REPORT ON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ACTIVITIES A. H-GAC LONG RANGE PLANNING TPC Agenda Item 10A Staff prepared meeting materials for the RTP and TIP Joint Subcommittee meeting on October 19, 2017. The meeting included discussion of proposed RTP/TIP Investment Priorities. 1. Subregional Planning Initiatives (SPI) Staff presented a project update for the SH 146 Sub-regional study to TAC on October 18, 2017. Public meetings for the Waller County Transportation Plan were conducted on October 10, 2017 in Brookshire, and October 12, 2017 in Prairie View. Staff coordinated with the City of Houston on the procurement for the Southeast Houston Mobility Plan. 2. Safety/Operations Planning Incident Management Strategic Plan: Staff is still working with City of Houston s Legal Department to finalize interagency agreement language to reinstate the Quick Clearance Program at no cost to the stranded patron. Staff conducted Incident Management Training on October 11, 2017. Safety: Regional Safety Council meeting was conducted on October 17, 2017. Staff processed reimbursement requests to participating agencies for the DWI Task Force operations conducted over Labor Day Holiday. DWI Enforcement was limited during the Labor Day Enforcement Wave due to Hurricane Harvey. A Bicycle-Pedestrian Workshop was conducted on September 21, 2017. 3. Freight Planning Staff attended the Texas Freight Advisory Committee meeting held on September 20, 2017 at Houston TranStar. The Greater Houston Freight Committee meeting was conducted on September 27, 2017. 4. Hurricane Evacuation Planning Staff attended the Emergency Management and Evacuation Symposium hosted by the University of Houston s Hobby School of Public Affairs on October 17, 2017. B. H-GAC SHORT RANGE PLANNING 1. 2017-2020 TIP Development Update TIP documents and additional supporting materials can be found online at: http://www.hgac.com/taq/tip. H-GAC has entered into a contract with EcoInteractive Inc. to supply and support a replacement project database and information management system. Initial development is underway and staff anticipates training for agency partners to begin before the end of the calendar year. Page 1 of 3
2. Transit Planning Update: The 2017 update of the Gulf Coast Regionally Coordinated Transportation Plan (RCTP) was accepted by the Transportation Policy Council at its meeting on September 22, 2017. The RCTP documents and related materials are available on the project website at www.ridethegulfcoast.com. The next steps for the RCTP process include advanced planning activities to implement the recommendations in the plan. Steff conducted a Regional Transit Coordination Subcommittee meeting on October 12, 2017. Staff attended the High Capacity Transit Task Force Workshop on September 29, 2017 at METRO Headquarters located at 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX. C. PUBLIC OUTREACH Commute Solutions Planning Activities Staff continued to monitor two open grants in September for the Commute Solutions and Clean Air Action programs, and track the grant expenditures and balances. These grants are listed below: o CSJ 0912-00-474 Clean Air Action Staff Marketing and Outreach Program. This grant expires on August 31, 2018. o CSJ 0912-00-499 - Commute Solutions Program: This grant is used to implement contract services to promote rideshare activities. This grant expires on August 31, 2018. Staff began compiling information pertaining to activities that were accomplished by Commute Solutions staff and the advertising and marketing and public relations contractors over a three-year period. Staff also compiled documentation of public outreach events that staff participated with during the 3-year grant period and promotional materials distributed at each of these events. This documentation will be used in the close-out of CMAQ grant CSJ# 462 and submitted to TxDOT in mid-october. On September 6 staff attended the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Subcommittee meeting at the H-GAC office. H-GAC is partnering with KUBE Television Channel 57 to expand H-GAC s advertising and marketing and public outreach efforts into other markets to increase awareness about commute alternatives. In September, a Transportation Department program manager participated in a one-onone interview with the KUBE station manager to discuss the benefits of the Commute Solutions program and ways to reduce traffic congestion and improve transportation mobility and air quality in the region. Also, in September H-GAC and KUBE staffs participated in public outreach at a high school sporting event where an interview was done to encourage commuters to try a commute alternative once a week. Staff conducted research in September on peak congestion to learn what are the best days to promote commute alternatives among employers and commuters. The research shows Tuesday mornings and Page 2 of 6
