To sit with the subcommittee at todays hearing. And i asked questions without objections so order. I want to welcome or witnesses in particular. But all of you todays hearing, as we are faster galloping towards the need to reauthorize the fast act and our citizen localities are looking to us to see what were going to do. This morning i met with a group here in the congress. The focus has been on revenue and why not . Especially since this has been the most difficult for weve had to do. But the issues having waited for congress to catch up on revenue. People are asking and in the using methods for to get rid of congestion and to bring us to the 21st century on transportation. And today here are going to look at some of those questions. The nuance is a federal towing policy. Of congestion prices. Of technology certainly russians to address congestion. And many other trade can meet today. So Congress Federal and fail to solve the revenue question, congestion has been as negativity attacked affected arkansas never before, not to mention the quality of air we breathe and the failure to deal with Climate Change which was not even discussed at the town of the last reauthorization to indicate just how far our time has moved to how much congress has to catch up, the urban mobility report indicates. And you may want to look at what is a three european silence. But my constituents pay 1840 dollars a year and congestion cost. And we hear in the National Capital region of the third highest in the region i hope yours arent 18 for a fouryear thats why my consisting once. This is nothing short of a congestion tax. In our case here in this region, it is a result of 248 thats them, millions of hours of collect of hours of delays in 2016 across the washington d. C. Metropolitan area. I invite you ought to look at what this means with the mobility reports of your own area found that 83 of the contribute more than 2200 premature tests. Annually thats an 18 billion dollar cost to the health care system. When it says largest urban area it means the entire area of the big city and it is a summer. Will we debate how to resolve congestion, we have left the states and localities looking on their own. And looking for more sources of revenue days to stun when we will hear support from greater flexibility and enabling states localities to raise more revenue. But we will also hear from others that congress should erect barriers. The towing. This difference is going to come out in this hearing is deliberate the vision youll see on the panel is like representative over by the agreement on telling policy that congress will have to debate, congestion pricing has become the mainstream. We have hotline swinging across many murray burr areas we have ample great pricing. Charging drivers to enter into a congestion you see what new york has done it in my own district here in the strait of virginia, we have variable tolls on all lanes on i66 during rush hour. I never thought i would see what has resolved people are paying it with trolls as high as 57 dollars and 50 cents. For a single time mile trip. Excessive posed raised equity questions of course. But eagerly the impact on lower income drivers and they are likely to divert traffic onto nearby roads and neighborhoods which is unwilling to pay 42 dollars to get an inquiry. We cant gloss over those impacts in these new strategies and i am particularly interested in technology and how it can have a resolve of Autonomous Vehicles for example and can they reduce congestion or do they increase congestion but wants to our own and should be asking the same questions for networks and connecting vehicles and i think that its critical and i do not intend to neglect the robust transit systems that we need. In a role that transit plays in the congestion and i cannot imagine this area of the National Capital region without transit and the roads would simply be and possible. Dense urban areas with Subway Service and rapid bus transit and also greatly reduced congestion and are not to mentioning which are becoming more and more popular and some of todays suggestions would be suggesting that total revenues should only go to maintain the road. However, i remind you that investing in transit and other methods to reduce vehicle travel is a highly effective tool to reduce congestion i. Will thank the witnesses for joining today and i want to pass the chairman of our committee mr. To fabrizio excuse me i should ask the Ranking Member or possibly not moving to my left. My good friend mr. Davis for his comments. Thank you madam chair. If we think about the policies moving forward, will always yield to the chairman first of that helps us. I wouldnt want to wake everybody up. Its because i put them the. Sleep laughs madam chair that was not me that alluded to that that was the chairman. And all seriousness, thank you, this is a committee and i really enjoy serving with chairwoman norton and this committee is a bipartisanship. Were looking for solutions which is why are all here today to find help with new solutions. I want to thank the witnesses and recognizing that this committee will continue to do our work to reauthorize the federal Service Transportation policies and is part of this effort you are all here and we have held a number of hearings outside of this one on very important policy and i would think the chair for allowing us to participate in these types of gatherings and a truly does help us come up with solutions. Today, as we know, they will focus on tools being utilized to mitigate congestion. It could be caused by various issues and weather and traffic incidents and as many of you celebrate your testimony it has constraints of the 2019 urban mobility report, americans traveled an extra 8. 