Urban Circulator Roundtable: Shaping

Cities One Challenge at a Time Project Connect Central Corridor –

Clarifying the “Problem” in Austin, Texas

Derek Benedict, PE URS Transit & Railroads

Austin, Texas

• Regional High-Capacity System Plan

• Includes local and regional rail and other HOV services

• Established priorities

• Central Corridor Study

• 4 “C”s, “G”, and “S”

– Congestion

– Core

– Constraints

– Centers

– Growth

– System (added for the Central Corridor)

• Study area (Central Austin) divided into 10 “sub-corridors”

• About 60 different data sets were used to represent the problem statements (4 Cs, G, and S)

• An interval-scoring and ranking tool was developed

“Poor – Fair – Good – Best” Harvey Balls

…Good for more discrete comparison of better-defined corridors

Lamar Highland Mueller ERC

3 2 4 1

52 61 51 70

Congestion 1 3 5 3 6

Congestion Index 2 5 22 20 25

Travel Demand Index 5 38 55 29 60

Constraints & Growth 4 18 23 19 19

Growth Index 4 36 55 38 56

Constraint Index 2 32 33 33 16

Core 2 2 6 9 8

Affordability Index 3 10 17 27 25

Econ Development Index 2 7 25 40 33

Centers 3 8 8 7 10

Centers Index 4 20 24 25 40

Consistency with Plans 1 20 16 12 12

System 5 21 19 12 27

Future Ridership Potential 5 19 21 8 29

Current Ridership Potential 3 18 10 4 16

Connectivity Index 5 15 13 16 22

Transit Demand Index 4 11 12 9 15

Weighting/

Importance

Pro

ble

m

Cri

teri

a

- Allowed the use of many different sets of data

- Allowed sensitivity testing

- Allowed for simple prioritization of corridors/future corridors

- Allowed clear defense of the methodology - Allowed for the development of an

interactive tool for public involvement

– There were some surprises, but the results elegantly reflected the Project Connect problem statements and the priorities of advisory group stakeholders

– Sensitivity & scenario testing

– Some critics felt the method was a “black box” or too complicated in general

– On the other hand, the tool was flexible, efficient, and a good platform for interactive public involvement

- The recommended “sub-corridors” were advanced and a locally preferred alternative developed.

- Bond referendum this November