I am percolating over what to say over the newly published H-GAC 2035 Regional Transportation Plan. I have written about 5 pages in my response so far, but I will not have enough time to write a full response to all of the topics covered in the program. Ergo, I will write about the topics which I consider to be of greatest interest. I hope to have a reply done by this weekend and get it in before the deadline. I do know that:
1) If the population projections are true (a big if), then we will probably have another 2 million or so vehicles on our roads by 2035 barring a catastrophic economic depression. Ergo, we will need more roads.
2) I will look at the decision making process by which members of a society make their mobility decisions.
3) The percentage of money which is devoted to transportation within the political economy of America is small and frequently ill focused, while needs are growing. At the same time, use of market mechanisms have seen some success but political mishaps have thrown wrenches into employment of the free market to help solve transportation puzzles.
4) The self correcting mechanisms to traffic congestion which arise because some move closer to work or because work moves closer to them do operate, but they have their limits. Hence the need for more road building.
A general idea would be to try to match the number of new lane miles to increases in vehicle miles traveled (VMT). In a tie in to point #3, part of the reason why we have seen increases in congestion is that we have seen improvements in gasoline mileage which has put both lowered the cost per mile of vehicle ownership and has lowered the amount of gasoline tax monies collected for transportation purposes.
5) Freight in Houston is set to become a big issue. The Bayport facility and expanded use of the Port of Houston have put these issues on the front burner.
6) Heavy investment in mass transit via light rail or BRT have and will result in social dead weight losses. Having put picked off the lowest hanging fruit via installing rail in the corridor with the heaviest patronage, we are set to spend several billion dollars of government transportation monies available to install BRT or light rail into corridors with much lower levels of utility.
I will also denote how rail shares aspects in common with transportation via car and roads that many people don't realize.
7) Some quick thoughts on mixed use real estate development.
8) Would it be of interest to create a regional board for pollution issues?
9) Finally, I will get really brave and take a stab at future transportation energy supplies and how we might adapt.
Wizard.
Posted by The Mighty Wizard at July 11, 2007 01:32 AM