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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.25.23 UAPB Agenda Packet1 MEETING NOTICE MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – 4:30 PM City of Iowa City – Council Chambers 410 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA AGENDA 1.Call to Order a.Recognize alternates & welcome new Board members b.Consider approval of meeting minutes c.Set next Board meeting date (March 29, location TBD) 2.Public Discussion of any item not on the agenda* 3.Administration a.Report from nominating committee for 2023 MPOJC Board officers i.Consider action b.Consider approval of the FY24 MPOJC Budget and financial forecast c.Consider approval of the FY24 Johnson County Assessments for the East Central Iowa Council of Governments d.Consider appointments to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments Board of Directors e.Discuss MPOJC Orientation opportunity for Board members 4.Transportation Planning a.Public Hearing and consideration of an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – amending the funding amounts for the I-80 6 lane widening project i. Public Hearing ii. Consider an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program b.Public Hearing and consideration of an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – including new funding for bus replacements for Coralville Transit and University of Iowa CAMBUS i. Public Hearing ii. Consider an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program c.Consider approval of Federal Transit Administration Section 5307 Transit Operating Formula funding apportionment for FY2022 d.Consider approval of safety targets and performance measures for the MPO as required by the Federal Highway Administration e.Consider approval of MPOJC Surface Transportation Block Grant, Transportation Alternatives Program, and Carbon Reduction Program grant funding process f.Update on the MPOJC FY24 Transportation Planning Work Program and FY24-27 Transportation Improvement Program 2 g.Verbal update on the CRANDIC Bus Rapid Transit Study from the MPOJC Director 5.Other Business a.Report on the MPOJC Severson Charity Challenge 6.Adjournment Please note the MPOJC Rural Policy Board meeting will start after adjournment of the Urban Policy Board meeting at approximately 6:00 PM. *Public input is permitted on any agenda item. Please indicate to the Chair if you wish to comment on an agenda item. To request any disability-related accommodations or language interpretation, please contact MPOJC staff at 356-5230 or Kent-Ralston@Iowa-City.org 48 hours prior to the meeting. MINUTES DRAFT MPOJC URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD November 16, 2022 – 4:30 P.M. North Liberty City Hall – Council Chambers 3 Quail Creek Circle, North Liberty, IA MEMBERS PRESENT: Coralville: Meghann Foster, Laurie Goodrich Iowa City: Pauline Taylor, Laura Bergus, Janice Weiner Johnson County: Rod Sullivan, Jon Green North Liberty: Eric Sittig, Brian Wayson University Heights: Louise From University of Iowa: Erin Shane Tiffin: Steve Berner ICCSD: Charlie Eastham STAFF PRESENT: Kent Ralston, Emily Bothell, Hannah Neel, Sarah Walz, Tunazzina Alam OTHERS PRESENT: Kelly Schneider 1.CALL TO ORDER From called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. The meeting was held at North Liberty City Hall. a.Recognize alternates Charlie Eastham was recognized as an alternate for Ruthina Malone (Iowa City Community School District) and Eric Sittig was recognized as an alternate for Chris Hoffman (North Liberty). b.Consider approval of meeting minutes Motion to approve the July 13th, 2022 meeting minutes was made by Sullivan, Weiner seconded. The motion carried unanimously. c.Set next Board meeting date, time, and location Ralston proposed January 25th, 2023 as the next Board meeting date. The meeting will be held at Iowa City, City Hall. 2.PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA Recognition of Janice Weiner for her service to the Board as she resigns at the end of the year to serve in the Iowa State Senate. Introduction of newest MPO staff member, Tunazzina Alam. 3.ADMINISTRATION a.Confirm entities that will nominate Johnson County representatives to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) Board of Directors Ralston explained that the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) bylaws stipulate how appointments are made to the ECICOG Board of Directors. This document was revised and approved in 2020. Per the revised bylaws, each January the MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board Minutes _________________ Page 2 Johnson County Board of Supervisors appoints one elected official representative and one citizen representative to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) Board. The Urbanized Area Policy Board (UAPB) also appoints two elected official representatives. One elected official seat is filled by the four largest municipalities in Johnson County. In 2022, that representative was from Iowa City. In 2023, the representative will be designated by the City of Coralville. One elected official seat is filled by one of the remaining communities within Johnson County. The 2022 representative is from Lone Tree, and the 2023 representative will be designated by the City of Swisher. Ralston intends to contact Johnson County, Coralville, and Swisher to request they make their designations within the next few weeks so they can be brought back to the Board in January for consideration. b.Appoint a nominating committee for Calendar Year 2023 Urbanized Area Policy Board Officers Ralston explained that at the January Urbanized Area Policy Board (UAPB) meeting a Chair and Vice Chair would be elected by the Board for calendar year 2023. The Chair is responsible for presiding over meetings, signing contracts, and meeting with the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) Director before meetings. The Vice-Chair will run meetings when the chairperson is unable to attend. Ralston proposed that the Board appoint a three-person nominating committee to recommend a Chair and Vice-Chair. The MPOJC Director has not been