Safety: Worthy of Investment

James Dean. Princess Diana. “60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon.

What do these celebrities have in common? They all died in car crashes.

I have no doubt you can name many more people who fall into that category. We all can. Friends, colleagues, neighbors, family.

We have been talking about the need to maintain and improve our transportation system and the needed increase in transportation funding to do that. We’ve talked about the economy. We’ve talked about growth. But truthfully, there is nothing more important than safety when we talk about transportation. There are an average of 30,000 traffic fatalities in the US each year and an average of 200 per year in Idaho. One death is too many, much less 30,000!

What can we do?

No one “fix” will solve all transportation safety issues. It takes a combination of infrastructure improvements, enforcement of safety laws, improved vehicle safety, and most of all, personal action.

Improvements to our transportation system don’t have to be big. Often, the improvements with the most “bang for the buck” – the most lives saved for the investment – are simple: better signage, rumble strips, speed limits.

Coupled with these is enforcement. Unfortunately, getting to one’s destination safely often isn’t enough to convince people to drive the speed limit, not run stop signs, and not drink, or text, and drive. We need enforcement of our traffic safety laws.

Improvements in both of these categories – infrastructure and enforcement – cost money. Will an increase in transportation funding help us to improve our infrastructure and save lives? Yes. Is the investment worth it? I think so.

However, as I said, those aren’t the only pieces to the puzzle. Auto manufacturers are working to make our vehicles safer all the time – think of air bags, backup cameras, and cars that alert you to a potential accident. When my parents were growing up, cars didn’t even come with seatbelts…we’ve come a long way since those days.

But, all the improvements and safety measures in the world can’t protect us from ourselves.

We are still human, and despite all the hype over autonomous cars, right now, we are the ones behind the wheel. There are actions we can all take, that cost nothing, that make our roads safer: 

• Wear your seatbelt.
• Buckle your kids into their car seats.
• Don’t drink and drive, or text and drive.
• Wear a helmet if you’re on your bicycle or motorcycle.
• Obey traffic safety laws.
• Watch for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Regardless of whether you agree with me on transportation funding, the economy, taxes, or anything else, I hope you’ll agree with me on this: be safe, for yourself and those who care about you.

Keeping our Ag Economy Moving

Idaho's agricultural exports have more than doubled in the last seven years, according to data released by the Idaho Department of Agriculture in late January. Clearly, at least in the agricultural sector, we are emerging from the Great Recession.

This is great news, but not news that can simply be acknowledged and forgotten. Success doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It must be nurtured. COMPASS is committed to doing its part to support our agricultural economy so that it can continue to grow and thrive.

In fact, support of agriculture – specifically goals to preserve agricultural land and protect and enhance transportation routes for agriculture -- is explicitly addressed in Communities in Motion 2040, the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties.

To that end, COMPASS has begun work on a farm freight study to ensure the transportation routes and needs of farm freight in Ada and Canyon Counties are being addressed in transportation planning. We are seeking to gain a more complete understanding of the routes used to move agricultural freight, the volume being moved, and the equipment used to move it. This information will then feed into Communities in Motion 2040 2.0 for documenting maintenance needs, choke points, and other issues along those routes.

Identifying key routes is a first step in ensuring they are maintained and improved so they can continue to serve the agricultural community. COMPASS will also use the study results to be proactive in developing projects that help make freight movement safer, faster, easier, and more efficient for all roadway users.

COMPASS began the study last summer by working with major regional processors to map their freight routes and volumes, and has now expanded its efforts to reach out to all local growers, producers, processors, and drivers to help gather more complete information on farm freight routes. Anyone involved in transporting agricultural freight in Ada or Canyon Counties is encouraged to take an online survey before March 10, 2015, to help COMPASS ensure your routes are included when we consider road maintenance and improvement projects.

If you have questions on the study, or would like to participate in the survey, but missed the survey window, contact COMPASS at tfuller@compassidaho.org or 208/475-2231 for assistance. Study results and report will be available this fall on the COMPASS web site.

Let’s keep our agricultural economy moving.

Strong Transportation System = Strong Economy

Last February, as part of our 2014 education series, COMPASS hosted Chandler Duncan, EDR Group, to speak on transportation infrastructure and how it affects our economy.

