Home | Transportation Vision and Strategies for the 21st Century (Continued)

Transportation Vision and Strategies for the 21st Century (Continued)

Global Climate Change Strategies

Global climate change has become a political, economic, and environmental fact of life. To make a positive contribution on the issue of global climate change, transportation policies are needed to reduce dependence on foreign oil, reduce energy consumption, and reduce travel demand. Actions to reduce transportation CO2 emissions, from cars, trucks, and air travel, will be especially important:

  1. Support the President’s goal to reduce oil consumption by 20 percent in 10 years.

  2. Double the fuel efficiency of new passenger cars and light trucks by 2020, and the entire fleet by 2030.

  3. Double transit ridership by 2030, and significantly expand the market share of passengers and freight moved by rail.

  4. Reduce the projected growth in vehicle miles traveled (VMT)—from three trillion in 2006 to five trillion, rather than seven trillion, by 2055.

  5. Reduce the percentage of commuters who drive alone to 1980 levels, and increase the percentage of those who ride transit, car pool, walk, bike, or work at home.

Federal Funding Strategies

If we are to have a national transportation system, it is imperative that the federal government play a strong role in the financing as well as the direction of the national system.

With a $2.5 billion cutback in the highway program looming in FY2009, Congress must find ways to assure that revenues sufficient to preserve full funding of SAFETEA-LU authorizations are provided.

By FY2010, the threatened cutback in the highway program will come to over $18 billion. The Congress and the new President must agree on a highway and transit reauthorization package which avoids this short-term cutback and restores the program’s purchasing power. A fuel tax increase plus indexing is one possible source for the
increase needed.

Congress and the new Administration should also agree on an important policy principle. To provide the transportation funding needed to keep America competitive and meet national needs, all levels of government must continue to fund their share. Federal and state-local transportation capital funding shares of 45 and 55 percent, respectively, should be continued.

Tolling and Public–Private Partnerships

Tolling and public–private partnerships are important elements of the overall investment picture where they are crafted appropriately to assure protection of the public interest. With supportive Federal and state policies, their share of highway revenues can increase from 5 percent in 2007 to 7 percent of the total by 2015.

Innovative Finance­—State and Local Government Funding

This includes use of finance mechanisms such as municipal bonds, GARVEE bonds, TIFIA, Private Activity Bonds and State Infrastructure Banks, as well as new tools. In later funding cycles, Congress should further increase Highway Trust Fund revenues, to be matched by increases in capital investment at the state and local levels.

Safety Strategies

Today’s highway death toll of over 43,000 annually can be cut in half through a series of safety actions.

  • The decision by U.S. DOT Secretary Mary Peters mandating electronic stability control on all vehicle models from 2012 forward can result in as many as 9,600 lives being saved annually, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

  • Insisting on a “get tough” policy in highway construction work zones for speeding and impaired drivers, where over 1,000 are being killed annually, including contractor and state DOT employees, could save 500 lives per year.

  • Some 16,000 lives are lost annually due to drunk driving. Passing tougher legislation, such as requiring ignition interlocks for anyone convicted of a DUI (Driving Under the Influence), could save 5,000 lives each year, and could eliminate drunk driving in 25 years, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

  • Enacting primary seat belt laws to achieve a 90 percent rate of seat belt usage could save 8,000 lives annually, according to NHTSA.

  • Lane departure warnings, collision avoidance systems and other advanced technologies such as those made possible through the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) program, could save 5,000 lives per year based on research funded through the
    U.S. DOT.

  • Creating a national network of separate truck-only lanes and moving traffic to Interstate-quality roadways with lower fatality rates could save as many as 3,000 lives per year.

  • Recent research through the National Academy of Science shows that significant increases in investments in roadway safety improvements, such as median cable barriers and rumble strips, could save 4,000 lives per year.

  • Senior-friendly signage and lane markings, graduated licensing for teenagers, safer bike paths and sidewalks encouraged by Safe Routes to Schools could combine to save 1,000 lives per year.

  • With motorcycle accidents causing 10 percent of today’s fatalities, and the rate growing by double digits annually, aggressive countermeasures such as mandatory helmet laws are needed.

The challenge is to find additional steps to advance this goal.

Highway System Strategies

The first two steps to achieving the highway system the nation needs for the future are to preserve and modernize the system built during the past century, and to improve performance through the application of advanced systems management techniques and ITS technologies. Once those steps are taken, and as many trips as possible are shifted to transit and rail, what remains is adding the new highway capacity needed. It is estimated that 50 percent of today’s congestion can be attributed to a lack of capacity.

New regions—particularly in the West and South—need new roads, or upgrades to existing roads, to adequately interconnect with other regions, rural areas, and parks and recreational opportunities. A recent study by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program found that to accomplish this, 12,400 lane-miles should be added to rural parts of the National Highway System (NHS). In addition, 40,000 lane-miles are needed to expand the existing 135,000 lane-miles of rural Interstates. Another 6,000 lane-miles should be added to existing NHS routes that already exceed capacity or are expected to in the future. Substantial improvement is also required to the vital network of state and local roads below the level of the NHS.

Transit Strategies

Another element of the future transportation system is to at least double transit ridership by 2030, and develop a plan to double it again by 2050.

A bold strategy is needed to add capacity, including modernization and expansion of subway systems and commuter rail systems in major markets. New light rail systems should be funded and built. Many communities will look to bus rapid transit to expand service and enhance their bus operations. The aging of America is expected to create a huge demand for both fixed-route and paratransit services, requiring improved paratransit services in cities, suburbs, and rural areas.

