUT IF EVERYTHING IN A LARGE SWATH OF NEIGHBORHOOD IS A CLASS ONE ROADWAY, WE KNOW INHERENTLY THAT SOMETHING IS ACTING AS A COLLECTOR, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT PHYSICALLY BE LABELED AS THAT, OR THE CAPACITY MIGHT NOT BE THAT.

SO THE RESIDENTS ARE TAKING IT UPON THEMSELVES TO REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, WELL, I WANT TO GET BACK OUT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE CARS ARE COMING IN EVERY DIRECTION.

AND AS THE PROGRAM HAS BEGUN TO REACH CAPACITY AND, AND THE WORD HAS GOTTEN OUT THAT THE PROGRAM IS NOT ONLY SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ON THE ROADWAY, DECREASING THE SPEED, BUT ALSO ALLOWS YOUR COMMUNITY TO GATHER AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER, WHICH IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM, THAT THOSE SETS OF NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE BLOSSOMING.

SO WE ALSO SEE THAT IN SOUTH AUSTIN AS WELL, SPECIFICALLY JUST SOUTH OF TWO 90, BETWEEN WESTGATE AND 35.

UM, AND THAT'S HAS A SIMILAR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK AND FEEL TO IT.

WE ARE SEEING AN UPTICK IN EAST AUSTIN AND WE JUST DID A MAJOR OUTREACH OPPORTUNITY WITH AUSTIN MOVES, WHICH IS AN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM.

IT ACTUALLY SETS UP FOR A SIX WEEK WALKING PROGRAM.

IT HAD 90 PARTICIPANTS, UH, 120 PARTICIPANTS LAST CYCLE, LAST SIX MONTH OR SIX WEEK CYCLE.

UH, THOSE PARTICIPANTS DID THEIR LAST MILE AT ZARAGOZA, I'M SORRY, ANOTHER PARKS AND REC NEIGHBORHOOD FACILITY.

UM, WE TABLED AT IT.

WE SAW 90 OF THOSE 120 PEOPLE COME TO OUR STATION AND ASK HOW THEY COULD GET INVOLVED.

AND, UH, I'LL BE FRANK, MY SPANISH IS GOOD.

MY SON WOULD SAY IT'S AWFUL.

UM, BUT, UH, I HAD TO HAVE A TRANSLATOR WITH ME.

IT WAS FAST AND FURIOUS QUESTIONS COMING IN AT US.

IT WAS AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF ENTHUSIASM THAT WE WERE RECEIVING FROM THIS COMMUNITY.

AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, EAST AUSTIN DOESN'T HAVE THE SIDEWALKS THAT THE REST OF THE CITY HAS.

SO THIS PROGRAM IS IDEAL FOR THOSE STREETS THAT AS WE FIND THE CAPACITY TO BUILD OUT THE FULL INFRASTRUCTURE, WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO ENHANCE THOSE STREETS AND

[01:40:01]

INCREASE THE SAFETY.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING AN UPTICK IN THE, IN WHAT WE LOOK AT AS THE EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONE.

OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, IN FACT, OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ARE APPLYING AT THE SAME RATE AS OUR LEAST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.

AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT STAT BECAUSE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS TYPICALLY SEE A 40% IN THE LEAST VULNERABLE IN A 10% POPULATION MIX AND THE MOST VULNERABLE STATISTICALLY NATIONALLY.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THOSE THAT HAVE, ARE OFTEN THE MOST THAT ARE INFORMED.

UM, AND THOSE THAT DON'T OFTEN ARE WORKING TWO JOBS TO MAKE HOUSEHOLD ENDS MEET OFTEN DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE TRUST ISN'T THERE.

SO OUR PROGRAM IS BUILDING THAT TRUST, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ALLOWING US OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

I'M GONNA GET TO THOSE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES 'CAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING PART ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

YOU GUYS ASKED ME HOW MANY WE COULD DO LAST YEAR AND I CAME BACK AND TOLD YOU SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 42.

UM, I, YOU ALSO ASKED ME IF YOU HAD, UH, YOUR DRUTHERS AND FULL CAPACITY, HOW MANY COULD YOU DO? AND I SAID 72.

UH, HAPPY TO REPORT.

WE EXCEEDED THOSE NUMBERS.

WE DID 74 ACTIVATIONS IN THE PLAY STREETS AND HEALTHY STREETS.

40 OF THOSE WERE UNIQUE LOCATIONS.

THAT MEANS THE MAJORITY OF OUR APPLICANTS ARE RENEWING ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, WHICH AGAIN, WILL BRING US TO SOME OTHER INFORMATION.

WE SAW 40 NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES AND THAT IS A TOTAL OF 114 ACTIVATIONS IN A SINGLE YEAR WITH A STAFF OF ROUGHLY THREE INDIVIDUALS WORKING ON THE PROGRAM.

IT CONSTITU IT'S, IT IS 15.1 MILES, UM, WHICH IS A SMALL DROP IN THE BUCKET WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR NETWORK OF OVER 3000 MILES OF ROADWAYS IN AUSTIN.

BUT IT IS AFFECTING PERCEPTION OF SAFETY.

UM, IT DOES ALSO AFFECT SAFETY.

AND I'M GONNA CAVEAT ALL THIS.

JOEL JUST DID HIS PRESENTATION FOR VISION ZERO.

HE FOCUSES ON HIGH CRASH INCIDENT LOCATIONS.

OURS ARE RESIDENTIAL STREETS.

THEY'RE SEEING 120 CARS A DAY.

THIS IS NOT HIGH VOLUME, THIS IS NOT HIGH SPEED.

THAT SAID, WE WENT FROM THREE INCIDENTS IN THE NINE STREETS THAT WE STUDIED TO ONE INCIDENT, AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION.

I'LL TAKE ANY SAFETY MEASURE WE CAN GET OUT OF THAT.

WE SAW A 9% REDUCTION IN SPEED.

AGAIN, I'M GONNA CAVEAT THIS.

THE SPEED LIMIT'S 25 MILES PER HOUR.

THE MEDIAN SPEED IS 30 MILES PER HOUR ON THE ROADS AS WE STUDY THEM, A 9% REDUCTION BRINGS IT INTO THE SPEED LIMIT.

I'LL STILL TAKE THAT AS A SAFETY FACTOR ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

WE SAW A 10% DECREASE IN VEHICULAR VOLUME.

THOSE ARE THE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC.

THAT MEANS PEOPLE ARE USING THE COLLECTORS.

WE DID A ANCILLARY STUDY OF AN ADJACENT STREET AND WE SAW NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE ON THAT ADJACENT STREET.

ONE TO TWO CARS PER HOUR WERE INCREASED DURING PEAK TIMES ON THAT ADJACENT STREET.

WHAT I'M GETTING AT HERE IS THE PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING THE WAY WE'VE DESIGNED IT.

NOW THE PROBLEM REALLY COMES IN THE QUALITATIVE SURVEY WORK THAT WE'VE DONE.

WHEN 54% FEEL SAFER, 24% FEEL NEUTRAL, NO REAL DIFFERENCE AND 24% FEEL LESS SAFE.

I WILL STILL TAKE THAT SAFETY NUMBER.

IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PIECE.

54 TO 24% FEEL SAFER THAN LESS SAFE.

UM, HOWEVER, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT TWO LINES, 65% ARE SUPPORTIVE OF IT.

WELL, ALL RIGHT, 65% SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS FEEL SAFER.

HOW CAN WE UP THAT QUANTITY TO BE CLOSER TO THAT SUPPORTIVE LINE ITEM? AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, 63% DON'T LIKE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE EQUIPMENT.

AND I'LL BE FRANK, IT'S ORANGE TRAFFIC COUNTS AND BARRELS.

AND FRANKLY IT'S A LOT OF ORANGE TRAFFIC CONES AND BARRELS.

SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING OUT YOUR FRONT WINDOW AT ORANGE TRAFFIC CONES AND BARRELS AND YOU DON'T SEE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, YOU WONDER WHY IT'S THERE.

THESE ARE THE COMMENTS WE GET ON

[01:45:01]

A REGULAR BASIS AND WE'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS THOSE.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE NEXT PART OF THIS PRESENTATION GOES.

ON THE LEFT, THE ORIGINAL INSTALLATION HAS, UH, NINE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, TWO SIGNS PLUS NOW TWO LIVING STREET SIGNS.

WE HAVE ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THAT TO BE SIX PIECES OF EQUIPMENT FOR THE SAME INSTALLATION, BETTER SIGNAGE AND SIMPLER TO MAINTAIN.

SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THE, THE DIFFERENCES HERE.

SAME AMOUNT OF CONES, SORRY, SAME AMOUNT OF BARRELS, A REDUCTION OF HALF THE CONES.

UM, WE HAVE MOVED THE BARRELS AND CONES IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OTHER, THEREBY ACCENTUATING THE WALK PATH, SEPARATING VEHICULAR TRAFFIC FROM PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC AT KEY INCIDENT POINTS, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY AT INTERSECTIONS.

UNDER THE ORIGINAL INSTALLATION, IT WASN'T CLEAR WHERE YOU SHOULD WALK BY MOVING THOSE CONES ALL IN ALIGNMENT.

IT'S VERY CLEAR AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL AND THE INTERIM SOLUTION.

SECOND, LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY.

WELL IT'S AN ENFORCEABLE SIGN.

IT'S WHITE, IT IS ABSOLUTELY REGULATORY.

BUT TO REGULATE IT, A PD WOULD HAVE TO LITERALLY FOLLOW SOMEONE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T STOP, THEN CITE THEM.

IT WOULD BE A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR, IT WOULD GO TO COURT.

THE OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO SHOW UP FOR THAT VIOLATION AND CITATION RIGHT AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY DOES NOT REALLY COMPLY WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE PROGRAM.

WE WANT RESIDENTIAL TRAFFIC.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO WALK THEIR COMMUNITY PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE WARNING SIGNS CONVEY THAT A LOT BETTER THAN LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY, WHICH WE'VE BEEN TOLD CONVEYS WE DON'T WANT YOU IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD VERSUS PLEASE COME AND WALK THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE THE SIGNIFICANT PIECES AND THE MIDDLE SLIDE, THE MIDDLE IMAGE IS AN INTERIM SOLUTION.

WE WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS THE FINAL PLAN, WHICH IS AN IMAGE I THINK I'VE SHOWN TO YOU GUYS BEFORE.

IT'S AN ARTIST'S INTERPRETATION.

UH, I'M THE ARTIST OF THAT INTERPRETATION.

UM, BUT UH, IT IS, IT'S PLANNERS AND CURB BLOCKS.

CURB BLOCKS ARE THOSE THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN PARKING LOTS AT THE END OF THE PARKING SPOT.

THEY'RE THERE TO TELL YOU NOT TO HIT SOMETHING 'CAUSE YOU'RE ALMOST READY TO HIT THE CURB.

PLANNERS ARE ACTUALLY CALLED OUT AS SOMETHING IN THE RESOLUTION.

IT HAS THE RIGHT LOOK AND FEEL FOR A COMMUNITY.

SO TO GET THERE, WE'RE GONNA START AT THE FINAL ROLLOUT.

OUR GOAL IS TO START ROLLING OUT THE NEW EQUIPMENT FOR THIS BETTER LOOK AND FEEL WITH MORE PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE BUT STILL TEMPORARY IN NATURE.

SOMETHING THAT CAN STILL BE PICKED UP AND REPLACED AND MOVED IN JULY OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.

TO DO THAT, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS OUR TESTING AND ENGINEERING.

WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING THIS FRIDAY WITH OUR ENGINEERS IN THE FIELD TO DO A FIELD STUDY AND FIELD ENGINEER THESE DEVICES.

WE'VE ALREADY COME UP WITH SCHEMATIC DESIGN IDEAS AND CONCEPTS.

ONCE APPROVED, WE WILL INVITE OUR APPLICANTS OUT TO TEST DRIVE THESE AS WELL.

WE WILL COORDINATE WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS TO GO OUT TO THE SAME AREA TO TEST DRIVE THESE.

THAT'LL INFORM THE PILOT PROCESS.

AND THEN WE WILL INSTALL MULTIPLE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS USING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ON MULTIPLE DIFFERENT STREETS.

COLLECT ALL THE DATA, DO PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND SURVEYS.

UM, BY THE MIDYEAR WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH DATA THAT WE CAN MAKE IT SOME FINAL ADJUSTMENTS AND TWEAKS, ESTABLISH AND SET OUR FINAL BUDGET, WHICH I KNOW WHAT YOUR QUESTION'S ALREADY GONNA BE.

WELL HOW MANY CAN YOU DO? WE'LL GET TO THAT, UH, 'CAUSE IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED ANSWER.

UM, BUT I'LL ALSO TRY TO SIMPLIFY THAT AND WHILE WE DO THAT, DEVELOP THE TIMELINE FOR THE ACTUAL ROLLOUT.

NOW THE REASON IT'S A COMPLICATED ANSWER TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS COUNSEL

[01:50:01]

CAME BACK AND AMENDED THE BUDGET WITH AN INFUSION OF $250,000 TO BUY THE PERMANENT EQUIPMENT.

THERE'S ALSO PART OF THE 2024 SS FOUR A SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL GRANT PROCESS THAT JOEL JUST SHOWED YOU AS A DEMONSTRATION GRANT.

THAT FUNDING HASN'T BEEN RELEASED YET.

WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT WE JUST DID OUR FINAL AMENDMENTS TO OUR CONTRACT WITH FHWA.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT A START DATE MAY BE IN JANUARY, BUT WE HAVE HEARD THIS IN THE PAST OF START DATES WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.

THERE HAS BEEN LAG TIME THERE, BUT WE ARE STILL APPROVED.

SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THAT MONEY COMES FORWARD IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.

WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS AND WHEN IT HAPPENS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS STUDY IS ABSOLUTELY RELEVANT TO WHEN IT ALL ROLLS OUT.

OKAY? UM, SO THE CONCEPT HERE IS THAT WE BEGIN ROLLING IT OUT THE LAST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR AND THAT WE USE THIS YEAR'S FUNDING THE INFUSION FUNDING AND OTHER FUNDING SAVED BY REDUCING THE CONES AND BARRELS THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS CURRENTLY TO PROCURE AS MUCH EQUIPMENT AS POSSIBLE AND THEN USE THE SAME BUDGET OF THIS YEAR TO BUY OUT ANY REMAINING EQUIPMENT THAT IS NEEDED TO INSTALL FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

AND THE LAST REASON WHY THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO UH, YOUR QUESTION THAT YOU'RE GONNA ASK ME OF HOW MANY WE CAN DO IS THIS SLIDE, WHICH IS HEALTHY STREETS ARE NOW BEING PERCEIVED AS THE PRECURSOR TO A SHARED STREET.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS OUT THERE CALLED STREETS, COMPLETE STREETS, GREAT STREETS, SIDE STREETS, CLASS ONE STREETS.

I'M GONNA BREAK THAT DOWN FOR YOU FOR IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS.

A HEALTHY STREET IS THAT LONG-TERM CONNECTOR THAT IS THREE TO FOUR BLOCKS OR MORE LONG OR LONGEST IS DEXTER AND ALAMEDA.

THEY'RE ROUGHLY EIGHT BLOCKS LONG.

UM, THEY'RE EXTREMELY BOTH SUCCESSFUL.

UH, 67% APPROVAL RATING ON THOSE BY RESIDENTS.

AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MOVE TO THIS MORE, UH, PERMANENT SOLUTION BECAUSE AS WE DO THAT, THERE IS TWO TRUE BENEFITS.

ONE, IT BECOMES THE LITMUS TEST FOR A SHEER STREET ON WHETHER A SHARED STREET WILL WORK OR NOT.

I'M GONNA COME BACK TO THAT ONE 'CAUSE THAT IS THE BEST LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR ALL OF THIS.

AND TWO, THE MORE PERMANENT SOLUTIONS THAT I'M SHOWING HERE ARE HEAVIER, MORE COST EFFECTIVE.

IT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF IN ONE YEAR'S RENTAL CYCLE.

IT IS MORE EFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE BECAUSE IT'S HEAVIER AND LESS MOVABLE.

