Federal Court Decisively Rules In Favor Of Mobility Authority And TxDOT

Leading with Science: Federal Court Decisively Rules in Favor of Mobility Authority and TxDOT

Late last week, the U.S. District Court in Austin issued a ruling in favor of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation on a lawsuit attempting to prevent the agencies from advancing three key mobility improvement projects in south Austin.

The suit was filed last year in federal court by Save Our Springs Alliance and other plaintiffs in an effort to stop construction of two projects that had already received environmental clearance, the SH 45SW Project and the MoPac Intersections Project, as well as the environmental study of the proposed MoPac South Project.

“We are pleased that the judge has denied the claims brought by the plaintiffs so we can continue working to bring meaningful congestion relief to our region,” said Mike Heiligenstein, Executive Director for the Mobility Authority. “The ruling confirms the credibility of the environmental study processes and planning procedures that guide our work. It’s time to separate politics from the science and let the science lead.”

Learn more about the environmental study process here.

The plaintiffs asserted there were flaws with the process in which the environmental studies on all three projects were carried out. They claimed that, rather than studying the projects independently, they should have been analyzed as one single project.

Each of these projects has significant independent utility, meaning each would benefit drivers and would be considered a reasonable expenditure, even if no additional transportation improvements in the area were made. Additionally, the projects were studied according to robust state and federal environmental documentation guidelines.

TxDOT had previously issued environmental clearance for the SH 45SW and MoPac Intersections projects to move into construction. The environmental study process for the MoPac South project has been on hold pending the judge’s ruling.

Following the ruling, progress on the three mobility improvement projects will continue.

“Our region has suffered from traffic congestion long enough and we are driven to bring sustainable transportation options to our growing region. This decision marks a renewed commitment to mobility improvements, and it constitutes a huge victory for the residents and commuters of Central Texas.” –Mike Heiligenstein Mobility Authority Executive Director

WHAT’S NEXT FOR EACH PROJECT?

Construction on SH 45SW in Hays and southern Travis counties will carry on. In addition to improved mobility, the project includes extensive water quality protection measures and bike and pedestrian facilities. When construction is complete, it will offer immediate relief to drivers in the area. By redirecting commuter traffic off of Manchaca Road, Slaughter Lane and Brodie Lane, SH 45SW allows local roads to better serve drivers residing in surrounding neighborhoods.

The MoPac South Environmental Study will resume, and the Mobility Authority and TxDOT will re-engage with the public and stakeholders as potential solutions for managing congestion along south MoPac Expressway between Cesar Chavez Street and Slaughter Lane are assessed.

Learn More About Mopac South

The MoPac corridor south of Cesar Chavez Street is a vital artery for Austin commuters and neighbors, as well as visitors to our region. Constructed between 1975 and 1992 as a four to six lane divided highway, it attracts up to 130,000 cars and trucks per day. Over time, population growth and development have increased and are negatively impacting the quality of life for corridor travelers.

In 2013, the Mobility Authority and TxDOT initiated an Environmental Study of the MoPac corridor from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane. We are working to improve safety and mobility for drivers, transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians in a manner that promotes environmental stewardship and sustainability.

What are we trying to do?

• Provide an opportunity for reliable travel times
• Improve operational efficiency
• Create a dependable and consistent route for transit
• Facilitate reliable emergency response

What problems are we trying to address?

• Current congestion levels are creating unreliable travel times
• Forecasted population, traffic, and employment growth, resulting in increased congestion and delay
• Emergency response times are impacted by traffic congestion

Committed to protect the environment we all share, the Mobility Authority works to balance the need for new infrastructure with environmental sensitivity.

Recommended Build Alternative

Based on initial evaluation, the Express Lane(s) Alternative, along with the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes Alternative and the Transit Only Lanes Alternative were carried forward for further evaluation because each met the Purpose and Need for the project.

Each of the three remaining alternatives were evaluated further. In comparison to the other build alternatives and the No Build (Do Nothing) alternative, the Express Lane(s) Alternative was selected as the Recommended Build Alternative because it:

• Offers reliable travel times for single occupancy vehicles, vanpools, buses and emergency vehicles.
• Provides the shortest peak period travel time for all vehicles, including those using the general purpose lanes.
• Provides over 3 million hours of annual travel time savings for all users compared to the No Build Alternative. That’s about 1.7 times more savings than HOV Lanes and 13 times more savings than Transit Only Lanes.
• Avoids unnecessary impacts to the natural and human environment and avoids and minimizes impacts to water quality.
• Delivers relief in a timely manner.
• Increases opportunities for transit and ridesharing and includes new bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

Configuration Options For The Express Lanes

After the initial roll-out of the Express Lane(s) Alternative, the project team developed six different potential operational configurations for the Alternative for consideration by the project team, transportation partners and the community. The project team is now working to identify the best configuration option for the Express Lane(s) Alternative; the decision will be shared with the public as soon as the information is available.

Questions about the MoPac South Environmental Study, where we’ve been and where we’re headed? Let them know.