Rafael M. Aldrete

Valuing Public Sector Risk Exposure in Transportation Public-Private Partnerships

A methodological framework can be used to evaluate public revenue financial risk exposure when transportation infrastructure is delivered through public–private partnerships (PPPs) in the United States. Transportation agencies worldwide and across the United States are increasingly using PPPs as a mechanism to deliver infrastructure. An analysis of international experience conducted for this research shows that countries with more extensive experience in PPPs than the United States have devised sophisticated methodologies to value and manage risk exposure in the context of value for money and optimum allocation of project risks. However, a review of major U.S. transportation PPP transactions reveals that U.S. states currently lack a well-documented methodology to quantify and incorporate the cost of public-sector risk into the evaluation of PPP projects. This evidence suggests that U.S. transportation agencies might benefit significantly from implementing more systematic approaches to incorporate the cost of risk in the evaluation of PPP projects. The framework proposed in this research provides a step-by-step methodology to quantify revenue risk exposure and is aimed at facilitating the estimation of the risk-adjusted costs of delivering a project as a PPP. The methodology is based on the concept of contingent liabilities and uses option pricing techniques. The application of the methodology is demonstrated by two U.S. transportation PPP case studies.

Traffic Microsimulation Models Assessment – A Case Study of International Land Port of Entry☆

Users of International Land Ports of Entries (LPOEs) at the US – Mexico border experience excessive wait times on a daily basis. This contributes to the increased transportation costs, and also generates health and environmental problems in border regions. Traffic simulation models are effective tools for evaluating passenger vehicle, pedestrian and commercial traffic operations. These tools can be used to assess various scenarios and visualize current traffic conditions. Results obtained from these tools should be taken into account in congestion relief decision making processes. The research team developed, calibrated and validated three traffic models of the Ysleta-Zaragoza LPOE using three different software packages (i.e., TransModeler, VISSIM, and Aimsun). This paper presents advantages and disadvantages of each tool when modeling international LPOEs. Results presented herein can be used by practitioners to decide which tool should to be used for modeling LPOEs at the U.S. – Mexico border.

Leveraging the Value of Land and Landside Access to Fund Port Infrastructure in Texas

This paper introduces port authority transportation reinvestment zones (TRZs), a funding tool created by the Texas Legislature to help fund long-term economic development port projects. TRZs were first introduced in Texas in 2007 as a tool to allow county and municipal governments to raise funds to help pay for transportation improvements using the property tax mechanism. Since then, the legislation has been amended to include other transportation modes, such as transit, rail, and parking facilities. Amendments passed in 2013 introduced the concept of port authority TRZ, which expanded authorized use of the tool to the state’s port authorities and navigation districts. Most of the existing funding tools available to Texas ports focus on the development of infrastructure within port property. Port authority TRZs complement existing funding sources by providing a funding tool flexible enough to fund port projects both inside and outside port property. Port authorities can take advantage of the TRZ concept to join forces with neighboring local governments and the Texas Department of Transportation to fund landside transportation enhancements that improve port accessibility and the regional economy. Currently, there are four active port authority TRZs in the following locations: Port of Beaumont, Port of Port Arthur, Port of Brownsville, and Sabine-Neches Navigation District. This paper summarizes the legal framework of port authority TRZs, describes the role that these TRZs play in port funding and finance, and presents highlights of the port authority TRZs that have already been established throughout the state.

Examining Multimodal Transportation in the El Paso, Texas, Region

This paper summarizes a component of a multimodal transportation study conducted for the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization of Texas, which included a regional population survey. The El Paso Regional Multimodal Transportation Survey was implemented between September and October 2015, and the study area included all of El Paso County, Texas, and parts of Doña Ana and Otero Counties, New Mexico. The survey specifically examined the behaviors or motivations to use or not to use various modes of transportation, with a particular focus on alternative modes (i.e., walking, bicycling, and using public transportation). As one of the first known regional transportation surveys in the United States, this survey contributed to the emerging area of health and transportation through the integration of several elements of health and well-being. The results indicate that an understanding of regional and population characteristics, as well as behavioral barriers and motivators, is an important first step in the design of effective alternative travel programs and interventions. Several factors, including neighborhood environment variables, personal and social characteristics, and attitudes and habits toward health and transportation, worked together to influence residents’ participation in alternative transportation. Although the personal automobile is the dominant travel mode in El Paso, residents saw great value in the extension of public transportation infrastructure in the future. Improvements of connectivity, safety, and the neighborhood environment were found to be particularly essential to encourage walking and bicycling in the region.