included in these discussions in the past. The nominating committee will provide their nominations at the January meeting. The current Chair is John Thomas of Iowa City and the Vice-Chair is Louise From of University Heights. There is a two-year maximum term for these positions, and both have served one year. Goodrich (Coralville), From (University Heights), and Bergus (Iowa City) volunteered for the nominating committee. c.Preliminary discussion of the FY24 MPOJC Budget Ralston explained that prior to the preparation of the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) budget for the upcoming year, it has been his practice to discuss any proposed changes to the MPOJC scope of services or operations with the Board. The MPOJC is part of the City of Iowa City and follows Iowa City budgeting procedures. Capital expenses for FY24 are expected to be similar to recent years, including a scheduled replacement of traffic counting equipment, traffic model and traffic signal software maintenance, and mapping software maintenance. The budget is expected to decrease by 4% due to changes in staff salaries and health benefit costs. Similar to previous years, $230,000 of Iowa Department of Transportation planning funds will be used in FY24. $50,000 of internal reserves will be used to ensure an appropriate balance of funds per internal guidelines and to stabilize assessments. The final budget will be available at the next Board meeting in January. 4.TRANSPORTATION PLANNING a.Public Hearing and consideration of an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – amending project funding amounts for the new transit maintenance/bus storage facility in Iowa City Neel stated that the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the programming document for all surface transportation projects that receive state or federal funds. The MPOJC submits the TIP annually to the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) to document the status of local transportation projects using state and federal funds. To MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board Minutes _________________ Page 3 utilize these funds, projects must be included in the TIP with an accurate scope and identified funding sources. Neel explained that Iowa City Transit had requested an amendment to the adopted MPOJC FY23-26 TIP that would increase the federal funding amount, decrease the local funding amount, and include a new funding source for the new Transit Maintenance/Bus Storage Facility project. The current project funding amounts are $16,000,000 in federal funding and $9,929,955 in local funding for a total of $25,929,955. The new project funding amounts would be $19,795,500 in federal funding, $750,000 in Transit Infrastructure Grant funds, and $7,204,500 in local funding. The total would be $27,750,000. The Transit Infrastructure Grant is congressionally designated, earmarked funding that is to be used for preliminary design for the new Transit Maintenance/Bus Storage Facility project in Iowa City. Neel added that the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) unanimously recommended approval of the proposed amendment at their November 8th meeting. Ralston explained this amendment is needed so the City of Iowa City can use up-to-date figures when pursing grant opportunities for the project. i.Public Hearing There were no comments from the public. ii.Consider an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC TIP Monition to approve by Wayson, seconded by Sullivan. The motion carried unanimously. b.Consider approval of performance measure target setting for the MPO as required by the Federal Highway Administration Ralston stated that the Board approved the adoption of system performance and freight targets for 2018-21 as part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program in 2018. These targets must be considered again and reported to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) by April 1, 2023. One of the following two options must be chosen for each measure: support the State’s four-year targets or create a set of quantifiable targets for each measure within the metropolitan area as a Board. At this time, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) must only adopt 4-year targets. It is required to state how projects programmed in the annual Transportation Improvement Program show progress towards meeting the adopted safety targets. It is also required that information be provided about how projects are satisfying the performance measures in updates to the Long-Range Transportation Plan. MPO targets are not formally evaluated to measure progress toward meeting adopted targets, rather the State’s targets will be assessed by the FHWA annually. There are no current penalties or restrictions on how MPO funding can be spent on projects not supporting established targets, but this may change in the future. Due to the uncertainties in reporting requirements, potential future penalties for not meeting targets, and current time constraints of staff, it is recommended that this Board adopt the State’s targets. Ralston stated that the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) unanimously recommended the State’s targets be adopted at their November 8th meeting. i.Consider approval of performance measure target setting Monition to approve by Green, seconded by Berner. The motion carried unanimously. MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board Minutes _________________ Page 4 c.Consider approval of scoring criteria for Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG), Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), and Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) funds allocated by MPOJC Bothell explained that every other year the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) opens grant applications for Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) and Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding. The grant application for STBG funding will be available next year; however, TAP funding may be delayed due to pending program changes relating to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and