IT MEANS MY OPERATIONS TEAM WILL NOT HAVE TO BE ON SITE AS OFTEN TO GO OUT AND TAKE CARE OF THAT, NOR WOULD WE NEED TO COORDINATE AS OFTEN AS WE WOULD WITH STREETS AND BRIDGE TEAMS WHO WOULD BE SUPPORTING THIS POTENTIALLY IN THE FUTURE.

UM, SO ALL THOSE COST BENEFITS ARE GREAT IF WE CAN ACTUALLY INSTALL THIS AT ROUGHLY SIX TO $10,000 AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT COST PERFORMANCE.

AND MAYBE WE CAN STOP THERE.

HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION IS APPROPRIATE, WHICH IS WHAT A SHARED STREET IS.

NOW TO BE VERY CLEAR, BOTH HEALTHY STREETS AND SHARED STREETS ACT AS SHIELD SHARED STREETS, WHETHER THERE IS SOMETHING ON IT OR NOT.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS A SHARED STREET IS LITERALLY A STREET WHERE PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, AND VEHICLES ALL USE THE SAME PIECE OF RIGHT OF WAY, RIGHT? WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH BOTH THE HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM AND SHARED STREETS PROGRAM IS INCREASE THE SAFETY.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEALTHY STREET AND A SHARED STREET IS THE LEVEL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

MINE IS CONSIDERED EQUIPMENT UNDER A HEALTHY STREET AND SHARED STREET IS PERMANENT IN PLACE.

WHEN WE POUR PERMANENT IN PLACE CONCRETE, WE WANT THE TRUE BUY-IN OF THE NEIGHBORS IN THAT AREA.

THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO MODEL IT UNDER A HEALTHY STREET PROGRAM.

YOU CAN SEE THE SIMILARITIES IN THE LEFT PICTURE AND THE RIGHT PICTURE.

[01:55:01]

BOTH CAPTURE AN IDEA OF A PINCH, BOTH CAPTURE THE IDEA OF A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ZONE, BOTH CAPTURE THE IDEA OF IMPROVED AESTHETICS AND LOOKS FOR YOUR STREET.

AND THAT'S WHY THIS PROGRAM IS DOVETAILING VERY NICELY INTO THAT.

AND I THINK, AS YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW, IF WE INSTALL A SHARED STREET, IT IS LESS LIKELY THAT WE WOULD NEED TO INSTALL SIDEWALKS.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A COST PERFORMANCE MAGNITUDE, IT'S A 1%, 10%, A HUNDRED PERCENT COST MAGNITUDE BETWEEN THOSE.

SO 320 LINEAR FOOT BLOCK, ONE SIDE SIDEWALK, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO INSTALL SAME PIECE ON A SHARED STREET.

ONE BLOCK OF ROUGHLY 10 TO $15,000 TO INSTALL HEALTHY STREET IS COMING IN AROUND $3,000 TO INSTALL.

THAT'S WHY THIS PROGRAM IS WORKING THE WAY IT IS.

THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH ASPECT OF THIS THAT OUR TEAM DOES, THE COLLABORATIONS WITH OUR APPLICANTS ALLOWS FOR THAT FEEDBACK TO DIRECTLY DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF DESIGN TIME THAT OUR ENGINEERS AND OUR CONSULTANTS SPEND.

IT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT A STREET IS ACTING WITHOUT ANY SAFETY CLOSURES AND IT INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF INPUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ACTUALLY HAS IN THE PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE PROGRAM TODAY.

AND I STILL HAVEN'T ANSWERED YOUR DYING QUESTION OF HOW MANY CAN I DO NEXT YEAR? WE WE'RE ANTICIPATING ROUGHLY A HUNDRED LIVING STREETS AT OUR CAPACITY AND THAT'S REALLY GONNA BE DRIVEN BY STAFF AS OPPOSED TO EQUIPMENT.

NOW, THE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THAT, WHEN I GET TO THAT A HUNDRED, THAT'S THE QUESTION OF WHEN DOES SAFE STREETS FOR ALL GRANT COME THROUGH? WHAT IS OUR, WHAT IS OUR CAPACITY FOR INSTALLATION? WHAT IS OUR CHANGE OUT AND WHAT CONTRACTS NEED TO BE CHANGED AND UPDATED TO DO THAT.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A HUNDRED OF THESE UP AND RUNNING, UH, IN THE NEXT YEAR, WHETHER IT'S A PLAY STREET OR A HEALTHY STREET, AND THEN INCREASE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES TO 50 TO 60 IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

SO THERE IS, I WONDERED IF YOU COULD COMMENT ON WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT THAT, IF ANYTHING.

UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS TREMENDOUSLY EXCITING PRESENTATION AND ALSO APOLOGIZE.

I THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE MONTHS WHERE WE DEFERRED YOU AND THEN YOU WENT INTO MORE OF LIKE A STUDY PHASE AND WEREN'T READY TO COME OUT.

AND SO WE REALLY WENT A LOT LONGER FROM HEARING FROM YOUR PROGRAM THAN WE WOULD'VE WANTED.

SO I WANNA, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.

AND, UM, BUT THEN WE GET A REALLY GREAT, UH, EXCITING UPDATE.

ONE THING THAT I WOULD, UM, REQUEST, YOU GAVE US A REALLY GREAT, UM, BREAKDOWN OF THE COST.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT IT RIGHT NOW, OF, YOU KNOW, TO DO A SIDEWALK ON A BLOCK TO DO A SHARED STREET, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M FORGETTING THE WORD FOR WHAT THIS IS.

ONE, ONE INSTALLATION OF A PINCH.

YEAH, A PINCH AND OR TO DO A HEALTHY STREET PINCH.

AND, UM, COULD YOU SEND US THAT, UM, FOLLOW UP, LIKE, I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT IN WRITING EMAIL, JUST SO I CAN REFERENCE THAT AGAIN.

AND I NEED TO, WHICH I'M SURE I'M GONNA NEED TO REFERENCE THAT AGAIN.

SO I, IF YOU COULD SEND THOSE THAT OUT, UM, JUST SEND IT TO NATALIE AND THEN SHE CAN SHARE IT OUT TO US.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

UM, INFORMATION, I MEAN, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HAD ABOUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, FOR A WHILE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SHARED STREETS, THERE WAS THIS IDEA THAT LIKE, FROM SORT OF A PLANNERY PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT PLACES WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, SIDEWALK GAPS, CORRECT.

THAT WE CAN'T JUSTIFY DOING RIGHT AWAY.

SO MAYBE WE CAN DO, UM, A, A SHARED STREET IMPLEMENTATION THERE.

SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE A, I DON'T WANNA SAY TOP DOWN, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT PLANNING THE WAY THAT THAT WAS DONE OR COULD BE DONE IS NECESSARILY TOP DOWN, BUT IT'S A MORE PLANNERY WAY OF DOING IT.

WHEREAS THIS IS SORT OF LIKE RISING TO THE NATURAL DEMAND AND ENTHUSIASM OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE YOU TEST SOME, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK FOR IT, THEY GO THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE THEY HAVE TO GET SOME, SOME, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBOR SUPPORT, THEN THEY TEST IT OUT AND SEE IF THEY LIKE IT.

AND THEN IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, IT GOES IN.

SO, LIKE TO ME, I MEAN, I THINK BEING PLANNERY IS RIGHT SOMETIMES, AND BEING COMMUNITY DRIVEN IS RIGHT SOMETIMES.

BUT I, IT REALLY FEELS TO ME FOR THE REASONS THAT YOU HAVE STATED THAT SHARED STREETS, UM, IT KIND OF MAKES MORE SENSE TO DO IT THROUGH THESE, THIS WAY, THROUGH SORT OF A COMMUNITY DRIVEN WAY.

I DO THINK THAT LIKE TWO THINGS WITH THAT.

SO AT ONE POINT THERE WAS, I THINK THERE IS A MAP OUT THERE ABOUT SHARED STREET.

[02:00:01]

AND THEN TWO, LIKE YOU, YOU SHOWED US A LOT, UH, GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES BY COUNCIL DISTRICT, BY EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONE THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND ARE THESE GOING IN DIFFERENT PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMUNITIES.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT I WOULD WANNA ATTEND TO IS IN THIS IMPLEMENTATION TO SHARED STREETS, ARE THEY GETTING, YOU KNOW, LIKE I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE, SO FIRST QUESTION IS LIKE, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE SHARED STREETS MAP? SECOND QUESTION IS, WHEN WE START REALLY, REALLY REFINING THIS PROCESS TO THE POINT THAT WE'RE GETTING THESE REALLY COOL NOT ORANGE CONE THINGS GOING IN OUR STREETS, AND THEN WE'RE EVENTUALLY MOVING TO LIKE PERMANENT CEMENT PINCHES, UM, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, THAT LIKE, I, I, HOW AM I TRYING TO SAY THIS? SO WE WANT, AS YOU SAID, WE WANT PEOPLE TO LIKE THE HEALTHY STREET AND THEN BE ON BOARD FOR THE PERMANENT PINCH, RIGHT? BUT HOW COMMUNITIES COULD PERCEIVE THAT COULD VARY.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LY VARY BASED ON D DEMOGRAPHY OR, YOU KNOW, BASED ON DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS.

AND SO I, I THINK WHAT I'M GETTING AT THERE IS LIKE, I DON'T WANT, LIKE US TO NEVER UPGRADE TO SHARED STREETS IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY BECAUSE CERTAIN TYPES OF PEOPLE SOMEHOW DON'T LIKE SHARED STREETS AS MUCH.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SAYING THIS VERY WELL, BUT I I CAN ADDRESS I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING.

AND THEN ALSO THE MAP.

WILL BE THOSE THAT CAN GO INTO SHARED STREETS, RIGHT? SO THAT IS OUR GOAL, IS TO UPDATE OUR PRIORITIZATIONS ONCE WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THIS PILOT AND HOW IT'S ACTUALLY TAKING EFFECT, WHAT OUR RESIDENT FEEDBACK IS, AND WHAT OTHER INFORMATION WE'RE GARNERING FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND, AND OUR NEIGHBORS.

SORRY.

SURE.

SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, SHARED STREETS IS A SEPARATE PROGRAM.

THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOWN THEIR PATH.

IT IS THERE TO SUPPLEMENT THE SIDEWALK PLAN, RIGHT? WE HAVE 1500 MILES OF MISSING SIDEWALK.

THAT'S VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT SHARED STREETS PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO OFFSET THAT.

AND THAT, THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS.

HOWEVER, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH SHARED STREETS IS THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH SIDE OF IT, WHICH IS WHY OUR PROGRAM STARTED PARTNERING WITH THEM BECAUSE WE ARE STRONG ON THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY COMES TO US.

UM, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF JIM'S AND MY FAVORITE CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE IS THE PRIORITIZATION OF OUR SHARED STREETS AND HEALTHY STREETS.

RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT THIS IS ULTIMATELY GETTING AT WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS, IS JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING GOES IN AS A HEALTHY STREET DOES NOT MEAN IT HAS THE SAME PRIORITY ON THE SHARED STREET SIDE.

AND THAT'S BOTH FAVORABLE AND PERCEPTIVELY UNFAVORABLE.

AND I'LL, I'LL ILLUSTRATE WHAT I MEAN BY THAT.

SHARED STREETS CAN STILL GO IN WITHOUT A HEALTHY STREET IN THE AREAS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NEEDED TO GO IN.

THAT'S THE POSITIVE SIDE.

ABSOLUTELY.

NOT ALL HEALTHY STREETS ARE ON THE SHARED STREETS PRIORITIES LIST, NOR SHOULD THEY BE.

SOME OF OUR STREETS DO HAVE SIDEWALKS, BUT THEY'RE NARROWER OR HAVE HIGHER VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, OR THERE'S A PERCEPTION PROBLEM, OR THERE'S JUST A HIGH CAPACITY OF CYCLISTS CHILDREN OR COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO ENGAGE IN THE ROAD.

SO THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENT PROGRAM ELEMENTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE WITH BOTH THOSE PROGRAMS. SO NOT EVERY HEALTHY STREET WILL GO INTO THE SHARED STREETS PROGRAM.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM CAN STAND THE TEST OF TIME.

IF THE HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM IS WORKING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU'RE NOT HIGH ON THE SHARED STREETS OR SIDEWALK PRIORITIZATION LIST, YOU STILL HAVE A PERCEPTION OF SAFETY INCREASE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT METHODOLOGY, A BETTER ENVIRONMENT TO SUSTAIN YOUR COMMUNITY IN.

BUT WITH THE SHARED STREET SIDE, THEIR GOAL IS TOP DOWN, MY GOAL IS BOTTOM UP, WE'RE MEETING IN THE MIDDLE.

AND THAT IS REALLY WHERE THE SYNERGY IS HAPPENING.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWER IS KIND OF LIKE THE LOGISTICS OF HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT THIS.

OUR PRIORITIZATION SCORE FOR A HEALTHY STREET, EVEN THOUGH WE ALREADY, WE'VE NEVER HAD TO USE IT.

WE'VE HAD ENOUGH BUDGET TO LAUNCH ALL THE STREETS.

WE'VE FOUND THE EFFICIENCIES WITHIN THE PROCESS, THE TEAM, THE RENTAL OF THE EQUIPMENT, THE INSTALLATION METHODOLOGIES OVER THE YEARS TO INCREASE THE NUMBERS AS YOU MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND OUR CITIZENS RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED, RIGHT? THAT'S CREATIVE THINKING, INNOVATION HAPPENING, THAT'S GOING TO DIE OFF AS THE PROGRAM GAINS LENGTH OF TIME.

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CHANGE ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THAT COMPETITIVE LEVEL.

PRIORITIZATION WILL HAVE TO COME INTO PLAY.

THE STREETS WE WILL BE PRIORITIZING FIRST

[02:05:01]

THAT ANSWERS IT PERFECTLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER.

UM, FIRST, UH, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE ON THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, BLOCK PARTY CHANGE.

THAT'S A GREAT CHANGE.

THAT WAS, UH, SOMETHING, UH, WE SUGGESTED IN A A UC RECOMMENDATION A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO, YOU KNOW, EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS THREE YEARS AGO.

THIS WAS THREE YEARS AGO.

THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW.

WOW.

, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.

UM, I, UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE HEALTHY STREETS.

I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

I JUST MOVED ON TO A STREET WITH A HEALTHY STREET.

AND, UM, ONE THING I'VE, I'VE LEARNED THAT, THAT I'VE REALLY COME TO APPRECIATE IS THE DAYLIGHTING, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHERE YOU FEEL MOST DANGEROUS IS WHERE YOUR HEALTHY STREET IS ENDING.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER STREET, THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF PARKING LOT ON, UM, UH, HEALTHY STREET.

SO SOMETIMES SOMEBODY IS PARKED A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO THE, THAT INTERSECTION AND YOU WORRY THAT THAT CAR WHIPPING AROUND THE CORNER DOESN'T SEE YOU, DOESN'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A HEALTHY STREET RIGHT THERE.

ENGINEERED OUT TO HELP THOSE TURN MOVEMENTS AND PREVENT THAT FLOW DEMAND HAPPENING AT THOSE HIGHER VOLUME TRAFFIC AREAS, BUT STILL CONVEY A LEVEL OF SAFETY BY MOVING THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY TO ONE SIDE OF THE STREET.

UM, SO THAT LEADS ME TO A, A PROBLEM I COULD FORESEE WITH, UM, THE PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I COULD ALSO IMAGINE A TRAFFIC ENGINEER SAYING, WELL, I'M, I'M HESITANT TO PUT OUT, YOU KNOW, PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE I KNOW CARS ARE GOING TO BE TURNING AND HAVE LIMITED VISIBILITY.

SO IS THE MOVE TO PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE GOING TO LIMIT OUR ABILITY, UH, TO HAVE THAT DAYLIGHTING? OR HAVE YOU ALREADY KIND OF FIGURED A WORKAROUND FOR NO, WE'VE ALREADY FIGURED THE WORKAROUND.

WONDERFUL.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, UH, LAUREN DEER AND FIELD'S OLD TEAM, UM, AS SHE MOVES ON, UM, TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS IN HAWAII.

UM, AND THE TEAM THAT'S WORKING WITH US IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE SHARED STREETS DESIGN TEAM.

SO WE WORK ALL THREE DIVISIONS.

