Presentation for the Leadership Symposium held at the Chattanoogan Hotel 8.24.12 as a visioning effort for the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan

1. 2040 Regional Transportation Plan
Leadership Symposium
August 23, 2012
Chattanooga-Hamilton County/N. GA Transportation Planning Organization

2. TPO Structure
Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia
Transportation Planning Organization
- 29 member regional policy board
- staffed by the Regional Planning Agency
- a mandated mid to long-range plan produced every four
years with a 20-year horizon
- federally funded planning enabling federally funded
transportation projects
- legislative requirements including air quality standards

3. Purpose of the Plan
SAFETY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AFFORDABILITY FUNDING
LIVABILITY ACCESSIBILITY EFFICIENCY

4. Process & Schedule
PLAN DUE
PUBLIC INPUT
PUBLIC INPUT
SYMPOSIUM
SYMPOSIUM
TPO POLICY MAR 2014
CAC/CTT
CAC/CTT
BOARDS REVENUE
FORECASTS
DRAFT FINAL
SCENARIO PLAN PLAN
THEMES, GOALS, &
PLANNING PRIORITIZATION FOR FOR TPO
STRATEGIES
OUTCOMES REVIEW ADOPTION
REQUIREMENTS
DATA ANALYSIS
SYSTEM NEEDS
PROJECTIONS
CONGESTION
POPULATION
PROJECT
MODELING
EVALUATION
JUNE DEC
JULY – OCT 2012 NOV 2012 – MAY 2013 2013 2013

5. Core Technical Team & Community Advisory Committee
WHY ARE YOU HERE?

6. Chambers of
Commerce Commuters
Bicyclists &
FHWA
Pedestrians
Local Leaders
Hospitals GDOT
We need a strategy for balancing Competing Interests!
New
Developers Visitors Residents
Economic
Development
Environmentalists Business
TDOT Owners

7. Disconnect between agency and community values

8. But now communities understand it is about
“lead or be led”...
“…In the absence of a plan, someone else
will make the decision for you”

9. Public Outreach Activities
Targeted and Effective
• Community Advisory
Committee (CAC)
• Core Technical Team (CTT)
• Public Input Questionnaire
• Key Stakeholder Interviews
• Project Workshops
• Leadership Symposiums
• Plan Publications

10. MAP-21
• Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act
• 27-month transportation funding authorization
– Heavy emphasis on performance-based plan development
– Defines national goals areas for which plans must
demonstrate progress
 Safety
 Infrastructure condition
 Congestion reduction
 System reliability
 Freight movement and economic vitality
 Environmental sustainability
 Reduced project delivery delays

11. Developing the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan
CHALLENGES & TRENDS

12. Many Challenges to Address
Our regional transportation plan must
address many needs:
– Mobility and access
– Economic competitiveness
– Safety and security
– Environmental impacts and quality of life
– Maintenance and operations of existing
network
…all in a climate of declining resources!

13. Federal Highway Trust Fund

14. Growing Needs, Limited Revenue
• Significant, unfunded needs identified for 2035 Plan
• Unfunded gap is expected to increase for 2040 Plan
– Declining Highway Trust Fund Revenue
– Aging Transportation Infrastructure
– Growing Travel Demand Costs ($B)
2035 Plan Total Project Needs $7.0B
2.9
Funded Needs $4.1B (59%)
(Based on Available Revenues) 4.1
Unfunded Needs $2.9B (41%)
(Includes 45 projects) Funded Needs
Unfunded Needs

15. An Approach to Informed Decision Making
PLANNING THEME GROUP DISCUSSION

16. Planning Themes
Mobility and Connectivity
Environment/Greenprint
Economic Vitality
Regional Collaboration

17. Planning Themes
MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY

18. Transportation Mobility
“…best achieved by blending connectivity
and access with the preservation of
natural features and unique
community character”

19. (Tl, Lt)
Establish a Framework for Planning
How will you consider Land use and Transportation?

20. What do these
streets have in
common?
They’re exceeding V/C and “need” to be widened…

21. What’s it really all about?
“Connecting people with places through quality choices”

22. Discussion Questions
a) What land development patterns are most
challenging for our communities?
b) Is their an appetite for managing access along
critical corridors? How?
c) How should we prioritize multimodal investments
in Rural, Suburban, and Urban locations?

23. Planning Themes
ENVIRONMENT/GREENPRINT

24. Housing Units Per Square Kilometer, 1960
Source: USDA Forest Service; Volker Radeloff (University of Wisconsin) and Ann Ingerson (The Wilderness Society). More info available
Source: USDA Forest Service; Volker Radeloff (University of Wisconsin) and Ann Ingerson (The Wilderness Society). More info
at the Catawbathe Catawba Lands Conservancy website, www.catawbalands.org)
available at Lands Conservancy website, www.catawbalands.org)

25. Housing Units Per Square Kilometer, 2010
Source: USDA Forest Service; Volker Radeloff (University of Wisconsin) and Ann Ingerson (The Wilderness Society). More info
available at the Catawba Lands Conservancy website, www.catawbalands.org)

26. The Region’s Natural Heritage
Streams Natural Heritage Sites Lakes
Rivers Forests

27. What is Green Infrastructure?
• An interconnected network of green space that
conserves natural ecosystem values and functions, and
provides associated benefits to human populations. It
consists of:
– Creeks, streams, rivers & lakes
– Forested lands
– Ridge lines
– Wetlands
– Habitats for native plants and animals
• The natural systems and ecological processes that
sustain all life on our planet

28. Air Quality – Struggle and Success

29. Questions for Consideration
a) What green spaces or environments are the
greatest value in the region; what is needed to
protect them?
b) Is there a Regional Vision for greenspace? Do we
need one? Who should lead it?
c) Transportation funding is tied to air quality
conformity. What is your community willing to do
to support improved air quality?