8 billion hours due to congestion an extra 3. 3 billion thousands of fuel leading could congestion cars and 166 billion dollars in 2017. If you are law max who worked on this report, who is with us today and i report to looking at the findings of his testimony and followup questions. As we know, congestion impacts are ability to move products to domestic and International Markets with undermines our county and American Global competitiveness. Congestion is not just it apartment issue although i can tell you that my district in central and southwest to might issue of congestion is must different than the idea of contestant in washington d. C. And other larger urban areas. It is perhaps most importantly though, congestion again no matter where you are in my district or here and personal issue of city in traffic means that theres less time to do the things that are most important each of us. I remember sitting in traffic that maybe late to football practices that i was coaching my kids Football Game and coach mike it will pull teams or getting to a basketball game late watch my daughter cheer when she was in high school. These are things that are personal to us. This will help us specifically focus on how states and local communities are utilizing some of the tools from the tool box. Congestion pricing strategies a new technology to address congestion. Our witnesses will provide real world examples of how theyre all being deployed and giving us the perspective on whether or not these tools are working well. There are other tools on beyond who focus on todays hearing and the tackle congestion of the approach that provides local communities with the flexibility to do it make sense given their unique circumstances because no single solution its going to work here in washington d. C. And at the same time, work with the Congressional District of illinois who i am blessed to serve. I look forward to our discussion and learning more on how the federal government could be a partner in these communities as they seem to address and with that i thank you to our witnesses and thank you to general norton and defazio for being here and i yield back. Thank you for your remarks mr. Davis. Now it is your turn chairman of our committee mr. De blasio. Thank you chair and you both made points that are Congress Needs to Pay Attention to. The annual vases is four times our federal investment Service Transportation. And lets think about that, route wasting four times as much money after year and a half here we are paralyzed to figure out how we are going to pay for this an hour ever going to pay for this. We dont teams to suggest that the gas and fuel tank since 1993 i propose something that is just embarrassing if we cant do it and will do some bonding. To limit the increase to half a gallon a year i keep saying that as the election of when you drove to work today, you drove by the gas station and i went up or down a nickel and no one is going to notice that but people around the country are willing to pay to get out of the congress that hasnt gotten the message. White house has gotten the message they love and its a big infrastructure and we were down to zero. In fact, he proposals the president s budget consistently cut transportation investment. With the states can do it on the road and they are trying. The states are trying and a lot resignations or ways their gas tax and states that makes governments and blue states and is not a partisan issue without it seeming to be a partisan issue here in washington d. C. Were at the point of total paralysis. Im not going to repeat the statistics in the hours but the amount of fuel wasted sitting around is about four billion gallons a year. Wasted fuel, adding to the problems with Climate Change with some of us believe in. So, you know, its time to act and we are going to hear some things today that are going to be congestion pricing which is the alternative and cant just price people off the roads and say that we saw the congestion and that person doesnt set their schedule to go to work most likely and they dont have a lot of options unless they build options that cant just price people off the road and when you have an over talking about 47 dollars for 70 cents a mile and that is a chauffeur limousine line and who can afford that . In my own state, we have freeways and we dont have tolls. We talked to the mayor in some of the legislature and of portland and decided that we just have parts of our free ways to deal with some problems and of course, it isnt going to be like the hot plane no one will have an option. What about diversion . What about people who have to go from east side of portland to the west side of portland intel two little work . Sorry, you will take you to hours because it will cost you a bunch of money that you cant afford. So, we need a comprehensive approach which is more investment. We need to start applying technology and Smart Technology in 21st Century Technology. You sit in traffic lights and no one is coming and die was in pittsburgh and they have smart traffic lights, realtime and imagine that . 