SIDEWALKS AND URBAN TRAILS DIVISION, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DIVISION ARE COLLABORATING ON THIS EXACT INITIATIVE TO FIGURE THAT SPECIFIC PIECE OUT.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING AT INTERSECTIONS, WE'LL BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING THROUGH THE HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM.

WE'LL BE MOVING OUR PINCHES IN FURTHER, WE'LL BE CREATING WHAT WE CALL A DIVERSION TECHNIQUE AT INTERSECTIONS, SPECIFICALLY HIGHER VOLUME INTERSECTIONS.

AND DAYLIGHTING IS THE EXACT REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ALMOST 20 FEET BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY GET TO THE INSTALLATION, AND THEN THAT FIRST 20 FEET OF THE STREET AFTER THE CURB RETURN, WHICH IS WHERE THE CURB DIES INTO THE STRAIGHT PART OF THE CURVE, UM, THAT PART IS ACTUALLY NO PARKING.

IT'S A STATE LAW.

WE DON'T REGULATE IT.

THAT'S WHERE OUR INSTALLATIONS GO.

AND IT GOES THERE FOR THAT REASON SO THAT WE'RE NOT AFFECTING PARKING.

IT'S ALSO FAR ENOUGH IN THAT THE TURN MOVEMENT, IT IS PROPER.

IT DOES CREATE A FLOW DEMAND, BUT FROM A TRAFFIC ENGINEERING STANDPOINT, THE MORE PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER IN FOR THOSE PINCHES TO AFFECT THE CHANGE THAT WE WANT IN TERMS OF SPEED REDUCTION.

AND WE NEED THE MORE INTERMITTENT MEANING WHEN WE DO IT AT INTERSECTIONS, AND I HAVE A 700 LINEAR FOOT ROAD, I CAN ACCELERATE PRETTY QUICK.

A TESLA'S RATE OF ACCELERATION IS SOMETHING LIKE 3.2 SECONDS, UH, FROM ZERO TO 60, WHICH IS PRETTY DARN FAST.

UM, SO YOU CAN HIT THAT CAPACITY IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF A ROADWAY.

WE DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE THAT BY PUTTING THE PINCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY AS OPPOSED TO THAT THE INTERSECTIONS, IT SHORTENS THAT DISTANCE BY HALF.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN CREATE DIVERSIONS TECHNIQUES WHERE WE'RE USING, WE'LL BE USING SPEED BUMPS, NOT SPEED CUSHIONS, BUT SPEED BUMPS TO SIMULATE A DIVIDED INTERSECTION TO SHOW FLOW DEMAND MORE CLEARLY.

PUT OUR INSTALLATIONS ON ONE SIDE OF THAT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE SHARED STREETS METHOD.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE SOUTH AUSTIN, UH, SHARED STREET INSTALLATION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST HEALTHY STREET TO BE CONVERTED TO A SHARED STREET.

AND OFF OF OLTORF 40 PLUS MILES PER HOUR, FORT LANES TWO DIRECTIONS, RIGHT? UM, YOU'RE TURNING ON TO A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND THAT TURN ON IS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE IF YOU'RE DOING 40 MILES PER HOUR, OR THERE'S A TRAIN AND THERE'S A BACKUP AND OTHER THINGS ARE GOING ON.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THOSE AREAS.

SO THIS DIVERSION TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN

[02:10:01]

SO YOU WOULD CROSS OVER, COME DOWN ONTO THE SHEARD STREET, AND THEN FAN OUT AT YOUR NEXT PINCH POINT, RIGHT? SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION ON HOW WE'RE WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE SOLUTIONS.

I AM LOOKING AROUND FOR OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION, I THINK IS COMMISSIONER JACOBSON.

YEAH, YEAH.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, THIS PRESENTATION.

THIS IS HOW I, I LIKE TO SEE GOVERNMENT IN ACTION AND I THINK IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM.

UM, I JUST WANTED SOME CLARIFICATION.

SO THIS IS KIND OF, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SEEING YOURSELVES IN LIKE A, A PILOT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.

YOU'RE ABLE TO KIND OF HANDLE THE WORKLOAD, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S COMING INTO YOUR OFFICE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, WE ARE.

I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY MOVED BEYOND THE PILOT.

WE WILL BE PILOTING A 2.0 PHASE IS THE WAY I WOULD SAY THAT.

UH, LIVING STREETS IS AN ACTIVE, VIBRANT PROGRAM.

WE SAW 400 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED.

WE HAVE 113 APPLICANTS WORKING WITH US OR ALREADY INSTALLED IN THE PROCESS.

SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS CAPACITY TO DO THIS LEVEL OF WORK, AND THAT PROGRAM IS SOLID.

WHAT IS GOING TO BE PILOTED IS THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GONNA COME FORWARD AND ENHANCE THE PROGRAM'S ABILITY TO AFFECT A COST-EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT SAFETY MEASURE THAT IS DELIVERABLE AT A RESIDENTIAL LEVEL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER OUT OF THE DISCUSSION OR WHEN WE HIT THAT THRESHOLD WHERE WE MAY HAVE TO START, UM, DOING SOME LEVEL OF PRIORITIZATION.

IS THERE A WAY FOR, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS TO SHOULDER THESE COSTS OR THAT, LIKE SAY THEY AREN'T PRIORITIZED? IS THERE A WAY, IS ANYONE THINKING OF THAT TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT FURTHER? IS THE PIPELINE? THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THAT.

HOWEVER, I, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO BACK AND STATE THAT WE ARE A CITY GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? SO WE CAN'T TAKE OUTSIDE FUNDING AND DEPLOY IT.

HOWEVER, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM DOES WORK WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS TO FUND PROGRAMS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND IS A JOINT VENTURE PROJECT BETWEEN WATERSHED, AUSTIN PARKS AND REC, OURSELVES AND OTHERS.

UM, THAT ALLOWS A RESIDENT TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO ENHANCE THE RIGHT OF WAY.

THOSE ARE TYPICALLY BEING USED TO ENHANCE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING ON A SHARED STREET.

FOR INSTANCE, THOSE PLANT MATERIAL THAT YOU SAW IN THAT RENDERING.

UM, AND AND TO BE VERY CLEAR, THAT WAS A RENDERING OF BOTH OF THOSE INSTALLATIONS.

THOSE ARE NOT INSTALLED YET.

UM, THAT PLANT MATERIAL IS GONNA BE PART OF SOUTH AUSTIN SHARED STREETS NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROJECTS CONTRACT TO MAINTAIN THAT MEDIAN.

AND THEREFORE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE LAWN SERVICE OR MEDIAN SERVICE TO DO THAT.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT ALSO ENHANCES THE VIBRANCY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY ALLOWING THEM TO TAKE SOME OWNERSHIP OF IT.

UM, SO YES, TO SOME DEGREE, BUT TO ACTUALLY BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN WE TAKE A RESIDENCE FUNDS TO DO THAT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT LIVING STREETS AS A PROGRAM IS SET UP TO BE EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

AND REALLY WHY WE FALL BACK ON THE EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONE IS BECAUSE IT'S THAT MOVEMENT OF HOW WE PARTNER TOGETHER AS A, WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND AGAIN, IT COMES BACK TO THOSE THAT HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY.

IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT IS THE AREA IN THE MOST NEED.

SO WE WANNA ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED AND ACTUALLY AFFECTING THE GREATEST NEED FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITIES AVAILABLE TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENT.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE ANSWERS.

APPRECIATE IT.

NO PROBLEM.

CAN I HAVE A QUICK FOLLOW UP THERE TOO? SO I, I, I GET CONFUSED SOMETIMES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING AND LIKE FUNDS THAT MIGHT BE COMING OUT OF A-P-T-M-D THAT THAN A NEIGHBORHOOD GETS

[02:15:01]

TO USE.

UM, ARE THOSE THE SAME OR DIFFERENT? THOSE ARE DIFFERENT.

THOSE ARE, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, BUT THAT IS SLIGHTLY BEYOND MY CAPACITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT.

BUT A BUT A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS A-P-T-M-D AND HAS FUNDS COMING OUT THAT COULD BE USED FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEY COULD REQUEST THAT TO BE USED FOR HEALTHY STREET INSTALLATION, I ASSUME, AS PART OF THEIR PTMD PROCESS THAT EXISTS.

IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE TRUE FOR THE PTMD? EACH OF THEM HAS TO ESTABLISH A GROUP THAT PROVIDES INPUT TO THE CITY ON HOW DO THEY WANT THOSE FUNDS TO BE USED.

AND SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT THEY COULD BE USED FOR.

I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK TO SEE ARE THERE ANY CONSTRAINTS, UM, ON IT.

WE USUALLY USE IT FOR SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION AND, AND PRIMARILY FOR THAT.

UM, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME LIMITS CONSTRAINTS ON HOW, HOW WE CAN USE THE FUNDS, BUT THEY DO GET TO, THEY, WITHIN THAT REALM, THEY GET TO DECIDE ON HOW THEY WANT THOSE FUNDS SPENT.

SO PTMD CAN DO THAT, AND THE FUNDING COMES WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM.

WE TYPICALLY PROVIDE THE FUNDS FOR THE HARD INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER COSTS THAT GO INTO THE DESIGN AND REALLY RELY ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE LABOR PIECE.

UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW THAT PROGRAM'S TRANSITIONED OVER TIME.

BUT THEY DO HAVE, EACH HAS THEIR OWN FUNDING TO DO SOMEWHAT SIMILAR THINGS.

YEAH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, UM, UNDERSTAND MORE IF THERE ARE ANY BARRIERS TO PTMD MONEY BEING SPENT ON, UM, YOU KNOW, A SHARED STREET.

BECAUSE I CAN IMAGINE PT MDS HAVE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF REVENUE STREAM, BUT LIKE SOME, WE, WE DISCUSSED THE EXPENSE OF A SIDEWALK.

UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE MAYBE IF THEY HAD THAT OPTION THAT THEY COULD DO MULTIPLE, YOU KNOW, HEALTHY STREETS OR SHARED STREETS WITH THEIR FUNDS VERSUS SIDEWALKS, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON, MAYBE SOME ARE JUST GETTING TONS OF MONEY IN THEIR PTMD FUNDS, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT LIKE, HAVING OPTIONS LIKE THAT COULD BE GOOD.

SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY INVESTIGATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SPEND THAT ON MIGHT BE USEFUL TO KNOW.

SUMMERS, WOULD YOU MIND ELABORATING WHAT PTMD IS? YEAH.

YES, OF COURSE.

UH, PTMD IS A PARKING TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.

AND SO THIS IS A AREA WHERE, UM, THERE'S A, A, A ZONE THAT HAS, UM, UH, PAID PARKING, METERED PARKING, AND THEN, UM, AND, UH, THEN FROM THERE THAT PARKING REVENUE IS SHARED.

SOME STILL GOES TO THE CITY SORT OF COFFERS, BUT THEN SOME KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY CAN USE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, WHICH WE'RE INVESTIGATING WHAT THOSE ARE.

BUT DEFINITELY LIKE CONSTRUCT SIDEWALKS AND THINGS.

AND IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THE OTHER DISCUSSIONS THAT WE WERE PART OF WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, LIKE PERMIT, PERMIT PARKING, LIKE RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING AND THOSE TRANSITIONS, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TRANSITIONING SOME OF MORE OF THOSE PROGRAMS TO PTMD AND, AND, UM, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND FOR THE CURB, UM, TRYING TO MANAGE THAT SO THAT THE COMMUNITY GETS A BENEFIT, UM, AND THEN THE METERED PARKING GETS IN AND HELPS IT TURN OVER.

SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS REFERRING TO.

AND SOME OF THE EXAMPLES, LIKE THE PT MDS THAT EXIST RIGHT NOW ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOUTH CONGRESS IS A REALLY NOTABLE ONE.

UM, MUELLER HAS ONE, UM, WEST CAMPUS, IT'S ACTUALLY AN OLDER MODEL CALLED THE PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICT, BUT IT'S SORT OF THE SAME TYPE OF CONCEPT.

SO THOSE ARE SOME EXAMPLES THERE.

THERE'S A EAST AUSTIN ONE TOO.

AND TO, TO BE REALLY FRANK ABOUT IT, UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE PTMD ON SOUTH CONGRESS, AND THEY HAVE MULTIPLE ACTIVE APPLICATIONS IN, AND THEY'RE COLLECTING SIGNATURES FOR THEIR INSTALLS FOR HEALTHY STREETS NOW.

SO WE DO SEE A BENEFIT IN THAT.

UM, AND WHERE THE BIGGEST BENEFIT IS, IS SOME OF THE STREETS THAT ARE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE ABSOLUTELY APPLY AND FALL UNDER THE, UM, UH, BENEFIT OF A HEALTHY STREET.

AND AS SUCH, THEY DON'T ALL HAVE SIDEWALKS OR CONTIGUOUS SIDEWALKS.

SO IF WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PARK ON THOSE STREETS AND PAY FOR PARKING ON THOSE STREETS, IF WE CAN PROVIDE PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE TO SAFE THOSE INTERSECTIONS, SLOW DOWN THE RATE OF TRAFFIC, AND STILL ALLOW THOSE RESIDENTS TO COME TO IT, AND THEN WALK THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY IN LINE WITH NOT ONLY WHAT A P TMD IS DOING, BUT THE IDEA OF A HEALTHY STREET ALSO.

YEAH, AND I KNOW I ACTUALLY CAN SPEAK DEFINITELY TO SOUTH CONGRESS SPECIFICALLY, THAT PEOPLE GOT REALLY ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT GOT PEOPLE THINKING A LOT MORE ABOUT APPLYING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS AND GETTING EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THE POSSIBILITIES THAT THEY HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR PROGRAMS. SO, UM, YEAH.

OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION?

[02:20:01]

I, GREAT.

I THINK, UM, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT, AND WE WILL TRY NOT TO GO SO LONG NEXT TIME BEFORE WE HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN.

IT'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

I'LL SEE YOU IN PROBABLY FOUR MONTHS WHEN YOU ASK ME ANOTHER BUDGET QUESTION.

[5. Approve a recommendation to Council for the 2026 Bond.]

UM, AS WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN UP ITEM FOUR, WE THEN MOVE INTO ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM.

IT IS TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL FOR THE 2026 BOND.

I'M GONNA, UH, ASK VICE CHAIR SCHUMACHER IF HE'S WILLING TO, UH, FACILITATE, UM, THIS, WE DO HAVE THIS IN BACKUP, AND, UM, IT'S A GOOD THING IT WASN'T BACKUP, BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T BACKUP, WE'D HAVE TO READ THIS ALL OUT LOUD INTO THE RECORD, AND IT'S PRETTY LONG.

SO HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.

BUT I THOUGHT COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER, IF YOU COULD START BY JUST, UM, INTRODUCING US ONE, SORT OF THE PROCESS OF HOW WE GOT HERE WITH THE WORKING GROUP, AND THEN ALSO OBVIOUSLY INTRODUCING, UM, THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.

AND JUST SO WE CAN DO THOSE AT THE SAME TIME.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION.

I WILL SECOND THAT.

UM, SO THIS RECOMMENDATION CAME OUT OF OUR, UM, BOND ADVISORY WORKING GROUP.

I WOULD SAY BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR FOUR MONTHS NOW.

UM, UM, SO, UH, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT.

UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO START WITH KIND OF THE BROADER CONTEXT OF THE 2026 BOND.

SO, UM, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES HAS BEEN IN CHARGE OF, OF, OF PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT ARE, ARE BOTH NEEDED, UH, AND ALSO CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A SIX YEAR TIME SPAN.

UM, THEY HAVE GOTTEN THAT LIST DOWN TO 3.8 BILLION.

UH, THE REQUEST FROM TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH WAS PRETTY MUCH ALL THE TRANSPORTATION STUFF, WAS 925 MILLION OF THAT.

AND THE MAXIMUM WE CAN DO FOR A 2026 BOND, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, RIGHT NOW, IS 690 MILLION.

THAT'S FOR EVERYTHING, RIGHT? THAT'S FOR PARKS, THAT'S FOR WATER, THAT'S FOR ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN THAT WE WANNA FUND THROUGH A BOND IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS, AT LEAST A VOTER APPROVED BOND.

UH, SO ALL THAT, TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT, UH, THIS IS A MORE CONSTRAINT, UH, BOND CYCLE THEN, UH, WE ARE PREVIOUSLY ACCUSTOMED TO.

