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Speeches

Congestion Initiative Update

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An image of a collage of images consisting of a congested freeway, tractor-trailer traffic, people, and air planes.

Slide 1

Congestion Initiative Update

I-95 Corridor Coalition
2006 Annual Meeting

Norfolk, Virginia

December 11-12, 2006

Jeffrey F. Paniati
Associate Administrator for Operations
Federal Highway Administration
US Department of Transportation

Slide 2

The Congestion Challenge

"Congestion is not a fact of life. We need a new approach, and we need it now."

Former Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, May 2006

"Mobility is one of our country's greatest freedoms, but congestion…limits predictable and reliable movement of people and goods and poses a serious threat to continued economic growth."

Secretary Mary Peters, October 2006

Slide 3

A Six-Point Plan

  1. Relieve urban congestion.
  2. Unleash private sector investment resources.
  3. Promote operational and technological improvements.
  4. Establish a "Corridors of the Future" competition.
  5. Target major freight bottlenecks and expand freight policy outreach.
  6. Accelerate major aviation capacity projects and provide a future funding framework.

Slide 4

1. Relieve Urban Congestion

  • Create urban partnerships to pursue congestion pricing.
  • Promote HOV to HOT conversion.
  • Reduce impacts of bottlenecks.
  • Create meaningful congestion management process.

An image of traffic congestion.

Slide 5

Relieve Urban Congestion

Urban Partnership Solicitation

Create urban congestion partnerships with urban areas willing to implement broad congestion pricing, plus

  • New or expanded bus rapid transit.
  • Expanded telecommuting/flexible work schedules.
  • Technology/operations strategies.

Federal Register notice issued: December 8.

Process:

April 30, 2007 - "Application" from States, counties, cities, MPO's, etc.

June 8, 2007 - USDOT designates preliminary urban partners.

August 8, 2007 - USDOT selects urban partners.

Slide 6

Relieve Urban Congestion

Supporting Programs

Resources:

  • Value Pricing Program - Provides tolling authority and grants in support of aggressive pricing strategies.
  • ITS Congestion Mitigation Operational Tests - Provides grants for innovative and aggressive use of ITS.

Federal Register notices to be issued in mid-late December.

Slide 7

Relieve Urban Congestion

Promote HOV to HOT Conversion

  • Establish FHWA expert team.
  • Provide comprehensive outreach/technical assistance.
  • Offer 1-day HOV to HOT course.

Slide 8

Relieve Urban Congestion

Create meaningful congestion management process

  • Issue regulations.
  • Provide guidance.
  • Offer training, seminars and peer exchange.
  • Emphasize during TMA certification reviews.

Slide 9

Relieve Urban Congestion

Reduce impacts of bottlenecks.

  • Distribute Primer in January.
  • Establish and learn from lead States.
  • Initiate bottleneck dialogue between FHWA Divisions and States to pursue innovative, low-cost solutions.

Slide 10

2. Unleash Private Sector Investment Resources

Public Private Partnerships (PPP)

Opportunity:

  • Emergence of PPP's as mechanism to support needed transportation investments.
  • 21 States currently have enabling PPP legislation.

Actions:

  • Model PPP legislation.
  • Engage with partners on potential role of PPP's within State.
  • Technical support to assist partners in entering successful PPP's.

Slide 11

3. Promote Operational and Technological Improvements

  • Improve traveler information.
  • Reduce incident delay.
  • Reduce work zone delay.
  • Improve traffic signal timing.

An Image of sign displaying Need Traffic Info? Call 511 Your Bay Area travel guide.

Slide 12

Technology and Operations

Improve Traveler Information

Challenges:

  • 511 accessible to 35% of American public.
  • 20 of 40 largest metro areas post travel time on DMS.

Actions:

  • Nationwide 511 Deployment.
  • Travel time on all urban DMS signs.
  • SAFETEA-LU Section 1201 - Implementation (NPRM).

Slide 13

Technology and Operations

Reduce Incident Delay

Challenges:

  • 25% of all congestion.
  • 1-minute closure = 4-minute delay.

Actions:

  • "Move it" laws.
  • Quick clearance policies.
  • Full function service patrols.
  • Integrated transportation/law enforcement data sharing.
  • Performance measures.

Slide 14

Technology and Operations

Reduce Work Zone Delay

Challenge/Opportunity:

  • 10% of all congestion.
  • 20% of NHS under construction in peak season.
  • Highways for Life (HfL) program authorized at $20 million/year.
  • HfL projects eligible for 100% Federal share.

Actions:

  • Work zone safety and mobility final rule.
  • Leverage HfL program in support of Congestion Initiative.

Slide 15

Technology and Operations

Improve Traffic Signal Timing

Challenge:

  • Nationally operating at D-level.

Actions:

  • Increase awareness/funding (Signal Report Card).
  • Champion regular signal retiming programs.
  • Implement ACS lite.

Slide 16

4. Corridors of the Future

Corridors of Future Program

Identify up to five major growth corridors in need of long-term investment.

Federal Register notice issued: September 5, 2006.

Process:

October 23 - "Expression of Interest" from State, multiple States, private sector entity (40 received).

December - US DOT selects "applicants."

April 2, 2007 - Detailed applications submitted with multistate concurrence.

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