revised program guidance released by the FHWA. The Board will receive an update on the TAP funding timeline once more information is available. Similar to previous years, Bothell asked the Board to review the adopted STBG and TAP scoring criteria for use in scoring the STBG and TAP applications. The scoring criteria were last revised and approved in November 2020 for use in the 2021 grant application process. The scoring criteria were also used to score and rank projects to be included in the MPOJC 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan. Furthermore, the criteria correspond to the guiding principles in the MPOJC 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan. In addition to the STBG and TAP funding, the IIJA authorized a new Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) to reduce transportation emissions. CRP funding has been allocated to the MPOJC for the next five years with an average of $340,000 available each year. The CRP funding can be used on a wide range of activities. Activities include bike and pedestrian related projects that are currently eligible for funding under TAP, traffic control devices, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to name a few examples. As part of the program, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) must develop a carbon reduction strategy. Bothell explained that the Board will receive an update on next steps once the Iowa DOT provides more information. Though specific program direction is not yet available, it is anticipated that the solicitation and programming of projects will be similar to TAP and thus staff recommends using the same criteria for project scoring. If a community submits a project under any of the grant programs and it is not compatible with the scoring criteria, the project can be deliberated based upon its merits and awarded funding as deemed appropriate. Bothell added that the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) unanimously recommended approval of the STBG, TAP, and CRP scoring criteria at their November 8th meeting. Bothell further clarified that the scoring criteria is one tool the board can use to assess and compare potential grant funded projects. The Board is not required to award funding based solely on project scores. i.Consider approval of scoring criteria for funds allocated by MPOJC Monition to approve by Bergus, seconded by Green. The motion carried unanimously. d.Update on the Federal Functional Class (FFC) revision process for local roadways Bothell explained that the use of Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds is only permitted on roadways that are classified as a collector street or higher in the Federal Functional Classification (FCC) System. She then noted that at the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee meeting on November 8th, she asked each community to review the current classification map and submit any updates to roadway classifications MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board Minutes _________________ Page 5 before November 30, 2022. Bothell stated that roads that do not provide a high level of transportation connectivity or new roadways that are not included in a community’s Capital Improvement Program will not be approved by the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT). She finally noted that about 33% of our roadways in the urbanized area are currently classified on the FCC system and that there is opportunity to classify approximately 11 additional miles. Bothell said the TTAC will review the current FFC map and once staff receives their proposal it will be sent to the Iowa DOT for pre-approval. Staff will then bring a recommendation to the TTAC and Board for final approval. 5.OTHER BUSINESS a.Update from the Johnson County Mobility Coordinator Schneider provided an update on the projects she is currently working on as the County’s Mobility Coordinator. She is focused on connecting people with transportation resources. 50% of the funding for her position comes from the county, 35% from Iowa City, and 15% from Coralville. She offers travel training, technology use training, and general transportation system information. In FY22 she connected with 297 individuals and gave 20 presentations with an overall attendance of 220. She is currently working on a project with the National Center for Mobility Management. A Design Challenge Grant was applied for and received for this project. The project’s focus is on how individuals can best use transportation to get to work when private transportation and public transit are not available. A test of this project was conducted in September with a demand response service to pick up employees and drop them off at work. There were more requests for rides than rides available and the demand response model performed well. b.Discuss the ‘Severson Charity Challenge’ for this holiday season Walz spoke on the history and future of the Severson Charity Challenge; over time, interest has waned. In order to garner more interest in the challenge, Walz offered GoFundMe, PayPal, or Venmo as ways to easily collect donations to be distributed to the area food pantries. After some discussion, it was decided to make this the final year of the challenge with communities working as one and Sullivan proposed some money be set aside for a permanent memorial with Linda’s name on it. 6.ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn was made by Wayson; Bergus seconded. Meeting adjourned by From at 5:40 p.m. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Kent Ralston; Executive Director Re: Agenda Item #3(a): Report from nominating committee for 2023 MPOJC Board officers At your November meeting you appointed a three-person nominating committee to nominate the Chair and Vice Chair for the 2023 Urbanized Area Policy Board. The Committee was comprised of Louise From (University Heights), Laura Bergus (Iowa City), and Laurie Goodrich (Coralville). As Director, it has been my practice to review agenda items and major work program activities with the Chair prior to each Board meeting. The Vice Chair assumes the duties of the Chair when he or she is not available. Currently the Chair is John Thomas (Iowa City City Council). Chairperson Thomas has served one, one-year term; there is a two-term limit for this position. The current vice-chair is Louise From (University Heights Mayor), Ms. From has also served one, one-year term; there is also a two-term limit for this position. Please be prepared to receive the nominating committee’s verbal report and elect the Chair and Vice Chair for the 2023 MPO Urbanized Area Policy Board. I will be available at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you may have. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Kent Ralston, Executive Director Re: Agenda Item #3(b): Consider approval of the FY24 MPOJC Budget and Financial Forecast The proposed FY24 Budget and Financial Forecast is attached. The primary focus of MPOJC continues to be fulfilling federal and state requirements necessary for MPOJC entities to receive state and federal formula and discretionary funds; and to produce locally-generated traffic studies, grant applications, and mapping services for MPOJC members. These activities, large and small, provide information on which capital project design, funding, policy and programming decisions are made. MPOJC is organized as a division of the City of Iowa City Neighborhood and Development Services (NDS) Department, and MPOJC staff also serve as NDS staff. Personnel costs are determined by the collective bargaining agreement between Iowa City and the American Federation of State and County Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The overall budget reflects an approximate 4.0% decrease from FY23 – primarily due to decreases in costs for staff benefits and wages. After accounting for staff time devoted solely to City of Iowa City functions, MPOJC assessments are based on population of MPOJC entities. Population figures for each entity are now based on 2020 decennial census figures – as required per the MPO Bylaws. The budget also reflects the continued use of internal carryover funds and Iowa DOT funding. As in years past, I remain concerned with long-term federal support for MPOJC and its member entities. Ongoing federal budget discussions and the volatile nature of the Highway Trust Fund require that we continue to track federal policy and how it affects transportation funding for MPOs like ours. I intend to keep the Board apprised on federal funding issues as information becomes available. Please consider approval of the FY24 MPOJC Budget and Financial Forecast. With approval, I will forward the assessment schedule to your staff. I will be available at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you may have. FY24 Budget and Financial Forecast Adopted January 25, 2023 by the: MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board MPOJC Rural Policy Board Date: January 18, 2023 To: MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board MPOJC Rural Policy Board From: Kent Ralston, Executive Director Re: FY24 MPOJC Budget and Financial Forecast The Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) is the designated planning organization for Johnson County, Iowa. Assistance is provided to member agencies in the program areas of transportation planning, administration, and small communities planning assistance by virtue of a 28E agreement. The MPOJC Urbanized Area and Rural Policy Boards have authority over the policies and work programs of the organization. The MPOJC website (www.mpojc.org) provides general information about the organization, published technical reports, agendas, and meeting minutes of all public meetings. MPOJC is organized administratively under the City of Iowa City and staff members are subject to all rights and benefits afforded to City of Iowa City employees. Non-administrative staff are organized under the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). MPOJC staff also serve as staff in the City of Iowa City Neighborhood and Development Services Department. Because MPOJC is organized as a division of the City of Iowa City, MPOJC follows City of Iowa City administrative and personnel policies. This overall structure allows for cost-effective sharing of expenditures and services. The focus of MPOJC remains to fulfill federal and state requirements necessary for receiving both formula and discretionary state and federal funds and to produce a wide variety of transportation studies for member agencies. These studies are intended to result in better information on which to base local policy and project programming decisions. The proposed FY24 MPOJC Budget and Financial Forecast reflects the program of services, policies, and staffing approved by the Board. The overall FY24 budget reflects an approximate 4% decrease from the FY23 budget and is primarily due to adjustments in salaries and benefits as a result of personnel changes. The remaining budget is largely the same as previous years with respect to technical and professional services, travel and education, and software. As in previous years, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) is scheduled to contribute a large portion of the overall MPO budget in FY24 – the anticipated Iowa DOT contribution is $230,000. MPOJC also carries reserve funds to buffer against unexpected budget increases, or potential loss of funding. This continues to be important due to ongoing uncertainty of federal funding. MPOJC continues to employ 1-3 planning interns funded by the University of Iowa. The University of Iowa’s $23,817 assessment will be used to fund intern expenses throughout the year. If this amount is not fully expended during the year, the balance becomes available for other expenses. As in the last budget, the FY24 budget is explicit in showing additional assessments specific to Iowa City due to staff time devoted solely to Iowa City specific duties. These duties include traffic engineering services, administration of the traffic calming program, participation in planning committees, review of rezoning and subdivision applications, and other special projects. The budget also reflects capital expenses for the replacement of traffic counters, traffic