Item #4 - Austin Transportation Department Implementation of the Climate Equity Plan — original pdf

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Transportation & the Climate Equity Plan Joint Sustainability Committee October 26, 2022 Cole Kitten, Division Manager, Austin Transportation Department Outline • List of transportation activities in the Climate Equity Plan • ASMP & the Climate Equity Plan • Status update on transportation activities Transportation & the Climate Equity Plan Transportation & Land Use Goal 1: 80% of new non-residential development is located within the city’s activity centers by 2030. • Strategy 2: Work with employers on location and amenities • Strategy 3: Create mobility hubs Goal 3: By 2030, 50% of trips in Austin are made using public transit, biking, walking, carpooling, or avoided altogether by working from home. • Strategy 1: Expand and improve public transportation • Strategy 2: Promote free transportation options • Strategy 3: Enhance transit stations and stops • Strategy 4: Prioritize bicycle networks • Strategy 5: Enhance bicycle education and training • Strategy 6: Improve sidewalks, urban trails, and crossings 3 Transportation & the Climate Equity Plan Transportation Electrification Goal 1: By 2030, 40% of total vehicle miles traveled in Austin are electrified, and EV ownership is culturally, geographically, and economically diverse. • Strategy 4: Launch an e-bike and electric car-sharing program 4 Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) & the Climate Equity Plan • Two plans with common goals: • Mode Shift • Equity 5 Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) & the Climate Equity Plan • The strategies across the two plans are circularly referenced and supportive of each plan’s goals. 6 Transportation & Land Use Goal 1: 80% of new non-residential development is located within the city’s activity centers by 2030. • Strategy 2: Work with employers on location and amenities • Work with medium and large employers to locate their places of business in growth centers and along corridors. What's been done so far? ATD partners with Movability, Central Texas’ transportation management association, to expand commute resources and educational programming regionally. Movability collects regional transportation demand management data, creates regional partnerships, and supports ATD in expanding transportation demand management initiatives. The current budget for this is $550,000. Movability works with employers, both established and those who are relocating, to help them build, implement, and boost engagement in commute programs that reduce drive-alone commutes among employees. They also work with public leaders and mobility service providers to communicate and collaborate across groups about hurdles, policies, and opportunities that can be addressed to help more people use transportation demand management strategies. 7 Transportation & Land Use Goal 1: 80% of new non-residential development is located within the city’s activity centers by 2030. • Strategy 3: Create mobility hubs • Create community mobility hubs, including park-and-rides, that offer various first- and last-mile mobility options adjacent to transit stops to offer a complete trip experience. What's been done so far? Mobility hubs will consist of well-designed areas with ample amenities that will allow access throughout and around transit stops and stations to make them accessible to all. Mobility Hubs will offer various transportation options, including public transit, bike share, car share, and opportunities to increase the use of shared modes. Mobility Hubs might also provide healthcare services, fresh food, first and last- mile options, and other services a community might need. The estimated budget for this work is $835,000. 8 Transportation & Land Use Goal 3: By 2030, 50% of trips in Austin are made using public transit, biking, walking, carpooling, or avoided altogether by working from home. • Strategy 1: Expand and improve public transportation • Work with the Austin Transit Partnership to implement Project Connect and expand and improve public transportation services. What's been done so far? ATD has been working with ATP and CapMetro to develop and implement the Project Connect plans. New MetroRapid routes will be in service in 2023. Additionally, ATD and CapMetro have been working together since 2018 through a Transit Enhancement Program to deliver transit improvements to existing service. With the approval of the 2020 Mobility Bond the Transit Enhancement Program received $19M for transit improvements not being delivered by Project Connect. A survey is currently open to get feedback on how to prioritize these improvements and public engagement is occurring at popular transit stops. 