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>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, TUESDAY OCTOBER 17TH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE AN AGENDA WITH THREE ITEMS, AND WE R WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS TOO. LET'S GO AHEAD AND BEGIN BY ROLL CALL.
HEAR ME. >> COURAGE: OKAY, THANK YOU.
NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 26TH COMMITTEE MEETING. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THEM OVER. AND ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES ANYBODY KNOWS OF? IF NOT, I WELCOME A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ORANGE. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 26TH. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. AS I SAID, WE HAVE THREE ITEMS, BRIEFING ITEMS TODAY. THE FIRST ONE IS A BRIEF WILLING BY VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT ON THE STATUS AND SKID OF CURRENT VIA TRANSIT PROJECTS. WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ALLOW THEM TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE. NOW, THE FIRST SPEAKER IS LA TISHA SANCHEZ.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BLANCA RIVERA WHO PRIMARILY SPEAKS SPANISH, SO MS. SANCHEZ WILL HELP TRANSLATE FOR HER. FOR THOSE PURPOSES THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, THE SECOND SPEAKER BECAUSE WE'RE INVOLVED IN TRANSLATING WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY, WILL BE GIVEN UP TO SIX MINUTES. OKAY.
SO MS. SANCHEZ, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. >> HI, I'M LETICIA SAN SAYS AND I'M THE CO-CHAIRPERSON OF THE HISTORIC EASTSIDE ASSOCIATION. WE ARE IN THE NEAR WESTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO AND IN DISTRICT 5. AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE HEAVY USERS OF VIA. SO LAST TUESDAY WE HOLD OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS ON THE SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH. WE HAD A PRESENTATION BY VIA. AND WE ACTUALLY HAD INVITED VIA LAST YEAR.
I THINK THEY WERE AT OUR NOVEMBER MEETING, ASKING ABOUT THE RAPID TRANSIT THAT IS PROPOSED FOR THE EAST-WESTSIDE. AND AT BOTH MEETINGS WE'VE HAD OBJECTIONS FROM ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS FOR RAPID TRANSIT GOING IN THAT DIRECTION. THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS THAT VIA DOES NOT REACH OUT TO USERS OF VIA. THEY MAY PUT OUT SURVEYS THAT ARE ONLINE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO THEIR SURVEYS. I KNOW I'VE SEEN SOME ONLINE, BUT A LOT OF OUR RIDERS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ONLINE OR DO NOT THINK OF LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT VIA IS PLANNING.
WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ASKING VIA IS FOR BASIC NEED TO BE MET.
SO I REMEMBER BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE NUMBER 68 BUS FROM THE CORNER, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THREE BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE, ALL THE WAY TO -- RIGHT INTO DOWNTOWN, DIDN'T HAVE TO GET OFF AT A SUBSTATION, DIDN'T HAVE TO TRANSFER. COULD GO ALL THE WAY TO SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, NORTH STAR MALL. NOW WE HAVE TO GO TO A STATION OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND TAKE A TRANSFER. NOW I THINK IT'S THE 520 THAT GOES FROM THE SOUTHSIDE OR THAT USED TO GO FROM THE SOUTHSIDE TO THE MEDICAL CENTER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED AND PRIMO HAS BEEN PUT IN. VIA BELIEVED THAT PRIMO WOULD BE BETTER FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND ACTUALLY, NO, IT IS NOT, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND DISABLED PEOPLE WHO USE VIA.
AND THE PRIMO NOW ONLY STOPS -- IT'S AN EXPRESS SO IT DOESN'T MAKE THE STOPS THAT THE 520 USED TO MAKE. SO A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO USE VIA TO
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GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. SO THE PLANS -- I GUESS THE COMMENTS THAT I HEARD, AND WE DID HAVE THE VIA REPRESENTATIVE THERE LAST WEEK, SO WE HOPE THAT THE COMMENTS WILL BE SHARED, BUT WE'RE JUST BASICALLY TO SAY THAT WE ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF A RAPID TRANSIT, WE WANT VIA TO FOCUS ON THE BASIC NEEDS, COVERED SHELTERS AND ROUTES THAT WILL HELP. THANK YOU.>> COURAGE: YOU MAY BE ASSISTING MS. RIVERA ALSO? >> YES.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. WE'LL GIVE HER UP TO SIX MINUTES SO THAT YOU CAN DO THE TRANSLATION FOR HER AND EVERYTHING. HI, MY NAME IS BLANCA RIVERA AND I AM HERE TO SAY THAT I AM OPPOSED TO THE RAPID TRANSIT THAT VIA HAS.
I AM A DAILY VIA BUS RIDER AND I HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE CHANGES.
SO NOW THE ROUTE, THE 103 ROUTE THAT GOES ON SOUTH ZAMORA THAT USED TO STOP AT BUENA VISTA, NOW HAS BEEN MOVED FURTHER NORTH. SO NOW YOU HAVE TO GO AGAINST THE TRAFFIC TO GET TO ANOTHER STOP, THE 75 OR THE 76, TO GET BACK TO THE BUS. THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA THAT COULD CAUSE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS, THAT COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS IN THAT AREA.
SO IMAGINE IF THE PLANS FOR THIS CHANGE TAKE PLACE, THEY'LL START CONSTRUCTION THAT MIGHT ELIMINATE SOME OF THE HOUSES IN THE AREA AND WILL AFFECT THE -- AND IT WILL REALLY ONLY BE FOR A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AND HOW MANY MORE BLOCKS WILL THOSE OF US WHO USE IT REGULARLY WILL HAVE TO WALK? I DON'T SEE ANY BENEFIT FOR ANYTHING. SO NOW THE SAME THING WITH THE PRIMO, WE HAVE TO GET OFF ON ANOTHER BUS STOP TO GET TO THE BUS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE. I DON'T SEE ANY BENEFITS TO THIS PROPOSED PLAN.
I JUST SEE THAT IT WILL BE A DETRIMENT TO THOSE OF US WHO USE A BUS, AND MAYBE THE
HOUSES. THANK YOU. >> COURAGE: [INAUDIBLE].
>> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL. IN JUNE OF EARLIER THIS YEAR YOU MAY RECALL THAT COUNCIL APPROVED TWO INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH VIA.
THE FIRST AISLE WAS ABOUT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT VIA AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAD RELATED TO THE EXECUTION OF THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT, SPECIFICALLY THE GREEN LINE. AND THEN THE SECOND ILA WAS RELATED TO FUNDING AND THE SALES TAX. SO WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING TO LET YOU KNOW HOW IT IS GOING WITH THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT AND ALSO THE OTHER BUSES THAT VIA RUNS. WITH THAT I'LL HAND IT OVER TO CAMIE WITH
VIA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
FIRST I WANT TO THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIALOGUE THAT WAS PUT INTO AND ALL OF THE WORK TO MOVE FORWARD THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS. MY NAME IS CAM MY HORN, I'M
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THE SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR VIA.JUST VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS ON THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT. BECAUSE WE ARE NOW MOVING FORWARD ON THE GREEN LINE.
WE ARE ABOUT TO ENTER INTO OUR FINAL ENGINEERING MOVING FORWARD INTO THE START OF CONSTRUCTION IN 2025. MOST SIGNIFICANTLY, THOUGH, WITH BOTH THE NORTH-SOUTH, THE GREEN LINE AND THE EAST-WEST, THE SILVER LINE, WE HAVE CLOSE TO 20 MILES OF RAPID TRANSIT AND THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION PIPELINE WITH OVER $400 MILLION EXPECTED TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT THESE PROJECTS. BUT BEFORE I IT OVER TO MAJURI AND SANDEEP, WE'LL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE PLAN AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING, NOT ONLY ON THE RAPID TRANSIT, BUT BEHIND THE SCENES EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THE OPTIONS WE HAVE, OUR FIXED ROUTE AND VIA LINK, THEY'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER FOR THE MOST EFFICIENT AND MOST EFFECTIVE SYSTEM FOR THE POPULATION. AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR NOW FIRST FROM MAJURI AS WELL AS SANDEEP ON THOSE UPDATES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CAMMY. I'M GOING TO GO OVER INFORMATION ABOUT ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT TWO LINES, GREEN LINE, WHICH IS THE NORTH-SOUTH, AND SILVER LINE, WHICH IS EAST-WEST, AND THEN ASNDEEP WILL TAKE OVER.
THE PROJECT WHICH SPANS ABOUT 10 AND A HALF MILES, THE SERVICE STARTS AT THE AIRPORT, GOES THROUGH ISOM, SPAYD, DOWNTOWN, ROOSEVELT AVENUE.
AND THE CAPITAL LIMITS OF PROJECT, THAT IS THE CONSTRUCTION LIMIT, ENDS AT STEVES AVENUE. IT'S ABOUT 26 NEW STATIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED BY CIRCLES ON THE MAP. BUT THERE WILL BE 41 PLATFORMS AND TWO LOCAL STOPS. THE SERVICE WILL NEED 70 NEW ARREST TAKE LATED [INDISCERNIBLE]. THEY ARE LOOKING AT LOW EMISSION VEHICLES.
THE PEAK IS 10 MINUTES DURING DAY AND 15 MINUTES ON WEEKENDS.
THE -- THIS IS APPLICATION OF BUS RAPID TRANSIT, WE ARE CALLING THIS RAPID LINE.
ON THE MAP YOU CAN SEE THREE DIFFERENT COLORS, SO WE WILL WORK ON PINK COLOR, WHICH IS THE CENTER STATION. THE BLUE COLOR IS THE STATIONS WILL BE ON THE SIDE AT THE CURB WITH BUS ONLY AND RIGHT-TURNING VEHICLES HAVE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTIES.
AND THEN THE YELLOW PORTION IS MIXED TRAFFIC. WITH TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS COMES WORKING WITH THE CITY'S VISION ZERO GOALS TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING CONDITIONS AT OUR TRANSIT STATIONS AND ALSO WORKING WITH SIDEWALKS TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE GAPS AS PEOPLE LEAD UP TO THE TRANSIT STATION.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE CITY ALSO IMPROVING SIGNAL TIMINGS AND ALSO SOME OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HELPS IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO IN SUMMARY, WE ARE LOOKING AT FOUR MILES OF NEW REPAIRED SIDEWALKS, UPGRADING TO SIGNALS, INTERSECTIONS, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS WHERE WE ARE LOCATING STATIONS, SOME LANDSCAPING AT STATION LOCATIONS, SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS, 47 LANE MILES. AND THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF PAYMENT RECONSTRUCTION WHERE CURRENTLY THE PAYMENT NEEDS THAT.
TOTAL PROJECT COST AS 30% DESIGN IS ESTIMATED AT 446.3 MILLION, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES PER FAD GUIDELINES SOME FINANCING CHARGES. OUR FINANCIAL PLAN IS REFLECT UNDERSTAND A PIE CHART. WE ARE SEEKING FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH NEW STARTS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT AND WE WOULD BE SEEKING LOANS, 7.8 MILLION AND LOCALLY VIA IS CONTRIBUTING ALMOST $90 MILLION.
SO THAT'S THE FINANCIAL PLAN. WE ARE AWAITING ENTRY INTO ENGINEERING SO WE HAVE FINISHED 30%, THESE ARE THE COSTS OF THAT AND AS THE PROJECT PROGRESSES WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH
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STAKEHOLDERS AND BRIEFINGS AND OUR ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN CONTINUING SINCE THE LAST TWO YEARS AND WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE ACTIVITIES AS WE ENTER INTO ENGINEERING, WORKING WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM WHAT OUR PLANS ARE FOR FUTURE AND THEN OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TEAM IS ALSO FOLLOWING UP WITH THE RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ALSO PRIMARILY WE'LL BE BRIEFING YOU ALL AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS.SOME HIGHLIGHTS. WE RECEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. AS I MENTIONED, WE COMPLETED 30% DESIGN.
WE COMPLETED RISK ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS BASICALLY LOOKING AT PROJECT, WHAT RISK WE'LL BE ASSUMING AND BASED ON THAT VIA ADJUSTED OUT COST SCHEDULE AND BUDGET. AND WE ARE NOW WE ARE NOW INTO THE NEXT PHASE THAT WE WOULD ENTER INTO ENGINEERING, WHICH IS FINAL DESIGN PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES. AND THEN AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR WE SEEK APPROVAL FOR FEDERAL AWARD. SO THE TIMELINE THAT REFLECTS THAT, WHICH IS ON THE SCREEN HERE, AND OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO OPEN SERVICE END OF 2028 -- END OF 2027. AND WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS 2028 AS THE NO LATER THAN DATE. VIA TARGET IS AUGUST OF 2027.
SO THIS IS AN UPDATE ON OUR FIRST GREEN LINE PROJECT WHICH IS A NORTH-SOUTH, WHICH IS ONGOING. AND THEN I'M ALSO GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VIA RAPID SILVER LINE, WHICH IS ABOUT TWO YEARS BEHIND THE FIRST PROJECT.
AS THE MAP SHOWS, IT IS HOUSTON, DOWNTOWN MARKET, COMMERCE, AND THE LIMITS ARE CROSS CENTER THROUGH GENERAL MCMULLAN. WE ARE AT THE EARLY STAGE, ABOUT 10% CONCEPT, WHERE WE ARE WORKING ON LOCATING STATIONS AND LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES WITHIN THAT CORRIDOR. AS THE OTHER MAP CLEARLY SHOWS, CENTER RUNNING, CURB RUNNING AND MIXED TRAFFIC ARE THE STUDIES THAT ARE ONGOING RIGHT NOW. AND IT CONNECTS RESIDENTIAL AREAS ON EAST-WESTSIDE THROUGH DOWNTOWN, BUT IT ALSO CONNECTS OUR NORTH-SOUTH LINE WITHIN DOWNTOWN. AND THE UNDERLYING SERVICE IT CREATES A NETWORK FOR VIA. SO THE SUMMARY OF THAT IS THAT PROJECT IS ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF MILES. WE ARE LOOKING AT 18 NEW STATIONS.
SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE GREEN LINE THAT TRANSIT SIGNAL PRIORITIES, PAYING FARES ON THE STATION AND ALSO CONNECTING COMMUNITIES.
AND THE TOTAL COST AT EARLY STAGE IS ABOUT 289.2 289.2 MILLION.
THIS IS A SHORTER CORRIDOR AND COSTS REFLECT THAT. WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS WE ARE IN THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL STARTS PROGRAM. IT'S SMALL STARTS BECAUSE THE COST IS LESS. IT'S A SIMPLIFIED PROCESS COMPARED TO THE OTHER PROJECT. WE ARE VERY EARLY INTO PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND WE'LL SHORTLY START ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION.
WE ARE STARTING TO DRAW UP STAKEHOLDER LISTS END OF THE YEAR, EARLY NEXT YEAR WE'LL START OUR ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. RIGHT NOW WE ARE REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITIES AND GIVING INITIAL INFORMATION. THE FINANCIAL PLAN HERE REFLECTS VIA CONTRIBUTION OF $42 MILLION. WE ARE SEEKING TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS OF $146 MILLION. WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED 8.1 MILLION EARLY ALLOCATION OR GRANT AS PART OF FEDERAL FUNDS. AND OUR MAYOR AND JUDGE HAVE ALSO SENT LETTER OF SUPPORTS TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY TO BRIDGE THE GAP OF 105 MILLION THAT WE STILL HAVE. SO IF SUCCESSFUL VIA STANDS TO GAIN APPROXIMATELY 410 MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF INVESTMENT FROM FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
THIS IS TWO YEARS BEHIND THE OTHER LINE AND WE ARE STILL SEEKING TO BRIDGE FUNDING GRANT LOCALLY. WE ARE KEEPING COMMUNITY ENGAGED.
WE HEAR COMMUNITIES GIVING US FEEDBACK. ALL THAT FEEDBACK WILL GO INTO OUR PLANS AS WE PROGRESS. SO THIS TIMELINE SHOWS
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CONTINUOUS COMMUNITY OF OUTREACH TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED AND SEEK FEEDBACK THROUGH PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, THEN CONTINUING DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND THE SERVICES EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN 2029. THIS IS A BROAD TIMELINE SINCE WE ARE EARLY IN THE PROCESS. ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ARE STILL CONTINUING MEETING WITH STAFF LEVEL CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND OTHER AGENCY STAFF. WE HAVE STARTED DISCUSSION ON THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, BUSINESS POINTS. WE ARE CONTINUING TO BRIEF STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT EARLY PROJECT RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THIS ENTIRE CORRIDOR. AND THE BROAD [INDISCERNIBLE] IS REFLECTED HERE. NEPA WILL START THE END OF THE YEAR. ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES WILL END SOME TIME IN 2026.WE HAVE 13 VEHICLES FOR PROCUREMENT, CONSTRUCTION STARTS IN 2027 EARLY AND THEN OPERATIONS TARGETED IN 2029, LATE. AND THAT'S HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECTS WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND THEN SANDEEP IS GOING TO
TALK ABOUT OTHER PROJECTS. >> THANK YOU. AS PART OF THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN, WE STARTED WORKING ON A BETTER BUS PLAN IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, WHICH IS EVALUATE OUR WHOLE SYSTEM AND CREATE A UNIFIED EFFICIENT NETWORK THAT CATERS TO THE DIVERSE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. SO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROJECT LIKE THIS IS TO ESTABLISH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND ESTABLISH THE [INDISCERNIBLE] PRIORITIES TO DETERMINE IF WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN ITS DESIGN. WE'LL HAVE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES OPERATING REGULARLY BEGINNING IN THE FALL OF THIS YEAR. THIS BETTER BUS B PLAN IS TO BE COMPLETED IN DECEMBER OF 2024. GOING OVER THE VIA LINK EXISTING ZONES. SO WE HAVE THREE EXISTING VIA LINK ZONES WHICH ARE VIA LINK NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST AND VIA LINK SOUTH. SO THE CUSTOMERS CAN TRAVEL FROM ANYWHERE TO ANYWHERE WITHIN THE ZONE, THE EXISTING ZONES COVER APPROXIMATELY 12.5 TO 18.5 SQUARE MILE OF THE AREA.
AVERAGE WAIT TIME IS FROM EIGHT TO 10 MINUTES. THE OPERATING HOURS ARE FROM 5:30 A.M. TO 9:30 P.M. WE ARE PLANNING TO EXTEND THE TIME OF OPERATIONS TO 5:00 A.M. FROM THIS COMING MONDAY, WHICH IS OCTOBER 23RD. THE MONTHLY RIDERSHIP FOR THE COMBINED THREE EXISTING ZONES HAVE ALMOST DOUBLED WHEN WE COMPARE AUGUST 2022 TO AUGUST 2023. SO WE ARE LAUNCHING OR NEW VIA LINK RANDOLPH ZONE ON OCTOBD , 2023, WHICH IS THIS COMING MONDAY. THIS NEW VIA LINK ZONE EXTEND FROM I-35 AND 410 LOOP FROM THE WEST, WALZEM ROAD FROM THE NORTH, 1516 IN THE EAST AND I-10 AND EAST HOUSTON IN THE SOUTH AND COVERS APPROXIMATELY 18 SQUARE MILES OF THE AREA. ESTIMATED WAIT TIME IS APPROXIMATELY AROUND 15 MINUTES. SERVICE HOURS ARE FROM 5:00 A.M. TO 10:00 P.M. AND WE ESTIMATE THE ROADWAY WILL BE AROUND 15,600 PER MONTH. CONTINUING ON TO THE NEXT STEPS WE'LL CONTINUE THE GREEN LINE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. THE SILVER LINE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WILL CARRY ON PUBLIC MEETINGS IN EARLY OF 2024.
THERE WILL BE BETTER BUS PLANNING ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AS I MENTIONED.
IT WILL START IN FALL OF THIS YEAR. AND WE'LL RETURN TO THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE IN EARLY 2024.
THANK YOU. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE.
>> COURAGE: THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ HAD INDICATED EARLIER HE HAD SOME
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QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND. GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THOSE WHO CAME TO SPEAK TODAY. THERE'S ONE QUICK QUESTION.
OUR OFFICE RECENTLY ASKED VIA ABOUT DETOURS AROUND MAJOR EVENTS LIKE FIESTA AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. HOW WILL DETOURS OF THE GREEN LINE WORK SINCE IT RUNS ON SPECIAL CITY LINES? CAN IT BE RETOURED TO
REGULAR STREET LANES? >> AS PART OF PLANNING WE WILL HAVE SET DETOURS BECAUSE EVERY BUS LINE OR EVEN RAIL PROJECT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.
SO WE'LL HAVE A PLAN OF DETOURS AS PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH OTHER CITY SERVICES BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE A CENTER LANE AND
SIDE RUNNING. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. AND ALSO IT LOOKS LIKE THE VIA LINK IS IN MY SIDE OF THE DISTRICT. I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
I'LL GET TO THE COMMENTS I HEARD A LITTLE BIT. SO LARGELY I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE EAST-WEST CORRIDOR ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT LINE.
I'VE WITHIN EXCITED ABOUT THAT SINCE WE STARTED THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE NORTH-SOUTH LINE. WHAT I HEARD TODAY IS PRETTY CONCERNING.
WHAT I HAD LIKE TO DO IS SEE IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD ABOUT BASIC SERVICES WITHOUT THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.
SO DIRECT CONCERNS ARE -- THE DIRECT CONCERNS THAT I HEARD ARE RELATED TO HOMES ALONG THE ROUTE BEING ONE OF THE CONCERNS, WITH HOMES ALONG THE ROUTE BEING IMPACTED BY EMINENT DOMAIN OR BEING DEMOLISHED. IS THAT -- WE'VE HAD -- WE'VE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE. IS THAT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT? >> SO THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS IS WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING SERVICE ALONG THE CORRIDOR AND WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. VIA'S GOAL IS ALWAYS TO MINIMIZE ANY IMPACTS TO THE EXISTING PROPERTY LINES. IT'S JUST NOT HOMES, IT'S THE PIPE PROPERTY LINES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT. AS THE WORK PROGRESSES WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING HOW WE ARE GOING LOOK AT STATION. IF YOU NOTICE OUR MAP DOESN'T EVEN SHOW THE STATIONS RIGHT NOW, AND THE REASON IS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE CORRIDOR BECAUSE WE ARE AT EARLY STAGES.
I CAN SPEAK FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR GREEN LINE THAT NO HOMES ARE IMPACTED ON GREEN LINE BECAUSE WE -- WE KEEP IN MIND THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND DESIRES AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO. SO ANY IMPACTS ON THE GREEN LINES ARE SMALLER SLIVERS. THEY'RE NOT IMPACTING HOMES.
THAT'S NOT WHERE WE ARE GOING WITH OUR PROJECTS. BUT MY NEXT [INDISCERNIBLE] I MIGHT BE ABLE TO COMMENT A LITTLE BIT MORE. EMINENT DOMAIN IS -- OUR FIRST GOAL IS TO WORK OUT WITH THE COMMUNITIES. THAT COMES SECONDARY, NOT
PRIMARY, THE BABY WATER. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
AND I GUESS SINCE I'M ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU JUST SAID YOU ARE IN THE VERY, VERY EARLY STAGES. I THINK WHAT I WANT TO CONVEY AS A PRIORITY BECAUSE IT COMES THROUGH A GOOD PART OF MY DISTRICT AND MY CONSTITUENTS WILL BE HEAVILY IMPACTED AND COUNCILWOMAN CASS TEE I CAN'T ISN'T ON THIS COMMITTEE, BUT I KNOW SHE HAS SIMILAR CONCERNS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE HOMES BEING DEMOLISHED, WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE PROPERTIES BEING IMPACTED. SO WHAT I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IS SOME SORT OF PLAN FOR ALTERNATE -- I WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A NOON AVOID THAT AT ALL COSTS. THE SECOND PIECE OF THAT, DEEPER, WHAT I HEARD WITH THE CONCERNS WITH THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY, WERE ABOUT REGULAR VIA SERVICES.
AND THEY WERE CONCERNS TO THOSE THAT I HEAR IN MY DISTRICT LIKE SERVICE LINES BEING CUT, MAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT LESS CONVENIENT, THE FREQUENCY OF THE STOPS THEMSELVES AND THE QUALITY OF THE STOPS, SUCH AS SHADE COVERS.
AND YOU KNOW IN OUR MEETINGS I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT SHADE COVERS AND WANTING TO SEE ALL OF OUR BUS STOP SHADED ESPECIALLY AS WE'VE JUST EXPERIENCED ONE OF THE HOTTEST SUMMERS -- PROBABLY ONE OF THE COOLEST SUMMERS WE WILL EVER HAVE AGAIN.
AND THAT REMAINS A PRIORITY OF MINE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE PLAN FOR EXISTING STOPS AND ANY NEW STOPS IS THAT WE LOOK INTO TECHNOLOGY LIKE MISTING FANS AND OTHER TYPES OF SHADE. ALL OF THOSE -- WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU DO IS A RESPONSE OF THOSE CONCERNS AND I THINK WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IS IF AT A LATER TRANSPORTATION MEETING WE HAVE A DEEPER DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUR EXISTING SERVICES. I KNOW WE GET TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL THE TIME ON THE EAST-WEST LINE AND NORTH-SOUTH LINE.
I THINK OUR CONSTITUENTS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW AND WHAT
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IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE MADE THAT COULD BETTER THEIR EXISTING ROUTINES.SO WOULD YOU MIND SPEAKING TO THAT AT ALL RIGHT NOW? 86.
WE STARTED WITH THE BETTER BUS LINE IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
WE PLAN TO COMPLETE IN DECEMBER OF 2024. BUT WE'LL HAVE SEVERAL STAGES OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WE ARE LOOKING TO SHOW HOW WE CAN STRAIGHTEN THE ROUTES, PUT MORE FREQUENCY INTO THE SYSTEM AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT IN THIS MOMENT WE ARE IN THE GOAL STAGE. IT'S TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE THAT, BUT AS WE PROGRESS WE'LL CONSIDER ALL THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. AND WE CAN COME WITH AN UPDATE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE EAST-WEST LINE OR --
>> ABOUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM, BETTER BUS PLAN.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I APPRECIATE THAT. I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. AND I THINK GENERALLY THIS IS FEEDBACK THAT I WOULD GIVE TO ANY CITY DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY IS THAT IT'S ALWAYS CONCERNING TO US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN WE HAVE RESIDENTS OF OUR DISTRICTS COME OUT AND SAY THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN PROPERLY ENGAGED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE SOME OF THE MOST PRIVY AND AWARE AND THE PEOPLE WHO SEEK OUT INFORMATION.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD ADVISE FOR ANY PROJECTS THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING IS THAT YOU ENGAGE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU KNOW TO EXIST, AND SEE WHAT WAYS THAT -- I WOULD OFFER MY SERVICES.
WHAT -- THERE ARE WAYS THAT I THINK I COULD HELP COMPLEMENT THE OUTREACH THAT YOU ARE GOING TO WANT TO DO, AND I CAN FILL IN ANY GAPS. AND I'M SURE THAT THE BULK OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
[INAUDIBLE]. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS -- WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS A LOT.
