SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee agreed to proceed with creating a proposed Multimodal Transportation Commission on Tuesday.
During a presentation to the committee, Transportation Department Director Catherine Hernandez said the commission would provide input and recommendations to City Council on policies, other implementation actions, and issues affecting pedestrians and bicyclists.
The group comes from policy recommendations associated with several already-approved street safety initiatives.
The committee instituted slight changes to the commission’s member structure but motioned that the proposed group be brought before City Council for full approval.
Over the last several months, City Council approved several measures supporting ongoing bicycle and pedestrian initiatives. The commission’s formation is included as a policy recommendation in the updated Bike Network Plan.
Updates to the city’s Complete Streets policy, Vision Zero plan and Transit-Oriented Development framework also called for a commission overseeing implementation.
Joey Pawlik, executive director of ActivateSA, an active transportation advocacy organization, spoke before the presentation about the group’s support of the proposed commission.
“We’re excited that our city’s transportation team is moving forward with various elements of implementation of these policies and plans,” Pawlik said.
What is multimodal transportation?
The city’s Transportation Department describes it as a method involving designing and planning transportation systems “that encompass multiple modes of travel, ensuring connections and efficient movement of people.”
Broadly speaking, those people can travel by car, bus, bike, scooter, ride-share or foot.
In an email to KSAT, Joe Conger, the department’s public relations manager, outlined key considerations when discussing multimodal transportation.
- System connectivity: Prioritizes creating interconnected networks, allowing for easy transitions between different modes of transportation.
- User needs: Aims to meet the “diverse needs” of various users, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders and motorists.
- Land use: Multimodal planning considers land use patterns regarding the impact of transportation choices and accessibility.
Some benefits of multimodal transportation include reducing congestion, improving traffic flow and promoting healthy communities, according to the department.
Who will make up the commission?
The 13-person commission will consist of one appointee from each council district, an appointee from the mayor, VIA Metropolitan Transit and the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO).
Hernandez said the commission should also include prospective members with experience in categories relevant to the policies at hand, namely traffic engineers, transit riders, cyclists and more. Seven slots would be reserved for those appointees, she said.
Some of the proposed commission’s responsibilities include:
- Acting as a recommending body for reviewing and updating policies, procedures and amendments to city code.
- Acting as an advisor to the Transportation Director on exceptions to the Complete Streets Policy.
- Receiving regular updates on the transportation department plan, policies and projects.
If approved by councilmembers, the committee would meet quarterly or as needed, Hernandez said.
Committee discussion
Following the presentation, Councilmembers John Courage and Jalen McKee-Rodriguez each expressed their ambivalence about selecting certain members of their respective districts to serve on the reserved commission positions.
Hernandez said the department, VIA and the AAMPO would help the council districts with appointee recruitment.
District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito asked how the commission’s policy recommendations would be delivered.
Hernandez said the commission’s proposals and input would be sent to the Transportation Department before they are presented to their respective city committees.
Gavito, citing a need to “be aggressive on better transportation solutions,” expressed an interest in the District 7 appointee potentially being “very involved” with the Woodlawn Lake bike path.
Last November, District 7 hosted its second public meeting to discuss bike lane connectivity around the lake. The project is part of the city’s Bike Network Plan.
District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda echoed concern for ensuring better representation for people from different communities. She listed pedestrian safety, disability access and lower-income community representation as examples.
Havrda continued, wondering partly about the discrepancy in describing transit users versus those relying solely on the transportation form and how to remedy the issue.
“I see transit users, but that could be me, and I have a vehicle,” she said. “I don’t know how you do that … I do have a concern that we’re not as inclusive as I would like.”
Havrda asked about the weight the proposed commission would carry in decision-making. Hernandez said the commission would act as a governing body when taking public comments but not a final authority on policy issues.
Havrda motioned to include an appointee who could represent the community of people with disabilities, which was seconded for approval.
After a brief discussion, the committee proposed reducing the required number of reserved positions from seven to six and adding an appointee to represent people with disabilities and the older adult community.
A date for the City Council vote was not immediately known following the presentation.
Related coverage from KSAT:
