Bill Overview
Title: Transportation Assistance for Olympic Cities Act of 2022
Description: This bill authorizes through FY2034 the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prioritize providing grants for surface transportation projects relating to international Olympic, Paralympic, and Special Olympics events, including for temporary facilities, equipment, operations, and maintenance that meet the extraordinary needs associated with hosting such events. DOT must take all reasonable efforts to provide assistance for such events, including by developing intermodal transportation plans and expediting federal review of requests with regards to the events. Authority under the bill to provide grants and assistance terminates on September 30, 2034.
Sponsors: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Target Audience
Population: People in countries hosting the Olympic, Paralympic, and Special Olympics by 2034
Estimated Size: 500000000
- The bill aids cities hosting international Olympic, Paralympic, and Special Olympics events.
- There is global engagement in the Olympics, with almost 200 countries participating.
- The Special Olympics has over 5 million participants worldwide.
- Not every country will host an Olympic event by 2034.
- The Paralympics, while newer, still involve many nations, implying broad potential impact.
Reasoning
- The budget constraints necessitate careful selection of cities with existing infrastructure that can be temporarily enhanced, rather than building entirely new systems. This will impact participants, visitors, and residents differently.
- By prioritizing grants for select cities, we're incentivizing growth in urban areas that already have some level of international travel infrastructure. This may boost some local economies more than others.
- The policy aims to improve transportation for international events, but may have limited long-term effects on daily commuters outside the event periods.
- Beneficiaries will include transportation companies, event coordinators, city planners, and local businesses catering to tourists and event participants.
Simulated Interviews
Event Coordinator (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could dramatically improve the logistics of handling tourists and participants during Olympic events.
- Los Angeles might receive significant upgrades to its transportation infrastructure, benefiting us beyond the events.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Salt Lake City, UT)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More events mean more customers, so I hope this policy leads to more frequent and bigger events.
- Improved transportation could bring more tourists, thus more business year-round.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Public Transit Employee (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could increase my workload significantly during events, but also lead to better transportation systems.
- I'm hoping for new equipment or temporary facilities that alleviate pressure on existing systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
City Planner (Seattle, WA)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act could allow us to test new transportation solutions during the Olympics.
- I'm concerned about the temporary nature of some infrastructure improvements; permanent solutions are needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Student Athlete (Denver, CO)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved transport for special events could make competitions more accessible and reduce travel stress.
- I'm hopeful for greater public awareness of Paralympic events due to this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Tour Operator (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If Miami hosts the Olympics, the transport upgrades will be crucial for delivering excellent service to my clients.
- We might see a surge in customer interest with better infrastructure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Software Engineer (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might accelerate the adoption of technology solutions we've been working on.
- I'm excited about the possibility of innovative transportation projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired (Chicago, IL)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried about the increase in noise and traffic, but improvements could enhance my neighborhood.
- Hopefully, the city considers community input for these projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Taxi Driver (Houston, TX)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could mean smoother traffic systems during events, which is good for my business.
- I'm skeptical about actual improvements; we've had high promises before.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
University Professor (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy offers a chance to propel sustainable transportation solutions.
- I'm eager to see how this will influence long-term city development strategies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $515000000 (Low: $470000000, High: $615000000)
Year 3: $530000000 (Low: $480000000, High: $630000000)
Year 5: $560000000 (Low: $520000000, High: $670000000)
Year 10: $610000000 (Low: $570000000, High: $720000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The bill mandates an expiration of grant authority by 2034, creating a defined period for expense calculations.
- There may be variability in the number of U.S. cities hosting Olympic-related events, impacting the extent of grant disbursements.
- Potential environmental and community impacts may require additional considerations and modifications in project implementation.