Credentials
Bruce Melton, P.E.
Texas A&M 1983
Diversified experience: Environmental, land development and hydrology
Haynie & Kallman 1984: Land Development, Staff Engineer
Jones & Neuse 1986: Land Development, Staff Engineer
Lower Colorado River Authority Environmental Program 1990: Staff Engineer, Environmental Coordinator; Principal Investigator, Permit Writer
Bury Partners 1996: Project Manager
Loomis Austin 1998: Senior Project Manager
Melton Engineering Services Austin 2001: Owner
Planning
What is really in the middle of the road?
Major Concerns
1. TxDOT Traffic Counts show that, about the turn of the Century, on average, regional traffic stopped growing.
2. Is projecting past growth patterns into the future appropriate planning?
TXDOT Traffic Counts Regional Average Growth
Source: CAMPO Needs Assessment, February 2009
TxDOT Data - Regional Traffic Growth Superimposed
Brookings Institute Study
Why Has Traffic Growth Ceased While Population Continues to Grow?
Two bread winner family phenomena has maxed out
Aging population / birth rate trends
Economic concerns over the last decade of reduced earnings power
Younger Areas Age Faster
Long Term Economics
• Purchasing power has diminished
• Wages are not keeping up
• Inflation continues
• Not related to the current economic distress
• TxDOT traffic data ended before the recession
CAMPO 2030 is significantly disconnected from actual traffic counts.
Because traffic growth patterns have changed fundamentally.
Traffic will never grow like this again.
South and Southwest Austin
“Business as Usual” is No Longer Valid
Traffic on Brodie would be worse when SH45 opens than it is today.
(TxDOT Traffic Counts and CAMPO 2030 Plan)
Alternatives
Traffic on Brodie is bad and must be addressed
I35 Route Without Flyover
Brodie route takes more time compared to IH35 route without the flyover
Acquired Preserve Lands
Peak Hour Traffic Management
1. Reduce Peak Hour traffic
2. Telecommute
3. Flexible working hours
4. Demographic shift
5. New bus routes
6. More park and ride
7. Commuter rail
New Discoveries about the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer
Nico’s D Title Page
The final paragraph of the conclusions for the methodology section
The final paragraph of the conclusions for the methodology section
The previously reported assumption of uplands recharge
by Woodruff, 1984 was 1%
From Nico’s Dissertation
381 karst features
Groundwater flow in the Northern Edwards Aquifer
Note the locations of Barton, Slaughter, Onion and Bear Creeks and the intersection of the existing SH45 and MOPAC
CAMPO memo to Council woman Kim October 2007