UM, I THINK THAT WAS VERY INTENTIONAL 'CAUSE I THINK THE, THE CITY WANTS TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL THAT THE PROJECTS WE ARE FUNDING ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND CAN ALSO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT SIX YEAR TIMEFRAME.

UM, THE WHEREASES KIND OF, UH, TALK ABOUT THAT, WHAT THE UTCS ROLE IS.

WE ARE, UH, ONE OF THE BODIES THAT CAN PROVIDE INPUT.

UH, THERE ARE TWO GROUPS RIGHT NOW KIND OF CONSIDERING WHAT TO GIVE TO COUNCIL.

THERE IS THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE THAT IS PRETTY MUCH A BOARD AND COMMISSION JUST LIKE US.

UH, WE CAN GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THEM.

AND THEN WE ALSO HEARD FROM CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICE TWO, THREE MONTHS AGO.

UM, THEY HAVE A PROJECT DELIVERY, I FORGET THE EXACT, UH, NAME OF IT, BUT THEY HAVE AN INTERNAL TEAM THAT'S KIND OF DOING THE SAME THING FROM THE CITY STAFF SIDE.

SO THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS.

UM, I DO WANNA UNDERSCORE THAT I THINK OUR, OUR, UM, INPUT IS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY HERE.

UH, WHEN WE WERE DOING THIS LAST YEAR FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN, THE NUMBERS WE SUGGESTED WERE TAKEN BY THE, UM, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND WERE GIVEN DIRECTLY TO CITY COUNCIL.

UM, THAT WAS A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAT ENDED UP BEING SCRAPPED, BUT I THINK IT UNDERSCORES THAT, UM, PEOPLE TAKE WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY SERIOUSLY HERE.

THAT'S ALSO WHY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT LIKE, WELL, WHAT IS OUR JOB IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT NUMBERS? UH, BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE GROUPS HAVE SUCH A DIFFICULT JOB AND SUCH A CONSTRAINT BUDGET.

UM, THE WORKING GROUP, WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUST GIVE A PRIORITIZATION.

UH, WE WANTED TO PUT OURSELVES UNDER THE SAME CONSTRAINTS AND GIVE A, A REASONABLE BOND PACKAGE THAT PEOPLE COULD LOOK AT AND UNDERSTAND, OKAY, THIS IS HOW MUCH WE'RE FUNDING, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE SHOULD FUND.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE LEFT ON THE TABLE.

UM, AND THE REST OF THE WHEREAS IS KIND OF TALK ABOUT, UM, THINGS WE HAVE SET OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT WE WANT FUNDED IN A BOND CYCLE.

THAT OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES VISION ZERO, THAT INCLUDES WALK BIKE ROLE, UM, THAT INCLUDES TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALSO TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE GOALS, UH, THAT, THAT GUIDE OUR, OUR MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE HERE.

UM, ALSO, OF COURSE, THE CITY COUNCIL REALLY INITIATED THIS AS, AS A CLIMATE INVESTMENT.

SO WE'RE ENDING WITH THE FACT THAT TRANSPORTATION IS THE LARGEST, UH, SOURCE OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN AUSTIN.

SO THIS IS THE AREA WHERE WE CAN GET OUR MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK IN TERMS OF CLIMATE ACTION.

UM, NOW I'M GETTING INTO THE RESOLVE, WHICH IS ON THE SECOND PAGE.

THE FIRST THING WE START OFF WITH, UM, CDS NICELY PUT TOGETHER A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF, OF MOBILITY BONDS SINCE, UH, 2006, SORRY, THE HISTORY OF ALL BONDS THROUGH 2006.

AND, UH, IN THOSE PAST PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS, UH, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT'S DEDICATED TO MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN 48%.

SO WE RECOMMEND THAT AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE GOING FORWARD.

SO IF YOU TAKE 48% OF THAT 690 MILLION, THAT GETS YOU, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT OVER 331 MILLION.

UM, AND I, I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSCORE BECAUSE

[02:25:01]

TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS MORE THAN PERHAPS ANY OTHER, UH, UH, DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE EXTREMELY RELIANT ON VOTER APPROVED BONDS.

UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR BIKE WASTE PROGRAM, OUR SIDEWALKS PROGRAM, STREET PROGRAM, BRIDGE PROGRAM, RIGHT? THEY ALL ARE RELIANT ON THOSE VOTER APPROVED BONDS.

AND THERE ARE NOT ALWAYS LOTS OF OTHER ADDITIONAL SOURCES THERE, THERE'S NOT ALWAYS PLENTIFUL AMOUNTS OF, OF FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS.

AND EVEN WHEN THEY EXIST, WE NEED THAT, UH, LEVERAGE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THEM.

SO THAT'S UNDERSCORING THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE NEED A GOOD CHUNK HERE FOR TRANSPORTATION.

UH, THE NEXT, WE KIND OF OUTLINE OUR, OUR THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, THAT THE WORKING GROUP KIND OF AGREED ON, ON WHAT WE WANT, UH, ADDRESSED IN TERMS OF MOBILITY.

NUMBER ONE, OF COURSE, IS OUR OVERARCHING GOAL OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HURT OR KILLED BY TRAFFIC CRASHES TO ZERO.

UH, THAT IS IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, ALSO IN THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

THE SECOND IS ACHIEVING THAT 50 50 MODE SPLIT GOAL WITH 50% OF PEOPLE WALKING, BIKING, TAKING TRANSIT, OR OTHER NON DRIVE ALONE MODES TO WORK BY 2039.

THAT IS THE CORE GOAL OF THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

IT'S ALSO IN THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

AND THE THIRD ONE IS ONE THAT I, MAYBE I DON'T TALK ABOUT AS MUCH HERE.

UM, I THINK WE'VE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT MAINTENANCE A LOT MORE.

UM, BUT THIS IS THE LONG TERM, UH, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH IS THAT 80% OF THE CITY'S TOTAL LANE MILES ARE RATED FAIR TO EXCELLENT CONDITION, RIGHT? MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT JUST INVESTING IN PROACTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, BUT THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE MAINTAINED.

THE NEXT THING WE NOTE IS THAT WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER PREVIOUS BOND PERFORMANCE WHEN CONSIDERING WHICH INVESTMENTS TO PRIORITIZE.

ON THE BACK HALF, YOU'LL SEE AN APPENDIX LISTING HOW EACH OF THE PROGRAMS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DID IN PREVIOUS BONDS.

UH, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THERE IS A GAP IN TRUST, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR BONDS.

AND THAT DEFINITELY APPLIES TO MOBILITY BONDS.

SO I THINK WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE VOTERS IN 2026 AND SAY, ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD THAT THEY CAN GET THIS DONE IN SIX YEARS.

WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A REPEAT OF UNFUNDED PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN WE FINALLY GET INTO, UH, THE THREE AREAS THAT WE ACTUALLY, UH, UM, SUGGEST INVESTING IN.

SO THE FIRST IS AN INVESTMENT IN SAFETY.

UM, ALSO NOTE FROM THE TOP THAT, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, NO PROGRAM WITH, I THINK THE EXCEPTION OF SIDEWALKS IS RECOMMENDED TO GET MORE MONEY THAN THEY'VE HAD IN A PREVIOUS BOND.

AND I THINK BY SIDEWALKS IT'S ONLY BY 1 MILLION MORE.

UM, RIGHT? SO YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE GETTING LESS THAN THEY'VE REQUESTED OR EVEN LESS THAN THEY'VE HAD IN PREVIOUS YEARS, AND THERE'S REASONS FOR THAT.

BUT THE MAIN REASON IS JUST BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS.

SO THE FIRST THING IS WE REC RECOMMEND 58.7 MILLION FOR VISION ZERO.

THAT'S THE PROGRAM WE JUST HEARD ABOUT.

UM, THE REASON WE'RE GOING A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THE 65, NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS IS BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE MORE UNOBLIGATED FUNDS, UM, THAN A LOT OF OTHER PROGRAMS. AND A LOT OF THAT IS 'CAUSE THEY DRAW DOWN A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDING.

SO WE DON'T WANNA PENALIZE THEM TOO MUCH FOR BEING FLEXIBLE AND REALLY GOOD AT DRAWING DOWN FEDERAL MONEY, RIGHT? SO JUST A SLIGHT REDUCTION THERE.

UH, THE SECOND IS THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, UH, A PROGRAM WHICH WE ALSO HEARD FROM, I BELIEVE THAT WAS LAST MONTH.

UM, WE REALLY SAW THIS AS A SAFETY PROGRAM.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY A MODE SHIFT PROGRAM AS WELL, CREATES, YOU KNOW, GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ALL USERS.

UH, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE THINKING FIRST AND FOREMOST ABOUT SAFETY AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE SAFE ON THE ROADS.

UH, NEXT WE GET INTO THE A TX WALK BIKE ROLL PLANS, AND THOSE ARE THOSE PLANS THAT WERE ADOPTED IN 2023, UH, THAT WERE REALLY MEANT TO KIND OF SUPERCHARGE OUR GOAL OF, UH, GETTING THAT 50 50 MODE SPLIT ADDRESSING BIKE WAYS, SIDEWALKS AND URBAN TRAILS.

SO THE FIRST THING IS WE RECOMMENDED FULL FUNDING AT THE INITIAL PROJECT REQUEST OF THE SIDEWALKS PROGRAM.

THE SIDEWALKS PROGRAM OF ALL THE LOCAL MOBILITY PROGRAMS HAS BEEN THE BEST AT SPENDING THEIR MONEY.

UH, AND IT'S, I I, I THINK JOHNNY SPIN, UH, THE DIRECTOR HAS SAID MULTIPLE TIMES THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT REALLY A MAXIMUM WE COULD GIVE THEM, RIGHT? THEY, THEY JUST TURN OUT AND TURN OUT AND TURN OUT.

UH, AND I THINK THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PROGRAMS. PEOPLE LOVE SIDEWALKS, PEOPLE LOVE CROSSINGS, PEOPLE LOVE SHARED STREETS.

SO THAT'S THAT ONE.

THE NEXT ONE IS OUR BIKE WASTES PROGRAM.

ALSO, UH, UM, TARGETED AT 40 MILLION.

UH, THIS IS THE SAME AMOUNT THE BIKE WASTE PROGRAM GOT IN 2020.

UH, THE BIKE WASTE PROGRAM HAS ALSO PUNCHED ABOVE ITS WEIGHT IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE, UH, TO SPEND DOWN THAT MONEY.

UM, THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY PUT US TOWARDS THAT GOAL, UH, OF GETTING, UH, 660 MILES OF, UH, UM, LINEAR ALL AGES AND ABILITY BIKE LANES BY 2033.

UH, THEN WE HAVE THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM, WHICH WE'RE RECOMMENDING AT 53.2 MILLION.

THE REASON WHY WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THE FULL 80 MILLION IS BECAUSE THEIR BOND, THEIR 2020 BOND IS NOT PROTECTED TO BE FULLY OBLIGATED, UH, AND SPENT UNTIL 2030.

SO THE WAY WE KIND OF FIGURE THAT IS WE'RE LIKE, WELL, THAT MEANS THEY NEED FOUR ADDITIONAL YEARS OF FUNDING.

SO BASICALLY WE TOOK TWO THIRDS OF 80 MILLION, BROUGHT THEM DOWN TO THAT LEVEL, UH, TO KEEP THEM AT THE FUNDING LEVEL THEY'RE AT, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN ACCELERATION

[02:30:01]

OF THAT FUNDING.

AND FINALLY, IS THE TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH, UH, AN ASTUTE OBSERVER MAY NOTE THAT, UH, IT IS NOT ONE OF THE A TX WALK BIKE ROLE PLANS.

UH, AND THIS WAS ONE WE DEFINITELY WENT BACK AND FORTH ON AS THE WORKING GROUP.

UH, WE RECOMMEND THEM AT 11.8 MILLION.

THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE UNOBLIGATED FUNDS.

THEY HAVE BASICALLY BRINGS THEM UP TO 19 MILLION, UH, WHEN YOU INCLUDE THAT FUNDING.

UM, THE REASON WE ULTIMATELY DECIDED TO INCLUDE THEM AND INCLUDE THEM IN THE A TX WALK BIKE ROLE IS WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT TRANSIT ENHANCEMENTS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY CORE PART OF BOTH SAFETY AND A TX BLOCK BIKE RULE.

YOU KNOW, THE EXAMPLE IS, LET'S SAY VISION ZERO GOES IN AND PUTS IN, UH, A SAFE CROSSING, UH, IN AN AREA WHERE THERE'S A BUS STOP.

WELL, OFTENTIMES THE TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM IS THE ONE THAT'S NEEDED TO DRAW DOWN FUNDING TO ACTUALLY MOVE THE BUS STOP TOWARDS THAT, UM, UH, SAFE CROSSING.

OR LET'S SAY, UM, A BIKEWAYS PROJECT IS GOING IN AND THERE'S A BUS STOP THERE AND YOU DON'T WANT THE BUS GOING INTO THE BIKE LANE.

UM, WELL THEN IT'S TRANS ENHANCEMENTS THAT WOULD CREATE THAT FLOATING ISLAND, UH, UM, TYPE BUS STOP.

UM, SO THE MORE WE HAD TALKED TO FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT, THE MORE IT BECAME CLEAR THAT, UM, FOLKS THOUGHT THEY NEEDED A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO INTERACT WITH THOSE PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE TRANSIT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF HOW, HOW PEOPLE ARE MOVING AROUND, UH, AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LOCAL MOBILITY OPERATIONS.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT IN ROADWAY CONDITIONS FOR 66.5 MILLION IN STREET RECONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS. UM, THIS IS WHERE WE GET TOWARDS THAT GOAL OF, OF OUR LANE MILES BEING IN, IN GOOD CONDITION.

NOW, I'LL SAY, UM, GENERALLY YOU DON'T WANNA FUND MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS THROUGH BONDS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH.

STREET RECONSTRUCTION IS KIND OF A, A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THOUGH.

SO FIRST WE HAVE A DEFICIT WHEN IT COMES TO STREET RECONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION OF 2 BILLION.

UM, SO IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE GREAT IF WE COULD FIND WAYS TO GET IN FRONT OF THAT WITHOUT TAKING IT OUT, UH, TAKING IN DEBT.

BUT OBVIOUSLY BONDS ARE GONNA HAVE TO PLAY A PART IN THAT.

UH, THE SECOND PART IS WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT STREET RECONSTRUCTION, IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CAPITAL PROJECT.

STREET RECONSTRUCTION MEANS YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING OUT THAT WHOLE STREET AND YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

UM, THE OTHER REASON WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IS ULTIMATELY, UH, THESE PROJECTS TIE INTO OUR MOBILITY AND SAFETY EFFORTS.

UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE LARGER STREETS, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT LIKE LAMAR BURNETT, YOU KNOW, DOING A FULL STREET RECONSTRUCTION IS SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET THOSE MOBILITY ENHANCEMENTS, AND YOU CAN KIND OF BRING IN TOGETHER BIKE WASTE SIDEWALKS TO COMPLETELY COMPLETE THAT STREET.

UM, AND SECONDLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE CONDITION OF OUR ROADWAYS AND THE SAFETY OF OUR ROADWAYS, RIGHT? UH, STREETS IN BETTER CONDITION ARE INHERENTLY SAFER STREETS.

SO THAT'S WHY WE RECOMMEND THEM AT THAT LEVEL.

WE'LL ALSO GET INTO SOME RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE ABOUT THAT PROGRAM GOING FORWARD, UH, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE NEXT BE A FURTHER RESULT, WHICH IS THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT, UH, TPW DEVELOP A STREET AND BRIDGE REHABILITATION PLAN AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

UH, A FUNDING STACK THAT INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION, USER FEE FUNDS, STREET IMPACT FEE FUNDS, AND GRANTS TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL AND CONSIDERATION ABOUT HOW IT COULD ALIGN WITH OTHER MOBILITY GOALS.

AND THE REASON BEHIND THIS ONE IS ALL THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVE A COUNCIL APPROVED, UH, OR AT LEAST COUNCIL LOOKED AT, UH, PLAN, AND ALL OF THEM HAVE AN EQUITY BASED ANALYSIS TOOL AND NEEDS-BASED ANALYSIS TOOL TO DETERMINE WHERE FUNDING IS GOING.