Thursday afternoons as Houston s most heavily congested traffic times. H-GAC staff will consider this peak congestion information as we develop and finalize our strategic plans for our marketing and outreach campaigns in targeted locations of the region and among employers, transportation organizations and grassroot communities and neighborhoods. Staff continued to coordinate with the 11-member Workgroup in developing a pilot program for Workforce Solutions and United Way THRIVE to assist their clients and customers with transportation needs On September 13 staff participated in a conference call meeting with the Workgroup to discuss making revisions to the one-pager Employer flyer for the pilot Program, organizing training classes for counselors who are working with jobseekers and other clients and customers of Workforce Solutions and United Way THRIVE.. In September, Commute Solutions and METRO staffs organize a series of training classes for the counselors at the Workforce Solutions Career Centers and United Way THRIVE agencies who work closely with jobseekers, existing workers with no public transportation, and other Workforce Solutions and United Way THRIVE business clients and customers. The purpose of these trainings classes is to educate the counselors about available transportation options to travel to and from work; how to access these available transportation services; and what are the benefits of Commute Solutions to their clients and customers in meeting their transportation needs. The training classes will begin in November and end in December 2017. Staff confirmed participation by representatives from Colorado Valley Transit, Conroe Connection, Fort Bend Transit, Harris County RIDES, METRO, METROLift and METRO STAR Vanpool who will attend the training classes that have been organized within their service area(s), and each transportation provider will discuss how to access their transit services and how to join a vanpool or carpool. METRO STAR staff will also educate the counselors about the federal income tax benefits employers can receive if they offer commuter benefits to their employees for riding the bus/rail or joining a vanpool. On September 19 staff participated in a webinar called CMAQ From A to Z. Staff also attended a training on October 9 called How to Deliver Presentations with Ease and Confidence. Staff is currently brainstorming ideas for expanding H-GAC s grassroots marketing efforts and is creating opportunities to partner with community and civic organizations, real estate developers, property managers and other major stakeholders to educate and increase awareness about the Commute Solutions program. Also, staff began contacting representatives with the Super Neighborhoods to discuss ways they can partner with H-GAC to promote commute alternatives among their client, customers and the residents that live within their communities. In September H-GAC negotiated the second-year contracts with Langrand and Company and Etched Communications to implement the advertising and marketing and public relations campaigns for the Clean Air Action, Commute Solutions and Clean Vehicles programs. On September 27 H-GAC and Etched Communications met to discuss roles and responsibilities of staff and the contractor for the second-year contract. Staff also discuss requirements for submitting invoices, progress reports, timesheets, etc. for the monthly billings to H-GAC. H- Page 3 of 6
GAC staff was introduced by Etched Communications to their key team members who will be working on the public relations account for H-GAC. In September staff continued to coordinate with the City of Sugar Land and their events planner to organize the Road Warriors Transportation Fair, a public outreach event to be held in the Sugar Land Town Center on September 14 at Market Square. In September finalized all logistics for the event with the mayor of Sugar Land, exhibitors and food vendors regarding their participation in the event. Because of Hurricane Harvey, the Sugar Land event was postponed in September. Staff continued to coordinate with Jonathan Brooks of Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) in September and October to receive a copy of the draft final report for the Travel Options State Planning and Research (SPR) Study for H-GAC staff s review. Staff received a copy of the draft report in early October and is currently reviewing the report before it is finalized. In October staff completed the close-out of one of the Clean Air Action Program CMAQ grant CSJ# 0912-00-462 by summarizing all activities that were accomplished over a three-year period by Commute Solutions staff and the advertising and marketing and public relations contractors. This close-out documentation was submitted to TxDOT in mid-october. On October 18 staff met with the Division Manager of the Super Neighborhoods organization to discuss ways they can partner with H-GAC to promote commute alternatives among their client, customers and the residents that live within the Super Neighborhoods throughout the region. Staff attended the 4 th Annual Mobility Matters Symposium on October 18 at Royal Sonesta Houston in Uptown Galleria. The event was hosted by the Transportation Advocacy Group (TAG) and BAYTRAN Transportation Management Organization. The event highlighted mobility across the entire Houston region and featured three panelists: Jim Yarbrough, Mayor - City of Galveston; Craig Doyal, Montgomery County Judge; and Larry Taylor, Texas State Senator (TX-11). The keynote speaker for the event was Jeff Austin, Texas Transportation Commissioner. 