HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 3676-11-2008A Resolution
NO 3676-11 2008
APPROVING A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
FOR THE 81ST TEXAS LEGISLATURE
WHEREAS, the North Central Texas Council of Governments is designated as the Metropolitan
Planning Organization for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area by the Governor of Texas m
accordance with federal law• and
WHEREAS, the Regional Transportation Council, comprised primarily of local elected officials, is
the regional transportation policy body associated with the North Central Texas Council of
Governments, and has been and continues to be the regional forum for cooperative decisions, and
WHEREAS, federal law the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users assigns the Metropolitan Planning Organization the responsibility for carrying out the
metropolitan transportation planning process, m cooperation with the state and operators of publicly
owned transit services; and
WHEREAS, the current metropolitan transportation plan, Mobility 2030 contains
• $70 billion ($2006, source Mobility 2030)
• $77 billion ($2008)
• $135 billion (year of expenditure, source Mobility 2030 State of the Region)
of projects, programs, and policies that aggressively target traffic congestion, provide for multunodal
travel options, improved air quality and increased quality of life m a cost effective manner and
WHEREAS, the Regional Transportation Council has identified, through the Texas Metropolitan
Mobility Plan, an additional
• $59 billion ($2006 source Mobility 2030)
• $64 billion ($2008)
• $109 billion (year of expenditure, source Mobility 2030 State of the Region)
of unfunded transportation needs to ehmmate only the most serious congestion m the Dallas-Fort Worth
region, and
WHEREAS, the Regional Transportation Council has advocated for additional transportation
funding and flexibility for over 10 years, with a special focus on identifying additional funding to
construct and operate a seamless regional rail system for the past 5 years, and
RESOLUTION NO 3676-11 2008
WHEREAS, a significant transportation funding crisis exists due to factors such as revenue sources
that have not kept up with inflation, large increases m construction costs, federal rescissions, diversion
of State transportation funds, an aging transportation system, and future uncertainty for the federal
Highway Trust Fund, and
WHEREAS, an integrated system of highways, toll roads, local streets, passenger rail, freight rail,
and aviation facilities is essential to the movement of people and goods wrthm and through our region m
order to continue to have economic success, and
WHEREAS, local governments are funding a larger share of transportation improvements through
local sales taxes, property taxes, toll roads, and allocations from general funds due to decreasing federal
and State revenues, and
WHEREAS, the market valuation process and local toll agency primacy established by SB 792 ($Oth
Texas Legislature) are cumbersome, have created a situation where two agencies are m opposition, and
WHEREAS, the Regional Transportation Council has adopted a Resolution declaring its intention
during the 81St Texas Legislature to actively pursue the legislative positions set forth m Attachment 1
and
WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth agrees with and will benefit from the legislative position
espoused m the Regional Transportation Council s Resolution,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, THAT
Section 1 The City of Fort Worth approves the Regional Transportation Council s
legislative agenda for the 81St Texas Legislature, as detailed in Attachment 1
Section 2. The City of Fort Worth will work with the Regional Transportation Council, the
North Texas Tollway Authority and regional partners to develop a common
position on dehvenng toll roads.
Section 3. This Resolution will be transmitted to the North Texas legislative delegation.
Section 4 This Resolution will be transmitted to the North Central Texas Council of
Governments, local governments, partner organizations, and other interested
parties with a request to support transportation as the region s highest legislative
priority for the 81St Texas Legislature and a request to endorse this Resolution.
Section 5. This Resolution shall take effect immediately following its adoption.
