Austin Chamber Talks Traffic

Austin’s ever-expanding population is having a major effect on more than just the housing market – the city’s traffic has been getting worse for several years now. However, the Chamber is hoping that their new mobility plan will help improve the constant traffic jams.

As explained in detail here by The Austin Board of REALTORS®, there are four main points to the Chamber’s 2016 mobility report.

First, the city must “integrate planning and land use to address sprawl.” Cities like Austin need a strong network of streets to make walking and biking a more appealing transit option. In addition, Austin needs a bus or rail system, which is considered “high-capacity transit.”

Second, Austin needs to endorse and promote alternate forms of transportation. Right now, 80% of commuters are using single-occupant vehicles to transport themselves to and from work. According to Drew Scheberle, the chamber’s senior vice president for advocacy and policy, the city needs to invest in sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and provide more frequent and further-reaching bus and rail services.

Third, Austin needs to manage its existing traffic by cutting down on “commutes through transportation demand management” (TDM). As ABoR explains, TDM “focuses on managing existing traffic through a variety of means, such as shifting commute times, carpooling, telecommuting and using managed toll lanes, such as the ones under construction on MoPac.”

Fourth, the city needs to come up with a way to successfully pay for the three previously mentioned efforts. Scheberle believes that the $720 million mobility bond that will be voted in on Nov. 8, is the best way to fund the city’s transit issues.

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