SPRING 2015 ARIZONA TOWN HALL BACKGROUND REPORT TRANSPORTATION & ARIZONA EDITED BY MICHAEL KUBY AND AARON GOLUB SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCES AND URBAN PLANNING ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY 106TH ARIZONA TOWN HALL RESEARCH COMMITTEE Warren Prostrollo, Chair Fred Rosenfeld Tara Jackson, Ex Officio Jay Kittle, Vice Chair Jim Rounds Joe La Rue Paul Brierley Chad Sampson Rita Maguire Arlan Colton Marty Shultz Elizabeth McNamee Esther Corbett David Snider Patrick McWhortor Kim Demarchi Julie Walker Ray Newton Darryl Dobras Marissa Walker Pat Norris Megan Dugan Devan Wastchak Will Novak Susan Goldsmith Larry Woods J. Scott Rhodes, Ex Officio Jim Holway ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report would not have been School of Life Sciences VisLab, as well improved during two meetings with the possible without contributions from as Karen Heard of Chalk Design, who Town Hall Research Committee, whose many dedicated people. First, we thank created the original design template for members shared patiently their extensive our two amazing research assistants, the Economy Town Hall report. We knowledge of transportation, Arizona Nazli Uludere Aragon and Meggan thank the SGSUP Director Elizabeth history and politics, and their Town Hall Dugan from the School of Geographical Wentz for her support, as well as Joann experience. Sciences and Urban Planning (SGSUP) Person for administering our accounts. Finally, we would like to thank two at Arizona State University. Michele Roy We thank Jonathan Koppell, Dean of different groups of contributors of of the SGSUP copyedited the report, the College of Public Programs, for content to the report. First, our thanks though any remaining errors are surely recruiting us and maintaining the strong go out to the chapter authors from our ours. Thanks also go to the dozens of relationship between Arizona State 2009 Town Hall report, who graciously students in our Transportation Systems University and the Arizona Town Hall, allowed us to build on that foundation Professional Seminar (PUP 591) for as well as Barbara Dodd and Andrea and helped us to update their original whom the 2009 Town Hall Report on Whitsett. insights. Second, we wish to thank all of Transportation was assigned reading and It was a pleasure working with the the new contributors of spotlight projects whose discussions inspired improvements team at the Arizona Town Hall, and other content for their expertise and made in this iteration. For the beautiful especially President Tara Jackson, whose the great work they have done. We have page layout of the report, we must thank enthusiasm and insight guided us from learned a great deal from all of you. Jacob Sahertian and James Baxter of the start to finish. The report was shaped and Design by ASU School of Life Sciences Visualization Lab | Chalk Design TRANSPORTATION & ARIZONA SPRING 2015 EDITED BY Michael Kuby and Aaron Golub School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning Arizona State University SPONSORS OF THE 106TH ARIZONA TOWN HALL PREMIER PARTNER COLLABORATOR PARTNER CIVIC LEADERS ONE EAST CAMELBACK RD., SUITE 530, PHOENIX, AZ 85012 602-252-9600 | WWW.AZTOWNHALL.ORG FROM THE AUTHORS We have had the distinct privilege of preparing two too high for some to afford, when streets are unsafe to background reports on transportation for Town walk, and when critical goods don’t reach their destination Hall participants—one in 2009 in the wake of an in time—there can be significant repercussions for the unprecedented economic crisis, and now again in 2015. people and businesses in our community, such as: Working on a second report has given us a unique • perspective on transportation in Arizona. Six years ago we Employment: when mobility is challenged by bad called attention to some potential changes that have since public transportation or unfordable transportation by come to pass—a drop in average miles driven per year, car, people are constrained in where they can live and denser urban development around the brand new light work, which forces them to settle for lower pay than rail stations, and electric and alternative-fuel vehicles they would if they were more mobile. finally reaching Arizona’s consumers. Other changes have • Health: People who live in areas where it is safe and surprised us, such as gasoline briefly under $2 per gallon, convenient to walk to nearby destinations are shown to a steady decline in deaths due to distracted driving, and be healthier than those who live in areas where the only serious exploration of a Phoenix-Tucson passenger rail reasonable option is to drive. line. • Economy: Congestion costs the average driver in the Unfortunately, there is also that third category—problems Phoenix metro area 35 hours per year, and 38 hours in that were getting worse and yet still haven’t been addressed. the Tucson area. Arizona remains one of the least safe states for driving and walking, it is ill-prepared for the mobility needs of • Environment: Emissions from vehicles causes significant our growing aging population, our rural and tribal areas pollution, which