UM, WE THINK STREET REHABILITATION AND, AND BRIDGES SHOULD MEET THAT STANDARD AS WELL.

UM, THERE SHOULD BE A CLEAR PUBLIC DOCUMENT THAT SAYS, UH, NOT NECESSARILY THESE ARE THE STREETS AND BRIDGES WE'RE GOING TO DO, BUT THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DETERMINE WHAT THOSE STREET AND BRIDGES ARE GOING TO DO.

AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES ON A PATHWAY TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL OF GOOD MAINTENANCE USING THINGS MORE THAN JUST BONDS.

RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO BE SPENDING $2 BILLION IN BONDS ON STREET RECONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION ALONE, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA NEED OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.

SO LET'S START TO BUILD THAT STACK, JUST KIND OF LIKE HOW THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN, THE SIDEWALKS PLAN START TO BRING IN DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AS WELL.

UM, SO THAT'S THAT ONE.

UH, THE NEXT ONE WE RECOMMEND.

SO ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DON'T REC WE DID NOT INCLUDE IN OUR FUNDING RECOMMENDATION, UH, WAS THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH HAD FUNDING FOR I BELIEVE FIFTH, SIXTH, AND SEVENTH STREET RECONSTRUCTION.

UH, WE PUT IN HERE THAT WE RECOMMEND, UH, TPW PRIORITIZE FUNDING FOR THE SIXTH STREET PROJECT THROUGH PROGRAMMATIC FUNDING IN THE 2026 BOND, INCLUDING SIDEWALKS, BIKEWAY, STREET RECONSTRUCTION, AND VISION ZERO.

SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS KIND OF WHAT WE SAID AT THE BEGINNING, THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT

[02:35:01]

TO FUND INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE GET IN THAT HOLE OF, UH, SHOOT, THIS WENT UP TO THIS, OR THERE'S NOW THIS ENGINEERING CHALLENGE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, WE CAN'T BUILD THIS, RIGHT? WE WANT TO INVEST IN PROGRAMS THAT ARE, ARE BEING EFFECTIVE.

UH, SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA ALLOCATE MONEY DIRECTLY TO ONE PROJECT, UH, BUT WE DO THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PROJECT THAT WE COULD TAKE AND PIECE TOGETHER FROM STREET RECONSTRUCTION, SIDEWALKS, BIKEWAYS, ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO GET FUNDED IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS, EVEN IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING EXPLICITLY STATED.

UM, THE NEXT IS THAT WE DON'T RECOMMEND, UM, UM, FUNDING FOR THE BRIDGE REHABILITATION RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE, UH, IT STILL HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, IN ITS 2018 BOND.

UH, THE NEXT IS THAT WE, UH, UH, DO NOT RECOMMEND, UH, FUNDING THE $285 MILLION COMPLETE STREETS PROGRAM.

UM, THIS WOULD FUND, OH, I HAD THE LIST OF STREETS UP EARLIER.

SO THIS WOULD FUND A, A NUMBER OF STREETS, A LOT OF THEM IN SOUTH AUSTIN.

UM, SOME OF THE MAJOR STREETS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN FUNDED WOULD'VE BEEN BRADSHAW ROAD, BRODY LANE, UH, NICHOLS CROSSING ROAD, UH, DAVIS LANE.

UM, AND THE REASON, UH, WE DON'T RECOMMEND IT IS DUE TO A LACK OF A COMPLETE STREETS PLAN.

LIKE WE WERE SAYING, HOW WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT WITH STREET RECONSTRUCTION.

UM, AND WE DON'T REALLY SEE HOW IT WOULD DIFFER FROM OTHER, UH, TPW PROGRAMS. WE THINK A LOT OF THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED THROUGH PROGRAMMATIC FUNDING.

UM, AND THEN THE FINAL, UH, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED IS THAT WE RECOMMEND FUNDING FOR MOBILITY PROJECTS BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS DEFINED DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS WITH COUNCIL PROOF PLANS AND EQUITY AND NEEDS BASED PRIORITIZATION TOOLS, RATHER THAN NAMED PROJECTS TO ENSURE PROJECTS CAN BE DELIVERED WITHIN THE SIX YEAR BOND CYCLE.

AGAIN, THIS IS JUST US SAYING, LET'S DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT REALLY WORKED FROM 2020, WHICH WAS FUNDING THOSE LOCAL MOBILITY PROGRAMS THAT HAVE, UH, AN UH, KIND OF JUST PLUG AND GO APPROACH TO, UH, FINDING PROJECTS THEY CAN, THEY CAN DO AND, AND DOING THEM IN THAT TIMEFRAME.

UM, I'M OUT OF BREATH.

THAT WAS A LOT.

I'M SURE PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS.

I I'M GONNA MAKE A QUICK COMMENT AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THAT SO CLEARLY AND ALSO FOR DOING SO MUCH OF THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS RECOMMENDATION.

IT WAS, WAS REALLY FUN.

UM, YOU DID MORE WORK THAN I DID BY FAR, BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY FUN DISCUSSING.

AND I, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT I WAS PART OF, WE DEFINITELY REALLY WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THE TRENDS AND ENHANCEMENT, BUT AS WE HEARD FROM, WE TALKED TO MORE PEOPLE ABOUT IT, WE, WE ACTUALLY INITIALLY DIDN'T PROPOSE TO FUND THAT.

AND THEN WE REALIZED THE MORE PEOPLE WE TALKED TO, WE NEEDED THAT IN THERE.

AND SO WE ADDED THAT IN.

UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SIXTH STREET AND AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, I DO JUST WANNA EXPRESS MY PERSONAL FEELING THAT LIKE, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT DOWNTOWN.

DOWNTOWN IS REALLY A SPACE THAT I THINK BELONGS TO ALL PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AND WE REALLY NEED TO ATTEND TO AND DO A LOT OF WORK TOWARD.

BUT ONE OF, LIKE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD IS LIKE SOME OF THE COST ESTIMATES FOR THE, UH, RECONSTRUCTION OF LIKE SIXTH STREET AND SOME OF THE OTHER STREETS WERE EXTREMELY EYE-POPPING NUMBERS.

UM, AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF, OR AT LEAST THAT I'M AWARE OF, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PLANS OR ENGINEERING AT THIS TIME THAT I KNOW OF TO SUPPORT THAT.

AND I, WHILE I DO FEEL LIKE REALLY, ESPECIALLY SIXTH STREET, BUT ALL OF OUR DOWNTOWN STREETS, REALLY MAKING THEM INTO THE COMPLETE, YOU KNOW, HUMAN SPACE THAT WE WANT IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S REALLY OUR DOWNTOWN.

I FEEL THAT REALLY DEEPLY.

I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE AND ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT IS IF YOU LOOK AT SORT OF SOME OF THE LANGUAGE AND SOME OF THE PROPOSED PLANS, IS THAT ACTUALLY CONGRESS AVENUE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST PRIORITIES, BUT THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY WHAT WAS COMING OUT OF SOME OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTATION AROUND THIS BOND.

SO, UM, I JUST WANNA EXPRESS THAT LIKE, CUTTING SOME OF THIS DEDICATED DOWNTOWN FUNDING WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME PERSONALLY, BUT LIKE THE MORE WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND JUST THE NUMBERS, THE ESTIMATES, SOME OF THE PLANNING AROUND IT, WE FELT LIKE WE COULD PROBABLY ACHIEVE SOME PIECES OF IT UNDER THE OTHER FUNDING THAT WE HAVE.

BUT WE REALLY WANNA COME BACK WITH LIKE A LOT MORE ENGINEERING, A LOT MORE DEFINED PLANNING TO DO THAT IN OUR NEXT BOND CYCLE, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT I WANNA EXPRESS.

AND I DO FEEL A DOWNTOWN IS IMPORTANT.

I JUST THINK THAT THE MORE THE COMMITTEE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY DO TO GET DOWN TO THE NUMBERS WE LOOKED AT, THAT WAS WHAT WE DECIDED TO, TO CUT.

SO JUST SORT OF EXPRESSING THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPLICITLY AS WELL.

SO, UM, I'LL LOOK AROUND.

OH, I JUST TURNED MYSELF OFF.

OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, OR COMMENTS FROM THE WORKING GROUP OR FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T ON THE WORKING GROUP? QUESTIONS QUESTION? YEAH, COMMISSIONER .

UM, I WANNA ALSO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.

THIS IS A VERY, UM, COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATION.

I THINK IT'S REALLY AWESOME.

REALLY COVERS EVERYTHING.

I ALSO WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR MY ABSENCE INSIDE DISCUSSION BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE

[02:40:01]

TO JUST OVER COMMIT MYSELF.

SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

UM, OKAY, ANOTHER QUESTION.

OBLIGATED MEANS SPENT, RIGHT? OBLIGATED DOES NOT MEAN SPENT.

DOES IT MEAN I'M GONNA ALLOCATED? YEAH.

SO YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M, I'M GONNA GET IT WRONG.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO YIELD THE STAFF ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OBLIGATED AND SPENT.

SO SPENT IS SPENT LIKE THE MONEY IS OUT THE DOOR.

WE BOUGHT SOMETHING, WE'VE PAID A CONSULTANT.

THE OBLIGATED PIECE IS THAT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE IT'S SPENT, IT'S ASSIGNED TO A PROJECT BASICALLY PUT ON, UM, WHAT WE CALL A WORK ORDER OR A DO UHHUH, BUT THAT MONEY IS ASSIGNED, THIS PROJECT MAY NEED $50,000.

SO WE SET UP A NUMBER ACCOUNT, WE PUT THE $50,000 IN THERE.

NOW THAT MONEY IS PROGRAMMED FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT.

UHHUH, , THAT'S WHAT WE CALL OBLIGATED.

SO IT'S LIKE SET ASIDE AND IT, IT CANNOT BE REASSIGNED TO ANOTHER THING IF IT'S ALREADY BEEN OBLIGATED.

IT COULD BE IF WE UNDERSPEND OR IF WE NEEDED TO REPRIORITIZE THINGS, BUT IT'S ALREADY BEEN ASSIGNED TO, UM, BE, UM, TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT.

AND THEN THERE'S THE SPENDING PART.

YOU PUT THOSE TWO.

UM, AND NOW I'M STARTING TO GET, UM, A LITTLE CONFUSED ON IT WHEN YOU PUT ME ON THE SPOTLIGHT THAT THE, UM, BUT THE, UM, THE OBLI, THE OBLIGATED AND OBLIGATED IS WHEN WE PUT BOTH OF THOSE TOGETHER, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE SPENT AND UNDER THE, WELL, IT'S THE CONTRACT IS THE OBLIGATED PIECE, AND THEN THERE'S A SPENT PIECE.

AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WHAT WE HAVE LEFT OVER IS WHAT WE CAN ASSIGN TO A PARTICULAR PROJECT.

I DON'T KNOW IF I, I THINK I UNDERSTAND.

I CAN TRY AND HOP IN IF, YEAH.

SO I USED TO DO PURCHASING FOR THE CITY.

UM, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING FOR ME IN ADVANCE.

ABSOLUTELY USED TO DO WHAT FOR THE CITY.

SO I'M SORRY, YOU USED TO DO WHAT FOR THE CITY? I USED TO WORK IN PURCHASING.

PURCHASING, OKAY.

WELL, FOR AUSTIN WATER.

BUT, UM, SO TO ME TOO OBLIGATED CAN ALSO MEAN ENCUMBERED.

SO ONCE THE MONEY'S BEEN ENCUMBERED INTO A DO OR A PO, UM, IT'S THERE AND IT'S SITTING THERE, YOU PAY INVOICES OFF OF IT UNTIL IT'S GONE.

UHHUH OR IF AT, LIKE, SAY AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, THERE'S STILL $20,000 IN THERE.

YOU CLOSE OUT THAT ACCOUNT OR THAT DO, AND NOW THE MONEY'S BACK IN YOUR BUDGET.

UM, AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH IT FROM THERE.

UM, IN, IN A BOND SITUATION, THAT'S DIFFERENT THOUGH.

SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SPECIAL APPROVALS.

WHAT'S A DO PO'S PURCHASE ORDER? DELIVERY ORDER.

DELIVERY ORDER.

SO TO ME, A DO WOULD BE FROM A MASTER AGREEMENT OR A CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE, LIKE A SPECIFIC SET OF, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH MAYBE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXTENSION.

SO OBLIGATED MONEY IS LIKE A PROXY FOR PROGRESS ON A PROJECT IN A SENSE OF THE MONEY IS MOVING TOWARDS THE COMPLETION OF THE THING IN FOR, IN COLLOQUIAL TERMS, SAY FOR A YEAR, 11 POINT MILLION FOR TRANSIT TRANSFER, WE WOULD TAKE, SAY THERE WAS A BUDGET WE WERE GONNA DO WITH CAPITAL METRO THAT MAY COST HUNDRED THOUSAND UHHUH AND PUT THAT IN, THE DIRECTORS MIGHT OFF.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, AND SO WE TAKE, SO WE HAVE THE 11.8 MILLION FROM TRANSIT.

WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE'VE WORKED ON WITH CAPITAL METRO, AND WE SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA FUND THIS PROJECT, IT'S GONNA COST US, UM, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS MM-HMM .

SO WE'LL TAKE THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND OBLIGATE IT TO THAT PROJECT.

SO NOW IT'S BEEN ASSIGNED, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN SPENT YET.

THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE SPENDING IT, LIKE NATALIE SAID, WHERE WE'D COME IN THERE AND USE THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PAY OUR BILLS FOR THAT PROJECT.

HMM.

UM, AND THE BULLET IT LIST INCLUDES AN INVENTORY OF CURRENT ROAD CONDITIONS AND ET CETERA.

DOES THAT HELP? YES.

SO I GUESS JUST TO RELATE IT BACK TO LIKE WHAT THE VOTERS ARE VOTING ON.

SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT LIKE URBAN TRAILS, PREVIOUS BOND PERFORMANCE, 2020 80 MILLION, 56% OBLIGATED.

SO THE VOTERS APPROVED $80 MILLION TO BE SPENT ON URBAN TRAILS IN THE 2020 BOND.

AND OF THAT 80 MILLION, 56% HAS BEEN OBLIGATED.

IS THAT ACCURATE? OKAY, COOL.

OKAY, THANKS.

THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL.

UM, MY ONLY QUESTION REALLY, I, I READ THIS LAST NIGHT AND DID NOT HAVE ANY NOTES.

MY ONLY QUESTION FOR THE WORKING GROUP IS ABOUT THE BRIDGES.

UM, WHERE IS IT? UH, I THINK IT'S AFTER THE LISTING OF THE, UM, RECOMMENDED INVESTMENTS.

IT SAYS BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS A PTW DEVELOP A STREET AND BRIDGE REHAB PLAN AS AN AMENDMENT.

[02:45:01]

DOES THIS, UM, REFERENCE TO BRIDGES ONLY REFER TO THE SURFACE CONDITION OF THE BRIDGES? OR DOES, DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE STRUCTURAL CONDITION? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

MAYBE THAT'S A LEVEL OF DETAIL THIS UNNECESSARY, I WROTE THIS WHILE AGO, I THINK WE HAD IT, IT SHOULD INCLUDE STRUCTURAL.

AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD AMENDMENT IF WE WANNA AMEND THAT.

I'M, I'M MOSTLY JUST WONDERING BECAUSE, UM, LIKE OF THE, OF THE THINGS COVERED TO ME, THE BRIDGES ARE THE THING THAT IS MOST DIFFERENT.

AND THIS IS BASED ON LIKE ZERO UNDERSTANDING OF ENGINEERING OR ACTUAL ROAD FUNCTIONS.

BUT, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT LIKE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMMENT ON, UH, AND THE, THE DIRECTOR MAY WANNA SAY SOMETHING TOO, BUT LIKE OBVIOUSLY IF A, IF A BRIDGE HAS, TPW IS ASSESSING THE CONDITIONS OF THE STRUCTURES, AND SO LIKE IF THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS A IMMINENT CON, YOU KNOW, UH, A STRUCTURAL ISSUE WITH THE BRIDGE THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A MORE URGENT MANNER, YOU KNOW, OR IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE DROVE THEIR TRACTOR TRAILER TO A BRIDGE AND IT COLLAPSED OR SOMETHING, THEN THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE ADDRESSED A DIFFERENT WAY.

