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From Dave Van Hattum, Policy and Advocacy Program Manager
TLC's Bill Neuendorf (left) and Dave Van Hattum (right) at the U of M's Center for Transportation Studies conference with Joe Cortright (center). 2011.
Mn/DOT frequently proclaims that the metro area “needs” $40 billion in funding to expand our highways over the next 20 years. Joe Cortright, an economist and advisor to CEO’s for Cities challenged the audience at the U of M’s Center for Transportation Studies conference this week,stating “How we build our cities is the most important thing we can do to affect the performance of our transportation system.” At TLC, we think Cortright is right; before getting out our collective checkbooks for bigger interchanges, bigger bridges and extra lanes, we should take a close look at the layout of our Twin Cities region and gauge how future growth patterns can be guided to minimize the need for higher taxes.
It’s the nature of cities to experience traffic congestion; whether the traffic is people, horses, or cars. Cities are places where lots of people congregate; this inevitably leads to slow-downs in how people get around. A major goal of urban transportation planning is to figure out how to get people to their jobs in a reasonable amount of time. All too often that has meant focusing on the symptom (traffic congestion) and not the underlying problem of how our cities are built. While all urbanized areas will experience congestion, those that are more compact typically allow people to get where they want to go in less time. A more compact city also makes transit more cost-effective and biking and walking more convenient.
Unfortunately, due to the inclination to look at transportation primarily from a personal rather than a holistic, city-wide point of view (i.e. from the vantage of private cars rather than public transit and walkable communities), most transportation planning discussion gravitates to how to reduce traffic delays. For nearly 20 years, policy makers have relied on a national study from the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) that calculates a congestion index as the main indicator of transportation performance among cities. The TTI study measures car mobility rather than access by people. By focusing on how many minutes a commuter is delayed, the TTI study misses what is most important to commuters: how long does it take to get to my job?
So why all the fuss about the TTI congestion report? Because the media has been splashing the findings of this report on front pages of newspapers for more than a decade. The media loves the report’s nifty city-to-city comparisons and estimated financial costs of traffic congestion (i.e. $1.7 billion in the Twin Cities in 2009). Each year, the report concludes by endorsing major road expansion as the way to relieve congestion and make commutes faster. To its credit, the report also includes a host of other recommendations, including transit and land use. Media coverage, along with Mn/DOT and most policymakers, however, continue to focus nearly exclusively on highway expansion and overlook the opportunity to shift to more compact development and more investment in public transit to provide real options for commuters—and shorter commutes.
Cortright’s message is a challenging and urgent one. As I’ve worked in the transportation field in the Twin Cities for nearly 20 years, I’ve repeatedly heard the importance of making the land use and transportation connection. But talking about it is very different than real on-the-ground change. By nearly all indicators, our metro region has been a leader in sprawl (see TLC’s report, Planning to Succeed?) and has been guilty of overemphasizing congestion trends and underemphasizing transit-supportive land use. With new rail lines open and more coming soon there is renewed attention to transit-supportive land use and walkable neighborhoods, but our region still lacks a goal for development along these rail lines and there are very few specific land use (or city design) strategies to point to.
With land use decided by 187 municipalities, and road design decided primarily by two large agencies – Mn/DOT and the Metropolitan Council/Transportation Advisory Board--it will always be easier to focus on road-building rather than city-building. But if we’re serious about improving transportation performance and seeing our tax dollars go farther, we need to forge a regional consensus on strategies that encourage more compact communities and discourage sprawl.
Cortright (and his “Driven Apart” report) challenges us to ask the right questions. When Mn/DOT and others broadcast an estimated $40 billion in road expansion “needs” over the next 20 years, we need to ask if land use strategies that reduce the demand for car travel have been explored. We need to ask if their cost projections consider the possible (likely?) impact of $5.00 to $6.00 gas in the not too distant future? Do they factor in a graying population and new housing and transportation preferences of younger generations?
When Mn/DOT defines congestion as speed of 44 mph or slower and calls for more roads, we need to counter by asking why the bigger priority isn’t addressing the region’s abysmal record of access to buses and trains and walkable destinations. When the Met Council appropriately notes that we can’t afford to build our way out of traffic congestion, we need to ask what plans they have to guide communities across the region to embrace greater density and more in-fill development? And, finally when a plan for more housing or commercial density comes to our neighborhood, we need to ask ourselves if we are part of the problem or part of the solution?
From Barb Thoman, Executive Director
Several Ramsey County commissioners are trying to land a new Vikings stadium in Arden Hills by instituting a new county sales tax of ½ cent. Transit for Livable Communities believes that Ramsey County needs improved public transit before it needs a new football stadium!