This February – February 5 and 6 to be exact – we are hosting Todd Litman, founder of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, to speak about the same topic as part of our 2015 education series.

Why are we talking about the same topic again this year? Haven’t we heard it all?

I think a better question is why don’t we talk about the relationship of transportation and the economy every year? The two are intricately tied; strong transportation infrastructure is a necessity for a strong economy. On the other side of the coin, a strong economy can strengthen our transportation infrastructure, if we choose to let it.

Below, I quote a few “factoids” from Mr. Duncan’s presentations in February 2014 that demonstrate how our transportation system supports our economy:

• In 2013, Idaho exported $33 billion of goods
• $16.8 billion of exports were carried over Idaho roads by truck alone
• That number jumps to $22 billion if we combine truck and truck/rail exports
• The goods exported by truck alone supported 97,000 jobs and over $4 million in wages in 2013
• Wages in “traded” industries (industries that bring money in from out of state, such as exports) were 23% higher than the average Idaho income in 2012

But, while transportation is supporting our economy, we aren’t supporting it:

• The Idaho fuel tax has remained unchanged at 25 cents per gallon since 1996, paying for 36% less than it did 19 years ago.
• The federal fuel tax has fallen even further behind, remaining unchanged at 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline (24.4 cents for diesel) since 1993.

I invite you to consider these figures and what they mean to you and to your personal bottom line, then join COMPASS as we welcome Todd Litman on February 5 and 6 as he shares his perspective and research on the relationship of transportation and our economy.

The more we know about the relationship between transportation and our economy, the better prepared we are to make informed decisions.

…Don’t let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks

How do we pay for transportation, anyway?

We have been talking a lot about our transportation funding needs and shortfall between now and 2040 – for Ada and Canyon Counties we project $359 million in annual transportation funding needs, but only $200 million in annual transportation funding, for a shortfall of $159 million per year.

You are probably aware that COMPASS supports increasing transportation funding to help bridge this gap, and that the transportation funding issue will likely be discussed in depth at both the state and federal levels in 2015. I encourage you to be part of that conversation; however, I know it can be difficult to do that without first understanding where the money comes from now. Let me try to shed some light…

Simply put, funding for our transportation system is first collected through taxes by various branches of our government, then distributed to transportation agencies to maintain and improve our transportation system. Transportation funding is designed to primarily be a user-pay system, with the majority of the money coming from fuel taxes. The concept is simple: the more you drive, the more fuel you use, the more you pay in fuel tax. That tax, in turn, is used to build and maintain the transportation system.

However, once we move beyond the very basics, it gets complicated quickly.  

Where does transportation funding come from, and who collects it?

As I mentioned above, most transportation funding comes directly from transportation “users” through fuel taxes, as well as registration fees, impact fees (fees paid by developers to offset costs due to growth), and public transportation fares. Some funding also comes from more general taxes, such as property taxes.

Fuel taxes are collected by both the federal government (18 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24 cents per gallon for diesel) and the State of Idaho (25 cents per gallon for both gas and diesel). It is important to note that these amounts have not changed since the mid-1990s and do not change with the price of fuel. Because the tax rates have remained unchanged for 20 years, they have not kept pace with inflation. This, combined with more fuel efficient vehicles and national trends that show that people are driving less, means that the “user-pay” concept isn’t working as it once was. Costs are continuing to increase, but the funds to pay for those expenses are not.

Vehicle registration fees are collected by the Ada County Highway District (ACHD), through a local option registration fee approved by voters, and by the State of Idaho. Valley Regional Transit and ACHD Commuteride both collect fares from users, and ACHD and the City of Nampa both also levy transportation impact fees on new development. In addition, local municipalities can use a portion of property taxes to pay for transportation infrastructure and services. Valley Regional Transit operations are mainly supported by local cities, primarily from property taxes.

How is transportation funding spent, and by whom?

Here is where things get really complicated. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one “pot” of transportation money to draw from. Each of the different types of taxes, above, have strings attached that limit how they can be spent. In addition, in some cases funding is further divided into different funding “silos,” even within one funding source. I’ve highlighted just a few examples below to give you a feel for how this works. 