Methodology for Microscopic Traffic Simulation Modelling of Land Port of Entries along the U.S.-Mexican Border: Ysleta – Zaragoza Land Port of Entry Case Study

Land Ports of Entry (LPOEs) are facilities that control access into the U.S., as well as departures of persons and freight. While traffic simulation modeling techniques are not typically used to evaluate LPOE operational processes, they should be considered more often, because LPOEs have a significant impact on surrounding traffic conditions and vice versa. This paper proposes a methodology for developing microscopic traffic simulation models of LPOEs along the U.S.-Mexico border. The methodology consists of seven steps: (i) collect data; (ii) develop traffic or roadway network; (iii) model inspection and toll booths; (iv) develop traffic management strategies; (v) set up traffic demand; (vi) calibrate model; and (vii) validate model. The paper also presents a case study in which this methodology was followed to develop the Ysleta – Zaragoza LPOE traffic simulation model, which can be controlled from a web-based interface to help LPOE personnel without previous transportation modeling experience.

Estimating Transborder Trips Integrating Binational Communities as Single Transportation System: Learning from Binational Model for El Paso, Texas–Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

This research presents the application of the TRANUS integrated land use and travel demand modeling software to estimate transborder origin–destination (O-D) pairs by developing a travel demand model (TDM) that integrates the two border communities in a binational conurbation into a single transportation and economic system. Commercial and personal ties generate a tremendous amount of transborder traffic within binational conurbations along the U.S.–Mexican border. With so much interaction, individual transportation networks from each country become a single transportation system connected through the ports of entry. Conventionally, each side of the border is modeled separately or through the use of external zones—the area is not treated as a single, interconnected system. This research presents a methodology to estimate transborder O-D pairs and traffic flows with TRANUS. The case study of a binational TDM covering the El Paso, Texas–Ciudad Juarez, Mexico conurbation is presented. Results demonstrate encouraging findings from using TRANUS to estimate transborder O-D pairs for private trips. Furthermore, the methodology developed can be replicated in any conurbation along the U.S.–Mexican border with a relatively limited data collection effort. Although traditional TDMs require extensive and expensive household surveys, which are difficult to conduct in binational settings, this research shows that it is possible to generate a reasonably reliable set of binational O-D matrices at a significantly lower cost and time investment by using TRANUS.

Paso Del Norte Regional Mobility Information System: Creating Archived Transportation Data User Services and an Advanced Traveler Information System

The Paso Del Norte region includes El Paso County (Texas), Dona Ana County (New Mexico), and Ciudad Juarez (Mexico) along the southwest border region between the United States and Mexico. With a combined population of more than 2 million, the city of El Paso (Texas) and Ciudad Juarez have an intertwined transportation system with one of the nations busiest international borders. In response to growing transportation needs in this binational region, the Texas Transportation Institute established a new transportation research center in the city of El Paso. One of the many research initiatives identified at the early stages of the centers inception was to develop a mobility information system for the Paso Del Norte region. The goals of this regional mobility information system were to demonstrate the significance and benefits of archiving intelligent transportation system (ITS) data, build a centralized repository of transportation data, provide the ability to monitor regional and cross-border mobility, and provide a platform to adopt newer ITS technologies. The objectives of the regional mobility information system are to provide archived transportation data user services and an advanced traveler information system in the region. The regional mobility information system is the first of its kind in the region and has been well received by stakeholder agencies. The system has an extremely flexible and scalable database framework and uses the concept of data warehouse and database-centric architecture. As an advanced traveler information system, the system provides access to users’ information related to everyday travel through a single-window website.