TO BE CLEAR, WE WERE INITIALLY TALKING ABOUT NORTH-SOUTH.
A LOT OF US PUSHED TO START TALKING ABOUTE EAST-WEST. I'LL GO WITH IT.
A LOT OF THE REASON I THINK WE PUSHED FOR IT IS TO HELP A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE NEED TO ENGAGE. SO I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD MEETINGS ABOUT NORTH-SOUTH AND IT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT FOR AWHILE. SO WHEN IS THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GOING TO START FOR EAST-WEST OR HAS IT ALREADY STARTED?
>> COUNCILWOMAN, GREAT QUESTION. I'LL COMPARE THIS TO -- SINCE BASEBALL IS KIND OF IN THE VERNACULAR RIGHT NOW IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
WE'RE JUST BARELY INTO THE FIRST INNING OF THE EAST-WEST WHEN IT COMES TO THE DESIGN, THE IDEAS, THE CONCEPTS, AND THEN EVEN WHAT TO BRING TO THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S ALSO THIS BALANCE HERE. BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING AND PUTTING TOGETHER THE PLANS AND WE WANT TO ABSOLUTELY -- FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES' COMMENT EARLIER, GO TO THE LEADERSHIP IN EACH OF THESE DISTRICTS AS WE'VE DONE ON NORTH-SOUTH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO COVER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THAT WILL BE AN ACTIVE ENGAGE AM, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OUT RIGHT, IT WILL BE STARTING IN NOVEMBER. AND ALONG THAT EAST-WEST CORRIDOR AND IT WILL RAMP UP IN OUR ENTIRE CALENDAR NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE FULL OF A LOT OF EVENTS AND A LOT OF ACTIVITIES FOR COMMUNICATIONS IN THE
DISTRICTS WHERE EAST-WEST IS PLANNING TO GO THROUGH. >> OKAY.
AND I THINK THE LADIES THAT SPOKE HERE TODAY MADE THE POINT BETTER THAN I COULD, BUT MAKING SURE THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE ACCESSIBLE NOT JUST ONLINE, OF COURSE.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW THAT, BUT MY FAVORITE THING TO DO, KNOCK ON DOORS.
I REALLY GO THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND TALK TO FOLKS ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE. AND WE SHOULD BE CLEAR IT'S A PROPOSAL.
WE NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND DESIGN, LIKE YOU SAID AND ALL OF THAT. SO -- BUT THANK YOU. I JUST REALLY WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT THE PROCESS, THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. >> ABSOLUTELY.
IF WE WANT TO SAY THAT THE BAR THAT WE SET WITH NORTH-SOUTH, WHICH IS NOW THE GREEN LINE, BESIDES THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND THE HOA MEETINGS, WE ALSO HAD SIX OPEN HOUSES AS WELL ALONG THE CORRIDOR, UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDOR AS WELL, WHERE WE INVITED THE PEOPLE, MAKE SURE IT'S ACCESSIBLE, BRING IN TRANSLATORS AND ALL
SUCH. >> AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. >> AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE STILL REACHING OUT TO THEM ALONG THE CORRIDOR. ABSOLUTELY.
AND THIS DOESN'T STOP. EVEN AS THIS PROGRESSES AS WE HAD ON THE NORTH-SOUTH
LINE. >> THAT'S ACTUALLY MY NEXT QUESTION.
IS THERE GOING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT'S FROM EITHER VIA OR THE CITY OR BOTH THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO COMMUNITY QUESTIONS OR LIKE A LIAISON IN A WAY? WOULD THAT BE ADDED TO SOMEBODY'S JOB ALREADY? I THINK TO YOUR POINT THERE NEEDS TO BE ONGOING COMMUNICATION ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WHICH
[00:35:04]
IF I SAW WAS -- IT LOOKS LIKE THROUGH 2029? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> SO THAT CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT. >> AND YEAH.
OUR PROJECT OFFICE THAT WE HAVE ON SAN PEDRO, PETTING THAT BAR OF EXPECTATION FOR US, KIND OF MOVING THAT GOOD SUCCESS STORIES AND EXAMPLES THAT WE'VE HAD ALONG THE GREEN LINE, WE PLAN ON DOING THE SAME FOR THE EAST-WEST LINE IS ESTABLISHING A LOCAL OFFICE ALONG THE LINE FOR THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO WE'RE BRINGING THAT ENGAGEMENT TO THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF THE COMMUNITY COMING TO US.
>> OKAY. AND I KNOW I WAS PART OF THE MEETINGS IN DC AND THEN OF COURSE WITH VIA, AND YOU HAVE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT BEING THE LEAST DISRUPTIVE TO COMMUNITIES. SO I KNOW THAT THAT'S PART OF YOUR MISSION.
AND I THINK THIS PLAN THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS GOING TO BE CRUCIAL TO THAT, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO THE PEOPLE THAT IT WILL DIRECTLY BE IMPACTING. THERE ARE SOME -- I THINK THIS IS A POINT MA MY COLLEAGUE WAS MAKING, BUT THERE ARE ALREADY IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY ON OTHER BUS ROUTES THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT ANOTHER DAY, BUT MINIMIZING THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. HAVE YOU HAD -- OH, LANDSCAPING.
I'M SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT. LANDSCAPING, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF -- WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT I'M JUST MAKING SURE. SOME OF THE STATIONS AND PROPOSED STOPS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING LANDSCAPING -- NUMBER ONE, COVERED STOPS, BUT HAVING LANDSCAPING ON TOP TO MITIGATE THE HEAT ISSUES.
>> SO WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF TIMELIZING WHAT LANDSCAPING COULD WORK AND WHAT LANDSCAPING IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY, MAINTENANCE AND OTHER THINGS.
SO THAT IS A DISCUSSION ONGOING. SO I WILL HAVE UPDATE HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME WHEN WE GET INTO FINAL DESIGN, BUT ALSO SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE HELPFUL AS WE ARE DEVELOPING OUR SILVER LINE.
>> OKAY. I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT EARLY ON BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND DESIGN, OF COURSE.
WE KEEP MANAGEMENT -- WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT NOW AS OPPOSED TO RETROFITTING YEARS LATER. I'M SURE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE ENGAGING IN THAT CONVERSATION NOW.
AND MY LAST QUESTION IS ACTUALLY LINK. YOU SAID THAT RIDERSHIP
DOUBLED IN A YEAR, CORRECT? >> YES. >> THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
>> YES. COMING BACK FROM COVID ACTUALLY WE INCREASED THE
RIDERSHIP ALMOST DOUBLE. >> AND THAT'S IN THOSE THREE LOCATIONS.
>> YES, ALL THE THREE ZONES COMBINED. >> CAN YOU TELL ME WHO IS USING LINK? JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING ARE THEY SENIORS, YOUNG PEOPLE?
ARE THEY -- >> THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE USING IT ALSO. THERE ARE A LOT OF UNIVERSITIES ON DIFFERENT ZONES SO THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDENT USAGE, ALONG WITH THERE ARE A LOT OF JUST NORMAL PEOPLE GOING FROM WITHIN THE ZONE. YOU KNOW, THEY CAN TRAVEL FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER WITHIN THE ZONE. IT'S A BIG AREA SO THEY CAN
TRAVEL. >> AND DO YOU KNOW -- ARE YOU CHECKING THAT DATA SOME ARE THEY MOSTLY GOING TO WORK, TO SCHOOL? YOU DID SAY STUDENTS.
>> WE DID NOT COLLECT THAT DATA, BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO IT TO FIND OUT.
>> I ASK BECAUSE -- I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, GO AHEAD.
>> NO, JUST GO AHEAD. >> I'M SORRY, PLEASE. >> WE CAN LOOK INTO THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE WHO ARE THE RIDERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
>> I ASK BECAUSE INITIALLY I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY FOR SENIORS THAT MAYBE LIVE IN FOOD DESERTS AND EVEN SPECIAL NEEDS WHERE THEY CAN USE THIS AS A WAY TO ACCESS FOOD, GROCERY STORES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY NEARBY.
SO I'M VERY CURIOUS TO SEE IF THAT'S WHAT'S ACTUALLY COME TO FRUITION.
-- YOU DIDN'T PROMISE ME THAT. THAT WAS A HOPE I HAD, BUT I
WAS CURIOUS IF IT WAS WORKING OUT. >> WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU
NEXT TIME WHEN WE DO THE PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU, SIR.
> >> WE'RE GOING TO DO AN ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR VIA TRANS CLIENTS, MANY OF THOSE ARE SENIORS AND ALSO NEEDING TO GET TO CERTAIN LOCATIONS BUT THEY MAY NOT NEED A DEDICATED VEHICLE SUCH AS WE DO WITH VIA TRANS, BUT IF THEY LIVE IN A VIA LINK AREA THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO UTILIZE THESE VANS THAT ARE COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE AND THEN THE ON DEMAND SERVICE FOR THEM AS WELL. THIS IS HOW WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE SENIORS AS WELL WITHIN THOSE ZONES TO HELP COMPLEMENT THE VIA TRANS SERVICE THAT WE HAVE IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE SYSTEM AS WELL. >> FANTASTIC.
I'M A BIG FAN OF LINK. I THINK IT'S VERY INNOVATIVE.
AND MY HOPE IS THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT KNOW ABOUT IT.
THAT WE'RE REALLY LETTING THEM KNOW AT LEAST IN THESE THREE AREAS AND WE CAN MOVE TO A PLACE WHERE THE CITY, THE ENTIRE CITY CAN USE IT. I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES
[00:40:03]
THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AGAIN TODAY BY OUR SPEAKERS. YOU ARE VERY IMPACTFUL TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BOTH BEING HERE.THAT THAT COULD HELP AS WELL BECAUSE IT TAKES THEM SO CLOSE TO A GROCERY STORE OR DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS, WHATEVER IT IS. THAT'S MY HOPE AS LINK GROWS. THANK YOU: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILWOMAN AL DEBTTY
GAVITO. >> GAVITO:. >> IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN AWHILE. I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, ON THE FUNDING ON THE LINES. I SEE THE SILVER LINE THERE'S 1.5 MILLION FOR LOCAL PARTNERSHIP FUNDING REQUIREDMENT AND THE GREEN LINE AND 89.3 MILLION IN LOCAL FUNDS. IS THAT 83 VA FUNDS OR IS THAT GOING TO BE AN ASK FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OR WHAT'S THE MAKEUP OF THAT?
>> SO FOR THE GREEN LINE VIA HAS COMMITTED THAT 89.4 MILLION THROUGH OUR ATTN CURRENT RESOURCES. FOR THE SILVER LINE WE ARE LOOKING FOR PARTNERS LOCALLY TO FUND, TO BRIDGE THAT 100 MILLION GAP BECAUSE VIA ALREADY HAS COMMITTED 42 MILLION IN THAT. SO THAT'S THE GAP THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
THIS IS A FINANCIAL PLAN AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY. >> OKAY.
THANK YOU. QUICK QUESTION FROM COUNCILMAN HAVRDA.
ONE, I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE VIA LINK EXPANDING. I REMEMBER I WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN WE WERE FIRST EXPERIMENTING ON IT'S AWESOME.
BUT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT VIA LINK ALL OVER THE CITY. IS THAT THE INTENT TO PUT IT -- BECAUSE WE WERE DOING IT FROM AN OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY PERSPECTIVE.
>> YES. WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THE WHOLE SYSTEM DESIGN TO DEFINE ACTUALLY WHERE THOSE ZONES WILL BE IN THE FUTURE. NOT ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT IT'S BEST ON THE SYSTEM WE DESIGN THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS THE BETTER BUS PLAN.
>> GAVITO: OKAY. SO STILL SEEING WHERE VIA LINK MAKES THE MOST SENSE SO THAT WE'RE NOT RUNNING BIG BUSES THROUGH THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> YES. >> OKAY. >> IF THE RIDERSHIP IS LOW
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> GAVITO: OKAY, THANK YOU.
I ALSO WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS WHEN COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ WAS TALKING.
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUS STOPS ARE SHADED? >> I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU. I DON'T HAVE THAT. WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
>> YEAH. I'D BE CURIOUS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO -- YOU KNOW, LIKE HE WAS MENTIONING, THIS MIGHT BE OUR COOLEST SUMMER SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE STILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST OF THE VIA NETWORK AND MAKE SURE THAT
OUR BUSES HAVE SHADE. >> PERHAPS IT'S A STAT THAT I HAVE IN MY MIND.
I'M LOOKING AT MANJURI HERE. IT'S 80% OF OUR BOARDINGS HAPPEN AT A SHADED STRUCTURE. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO LOCATE THOSE STRUCTURES THAT ARE AT THOSE ACTIVE BUS STOPS.
SO THAT IN GENERAL IS THE NUMBER. WE NOEL WE'LL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER TO HAVE MORE BOARDINGS HAPPENING AT SHADE STRUCTURES, BUT AS FAR AS SHADE STRUCTURES JUST IN GENERAL AND THE NUMBER, WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT, BUT WE KNOW THAT LAST WE LOOKED AT THIS WE HAVE MORE SHADE STRUCTURES AT OUR BUS STOPS IN SAN ANTONIO THAN CAPMETRO IN AUSTIN HAS OF COMPLETE STOPS.
>> GAVITO: SURE. >> SO WE DEFINITELY ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE ABOUT THAT PLAN AS WELL. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU MORE BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS A HOT TOPIC LITERALLY FOR YOU AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
>> I JUST GOT INFORMATION. ABOUT 40% OF OUR BUS STOPS HAVE SHELTERS, BUT AS JOHN MENTIONED, IF YOU LOOK AT BOARDINGS, THEN WE HAVE A LOT MORE COVERAGE.