• Federal Fuel Tax: Fuel taxes collected by the federal government are returned to the states. Idaho is in the enviable position of receiving more back from federal fuel tax than it pays in – at least $1.50 for every $1 contributed. A portion of the federal funding that comes to Idaho is specifically for the Idaho Transportation Department to use on state managed highways. The rest of the funding is for use by local transportation departments, based on size – some funding is for rural areas, some is for small urban areas, some is specifically for the “Boise Urbanized Area” (basically northern Ada County). Some of those funding “silos” are further divided, with specific funding allocated for safety, for bridges, for public transportation, for roads, etc. 

• State of Idaho Fuel Tax: Funding from this tax is divided between the Idaho Transportation Department to fund state highways and local transportation departments (cities and highway districts) to fund local roads. Per the Idaho constitution, fuel taxes cannot be used to fund public transportation, leaving Idaho without dedicated public transportation funding. 

• Impact Fees: These fees, collected from developers in the City of Nampa and within Ada County, can only be used for transportation projects related to new development, and cannot be used for maintenance or operating costs. For example, impact fees could be used to add stoplights to accommodate increased traffic, but not to pay snow plow drivers. The specifics of how these fees can and cannot be used is spelled out in state law. It’s important to note that those fees do not have to be used at the exact site of the development; they can be used for traffic improvements to address growth-related challenges within the jurisdiction of the agency that collected the fees, based on specific criteria. 

So, what does all this mean to me?

You will undoubtedly hear more about transportation funding at both the state and federal levels over the coming months. As you form your opinions on what should be done, keep the following points in mind: 

The current system of funding our transportation system primarily with gas taxes no longer works as intended. Something needs to change. This may be raising the gas tax, augmenting the gas tax with additional funding mechanisms, or changing our expectations of what our transportation system should do for us…basically, consciously choosing to forgo maintenance and not expand to accommodate growth. Personally, I think it will take a combination of all of these.

The “silo” issue needs to be part of the discussion when looking at transportation funding options:

• We can’t simply move money around to solve our funding problems. I’ve heard people say, “I don’t want X; spend the money on Y instead.” That often simply isn’t possible. For example, if we want to widen I-84, we can’t simply take our “public transportation” money and put it toward widening the interstate. Or, we may have federal money we can use to buy more buses, but we don’t have enough money for the fuel to operate them. We can’t simply use the money designated for buying buses to pay for fuel. Within the current system, our funding can only be used within the appropriate “silos.” 

• Funding a more robust transportation system isn’t just about raising more money; it’s also about raising money that can be used to meet identified needs. As we explore new funding mechanisms or increasing the amount we collect from current sources, moving away from “silos” would provide flexibility to allow an individual jurisdiction to use transportation funding to best meet its transportation needs, whatever those may be. 

Don’t let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks.

Bikes, Transit, and BUGS…Oh My!

We talk a lot about providing a more multi-modal transportation system, and I am frequently asked if we are making any progress. I can answer with a resounding, “yes”: we are making progress. You don’t need to look any further than this year’s Leadership in Motion award winners to see that we are definitely making strides in that direction.

The projects, organizations, and people honored at this year’s awards presentation reflect the spectrum of transportation options – roadways, transit, and bicycles and pedestrians. In addition, we honored the Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS) – an organization seemingly outside the transportation “world,” but whose work with youth on gardening and healthy, active living soundly supports the goals and vision of Communities in Motion 2040, the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties.

While our winners are diverse, what they all have in common is a look toward the future. The individuals, agencies, and organizations have all looked beyond “what is” to “what could be,” and the Treasure Valley is, and will be, a better place for it. We are all indebted to these leaders for their foresight and fortitude to make our lives better.

I list our recipients below. I encourage you to visit http://www.compassidaho.org/comm/awards.htm to learn more about their accomplishments.

