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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is a Long Range Comprehensive Transportation
Plan?
The Long Range Comprehensive Transportation Plan (LRCTP) is a 25-year plan that
will establish a strategic, long-range vision to address future transportation challenges
in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area. The plan will evaluate a range of potential
alternatives and provide recommended alternative(s) and steps for implementation,
timelines, prioritization, and financing.
Who will benefit from the plan?
The Long Range Comprehensive Transportation Plan will provide benefits to both residents
and visitors by improving transportation alternatives, including other modes of
travel, enhancing the quality of life by improving air quality and creating economic
development opportunities in the region.
What is a corridor?
A corridor is a broad geographical band with no predefined size or scale that follows
a general directional flow connecting major activity centers. A central element
of a corridor includes a transportation alignment like streets, highways transit
routes or fixed guideways. The general purpose of identifying a corridor is to define
a study area for future transportation planning improvements.
How are corridor improvements prioritized?
Corridor improvements are prioritized based on an array of factors including mobility
and transportation performance, transit operating efficiencies, cost-effectiveness,
environmental impacts, and land use compatibility. The prioritization criteria for
this plan will be developed at an early stage during the planning process.
What will happen to existing bus service and routes?
The existing bus service and routes will continue as scheduled, or be enhanced to
provide better connections to new transit modes.
What is a travel demand model and how does it work?
A travel demand model is a computer model that simulates existing and forecast trip
generation, trip distribution, traffic assignment and mode choice, based on existing
and projected travel patterns in the region. The travel demand model utilizes demographic
and land use projections from the MPO for the year 2035 along with existing and
planned future transportation network. The model also uses demographic inputs and
network characteristics to establish the number of trips between individual zones
as well as the different routes and modes used to make those trips.
What transit modes will be evaluated in the plan?
A range of potential transportation technologies / transit modes will be considered,
including Commuter Rail, Light Rail Transit (LRT), Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Transportation
Systems Management (TSM), and other transportation alternatives such as High Occupancy
Vehicle (HOV) and Managed Lanes. Other possible transit modes such as Monorail or
Heavy Rail will also be addressed.
What is Transportation System management (TSM)?
The Transportation Systems Management (TSM) approach to congestion mitigation seeks
to identify improvements to enhance the capacity of existing system of an operational
nature. Through better management and operation of existing transportation facilities,
these techniques are designed to improve traffic flow, air quality, and movement
of vehicles and goods, as well as enhance system accessibility and safety.
What are HOV/ Managed Lanes?
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) are a lane(s) or roadway dedicated to the exclusive
use of specific high-occupancy vehicles, including buses, carpools, vanpools or
a ombination thereof, for at least a portion of the day. A managed lane facility
is one that increases freeway efficiency by packaging various operational and design
actions. Lane management operations may be adjusted at any time to better match
regional goals.
What are the benefits of each of the technologies / modes being explored
for the plan?
Benefits of each technology / mode depend on several factors and therefore cannot
be generalized. These factors include land use and economic development, ridership
forecasts, and transit supportive policies and programs established by VIA, the
City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and the MPO. Benefits are calculated in the Alternatives
Analysis phase of project development.
What is an Alternatives Analysis?
An Alternatives Analysis (AA) is a process required by the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) to prioritize and decide on the most appropriate transit projects within a
region. It is the next stage of project development following completion of the
system plan.
What is Infill Development?
Infill is a type of development occurring in established, previously developed areas
of the city. Infill can occur on long-time vacant lots or on pieces of land with
dilapidated buildings, or can involve changing the existing land use of a property
from a less to a more intensive one—ie from a parking lot to a mixed use office
and multifamily residential building.
What is Transit Oriented Development?
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) refers to residential and commercial centers
designed to maximize access by transit and nonmotorized transportation, and with
other features to encourage transit ridership. A typical TOD has a rail or bus station
at its center, surrounded by relatively high-density development, with progressively
lower-density spreading outwards. TOD neighborhoods are designed for cycling and
walking, with adequate accessible facilities and attractive street conditions. Streets
have good connectivity and traffic calming features to control vehicle traffic speeds.
Mixed-use development includes shops, schools and other public services, and a variety
of housing types and prices, within each neighborhood.
What is the schedule for the plan to be complete?
The SmartWaySA Plan is currently scheduled to be completed by Summer 2010.
When will the plan be implemented? When will construction begin and be
completed?
The implementation of the plan will depend on the alternative(s) selected. For example,
alternatives like Transportation Systems Management can be implemented much faster
than development of a Commuter Rail system or a Light Rail System. The final plan
document will have an estimated timeline for the implementation of the selected
alternative(s).
How will the improvements be funded?
Sources of funding for transportation improvements including federal, state, and
local funds. The plan will review the available funding sources and financing methods
and identify a proposed financial implementation strategy.
How can I get involved?
There will be multiple opportunities to participate in and provide input to the
transportation plan development in the coming months. You can participate in the
following ways:
Please visit the ‘Get Involved’ section of the website for more details.
When and where are the public meetings going to be held?
Dates, locations and additional information for public meetings will be available
on the website. Notices of public meetings will also be published in local newspapers.
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