BUT LIKE IN THE PAST CYCLES, THERE'S BEEN FUNDING FOR SPECIFIC BRIDGE PROJECTS, LIKE NAMED PROJECTS, LIKE WE'RE GONNA RECONSTRUCT THE BRIDGE OVER REDBIRD IS, RIGHT.

THAT'S ACTUALLY A, A CONCRETE EXAMPLE.

LIKE DIFFERENT NAMED PROJECTS VERSUS HAVING A LIST OF LIKE, HERE'S ALL THE BRIDGES IN A PLAN.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS THAT NUMBER ONE, WHEN, UM, AND THIS IS MY COMMENT, SO THIS IS MY OPINION, BUT NUMBER ONE, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A, A PLAN THAT HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, NEEDS BASED AND EQUITY BASED ASSESSMENT MM-HMM .

UM, A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE A PROJECT, AND THEN WHEN WE START GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF THAT, A SPECIFIC BRIDGE OR SPECIFIC ROAD RECONSTRUCTION, WE SEE THAT LIKE, OH, THERE'S ALL THESE BARRIERS HERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WATERSHED ISSUES.

WE DIDN'T KNOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER LIKE, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ISSUES THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.

LIKE, AND SO THESE PROJECTS GET DELAYED AND DELAYED AND THEN INFLATION HAPPENS, AND THEN WE CAN'T AFFORD WHAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD AFFORD.

AND SO HAVING THIS IDEA OF LIKE A NAMED PRI LIKE A PLAN WITH PRIORITIZATION MATRIX THAT GIVES FLEXIBILITY TO SAY, WE HAVE THIS POT OF MONEY THAT'S GONNA BE USED ON ROADS, AND THEN WE HAVE THIS PRIORITY THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH.

AND THEN IF WE RUN INTO SOME OBSTACLES, WE CAN, LIKE, WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE.

WE HAVEN'T SAID WE'RE REBUILDING THIS BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN'T BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS THE IDEA THERE.

AND WE ALSO, SO WE JUST FIND THAT WE'RE NOT LIKE, SO NUMBER ONE, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DO NAMED PROJECTS, WE HAVE A TENDENCY MAYBE NOT TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT AS EFFICIENTLY AS THE SPEND THROUGH FOR THE BRIDGES AND THE PRIOR BOND CYCLES WOULD SUGGEST, BUT ALSO THERE ALSO TENDS TO BE, WHEN YOU GO WITH NAMED PROJECTS, I'M, THIS IS MY OPINION, A POLITICAL OPINION, IT, IT BECOMES, IT'S MORE SUBJECT TO LIKE, UM, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SORT OF MANEUVERING ON THE DIOCESE.

LIKE WHEN YOU GET TO THE FINAL ADOPTION OF THIS BOND BY CITY COUNCIL, IF SOMEONE ON CITY COUNCIL FEELS THEIR DISTRICT WAS EXCLUDED, THEN THEY'RE SORT OF TRYING TO DELIVER, I MEAN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, PORK, YOU KNOW, TO THEIR DISTRICT.

AND THAT'S THEIR, THEIR ROLE AND, AND THEY SHOULD DO THAT.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE AN A NEEDS BASED AND EQUITY BASED PRIORITIZATION MATRIX, THEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE OUTCOMES ARE ULTIMATELY BETTER THAT WAY AS WELL.

SO, UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING THAT SUGGESTION.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT CERTAINLY, I MEAN, ALL OF THE NEEDS ARE, I FEEL, ARE MOSTLY LEGITIMATE NEEDS.

SO LIKE, YEAH.

TO TO SAY WE'RE GONNA CUT ANYTHING BUT STUFF IS, HAS TO BE CUT BASED ON WHAT CITY COUNCIL HAS EXPRESSED AND WHAT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES HAVE EXPRESSED ABOUT WHAT THIS BOND COULD LOOK LIKE.

AND APPRECIATE THAT THE, UM, AND JUST SOME HIGH LEVEL THINGS TO GET INTO THE BRIDGES, HOW WE LOOK AT THE STREETS AND THE BRIDGES, ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE WANT TO DO DEPEND ON THE STREETS AND BRIDGES.

SO, AND I DON'T, MAYBE YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING TO THAT TOO ABOUT SORT OF LIKE THE STRUCTURE OF BRIDGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY IF A BRIDGE IS GONNA FALL DOWN, Y'ALL ARE GONNA TAKE ACTION ON THAT MORE IMMINENTLY.

WELL, WHAT I PARTICULARLY HAD IN MIND WAS THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK BRIDGE THAT JUST REOPENED RECENTLY.

AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WAS JUST GONE FOR LIKE 10 YEARS.

AND THAT CONNECTION ACROSS PARK, I FEEL LIKE WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE, SELFISHLY, 'CAUSE IT'S ONE THAT I WANT, BUT LIKE IN TERMS OF CONNECTING THE MONTOPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE PARK TO OTHER PARTS OF EAST AUSTIN, UM, I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT IT TOOK THAT LONG.

AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING LIKE WHERE THAT WOULD FALL AS AN EXAMPLE WITHIN THIS KIND OF STRUCTURE.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY NOTES OR AMENDMENTS.

JUST THAT WAS MY QUESTION RELATED TO MY QUESTION.

WELL, I, I CAN TELL YOU JUST BRIEFLY, UH, ABOUT THE BRIDGES.

UM, FIRST VERY THOUGHTFUL, UM,

[02:50:01]

IF WE WANNA PUT SIDEWALKS TO CONNECT PEOPLE, BIKE LANES, TRANSIT CONNECTIONS, AUTOMOBILE CONNECTIONS, THEY ALL REQUIRE THE STREETS TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION AND BRIDGES TO BE OPERATIONAL.

IF THERE, LIKE THE CHAIR WAS SAYING, IS IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS A, A SAFETY RISK, WE'LL DO THAT IMMEDIATELY.

UM, OUT THERE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN MA WE HAVE OVER 1200 BRIDGES, 400 OF THEM OR MAJOR, WHICH IS GREAT.

460 SOME THERE ARE MAJOR GREATER THAN 20 FEET.

AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A NEED OF, UM, OF ABOUT $125 MILLION FOR THOSE.

THERE'S SEVEN BRIDGES.

WE HAVE A, UM, DONE THE ANALYSIS ON THE SMALLER BRIDGES.

IT'S ABOUT, I THINK IT'S 15 MILLION.

AND THEN PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE BRIDGES GETS US DOWN TO ABOUT $6 MILLION OF NEED.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE PRESENTED IN A PRESENTATION TO MOBILITY COMMITTEE HERE, UM, THIS PAST MONTH.

AND, UM, VERY CRITICAL TO OUR OVERALL, UM, NETWORK.

BUT THAT'S JUST HOW WE, YEAH.

WE, WE, WE PRIORITIZE THAT OR LOOK AT THAT AS THAT'S FOUNDATIONAL TO DO THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO.

SO WHEN YOU, THE 125 MILLION YOU'RE REFERENCING IS, IS THAT SPECIFICALLY VEHICULAR BRIDGES? UM, THEY'RE BRIDGES WITH ALL MODES.

UH, BIKES CAN GO ACROSS 'EM.

IT INCLUDES ON LIKE RED BUD BRIDGE, UM, BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE, UM, AND, AND SOME OTHERS.

OKAY, COOL.

BUT RIGHT NOW, UM, I DON'T WANNA GO TOO FAR OFF THE PATH.

YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR RED BUD.

UM, THERE, THAT ONE'S JUST BEEN A VERY LONG AND COMPLICATED PROJECT.

UHHUH , UM, INVOLVING DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, AND COMING UP WITH THE DESIGN THAT WORKS THERE.

BUT WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN ANALYSIS RIGHT NOW TO SEE IF WE CAN JUST REHAB THAT AND BE ABLE TO FREE UP SOME FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN, UM, FUND THE GAP THAT WE HAVE ON THE BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE.

COOL.

SO, THANKS.

AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK MY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE GOT THIS ACROSS WITH THAT VIA FURTHER RESOLVE, AND I THINK WE MAYBE DIDN'T WANT TO SAY THIS EXPLICITLY, UM, AT LEAST THIS WAS MY THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NECESSARILY BLAME THE BRIDGES PROJECT FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, THE AMOUNT OBLIGATED, 'CAUSE BRIDGES ARE REALLY COMPLICATED TO BUILD, RIGHT? THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT THING WE CAN BUILD.

UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY AFTER NOVEMBER, I, I THINK THERE IS AN INCREASED RECOGNITION THAT, UH, VOTERS IN AUSTIN WANNA SEE TRANSPARENCY.

THEY WANT TO SEE ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND I, I THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY A RISK THAT THIS BOND DOES NOT PASS IN NOVEMBER, 2026.

SO I DON'T WANT TO INCLUDE ANYTHING IN ANY AREA WHERE SOMEBODY CAN ATTACK THE BOND BY SAYING, WELL, THIS PROGRAM SELLS ALL THIS UNSPENT MONEY FROM THIS BOND CYCLE, EVEN IF THAT'S REALLY UNFAIR, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AND SAY, WELL, NO, IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK, IT'S JUST 'CAUSE THESE NAMED PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BIT OVER THIS ONE.

WE STILL NEED TO ACQUIRE SOME PROPERTY.

SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY.

I, I THINK, GIVEN HOW, HOW TIGHT OF A, A BOND CYCLE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AND THE DIFFICULT CLIMATE WE WILL FACE, UM, UM, FROM VOTERS WHO ARE, ARE WANTING CLEAR, ACCOUNTABLE GOALS THAT, THAT THEY KNOW THE CITY CAN ACHIEVE.

UM, ANYTHING THAT I THINK HAS A RISK, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING IF THERE WAS AN ABILITY TO, UM, GO FUND THE REST OF THE, UM, UH, CORRIDOR PROGRAM.

YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EXTREME LIABILITY TO PUT THAT ON, ON THE BALLOT.

AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE, WE HAVE INCLUDED STREET REHABILITATION RECONSTRUCTION, WHICH DID REALLY WELL IN THE 2018 SPEND, BUT NOT BRIDGES, WHICH DID NOT DO AS WELL IN THE 2018 SPEND.

GOT IT.

AND I, I WOULD JUST SAY TOO, I, I DON'T HAVE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THIS, BUT I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH COALITIONS IN THE PAST THAT, THAT DID ADVOCACY AROUND BOND PROJECTS.

AND, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THROUGH SOME OF THE POLLING DATA IS ACTUALLY SIDEWALKS POLL EXTRAORDINARILY WELL, PEOPLE LOVE SIDEWALKS.

SO, UM, OTHER QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION? YES, I, I DID WANT TO, I THINK I'M, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, MAYBE THIS HAS INFORMED THE, UM, ON THE INVESTMENT TO ROAD WEIGHT CONDITIONS.

LIKE THERE ARE WE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IMPROVEMENT OF LIKE SURFACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? OR IS THAT KIND OF A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH BRIDGES THERE? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I JUST CLEAR WHAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, VIS-A-VIS ALSO THINKING ABOUT POLITICAL CLIMATE VIS-A-VIS, UH, BIKE WAVE FUNDING ALLOCATION.

LIKE, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WHICH ONE THAT SURFACE? YEAH, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INVESTMENT ROADWAY CONDITIONS.

SO, UM, I ACTUALLY SKIPPED OVER SOME OF THE NUMBERS I WAS GONNA GO OVER THERE, SO THAT'S GREAT.

I CAN GO BACK TO 'EM.

[02:55:01]

UM, OH, SORRY.

OH YEAH, YEAH.

UM, SO THIS IS THE STREET RECONSTRUCTION REHABILITATION PROGRAM.

THE, UM, THIS IS A, UH, BASICALLY SIMILAR TO A PROGRAM THAT WAS FUNDED IN THE 2018 BOND.

AND, AND CERTAINLY STAFF IS WELCOME TO FILL IN ANY GAPS HERE.

UM, THIS MONEY WOULD BE TARGETED TOWARDS ARTERIAL STREETS THAT ARE IN POOR CONDITION, UM, POOR OR SOMETHING ELSE.

THERE'S ONE OTHER CATEGORY THAT IT GOES TOWARDS.

UM, SO RIGHT NOW OUR ARTERIAL STREETS, ONLY 56% OF THEM ARE IN A FAIR OR GOOD CONDITION.

SO OUR ARTERIAL STREETS, I, I BELIEVE THE, THE NUMBER FOR ALL OF OUR STREETS IS SOMEWHERE AROUND LIKE 75%.

RIGHT NOW.

IT'S, UM, RIGHT AT ABOUT 70, A LITTLE BELOW 70, LITTLE BIT BELOW 70, BUT ARTERIALS ARE ALL THE WAY DOWN AT 56%, WHICH I THINK ANYONE WHO HAS, UH, BIKED OR, OR, OR RODE A CAR OR RODE A BUS IN AUSTIN APPRECIATES RIGHT.

UM, OUR ARTERIAL STREETS DO NEED, UM, UM, REHABILITATION RECONSTRUCTION.

SO IF WE FUNDED THE FULL 194 MILLION, THAT WOULD BUMP, UH, THE PERCENTAGE UP FROM 56% BEING IN GOOD CONDITION TO 71%.

UM, IF YOU FOLLOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW LINEAR THAT SCALES, RIGHT? BUT IF IT, IF IT IS A LINEAR SCALE FUNDING 66.5 MILLION WOULD BUMP IT FROM 56% TO 61%.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE ALSO INCLUDED THAT NEXT PHASE, THAT NEXT CLAUSE, WHICH IS SAYING, UH, THIS IS NOT GOING TO GET US ANYWHERE NEAR TO, TO FIXING THE PROBLEM.

THIS IS A REALLY BIG PROBLEM, BUT ALSO THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CANNOT BE FIXED JUST THROUGH PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A HOLISTIC LOOK AT WHAT FUNDING CYCLES ARE AVAILABLE TO US.

AND I WOULD ALSO MAKE THE CASE THAT, UH, WE SHOULD NOT BE RELYING PRIMARILY ON PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS FOR STREET RECONSTRUCTION REHABILITATION.

BECAUSE I THINK WHEN YOU START, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL JUST GO ON A SLIGHT TANGENT HERE OF, YOU KNOW, I, I, I WORKED AT A CITY ONCE WHERE, UM, EVEN WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE EVEN STREET REPAVING WAS DONE ON TENURE BOND CYCLES.

SO THAT MEANT THAT IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO YOUR STREET, LIKE YOU WANTED TO PUT A BIKE LANE ON THE STREET, WELL YOU HAD TO PLAN THAT 10 YEARS OUT.

RIGHT? AND SO NOT ONLY WAS IT A TERRIBLE FISCAL POSITION, THE STREETS WERE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION, BUT IT ALSO MEANT THAT YOU COULD ACCOMPLISH NO OTHER MOBILITY GOALS BECAUSE ALL OF OUR DEBT WAS ALLOCATED TO MAINTENANCE.

SO WE DO HAVE A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, UH, AND IT, IT IS OKAY TO SPEND SOME DEBT CAPACITY ON THAT, BUT IT IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT WE CAN OR SHOULD GET OUT OF THROUGH DEBT.

I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT TO ME, UM, THE RECONSTRUCTION, THE PART OF THE PROMISE THERE AS WELL IS THAT WHEN YOU GO IN TO AN ARTERIAL LIKE NORTH LAMAR OR SLAUGHTER OR SOMETHING AND YOU DO A FULL RECONSTRUCTION, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY SORT OF THE IDEA OF THE 2016 MOBILITY BOND AND THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM, IN A SENSE, WHEN YOU RECONSTRUCT THOSE, THEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO ALL THE SAFE INTERSECTIONS.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN A STRUCTURAL BIKE LANE OR SHARED USE PATH OR LIKE DO CHANGES LIKE WHEN AUSTIN GOES IN AND RECONSTRUCTS THESE STREETS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE IT'S NOT JUST A REPAVING, IT'S REALLY GONNA BE THAT DEEPER RECONSTRUCTION TO REALLY GET IT BACK TO THE CONDITION THAT WE WANT.