>> GAVITO: YEAH. AND I WILL SAY I HAVE PASSED SOME VIA BUS STOPS WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST SITTING IN THE DIRECT SUNLIGHT. SO YES, WHILE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY PRIME BUS STOP LOCATIONS, THEY'RE SITTING OUT THERE PROBABLY EVEN LONGER BECAUSE THE BUS IS PROBABLY NOT AS FREQUENT. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK MY TAKEAWAY IS JUST AS AGGRESSIVE AS WE CAN GET ABOUT SHADING THOSE STRUCTURES, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. ALSO, I KNOW THAT VIA HISTORICALLY HAS REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ALL MAKE SURE THAT MEETINGS ARE ACCESSIBLE AND THAT THEY'RE FREQUENT AND THAT THEY'RE TO OUR RESIDENTS. COULD YOU PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU'VE RECEIVED INPUT FROM SOME -- FROM SOME OF THESE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT
MEETINGS AND HOW THEY'VE CHANGED Y'ALL'S PLANS? >> SO JOHN MENTIONED SIX OPEN HOUSES AND VARIOUS THINGS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I COULD
[00:45:05]
POINT OUT THAT WHEN WE STARTED WITH LOCATION OF THOSE DOTS ON THE MAP, WE ENDED UP CONSOLIDATING A COUPLE OF STATIONS AND THE AREA NORTH OF HILDEBRAND WE NEEDED TO RELOCATE SOME OF THE STATION LOCATIONS AWAY FROM SIGNAL TO ENSURE THE QUEUING DOESN'T HAPPEN. ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATION IN OUR PLAN IS TO IMPROVE HILDEBRAND AS AN INTERSECTION AND ACTUALLY WE LOOK AT HILDEBRAND NOT ONLY ON SAN PEDRO BUT ON THE HILDEBRAND SIDE TO HELP THE TRAFFIC FLOW ON SAN PEDRO.SOME OF THE OTHER INPUTS WE HAVE RECEIVED IS ADDING A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION ON THE CORRIDOR TO HELP MOVE THE TRAFFIC. THERE ARE A LOT OF SIDEWALK GAPS, THE FOUR MILES OF SIDEWALK WE GOT INPUT FROM THAT, THEN IN THE AREA ON THE EASTSIDE WE ARE -- THEY ARE MOVING SOME OF THE ELECTRIC POLES TO PAVE THE WAY FOR ADA ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS. SO SOME OF THE INPUT WE GOT IS THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS, DOCUMENTING THOSE, MAPPING THOSE, AND THEN INCLUDING
THAT AS THE DESIGN PROGRESSES. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS LOOKING FOR BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DO HISTORICALLY A GREAT JOB OF OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT RESIDENTS DO HAVE A SAY. SO SEEING AND KNOWING THOSE STORIES OF HOW Y'ALL HAVE CHANGED PLANS. LIKE THESE AREN'T SET IN STONE, RIGHT? THEY'RE STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS FROM VIA AND THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR US TO IDEA TO SAY HEY, THIS ISN'T A ONE WAY CONVERSATION. THIS IS FLUID AND IT'S MOVING AND IT'S THROUGH
COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE'RE GETTING IT RIGHT. >> THANK YOU.
>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMAN KAUR?
>> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO WHERE COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO IS GOING IS EXACTLY WHERE I WAS HEADED. CLOSING THE FEEDBACK LOOP IS REALLY IMPORTANT, NOT JUST RECEIVING THE INPUT. AND I THINK FROM -- AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN BRAVE IN CONTINUING TO DO THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THEM HAVE GOTTEN PRETTY TOUGH, BUT THESE ARE GOOD FOR US TO KNOW, BUT ALSO FOR US TO BE SHARING THESE STORIES THAT HEY, WE ARE ACTUALLY LISTENING.
I THINK THERE EITHER NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF DOCUMENT OF THIS IS WHAT YOU TOLD US, RIGHT? WE HEAR YOU. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO UP AGAINST TRAFFIC TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK ON THE BUS. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TO CHANGE THAT. I THINK IF WE WERE EVEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT THAT ON THE WEBSITE SOME KIND OF LIKE -- SOME MAP, LIKE THE MAP THAT -- I KNOW IT'S HARD BECAUSE STEREOTYPES IT'S LIKE HOW DO YOU SHOW IT IN A WAY THAT IT CAN BE READ, BUT I KNOW I'M -- I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY THEY WOULD BE MORE INVESTED. SO ON THOSE SAME THINGS I THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THE GREEN LINE THAT I'VE HEARD AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE GOTTEN A FOLLOW-UP ON THEM SO I'M JUST GOING TO ASK. THE FIRST IS WHERE DOES THE TRANSITION ACTUALLY OCCUR FROM CENTER TO SIDE? WHAT'S THE EXACT STREET?
>> SO THE TRANSITION OCCURS AT TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. ONE IS -- I CAN GO ON THE MAP? ON THE SLIDE IF YOU LOOK AT FROM NORTH STAR MALL TO ALMOST PARK JUST NORTH OF THAT, THAT'S THE AREA OF CENTER RUNNING, THAT'S WHERE THE TRANSITION HAPPENS. OLMOS DRIVE JUST NORTH OF THAT.
AND THEN WE PICK UP CENTER RUNNING AT ZACH AND THEN GO SOUTH ALMOST TO MARSHALL, WHICH IS NORTH OF THE THREE-WAY, THAT LOCATION. SO THERE ARE TWO AREAS OF CENTER RUNNING THAT WE ARE PROPOSING ON THIS CORRIDOR. AND I CAN GIVE YOU A LARGER MAP WITH EXACT INTERSECTION BECAUSE THE TRANSITION HAPPENS JUST BEFORE THE
INTERSECTION, NOT AT THE INTERSECTION. >> KAUR: YEAH, I THINK IT'S THE OLMOS DRIVE ONE THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, RIGHT? THERE IS A SPACE -- I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IF IT'S FRESNO, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ONLY FOUR LANES THERE SO THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THAT TRANSITION RIGHT THERE ON OLMOS.
>> OKAY. YES. WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE THAT OLMOS WHERE THE TRANSITION HAPPENED WE HAVE MOVED IT A LITTLE BIT NORTH
[00:50:02]
TO ALLOW H.E.B. TRUCK SO WE GOT ONE FEEDBACK AND I'LL LOOK INTO THE OTHER ONES.>> KAUR: YEAH. AND WE CAN SEND IT TO YOU TOO.
I THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT -- IF WE COULD GO A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH.
AND THE OTHER THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU ARE COMING UP WITH THE VIRTUAL REALITY GOGGLES WHERE WE CAN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A WAY UP AND DOWN CONSTRUCTION AS YOU'RE IN DESIGN PROCESS TO PUT DIGITAL SIGNAGE SO PEOPLE CAN SEE. RIGHT NOW I THINK A LOT OF IT IS THE FEAR OF WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY THAT YOU COULD LIKE VIRTUALLY THROUGH A QR CODE EXPERIENCE WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE TO DRIVE DOWN SAN PEDRO, LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE PRERECORDED.
ANOTHER OF THE CHALLENGING THINGS IS THE LEFT TURN. PEOPLE ARE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THAT LEFT TURN. MAYBE IF WE COULD SHOW THEM THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE. AND THEN I ALSO HAVE ASKED -- AND I ASKED OUR CHIEFS ABOUT THIS TOO, ABOUT THE TIMING DIFFERENCE FOR I KNOW POLICE AND FIRE WAS A QUESTION THAT WE GET ABOUT WHETHER FIRE TRUCKS WILL BE ABLE TO MANEUVER THROUGH.
SO THESE THINGS I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE IF WE CAN GET BACK WITH FOLKS OF LIKE REASSURE YOU THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, IT WOULD HELP SOME OF THE COMMUNITY SENTIMENT THAT WE'RE FEELING. THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IS HEARING FROM FOLKS THAT REALLY USE THE BUS AND HEARING THEY'RE STORIES. SO MAYBE -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PR COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS GOING TO BE, BUT SHARING THE STORIES OF PEOPLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME OF THAT QUESTIONING ABOUT HOW THIS WAS IT SOD ON WITHOUT ALL THE INFORMATION. SO IF WE COULD SHARE STORIES OF PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE ACTUALLY USING THE ART AND HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THEM, I THINK THAT MIGHT ALSO BE -- AT LEAST WE COULD POINT TO THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE HELPING.
AND THEN THE LAST THING ON THE GREEN LINE, LIKE SUPER EXCITED THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING ALL THIS WORK. FOR CITY STAFF, I'M JUST GOING TO REITERATE, I THINK WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON HOW WE CAN REALLY FOCUS ON TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT UP AND DOWN. SO CONSIDERING LAND BANKING, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN HERE DON'T GO WITHOUT OUR INTENTIONAL PLANNING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT. AND ON THE SILVER LINE WHAT WAS THE CONSIDERATION OF USING COMMERCE FLEET OR IS THAT JUST BEING PROPOSED
RIGHT NOW IN. >> VIA WENT THROUGH VISION 2040 EFFORT WHEN CITY WAS DOING SA TOMORROW PLAN. AS OUTCOME OF THAT, WE PICKED THE CORR CORRIDORS AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY VIA DID ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS.
SO WE LOOKED AT COMMERCE AND ONE STREET NORTH, ONE STREET SOUTH AND DIFFERENT ALIGNMENT. AND THROUGH A PROCESS ON -- I THINK THERE ARE SEVEN CRITERIA, SEVEN OR EIGHT CRITERIAS, THIS IS WHAT WE CALL BEFORE ALIGNMENT.
AND ON NEXT TASK IS WE HAVE A PREFERRED ALIGNMENT AND WE HAVE TO GO AND DO VISIBILITY TO GO THROUGH THAT TO MAKE THAT AS A PROJECT. SO IT WENT THROUGH VARIOUS TECHNICAL CRITERIAS AS WELL AS IN I THINK 2016-2017 TIME FRAME THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THERE WERE SOME SURVEYS, PHYSICAL, AS WELL AS ELECTRONIC, THAT WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK ON VARIOUS ALIGNMENTS.
>> KAUR: GOT IT. I KNOW THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO ASKED ABOUT THIS, BUT THE 100 MILLION THAT'S PROPOSED, IS THERE A FUNDING IDENTIFIED? IS THERE A CHANCE THAT THIS PROJECT JUST DOESN'T GO THROUGH A BECAUSE OF A FUNDING REASON? THE THING YOU ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN ADVANCE OF FINANCING SECURED IS YOU'RE GETTING PEOPLE'S HOPES UP AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DOLLARS FOR IT.
>> YES. SO FOR EVERY FEDERAL MATCH THERE IS A LOCAL DOLLAR REQUIREMENT AND RIGHT NOW THE 100 MILLION IS CONSIDERED A GAP IN LOCAL FUNDING. SO IF WE COLLECTIVELY -- I CALL IT.
IF WE COLLECTIVELY DO NOT FIND LOCAL MATCH THEN WE CANNOT LEVERAGE FEDERAL DOLLARS. SO THAT'S -- HAVING SAID THAT, WE HAVE SECURED FUNDING FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TO WORK OUT DETAILS.
SO THE MORE DETAILS WE HAVE OUR CHANCES GO UP, RIGHT? SO YES.
IN PLAIN LANGUAGE, THERE IS A FUNDING GAP AND JOHN MAY HAVE TO COMMENT.
[LAUGHTER] >> I GOT IT RIGHT HERE. WE'RE TAKING THE APPROACH, COUNCILWOMAN, WITH THE EAST-WEST LINE. YOU HIT RIGHT ON THE NAIL ON ITS HEAD ABOUT NOT GETTING TOO FAR OUT IN FRONT OF IT BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT A VIABLE FUNDABLE PROJECT, FINANCIAL PROJECT.
WE'RE TAKING A PAGE OUT OF OUR PLAYBOOK THAT WE DID IN NORTH-SOUTH WHERE IN 2018-2019, WE WERE MESSAGING THE CORRIDOR, SOLICITING INPUT, GETTING THE CITIZENS'
[00:55:02]
IDEAS AND INPUT ABOUT THIS IDEA, BUT MAKING IT WELL-KNOWN THAT HEY, IF WE GET THE FUNDING FOR THIS, WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IF WE WOULD BE ABLE FURTHER AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SO THAT'S THE SAME APPROACH THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE INITIALLY UNTIL WE GET TO THIS POINT OF BEING ABLE TO SECURE THAT 100-MILLION-DOLLAR GAP. BUT WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT SOLUTION HERE WITHIN THE NEXT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS. SO IT WON'T BE A LONG PAUSE HERE, BUT WE DON'T WANT THAT TO SLOW DOWN THE ABILITY FOR US TO START SOLICITINGFEEDBACK FROM THE CITIZENS. >> GAVITO: OKAY. AND THEN -- OWE.
>> KAUR: OKAY. AND I DID HAVE ONE MORE THING.