RESOLUTION NO 3676-11 2008
Adopted this 11th day, o~ No~~v~ ember 2008
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RESOLUTION NO 3676-11 2008
Regional Transportation Council
Legislative Program
81St Texas Legislature
Attachment 1
Legislation to Actively Pursue
Support the Rail North Texas initiative to provide options to fund regional rail Authorize metropolitan
regions to enact a local option transportation tax with voter approval for rail and roadways. Advancing
passenger rail continues to be the primary focus of the legislative program
Support initiatives to expedite backlogged roadway projects
• Constitutionally protect all revenues in Fund 006 for roadway maintenance and capacity improvements
• Discontinue the diversion of transportation resources
• Increase and index transportation taxes such as the motor fuels tax;
• Provide funding for the Proposition 12 General Obligation bonds and
• Reallocate highway user fee revenues from the General Revenue Fund to the Texas Mobility Fund
Capitalize the Rail Relocation Improvement Fund Revenues for goods movement are critical to enhance
rail freight mobility
Legislation to Support
Strengthen regulations related to emissions inspections
• Require proof of emissions inspections for vehicle registration transfer or re-registration
• Strengthen penalties for conducting improper inspections
• Enhance requirements for becoming a state emissions inspector or station and
• Authorize and fund through increased fees, Regional Emissions Task Forces
Make modifications to the LIRAP program
• Limit the mileage on a replacement vehicle to no more than 60 000 miles
• Change household `net" income to household gross income
• Change payment requirement to dealers from 5 business days to 14 business days and
• Modify requirements to allow for new purchase of SmartWay-certified vehicles as opposed to the
current Bin 5 requirement.
Expand the scope of the State model rule on locally enforced idling restrictions including modifications to
impacted vehicles and year-round implementation
Make modifications to the TERP program
• Incorporate travel on designated roadways when determining project cost-effectiveness not just
minimum vehicle use requirements to properly account for regional ozone transport;
• Restructure guidelines to make retrofit projects a more enticing option for vehicle and equipment
owners by providing a monetary incentive based on actual emissions reductions irrespective of retrofit
technology cost; and
• Activate and fund the Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program.
Establish OBD II emissions testing of on-road diesel vehicles
Provide counties land use authority and the power to create zoning regulations in rapidly growing
unincorporated areas
RESOLUTION NO 3676-11 2008
Include towing/wrecker service vehicles in the definition of authorized emergency vehicles included in the
Move Over Law (Sections 545 157 and 541 201 Texas Transportation Code) when such vehicles are
responding to a traffic incident.
Recognize towing/wrecker services as emergency responders when participating in traffic incident response
and provide towing/wrecker services with the same liability exemption as law enforcement agencies
Allow video archiving of Intelligent Transportation System closed-circuit television cameras fora 24-hour period
for transportation safety training and transportation security purposes Exempt archived video from the Open
Records Act.
Legislation to Monitor
Maintain current funding amounts for the Low-Income Vehicle Repair Assistance Retrofit, and Accelerated
Retirement Program (LIRAP) and the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP)
Retain current authority for truck lane restrictions
Support the creation of dedicated truck lanes on existing highways
Retain the authority to enter into Comprehensive Development Agreements for railroad projects
Provide a tax credit to businesses which offer trip reduction strategies to their employees
Allow any peace officer to verify and/or enforce emissions compliance of any vehicle offered for sale to the
public on any car lot in an affected and participating county
Allow Class B and Class C misdemeanors in Transportation Code Chapter 548 to be heard by either a District
Court or any Justice of the Peace
Require the removal of any emissions inspection certificate from a vehicle before it is allowed to be auctioned
off
Pursue the latest California Low Emission Vehicle engine standards to reduce emissions and provide Texas a
more competitive edge in acquiring emerging technologies often prioritized for those areas implementing the
program
Adopt State regulations that require all heavy-duty diesel engines produced for sale or use in Texas for the
2010 and newer model years to be certified to meet the California emission control standards specified under
Title 13 California Code of Regulations
Create a pilot program to test the feasibility of implementing a mileage based fee to replace the motor fuels tax.
Introduce a 10-year OBD II rolling window for I/M testing requirement. This will require any OBD II compliant
vehicle 11 years and older to be subject to the ASM I/M test.
Monitor the implementation of SB 11 (80t" Texas Legislature) as it relates to exempting emergency responders
from paying tolls at any time
Authorize municipalities to retain video from red-light cameras for 72 hours for law enforcement investigation
purposes
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RESOLUTION NO 3676-11 2008
Provide new mechanisms for coordination between local governments and transit authorities on land use and
transportation connections around rail stations
Maintain protection for all surplus toll revenue and concession payments to fund transportation in the region
from which the tolls or fees were generated
Protect all transportation resources and revenues and the authority and flexibility achieved through recent
transportation legislation
Provide local governments transit entities and the State a common base for taxable goods and services
including any goods and services newly taxed by the Legislature
Oppose legislation permitting triple-tandem trucks on state highway facilities
Maintain local authority to implement red-fight cameras and maintain current revenue sharing with the State
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