Transit service in Ramsey County is sparse. By 2014, when Central Corridor LRT opens, the County will have only one rail line. Many suburbs in Ramsey County have transit service only to downtown St. Paul and then only on weekdays. Even in St Paul, there are many bus lines that don’t run on weekends or after rush hour.
A new football stadium at the former Twin Cities Arsenal site would see less than a dozen games a year in a location that is not currently served by transit. The Arden Hills location would likely require $100 - $200 million dollars to make the existing highway and county roads capable of serving game-day traffic. These tax dollars are in addition to the cost of actually building a new stadium.
Alternatively, a comparable amount invested in county-wide transit improvements would serve more people every day of the year. Such investment would promote efficient access to dozens of business or recreational destinations throughout the area.
Transit for Livable Communities has worked for a decade to increase funding for public transit across Minnesota. We celebrated when the 2008 transportation bill included a new regional sales tax for public transit – despite the fact that it was less than half of what was really needed. The region and the state still need additional funding to build and operate the public transit network a region of our size needs and the public wants.
With gas at nearly $4 per gallon, the population graying, and wages flat, more people need the option to leave the car at home or to reduce the size of the family fleet. Other, competing regions, such as Dallas, Denver, and Seattle are far ahead of us on transit investment and, as a result, are attracting and retaining young workers for whom transit is a priority. The Twin Cities needs transit now more than ever!
We hope Ramsey County officials will understand that a better transit system should be a higher priority than building an expensive football stadium in a transit unfriendly location.
On May 2nd MnDOT issued a request for applications for $4.2 million in federal Safe Routes to Schools funding. This round of funding is for infrastructure projects that will make it easier and safer for children in kindergarten to 8th grade to walk and bicycle to school. The application deadline is June 15th, 2011. Schools, school districts, units of government, Tribes, non-profits, and other entities are eligible to apply. The funding is for projects to be constructed in 2012 and 2013. Click here for the full request.
From Barb Thoman, Executive Director
Transit for Livable Communities applauds Governor Dayton and Mn/DOT Commissioner Sorel for the Administration’s proposal to focus more funding on the repair of Trunk Highway pavements across the state. Called “Better Roads for Minnesota,” the proposal would direct nearly $400 million in existing state and federal transportation dollars to repair 700 miles of Trunk Highways in poor condition.
Minnesota has one of the nation’s largest road networks and the Twin Cities region has one of the largest regional highway systems. Maintaining over 80,000 miles of pavement in Minnesota’s harsh climate poses a growing challenge.
In the past, TLC has been critical of Mn/DOT for its spending on highway expansion when the state had growing needs for road and bridge maintenance. TLC has also been critical of the state’s past strategy of widening roads and bridges as the primary way to address congestion. TLC believes that congestion is best addressed through expanded transit, carpooling, compact, mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods, telework, and other strategies.
This move to focus more funding and attention on repair is a smart and fiscally prudent move on the part of Mn/DOT and the Dayton administration. A press release from the Governor about the program noted that “Without additional investment, the number of miles in ‘poor’ condition is estimated to increase to 1,900 by the year 2020.”
The repair work will include concrete and asphalt repaving, drainage, lighting and traffic signal repair and critical improvements to make the state system comply with requirement of the American Disabilities Act (curb ramps and sidewalks as well as traffic signal crossing enhancements).
TLC would encourage the Governor to prioritize additional money to road repair by dramatically reducing the scale of the proposed new Stillwater Bridge.
For more information on the program go to http://www.dot.state.mn.us/betterroads.
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Note: A Trunk Highway is a road owned by the state of Minnesota. Trunk Highways include interstates and principal arterials.
This links to the Gov’s Press Release.
Star Tribune article about this issue.
From Hilary Reeves, Communications Manager
AAA released last week their report on the annual cost of owning a car, about $8776 for a sedan, $11,239 for a SUV. They calculated based on gas at $2.88 per gallon, so these costs are somewhat low given the current price of gas. The report includes a worksheet for calculating your own costs. The basic categories are:
- Operating costs, including gas, maintenance, and tires
- Ownership costs, including depreciation, insurance, taxes, licenses/registration, and finance charges
- Other costs, including washing, accessories, etc.
I began thinking about how a person would calculate these buckets if they regularly used transit or got around by bicycling or walking. Based on the calculations below (which are based on personal experience not exhaustive research), the annual cost for each mode are:
- Mid-sized sedan = $8,776 (AAA report)
- Transit = $1,810
- Bicycling = $680
- Walking = $250
Of course one key factor to using transit is being near bus lines or LRT stations. Metro Transit buses and trains have bike racks, so “nearby” is a little farther away. There also are options, especially in the Twin Cities, for car-sharing and bike sharing. HOURCAR car-sharing has monthly membership fees from $5-$15, plus trip fees. Nice Ride Minnesota annual subscriptions are $60 for unlimited ½ hour trips. And for a limited time this spring, Nice Ride subscriptions are on sale for $40.