Leadership in Government, Canyon County

·   City of Caldwell

o Ustick/Indiana Roundabout Project

Leadership in Government, Ada County

·   Ada County Highway District 

o Bicycle Education and Outreach Project

Leadership by Example, Private Business

·   Gardner Company

Leadership by Example, Nonprofit

·   Boise Urban Garden School

Leadership by Example, Elected Official

·   Commissioner John S. Franden, Ada County Highway District 

Leadership in Practice, Professional

·   Matt Edmond, AICP, Ada County Highway District 

Congratulations and thank you all for your vision and leadership.

Communities in Motion 2040: Now the Real Work Begins…

I often hear complaints that all COMPASS does is plan…as soon as we finish one plan we start on the “next” plan, and leave the plan we just finished sitting on the shelf.

I must admit, the part about starting on the “next” plan almost immediately after one plan is adopted is true. We must update the long-range transportation plan (Communities in Motion) every four years, and it takes nearly four years to complete the process, so we do start again right away. In fact, our current plan, Communities in Motion 2040, was adopted by our Board in July, and in October our Board approved the scope of work to update that plan.

BUT…that’s not the whole story. One thing that is different this time around is that we have kept the horizon year (the ending year of the plan) at 2040, instead of moving it ahead as we have done in the past. Communities in Motion 2040 provides excellent “bones” for a long-range transportation plan, and the update will add more “meat” to the bones. Keeping the horizon year at 2040 allows COMPASS to refine the plan and to focus our efforts on implementation.

Below I share just a sample of the work COMPASS has already begun to implement Communities in Motion 2040; each of these addresses specific goals outlined in the plan.

ü  Grant Implementation Program. In early 2014 COMPASS kicked off a program to provide small grants to COMPASS member agencies to assist with local projects that implement the goals of Communities in Motion. COMPASS awarded grants in 2014 to the Cities of Middleton, Kuna, and Wilder, and will open applications for 2015 grants in January. Learn more. 

ü  Farm Freight Study. Agriculture is one of the primary economic drivers in the area, particularly in Canyon County, yet very little is known about the transportation routes and needs associated with farm freight. In July, COMPASS began work on a farm freight study to identify important routes used for hauling farm produce from fields to processors, and from processors to market. Identification of those key routes is a first step in ensuring they are preserved and well-maintained so they can continue to serve the agricultural community.

ü  Look! Save a Life! Bicyclists and pedestrians are a vital and growing segment of our population and our transportation users. To promote safety, COMPASS spread the word about the importance of sharing the road by sponsoring the Boise Police Department’s Look! Save a Life! television campaign in September and October 2014, and is co-sponsoring a workshop on urban bikeway design hosted by Boise State University. We will continue to work with our partners to increase safety and reduce bicycle and pedestrian collisions.

ü  Regional Pathway Plan. Ada and Canyon Counties have a myriad of pathways, most notably the Boise River Greenbelt, and even more pathways are in various stages of planning. While just about any pathway can provide amenities for exercise and enjoyment, for a pathway to truly be used for transportation, it must go somewhere or connect to something. COMPASS is developing a regional pathway plan to map the locations of current and future pathways across the two-county area, identify gaps in the pathway system, and establish priorities for pathway funding to create a more comprehensive, useable pathway system across the valley.

ü  The biggest issue raised in Communities in Motion 2040 was the fact that there is not enough funding to complete transportation corridors and projects needed to be prepared for the future. To help raise the awareness of this issue, and the dire need to do something about it, COMPASS has initiated the Don’t let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks! campaign. The campaign includes a new web page, weekly Facebook posts, education series speakers, radio messages, blogs, and more that will continue throughout 2015.

ü  Last, but not least, COMPASS has been working on a “performance-based planning” approach – basically, how do we take what we learn through implementing this plan and use it to inform, and improve, the “next” plan? This is something that all metropolitan planning organizations in the nation must do, and COMPASS is on the leading edge. Through Communities in Motion 2040, we have developed 56 performance measures and targets. We are tracking progress toward targets to document progress (or not) and better comprehend what changes need to be made to improve our success. Anyone can view our targets and data at any time via an online performance dashboard or the biennial Change in Motion report. 

What do we want, what do we need, and what can we really afford?

As our society has grown more affluent, the lines between “wants” and “needs” seems to get blurred. When asked to distinguish between “wants” and “needs,” I have heard people list items such as cable or satellite TV or their daily latte in the “needs” categories. They say these are things they absolutely, positively could not live without. 

