A Governor's Business Council in Texas has produced a report which says that tolls have an important part to play in dealing with the state's road needs. (p47) The report "Texas' Roadways – Texas Future" is a substantial piece of research on scenarios for 25 years and policy options, having employed as consultants ...MORE
A Governor's Business Council in Texas has produced a report which says that tolls have an important part to play in dealing with the state's road needs. (p47) The report "Texas' Roadways – Texas Future" is a substantial piece of research on scenarios for 25 years and policy options, having employed as consultants commuting specialist Alan Pisarski, Texas Transp Inst congestion researchers David Ellis and Tim Lomax and transit specialist Wendell Cox.The report urges a major expansion in roadbuilding in the state saying present plans (for $5.6b/yr construction and maintenance over 25yrs) are likely to worsen congestion 4.5-fold. http://www.texasgbc.org/reports.html
Only about $1b of the total is presently spent on increasing capacity, the rest going on replacement and maintenance.
The "expensive requirements for more capacity" are not likely to be met by any conceivable revenue stream from taxes, the report says, so tolling will have to play a larger role.
"It is an equity consideration as well. Toll roads permit the specific charging for a road as it is used. Thus, those who do not use the road are not charged in their fuel taxes for that facility unless they specifically choose to use it."
The report suggests special purpose toll authorities or private companies be encouraged together with county toll authorities and the new regional mobility authorities. They should be used to finance not just capital but ongoing operating and maintenance costs.
An advantage to private infrastructure development is that investors, rather than Texas’ taxpayers, take the commercial risk.
"As a result, it seems likely that toll financing will continue to be an important component of any program to address the mobility problems in the major metropolitan areas of Texas. And there are expanding opportunities for development. Major international companies are now involved in building and operating new toll roads in a number of nations."
It cites the examples of France and the UK where privatization of roads is proceeding.
"Toll financing could be used for a wide variety of projects that could improve the flow of traffic in Texas metropolitan areas, such as:
• Expanding the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes into high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that provide high-speed and reliable service to buses, carpools and users who are willing to pay for premium service.
• Roadway expansions above or below (tunnels) current freeways. Various European urban areas have or will expand their roadway systems through the use of tollway tunnels.
• New roadways, both in urban cores and expanding peripheries."
BACKGROUND: Texas population is projected to grow 42% from 20.8m to 29.6m in 2025. This assumes a major slowdown because in just the last 10yrs it grew 23%. In that period vehicle-miles traveled increased 41%. Lane-miles of road were increased only 3% based on a decade's roads spending of $3.7b/yr. Congestion rose 2.2-fold and now averages 1.3 in the metro areas, an index which means congestion adds 30% to trip times compared to free flow conditions.
The report proposes a strategy for reducing congestion to a congestion penalty index of 1.15 which will require 2414 lane-km (1500 lane-mi) of new road to be added each year for total spending of $8.7b/yr compared to 1450 lane-km (900 lane-mi) at $7.1b/yr for maintenance of the existing 1.3 congestion index. This would cost an extra $1.6b of road construction each year at $1.7m/lane-km ($2.6m/lane-mi). This includes a lot of cheap collectors and minor arterials. Urban freeways are costed at $3.4m/lane-km ($5.9m/lane-mi).
But the report estimates total savings from freer flowing traffic at 1.15 index averaging $20b/yr, a return of about $6 for each $1 spent. Time was valued at $16.50/veh-hr, fuel at $1.40/gal (37c/l). Maintaining 1.3 congestion index is estimated to cost about 1c/veh-mi more than present taxes and tolls while reducing it to 1.15 will cost about 2c/veh-mi more.
"No other form of public investment that is both economically and socially feasible can do as much to reduce air pollution. It will cost significantly less to solve these problems than to do nothing and suffer the consequences."
The report suggests that road projects be assessed more thoroughly for their delay reduction potential and ranked, with independent annual reporting of progress. Non-highway alternatives have few substantial markets, the report says, so highway investment and management is key to maintaining and enhancing mobility. (Transit is less than 2% of trips despite major spending, and most of that is bus.)
16% of Texas households have 3 or more vehicles, 42% have 2, 36% have one veh, and 6% have none. Carpooling is the main way the Texas carless get around.
Carpooling is the major alternative to the solo car driver in Texas which has one the highest rates of auto occupancy in the country. Hispanics, heavily represented there, are big on doubling up in cars.
For the target 1.15 congestion index by far the largest amount would be spent on roads in the Dallas area ($2.1b/yr) but Houston would need $1.5b, San Antonio $0.5b, the Border area cities $0.4b, Austin $0.4b and the rest of the state $3.8b/yr.
Detailed proposals for extra freeway by lane-km (lane-mi) and the increase on the present road stock:
• Dallas/FW 2624 (1630) increase of 111%
• Houston 2666 (1656) up 107%
• San Antonio 375 (233) up 68%
• Austin 551 (342) up 89%
• Border cities 410 (255) up 75%
There are great quantities of extra local roads, connectors and non-freeway arterials proposed as well. TRnews 2003-08-02
