Volusia Countys Transportation Challenges

1
Volusia CountysTransportation Challenges

• Volusia-Flagler
• Higher Education Consortium
• Research Results
• Presentation to the Volusia County Council
• June 19, 2008

2
The Focus of this Review

• Volusia Countys quality of life and economic
  vitality is dependent upon effective and
  un-congested roadways
• The projected population growth through 2050 will
  require major road expansion
• Current transportation funding mechanisms can not
  keep up with necessary road maintenance and
  expansion
• Residents have little perception of the problem
• Ten years is required to purchase ROW, design and
  construct a typical roadway.

3
Phase 1 Validate the Problem

• The five colleges and universities of the Volusia
  Flagler Higher Education Consortium conducted
  independent research to validate the problem
• Researchers have confirmed the challenge from
  complementary perspectives

4
Where we started Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University

• Analyze and compare Volusia transportation needs
  and funding with other comparable regions
• Examine and validate the assumptions and
  algorithms of county forecast model

Dr. Dawna Rhoades Dr. Ahmed Abdelgahny Dr. John
French
5
What we did Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

• Part I Analyze and compare Volusia
  transportation needs and funding with other
  comparable regions
• Highway transportation needs are presently
  adequate
• Transportation needs into the future will
  undoubtedly present a challenge if not addressed
• We must explore alternative funding mechanisms
  for the future

6
What we did Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

• Principles for exploring alternative funding
  mechanisms
• Local governments hold a unique position in the
  U.S. system of government
• First to feel the weight of citizen demand
• Last to receive revenues raised by other levels
  of government
• They command a higher level of trust
• Involvement of citizenry is essential to
  effective transportation planning

7
Transportation funding must rely on a mix of
funding sources, both public

• General fund appropriations
• Impact fees
• Gas tax
• Vehicle registration
• Inspection
• Tire tax

• Congestion pricing
• Parking
• Cordon fees
• Hot lanes
• Distance-based pricing through GPS
• Pay-as-you-drive insurance premiums
• Road space rationing

8
Transportation funding must rely on a mix of
funding sources and private

• Public-private partnerships
• Changing contracts
• Tolling
• Existing tolling
• New construction
• Hot lanes
• Transit
• Bond revenue

9
What we did Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University

• Part II Validate the assumptions of the County
  Forecast model
• Validation of the model cannot be accomplished in
  this study.
• However, the processes of the model
• Are widely used across the state and the U.S.
• Are acceptable for fairly determining the
  allocation of state and federal funding
• Empirical data drives over 80 of the model
  forecasts

10
What we did Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University

• Recommendations for improving the modeling
  processes
• Compare the proposed 2025 LRTP to 2020 LRTP
• Study system performance in mass emergency events
• Bolster growth control and demand management
• Compare with other models and methodologies
• Communicate the plan to the general public
• Continue involving citizens in the planning
  process
• Compare expenditures with similar counties

11
Where we started Bethune-Cookman University

• Perform qualitative analysis of quality of life
  transportation issues
• Identify citizens priorities for transportation
  as related to quality of life

Dr. Betsy Kruger
12
What we did Bethune-Cookman University

• Performed quantitative and qualitative analysis
• Identified citizens priorities for
  transportation relative to quality of life issues
• Transportation tied for the least important issue
  on West side of county
• Very low response rate from the West side of the
  county

13
What we did Bethune-Cookman University

• Quantified results for overall respondents
• 31 concerned about Transportation Overall
• 71 do not want Timing of Deliveries    
• 61 concerned with Evacuation Time
• 55 concerned about Business Routes

14
What we did Bethune-Cookman University

• Quantified results for overall respondents
• 47 concerned about Coordination of Traffic
  Signals
• 46 concerned about Evacuation Over Bridges
• 32 concerned about Travel Times
• 24 concerned about Public Transportation

15
What we did Bethune-Cookman University

• Identified citizens' priorities about investment
  in transportation
• 57 were willing to pay for Maintenance/repairs
• 61 were willing to pay for Improvements
• 78 assumed that Improvements referred to Public
  Transportation
• If increased taxing were needed, 55 prefer sales
  tax and 33 prefer gas tax

16
What we did Bethune-Cookman University

• 62 were concerned if same growth rate and no
  transportation improvements
• "We do not want to do anything that will sour
  tourists who want to come to this area to spend
  their recreation dollars."       (Peninsula
  citizen) 
• "We have major traffic problems that are not
  being addressed . . . I hope that you are taking
  this survey because the Council has finally come
  awake and is looking at the situation." 
  (Eastern Port Orange citizen)

17
Where we started Stetson University

• Analyze economic development impacts of
  transportation challenges
• Brief history
• Current situation
• Future changes

Dr. John Schorr
18
What we did Stetson University

• Road transportation is perceived by Volusia
  County officials to be a potential problem for
  county economic development in the relatively
  near future
• This study
• Surveyed economic development professionals in
  Florida and focused on state-related
  transportation issues
• Surveyed private manufacturers and large
  employers in Volusia County and focused on county
  transportation issues

19
What we did Stetson University

• Findings
• Economic development professionals are not
  satisfied with the condition of the state highway
  transportation system
• Volusia County businesses are satisfied with the
  current condition of the roads in the county
• Volusia County businesses indicate that good
  roads are the absolute top priority for their
  business development