30. Planning Themes
ECONOMIC VITALITY

31. Population
• Total MSA population of Comparison of Population Trends, 1990-2010
528,143 in 2010 600,000
• Chattanooga MSA grew by
City of Chattanooga
Chattanooga MSA
500,000
10.8% between 2000 and 400,000
2010, faster than Hamilton
Population
County (9.3%) or the City of 300,000
Chattanooga (7.2%) 200,000
• Approximately 63.7% of the 100,000
MSA residents live in 0
1990 2000 2010
Hamilton County
• City of Chattanooga
captured 21.8% of the
2000-2010 MSA growth

32. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs…
“Unemployment has the biggest impact
on the economic health of the region.”

33. What Are They Looking For?
• Work Force
• Land
• Access
• Business
Climate
• Utilities
• Schools
• Quality of Life

34. Questions for Consideration
a) What are the greatest transportation priorities that
will ensure that the region is well positioned to be
competitive coming out of the recession?
b) What role should transportation play is contributing
to the vitality of the region?
c) What transportation policy needs to change in
order for our area to be successful.

35. Planning Themes
REGIONAL COLLABORATION

36. Laying the Foundation
• I have to admit that as a municipal official, I
never thought I would be in support of
regional property tax sharing.
• However, we at the local level have to
change our mindset about the ways we
look at economic development.
• As local officials we can no longer be
constrained by development strategies
limited to our towns’ borders.
• We can no longer operate as islands onto
ourselves. To do so will continue a formula
for failure that we cannot afford. Bob Vein, Mayor, Town of Putnam, CT
& Chairman of NEC COG

37. Opportunities for Collaboration
• Economic Development
• Environmental Stewardship
• Growth & Development
• Water & Sewer Infrastructure
• Transportation
• Education & Workforce
Development

38. Opportunities for Collaboration
Theory of Change Map / CRT -Public Policy Research Institute and Lincoln Institute Joint Venture

39. Working Across Boundaries
A Continuum of Responses

40. Group Discussion
a) How well is the region performing on the
collaboration of regional issues?
b) What big issues would the region benefit
from greater collaboration?
c) What is the legacy of this project for regional
collaboration?

41. Establishing a Foundation for Success
MOBILITY MAPPING EXERCISE

42. Mobility Chip Exercise
Interchange
Improvement

43. What’s in a Chip?
Chip Elements Chip Types Future
Network
Design Features
Infrastructure
Technology
Operations

44. Your Budget…
Transportation Investment Cost per Mile # of Chips Value per Chip Value
($ Millions) ($ Millions) ($ Millions)
Road Widening 2 15 4 60
Roadway New Location 4 10 8 80
Multimodal Street Improvement 1 10 2 20
Rapid Transit 20 10 40 400
Bus Transit 0.5 15 1 15
Multi-Use Path/Greenway 0.5 10 1 10
Interchange Improvement 10 5 10 50
TOTAL 75 66 635
• Each Chip Equals 2 Miles of Improvements
• Over 140 Miles Worth of Investment plus
5 Interchange Improvements
• Total Budget: $635 Million

45. The Toolbox

46. Road Widening
2 Miles
Source: Dan Burden

47. Roadway New Location
2 Miles

48. Multimodal Street Improvement
2 Miles
Source: CompleteStreets.org
• Emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
• Connected pathways and bikeways

49. Bus Transit (Local or Express Service)
2 Miles
 Fixed Route
 Downtown Shuttle
 Mocs Express
 Bus Stops

50. Rapid Transit (Bus Rapid Transit & Light Rail)
2 Miles

51. Multi-Use Path/Greenway
2 Miles
Bicyclists &
Pedestrians

52. Interchange Improvements
Interchange
Improvement

53. Process in a Nutshell
Build a transportation scenario Interchange
Improvement
for the RTP study area
The process (in a nutshell):
1. What is your vision?
2. Dump out the Chips
3. Decide what projects-
ideas are important
4. Arrange chips on map
5. Trade: Add or
Remove Chips
6. Stick down chips
7. Present Map to Group

54. Workshop Exercise - Instructions
Each group will be led
by a facilitator
In the first 10 minutes you should:
• Introduce yourselves!
•Discuss your transportation vision.
• Make sure you have all the materials
(pens, chipsets, and chipset guides)
• Familiarize yourself with the
workshop map and its legend, colors,
and symbols

55. Instructions
Next, your facilitator will
introduce and explain the
chip materials:
•Chipset Instructions
•Chip Trading Guide
By 11:30 or so, your group
should be wrapping up
arranging chips on the map
and be ready to present!

56. Instructions
Next, your group should
• Create a name for the map
• Record your Table #
• Select someone to present it
to all of the workshop
participants

57. Establishing a Foundation for Success
MOBILITY CHIP EXERCISE &
PRESENTATIONS

58. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is
dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
-Thomas A. Edison