counting software, and GIS software to maintain our mapping and visualization abilities. The traffic counters are used for the traffic analysis data collection program and are subjected to extreme conditions. It is important that there be a regular program of replacement for this equipment. For our traffic forecasting capabilities, we are proposing to continue to upgrade our travel demand model software to be consistent with the Iowa DOT state-wide travel demand model. Following is a summary of the proposed Budget and Financial Forecast and FY24 assessments. Assessment figures now use the available 2020 decennial Census population data as required by the MPO Bylaws. MPOJC Budget FY24 – FY26 Expenditures FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 Budgeted Proposed Forecast1 Forecast1 Salaries and Benefits $690,212 $665,251 $685,209 $705,765 Technical and Professional Services & Maintenance, Travel and Education $70,387 $70,416 $72,528 $74,704 Operating Costs; including office supplies, traffic counting and mapping equipment/software $17,195 $10,195 $10,501 $10,816 Subtotal $777,794 $745,862 $768,238 $791,285 University of Iowa Student Interns2 $23,817 $23,817 $23,817 $23,817 TOTAL $801,611 $769,679 $792,055 $815,102 MPOJC is designated by the Governor of the State of Iowa as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Iowa City Urbanized Area. The MPOJC Transportation Planning Division must fulfill the state and federal requirements of the 3-C transportation planning process. This process is required of all urbanized areas to maintain eligibility for grant programs and transportation operations funds of the United States Department of Transportation and the Iowa Department of Transportation. The Administration Division consists of a half-time Executive Director, and a .2 FTE Administrative Secretary. The Administration Division provides oversight and support to the staff of MPOJC. The Executive Director supervises all MPOJC personnel, coordinates the budget process and the preparation of division work programs. As MPOJC staff also serve the City of Iowa City Neighborhood and Development Services Department, this budget reflects Iowa City specific funding for 0.5 FTE Administration and 1.0 FTE Transportation Planning for Iowa City duties. 1Forecasts assume a 3% increase 2Student interns are funded entirely by the University of Iowa Summary of FY24 Assessments Note: Figures do not include specific funding for Iowa City Neighborhood & Development Services, equivalent to 0.5 Administration Budget ($89,303) and 1.0 FTE Transportation Planning ($149,797). Urban Communities Iowa City $121,144 Johnson County $35,430 Coralville $36,132 North Liberty $33,155 Tiffin $7,305 University Heights $1,988 SubTotal $235,154 Rural Communities Solon $943 Lone Tree $424 Swisher $285 Oxford $226 Hills $270 Shueyville $228 SubTotal $2,375 Other Sources Iowa DOT $230,000 Carryover $50,000 University of Iowa $23,817 SubTotal $303,817 Total $541,346 MPOJC Assessment Explanation 1. Assessment for Rural entities is 1% of the overall MPO assessment. Rural Board communities utilize MPO planning services but are not eligible for MPO grant funds. 2. 0.5 FTE of Administration Division and 1.0 FTE of Transportation Planning Division are for Iowa City related functions and are not reflected in assessments to other communities. 3. This budget does not include East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) assessments. 4. Assessment figures may not reflect exact population percentages shown due to rounding. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Kent Ralston, Executive Director Re: Agenda Item #3(c): Consider approval of the FY24 Johnson County Assessments to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments MPOJC collects East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) dues for Johnson County entities and forwards the funds to ECICOG. ECICOG assessments are calculated on a per-capita basis for the counties ECICOG serves, and we in turn calculate a per -capita assessment for each governmental entity within Johnson County. This budget reflects new population figures for each entity based on 2020 census figures – as required per the MPO Bylaws. For FY24, ECICOG has proposed a 2% increase for all the counties it serves. ECICOG made a modification to its funding structure for FY23 to include an additional planning assistance assessment for all entities – except for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement cities. This change was made for all counites served by ECICOG. The effect of the change was that Johnson County now pays an additional assessment for the rural county population and University Heights is also assessed for its population. These entities historically did not pay the additional assessment as they did not often utilize ECICOG’s planning services. All other non-entitlement communities paid the assessment in the past. These changes are reflected in the attached assessment schedule. ECICOG is the designated Regional Planning Association for east-central Iowa, including Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Tama and Washington Counties. ECICOG provides planning and grant administration services in the areas of community and economic development, housing, transportation, and solid waste management. More information about ECICOG can be found at www.ecicog.org. A member of ECICOG staff plans to attend our January 25th meeting to discuss ECICOG services and answer any questions you have. Please be prepared to consider approval of the FY24 East Central Iowa Council of Governments Assessment Schedule (attached). With approval, I will forward this to your staff for their records. I will be at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you may have. East Central Iowa Council of Governments FY24 Assessment Schedule Adopted January 25, 2023 by the: MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board MPOJC Rural Policy Board Date: January 18, 2023 To: MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board MPOJC Rural Policy Board From: Kent Ralston, Executive Director Re: FY24 ECICOG Assessment Schedule The