20
What we did Stetson University

• Future emphases
• Businesses in Volusia County tend to be more
  satisfied with the transportation than do
  economic professionals in other counties
• Roads are seen to be by far the most important
  future means of transportation for businesses
• Roads are seen as essential for economic
  development both within the county and the state

21
Where we started Daytona Beach College

• Analyze impacts of transportation challenges on
  business logistics
• SWOT analysis
• Quantify economic and environmental impact

Volusia and Flaglers College For The Community
Dr. Michael Avery
22
What we did Daytona Beach College

• SWOT analysis
• Strengths of Volusia Countys transportation
  infrastructure
• existing roadway durability
• existing options for future by-pass decisions
• physical areas for growth in both residential and
  commercial sectors
• cooperation between state, county, city and
  constituent entities

23
What we did Daytona Beach College

• Weaknesses of Volusia Countys transportation
  infrastructure
• Questionable infrastructure sustainability due to
  funding constraints
• Residential growth needs be addressed with
  developers
• Expanding population and economy will need parking

24
What we did Daytona Beach College

• Opportunities Multi-modal resource development
• Construct inter-modal truck to train facility
• Develop an inter-modal (truck/truck) distribution
  center
• reduce large truck traffic on urban roadways
• facilitate operations of Volusia and Flagler
  Counties Foreign Trade Zone
• Enhance air cargo activities at Daytona Beach
  International Airport

25
What we did Daytona Beach College

• Threats to Volusia Countys transportation
  infrastructure
• Natural disaster
• A lack of planning for the future
• Specifically, this study verifies that
  proactive planning is evidenced and valid

26
What we did Daytona Beach College

• Economic and environmental impact
• Existing and planned infrastructure components
  will be essential to support economic development
  out to 2050
• Reductions in the PLANNED infrastructure projects
  due to reduction in funding, will undoubtedly
  denigrate economic development as well
• Commuter traffic is observed as significant, and
  perhaps dangerous in certain locations
• Volusia County roadways are resilient, compared
  with roadways in other geographical areas

27
Where we started University of Central
Florida

• Validate County survey of public perception
• Econometric modeling
• Multivariate regression

Dr. Aubrey Jewett
28
Where we started University of Central Florida

• In 2006
• Less than 50 of population perceived traffic
  congestion as a problem in Volusia County
• Only a minority felt that traffic congestion
  affected their daily activities
• And a large majority felt that their highways
  were generally in good repair
• James Dinneens original presentation to
  Volusia-Flagler Higher Education Consortium

29
What we did University of Central Florida

• Findings in this survey
• 62 of respondents agreed that traffic congestion
  is a problem, an increase from 2006
• Over 99 said it is important to reduce traffic
  congestion in the future
• Of those who said, No problem, over 90 said it
  is important to keep traffic congestion from
  becoming a problem in the future
• Confirmed that highways are generally in good
  repair

30
Transportation ChallengeSummative Report

• Volusia County has done well providing efficient
  road infrastructure to date
• Supported by survey of citizens
• Supported by Consortium research
• However, some research indicates that citizens
  are increasingly aware that congestion is
  becoming a problem

31
Transportation ChallengeSummative Report

• The Forecasting Model used by the county to
• project to 2050 is credible
• Developed by the Florida State University and
  other state agencies at a cost of millions of
  dollars
• Based on a national model
• Used comprehensively throughout the state to
  determine the allocation of state and federal
  funding
• Traffic and demographic calculations are adjusted
  10 to 20 through negotiations with local public
  officials
• Empirical data drives over 80 of the model
  forecasts

32
Transportation ChallengeSummative Report

• The studies confirm that we are headed
• for a potential crisis
• It is very important to citizens that traffic
  congestion not become a problem
• The need for road expansion is inevitable
• Expansion and maintenance costs are escalating
• Accelerating the construction of roads with bond
  funding saved the taxpayers millions of dollars
• Current road funding mechanisms will not meet the
  future need

33
Transportation ChallengeSummative Report

• Consortium survey research confirms that
• Citizens express high satisfaction with current
  road conditions
• Citizens are concerned about future need
• Economic professionals confirm that an efficient
  road system is vital to economic development
• Businesses in the county indicate that a
  sufficient road system is of highest importance
  to commerce and the local economy
• Other high-growth counties use a variety of
  funding models

34
Transportation ChallengeSummative Report

• Next steps should include
• Initiatives to create broader awareness of the
  impending road crisis in Volusia County
• Initiatives to facilitate community involvement
  in identifying solution alternatives and
  priorities
• Initiatives to utilize both public and private
  funding mechanisms

35
Transportation ChallengeSummative Report

• The consortium research identified some initial
  future solutions
• Traffic management system
• Intersection improvement of right-hand turns
• Coordination of traffic signals
• Optimizations for commercial traffic

36
A QuoteFrom the Research

• Aside from the potential for natural calamity,
  the most significant threat to Volusia Countys
  transportation infrastructure would be a lack of
  planning for the future.

37
Volusia-Flagler Higher Education Consortium

• Partners for economic prosperity
• Adding value to the community in
• Economic development
• Community service
• Cultural enrichment
• Shared student opportunities in curricular and
  extracurricular activities

www.vfhec.org