Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute through January 2030 in an amount not to exceed $800,000, for measurement and data analysis of vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas reduction efforts in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area as part of implementation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Climate Pollution Reduction Grant received by the City. Funding: $800,000 is available in the Capital Budget of the Transportation and Public Works Department.
De
Lead Department
Austin Transportation and Public Works
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $800,000 is available in Austin Transportation and Public Works' Capital Budget.
Prior Council Action:
March 21, 2024 - Resolution No. 20240321-030, authorizing submittal of an application for the 2024 Climate Pollution Reduction Grant administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in support of Transportation Demand Management programs related to commute alternatives during multiple extended infrastructure construction projects in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area was approved on an 11-0 vote.
October 24, 2024 - Ordinance No. 20241024-042, amending the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Transportation and Public Works Department Special Revenue Fund (Ordinance No. 20240814-007) to accept and appropriate grant funds from the EPA in the amount of $47,854,062 and amending the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Transportation and Public Works Department Capital Budget (Ordinance No. 20240814 -007) to transfer in and appropriate $47,854,062 for Mobility Hub projects and regional mobility education, was approved on an 11-0 vote.
For More Information:
Richard Mendoza, Director, 512-974-2488; Upal Barua, Assistant Director, 512-974-7110; Kristin Pipkin, Consulting Engineer, 512-974-3315; Gilda Powers, Quality Consultant, 512-974-7092.
Additional Backup Information:
As Central Texas enters a transformative period in transportation development, the City of Austin and its regional partners are implementing a series of major mobility investments. Collectively, these projects will expand multimodal travel options, enhance regional connectivity, and provide alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel.
However, this large-scale construction effort is expected to cause significant short-term disruptions, especially along major travel corridors such as IH-35 in Central Texas. These disruptions may temporarily increase vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and corresponding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollutants. Additionally, without a shift away from SOV dependence, these long-term investments risk underutilization upon completion.
To address these challenges, City of Austin, along with other partners, collaborated on a grant proposal for Transportation Demand Management (TDM) improvements through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG). The proposed project was selected for a CPRG grant for up to $47,854,062 in Federal financial assistance.
With these federal funds, adopted strategies aim to:
o Encourage a shift from SOV to non-SOV travel modes (e.g., transit, carpooling, vanpooling, walking, biking, and shared mobility), and
o Reduce overall VMT and associated emissions, particularly along major construction corridors.
In order to meet EPA reporting requirements, the City must partner with Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) in order to:
1. Evaluate the effectiveness of CPRG-funded TDM strategies in shifting behavior and reducing transportation demand (i.e., VMT) and emissions of GHG and air pollutants.
2. Develop evidence-based recommendations and tools to support future CPRG-funded TDM program improvements and investment decisions.
The project comprises seven tasks which will be repeated annually throughout the four-year period:
1. Project Management
2. Data Collection, Processing, and Integration
3. Travel behavior and Mode Share Impact Assessment
4. Air Quality Impact Assessment
5. Economic and Operational Impact Assessment
6. Forecasting and Baseline Development for Future Impact Evaluation
7. Results Dissemination
TTI is a state agency and member of The Texas A&M University System, and does not authorize external representatives, dealers, or distributors to provide the specialized services it develops and delivers. Their services are provided exclusively by TTI personnel and are not commercially available through any third-party vendors.
The nature of the requested work spans multiple specialized fields, including air quality and emissions modeling, transit operations, travel demand forecasting, and transportation data analytics. TTI is uniquely positioned to perform this work due to its:
o Multidisciplinary expertise across key transportation domains;
o Proven track record with Texas state agencies, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and local governments; and
o Tools and methodologies developed and maintained in-house, which are not available from other organizations.