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:
$100 million for intersection improvements
$50 million for pedestrian safety
$50 million for non-bike-and-non-sidewalk Safe Routes to Schools
$25 million for strategic equitable bicycle interventions
$25 million for protected bike intersections
$50 million for a new Office of Innovative Freedom
$10 million for traffic signal upgrades
$40 million for a safe emergency vehicles fund
$200 million for corridor speed management
$100 million for intersection modernization
$100 million for “Complete Great Green Streets”
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.