NOT JUST TAKING IT FROM, YOU KNOW, FAILING OR POOR TO MIDDLING OR SOMETHING LIKE, IT'S GONNA BE LIKE A RECONSTRUCTION, WHICH IT MEANS IT'S ALSO GONNA BE IN LINE WITH THE A SMP AT THIS POINT, WHICH SOME OF THESE STREETS WHEN THEY WERE LAST DONE WAS PRIOR TO THE A SMP AND PRIOR TO SOME OF ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE PASSED.

SO, UM, IT DOES, EVEN THOUGH IT COULD BE SEEN AS LIKE, OH, WE'RE JUST, IT, LIKE, IT'S NOT REALLY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S STREETS.

IT'S LIKE, I THINK IT CAN GAIN POPULARITY WITH THOSE WHO DRIVE ON THE STREETS, BUT ALSO WITH THOSE OF US WHO ARE ADVOCATING FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AS WELL, IF THAT HELPS.

THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK.

UM, MY, I GUESS MY PER, IT'S KIND OF SPEAKING TO THE VOTER CLIMATE AND, AND GETTING THESE LIKE REALLY NECESSARY DOLLARS COMMITTED TO GREAT PROJECTS AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, I I I THINK THERE'S JUST THE OPTICS OF, YOU KNOW, IS THERE, I UNDERSTAND AN EXTRA MONEY GETS SPENT TO THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, OKAY, WE'VE, WE PRIORITIZE THIS, THIS ROAD QUARTER IDEA TO VOTERS AND WE TOOK SOME, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN SOME MONEY OUT OF URBAN TRAILS.

IS IT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EFFICACY IS, BUT LIKE SHOWING, OKAY, WE TOOK, WE TOOK 10 MILLION FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM BIKE LANES TO PUT TOWARDS THIS MORE HOLISTIC, UH, ROAD CORRIDOR.

WE THINK THAT MIGHT ALSO HOPEFULLY INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE BIKE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.

JUST WHAT THE PERCEPTION THE VOTER WOULD HAVE, OR THAT IS JUST KIND OF MY CONCERN ON THAT PARTICULAR, AND WE DIDN'T CUT ANYTHING FROM BIKEWAYS.

I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, DIDN'T WE? YEAH, WELL, SO LIKE, I WAS IT NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE'RE CUTTING, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING WE'RE RECOMMENDING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL COULD TAKE THIS UP AND SAY, WE'VE DECIDED THE CLIMATE IS SUCH THAT WE DON'T WANNA PASS IT.

WE DON'T WANNA PROPOSE A BOND TO THE VOTERS RIGHT NOW.

LIKE WE COULD MAKE, WE COULD RECOMMEND TILL WE'RE BLUE IN THE FACE, BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE B-E-A-T-F AND CITY COUNCIL ARE REALLY GONNA BE THE BIG MOVERS AND

[03:00:01]

SHAKERS HERE.

WE'RE JUST MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.

AND, AND I GUESS I'M, I'M, IS YOUR CONCERN THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING ENOUGH ON STREET REHABILITATION OR THAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE ON CORE, LIKE, LOCAL MOBILITY? UH, I'M, I'M THINKING MORE OF LIKE VOTER PERCEPTION.

YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF SOMEONE TAKES THE TIME TO LIKE REALLY LOOK AT THESE, THESE BREAKDOWNS, LIKE ARE THEY GOING TO, YOU KNOW, QUESTION WHERE THE COMMITMENT IS? LIKE HOW DOES IT IMPACT THEM ON THEIR, THEIR DAY TO DAY LIFE? I MEAN, I MIGHT, I I, THE FEEDBACK I GET A LOT, YOU KNOW, UM, ESPECIALLY I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS ON THE, THE CAMERA DESK DESKTOP CORRIDORS.

THEY, THEY, THE, THE LAMENTING THEY SEE BIKE LANES GOING IN, BUT THEY DON'T SEE OTHER LIKE MORE HOLISTIC RE-IMAGINING STUFF GOTCHA.

OF THIS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT'S, IT'S JUST TO ME LIKE THE OPTICS OF OF, OF SPEAKING TO VOTERS CONCERNS AND COMMITMENTS, IF YOU WILL.

I THINK THAT IS ACTUALLY DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT MODE YOU TAKE, YOU WANT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE WANT, YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP YOU WITH YOUR DAILY COMMUTE.

SO I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE ON POPULAR, SAY STREET REHABILITATING AND RECONSTRUCTION OBVIOUSLY IMPACTS ALL MODES.

I THINK IF YOU ARE A MOTORIST, YOU PROBABLY PREFER THAT.

UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN KIND OF CATEGORIZE THAT AS, AS FUNDING FOR MOTORISTS.

CERTAINLY VISION ZERO HELPS EVERYONE, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT THAT HAS A HIGHER FUNDING LEVEL, UM, THAN ANYTHING ELSE WE'RE SUGGESTING OTHER THAN SIDEWALKS, WHICH I THINK ACTUALLY MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

'CAUSE EVERYONE'S A PEDESTRIAN AT SOME POINT IN THE DAY, RIGHT? SO EVERYONE USES THE SIDEWALKS, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT AFTER THAT WOULD BE THE PEOPLE DRIVING.

SO I, I THINK ACTUALLY THIS KIND OF REFLECTS THAT REAL WORLD, UM, APPLICATION IN, IN A REALLY NICE WAY IN THAT IT KIND OF GOES DOWN THE LIST OF LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE PUTTING THE MOST FUNDING TOWARDS MAKING SURE THE ROADS ARE GOOD TO DRIVE ON.

WELL, WE'RE PUTTING THE MOST FUNDING TOWARDS SIDEWALKS, THEN WE'RE PUTTING THE MOST FUNDING TOWARDS, UH, MAKING SURE THE ROADS ARE GOOD TO DRIVE ON.

UH, THEN WE'RE THROWING SOME MONEY FOR BIKEWAYS, THEN WE'RE THROWING A LITTLE MORE MONEY FOR, UH, UH, TRANSIT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ACTUALLY KIND OF PARALLELS DOWN PRETTY WELL TO, YOU KNOW, A VOTER WILL LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, NO MATTER HOW I GET TO WORK, HOW I GET AROUND THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'LL HELP ME.

YOU KNOW? AND, AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, IS REALLY GOOD AND, AND, UM, I DON'T, LET ME SEE IF I CAN TRY TO SAY THIS CLEARLY AS WELL, WHICH IS THAT, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE HEARING PEOPLE SAY, I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE JUST STICKING A BIKE LANE ON WHAT ALREADY EXISTS AND IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE A DEEPER RE-IMAGINING.

AND THAT REALLY IS UNFORTUNATELY THE, THE UNMET PROMISE OF THE 2016 CORRIDOR BOND.

AND THAT'S REALLY AT WHEN WE GET INTO THE IDEA OF DEVELOPING THE PROGRAMS INSTEAD OF NAMED PROJECTS, THAT'S WHERE WE LIKE, WHERE WE SAY LIKE, LIKE OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY DEVELOP, UM, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UH, STREET AND BRIDGE REHABILITATION PLAN THAT WOULD THEN SUPPORT LIKE WHAT NEEDS TO BE CONSTRUCTED, WHAT COULD IT LOOK LIKE THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT EASIER FOR, FOR US TO DO THOSE REIMAGININGS, I THINK ULTIMATELY.

BUT I DO AGREE AND I THINK LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I SIDEWALKS PULL REALLY WELL IF YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE, WHAT PULLS REALLY WELL, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT.

AND WE COULD TALK MORE ABOUT THAT TOO.

UM, THERE IS DATA ABOUT SOME OF THIS, LIKE HOW DO BIKES PULL, HOW DO SIDEWALKS PULL, HOW DO YOU KNOW STREETS PULL, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO LIKE SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE SEE SOMETHING GOING IN THAT IS AN INHERENT FRUSTRATION, BUT THEN AFTER IT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED FOR SIX MONTHS, THEY MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY POSSIBLY LATER ON.

SO I HEAR YOU.

UM, BUT I THINK WE, TO ME, I THINK THE OBSTACLE, THE BARRIER BETWEEN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND DOING IT IS, IS MORE A, A PROGRAM AND A PLAN FOR ME.

GOTCHA.

I, I THINK, THINK THAT, UH, APPROACH THAT YOU INCLUDED TOWARDS THE END OF THE RESOLUTION IS, UM, THAT THAT BIGGER ZOOMED OUT PERSPECTIVE IS, UM, IS ENCOURAGING.

AND LIKE, I MEAN, OVERALL THIS, I THINK THE WORK Y'ALL DID WAS, WAS QUITE TREMENDOUS AND, AND COMMEND YOU ALL ON ON UH, WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE, WHAT'S BEEN DRAFTED.

AND I ALSO JUST ADD, I THINK THE PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN, WHICH I KNOW CITY COUNCIL'S GOT A BRIEFING AND WE'LL GET A BRIEFING I THINK IN JANUARY.

I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY HALFWAY TO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, OBVIOUSLY TPW IS KIND OF THINKING ALONG THE SAME LINES OF US IN THAT THERE DOES NEED TO BE, UH, MORE PROACTIVE THOUGHT HERE AND MORE PLANNING HERE.

SO GOOD TO SEE.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN GET DONE.

UH, ONE, ONE OTHER THING, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST A MATH ERROR, UH, , I'M SORRY, INVESTMENT IN SAFETY, 78.2 MILLION.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S MORE DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO SORT OF, UM, I DID CATCH ONE LIKE KIND OF TYPO, UM, UH, ON THE THIRD, WHEREAS I JUST, I WAS PRO, I'VE READ THIS A BUNCH, BUT LIKE, UH, WHERE IT SHOULD BE BIFF INSTEAD OF BT, UM, ON THE THIRD, WHEREAS THAT'S JUST A ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE.

[03:05:01]

DECISION ZEROS 58.7 SAFE ROUTES IS 20.

SO MATH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT MATH DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

500,000 OFF MAYBE.

YEAH, I THINK I JUST MISPLACED MY DECIMALS THERE.

YEAH, THAT'S AN EASY FIX.

YEP.

SO THOSE ARE JUST TEXT CORRECTIONS.

I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF LIKE MAYBE ADDING SOMETHING ABOUT STRUCTURE.

IS THERE AMENDMENT READY TO GO THERE? UM, ON THE BRIDGES? UM, NO, WE'RE GOOD.

I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.

ALRIGHT.

AWESOME.

I THINK THE PEOPLE READING THIS WILL UNDERSTAND BRIDGES BETTER THAN I, UM, HOPEFULLY OTHER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, GETTING READY TO MOVE TOWARD A VOTE ON THIS POTENTIALLY.

I ALSO JUST WANNA BE CLEAR FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE NUMBERS THAT ARE IN HERE ARE ACCURATE AS OF, I THINK SIX WEEKS AGO.

I JUST DIDN'T GO THROUGH AND UPDATE THEM WHEN WE CANCELED OUR LAST MEETING.

SO IT SAYS THAT IN THE RE IN THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT JUST SINCE WE WERE DISCUSSING THEM OUT LOUD, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA CITE THEM, THERE'S A LINK TO THE ACCURATE NUMBERS.

I'M GONNA, UM, CALL FOR, WE DID MAKE TWO MINOR TEXTUAL CORRECTIONS ON THE TOTAL, ON THE CORRECTING THE ACRONYM AND THE NUMBER OF INVESTMENT AND SAFETY DOING OUR MATH RIGHT.

UM, AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS RECOMMENDATION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THIS, UM, GETS INTO THE HANDS OF THE, UH, BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE SO THAT THEY CAN USE IT IN THEIR WORK AND ALSO IN CITY COUNCIL, MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL AS A WHOLE.

EXCELLENT.

CHEN IS NOT HERE, SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEFER ITEM SIX, WHICH IS AN UPDATE FROM COMMISSIONER CHEN ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, 2025 MEETINGS.

SO, UM, WE'LL TRY TO MOVE PRETTY RAPIDLY THROUGH THESE COMMITTEE UPDATES.

UM, COMMISSIONER

[6. Update from Commissioner Chen from the Downtown Commission regarding actions taken at the September 17, 2025, October 15, 2025, and November 19, 2025, meetings.]

UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT UPDATE.

SO, UM, WE'LL DEFER THAT, UH, POSTPONE THAT.

UM, UH,

[7. Update from Commissioner Prasad from the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding actions taken at the October 22, 2025, and November 19, 2025, meetings.]

NUMBER ITEM SEVEN IS A UPDATE FROM COMMISSIONER PRASAD FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE OCTOBER 22ND, 2025 AND NOVEMBER 19TH, 2025 MEETINGS.

UH, YEAH, THERE WERE NO ACTIONS.

UM, THERE ARE NO MOTIONS VOTED ON, UM, AT THE MOST RECENT MEETING.

UM, THE ONLY REAL UPDATE THAT I HAVE IN MY NOTES HERE THAT MIGHT BE MATERIAL TO THIS GROUP IS, UM, THERE WILL START TO BE, UM, UH, ELECTRIC, UH, THERE, THERE'S A PRO, THERE'S A PROGRAM IN PLACE TO ELECTRIFY AUSTIN'S RESOURCE RECOVERY FLEET.

UM, AND THE FIRST VEHICLES WILL, UM, BE REPLACED, UM, AS THEY RETIRE STARTING NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S THE UPDATE.

[8. Update from Commissioner Schumacher from the Bicycle Advisory Council regarding actions taken at the September 16, 2025, and October 21, 2025, and November 3, 2025, meetings.]

ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A UPDATE FROM COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER FROM THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025, OCTOBER 21ST, 2025, AND NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025 MEETINGS.

ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT SPEED THROUGH, UH, IN SEPTEMBER.

THE BAC PASSED A, UH, RECOMMENDATION ABOUT USING QUICK BUILD SOLUTIONS, UM, TO, UM, UH, CREATE A PRIORITY BIKE LANE ON, UH, WEST 24TH STREET IN, UH, UM, UH, WEST CAMPUS.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE, UH, CORRIDOR PROGRAM, BUT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT ABLE TO BE BUILT.

UM, SO THAT WAS THAT RECOMMENDATION.

AND THEN JUST YESTERDAY THE, UH, BAC AND PAC MET TOGETHER AND PASSED THREE RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, THE FIRST YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, UH, I, I KNOW NATALIE SENT IT OUT TO OUR EMAILS, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID SOME, UM, UM, OUTREACH REGARDING THE NORTHERN STITCHES FOR I 35.

UH, THE BAC AND PAC RECOMMENDED, UH, THAT THEY GO FORTH, UH, WITH THE OPTION THAT COMBINES THE WIDE RED LINE STITCH WITH A SPLIT 41ST STREET STITCH.

UM, THEY ALSO DID A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD.

AND THEN ONE THAT I DO THINK IS RELEVANT AND I THINK IT MAY BE WORTH THE UTC TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, IS A RECOMMENDATION ON THE SIXTH STREET REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION MOBILITY PROGRAM.

I FORGET THE EXACT TITLE, I SAID LIKE SEVEN THINGS, UM, BUT, UM, UH, THE BAC STRONGLY, UM, UM, IS SPOKEN AND THE PAC STRONGLY SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE ONE THAT

[03:10:01]

PROVIDES A PROTECTED BIKE LANE AND SCOOTER LANE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.

UM, AND THAT WAS THAT.

UM, COMMISSIONER KAMAN, SO ITEM NINE IS UPDATED FROM COMMISSIONER KAMAN FROM THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025, OCTOBER 6TH, 2025, AND NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025 MEETINGS.

HE IS NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US HERE TODAY.

ARE YOU ABLE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT? NATALIE, DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION OR NOT REALLY? I CAN PULL IT UP IF YOU'LL COME BACK TO ME.

YEAH, I CAN DO THAT.

FORWARD 'CAUSE I'M THEN DOING THE NEXT TWO.

UM, I'LL MOVE

[10. Update from Chair Somers from the City Council Mobility Committee regarding actions taken at the September 18, 2025, October 16, 2025, and November 13, 2025, meetings.]

SO ITEM 10, UM, WE'LL SKIP TO ITEM 10 IS UPDATE FROM MYSELF, CHAIR SUMMERS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MOBILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2025, OCTOBER 16TH, 2025, AND NOVEMBER 13TH, 2025 MEETINGS.

UM, I CONTINUE TO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS.

