Wheel Deal

Wheel Deal Feedback Response

This document provides our response to the various spending edits made by community members. In addition, several memos featured operational, policy, and implementation recommendations. All of those were incorporated into our policy requirements under the relevant spending plank.

The document provides our responses for the recommendations in each memo; it is organized in ascending alphabetical order.

Each memo is referenced by a title section that indicates the author. The main edits suggested by the memo are represented by bold headings; our response to each suggested edit follows in plain text.

Anonymous 1

Reduce sidewalks to $210m due to City staff capacity bottleneck

The sidewalk budget was adjusted to $350 million, partly to address the staff capacity concern.

Change to Orange and Blue BRT. BRT is more productive and capital-efficient because ridership projections are likely too optimistic

The shorter-term (2028) ridership projections for Orange indicate that BRT would already be at capacity from launch. Project Connect consultants have been clear in public meetings and with some media that BRT would leave people standing at the curb from launch. We keep our LRT recommendation for Orange. To enhance long-term interoperability, and thus reduce operating costs and improve reliability, we also keep our Blue Line LRT recommendation.

Use a TIF instead of land acquisition

Our adjusted value capture approach more clearly embraces the potential use of tax increment financing and also reduces the size and strategic focus of the land acquisition fund.

Anonymous 2

The Blue Line should not fork at the downtown station because it will cause operational problems

This recommendation did not impact our spending mix at this time, but we will double-check Project Connect’s assessment of the argument presented by this memo.

Crossley

Increase the local transit funding amount to $4.4 billion. This includes surface light rail for the entirety of the Orange and Blue Lines and all other Project Connect proposals except the Green Line

Our updated proposal includes a total of $4.515 billion for transit and does not fund the Green Line.

Reduce sidewalks to $300 million due to staff capacity bottleneck. Spend $200 million for the sidewalk master plan and $100 million for Safe Routes to School Sidewalks

Our sidewalk proposal was adjusted to $350 million, partly to address the staff capacity concern.

Decrease bike master plan/safe routes to school bike infrastructure to $194 million

The memo’s proposed $194 million intends to fund the remaining all-ages network ($80 million), 47 urban trail miles ($94 million), and $20 million for Safe Routes to Schools bicycle infrastructure.

The Wheel Deal’s bike proposal was adjusted to $350 million, which fully covers the completion of the remaining 166 on-street bike lanes and urban trails recommended for funding in the 2014 bicycle master plan.

Add $150 million for a new “neighborhood greenways” program

The “neighborhood greenways” concept outlined in the memo is compelling and promising. However, it requires further development to clarify the specific components that will be purchased, their location, and expected impact. It is not included in the updated Wheel Deal proposal.

Increase total safety-focused funding to $950 million through 11 programs

Here is additional detail on the memo’s safety programs:

These are all important investments. They require further development to more clearly specify what will be purchased, where it will go, and the expected impact. While our updated proposal keeps its original $35 million allocation, we’ve broadened the language to include several of the categories targeted by this memo.

Add $50 million for a Transit Speed and Reliability investments on corridors

Our adjusted “Bus Plus” plank aims to have roughly $20-$30 million invested in these types of projects.

Add $50m for an “equitable” transit-oriented development (ETOD) fund

We added said fund to our updated proposal.

Add $50m for community land trusts

We opted to include the ETOD, as this mechanism is too similar to the affordable housing bond of 2018.

Add $10m Placemaking fund

This is a worthwhile idea that merits further study. We’ve included its intent as a new policy requirements for the Wheel Deal’s transit investments, the ETOD, and the shade fund.

Kenny

Include funding for MetroRapid routes and multi-bus-line routes in downtown/campus areas (I-35 to Lamar, the river to the northern boundaries of UNO) dedicated lanes

This is covered by our adjusted “Bus Plus” plank.

Include funding to fully build-out and allow for passing on all protected/buffered downtown/campus bike facilities in the ASMP in the downtown/campus area

This is reflected in our use of a higher per-mile cost for bike infrastructure.

Include funding for engineering and surveying to convert the entire MetroRapid network to dedicated lanes

This is covered by our adjusted “Bus Plus” plank.

Laycock

Build Orange Line LRT only from Tech Ridge to Auditorium Shores to reduce overall bond size and minimize political opposition

From our discussion with relevant City Hall insiders and political professionals, we believe a bond of the size we are proposing is politically feasible. Our updated Wheel Deal proposal keeps the complete build of surface Orange LRT.

Reduce the bike investment size

The Wheel Deal’s bike proposal was adjusted to $350 million, which fully covers the completion of the remaining 166 on-street bike lanes and urban trails recommended for funding in the 2014 bicycle master plan.

Do not use the land acquisition fund for value capture or equity. Instead use existing affordable housing funds to purchase housing near stations

Our adjusted value capture approach more clearly embraces the potential use of TIF and PIDs. It also reduces the size and strategic focus of the land acquisition fund.

Only fund sidewalks around quarter-mile of transit stations

Our sidewalk proposal was adjusted to $350 million.

Morris

Be cautious about Project Connect capital estimates

For transit projects, we’ve switched to using the lowest figure provided by Project Connect’s updated October 2019 cost estimates.

Propose transit project phasing

Our updated proposal reiterates the importance of prioritizing Orange LRT over Blue LRT.

Consider including an O&M funding component

Our updated value capture approach urges a mix of TIF, PIDs, and land acquisition to support operating expenses.

Consider the BRT component MetroRapid Plus be increased to reflect the conversion of all or part of the 803 to fully dedicated transitway

Our updated “Bus Plus” funding plank supports this direction.

Nahas

Do not use a land acquisition fund

Our adjusted value capture approach more clearly embraces the potential use of TIF and PIDs. It also reduces the size and strategic focus of the land acquisition fund.

Novacek

Orange Line should include North Burnet Gateway/Domain/Broadmoor spur

Our updated proposal features the current Project Connect recommendation for a complete surface Orange Line LRT build-out.

Blue Line should go up to ACC Highland

The expected development, park & rides, and ridership estimates remain too risky and dependent on long-term projects. We did not add this to our updated Wheel Deal.

Allocate some funds towards sidewalk repair

We’ve included a policy requirement under the sidewalk plank addressing this request.

Do not use a land acquisition fund

Our adjusted value capture approach more clearly embraces the potential use of TIF and PIDs. It also reduces the size and strategic focus of the land acquisition fund.