21st Century Technology and we are still working at 19th Century Technology with meter traffic lights and traffic engineers with traffic counts and standing on the corner and accusing to what they are going to be in a future which is nothing to do with reality. Im losing patience with whats going on right now. The senate has some decent policy in it and a little bit more spending but the leaders of the senate is almost impossible to pay for. We can pay for that. What we want to pay for . What we dont pay for it went to waste a lot more money every year, year in and year out and americans are going to get more and more frustrated. I hope todays hearing provides some ideas that will help mitigate these problems and the bottom line is, we will have to pony up some money over not going to solve any problems. Thank you. I share the chairmans frustration with gas tax and with no new money and we just cant do what we did last time. In order to get new money, we will make a sixyear bill and a fiveyear bill. Who are we fooling . I appreciate the chairman who raised the issue of the gas tax. How come in red states they are not afraid to raise the gas tax . But they send people to congress so we are stuck when it comes to revenue and are overwhelmed by what needs to be done in our system. Im pleased that the senate will control the other side and is making new revenue and i want to welcome our witnesses when the honorable gilbert the third was a mayor of the city of Miami Gardens in the miami dade plenty and travis for our who is the assistant director of Public Affairs for the Oregon Department of transportation. inaudible the executive director of the San Francisco county Transportation Authority on behalf of the intelligence Transportation Society of america, Darren Hawkins the, president and chief executive officer of worldwide inc. On behalf of the American Association. Tim is the law max one of texas a m on transportation and mark the senior fellow at the competitive enterprise and i want to thank all of you for being here today and look forward to your testimony. Before we hear from them i would like to recognize miss wilson and introduce mayor gilbert a. Constituent from her district. Thank you so much, thank you so much chairwoman. I am our nerd to introduce my personal mayor, mayor of the great city of Miami Gardens which will host the 2020 super bowl and the chair of the miami Transportation Organization to reveal gilbert. When i learned that this committee was having a hearing of congestion, mayor gilbert was the first witness that i knew i had to recommend. He is a young lawyer and a distinguished career in Public Service and began as the aid and the florida legislation and was regarded as an astute staffer both legislatively and politically. Within a decade he, became the mayor of the city of Miami Gardens. As mayor, he has relied several successful relationships to increase access to Public Transportation and improve mobility. One such initiative is Miami Gardens express a Free Trolley Service in many, many residents who depend on and the accomplishments as mayor and leadership on transportation issues compels with miamidade colleagues to affect him as their chair in january of 2019. As the pewter oversees implementation of the counties strategic miami area rapid transportation smart plan. A multi billion dollar Infrastructure Investment programs to reduce congestion and spread economic growth. Mary gilbert welcome to call chris and thank you for testifying today and for your leadership on transportation issues that greatly concern arabian and others this nation. Thank you madam chairman i yield back. Thank you congresswoman worsen. Id like to now recognize the congresswoman davis to introduce mr. Hopkins thank you madam chair and her Ranking Member id like to take the opportunity introducing mr. Guarantee how can this president and chief executive prison but thats why i see worldwide inc. On the uber half of the association. Why are seawright is afraid Holding Company based in Arkansas Third Congressional District in kansas. They are pro 24,000 drivers and dock workers who are members of the International Brotherhood of team stores. The trucks travel more than hundred million miles annually and United States and more than 1700 wire sea debris drivers have more than 1 million consecutive accident free miles is something a lot of us will be celebrating. Why are steve w. Has a long history and has long been an important in the kansas city metropolitan Area Business community and we are proud to be well represented and hearing the testimony today mr. Hawkins and i appreciate you taking the time to be here. It is a pleasure to have you and i yield back. Thank you congresswoman davis. Without objection or witnesses full statement will be answered into the record. Written testimony will be made a part of the record some Committee Requests that you limit your testimony to five minutes maricopa so i ask you to proceed now sir. Thank you if i start by saying 18 years ago this country was attacked i stand and you all service in the men and women of our military what they do for us around the world to ensure we can be around this room having this discussion is important i think that and i thank you all. Good morning chair non, Ranking Member davis, chair the five ceo, and members of this thinkers subcommittee thank you for the opportunity to testify. I like to thank my congresswoman for her service to our district. Today i stand as her mayor and residents in all of her serve as an example an example she thought for our community. A