ON THE GREEN LINE IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY PART OF THE LINE THAT'S COMPLETELY SHUT
DOWN TO TRAFFIC? >> RIGHT NOW OUR GOAL TO CONTINUE ACCESS TO EVERYONE. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK. AND AT THAT TIME THROUGH PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES, I KNOW I'M A LITTLE TECHNICAL, BUT WORKING THROUGH THE CONTRACTOR WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE DETAILS ON HOW WE WANT TO WORK ON THE PHASING. BUT VIA'S GOAL IS TO
MINIMIZE IMPACT ALL THE TIME. >> KAUR: THAT'S ALL OF OUR GOAL, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE STAY IN LOCK STEP AND ARE TELLING PEOPLE SIX MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME THIS IS LIKE YOUR DETOUR.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. AND DURING OUR FINAL DESIGN AND PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES I WOULD SAY NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
>> KAUR: OKAY. GREAT TO KNOW. AND FOR VIA LINK, ONE QUICK QUESTION. HOW DO YOU GUYS DECIDE WHERE YOUR NEXT LIKE AREA IS GOING
TO BE? >> WE LOOKED INTO THE WE HAVE DONE THE PLANS BEFORE AND IDENTIFIED THE ZONES. BECAUSE I'M STARTING THE WHOLE SYSTEM REDEFINE, IT WILL DECIDE WHERE THOSE FUTURE ZONES ARE REALLY WORKING OR NOT OR WHETHER IT WILL BE A NEW ZONE THAT'S COMING IN. SO THROUGH THE SYSTEM
REDESIGN WE WILL IDENTIFY THOSE ZONES. >> KAUR: GREAT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK. THANKS, CHAIR.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. I'VE JUST GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. AND I'M GOING TO START OFF KIND OF RESPONDING TO THE TWO PEOPLE WHO SPOKE AT THE BEGINNING, MS. SANCHEZ AND MS. RIVERA.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, I RECOGNIZE THAT ALMOST ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY VIA, WILL GO OUT AND TALK TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE A PRESENTATION AND ASK FOR INPUT. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY OF YOU SHARING WITH US WHAT PERCENTAGE OF INPUT THAT YOU GET YOU ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WITH. IT'S ONE THING TO SAY WELL, THIS IS OUR PLAN, AND WE'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND SHARE OUR PLAN WITH YOU AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK. BUT DO THEY REALLY HAVE ANY INPUT, ANY IMPACT ON THE PLANS THAT YOU PRESENT? AND I'M PICKING ON YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE BUT I COULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT SAWS OR SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT CPS ENERGY.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENGAGEMENT, ARE WE REALLY ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY? ARE WE LISTENING TO THE CONCERN THAT THEY EXPRESSED ABOUT WELL, YOU CHANGED OUR LINES, NOW IT'S FURTHER AWAY? OR ARE YOU GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE EMINENT DOMAIN AND SOME OF OUR HOUSES ALONG THIS ROADWAY? AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND SO I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU COULD ANSWER THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A MEETING AND 50 PEOPLE SHOW UP AND THEY PUT 150 STICKERS ON A BUNCH OF BOARDS, OKAY, WE'VE GOT 150 SUGGESTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, 80 OF THEM REALLY WERE INDIVIDUAL, THE OTHERS WERE THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND OUT OF THOSE 80 WE FOUND THREE THAT WERE REAL GEMS THAT WE SAID WE CAN ADD THIS TO OUR PROJECT. OR MAYBE WE FOUND 30 THAT WERE GEMS OR MAYBE WE DIDN'T FIND ANY. BUT I THINK HELPING THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR INVOLVEMENT HAS A POSITIVE AFFECT ON YOUR PLANS WILL MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD ABOUT GOING AND PARTICIPATING AND RECOGNIZING THAT YOU'RE MEETING OUR NEEDS, YOU'RE LISTENING TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY.
SO I HOPE THAT WE MIGHT HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS THESE THINGS MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER STANDING COMMITTEE OR ONE THAT WAS JUST PUT TOGETHER, I THINK, KEEP SA MOVING COMMITTEE.
AND THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE MADE UP OF CITIZENS WHO ARE REPRESENTING THE VOICES THEY HEAR IN THE COMMUNITY. HAVE THEY BEEN MEETING? ARE THEY CONTINUING TO BE MEETING? HAVE YOU GOT ALL THOSE SEATS FILLED UP?
HOW IS THAT GOING? >> GREAT TIMING BECAUSE WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING AND ASKING FOR -- SOLICITING FOR MEMBERS TO SUBMIT THEIR INTEREST FOR THIS.
IT'S THE COUNCIL TO KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING. SO WE TOOK A LITTLE LIBERTY THERE. BUT IT IS INDEED EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE MENTIONING,
[01:00:06]
CHAIRMAN. IT IS THE STONES COME AND HELP US WITH THOSE ENGAGEMENT PRO FORMAS AND THOSE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AND TO BE OUR EYES AND EARS AND THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THE SUCH.I BELIEVE THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NEXT WEEK BY THE 27TH, BUT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT YOUR OFFICES SHOULD BE RECEIVING SOME INFORMATION FROM OUR
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GROUP ABOUT THAT IN PARTICULAR. >> COURAGE: THAT'S GOOD.
I'VE GOT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER IN MY DISTRICT ALL THE TIME TO SERVE IN DIFFERENT AREAS. I'LL BE ABLE TO SUGGEST SOME PEOPLE.
I'M SURE ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL TOO. NOW, ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NORTH-SOUTH AND EVENTUALLY EAST-WEST LINES, THERE'S GOING TO BE CONNECTIONS AUTOPSY AND DOWN THOSE LINES.
HOW MANY, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE NORTH-SOUTH LINE, WHICH IS MORE DEVELOPED, HOW MANY CONNECTIONS WILL THERE BE FOR THE DIFFERENT ROUTES THAT ARE RUNNING EAST-WEST
THAT WILL INTERSECT WITH THAT NORTH-SOUTH LINE? >> SO THERE ARE OVER 30 ROUTES THAT INTERSECT NORTH-SOUTH. AND WHAT WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT, FOR EXAMPLE, WOODLAND AVENUE, THE ROUTE 90 INTERSECT.
SO WE LOOKED AT LOCATION OF STATIONS SO PEOPLE CAN EASILY TRANSFER AND HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE PREVENTION OF COLLISIONS. SO WE ARE LOOKING AND EACH AND EVERY INSTANCE WHERE OUR OWN UNDERLYING BUS SERVICE CUTS ACROSS.
>> COURAGE: I KNOW THAT EVEN TODAY THERE HAVE BEEN LINES THAT YOU CAN TAKE FROM THE WESTSIDE THAT WILL GET YOU UP TO NORTH STALL MALL OR DIRECTLY OR WOULD GET YOU OVER TO THE EASTSIDE DIRECTLY. THERE A LOT OF THOSE EXIST OR WILL THEY ALMOST ALWAYS ARE CHANGING AT THAT MAIN LINE GOING NORTH AND SOUTH
TO ANOTHER BUS TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO? >> SO AS A WHOLE IT IT WILL UNDERGO SOME CHANGES WITH THE BETTER BUS PLAN. IT'S NOT TO INTERRUPT ROUTES WHERE THE TRANSIT LINE IS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, ROUTE 99 THAT INTERSECTS, I WILL USE THE WORD INTERSECT RATHER THAN TERMINATE, SO THERE WILL BE ROUTES THAT WILL GO ACROSS AND THOSE ARE THE ROUTES AND NETWORKS THAT OUR VIA BETTER BUS PLAN IS GOING
TO LOOK INTO TO MAKE BETTER CONNECTIONS. >> WHERE WILL THERE BE ACTUAL LARGE TERMINALS WHERE PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY CHANGE BUSES?
>> SO FOR NORTH-SOUTH IT WILL BE AIRPORT CONNECTING TO ROUTE 7 OR STONE OAK AND THEN THERE'S A NORTH STAR MALL, THERE IS A LOT OF ACTIVITY, BASSE, THEN THERE IS A HILDEBRAND, ASHBY, WOODLAWN, DOWNTOWN -- THERE ARE AREAS THAT -- DOWNTOWN HAS GOOD SERVICE AND AS YOU GO SOUTH TO STEVES AND THEN THE ROUTE CONTINUES.
SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RIDER TO NOT ONLY USE THIS RAPID
TRANSIT, BUT GO TO OTHER AREAS OF TOWN. >> COURAGE: NOW, I THINK ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OR BELIEVE THAT WE'RE CLOSE TO A WAY OF GETTING ON A BUS. DO YOU HAVE ANY GUIDELINES THAT YOU'RE USING TO SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, NO ONE WHO LIVES INSIDE LOOP 410 WILL BE MORE THAN A FIVE MINUTE WALK FROM A BUS THAT THEY CAN GET ON. HAVE YOU DEVELOPED THAT KIND OF A MODEL? DO YOU KNOW IF THAT EXISTS AND CAN YOU EDUCATE US ABOUT THAT MAYBE AT ANOTHER MEETING? I UNDERSTAND NOW THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO BE PARKS AND PEOPLE WANT TO BE WITHIN EFFECTIVE MINUTES OF A PARK. I WOULD PEOPLE TO BE WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OF A STOP TO GET TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, BUT WITHOUT MAKING THREE BUS CHANGES, WHICH ENDS UP DISCOURAGING PEOPLE. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW YOU PROJECT THAT MODEL WILL COME TO BE WITH THE ART LINE. MAYBE IN A FUTURE MEETING.
>> IN A FUTURE MEETING WE'LL COME BACK. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE BEING UPDATED ON THIS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE, ITEM NUMBER 3, IS A BRIEFING ON STINSON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN.
SO JEFF, ARE YOU GOING TO THAT OR WILL SOMEBODY ELSE? OKAY, GOOD.
THANK YOU. >> YES, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS -- MY NAME IS TOM BARTLETT, I'M THE DEPUTY AVIATION DIRECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION. I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION
[01:05:03]
FOR YOU. I WENT A LITTLE TOO FAR. JUST TO SHOW YOU, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN, THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN, IS TO ESTABLISH A FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE FOR STINSON AIRPORT.THIS IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AND WE GENERALLY DO THESE ABOUT EVERY 10 YEARS. AND THE LAST ONE WAS COMPLETED IN MAY OF 2013. WE HAD SEVERAL PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS.
TWO OPEN HOUSES EVENTS, ONE WAS IN JANUARY WITH OVER 70 ATTENDEES, ONE IN SEPTEMBER, JUST LAST MONTH, WITH ABOUT 35. WE DID THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION BRIEFING IN JANUARY THAT THIS WAS COMING FORWARD.
WE DID SOME TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. WE HAD MET THREE TIMES WITH 10 OR MORE STAKEHOLDERS. AND HAD SOME STAKEHOLDER SURVEYS COMPLETED DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL 2022. THE PROCESS OF THIS WAS TO GATHER THE DATA, INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND THEN ANALYZE THE FACILITY REQUIREMENTS, WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE WILL NEED. AND THEN DEVELOP SOME ALTERNATIVES.
THE ALTERNATIVES INCLUDED WHAT THE AIRFIELD, THE RUNWAY, TAXIWAY COMPLEX WOULD BE AND THEN SOME DEVELOPMENT ON THE AIRFIELD OR ADJACENT TO THE AIRFIELD. AND THEN DEVELOP A PLAN. WE HAVE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHAT NEEDS TO BE BUILT. [INDISCERNIBLE] THAT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO TXDOT AND ALSO GOES THROUGH THE FAA.
AND WE'RE RIGHT AT THE POINT OF OUR FINAL REPORT RIGHT NOW.
THIS SHOWS THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN, THE ALTERNATIVES, THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WE WOULD HAVE. IF YOU LOOK OVER ON -- KIND OF ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PICTURE TOWARDS ROOSEVELT THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT ANTICIPATED THERE FOR HANGERS, FBO, WHICH IS A FIXED BASE OPERATOR, THAT'S THE GROUP THAT PROVIDES SERVICES FOR THE GENERAL AVIATION COMMUNITY.
AND CHAIRMAN, YOU MENTIONED A COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT RECEIVING INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC. WE DID RECEIVE MANY COMMENTS AND A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE THERE HAS BEEN INCORPORATED.
A LOT WANTED US TO BE DEVELOPING MORE TOWARDS ROOSEVELT.
THAT'S THE ROAD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PICTURE GOING NORTH AND SOUTH, UP AND SOUTH, AND ALSO THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR. THE DEVELOPMENT PRETTY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AIRFIELD, KIND OF THE YELLOW AREA.
SO THIS IS WHAT OUR STAKEHOLDERS HAD PUT FOR INPUT AND ALSO THE PUBLIC.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT -- WE HAVE THE THREE COLORS.
THE BLUE IS MORE OF A SHORT-TERM, AND THAT'S WHEN KIND OF PRESENT TO ABOUT A FIVE-YEAR PLAN. WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME INSTRUMENT APPROACH FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO APPROACH THE AIRPORT UNDER INSTRUMENT SYSTEMS. AND THEN ALSO JUST SOME INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE ZERO TO FIVE-YEAR TIME PERIOD. THE YELLOW WE'RE LOOKING AT MIDTERM. WE SAY ABOUT A SIX TO 10 YEAR DEVELOPMENT.
AND THAT'S LOOKING AT AGAIN SOME OF THAT IS CENTER FIELD DEVELOPMENT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE BLUE, WORKING ON A TAXIWAY, THE BLUE LONG LINE, AND THEN ALSO SOME DEVELOPMENT IN THE CENTER OF THE FIELD FOR SOME MORE HANGERS.
AND THEN OVER ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE THERE'S A LITTLE BLUE WHERE YOU CAN BUILD AT THE END OF ALL THOSE HANGERS, JUST ANOTHER HANGAR AND IN THAT SENSE.
JUST CONTINUING OUR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND REHAB ON THE FACILITY ON THE AIRFIELD.
>> COURAGE: [INDISCERNIBLE] SOME OF THAT BLUE.
IS THAT WHAT THAT IS? >> THAT'S COMING UP ON THE GREEN.
THE BLUE, THAT'S THE LONG LINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PICTURE.
