A citizen task force advising the region on how to spend $23 million in Regional Flexible Funds has agreed that money for active transportation projects should focus on building complete corridors a few at a time.
Some refer to this as “the light rail model” because of the way the MAX system grew by building one corridor at a time and simultaneously planning for future corridors.
This would differ from the more scattered, piecemeal approach that Portland-area policymakers have typically used, which helped many communities across the region with small street, sidewalk, trail or bicycle projects. That approach has drawn criticism because it generated incremental improvements but not a complete new route.
At stake is the policy direction for the Regional Flexible Funds program, a small but high profile pot of federal transportation money that is controlled by the metropolitan area. All urban areas across the nation are given similar amounts of money in two-year cycles. Money allocated for this cycle can be spent starting Oct. 1, 2013.
The Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT), comprised of 17 elected officials and agency leaders from across the Portland area, has final say on flexible funds spending. JPACT created the task force and a working group on environmental justice and underserved communities to advise on how to spend the money to create a more sustainable transportation system.
Active transportation projects are expected to comprise roughly three fourths of the $23 million expected in the upcoming cycle.
The other priority for the flexible funds program is “freight and the green economy,” a category that has drawn as much attention from the task force as active transportation but so far less clear consensus. The task force has narrowed to four options to guide spending in that category:
- Intelligent transportation systems – high tech solutions to speed traffic flow – on arterial freight routes.
- Diesel emission reduction programs.
- Project development for specific arterial freight routes, preparing projects to more effectively compete for potential construction money.
- Regional strategy development – projects that would provide policy analysis and policy adoption for large scale ideas, potentially including a regional freight and high speed rail strategy or hazardous materials routing.
The consensus emerged at a meeting Tuesday night, which was the third of four planned meetings of the task force. The fourth meeting is planned for Dec. 15, 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Metro Regional Center.
In addition to the task force, a working group on environmental justice has conducted two meetings to help identify ways the program can address the needs of minorities, people with disabilities and other historically underserved communities. So far, that group has identified a variety of priorities and topics that could be used as criteria to help staff choose among potential projects.
The flexible funds allocation draws attention because the money can be used in myriad ways and is controlled locally. Most of the time, federal transportation money comes dedicated to a specific road, bridge or rail project.
The task force is expected to develop priorities for flexible funds spending in coming weeks, to be presented to JPACT in January. This spring, Metro staff will work with cities and counties to collaboratively draw up a list of projects recommended for funding. A public comment period will follow next summer before a final vote at JPACT and the Metro Council.