CATC Mobility Headlines

The second wave of proposed toll roads (sections of US 183, SH 71, US 290 in both East and SW Austin, and the SH 45 SW) were pulled from current TIP consideration until summer at the earliest. There are still too many skeptics on the Board about public acceptability of tolls to allow vote in February as planned and new CAMPO member Sen. Watson has been lobbying for the delay since late last year. Study of funding for all major projects including these toll roads was kicked to a Task Force to be led by Senator Watson.

The CAMPO Board is still scheduled to vote on other transportation projects - including
proposals for non-tolled roads, public transit projects and bike and pedestrian paths - at their February meeting.

In the wake of CAMPO’s decision to postpone action on the Phase II toll roads, City of Austin Council Member Jennifer Kim is conducting a poll on how to best finance roadway improvements.

Please take a minute to respond to this one question poll here.

In the wake of the Chamber’s Task Force report press conference, CAMPO Executive Director Michael Aulick emphasized the importance of getting accurate information to the CAMPO Transportation Policy board so they can make solid policy decisions in an interview with the Austin Chronicle.

For example, with regard to the toll-road plan, Aulick syas the CAMPO board needs to understand the enormity of the funding shortfall as well as what tolling means in terms of what other transportation infrastructure could be built with the revenue.

Accurate information has been hindered by misinterpretation and misunderstandings. Recently much has been made of November 2006 study by the Governor’s Business Council on the competitiveness of Texas’ metropolitan areas that included road issues. Toll road opponents latched onto reports that claimed the study indicated that an indexed gasoline tax could pay for additional roads. That is not true.

“What most newspaper reports missed, though, was that the gas tax was intended to close the gap between toll roads and overall need, Aulick said.” In fact, the gas tax could only cover a fraction of the projected needs of eight Texas urban areas.

The fallout due to the backlash over inaccurate reports concerning the study carried over to the CAMPO Board members who subsequently began question the need for the Phase II toll roads. To reduce future incidents, Aulick recommends, in accordance with the Chamber’s Task Force report, is a stronger and more involved Technical Committee which the Board can rely on for guidance.

Austin Chronicle article: Chamber Recommends CAMPO Reorganization

Senator-elect Kirk Watson, shortly to take a seat on the CAMPO Boards (and expected to be elected Chair) sent an e-mail to CAMPO Board members Wednesday recommending the board delay a decision on the area’s second wave of toll roads for at least six months. The toll road vote - which was expected to fund improvements The plans for Phase 2 include tolling the “Y” in Oak Hill at Highway 71 and 290, SH-45 south, Highway 71 from Interstate 35 to the airport, Highway 183 in East Austin and part of 290 towards Manor - was planned for February.

Watson recently served as Chair of the Greater Austin Chamber, which is issuing a report calling for significant changes to CAMPO’s structure. The Chamber report recommends reducing the board from 23 to 18 members, including slashing the number of state legislators from ten to three.

New CAMPO member wants to hold off on toll plans - News 8 Austin

Watson seeks delay on toll road vote - Austin American-Statesman