>> IT'S AT THE END OF THE CROSS LINE, LOWER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE PICTURES, BLUE AT THE END OF THAT RUNWAY IT LOOKS LIKE. I WAS WONDERING IF --
>> THAT'S NOT A RUNWAY EXTENSION, THAT'S JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE LAND AND PROTECTING THE APPROACH SURFACE. THERE WILL BE SOME PURCHASE OF LAND IN THAT AREA. I THINK THERE'S THREE PARCELS OF LAND ESTIMATED AT ABOUT SIX ACRES. AND THEN GOING AND LOOKING AT THE GREEN, THAT'S MORE LONG-TERM. AND I'LL SAY THAT'S FROM 11 TO 20 YEARS OUT.
BUT IT'S -- IT'S 11 YEARS THAT'S THE GREEN OVER ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
THAT IS LOOKING AT AN EXTENSION OF THAT RUNWAY, THAT 927, EXTENDING IT ABOUT 1,000 FEET. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT AND IT ALSO INVOLVES MISSION ROAD, JUST SOME RELOCATION OF THE ROAD, AND THEN JUST SOME PROTECTION OF THE APPROACH SURFACE AS WELL. BUT THAT IS REALLY A LONG, LONG TERM OUT, MAY BE BEYOND
[01:10:05]
20 YEARS. YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THE GREEN, THAT'S MORE DEVELOPMENT ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE AIRPORT. MORE HANGARS AS DEMAND RISES. THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO IS GROWING QUITE A BIT, THERE MAY BE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND HANGARS, WHETHER IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED OR CORPORATE. NEXT STEPS WILL BE TO OBTAIN FORMAL APPROVAL FROM TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND FAA FOR THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN. THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL ON THE A SESSION ONCE THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN IS APPROVED BY THOSE TWO ENTITIES.THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS,
I'M HERE TO ANSWER. >> COURAGE: TOM, LET ME ASK YOU, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAJOR AIRPORT AND SAY LOOKING AT IMPROVEMENTS, OFTENTIMES WE LOOK AT THE FAA TO DO THE FUNDING OF MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THAT.
WHAT ABOUT AT STINSON? IS THERE FAA FUNDING THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE --
>> THERE IS, BUT IT PRETTY MUCH CHANNELS THROUGH TXDOT.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH TXDOT. A LOT OF FUNDING WILL COME FROM OUR REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVE AND GENERATE AT THE AIRPORT.
>> COURAGE: IS STINSON GENERATING SUBSTANTIAL REVENUE NOW OR DO WE ANTICIPATE IT WILL BE WITH IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE MAKING OR WHAT?
>> I THINK AS IMPROVEMENTS COME AND WE GAIN MORE TASK, YES, WE'LL BE GAINING MORE AND MORE REVENUES. BUT S.A.T. TO INTERNATIONAL DOES HELP SUPPORT STINSON.
>> COURAGE: SO IT DOESN'T REALLY PAY FOR ITSELF YET. >> THAT'S CORRECT.
SOME DAY IT WILL. >> COURAGE: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS? THANK YOU FORGIVING US THE UPDATE.
THE NEXT ITEM IS A BRIEFING BY THE ALAMO AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, AAMPO, ORGANIZATION MISSION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
PROCESS. >> THANK YOU. AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET NEW MEMBERS ON OUR TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, WE LIKE TO MAKE SURE THE NEW MEMBERS ARE BRIEFED ON SEVERAL OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES. ONE OF THOSE IS THE ALAMO AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION. I'LL BRING UP SID AND HE WILL GO THROUGH THE
PRESENTATION. >> COURAGE: ALL SET, SID? >> YES.
I MADE A COUPLE CHANGES AND I THINK WE PULLED UP THE WRONG ONE.
I'M SID MARTINEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALAMO AREA MPO.
I WAS HERE SIX MONTHS AGOEN I KNOW WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS SO MY APOLOGIES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HEARD THIS PRESENTATION BUT IT'S A GOOD PRESENTATION FOR EVERYONE ELSE. I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH HERE, TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT THE MPO, WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, HOW THE MPO IS FUNDED.
SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED OF OUR AGENCY AS WELL AS A CALL FOR PROJECTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE GOING ON AND SOME OF THE CAPABILITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT OUR STAFF PRODUCES. CONGRESS ACTUALLY CREATED MPOS IN THE 1970S IN ORDER TO GIVE LOCAL OFFICIALS A PLAN -- A SAY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS. WHERE THEY WERE BUILDING MAJOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS, MAJOR HIGHWAYS LIKE 35, I-10, 1604, AND SO A LOT OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE PRETTY UPSET THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SAY IN WHERE THOSE PROJECTS WERE BUILT, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, ACCESS TO THOSE FACILITIES, WHERE THE ACCESS WAS LOCATED. SO CONGRESS FELT THERE NEEDED TO BE SOME TYPE OF AGENCY THAT BROUGHT ALL THE LOCAL EBBET AT THIS TIME TOGETHER TO MAKE THOSE
[01:15:02]
IMPORTANT DECISIONS ON WHERE TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS WERE BEING INVESTED.SO WE ARE A FEDERALLY MANDATED AGENCY THAT GUIDES REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING INCLUDING ALLOCATING FEDERAL DOLLARS. WE ADMINISTER PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE MOBILITY, AIR QUALITY AND SAFETY FOR EVERYONE WHO HOOVES AROUND THIS COMMUNITY. OUR CURRENT BOUNDARY EXISTS OF ALL OF BEXAR, COMAL AND A PORTION OF KEN TALL COUNTY. IN 2020, THAT POPULATION WAS 2.4 MILLION.
WE HAVE 12,000 MILES OF LANE ROADWAYS AND PEOPLE LOG 57,000 VEHICLE MILES PER DAY. BY 2050 THAT POPULATION WILL ALMOST DOUBLE.
WE'LL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 LANE MILES AND MILLIONS OF VEHICLES TRAVELED PER DAY WILL ALMOST DOUBLE TO 116 MILLION. SO IT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE.
THE CHALLENGE WILL BE HOW WE CONTINUE TO MOVE PEOPLE IN THIS REGION WITHOUT ADDING TOO MUCH MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE MULTIMODAL SOLUTIONS. ALSO A POINT I WANT TO MAKE SURE, ALTHOUGH AS YOU KNOW BEXAR COUNTY IS A POPULATION AND JOB CENTER OF THIS REGION, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW GUADALUPE AND COMAL COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW AND MUCH HIGHER THAN BEXAR COUNTY ALONE. THE MPO BOUNDARIES OR BOARD IS LOOKING ON POSSIBLE EXPANSION. SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY PROBABLY EXPAND INTO ALL OF KENDALL COUNTY AND A PORTION OF MEDINA COUNTY AS WELL. THERE'S 23MP OS IN TEXAS, OVER 400 AROUND THE COUNTRY AND WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT IN SIZE, COMPLEXITY AND NATURE.
THE FIRST C BEING COOPERATIVE, MEANING NO SINGLE AGENCY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. COMPREHENSIVE MEANING WE ENCOMPASS ALL MODES OF SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND CONTINUOUS SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT PLANS AND PROJECTS AND UPDATING THOSE ON A VERY SPECIFIC CYCLE. THIS IS OUR BOARD AND COMMITTEE STRUCTURE FOR THE MPO. IT OVERSEES ALL THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION INCLUDING OUR STAFF. THEY ARE ADVISED BY A NINE-MEMBER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF STAFF FROM OUR PARTNER AGENCIES INCLUDING FOLKS FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALL THE CITIES AND COUNTIES WITHIN THE MPO. ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS THAT HELP COME UP WITH TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD TO UNDERTAKE.
WE ALSO HAVE AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE THAT LOOKS AT THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN NEEDS AS WELL. THEN WE HAVE A FEW OTHER COMMITTEES THAT ARE NOT STANDING COMMITTEES BUT ARE IN PLACE IN POLICIES AND CALLED UPON AS NEEDED TO HELP WITH THINGS LIKE LAND USE, FREIGHT, RAIL AND TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS.
THIS IS A LIST OF THE 21 MEMBERS ON OUR MPO TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD.
COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA IS CURRENTLY THE CHAIR AND WE WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE. OUR FIRST VICE CHAIR IS COMMISSIONER KEVIN WEBB.
ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE TO MAKE HERE IS THAT WE DO HAVE A ROTATION FOR THE CHAIR, CHAIR ELECT AND FIRST VICE CHAIR. EVERY TWO YEARS WE HAVE AN ELECTION. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL ALWAYS BE IN ONE OF THOSE THREE POSITIONS AND ROTATE AMONG THOSE POSITIONS. AS SOON AS COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA'S CHAIRMANSHIPS UP, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL KIND OF PUT UP A NAME FOR FIRST VICE CHAIR AND THAT PERSON WILL GO THROUGH THE RANKS OVER A TWO, FOUR, SIX-YEAR PERIOD. IN REGARD TO FUNDING SOURCES, THERE IS A FEW FUNDING SOURCES THAT OBVIOUSLY ARE USED TO FUND THE MAJOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS WITHIN THIS REGION. THE FIRST BEING THE FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE RECEIVE. THE MPO STAFF IS FUNDED THROUGH TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FUNDS. WE HAVE A 20-MEMBER STAFF. WE ALSO DO QUITE A BIT OF WORK WITH CONSULTANTS TO MOVE STUDIES FORWARD AND WE'LL GO OVER IN MORE DETAIL LATER. THAT COMES FROM PLANNING FUNDS SET ASIDE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEN THE REST OF THE FUNDING, OF COURSE, COMES FROM CONGRESS. AND SO WE ALL KNOW THAT WE PAY A FEDERAL FUEL TAX, IT'S ABOUT 18.4 CENTS PER GALLON. THAT MONEY GOES UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT'S PUT INTO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND AND THEN CONGRESS PASSES BILLS THAT FUND TRANSPORTATION OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS. RIGHT NOW THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT JOBS ACT AS IT'S FORMALLY
[01:20:03]
KNOWN WAS FORMED IN 2022, THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. SO THAT MONEY COMES DOWN OVER A SIX-YEAR PERIOD AND THEN, OF COURSE, CONGRESS WILL HAVE TO WORK ON EITHER EXTENDING THAT LAW OR CREATING A WHOLE NEW ONE AFTER THAT SIX-YEAR PERIOD IS OVER.STATE FUNDING USED TO MAKE UP A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE USE TO BUILD MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. IT IS NOW BY FAR THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE. FOR PROJECTS LIKE I-35 AND 1604. MOST OF THAT FUNDING TODAY IS COMING FROM STATE FUNDING. ABOUT 20% FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, 8 0% FROM THE STATE. THE STATE ALSO COLLECTS A STATE GAS TAX, 20 CENTS A GALLON, HAS NOT BEEN RAISED SINCE THE 1990S. THE STATE HAS INTRODUCED NEW FUNDING OPTIONS THAT WERE APPROVED BY VOTERS THAT NOW, AGAIN, CONTRIBUTE MORE MONEY TO TRANSPORTATION THAN THE STATE GAS TAX ALONE. SOME FUNDING COMES FROM THE OIL AND NATURAL GAS TAX. OTHER FUNDING COMES FROM SALES AND USE TAX ON MOTOR VEHICLES. THERE'S ALSO A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT APPROVED A FEW YEARS AGO THAT ALLOWS A PORTION OF THE RAINY DAY FUND TO FUND TRANSPORTATION AS WELL. IN TERMS OF LOCAL FUNDING, OF COURSE THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT IS A LOCAL SALES TAX THAT GOES TOWARDS TRANSPORTATION, AS WELL AS BEXAR COUNTY LEVEES A STATE MANDATED VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE AND ALSO HAS A LOCAL SALES OPTION OF $10 ADDITIONALLY THAT IS ALSO COLLECTED AND USED TO LEVERAGE PROJECTS LOCALLY. ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT COMES TO THIS REGION AT THE STATE LEVEL -- FROM THE STATE LEVEL OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOES THROUGH TXDOT AND THEN TO THE -- IS ALLOCATED TO THE MPO. THERE'S 12 FUNDING CATEGORIES THAT TXDOT VERY BROADLY WHERE THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS GO INTO AND THEY ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE CATEGORIES 5, 7 AND 9, ACTUALLY COME AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD.
SO THE BOARD MAKES DECISIONS ON WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE SPENT.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE SMALLER FUNDING CATEGORIES. THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ARE FUNDED THROUGH LIKE CATEGORIES 2, CATEGORY 12. THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THE MPO IN CONJUNCTION WITH TEXT GOT TOGETHER, BUT THE ONES HIGHLIGHTED IN RED OR AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD. FOR THE NON-ATTAINMENT RECORD IN THIS COUNTY, THE FIRST BEING THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM WHICH OUTLINES PLANNING STUDIES AND PROGRAMS FUNDED OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD, CONSULTANT STUDIES THAT ARE DONE THAT WILL BENEFIT THE REGION. THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION PLAN GUIDES ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS FOR THIS REGION OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD. IT OUTLINES THE VISIONS AND GOALS AND STRATEGIES THAT THE BOARD SEES FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR THE REGION.
AND THEN ALSO INCLUDES A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WILL BE FUNDED OVER THAT TIME.
THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS A SHORT-RANGE PLAN.
IT'S ONLY A FOUR-YEAR DOCUMENT. THIS SIGNALS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THE PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED ARE READY TO GO TO INSTRUCTION.