Intercity Bus Needs. Additional funds will be needed to expand intercity bus services to rural communities. Demand for over-the-road charter bus services will flourish for tours and tourism as the Baby Boom generation hits retirement.

Supportive Land Use. A key element in achieving significant growth in transit ridership is ensuring that development facilitates transit use.

Metropolitan Mobility Strategies

Between 1955 and 2005, the number of people living in metropolitan areas in this country increased from 85 million to 225 million. Thirty years later it is expected to reach nearly 300 million, making metropolitan areas the center of economic growth.

Meeting metropolitan needs requires a multi-modal approach which preserves what has been built to date, improves system performance, and adds substantial capacity in highways, transit, rail, seaports, and airports. It requires giving freight and regional passenger rail service higher priority. It requires the synchronization of transportation, land use, energy, and environmental policies. Finally, it requires the use of advanced technologies, a quantum increase in investment, accelerating project approvals, and inter-jurisdictional collaboration.

Urban Highway Capacity Needed. To reduce current congestion and meet future needs, 40,000 lane-miles should be added to the existing 75,000 urban Interstate lane-miles. An additional 50,000 lane-miles should be added to urban segments of the NHS. Finally, 8,000 centerline miles of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes will be needed.

Mega-Regions—Connected by High-Speed Rail. Most metropolitan growth and economic expansion is projected to take place in 10 mega-regions like the Northeast from Washington, D.C. to Boston. Recognizing the strategic importance of these regions, actions are needed to maximize what they can do for America’s ability to compete globally. High-speed rail is ideally suited to connect enterprises in these mega-regions across distances of 100 to 400 miles. By 2030, reliable corridor passenger rail service should be built in all 10 mega-regions.

Getting Government Regulations Out of the Way. Some Federal laws and regulations needlessly stand in the way of transportation solutions. They should be modified to achieve the same objectives, only in ways that work better and faster.

Non-Metropolitan Mobility. The non-metropolitan areas of this country also will have an important role in the nation’s future. Growth in these areas over 30 years is projected to reach nearly 20 million people, with mobility needs growing as well. The national highway network which connects America north, south, east, and west, cannot function without the support it receives from these areas.

Railroad Strategies

Although the freight rail market share is forecast to decline, it can instead increase by 2040. At least two things are needed to help make this possible—adding capacity and increasing demand. For example, rail intermodal volume could increase by over 200 percent between 2007 and 2040. Carrying more long-haul loads by rail will help truck-load carriers who face a driver shortage, and will reduce truck traffic on the highways.

Public–Private Investment in rail improvements should be made by states, cities, and counties in partnership with the railroads when it is justified based on public benefit.

Intercity Passenger Rail Service in North America can provide the traveling public with a genuine transportation alternative. Passenger rail service which is well connected to other transportation modes and systems, including commuter rail and other public transit alternatives, will further enhance its utility. Establishing such a system requires planning processes, systems design and engineering and technology advancement that support the vision of regional and national connectivity. As a first step, Congress should enact a national system of intercity passenger rail, including resolution of Amtrak’s role, and fund pilot projects to demonstrate the feasibility of high-speed passenger rail service. These objectives must recognize the necessity of expanding freight capacity and service while expanding passenger rail service. Research and innovative operational practices can produce safe and reliable services for all customers. Passenger and freight rail must continue to grow and, where necessary to maintain the efficiency of freight movement and expand passenger rail service, public investment should be provided to establish additional and separate infrastructure. A strong federal role is essential in funding expansion of intercity passenger rail service.

Advanced Technology and Innovation Strategies

Advances in technology will be responsible for much of the success achieved in highway, transit, and rail systems. Vehicles equipped with collision avoidance and lane departure systems can eliminate crashes. Delays caused by construction and weather can be managed through advanced notice to travelers. Vehicles can be equipped with safety, business and entertainment features, such as adaptive cruise control, and advanced mapping systems. Roads and bridges can be built with long-lasting, high-performance materials. GPS and laser-guided earthmovers whose work is guided by three-dimensional software programs can accelerate project completion. High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes can provide premium service to motorists in congested areas willing to pay for faster service.

Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII). A partnership between Federal and state DOTs and the automobile industry to deploy new vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-roadside communication capabilities can improve both safety and system performance.

Sustainable Transportation Strategies

To meet the transportation needs of the present and pass on a better world to our children and grandchildren, it is necessary to expand the transportation network’s capacity while simultaneously reducing the environmental footprint of the system.

Three steps are recommended to succeed at this approach:

  1. Embrace environmental stewardship as a preeminent approach to delivering transportation services that result in a zero carbon footprint and a “better than before” environment;

  2. Deliver a sustainable, high-performance transportation system in support of a robust economy by first optimizing existing infrastructure, then reshaping demand, and lastly, expanding judiciously; and

  3. Enhance quality of life by integrating transportation with the built environment by using the full tool kit, including, context sensitive solutions, land use policy, and diversified mode choice.

The transportation decision-makers of the future should adopt the triple bottom line as a yardstick to evaluate the sustainability of surface transportation system policies and performance in order to ensure that transportation strategies and investments will result in

  • Robust economic growth;

  • Better-than-before health of the environment; and

  • Improved quality of life for all citizens.

 

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