9 Transportation & Land Use Goal 3: By 2030, 50% of trips in Austin are made using public transit, biking, walking, carpooling, or avoided altogether by working from home. • Strategy 2: Promote free transportation options • Create comprehensive, user-friendly resources connecting community members with free transportation options. What's been done so far? In partnership with CapMetro, ATD offers free transit and MetroBike passes to City employees. They also offer free MetroBike passes to community members for various initiatives such as Bike-to-Work Day. More actions are being developed based on the current ATX Walk Bike Roll planning process. A survey is currently open to get feedback on strategies to complete pedestrian and bicycles networks and public engagement is occurring out in the community with the help of Community Ambassadors. 10 Transportation & Land Use Goal 3: By 2030, 50% of trips in Austin are made using public transit, biking, walking, carpooling, or avoided altogether by working from home. • Strategy 3: Enhance transit stations and stops • Partner with Capital Metro, developers, and community organizers to engage low- income communities, communities of color, and people with disabilities to improve transit stops, stations, and access to these facilities. What's been done so far? ATD and CapMetro have been working together since 2018 through a Transit Enhancement Program to deliver transit improvements to existing service. With the approval of the 2020 Mobility Bond the Transit Enhancement Program received $19M for transit improvements not being delivered by Project Connect. A survey is currently open to get feedback on how to prioritize these improvements and public engagement is occurring at popular transit stops. Access to transit is also part of the current ATX Walk Bike Roll planning process. A survey is currently open to get feedback on strategies to complete pedestrian and bicycles networks and public engagement is occurring out in the community with the help of Community Ambassadors. 11 Transportation & Land Use Goal 3: By 2030, 50% of trips in Austin are made using public transit, biking, walking, carpooling, or avoided altogether by working from home. • Strategy 4: Prioritize bicycle networks • Implement the 2020 Proposition B voter-approved general obligation bonds for transportation infrastructure, including sidewalks, transportation-related bikeways, urban trails, transportation safety projects, safe routes to school, and substandard streets in low-income communities and communities of color through a meaningful community engagement process. What's been done so far? Over half of the All Ages and Abilities Bicycle Network is now complete, which adds up to over 220 miles. This includes protected bike lanes, protected intersections, shared-use pathways, neighborhood bikeways, and integration with transit stops to facilitate bus-bike trips. The Bicycle Plan is being updated through the ATX Walk Bike Roll initiative to incorporate prioritization that includes equity considerations. A survey is currently open to get feedback on strategies to complete pedestrian and bicycles networks and public engagement is occurring out in the community with the help of Community Ambassadors. 12 Transportation & Land Use Goal 3: By 2030, 50% of trips in Austin are made using public transit, biking, walking, carpooling, or avoided altogether by working from home. • Strategy 5: Enhance bicycle education and training • Provide access to free or reduced-priced bicycles and basic bicycle training for communities of color and train police officers on bicycle laws and racial profiling to improve the comfort and safety of people of color riding bicycles. What's been done so far? ATD partners with Movability to expand commute resources and educational programming regionally. Movability collects regional Transportation Demand Management data, creates regional partnerships, and supports ATD in expanding transportation demand management initiatives. ATD also partners with the Ghisallo Cycling Initiative to provide walk/bike/transit tours to educate community members on how to use these resources. The current budget for this work is $650,000. ATD will continue these partnerships, prioritizing bicycle education as our infrastructure grows with a future budget of $1.55 million. 13 Transportation Electrification Goal 1: By 2030, 40% of total vehicle miles traveled in Austin are electrified, and EV ownership is culturally, geographically, and economically diverse. • Strategy 4: Launch an e-bike and electric car-sharing program • Create an electric bike and car-sharing program centered on low-income communities and communities of color to support functional, low-cost zero- emissions mobility. What's been done so far? The City's bike-share program has been active since 2013. The City of Austin owns the assets for MetroBike and partners with CapMetro for operations and maintenance of the system. Currently, the MetroBike system consists of 500 classic bikes and 347 electric bikes. We are working to fully electrify the fleet over the next ten years, and the City is planning to fund the expansion for up to $10 million as funding is identified and available. 14 THANK YOU