IF THE PUBLIC IS REALLY INTERESTED WHAT PROJECTS WILL BE MOVING FORWARD, THIS IS THE PROGRAM TO LOOK AT. BOTH THE MTP AND THE TIP ARE FINANCIALLY CONSTRAINED, MEANING WE CANNOT INCLUDE PRODUCTS IN THE DOCUMENTS IF WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS. IT'S NOT A WISH LIST FOR PROJECTS, IT'S A REALITY.
IF THEY ARE LISTED IN THESE PLANS, THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN THE LAST DOCUMENT IS A TRANSPORTATION [INAUDIBLE] DETERMINATION.
THIS IS FOR AREAS IN NON-ATTAINMENT. BEXAR COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THIS MPO REGION THAT IS A NON-ATTAINMENT AREA.
BECAUSE OF THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO THIS EXTRA WORK.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS JOB FOR 20 YEARS AND THIS HAS BEEN PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE AS A REGION OVER THIS 20-YEAR PERIOD. THE TRANSPORTATION CONFORMITY PROCESS IS A DIFFICULT ONE, DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL WE DO THAT WORK TO KEEP PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD.
THE UNIFIED PROGRAM OUTLINES OUR BUDGET AND REGIONAL PLAN STUDIES WE PLAN TO FUND OVER A TWO-YEAR TIME FRAME. OUR PREVIOUS DOCUMENT THAT JUST ENDED IN SEPTEMBER WAS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND 2023 AND FOCUSED ON RESILIENCY AND CURB MANAGEMENT AND FREIGHT. THEN THIS NEW WORK PROGRAM TOOK EFFECT OCTOBER 1ST, ADOPTED BY OUR BOARD IN JUNE AND WE'LL BE DOING SOME REGIONAL THOROUGHFARE PLANNING PLANNING AND TRAINING. THE WHOLE POINT OF THE
[01:25:03]
STUDIES THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THAT WORK IS TO INFORM THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A STUDY THAT LEADS TO FRUITION OF A PROJECT WOULD BE BACK IN THE EARLY 2,000S WE DO THE FIRST HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT STUDY FOR THE REGION. AND OUT OF THAT STUDY IT SHOWED FREDERICKSBURG ROAD WAS BY FAR THE BEST PLACE FOR A HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT PROJECT. YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T SAY EXACTLY WHAT IT SHOULD BE, SO WE TOOK IT TO THE NEXT PHASE AND THAT'S WHERE BRT CAME ABOUT AS BEING THE ALTERNATIVE FOR THAT CORRIDOR. YOU ARE TRYING TO INFORM THE PROJECTS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE BUILT FOR THE REGION.THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION PLAN IS OUR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN. AGAIN, IT'S A 20-YEAR DOCUMENT THAT'S UPDATED EVERY FOUR YEARS. SO IT DOES ANALYZE CURRENT TRENDS AND POPULATION, JOBS, HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND INCOME. THE MODE CHOICE PEOPLE ARE USING, WALKING, BIKING, USING A BUS OR DRIVING IN THEIR VEHICLE. IT PROJECTS WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE LIVING, WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE WORKING AND THAT INFORMS WHAT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD BE BUILT. AND SO THE PROJECT SELECTION IS GUIDED THROUGH THE DIVISION AND GOALS BY OUR POLICY BOARD AND THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT THAT GOES INTO THAT WORK AS WELL.
THE TIP IS OUR FOUR-YEAR DOCUMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
IT -- PROJECTS LISTED HAVE CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS TIED TO THEM.
IT IS DEVELOPED WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AND IT IS UPDATED EVERY TWO YEARS.
WE DID RECENTLY HAVE A CALL FOR PROJECTS FOR THREE MPO FUNDING PROGRAMS. THERE IS A REQUIRED 20% LOCAL MATCH FOR THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED TO US. UNFORTUNATELY THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE ALREADY PASSED, BUT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING PUBLIC OUTREACH AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ON PROJECTS SUBMITTED TO US. OF COURSE, SAN ANTONIO DID HAVE A FEW PROJECTS.
THIS IS A REIMBURSABLE PROGRAM SO THE LOCALS PUT UP THE FUNDING FIRST AND THEN REIMBURSED AS THE PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD. PROJECTS THAT ARE PROGRAMMED OR SELECTED THROUGH THIS CALL WILL BE PROGRAMMED IN FISCAL YEAR 25 THROUGH 2028.
THERE'S THREE FUNDING SOURCES TIED TO THIS PROJECT.
MONEY THAT IS GIVEN TO AREAS THAT ARE IN NON-ATTAINMENT FOR FAILING TO MEET AIR QUALITY STANDARDS. SINCE BEXAR COUNTY IS THE ONLY NON-ATTAINMENT COUNTY IN THIS REGION, IT'S ONLY FOR PROJECTS IN BEXAR COUNTY AND IT IS FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPROVE EMISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THE WHOLE POINT BEING TRYING TO GET US BACK INTO ATTAINMENT STATUS. SO WE GET ABOUT $22 MILLION A YEAR THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND AGAIN WE'RE DOING A FOUR-YEAR CALL, SO ABOUT $80 MILLION AVAILABLE.
THE CARBON REDUCTION PROGRAM IS A NEW FUNDING CATEGORY RECENTLY CREATED THROUGH THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW. WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR SOME GUIDANCE ON HOW EXACTLY THOSE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE -- PROJECTS SHOULD BE PROGRAMMED. HOWEVER, WE'RE ATTRIBUTING IT KIND OF LIKE CONGESTED AIR QUALITY PROJECTS FOR THE THREE THREE AND A HALF COUNTIES.
BASICALLY IT LOOKS LIKE THE WHOLE POINT IS TO REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND TO REDUCE EMISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MPO BOUNDARY. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GETTING ABOUT $15 MILLION A YEAR IN THAT PROGRAM AS WELL. TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES IS FOR BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN-TYPE PROJECTS. WE GET ABOUT $7 MILLION IN THAT CATEGORY. SO ALL TOGETHER IT'S ABOUT $120 MILLION CALL, WHICH I KNOW SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHEN YOU START DOING THOSE PROJECTS IT GOES QUICKLY. THE PROJECT CALL OFFICIALLY BEGAN ON MAY 1.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF LETTING INPUT ON THOSE PROJECTS.
WE ARE DOING PUBLIC MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. WE JUST HAD ONE IN BEXAR COUNTY LAST WEEK. WE'LL BE IN NEW BRAUNFELS TOMORROW NIGHT.
AND SO PROJECT SELECTION WILL OCCUR BY THE BOARD. BUT THEY WILL GET INPUT FROM, AGAIN, THE PUBLIC, THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE SCORES THOSE PROJECTS AND WE ALSO ASK AGENCIES SUBMITTING MULTIPLE PROJECTS TO US TO GIVE US THEIR PRIORITY, THAT WAY WE KNOW WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT. ALL THOSE THINGS INFORM THE BOARD. THIS IS A TIME LINE FOR THAT CALL FOR PROJECTS.
WE OFFICIALLY BEGAN THAT CALL ON MAY 1ST. WE HELD INFORMATION WORKSHOPS IN MAY AS WELL. MAY THROUGH JUNE WE ASKED, OF COURSE, ALL THE AGENCIES THAT WERE LOOKING TO SUBMIT PROJECTS TO DEVELOP THOSE PROJECTS AND COME UP WITH LOCAL MATCHES. PROJECTS WERE DUE TO US ON AUGUST 1ST.
IN SEPTEMBER OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE SCORED THOSE PROJECTS. AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT NOW IN OCTOBER. AND WE DO EXPECT THE BOARD TO SELECT THOSE PROJECTS IN DECEMBER. TRANSPORTATION CONFORMITY AS
[01:30:06]
I MENTIONED EARLIER IS A DOCUMENT THAT'S REQUIRED ALL OF THE NON-ATTAINMENT AREAS WITHIN THE COUNTRY. THE WHOLE POINT OF THESE DOCUMENTS IS TO ENSURE THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE BUILDING IN TOTALITY, NOT INDIVIDUALLY, IN TOTALITY ARE NOT GOING TO WORSEN THE AIR. SO THE MIX OF PROJECTS YOU DO IS IMPORTANT. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T JUST HAVE HIGHWAY PROJECTS OR PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO SINGLE SINGLE OCCUPANCY USE.YOU WANT PROJECTS LIKE CARPOOLING AND TRANSIT PROJECTS WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. WE'RE OPENING SOME OF THE FIRST HIGH OCCUPANCY LANES ON 1604, I-10, 35. THEY ARE OPENING SLOWLY AND WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF USAGE RIGHT NOW MAINLY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT A SYSTEM OF HOV LANES AT THIS POINT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO BUILD THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THAT'S THE VISION FOR THE REGION. SO THIS IS, AGAIN, A VERY CUMBERSOME PROCESS.
ALL OF THE REGULATIONS ON THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE FOR BEING NON-ATTAINMENT ARE PUT ON THE MPO. IT'S OUR MODEL AS AND PLANS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THESE REGULATIONS. AN IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE HERE IS -- I KNOW THIS CHART IS PROBABLY A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT WE JUST WANT TO SHOW THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK BECAUSE WE'RE NON-ATTAINMENT THAT OUR AIR IS GETTING WORSE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OUR AIR IS GETTING WORSE, IT'S THAT THE REGULATIONS KEEP GETTING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY EVALUATES WHERE THOSE STANDARDS SHOULD BE AND SO OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THEY'VE REDUCED THEM QUITE A BIT AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAS CREATED OR REQUIRED US TO NOW BEING A NON-ATTAINMENT AREA. WE WERE FIRST DESIGNATED IN 2018. WE HAD THREE COMES TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
THERE'S THREE LEVELS. MARGINAL, MODERATE AND SEVERE.
SO WE NOW HAVE THREE MORE YEARS TO TRY TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
IF WE DO NOT, WE WILL BE BUMPED UP TO SEVERE. AND, OF COURSE, THE REGULATIONS GET MORE STRICT AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT DESIGNATIONS.
AGAIN, NOT TO GET TOO TECHNICAL, BUT BASICALLY WHAT WE DO WE HAVE A TRAVEL DEMAND MODEL FOR THE REGION. IT FORECASTS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND WORK OR USES A BASE YEAR WHERE WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE LIVING AND WORKING. SO BASICALLY THE EMISSIONS ANALYSIS THAT IS DONE WE DO ONE PART HERE WITHIN OUR IN-HOUSE AT THE MPO AND SHIP THAT OFF TO THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE WHERE THEY RUN AN EMISSIONS ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE ALL THE PROJECTS IN TOTALITY IN THE REGION ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING MORE EMISSIONS IN THE FUTURE. I THINK ONE OF MY LAST SLIDES HERE, JUST IN TERMS OF THE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AND CAPABILITIES OF THE MPO, WE DO OBVIOUSLY IN DOING TRIAL DEMAND MODELING AND AIR QUALITY WORK REQUIRES A LOT OF MAPPING AS WELL AS, OF COURSE, OUR LONG-RANGE AND SHORT-RANGE PLAN.
WE HAVE A VERY SOPHISTICATED OR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM WHERE WE GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WE HELP WITH BICYCLE RODEOS. WE OUTFIT CHILDREN WITH BIKE HELMETS. WE TRY TO TEACH BICYCLE SAFETY CLASSES FOR ADULTS AS WELL SO PEOPLE KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND ENGAGING SAFELY WHEN THEY ARE OUT THERE ON THOSE FACILITIES. WE HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO RIDE THE BUS OR CARPOOL. WE HAVE AN APP CALLED ALAMO COMMUTES THAT DOES GIVE PRIZES FOR FOLKS THAT LOG THEIR MILES THROUGH THE ALAMO COMMUTES APP. AND SO OUR WHOLE GOAL IS TO TRY TO MAKE THAT OBVIOUSLY MORE KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE'LL BE DOING SOME RADIO ADS AND BILLBOARD ADS SOON TO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT ON. THAT I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. >> COURAGE: IT WAS. THANKS, SID.
[LAUGHTER] LET ME JUST FOCUS ON THE AIR QUALITY ISSUE.
OKAY? AND I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO TELL US EGGER WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF ALL THE FUNDING COMMITMENTS WE ARE MAKING TOWARDS IMPROVING THE AIR QUALITY IN SAN ANTONIO.
WHAT PROJECTS THEY ARE, WHAT OUTCOMES WE MIGHT HOPE FOR FOR THOSE.
SO THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE WE MIGHT BE GOING. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT WOULD BE I THINK IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE GOING TO BE THE CONSEQUENCES IF WE CONTINUE TO BE IN NON-ATTAINMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE HEARD THERE'S GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL AUTOMOTIVE TESTING, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHAT'S COMING OUT OF OUR TAILPIPES AND THINGS. UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE
[01:35:01]
DOING WOULD I THINK BE IMPORTANT FOR US AS A COUNCIL TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN THEY START SAYING, WELL, HOW COME WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR TAILPIPES INSPECTED? WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THIS? SO IF YOU COULD PUT THAT TOGETHER FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES GOING DOWN THE LINE AND MAYBE THEY GET WORSE AND WORSE AS WE GO ALONG. I THINK WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THATPARTICULAR ASPECT OF WHAT AAMPO IS DOING. >> WE CAN DO THAT.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS TRYING TO HELP REDUCE EMISSIONS, THE REALITY IS WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE MOVING TO THIS AREA ON A DAILY BASIS, EVEN IF YOU ARE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO WHAT IS ON THE GROUND TODAY, YOU ARE JUST ADDING TO THOSE. THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE AND THERE'S BEEN AREAS LIKE HOUSTON AND DALLAS THAT HAVE BEEN IN NON-ATTAINMENT FOR DECADES.
THEY ARE PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF NON-ATTAINMENT.
