Bill White, Mayor A Model for Curbing the Growth of Congestion Presented By Maureen Crocker, Mobility Coordinator Planning & Development Department PROBLEM: Traffic, Traffic & More Traffic Traffic Drivers Included: Perpetual freeway construction $2 billion in downtown street reconstruction Construction of 7 mile rail line Addition of new skyscrapers, an arena, ballpark and stadium 5 5 Five Key Strategies 1 - Better Street & Road Repair 2 - Improved Traffic Management 3 - Shifting The Peak 4 - Mass Transit 5 - Longer-Term Planning Houston Mayor Bill White Coordination of Construction Improved Traffic Management Around Construction Sites Public Information on Street and Road Projects Stopping Work Interruptions 1 1 Better Street & Road Repair Coordination of Construction Improved Traffic Management Around Construction Sites Public Information on Street and Road Projects Stopping Work Interruptions 1 1 Better Street & Road Repair 2 2 Improved Traffic ManagementSignal Synchronization Traffic War Room Rapid Response Team 2 2 Improved Traffic Management SafeClear Goals Save lives Reduce traffic congestion Cut down on the chaos of the previous system, and Ensure that citizens are treated fairly by wrecker drivers Accomplishments 1/1/2005 to 1/25/ ,000 motorists aided 2,536 fewer crashes 87% calls responded to within 6 minutes 75% removed within 20 minutes 2 2 Improved Traffic Management Lights Save lives Reduce accidents Free up police officers for other duties 3 3 Shifting the Peak Flexible Workplace Initiative Increase productivity while decreasing peak hour traffic congestion. 143 employers enrolled with 20,000 employees participating 2768 surveyed participants indicated they eliminated 16,610 peak-time commutes 68% of participants said their commute was faster or much faster 96% found their productivity levels to be the same or higher Results Mobility Results Light Rail Expansion Expanded Toll Service (HOT) Commuter Rail 4 4 Mass Transit Light Rail Expansion Expanded Toll Service (HOT) Commuter Rail 4 4 Mass Transit METRO Mobility 2025 Freight Rail 720 At-Grade Crossings 5 5 Longer-Term Planning M ixed residential, commercial, and retail developments should be encouraged by expedited permitting and capital improvements, to build communities where people are able to walk or bicycle or take the bus or train to and from work and shopping. P lans for these development should be driven by broad stakeholder input. Transit Oriented Development Walking & Biking 5 5 Five Key Strategies 1 - Better Street & Road Repair 2 - Improved Traffic Management 3 - Shifting The Peak 4 - Mass Transit 5 - Longer-Term Planning Houston Mayor Bill White Thanks to Houston's everything goes attitude, congestion has grown by only 24 hours. Traffic in Houston has not got any better, but it is getting worse at a slower rate than in just about any other large city in the country. (Only Philadelphia matches its record on congestion abatement.) And getting-worse-more- slowly may be the best anyone in North America can hope for. Q&A Maureen Crocker, Mobility Coordinator Planning & Development Department Bill White, Mayor A Model for Curbing the Growth of Congestion