1. Drayage Loan Program/Clean Vehicle Program Planning Activities: Clean Vehicles Program: To date, the Clean Vehicles program has completed 3,076 engine/station replacements trucks for $96 million. Additionally, $2,201,640.00 in TERP and $5 million in CMAQ funding were awarded for drayage truck replacement. Drayage Loan Program: This program has loaned more than $11.75 million to replace 225 trucks. Staff uses revolving loan funds to award new loans. 2. General Air Quality Planning Activities Staff completed updates to the PM2.5 Path Forward Report to fulfill the requirements of H- GAC s participation in the EPA Advance Program. This report is updated annually by H- GAC staff in conjunction with RAQPAC members and other regional stakeholders. Page 4 of 6
Stakeholders can be in the government, business, or non-profit sectors. The report details activities being undertaken by both H-GAC and stakeholders to reduce PM2.5 emissions within the region. During the development of this update, staff contacted previous report participants and reached out to new prospective participants to determine actions being undertaken to improve PM2.5 within the region. Once completed, this report was submitted to RAQPAC for final approval, which was given at the most recent full committee meeting on September 28. Staff continues to work with Electrify America, the organization created to implement the zero-emissions vehicle investment portion of the Volkswagen Clean Air Act Civil Settlement. In September, H-GAC staff were in contact with Electrify America staff to discuss updates to Electrify America s tentative plans for the region. Staff continues to coordinate with other state MPOs and COGs to analyze eligible projects identified as acceptable for the mitigation trust portion of Volkswagen Clean Air Act Civil Settlement. The VW Settlement Trust was considered to have its effective date on 10/2/2017. To take advantage of the Trust, the State of Texas will need to apply for beneficiary status within 60 days (12/1/2017) and will need to designate a beneficiary organization to manage Trust funds within 120 days (1/30/2018). With RAQPAC, staff is working with Exxon Mobile and the Greater Houston Partnership to develop a Regional Air Quality Summit to include stakeholders and researchers. This summit will discuss current air quality conditions within the region and actions needed for the region to continue improving. It is anticipated that this event will occur in the early part of 2018. Staff continues to work on developing a data management plan to better capture and use data that can be used to calculate emission reduction progress resulting from H-GAC air quality projects. Staff continues to work on the second phase of an interactive alternative fuel map which allows for alternative fuel users to locate alternative fueling sites and to suggest needed sites. The updated version has been moved to a new platform which allows the map to be used on mobile devices and make use of a modern look and feel. It is also anticipated that additional layers will be added to the map. View online at iaff.h-gac.com. TTI continues to work on a new cooperative research study involving H-GAC, the Port of Houston, and the U.S. EPA. The study is utilizing H-GACs GPS data on their participating Drayage Program trucks, the Port s gate data, and is installing EPA equipment on some of the trucks to analyze the impacts of speed, idling and congestion on emissions that are being generated in and around the Port of Houston and warehouse areas. Staff has started development of an alternative infrastructure plan for the H-GAC region. This project is in the initial stages and expected to progress over the next several months. Staff has started development on an inventory of busses and other mass transit vehicles within the region. Work is underway to inventory school-related transit vehicles and it is anticipated that this will be expanded to include transit, commuter, and tour busses before the end of the year. E. Travel Demand Forecasting Staff continues to provide travel demand modeling technical supports and assistances to support H-GAC s member agencies and their transportation planning studies. Page 5 of 6
Modeling support continues for air quality projects including management of technical studies conducted both by the staff and consultants. Staff continues the development of an advance Activities Based Model (ABM). The ABM will be complete and in use by the end of 2016. Staff continues to develop a dynamic travel demand model for use in corridor analyses. F. 2017 Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations Staff attended the 2017 meeting of the Association for Metropolitan Planning Organizations where Alan Clark received the Ronald F. Kirby Memorial National Award for Outstanding Individual Leadership. Page 6 of 6