Really?

While I enjoy watching football on TV as much as anyone (maybe more) and love a good cup of coffee, I’m not convinced these are “needs.” If forced to choose between these and other “needs,” such as feeding my family, keeping a roof over our heads, and simply having the time to be a dad to my kids, coffee and football don’t make the cut.

The second question is, what can I afford? Can I afford everything I need? What about everything I want? If we look at our needs realistically, most of us can truly afford everything we need and much of what we want. Where we run into trouble is distinguishing between the two, and deciding how we will pay for those things we want, but can’t afford. Will we go into debt? Take an extra job? Or, do without?

COMPASS’s job is to look at our regional transportation needs. In Communities in Motion 2040, COMPASS has identified 33 unfunded priorities—our transportation needs to accommodate the growing population between now and 2040. These needs are based on an additional 422,160 people; 186,000 households; and 221,000 jobs in the two-county area—the equivalent of adding almost two new cities the size of Boise or five cities the size of Nampa. 

Some of you are likely asking yourselves right now, “are these ‘needs’ truly ‘needs’? That is, would we survive without them?”

In literal terms, for the most part, most of us will survive without these improvements. Unfortunately, the increased number of vehicles on the road, coupled with few improvements, will present significant safety issues which can make this a life and death issue in some situations. I will discuss safety issues more in a later blog.

Beyond safety, what do those unfunded needs mean to those of us who live in the Treasure Valley? If they remain unfunded, the average number of hours, per weekday, spent stuck in traffic would increase by more than 15 times (!) from an average of 27,670 hours per weekday to 430,350. To look at it another way, it would take twice as long to drive to many destinations; for example, the average drive time from Caldwell to downtown Boise would increase from 34 minutes today to 70 by 2040.

This affects our quality of life, our wallet, and the region’s economy. The cost of goods will go up, as it takes freight longer to reach its destination (after all, time is money!); response times for emergency vehicles will increase; we will spend less time with our families and more time in the car; farmers, manufacturers, and others will have a harder time getting their goods to market; and more.

What would it cost to meet those unfunded needs? That is, what can we afford? COMPASS estimates it would cost about $359 million per year, of which 44% ($159 million per year) is currently unfunded. That is our gap. I know it sounds huge, but it is doable. Based on our current population, that equates to about $755 per year per household – only about $2 per household per day – less than a latte. Is that worth more time with your family? You decide.

Don’t let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks.

Learn more about transportation funding here.

Transportation Funding – What Does it Really Mean to Me?

You have probably seen or heard news stories about funding our transportation system – from concerns over funding for vital regional projects, to the near bankruptcy of the federal highway trust fund, to debates on transportation funding in the Idaho legislature.

All of this may leave you wondering, “What does this mean to me…?”

• Is our transportation system really in dire need of more money? If so, why?
• How much money is needed? What would it be used for?
• What would it cost me?
• How do we pay for our transportation system anyway?
• Are “they” going to raise my gas tax and make me pay more at the pump?
• Is raising the gas tax the only option? Are there other things we can do locally?
• If we raise more transportation dollars, will we get a better bus system? What about more sidewalks and bike paths?
• If we don’t do anything, what will happen? Will it hurt our economy? Will our bridges collapse? Will I be stuck in traffic every day?

COMPASS is going to be addressing all of these questions, and more, over the next year in an intensive effort to raise the level of the conversation about transportation funding and what it really means to all of us.

We have created a new webpage to specifically address funding issues. In addition, be watching for monthly posts here in my blog, weekly “Did you Know?” facts on the COMPASS Facebook page, news articles, education series speakers (January – May 2015), and more, all addressing the many issues that surround transportation funding.

Take a moment to share your comments, concerns, or questions regarding transportation funding below (click on the “comment” button) …let’s make this a true regional “conversation” about this key issue and how it affects us all. 

Don't let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks.

Because inquiring minds want to know!

What do you want to know? Are you interested in how traffic congestion impacts how long it takes you to get from “Point A” to “Point B”? Or, are you more interested in how walkable our schools are, how many people are riding the bus, or how well the region is doing in preserving its existing farmland?

