SB1086

THE CONTEXT: To carry out responsibilities in its jurisdictions, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is organized into divisions, including the Transportation Planning Division (A. R.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would modify the standard transportation system performance factors that the Division must develop, to include: a) Congestion reduction, rather than congestion relief; b) Connectivity, rather than integration and connectivity with other modes; c) Safety improvements, rather than only safety; d) Mobility; and e) Integration with other modes, require the Division to: a) Develop methods to measure each performance factor quantitatively using any relevant and available data to the extent practicable; and b) Consider technologies, new innovations, data and market solutions to optimize the delivery of performance factors, and require the Division to use the following weights: a) For highway projects: i. Congestion reduction, 40%; ii. Increased mobility, 40%; and iii. Safety improvements, reduction in the number of fatalities on roadways in the region, 20%; and b) For transit projects: i. Requiring ridership on each route to not be lower than 70% of the system average; and ii. Allowing the ridership minimum to be decreased to 50% of the system average if the lines are contracted out to a private operator.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to make the government process for transportation system performance more definite and accountable. It would modify the standard transportation system performance factors that the Division must develop, to include: a) Congestion reduction, rather than congestion relief; b) Connectivity, rather than integration and connectivity with other modes; c) Safety improvements, rather than only safety; d) Mobility; and e) Integration with other modes, and would also require the Division to: a) Develop methods to measure each performance factor quantitatively using any relevant and available data to the extent practicable; and b) Consider technologies, new innovations, data and market solutions to optimize the delivery of performance factors, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.