East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) is the Regional Planning Association for east-central Iowa, including Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Tama and Washington Counties. ECICOG conducts planning and grant administration services in the areas of community and economic development, housing, transportation, and solid waste management. ECICOG is governed by a policy board including elected officials and citizen representatives. In 2010, the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) Urbanized Area Policy Board directed that the schedule of ECICOG assessments be considered separately from the annual MPOJC budget. ECICOG assesses counties on a per capita basis. In Johnson County, governmental entities are in-turn assessed on a per-capita basis. ECICOG has proposed a 2% rate increase for all the counties it serves for FY24. This assessment schedule reflects 2020 Census figures for each entity. East Central Iowa Council of Governments FY24 – FY26 ECICOG is a multi-county regional planning agency which includes Johnson C ounty. It is Region 10 in the state’s system of regional planning agencies. Planning assistance is available through ECICOG to the small communities in Johnson County. All municipalities in Johnson County pay a population-based general assessment for the overall support of ECICOG. An additional planning assistance assessment is made to all communities – except Iowa City which is a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement city. 1Assumes a 2% increase 2 Assessment figures may not equal exact percentages shown due to rounding Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Kent Ralston, Executive Director Re: Agenda Item #3(d): Consider appointments to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments Board of Directors At your November meeting, we discussed the MPO entities responsible for appointments to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) Board of Directors for 2023. Per our bylaws, the entities responsible to appoint elected officials for 2023 include Johnson County, Coralville, and Swisher. There is also one citizen appointment to the Board of Directors for which the Johnson County Board of Supervisors appoints. The official appointees from each entity include: Johnson County: Jon Green (County Supervisor) Coralville: Meghann Foster (Mayor) Swisher: Christopher Taylor (Mayor) Citizen Appointment: Allison Wells Please be prepared to consider approval of the appointments to the ECICOG Board of Directors. I will be available at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you may have. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Kent Ralston; Executive Director Re: Agenda Item #3(e): Discuss MPOJC Orientation opportunity for Board members For new Board members, or current Board members who desire a refresher, I would like to provide a short orientation explaining the designation and role of the MPO, services provided by the MPO, and the structure of the MPO. Please be prepared to indicate if you are interested and I will identify possible dates that will work for a group orientation. I will be available at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you have. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Hannah Neel, Associate Transportation Planner Re: Agenda item #4(a): Public Hearing and consideration of an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – amending the funding amounts for the I-80 6 lane widening project The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the programming document for all surface transportation projects that receive state or federal funds, including street and highway, transit, rail, bicycle, and pedestrian projects in the Iowa City urbanized area. MPOJC submits the TIP annually to the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) to document the status of local transportation projects using state and federal funds. To utilize these funds, projects must be included in the TIP with an accurate scope and identified funding sources. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has requested an amendment to the adopted MPOJC FY2023-2026 TIP increasing the federal funding amount and the total project cost for the I-80 6-lane widening project. Amend the FY2023-2026 TIP to change a project funding amount: Current FY2023 project funding amounts for the 6-lane widening on I-80 project on I-80 from 1.5 miles east of IA 1 to 0.5 miles east of County Rd X30 in Johnson County, Iowa (TPMS ID 38151). Total: $7,224,000 Federal Aid: $6,140,100 New FY2023 project funding amounts for the 6-lane widening on I-80 project on I-80 from 1.5 miles east of IA 1 to 0.5 miles east of County Rd X30 in Johnson County, Iowa (TPMS ID 38151). Total: $15,537,000 Federal Aid: $13,983,300 Staff is requesting approval of the proposed amendment. The Transportation Technical Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval of the proposed amendment at their January 17th meeting. I will be at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you may have. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Hannah Neel, Associate Transportation Planner Re: Agenda item #4(b): Public Hearing and consideration of an amendment to the FY23-26 MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – including new funding for bus replacements for Coralville Transit and University of Iowa CAMBUS The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the programming document for all surface transportation projects that receive state or federal funds, including street and highway, transit, rail, bicycle, and pedestrian projects in the Iowa City urbanized area. MPOJC submits the TIP annually to the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) to document the status of local transportation projects using state and federal funds. To utilize these funds, projects must be included in the TIP with an accurate scope and identified funding sources. Coralville Transit and University of Iowa CAMBUS have requested an amendment to the adopted MPOJC FY2023-2026 TIP to include a new project, funding source, and funding amount for the capital replacement of a