lot of work over this night every Day Organization but also deprive mayor of. Minorities on the proudly of the miami dolphins. Yes i know. I am long suffering its a thing. Im here to tell you to the roads they arent just pathways this pathways to something greater with us not just something that carries trains. Real specifically the metro in miami they county carried a young boy from Miami Gardens to the law school every day. How can get is loaded ultimately it was responsible for him being a member of his hometown Miami Gardens. I stand before you today in large part because it is someone invested in meaningful and efficient Public Transportation today advocate that we pay their brilliance forward and find ways to expand will create dynamic transportation, reduce congestion, and promote conservation of time and of the planet. I like to now share how we are starting to address this in miami they county and how he can partner with us to make transportation and instruments of Economical Development up creation. Might county pattern its not just our growth economically but there are developments as a community. Our expressway system has slanted and we have no room to build our way out of congestion. This is why we provide travel choices and alternatives that include both expressed planes as well as extend interest is through the miamidade smart plan elaborate tries to plant for our future. And he fire express has been an operation for ten years. And has reduced overall Traffic Congestion and increased traffic flow. While the miami pay region have the fourth largest population with the 12 frank terry african gestion partly due to the use of express lanes and birth service. Great service has been highly successful with ridership rising 48 in the first two years he was implemented. We plan to expand this network as a part of the smart plan. Congress has supported the Value Pricing Program and the leadership of congressman webster who was in the Florida Senate at the time allowed us to piloted the 95 express project forward and convert a chirpy lens to a total lanes. We improve the rankings on hours of drivers delay from ten to 12. Even as our population grew which rose remarkable which is not so the contestant is a problem however the express lanes improved as new times for all lanes including the non toad lanes which is also significant it. While express lanes help, the best long term before relieving congestion in south florida still the expansion of a Rapid Transit network. Keep your identity the smart plans our top priority. The smart plan and involves improving the suburban network right now the south corner of the plan is and development. My be has to state has committed 100 million dollars, we are asking the fta to commit 100 million dollars. Look we have committed all available local funding including gives over the next 40 years to implement the project but it wont be enough we need your help. Federal support of innovative projects like smart is essential and federal process that offers certainty and helps move projects like smart forward is a must. For example the north corridor the expansion of the natural was initially constantly when i was in the military school. And still maduro has been built until the same class right now and in northern parkway, day deserve better. We have to do better and we have to do it faster. We need a federal funding pressure that acknowledges the need of a committee to access opportunity within a reasonable timeframe so all the partners can plan and do their part. There needs to be predefined funding structures for reasons like miami that provide for more than widen highways as a solution to congestion. With this we can create a future that is substantially less congestion, with this we can create a future to have a kid who wants fan you can actually do some great things. I would add my comments with this, west of alberta einstein. You cant solve a problem with the same thinking that created it, our goal must not only the better answers but also we have to ask tomorrows questions this will allow us to design and build a system that is flexible, expensive and agreeable. Thank you for your partnership, thank you for your support and thank you for your leadership. Look at the beginning of the system forward. Thank you manager. Thank you very much. Larry gilbert. Im gonna now call on travis bower. Assistant director of Public Affairs for Oregon Department of transportation. Remember davis. Subcommittee my name is travis battleground the assistant directive you Construction Department i want to thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today and i particularly want to thank showing the ferrari for his leadership on transportation issues and all he has done over three decades of service on committee to make our nation transportation stronger. It is interesting to be talking about towing because or again and or that we dont operate each but that can change in coming years as the climber from the public for the good luck that is not your area has one of the latest direct data to implement trolling. Data show that the Portland Metro regions congestion is bad and getting worse did report population and job are. In just two years in 2015 to 2017, hours of congestion increased by 13 across the region and in the vehicle hours are delayed increased by 20 . Thousands of a similar increase to previous two years. Maneuver how is what i packing a lot said russia rush hour is now spread become