UM, I DO NOT USUALLY ATTEND IF, LIKE, I DIDN'T GO TO THE NOVEMBER ONE BECAUSE, UM, WE DIDN'T MEET, SO WE HAD NO ACTION, SO I DIDN'T GO.

SO I USUALLY PRESENT, UM, ON ANY ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE.

SO I WOULD EXPECT TO PRESENT THE NEXT TIME THEY MEET ON THE BOND RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MADE TODAY.

BUT I'LL KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THEIR AGENDA ON THE BRIEFINGS THEY RECEIVED, WHICH KIND OF MIRRORS SOME OF THE ONES WE DID AT THEIR SEPTEMBER MEETING.

THEY HAD, UM, TREES ON CITY STREETS, THEY HAD SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM AND PLANNING AND UM, ON, THEY USUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION ON ONGOING MOBILITY PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS, UM, IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION.

AT THEIR, UM, OCTOBER MEETING THEY HAD, UM, CAP, METRO TRANSIT PLAN 2035 THEY HAD WHICH, AND THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT OUR RECOMMENDATION THERE.

UM, THE, UH, TPW ON THE PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE SERVICE PLAN, WHICH WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. WE'RE GONNA GET THAT SOON.

UM, ELECTRIC TAKEOFF AND LANDING VEHICLES.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

I MIGHT WANNA REVIEW THAT ONE.

VERY INTERESTING.

AND THEN, UM, ALSO THEY HAD THEIR ONGOING MOBILITY PROJECTS AGENDA ITEM THAT THEY PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS HAVE.

AND THEN IN THEIR, UM, NOVEMBER MEETING THEY HAD, UH, BRIEFING ON THE STATE OF AUSTIN BRIDGES, WHICH WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HEAR AS WELL.

LIVING STREETS PROGRAM.

WE HEARD THAT TODAY.

AND UM, UH, AGAIN, THEIR ONGOING MOBILITY PROGRAM.

SO IT'S KIND OF ENCOURAGING THAT THEY, WHAT, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL MOBILITY IS VERY SIMILAR TO SORT OF OUR ACTION.

AND I'M THINKING THROUGH A LITTLE BIT TOO ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY HEAR FIRST VERSUS WE HEAR FIRST.

I'M SORT OF THINKING THROUGH SOME OF OUR WORKFLOW ON OUR COMMISSION AND HOW THAT UM, HAPPENS.

SO THAT'S ITEM 10.

[11. Update from Chair Somers from the Community Advisory Committee for Austin Transit Partnership Board regarding actions taken at the September 11, 2025, and October 9, 2025, and November 13, 2025, meetings.]

ITEM 11 IS AN UPDATE FROM MYSELF, CHAIR SUMMERS FROM THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2025, UH, OCTOBER 9TH, 2025 AND NOVEMBER 13TH, 2025 MEETINGS.

SO, UM, UH, ON UM, UH, THE SEPTEMBER MEETING WE DISCUSSED CAT METRO TRANSIT PLAN 2035 AND WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE ANY DISPLACEMENT, UH, FUNDING FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

UM, THEY WERE JUST DISCUSSION ITEMS. UM, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY TAKE ANY ACTION.

UM, THEN IN OCTOBER, UM, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE LONG RANGE POPULATION FORECASTING IN AUSTIN, WHICH WAS REALLY INTERESTING.

AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD THAT HERE, HAVE WE? MM-HMM.

DO YOU, CAN YOU DO ITEM NINE FOR US NOW? WHICH IS, AGAIN, THAT'S THE UPDATE FROM PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER MEETINGS.

WE MIGHT, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THAT'S ALREADY ON OUR FUTURE, BUT, UM, UH, LONG RANGE POPULATION FORECAST, I'M GONNA KIND OF ADD THAT, UM, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD FOR US TO HEAR EVENTUALLY AND UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN, UM, LAST MEETING IN UH, NOVEMBER, WE HEARD ABOUT THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR BUSINESSES, GEAR AND CONSTRUCTION.

SO TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS, THIS IS BUSINESSES THAT ARE DIRECTLY ON THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL ROUTE THAT COULD EXPERIENCE, UM, UH, DIFFICULTIES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE BECAUSE THEIR STOREFRONT IS LESS ACCESSIBLE OR VISIBLE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALSO CAPITALIZING ON THE LIGHT RAIL INVESTMENT EVENTUALLY COMING TO THEIR DOOR TO BRING CUSTOMERS TO THEIR FRONT DOOR.

SO, UM, THAT IS ITEM 11.

UM, NATALIE,

[9. Update from Commissioner Kavelman from the Pedestrian Advisory Council regarding actions taken at the September 8, 2025, October 6, 2025, and November 3, 2025, meetings.]

SO THE, UM, SEPTEMBER MEETING, THEY DID HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING AND ASKING THE CITY TO FORMALLY RECOGNIZE THAT WEEK.

UM, AND THEN IN THE NOVEMBER MEETING THEY HAD A RECOMMENDATION SUPPORTING THE SIDEWALKS PROGRAM WITH THE UT CITY COLAB.

UM, AND BASICALLY I'LL GIVE YOU THE BE IT RESOLVED.

UM, OKAY.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE PAC REQUESTS THAT HIGH NEED AREAS FOR SIDEWALK PROGRAMS CONSIDER EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS BY CAPITALIZING ON AREAS WITH FAVORABLE PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS.

UM,

[03:15:01]

AND THEN THEY, THEY GO FORWARD TO, TO DEFINE SOME OF THE HIGH NEED AREAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING, ACTUALLY.

I SHOULD LOOK AT THAT MORE.

UM, OKAY.

UM, IS THAT, UH, ALL OF THAT ONE PRETTY MUCH, YEAH.

THE OTHER DIDN'T HAVE A, UM, ANY ACTION ITEMS.

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

OKAY, GREAT.

THAT TAKES US THROUGH OUR, UM, ACTION, OUR, ALL OF OUR, UM, AGENDA EXCEPT FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, SO, UM, A LOT OF TIMES JANUARY HAS BEEN A SLOW MONTH FOR US, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY SHAPING UP THAT WAY.

SO, UM, NATALIE AND I WILL MEET, BUT UM, WE THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A UPDATE ON THE STATE OF BRIDGES TO SOME OF THE EXCITING CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD TODAY.

UM, PERHAPS CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.

SO I, I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEBODY IN THEIR DEPARTMENT YESTERDAY.

UM, I DID NOT CONFIRM ANYTHING I TOLD, I DID SAY THEY WERE PENCILED IN, BUT I WANTED TO, TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU BEFORE I FULLY SCHEDULE.

WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE READY ON BYLAW UPDATES FOR THE BYLAW WORKING GROUP.

WE'RE READY.

THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK WANTED TO ALSO, IF YOU'RE ON THE, UH, BYLAW WORKING GROUP, I DID SEND THEM TO THAT WORKING GROUP SO YOU CAN REVIEW THEM THERE.

UM, BUT UM, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ASKED IF THEY COULD RUN THEM BY CITY LEGAL BEFORE WE DO THAT.

I GAVE THEM TO ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE GOOD TO VOTE ON IT IN JANUARY.

AND IF SOME REASON THAT DOESN'T GO THROUGH, WE CAN ALWAYS YEAH.

POSTPONE THAT TILL THE CLERK, UM, GETS BACK TO US.

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE PROJECT CONNECT BOOKED AS WELL FOR JANUARY.

IS THAT STILL THE CASE? YES, THAT'S, THAT'S STILL THE CASE.

I DID MERGE THE TWO, UM, DIFFERENT PROJECT CONNECT ITEMS. YES.

AND I WILL, UH, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT TOMORROW MORNING AGAIN JUST TO BE SURE, BECAUSE THAT WAS OCTOBER THAT WE MADE THAT, THAT DECISION.

AND SO THEN WE HAVE THE UM, TRANSIT.

SO LIKE LOOKING AHEAD TO FEBRUARY, WE HAVE THE TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT KIND OF PENCILED IN THERE.

CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT THE CAT METRO ITEM WAS? THE, FOR FEBRUARY, NATALIE, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER TOO.

HMM.

MERGING SOME OF THEM OR, OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE'LL THINK ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT.

UM, SO, UM, WE HAVE UM, PREVENTATIVE STREET MAINTENANCE IS, UH, PROACTIVE STREET MAINTENANCE.

WE HAVE ON THE DOCKET TO COME OUT WHENEVER THEY'RE READY AND HAVE SOME TIME.

UM, I, UM, WE STILL, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR TECH DOT COME OUT TO TALK ABOUT I 35 CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TO TALK ABOUT UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

WE ALSO ARE STILL KIND OF PURSUING THIS IDEA OF THE TXDOT PRESENTATION ABOUT THEIR PROPOSED STUDY ON 180 3.

THIS IS LIKE 180 3 BETWEEN STATE HIGHWAY 71 AND UM, STATE HIGHWAY ONE 30.

SO THAT SECTION, NOT THE, NOT THE SECTION OF 180 3 NORTH THAT'S LIKE CURRENTLY UNDER MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION.

THIS IS A STUDY FOR LIKE A VERY SOUTHERLY END OF, OF UH, 180 3.

SO, UM, BUT THEY'VE HAD SOME INITIAL PUBLIC INPUTS THERE AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM OUT ABOUT THAT.

SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT.

UM, AND THEN I HAVE ALSO ADDED IN HERE, UM, WE WANNA BE SURE TO TRACK WHEN THE C-T-R-M-A COMMENT PERIOD FROM MOPAC SOUTH OPENS UP AND SEE IF WE CAN TIME OURSELVES TO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT EITHER PROCEEDS THAT COMMENT PERIOD OR ALIGNS WITH IT SO THAT WE DON'T MISS THE OFFICIAL COMMENT WINDOW.

UM, IT SOUNDED LIKE, DID I HEAR HER SAY THEY WOULD DO 30 DAY COMMENT WINDOW IN JANUARY? RIGHT? WOULDN'T WE SAY THAT? SHE SAID BE SHE COMMITTED TO QUARTER ONE.

SHE DIDN'T SAY ABSOLUTELY JANUARY, BUT IT KIND OF WAS IMPLIED AT SOME POINTS JANUARY.

YEAH, I THINK 'CAUSE IT'S NEPA IT HAS TO BE AT LEAST 30 DAYS.

SO SHE SAID 15.

IT'S, THAT SOUNDS SO SHORT.

I KNOW.

UM, WELL SHE SAID SHE SAID AT LEAST 30 DAYS YES.

THAT THEY, THAT THAT WAS THERE.

SO WE SHOULD TRACK THAT.

MAYBE WE NEED TO QUEUE THAT UP IN JANUARY.

I MEAN WE CAN KIND OF PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER ON THAT.

UM, WELL I WOULD SAY, I THINK I WOULD WANNA SEE THE DRAFT EIS BEFORE WE COMMENT ON IT.

YES, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

SORRY.

UM, SO WE'LL JUST, WE'LL JUST NEED TO MONITOR THAT CAREFULLY.

UM, SO THAT WE'RE READY, UM, ON THAT.

UH, I THINK WE SHOULD DO A RECOMMENDATION THERE.

UM, AND THEN I HAD THE LIGHTING PLAN, WHICH CAME UP DURING THE VISION ZERO, WHENEVER APPROPRIATE.

APPROPRIATE TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D BE REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT.

AND ALSO THE, UM, LONG RANGE POPULATION FORECASTING, AND THIS IS FROM THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER.

UM, I THINK, UM, I REALLY ENJOYED THAT PRESENTATION AT PROJECT CONNECT CAC AND I THINK THAT UTCU WOULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM IT.

ARE THERE ANY, AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME THINGS HERE THAT LIKE WE MIGHT NEED SOME CLEANUP OF SOME OF THESE ITEMS HERE, UM, UH, OR

[03:20:01]

UM, BUT ARE THERE ANY, UM, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE MISSING THAT NEED TO BE SURE TO BE ON HERE? OH, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT I'D LIKE TO PRIORITIZE AS SOON AS STAFF FEELS OKAY, I'D LIKE TO DEFINITELY HEAR ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION USER FEE.

AND I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STAFF AND OUR DIRECTOR NOW, IT'S REALLY JUST LIKE, TELL US TO TELL IT, EXPLAIN IT TO US LIKE WE'RE IN SIXTH GRADE.

LIKE WE WANNA KNOW WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT'S USED CURRENTLY AND UNDERSTAND IT.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE READY TO LIKE TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WITH IT OR RAISE IT OR IT'S JUST LIKE A 1 0 1, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT IS IT, HOW IS IT USED, WHAT'S THE PROCESS, PROCESSES AROUND IT, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANT.

WE DON'T WANNA, I MEAN WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE INHERENTLY POLITICAL 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S NOT REALLY, IT'S REALLY JUST AN INSTRUCTIONAL THING FOR US MORE THAN ANYTHING.

SO, UM, UH, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT IN MAYBE FEBRUARY OR MARCH IF WE, IF POSSIBLE, IF FEASIBLE .

UM, SO, UH, BUT I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES LIKE THAT, THAT WAS MAYBE THAT WAS MAKING Y'ALL THINK WE WERE LIKE WANTING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AROUND IT.

IT'S REALLY JUST A BRIEFING THAT WE WANNA GET.

UM, ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS? UH, FUTURE ITEMS? I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT STREET TREES.

IT SAYS FOLLOW UP 12 TO 18 MONTHS FROM 10 17 25.

BUT I, WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM STREET TREES IN THE OCTOBER MEETING, RIGHT? IT APPEARS WE DID NOT.

WE DID.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN CALLED LIKE A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

THEY UM, ITEM BUT THEY'RE NOT BRANDING IT THAT WAY.

MICHELLE MARKS NEVERMIND.

OH, NEVERMIND.

IT SAYS TREES ON CITY STREETS.

I JUST DON'T REMEMBER IT.

PLEASE DISREGARD.

NO WORRIES.

CAN I ASK STAFF, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE SIXTH STREET, UM, COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES? 'CAUSE I, DEPENDING ON OUR CAPACITY IN JANUARY, I THINK THAT IS A BIG ENOUGH PROJECT.

IT COULD WARN OUR COMMENT.

I HAVE TO CHECK IN JUST FOR THE RECORD.

UM, MY, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, DIRECTOR RICHARD MENDOZA, UM, IS OUR DIRECTOR AND I'M DEPUTY DIRECTOR.

OH, SORRY.

I THAT'S, UM, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

IT'S LIKE ONE OF THOSE THINGS, DO I NEED TO CORRECT OR NOT? BUT, UM, HE WOULD BE FINE WITH IT.

UM, THE, AS FAR AS THE COMMENT, UM, PERIOD, I'M NOT SURE WHEN THAT CLOSES, BUT WE'RE PLANNING ON HAVING A RECOMMENDATION THIS MONTH OR EARLY NEXT MONTH ON, BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN, I BELIEVE THAT COMMENT PERIOD MAY HAVE ALREADY HAVE CLOSED.

IT'S OPEN, BUT IT'S BEEN OPEN SINCE SEPTEMBER.

SO I THINK OUR WINDOW IS PROBABLY CLOSED THEN, WHICH IS VERY REASONABLE.

IT'S BEEN OPEN FOR A WHILE.

SO THEN WE CAN SUBTRACT THAT FROM THE AGENDA.

BUT MAYBE, BUT MAYBE, MAYBE EVENTUALLY GETTING SOME KIND OF BRIEFING OR WE COULD HEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY HEARD IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

LIKE I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL FOR THEM TO STAFF TO COME IN AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IN THIS PUBLIC COMMENT, OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. ALL RIGHT.

AND JUST A REMINDER AS WELL, IF, IF AN AGENDA ITEM OCCURS TO YOU, UM, WE JUST NEED, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY JUST TWO COMMISSIONERS TO SPONSOR IT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU JUST EMAIL ME AND NATALIE AND WE CAN WORK THAT IN.

WE HAVE, UH, PERIODIC MEETINGS TO WORK ON THE AGENDA AND TRY TO QUEUE THESE ALL UP AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE A THREE DIMENSIONAL CHANCE AND NATALIE'S GREAT AT HELPING US WITH THAT.

SO, UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE OTHER IDEAS THAT OCCUR TO YOU OUTSIDE THIS, THIS MOMENT IN OUR MEETINGS, YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL US IN THE INTERIM ABOUT THAT AS WELL.