Self-driving cars merge into the conversation at RTC’s public meeting

By Ric Anderson

Friday, Dec. 9, 2016 | 2 a.m.

When the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada developed its last long-range transportation plan five years ago, self-driving cars weren't a major consideration.

On Wednesday, when the RTC held the first of three public meetings to talk about its new long-range plan, Planning Manager Craig Raborn spent the better part of an hour talking with Lake Las Vegas resident Karl H. Battlogg about how autonomous vehicles would change the transportation landscape in Las Vegas.

Would self-driving cars reduce the need for light-rail on the Strip? What would be the cost of outfitting traffic signals so they can communicate with cars? Would autonomous delivery vehicles help ease congestion?

Some questions didn't have definitive answers — it's too early to tell — but Battlogg said he came to the meeting because he wanted to make sure the RTC was taking automation into account in its long-range vision.

Raborn assured him the RTC was doing so, pointing to a strategy in the plan to "address emerging technologies and trends."

The conversation was exactly the kind of interaction that RTC officials hoped for when they established a "pop-up" format for the meetings, Raborn said. Instead of putting out folding chairs and giving a presentation, the team set up a few easels in the foyer of the Boulevard mall and spoke with people who dropped by.

"We've done it the other way, and frankly there were times when nobody raised their hand (to ask a question) and the staff and media outnumbered the public," Raborn said.

The plan, which the RTC is required by the federal government to generate every five years, doesn't contain a comprehensive list of projects that will be undertaken by 2040 but rather identifies priorities, strategies and needs.

RTC has been working on it for several months, including conducting an online survey in which about 7,000 people offered their opinions on priorities and how much funding should be directed toward those areas.

Safety and easing congestion ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the survey. Other priorities included light-rail, pedestrian-bicycle improvements, and maintenance.

The plan also includes projections of population growth, employment trending and changes in travel demand. It's designed to provide a framework to determine whether future projects align with the community's needs. Input from the public comment sessions will be recorded and will be used to continue shaping the plan.

The other meetings in the series are scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Dec. 14 at Galleria at Sunset mall, and 9-11:30 a.m. Dec. 15 at the RTC Administrative Building, 600 S. Grand Central Parkway.