russia afternoon and evening as five check sections retribution i could just it at least seven hours every day. Residents and businesses across the state increasing your complaining to legislators and or not on how hot congestion in portland poses a growing threats are states economy making it more costly for companies to cross or again to get their goods to market. In response to this concerns of the threats are a country where the quality of life in 2017 the organizers little pathological transportation investment package and things history known as keep oregon moving. This legislation included a comprehensive multi modal contest relief strategy, legislature funded new lands on the high fives hiring to advise an other highways to lead to veto bottlenecks but they recognize that we cant build our way out of congestion so theyre also invested in Intelligent Transportation system that help make traffic flow more efficiently. And they provide a significant investment in transportation options. Which transportation is we are trying to our major tried to agency in the region to launch its biggest serve its expression ever. Recognize with all of these investments and they would not be enough to achieve the contests and reduction the Public Comments to be met with this historic funding they can are from the high priority relief projects including improvements to interstate two or five. But other legislative turned to towing to address the congestion and raise revenue for improve and keep organ moving. Oh thats governing body to implement towing on both high five and itwo or five our northsouth corridors in a region that carried the book of our frayed and faded toward congestion. Faced with the legislative mandate the can we should engage and to the Public Engagement process i reached members of the public more than 65,000 times take credit to the stakeholder advisory committee. Madeup of local government officials, trucking industry, advocates flow and communities and others they Commission Charges Group Developing a recommendation for where we could use totaling, to reduce congestion and how to address potential impacts. We are not isis option from telling along two or five corridor including marriage lanes, solving all lanes and telling bridges after details analogy it is julian expressed tours felt by the way i recently did not find any location where these would offer significant Congestion Relief. But the advisor of committee occupant the recommended to knowing options that could significantly reduce congestion. First implement variable rates towing on a high five through the court of the Portland Metro region. The American Trucking Research Institute recently ranked is 28 words truck bottleneck in the nation. Chilling would be elected in the country you know its a Congestion Relief projects i five, id four and i have four or five so i can help pay for this and other improvements. Second school on a new the appetite bridge on other states who are five. The section of iowa five assists to mention a direction i would spending a project to widen that section highway and into the legislation of all that has been able to find a half billion dollars needed so fun that project during office but you awaits a fine from a lot of it. In addition to recommending where tonight could benefit the public the Committee Also looked at some of the areas what needs to mitigate potential impacts of towing, to ask the commission to avoid the version of traffic on a local streets to ensure the tour does not cause significant issues following come a family who may not be able to afford tools and make sure that there is a good options to get around. Moving forward on these recommendations are developing in the public involvement process that will answer many of these questions ongoing Public Engagement is going to be critical because we know that we northeast of what we need to address the publics concerns and show how totaling ten prove theyre getting around. We are a member of the American Association of highway transport officials, hostile ports to allow states maximum fine for new raising opportunities in light of some of the federal funding challenges that congressman defazio mentioned. Greater flexibility will allow states to work with communities to use towing to help improve our Transportation System across the nation. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today. Thank you for your testimony mr. Browser. Well hear next from kelly chang executive director of the San Francisco county Transportation Authority who was speaking on behalf of the intelligent Transportation Society of america welcomes chang. Good morning chairman and Ranking Member david his chair the value and subcommittee members thank you so much for the opportunity to provide San Franciscos rights against American Perspective on the topic of pricing international lodgment am teaching i served as the executive Communication Authority and it is testimony on a local experience with these topics and why we believe pricing and incentives are promising stripe strategies to help us recharge transportation goals. Firstly to provide an overview of the problem as in other places rising population and unemployment but also combine with their growth and right here vehicles and clogging our streets. Instern on seaspan thr. Online at sea spend at organ and listen live on the free seaspan radio app. Next, a security and c
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