Quote:
Originally Posted by Jdawgboy
Here's a question that hopefully someone can answer. Have there been any traffic studies since S. Lamar has been built up to its current density?
You hear from people who oppose adding density that it creates worse traffic. I drive Lamar on a regular basis and have for years but I honestly don't see the traffic as any worse than before the first VMU was built, (not including temporary lane closures due to construction).
There used to be nasty gridlock on S. Lamar back in the 90s and 2000s. Sure during morning and evening rush hour it's packed, but at least to my perspective, the overall traffic flow is better now than say 10+ years ago. Some of that can be attributed to better timed signaling and probably more people using alternatives in getting around.
I'm just curious if there is data that backs up my perception that adding density along S. Lamar has not significantly added cars or increased congestion.
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From our "Znews Letter" last month. Good info. The editor is on top of her shit, I bet it is correct. Much to the chagrin of the Nimby's in our neighborhood, who love the narrative that everything is getting worse on Lamar by the minute.
I too have taken Lamar for the last 30 years, and noticed the exact same thing you have. I have been shouted down anytime I've made this observation.
"Traffic Is Falling and
It Can’t Get Up
In Appendix C (Travel Demand
Forecast) of the corridor plan, HDR
compares 2001 traffic counts with
2013 counts and concludes that
traffic volumes along S. Lamar
“have not significantly increased
over time.” In fact, the counts have
dropped significantly. For example,
vehicles per day north of Riverside
Drive dropped from 47,954 in 2001
to 39,900 in 2013. The study’s
count from September 2014 is even
less, 38,500 vpd, a decrease of 20%
from 2001 and 27% from the peak
in 1992 (52,980 vpd). Counts between
Oltorf and Manchaca peaked
at 43,700 vpd in 1992; by 2014 it
was down 18% to 35,807.
Instead of asking why traffic
counts on South Lamar dropped
back to 1980 levels, HDR instead
uses old TxDOT and CAMPO forecasts
to predict “an overall 23 percent
growth” in automobile traffic
by 2035, reversing the demographic
and travel
-pattern trends of the
last 25 years.
Someday Austin planners will
consider the possibility of growth
without cars. Meanwhile, the best
we can do is keep driving less."
http://zilkerneighborhood.org/wp-con...ews2016Oct.pdf