AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[Spaceman]

Originally Posted by AwesomeSAView

I was in Austin recently to work on some projects there, and during the course of the day, I was stuck in traffic for nearly two hours!! And most of that time was on streets congested with traffic.
Will the city of Austin ever get a highway loop around the city??
It seems that with the explosive growth of the city, planning should have already begun on such a project. The city of San Antonio has two loops around it, and travel around the city is not as frustrating. I have to admit, San Antonio has an excellent highway system where all the major highways and interstates are connected.
Any feedback??

Ask shea, shuddie, bunch, eckhartd, and the rest of the no-growth a-holes..These dinosaurs will not go away!!!

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by AwesomeSAView

Studies have indicated we don't spend as much time STUCK in traffic as Austin.

52 hours per year in Austin, vs. 44 hours per year in San Antonio.

http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/nationa...estion-tables/

Doesn't seem like all those extra highways helped that much. Personally, I'm not going to live in SA instead of Austin based on .09% of my time.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by electricron

How well a bus transit system can work in your community can be estimated, IMHO, by observing your neighborhood schools, both in the morning and afternoon. How many students walk, bike, ride the bus, or ride the family's car to and from school? I would like to point out that the schools bus is almost always a free ride. In my town, more students are dropped off by their parents than ride the free bus. It isn't out of bounds to suggest much fewer would if they had to pay a fare to ride the bus.

In all fairness, at least some of those parents dropping off probably are from inside the radius where they don't actually get bus service.

(of course they could still be walking/biking, but it affects that measure of bus usage).

[AwesomeSAView]

Originally Posted by Novacek

52 hours per year in Austin, vs. 44 hours per year in San Antonio.

http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/nationa...estion-tables/

Doesn't seem like all those extra highways helped that much. Personally, I'm not going to live in SA instead of Austin based on .09% of my time.

Never said I wanted to live in Austin. I just HAVE to go there for my business. And when I do go, it is a very frustrating time with the traffic issues. That is all. My home is San Antonio, and always will be. And I never mentioned people should move to San Antonio from Austin because of Austin's major traffic issues.
And when I go to Austin for pleasure, I use Uber!


GO SPURS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

What? Austin has not refrained from expanding its freeways in an effort to try to "lessen the reliance on cars." Where did you get that idea?

The last paragraph I wrote doesn't say or mention anything to do with the city refraining expressway construction in an effort to lessen reliance on cars. What I was trying to intimate with the last paragraph is how our focus on building within the city utilizing empty lots and building up the urban core is a start in changing traffic patterns and habits by way of the Imagine Austin Plan. What I did say was that I don't believe most people in Austin want to have an expressway system like it's Texas neighbors.

Again I must stress, and we all know this is the case, but we are only at the very beginning of transforming our city. We still have several decades to go and a lot of work to create a walkable urban core, a mass transit system that works in bringing large amounts of people from the surounding areas in and be able to move them around without needing a car. We are obviously not there yet but we can't expect to snap our fingers and expect it to materialize right in front of us.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by AwesomeSAView

Loop 1604 is a total loop around the city.
Again, Loop 410 is the inner city loop and Loop 1604 is the outer city loop.
Look at a map.
Well then it is the topography of Austin that is to blame for its horrible "in the city" traffic issues. Still needs to be addressed, as the explosive growth for that city continues. Really kinda scary, and interesting to see what will happen in lets say 20 years.

This is where local residents have a leg up when it comes to driving around this city. I don't have a lot of problems getting around even during peak traffic times because I avoid the major thoroughfares and instead take secondary or neighborhood roads. That would be the case with any local in any city I would assume. Of course it only works if you know the city extensively enough to use those "hidden" bypasses. It also only helps those of us that live within 5 miles of DT. The farther out you live, the less practical they become.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

This is where local residents have a leg up when it comes to driving around this city. I don't have a lot of problems getting around even during peak traffic times because I avoid the major thoroughfares and instead take secondary or neighborhood roads. That would be the case with any local in any city I would assume. Of course it only works if you know the city extensively enough to use those "hidden" bypasses. It also only helps those of us that live within 5 miles of DT. The farther out you live, the less practical they become.

Same.....I rarely have trouble. And I am often shocked by how FAST I arrive.

1. Set your expectations correctly, don't expect to get to Leander from DT in 15 minutes
2. Plan your day/trips (this is really not hard)
3. Back roads/side roads/neighborhoods......Shoal Creek has gotten me out of Mopac misery many times.
4. Relax....listen to some music, call your Mom (hands-free of course), let Siri "train" you.
5. I pretty much only take I-35 when I want to see the city from the upper deck.
6. Remember your history....183 was not always a highway.....just a blvd with 1000 lights. It took FOREVER to get there from Austin....now its a breeze in comparison.
7. I use Uber and Lyft liberally.....game changer, its like having a cheap chauffeur.
8. Choose where you live/work wisely.....don't move to Bastrop and complain it takes forever to get to your job at Apple. If this is a problem for you then FIX IT.
9. Shop online....I rarely shop anymore...
10. I don't have a number 10..... ride your bike.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

10. I don't have a number 10..... ride your bike.

A worthy #10, I'd say.

[lzppjb]

I'm the type of person that gets pissed at non-residents using neighborhood streets to commute. They usually speed through. They always seem to come screaming up my tailpipe right as I'm slowing down to turn in my driveway.