light duty bus in the Coralville Transit fleet and a light duty bus in the University of Iowa CAMBUS fleet. Amend the FY2023-2026 TIP to include new projects, funding source, and funding amounts: Project & funding amounts for the capital replacement project of a light duty bus in the Coralville Transit fleet. Total: $149,937 Federal: $77,200 Shortfall Assistance: $45,421 Local: $27,316 Project & funding amounts for the capital replacement project of a light duty bus in the University of Iowa CAMBUS Transit fleet. Total: $146,965 Federal: $92,528 Shortfall Assistance: $32,393 Local: $22,044 The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is offering shortfall funding assistance due to recent dramatic price increases for vehicle replacements. In order for Coralville Transit and University of Iowa CAMBUS to receive this extra funding, it must be programmed in the FY2023-2026 TIP. Staff is requesting approval of the proposed amendments. The Transportation Technical Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval of the proposed amendment at their January 17th meeting. I will be at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you may have. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Hannah Neel, Associate Transportation Planner Re: Agenda Item #4(c): Consider approval of Federal Transit Administration Section 5307 Transit Operating Formula funding apportionment for FY2022 Iowa DOT has indicated that MPOJC has a total of $4,565,146 available in FY2022 FTA Section 5307 operating assistance. This amount includes Small Transit Intensive Communities (STIC) funding. The funds are apportioned by MPOJC to Coralville Transit, Iowa City Transit, and University of Iowa Cambus based on the MPO’s local formula of 25% operating/maintenance costs, 25% locally determined income (LDI), 25% revenue miles, and 25% fare revenue. As with past years, COVID-19 has created issues in calculating the FY2022 apportionment due to changes to transit service and ridership levels which impact data used in the formula. After discussions with the transit managers, staff is recommending that we once again use the FY2019 data to apportion the FY2022 funding. FY2019 was the last full year of pre-COVID transit data that we have to use in the formula. Since the amount of funding being apportioned for FY2022 increased substantially from FY2021, each transit agency will see a large increase in funding. Section 5307 funds can be used for transit operating and capital expenses. The following tables show the proposed FY2022 apportionment, using the FY2019 data, and for comparison, the FY2021 apportionment. Once approved, the MPO will complete and submit the required annual FTA Section 5307 applications on behalf of each transit system. Staff is requesting Board approval of the proposed apportionment of the FY2022 FTA Section 5307 operating funds. The Transportation Technical Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval of the apportionment at their January 17th meeting. If you have any questions or comments regarding this information, please contact me at 319- 356-5235 or Hannah-Neel@iowa-city.org. 2 Proposed FY2022 Section 5307 Operating Apportionment System Total Operating Cost Locally Determined Income* Revenue Miles Fare Revenue Multiplier ** FY2022 Apportionment Coralville $1,850,999 $1,155,536 271,809 $417,982 .1583 $722,663 [.1387] [.1261] [.1325] [.2357] Iowa City $7,720,438 $5,573,858 1,029,923 $1,355,399 .6133 $2,799,804 [.5787] [.6083] [.5020] [.7643] CAMBUS $3,770,329 $2,433,108 749,902 $0.00 .2284 $1,042,679 [.2826] [.2656] [.3655] [0.0000] TOTAL $13,341,766 $9,162,502 2,051,634 $1,773,381 1.0000 $4,565,146 [1.000] [1.000] [1.000] [1.000] *Locally Determined Income is Total Operating Cost minus FTA and STA funding **Multiplier is an average of the percentages of the total operating costs, locally determined income, revenue miles, and fare revenue. Approved FY2021 Section 5307 Operating Apportionment System Multiplier Total Apportionment Coralville 0.1583 $470,519 Iowa City 0.6133 $1,822.924 CAMBUS 0.2284 $678,878 TOTAL 1.0000 $2,972,321 Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Kent Ralston; Executive Director Re: Agenda Item #4(d): Consider approval of safety targets and performance measures for the MPO as required by the Federal Highway Administration As you may recall, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) now requires that MPO’s set targets for five safety performance measures as part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program and report them to the State DOT by February 27th each year. For each measure, we will need to choose one of the following options: 1) support the State’s 2019-2023 targets (below) by agreeing to plan and program projects so that they contribute to the accomplishment of the State’s target for each performance measure, or 2) set our own quantifiable target for each measure within our metropolitan area. In either event, we are required to state how annual projects programmed in our Transportation Improvement Program show progress towards meeting the adopted targets and provide similar information about how projects are satisfying the performance measures in updates to the Long Range Transportation Plan – last included in the Plan adopted May 2022. While MPO targets will not be formally evaluated to measure annual progress toward meeting adopted targets, the State’s targets will be assessed by the FHWA. Similar to past years, I recommend that we (again) adopt the State’s targets. If at any time we feel that creating our own local targets would provide an additional benefit, we will have an opportunity to do so each year. I have attached supporting information from the DOT for your reference. At their January 17th meeting the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval of supporting the State’s targets. Please be prepared to consider this item. I will be at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you may have. Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Emily Bothell, Senior Associate Transportation Planner Re: Agenda Item #4(e): Consider approval of MPOJC Surface Transportation Block Grant, Transportation Alternatives Program and Carbon Reduction Program grant funding process The MPOJC typically conducts our competitive grant process biennially and calendar year 2023 marks the next grant cycle year. This biennial process has historically reflected the desire of both the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) and the Urbanized Area Policy Board (UAPB) to allow for two years of funding to be allocated at once – thereby allowing projects to receive larger funding awards. MPOJC staff anticipates approximately $9.3 million in Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funding will be available for programming in FY2027-2028 and approximately $300,000 in Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) funding will be available for programming in FY2023. Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding (approximately $900,000) will be delayed due to pending program changes related to the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and revised program guidance released by the Iowa Department of Transportation. Until these details are finalized, MPOJC cannot solicit for TAP applications or apportion funding. We plan to solicit for STBG applications this calendar year but recommend we delay the solicitation for CRP applications for the purposes of aligning them with TAP. At their January 17th meeting, the TTAC recommended MPOJC solicit for CRP and TAP applications in the winter of 2025, keeping with our standard biennial solicitation. Please be prepared to discuss the grant cycle timeline and consider the TTAC recommendation at your January 25th meeting. I will be available to answer any questions you may have. The 2023 grant process will follow this tentative timeline: •February 1, 2023 – Grant applications distributed •February 22, 2023 – Application submittal deadline (3 weeks to submit applications) •March 7, 2023 – Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee meets to provide recommendations on projects •March 21, 2023 – Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) meets to provide recommendations on funding allocations for projects •March 29, 2023 – Policy Board meets to approve funding allocations for projects •May 2023 –TTAC and Policy Board consider Draft Transportation Improvement Program •July 2023 – Policy Board considers Final Transportation Improvement Program Date: January 18, 2023 To: Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Kent Ralston; Executive Director Re: Agenda Item #4(f): Update on the FY24 Transportation Planning Work Program and FY24-27 Transportation Improvement Program FY24 Transportation Planning Work Program The Transportation Planning Work Program is a document developed each year to identify projects which will be addressed by MPOJC the following fiscal year. The Work Program is developed in a coordinated effort involving the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), and Urbanized Area Policy Board. Annual Work Program items include all state and federally required planning processes and documentation, ongoing and routine projects, and special projects requested by member entities. We will begin soliciting for FY24 Work Program projects in February. If you have special projects in mind for the Work Program, please feel free to discuss them with any MPO staff person. The draft Work Program must be submitted to the Iowa DOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) by April 1. The Urbanized Area Policy Board will approve the final Work Program in May. FY24-27 Transportation Improvement Program The MPOJC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the programming document for federally funded transportation improvements within the Iowa City Urbanized Area. This document includes federally funded transportation projects for all modes of transportation including streets, highways, transit, and bicycle and pedestrian projects. The importance of the TIP is that it formalizes the specific projects to receive federal funds, and the year in which the projects receive funding. The Urbanized Area Policy Board considers approval of the annual TIP after receiving a recommendation from the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC). In 2021, the Urbanized Area Policy Board allocated $7.38 million and $520,000 in Surface Transportation Block Grant and Transportation Alternative Program funds, respectively. These funds totaling $7.9 million are reflected in the current FY23-26 TIP. The Policy Board will also allocate more than $9 million in 2023 to be programmed in FY27-28. In July, the Urbanized Area Policy Board will consider the FY2024-27 TIP for adoption. In preparation for public review of the draft TIP, we will work with your staffs to ensure projects are programmed in the appropriate fiscal year. I will be at your January 25th meeting to answer any questions you have. Date: January 18, 2023 To: MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board From: Sarah Walz; Assistant Transportation Planner Re: Agenda Item #5(a) Report on the MPOJC Severson Charity Challenge For the past 11 years, staff from the cities of Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, and University Heights along with Johnson County staff have "competed" in the Severson Charity Challenge to gather donations during the holiday season to benefit local charities. Over this time our collective efforts brought in approximately $90,000 in donations for local charities. In November, the board voted to make this year the final year of the challenge and for this to be a collective effort rather than a competition. Working together as one community, our "challenge" raised funds to be shared equally between the three food pantries that serve residents of Johnson County. The final Severson Challenge has now closed with $2,755 in online donations with another $1,898 from in-person donations. That is a total of $4,653. As agreed, we will set aside $500 for a memorial in Linda’s honor and direct the rest of the funds to the three food pantries in Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty. I will be present at your meeting to answer any questions you may have.