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CAMPO Regional Growth

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Written by Mandy Hobby Sunday, 07 January 2007

The zoned transit-oriented development in Leander is an example of future activity centers being proposed by the region’s Capital Area Metro Planning Organization.

Planning organization drafts transportation blueprint

The zoned transit-oriented development in Leander is an example of future activity centers being proposed by the region’s Capital Area Metro Planning Organization. The Leander TOD is a 2,300-acre district centered around Capital Metro’s commuter rail, which will open in 2008. After the city partnered with Capital Metro and the local landowners to create the TOD, they were able to go to CAMPO for additional funding for the rail station and the new US 183A toll road opening in March.

According to Pix Howell, Leander’s urban design officer, Leander received $4 million from CAMPO to extend CR 273 and CR 274, two roads located in the TOD. This month, the city paid an administrative fee to the Texas Department of Transportation to begin implementing the funds.

Capital Metro will open a new Park and Ride site Jan. 29 at US 183 and RR 2243. The new facility allows commuters to park in accessible locations and choose between multiple routes into downtown Austin.

CAMPO

Area leaders and planners continue to consider changes in transportation patterns and city organization in and effort to control urban sprawl and traffic congestion.

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization became the region’s federally-recognized metropolitan planning organization, MPO, to coordinate regional transportation planning with cities, counties, Capital Metro, Capital Area Rural Transportation System and the Texas Department of Transportation in 1973. CAMPO helped fund projects in the area like the expansion of Brushy Creek Road, the new US 183A toll road, and Leander’s transit-oriented development.

CAMPO Mobility 2035 Plan

CAMPO representatives presented a regional growth plan last year through four workshops in Round Rock, San Marcos, Austin and Bastrop. The plan is a comprehensive blueprint for transportation systems and services in Williamson, Hays and Travis counties to manage population and traffic congestion for the next 25 years. It integrates information from Envision Central Texas’ concept of planning pedestrian-friendly town centers and distributing employment throughout the region.

According to CAMPO statistics, the population in the tri-county area will double by 2035, taking the total number of people from its current 1.4 million to 2.75 million.

The presentation suggested creating activity centers within densely populated areas to organize traffic and population. An activity center, much like downtown Austin or downtown Bastrop would be a mix of restaurants, residences and businesses tailored to the local area.

“The focused growth and activity centers will provide a greater mix of housing, and businesses will be closer to where people live,” Stephanie Greathouse, CAMPO senior planner, said. “They will minimize infrastructure costs and create a unique sense of place for current and future residents.”

Greathouse said that as of right now there is $23 billion allocated to a mix of future transportation improvements. However, she added that amount of money is not enough to reduce traffic congestion by 2035.

“The more people we have, the more congestion we will have,” Michael Aulick, CAMPO executive director, said. “We also have to look at the price of gas going up, the air quality and the environment.”

Mobility Plan Concerns

The Transportation Policy Board, a collection of local city council members, mayors, county commissioners, state senators, state representatives and transportation provider representatives such as Capital Metro asked for suggestions from residents in the tri-county area.

Seventy-three percent of citizens responded that they like the idea of growth through activity centers. However, many voiced concerns about CAMPO’s role in transportation planning and funding and the dependence on developers.

Citizens were worried that commercial, retail and residential developers would not be a guarantee for designated activity centers. One resident said that allocating a certain area as an activity center would be changing where people want to live. The concern was the uncertainty that developers would, in fact, build around an activity center.

Greathouse said that CAMPO is aware of the concerns and knows that developers will go where the people are and the activity centers are placed where the most growth is expected to occur.

“CAMPO deals with very hard and controversial issues in trying to provide transportation options for the future,” Howell said. “It is always difficult when trying to accomplish something for everyone.”

Greathouse, along with Aulick, are working to refine the CAMPO Growth Concept draft using the public feedback and will present a final revised draft to the Policy Board later this year. Greathouse said that assuming the Board approves the concept, they will then seek support of the concept from cities and counties.

For more information, visit www.campotexas.org.

How to become involved in transportation planning

Learn who is involved in your community
Establish contacts with representatives on the Transportation Policy Board
Visit CAMPO’s Web site regularly for up-to-date transportation planning opportunities at www.campotexas.org
Participate in public meetings
Attend Policy Board meetings
Join CAMPO’s mailing list
Contact CAMPO staff with questions/comments 512-974-2275
Establish contacts with transportation providers
Share suggestions for improving CAMPO’s public outreach and involvement activities

Source: www.campotexas.org

What is CAMPO?

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is the regional transportation planning group responsible for coordinating the efforts of transportation agencies in Williamson, Travis and Hays counties. It provides planning and air quality services and serves as a forum for setting priorities for spending federal transportation dollars. CAMPO has a staff of 15 who report to a 23-member Transportation Policy Board. A Technical Advisory Committee of representatives from the region’s cities and counties, as well as transportation agencies assists the Board in developing and evaluating plans.

Changes Ahead

Area population is expected to double to 2.75 million people by 2030.

Rail and truck traffic will increase as more goods move across and within Central Texas.

Funding Challenges

By law, the cost of all transportation projects in the 2035 Plan cannot exceed $23 billion in transportation revenue that is anticipated over the next 25 years. This amount covers transit and roadway expansions as well as operations, maintenance and transportation programs.
Revenues to fund highways are shrinking relative to demand.
State and federal gasoline taxes are set at 38.4 cents per gallon and do not increase with inflation or gas prices. Even a moderate increase in the gas tax- which the 2030 Plan anticipates- will not fully make up for rising facility costs and increasing fuel efficiency over time.
The CAMPO 2035 Plan assumes that some new roads and express lanes will be tolled. The CAMPO 2035 Plan does not include any toll lanes beyond those that were approved prior to 2005; however, all future freeway lane construction will need to be evaluated for toll feasibility.