nationally causes billions of dollars in remain poorly served by public transportation, and we health costs, lost work productivity and early death. are only just beginning to plan for the impact of climate • Energy: Our reliance on gasoline and diesel cars makes change on the transportation system. Most importantly, us dependent on petroleum, leaving us vulnerable to the writing has been on the wall for quite some time swings in international oil prices; The National Bureau that our transportation financing model at the federal, of Economic Research credits oil price shocks for causing state, and local levels is unsustainable. In the 24 years six recessions in the United States economy since World since Arizona last raised its gas tax (and 21 since Congress War II.1 raised the federal gas tax), our ability to provide a good level of service and mobility options to all populations These are just a sampling of the important issues tied to across the state has been steadily eroded. our transportation systems. Improving our transportation systems can bring large benefits to our neighborhoods, our Ignoring these problems does not make them go away— children, our environment and our economy, and so we and they have serious economic, social, health, and hope the details in these pages can help you understand environmental consequences. When transportation the important issues to confront in moving our policies systems don’t work—when congestion, repairs, or and practices forward. flooding stalls movement, when transportation costs are Sincerely, Michael Kuby Aaron Golub Professor, School of Geographical Sciences Associate Professor, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and Urban Planning; School of Sustainability Arizona State University Arizona State University 2 | TRANSPORTATION AND ARIZONA FROM THE CHAIRMAN We thank you for making the commitment to participate in the 106th Arizona Town Hall to be held at the Casino Del Sol Resort on April 19-22, 2015. You will be discussing and developing consensus with fellow Arizonans on the topic of Transportation In Arizona. An essential element to the success of these consensus- driven discussions is this background report that is provided to all participants before the Town Hall convenes. Arizona State University coordinated this detailed and informative background material and it provided a unique resource for a full understanding of the topic. Special thanks to ASU Professors Michael Kuby and Aaron Golub for spearheading this effort and marshaling many talented professionals to write individual sections. For sharing their wealth of knowledge and professional talents, our thanks go to the authors who contributed to the report. Our deepest gratitude also goes to Arizona State University President, Michael Crow; and Dean of the College of Public Programs, Jonathan Koppell, who made great efforts to ensure that the university could provide this type of resource to Arizona. The 106th Town Hall could not occur without the financial assistance of our generous Professional Partners, which (at the time of this printing) include Premier Partner APS; Collaborator Partner Union Pacific; and Civic Leaders Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. Law Offices and Cox Communications. When the 106th Town Hall ends, the background report will be combined with the recommendations from the Town Hall into a final report. This final report will be available to the public on the Town Hall’s website and will be widely distributed and promoted throughout Arizona. The Town Hall’s report of recommendations and background report will be used as a resource, a discussion guide and an action plan to support a thriving economy for all of Arizona’s diverse communities. Sincerely, J. Scott Rhodes Board Chair, Arizona Town Hall ARIZONA TOWN HALL, SPRING 2015 | 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . INSIDE COVER 4f. International Trade . 50 FROM THE AUTHORS . 2 4g. The Proposed I-11 Corridor . 52 FROM THE CHAIRMAN AUTHORS . 3 . Chapter 5. Transportation and Society . 56 TABLE OF CONTENTS . 4 . 5a. Communities . 56 Commuters . 56 List of Figures, Tables, Back to the Lecture Hall Boxes and Aging Arizonans. 57 By The Numbers. .6 Disabled Arizonans . 59 List of Acronyms Used in this Report . 8 Children . 60 Low-Income Families . 61 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . .10 . Rural Communities . 62 INTRODUCTION . 13 . Tribal Communities . 64 PART I—TRANSPORTATION FUNDAMENTALS . .15 . 5b. Public Safety. 64 Personal safety. 64 Chapter 1. Transportation Trends . 16 Transportation of hazardous materials . 67 Chapter 2. Modes . 22 Chapter 6. Transportation and Energy . 68 2a. Private Road Transport – Cars and Trucks . 23 Alternative-fuel and electric vehicles . 71 2b. Public Transportation . 24 Chapter 7. Transportation and the Environment . 76 2c. Non-motorized travel . 27 7a. Air Quality and Air Pollution . 76 2d. Freight Rail . 29 Transportation Planning Requirements for Air Quality Conformity . 78 2e. Long-Distance Passenger Rail . 30 Air Pollution on Tribal Lands . 79 2f. Air . 31 Air Pollution from Freight Transportation .