I grew up off Old Manchaca Road. More and more people are using it as a cut-through. It drives me insane. More and more people are riding bikes and walking along it, too (CRAZY). It also now has an exit from Moontower Saloon on it. There are zero shoulders and no sidewalk. It's extremely dangerous now. The city and county need to team together to widen it and add a sidewalk. But it's probably not even on their radar.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

I'm the type of person that gets pissed at non-residents using neighborhood streets to commute. They usually speed through. They always seem to come screaming up my tailpipe right as I'm slowing down to turn in my driveway.

I grew up off Old Manchaca Road. More and more people are using it as a cut-through. It drives me insane. More and more people are riding bikes and walking along it, too (CRAZY). It also now has an exit from Moontower Saloon on it. There are zero shoulders and no sidewalk. It's extremely dangerous now. The city and county need to team together to widen it and add a sidewalk. But it's probably not even on their radar.

I hear you. I'm all for finding alternative ways to the uber-long parking lot (i.e., basically any major road in Austin), but I also feel for the residents in those areas. Yet another reason for better mass-transit.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

I'm the type of person that gets pissed at non-residents using neighborhood streets to commute.

I totally understand. I live on Hether in Zilker, and it's a very busy street, with people cutting through from Bluebonnet to get to Lamar.....but at the same time, I inderstand that the streets are paid for and owned by all of us. This is same reason I do not support residential parking passes to park on the street.

[The ATX]

Could we finally see a gas tax increase to fund transportation infrastructure in 2017?

http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/new...ove-roads.html

[drummer]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Could we finally see a gas tax increase to fund transportation infrastructure in 2017?

http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/new...ove-roads.html

I got excited about it when I read this:

All of the Above

Watson wants his fellow lawmakers to take an all-of-the-above approach next session, instead of more lanes for cars.

"We are not going to build our way out of the problem," said Dennis Christiansen of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. "We need to find innovative solutions in addition to a huge investment in infrastructure.".

And then I got to this part:

One of those solutions is what leaders call a four-letter word: toll lanes. Watson said traffic studies from Atlanta show managed toll lanes—like what is being built along several Austin highways--move people more efficiently and generate revenue

I really hope they're not limiting their scope to different variations on the same freeway solution that's not really a solution anymore. I know it says "One of those solutions" and the top part specifically mentioned "instead of more lanes for cars"...but I fear them getting exciting about other alternatives and then just doing the same thing all over again.

[hereinaustin]

Originally Posted by drummer

I really hope they're not limiting their scope to different variations on the same freeway solution that's not really a solution anymore. I know it says "One of those solutions" and the top part specifically mentioned "instead of more lanes for cars"...but I fear them getting exciting about other alternatives and then just doing the same thing all over again.

Managed toll lanes work. They maintain the integrity of the lanes for transit. Of course, more housing options and multi-modal transit are also important.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by hereinaustin

Managed toll lanes work. They maintain the integrity of the lanes for transit. Of course, more housing options and multi-modal transit are also important.

That's true, you're right - I just see an over-emphasis on freeway stuff in Texas as opposed to entertaining (and actually pursuing) the idea of other means.

[jbssfelix]

Why do transportation budgets have to consistently be road/highway focused? It's as if nobody wants to travel by train, bike, etc both between cities and within cities. We should be re-evaluating where this money goes on a major scale.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by jbssfelix

Why do transportation budgets have to consistently be road/highway focused? It's as if nobody wants to travel by train, bike, etc both between cities and within cities. We should be re-evaluating where this money goes on a major scale.

Why be surprised when the vast majority of transportation funds ends up being spent on the mode of transportation generating those funds? Do trains generate tax revenues? Do bicycles generate tax revenues?
Can you imagine a state placing toll booths on a bicycle and jogging trail? Can you imagine a city placing parking meters for bicycles at bicycle racks? Does the state force you to pay a yearly tax to register your bicycle? Yet many do so for automobiles.

Here's a suggestion, figure out a way to generate specific taxes from your favorite mode of transport, get it passed by the legislature and the governor, then start collecting dedicated axes to be spent on it.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by electricron

Do bicycles generate tax revenues?

Yes.


Sales taxes. Unlike gas, which is exempt from sales taxes. So gas tax "revenues" are really subsidies from the general fund.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Yes.


Sales taxes. Unlike gas, which is exempt from sales taxes. So gas tax "revenues" are really subsidies from the general fund.

Highways have other dedicated taxes than just the gas tax, like excise taxes on tires and yearly registration fees. Sales taxes in general are not dedicated to bicycle infrastructure. In Texas, some cities dedicate up to one cent of sales taxes to transit, or for other dedicated programs, none of which are for bicycle infrastructure. The remaining 7 cents go the the State's general funds, spent on everything. We could substitute property taxes for sales taxes as well, but they aren't dedicated for bicycle infrastructure either.

Find a dedicated tax for bicycle infrastructure, then watch it get built.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by electricron

Highways have other dedicated taxes than just the gas tax, like excise taxes on tires and yearly registration fees. Sales taxes in general are not dedicated to bicycle infrastructure. In Texas, some cities dedicate up to one cent of sales taxes to transit, or for other dedicated programs, none of which are for bicycle infrastructure. The remaining 7 cents go the the State's general funds, spent on everything. We could substitute property taxes for sales taxes as well, but they aren't dedicated for bicycle infrastructure either.

Nice moving the goalposts.

That wasn't what you asked for. You asked "Do bicycles generate tax revenues?" and the answer is assuredly YES.

Is it dedicated, no, but that's simply because bikes don't have the sweetheart deal that cars do, which shortchanges the general fund and then pretends that cars are "self-funding".