AAA links:
News Release
Report (pdf)
Using the chart in the report from AAA, my estimates are as follows.
Transit: Annual cost $1810
- Operating = $0 in terms of gas, maintenance, and tires. The local bus system does have these costs.
- Ownership costs = $30/week or $1560 per year for a GoToCard, based on rush-hour fares and not counting the 10% discount.
- Other costs: maybe better shoes for walking, rain coat, umbrella, occasional cab fare for missing the bus. Let’s say $250.
Bicycling: Annual cost $680.
For bicycles, the annual maintenance, assuming you already have a bike, is an annual tune up, new tires, new bike lights or batteries each year. A local bike shop offers tune ups for $70-$160 (basic tune up to bike overhaul). Last year a set of commuter bike tires cost about $80. A new bike light is around $40.
None of the categories on the AAA chart work for bikes. Some things particular to bikes might be a place to park it. Or perhaps, if you are a year-round rider, a second bike for the winter rides. The Sibley Bike Depot has refurbished bikes from $130-$350.
For bikes, there are some accessory costs, especially a good helmet and visible clothing. For winter cyclists, gloves and a good hat. Figure $40-$60 for a good helmet. For jackets, there are a lot of opinions out there about what breathes and keeps you dry and warm. The options for dropping money are equally wide-ranging. Figure $70 and maybe that’s more than you need, much less than you might spend. Accessorizing you and your bicycle can be as expensive as you like. You’ll need some kind of messenger bag or panniers for your stuff. I got a perfectly useful over-the-shoulder bag at a campus bookstore for around $25.
Walking: Annual cost = $250
- Operation—mostly your body, with clothes and shoes.
- Ownership—ditto.
- Accessories—well, wardrobe is limitless.
Costs attributable to getting around on foot: good pair of shoes, umbrella, rain coat, hat, gloves.
Notes:
- The AAA report calculates a cost per mile. They estimate the cost per mile for a mid-sized sedan driven 10,000 miles in a year is 73.9 cents.
- There is some data that the average length of a bicycle trip is 4 miles. If that’s twice a day for a year, the total is 2080 miles. With annual costs of $680, that’s 32 cents per mile. One regular commuter I know logs around 15,000 miles per year as a bike commuter. He may spend more, being a year-round guy, but using our figures his cost per mile would be 5 cents.
- If we guess that a person walking (to transit or to nearby work) walks 1 mile each way, that’s 520 miles a year. With annual costs estimated at $250 thats48 cents per mile.
From Dave Van Hattum, Policy & Advocacy Program Manager
On April 21st, 2011, Governor Dayton hosted a transit round-table at which a wide range of stakeholders shared why transit is important to them and their broader community. Pastor Grant Stevenson, an ISAIAH representative, noted these roundtables, which bring together a diversity of voices, are a healthy example of how government can move beyond rhetoric to consensus-building and effective solutions.
Here’s what people said:
- Transit is important to businesses and economic competitiveness. Todd Klingel, President of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber, told how corporate site selectors increasingly direct clients to cities and regions with strong public transit systems.
- Students, the future employees, want to locate where transit is a real option. Attracting and retaining employees--and employers--is a good investment for Minnesota.
- Progress on building light rail lines is an important job creator. In 2008, Metro counties stepped up to impose a ¼ cent sales tax to fund transitways. Cutting transit would jeopardize the Twin Cities growing success at leveraging federal funding and spurring economic development along key transit corridors.
- Keeping transit affordable is critical to current and future riders. Rising gas prices provide a greater need to keep transit affordable. Raising fares to account for rising gas prices is myopic; in the long run our best bet against rising fuel prices is to use less gas – transit makes that possible.
- Maintaining current transit service is critical for the disabled. Those who can’t drive need convenient access to jobs, education, and services.
- Communities across the state would be devastated by the transit cuts advanced in the House and Senate bills. Many counties in Greater Minnesota would experience cuts to transit service; transit in these locations is a lifeline to independence for many residents and an important contributor to small town vitality.
We appreciate Governor Dayton’s leadership in convening the roundtable. More importantly, we note that his budget plan, relying on new revenue (a return to more historic individual tax rates?), keeps transit whole!
TLC Members and Organizer, Owen Duckworth
speak at the Governor's transit listening session.
(photo: Amber Collett)
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