AND WE MAY NOT EITHER, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT COULD BE THE PROTECTION.
BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, THERE'S CONSEQUENCES THE FURTHER WE GO DOWN AND IT'S IMPORTANT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS. WE'LL BE SURE TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT
TOGETHER. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.
COUNCILWOMAN. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR 2 PRESENTATION.
IT WAS A LOT OF HELPFUL INFORMATION. I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD HELP FUND BANDERA ROAD UNDER THE CMAC FUNDS? I'M NOT GOING TO STOP,
SORRY. >> SO THERE'S DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
I'M NOT SURE IF CMAC WOULD BE THE RIGHT FIT FOR BANDERA ROAD.
WE HAVE ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE THAT IS THE LARGEST FLEXIBLE FUNDING SOURCE, SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, AND THAT CAN BE USED ON ANYTHING FROM A TRANSIT PROJECT TO A BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN OR HIGHWAY PROJECT.
AND SO WE WILL BE DOING A CALL FOR PROJECTS WITH THOSE FUNDS NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS OUR IT'S ABOUT $65 MILLION A YEAR. AND THEN WE CAN AUGMENT THAT OR TRY TO USE SOME OF THE OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE THAT PROJECT FORWARD. I MEAN I THINK TXDOT IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND LEON VALLEY TO MAKE SURE WE
MOVE THAT PROJECT FORWARD. >> GAVITO: WHEN IS THAT CALL FOR PROJECTS?
>> LIKELY NEXT SPRING. WE'LL START IT AT THAT POINT AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME, PLENTY OF NOTICE. >> GAVITO: WE'RE ALL JUST
SITTING FOREVER AND OUR CARS ARE JUST IDLING. >>
>> TXDOT IS WORKING ON AN ENGINEERING STUDY RIGHT NOW. IT'S TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE PROJECT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND I THINK UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE PROJECT SHOULD LOOK
LIKE, WE CAN'T COME UP WITH A COST ESTIMATE. >> GAVITO: THEY HAVE THEIR CONCEPTS. WE SAW THREE OR FOUR CONCEPTS IN ONE THAT WAS LIKELY TO BE -- THAT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT WAS OKAY WITH LEON VALLEY AND THEY HAD A LOT OF INPUT SESSIONS. I WAS SURPRISE TO LEARN IT'S STILL AN UNFUNDED PROJECT. SO WE'RE NOT EVEN -- THE NEXT BIG HURDLE IS LIKE FIGURING OUT THE YOU CAN ABOUT ET CETERA OF MONEY, WHICH IS WHY I WAS ASKING
THIS QUESTION -- BUCKETS OF MONEY. >> IT IS A TXDOT PROJECT, IT'S A STATE HIGHWAY. THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO SUBMIT IT TO US, BUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN BE A PARTNER FUNDING-WISE WHETHER THROUGH THE MPO OR YOUR OWN FUNDING. I BELIEVE TXDOT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.
I KNOW IT'S SLOW BUT THESE PROJECTS TAKE A LOT OF TIME. >> GAVITO: THEY'VE BEEN
SETTING IT SINCE 1996 OR 7. >>
CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND MPO 1 VERY STRONG. I'M HONORED TO BE THE CHAIR RIGHT NOW OF MPO AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TIME FOR ME TO BE PART OF -- EVEN JUST PART OF MPO.
I THINK IN THE NEXT -- IT'S A FACT IN THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS OR SO, ESPECIALLY THE I-35 CORRIDOR IS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT RAIL, ALL THESE REALLY INTERESTING THINGS. I'LL TELL YOU FROM DAY ONE OF MPO, I'VE BEEN HEARING BANDERA FROM DISTRICT 7, THAT'S A VERY CONSISTENT MESSAGE FROM THAT AREA. AND I THINK A LOT OF THE RELATIONSHIP AND CLOSENESS NOT JUST BETWEEN MPO THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BECOME A LOT TIGHTER.
IN THESE 25 SLIDES, IN SOME WAYS IT JUST SCRATCHES THE SURFACE OF WHAT MPO DOES.
A PREDECESSOR OF MINE, RAY LOPEZ, TOLD ME THE MAIN THING IS LEARN THE ACRONYMS. THERE'S SO MANY LETTERS INVOLVED HERE. AND I STILL HAVEN'T LEARNED
[01:40:03]
THEM ALL. SO ANOTHER PERSON ON MPO, FORMER COMMISSIONER KEVIN WOLFF, TOLD ME REMEMBER WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN MONEY. I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE ALL THIS MONEY AND ALLOCATING IT. WE'RE GETTING FEDERAL DOLLARS. WE'RE HAVING TO SCRAP FOR THEM.THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE BASICS AT MPO THAT I LEARNED EARLY ON.
I STILL HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF. WE DON'T HAVE A POT OF MONEY SITTING THERE. WE HAVE TO FIND THESE -- ALLOCATE THESE MONIES.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE -- ESPECIALLY AT MPO, IT'S THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS ONE COG IN THE BIGGER MACHINE. WE HAVE ALL THE REGIONS, WE'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY EXPANDING AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF ALL THE POPULATION GROWTH. SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME TO BE THERE.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, SID. I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER TRANSPORTATION IS -- AND MPO WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IS ACCESS, ACCESS TO WORK, TO SCHOOL, TO HEALTH CARE, ACCESS TO FOOD. I MEAN ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED. AND EVERY MORNING WHEN WE OPEN OUR FRONT DOORS, THAT'S TRANSPORTATION. RIGHT? NO MATTER HOW YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE GOING, BIKE, WALK, VEHICLE. EVEN TO AIR QUALITY.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND I THINK THAT WE DO A GOOD JOB OF GETTING THINGS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN ME, THE CITY AND THE MPO AS A WHOLE.
SO I WANT TO JUST QUICKLY TOUCH ON RAIL. I MENTIONED IT AT OUR JOINT MEETING WITH CAMPO AND SURPRISINGLY EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING GOT TENSE, I GOT A LOT GOT A LOT OF CALLS. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH AUSTIN, SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
I THINK THERE IS AN APPETITE FOR IT. WE TALK ABOUT BILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS, THAT'S IT. AND I THINK THE EXCITING THING ABOUT MPO, WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS. SO I APPRECIATE IT.
YOU ARE THE BACKBONE OF IT ALL AND THE BRAIN PROBABLY TOO.
YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THINGS AS BUCKETS OF MONEY. MOSTLY CHIMING IN JUST TO JOKE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD EISENHOWER, RITTIMAN. THANK YOU.
>> WE RELY ON THE PARTNER AGENCIES TO BRING THOSE PROJECTS FORWARD.
WHEN WE DO THESE CALLS FOR PROJECTS, OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, KATHERINE AND HER GROUP WILL PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF PROJECTS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER. YOU WILL PRIORITIZE THEM AND THE MPO WILL MAKE THE DECISIONS. AGAIN, THERE'S PLENTY OF FUNDING -- I SHOULDN'T SAY PLENTY OF FUNDING. THERE IS NOT PLENTY OF FUNDING.
[LAUGHTER] THERE ARE PLENTY OF NEEDS AND SO OBVIOUSLY THE CHALLENGE IS HOW YOU PRIORITIZE THOSE. EVEN WITH THE MPO BOARD MOVES FORWARD WITH. THERE'S SO MANY NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE THREE AND A HALF COUNTIES, SOON TO BE PROBABLY FOUR AND A HALF COUNTIES OF THE MPO.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I'LL NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE'RE DESENSITIZED TO MONEY NOW AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS VERY CONSISTENTLY AND ARPA FUNDING AND ALL THE THINGS. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE'RE TALKING A LITTLE MONEY OR A LOT OF MONEY OR NOT ENOUGH MONEY, WHAT'S CLEAR TO ALL OF US IS THAT OUR NEED ALWAYS OUTPACES THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AND WE APPRECIATE ANY EFFORTS TO BRING MORE AND MORE MONEY INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WILL NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT I THINK THE ONLY PERSON NOT REPRESENTED IN THE GROUP. I'M LEFT OUT OF THE GROUP CHAT.
[LAUGHTER] AND SO I WILL GLADLY SHARE MY COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS WITH
YOU ALL. THANK YOU. >> ONE MORE CHALLENGE I WILL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE WE GET A BLANK CHECK WITH ALL OF THESE DOLLARS.
IT'S VERY SPECIFIC USES. THE FUNDING THAT WE GET CAN ONLY BE USED ON HIGHWAYS, CAN ONLY BE USED ON TRANSIT, ON BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES.
SO THE CHALLENGE IS JUST -- IT'S NOT LIKE A COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE OF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WITH ONE BLANK CHECK SO THAT'S ALSO A CHALLENGE.
AT SOME POINT WE PROBABLY WANT TO LOBBY, THE MPO CANNOT LOBBY BUT OTHER ENTITIES CAN. ESPECIALLY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
LIKE I SAID, THERE'S RECORD INVESTMENTS IN TRANSPORTATION ON THE STATE SIDE, BUT IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO WHERE IT CAN BE USED AND MOST OF IT IS HIGHWAYS.
THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER, ESPECIALLY FOR A CITY LIKE SAN ANTONIO THAT
[01:45:04]
HAS SOME VERY HIGH-END MULTIMODAL NEEDS. AND SO AT SOME POINT THAT'S THE POINT WE WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEARLY IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY ON HOW WE ALLOCATE DOLLARS WITHIN OUR REGION.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YOU KEEP SAYING MORE AND MAKES ME WANT TO SAY MORE.
I'LL ADD SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS MY DISTRICT HEAVILY AND I WANT TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE, ESPECIALLY WITH YOU ALL'S ELEVATED ROLES. THE TRAIN, WE HAVE SO MANY CORRIDORS IMPACTED BY TRAINS IN MY DISTRICT AND THAT LEADS TO INCREASED TRAFFIC AND IDLING, ALL OF THE THINGS. I HAD SOMEBODY CALL MY FIELD OFFICE AT 4:55 OR SOMETHING ON A FRIDAY AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, I AM AT THE TRAIN AND IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS TEN MINUTES. THEY CALLED AGAIN IN 15 MORE MINUTES AND THEN 30 MINUTES LATER, ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AND THEY ARE STILL AT THE TRAIN TRACKS.
THEY CALLED FIVE MINUTES AFTER THAT AND SAID FINALLY THE TRAIN HAS PASSED.
WHILE IT'S NOT MY OFFICE, IT'S STILL SOMETHING WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT.
UNION PACIFIC IS NOT VERY RESPONSIVE. SO WHATEVER OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE THERE, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO PLEASE BRING SOME RESOURCES TO THE EAST SIDE. THANK YOU. AND THE NORTHEAST.
THANK YOU. >> QUICK QUESTION. HOW EXACTLY DOES THAT ALIGNMENT WORK WITH LIKE WHAT THE CITY MAYBE ALREADY DOING IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
ARE THINGS MOVED AROUND, FOR EXAMPLE YOU MIGHT BE PUTTING BIKE LANES ON A SPECIFIC STREET. HOW DOES THAT COORDINATION WORK?
>> AGAIN, WEIGH -- WE RELY ON THE AGENCIES. THE MPO DOES NOT DRAW LINES ON A MAP OR CREATES PROJECTS. IT RELIES ON ALL OF THE AGENCIES TO SUBMIT THOSE PROJECTS TO US. I DON'T KNOW IF KATHERINE WANTS TO -- I'M SURE THAT THE CITY WORKS EITHER IN CONJUNCTION WITH TXDOT IF IT'S A STATE FACILITY OR MAKE SURE -- AGAIN, WE HAVE A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MADE UP OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTORS, ENGINEERS, PLANNERS FROM ALL THOSE AGENCIES. TOGETHER THEY ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECTS
ON THE GROUND AND WHAT'S PLANNED. >> KAUR: THE HYPOTHETICAL I WAS THINKING IN MY HEAD WAS WE SUBMIT A PROJECT AND IT GETS FUNDED BY AAMPO, BUT
THAT STREET IS ON MUCH LATER. >> THAT'S PART OF OUR PROCESS AND YOU'LL SEE BEING A MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE WHEN IT'S TIME FOR A CALL FOR PROJECTS, WE WILL LOOK AT THAT AND COME UP WITH A SET OF PROPOSALS AS TO WHAT THINGS SENSE AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER TO SAY THAT
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THIS REASON. >> KAUR: OR WE CAN MOVE
THINGS BASED ON WHETHER WE GET FUNDING FROM THEM. >> WE CAN, BUT THOSE ARE ALL PART OF -- WE START GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES SENSE BASED ON THE BUCKETS OF MONEY AND HOW THEY LINE UP AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU. THANKS, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: JUST ON THE RAILROAD ISSUE, WE HAD A PRESENTATION UNION PACIFIC -- WAS IT -- COUPLE MONTHS. AND I DID BRING UP, COUNCILMAN, THE NEED TO MAYBE COME HERE AND TALK WITH US TO HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION.
THE GUY WAS TALKING ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOT MORE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT. AND I DID OFF LINE TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS.
I KNOW IT'S A FUTURE, BUT IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER REQUESTING HIM COME SPEAK TO
US, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> I THINK WE HAVE IT
SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONTH. >> COURAGE: AND SO I WOULD JUST SAY IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU THINK SHOULD COME THROUGH THE COMMITTEE AND YOU WANT US TO DISCUSS THOSE, LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL TRY AND FIT THEM ALL IN.
AND I'M JUST GOING GOING TO TRY AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS A SHEDS UP ON WHAT'S GOING TO BE COMING DOWN THE LINE. BUT I THINK THAT'S IT FOR TODAY. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.