COMPASS has a new tool to help you find the answers to all of these questions and more. Visit the NEW COMPASS online dashboard (www.compassidaho.org/dashboard/) to pick your topic, then drill down into maps, charts, graphs, and more. 

Find regional data relating to the eight planning elements in Communities in Motion 2040, the 17 goals associated with those elements, and performance measures to track progress toward meeting those goals.

When and how can the COMPASS dashboard help you?

• When making decisions that affect your community…Consider current conditions and how they compare to regional (Communities in Motion) and local goals when making transportation, land use, or other decisions. Will your decision help “move the needle” toward meeting regional goals?

• When preparing grant applications…Use the information as presented – or access the data behind it – to provide a snapshot of local and regional conditions and trends to help get that funding you need for your project. 

• When writing articles and reports…Find data and information to provide context or supporting documentation for news articles, professional research, or even school reports. 

• When tracking issues or areas important to you…Whether you’re a parent who cares about access to parks and schools, a health professional concerned about access to healthy foods, or an interested citizen who just wants to see what things look like in your neighborhood, you’ll find data, maps, graphs, and more that tell the story you care about. 

• When providing your comments to COMPASS and other agencies…How does the project or plan you are commenting on fit into the larger picture? Consider Communities in Motion goals and use the dashboard to see where we are now and where we want to be. Does the project or plan you are commenting on help fulfill Communities in Motion goals? 

Finally, I encourage you to a look just because it’s interesting. I find myself going in to the dashboard to look for one specific piece of information, then clicking on all sorts of other topics just to see what’s there. The amount of information in the dashboard is mind-boggling and will continue to expand as we are able to gather and track more and more data. Our goal is to provide a tool that is useful to the community as a whole, so if there are data sets you would like to have added, contact COMPASS and let us know. 

While the dashboard is intuitive and user friendly, even for novice users, it also provides many more powerful functions than meet the eye, including allowing the users to download the data for their own use. COMPASS staff will provide training in the near future to assist users in learning how to access and take advantage of these more advanced functions. Watch the COMPASS website (www.compassidaho.org/comm/publicevents.htm) and email blasts for more details.

Final Installment…Communities in Motion: Why Do You Care?

As you are likely aware, Communities in Motion 2040 was approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors in July. We are now moving from the “planning” stage to the “implementation” stage of the plan.

Throughout the planning process I have shared with you comments submitted by members of the public regarding why they care…or think others should care…about long-range planning in general and Communities in Motion in particular. Since the plan is now adopted, we have wrapped up this exercise, so this is my final blog in the “Why do you care?” series.

Without further ado, here is the final list of reasons submitted by you of why you care:

• Transportation leads to jobs, which lead to higher paying jobs, which is people’s concern.
• Don’t take what we have for granted – it didn’t just happen. Past generations planned and paid for the infrastructure we have today – it didn’t just materialize.
• We need to work together for the greater good – it’s for everyone.
• We should visualize what it would be like without good infrastructure – use our resources wisely so we continue to have it as good as we do now.
• We need to work now to solve/avoid current and future problems – congestion, delay, and lack of mobility, and work to keep access to recreation/outdoors close to home.
• We should maximize our use of limited resources for the greater good.
• People cared before us and built for us.  We should pay it forward with planning and monetary investments.
• We need to raise awareness that resources will be limited in the future, even if they aren’t now.
• I think people should care about transportation, and especially alternative transportation, because every time I ride my bike in a bike lane that is so narrow in places that it isn’t even large enough for the “bike lane” symbol, every time I begin to cross State Street (with the green light and pedestrian “walk” sign lit!), and nearly get run over by an obstinately ignorant right-turning car, and every time I breathe deep in sheer joy at my daily commute on the greenbelt, I am more convinced than ever that we, as a community and a society, must fundamentally change the parameters of how we go about getting from point A to point B.  This earth we inhabit, and indeed our very lives, depends upon it.

While we have completed our four-year exercise of continually asking “why do you care?” that doesn’t mean that question, or the answers to it, are any less important. As was stated by more than one person above, past generations cared about the future and we have benefitted from that. It is now our job to do the same for our children and grandchildren.