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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.01.15 UAPB MinutesMINUTES APPROVED MPOJC URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015 – 4:30 PM CITY OF NORTH LIBERTY – COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT: Coralville: Tom Gill, Jill Dodds Iowa City: Susan Mims, Jim Throgmorton, Terry Dickens, Kingsley Botchway, Michelle Payne, Marian Karr Johnson County: Janelle Rettig, Rod Sullivan North Liberty: Amy Nielsen, Terry Donahue Tiffin: Steve Berner University Heights: Louise From University of Iowa: David Ricketts ICCSD: Tuyet Baruah STAFF PRESENT: Kent Ralston, Brad Neumann, Darian Nagle-Gamm, Sarah Walz OTHERS PRESENT: Ryan Heiar (North Liberty), Cathy Cutler (Iowa DOT) 1. CALL TO ORDER Gill called the meeting to order at 4:30 PM. a. Recognize alternates Marian Karr was recognized as an alternative for Rick Dobyns (Iowa City) b. Consider approval of meeting minutes The motion to approve the meeting minutes was made by Mims; Donahue seconded. The motion was unanimously approved. c. Set next Board meeting dates, time, and location The next meeting was set for May 27 in Coralville. 2. PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA Ralston apprised the Board of the hiring of a new transportation planner, Emily Ambrosy, at the MPO. 3. TRANSPORTATION PLANNING a. Consider approval of apportionment of Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP), Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP Flex) funds for FY2019-2020 1. Consider approval of TAP and TAP Flex funding for projects in FY2019-2020 Neumann explained that the MPO had $1,064,717 available in TAP funding for FY2019-2020, and $232,000 available in TAP flex. Three entities submitted applications for these funds. • Tiffin requested $102,000 to complete Trail Phase 6, with 52% local match of total project cost. MPO staff scored the project 19 points. • Coralville requested $694,887 for the Iowa River Trail, with 21% local match of total project cost. The application scored 16 points. • Iowa City requested $500,000 for the Highway 1 Trail, with 20% local match of total project cost. The application scored 20 points. Ricketts asked if there were accommodations to get bicycles across Highway 1 at Mormon Trek Boulevard. Nagle-Gamm explained that there is an existing pedestrian crossing at the intersection. Rettig and Mims suggested that pedestrians may need a few more seconds to cross the intersection, and that the MPO should investigate. Neumann turned the Board’s attention to the recommendations made by the Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee (RTBC) and the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC). The RTBC recommended that project requests be fully funded before partial funds were allocated. They recommended fully funding the projects for Tiffin and Iowa City, with the remainder of the balance going to Coralville. The Coralville project was not seen as a priority since there is an existing sidewalk running parallel to the trail segment along Highway 6. TTAC and RTBC recommended allocating $500,000 to Iowa City, $102,000 to Tiffin, and $462,717 to Coralville. Sullivan moved to approve the allocation of funds as recommended by RTBC and TTAC; Donahue seconded. The motion was unanimously approved. 2. Consider approval of STP funding for projects in FY2019-2020 Neumann explained that the MPO had $5,438,000 available in STP funding for FY2019-2020 projects. Three entities submitted four project applications for these funds. • Coralville requested $3.9 million to complete Phase 3 of improvements to First Avenue, between 6th Street and 9th Street, with 21% local match of total project cost. MPO staff scored the application 11 points. • North Liberty requested $1,027,473 to make capacity improvements to Penn Street between Cameron Way and Jones Boulevard, with 30% local matching of total project cost. The application scored 16 points. • Iowa City requested $2.5 million to make improvements to American Legion Road between Scott Boulevard and Taft Avenue, with 67.4% local match of total project cost. The application scored 22 points. • Iowa City requested $1.5 million to make improvements to IWV Road between Highway 218 and Hurt Road, with $27.5% local match. The application scored 11 points. TTAC recommended to allocate $1,538,000 to Coralville; $900,000 to North Liberty $2 million for improvements to American Legion Road in Iowa City; and $1 million for improvements to IWV Road in Iowa City. Mims pointed out that the American Legion Road project had the highest score and the highest local match of the four projects. She said she was not comfortable asking Iowa City tax payers to match 67% of cost for that project when municipal contributions to other projects were less than 30%. Throgmorton reminded the Board that American Legion Road is crucial for providing safe transportation to the new elementary school. Gill expressed that the Board should follow the recommendations of the engineers and other professional staff on the TTAC. Rettig said that all the projects were important, but there should be some give and take from year to year. Mims pointed out that Iowa City taxpayers have gotten consistently less on a per capita basis in recent years and reiterated that although resources cannot be allocated on a per capita basis from year to year; there should be more balance over time. Throgmorton asked if project scores and match contributions were factored into the recommendations made by TTAC. Berner said that substantial negotiation had already occurred at TTAC. Ralston explained that the MPO staff scores reflect more points with increasing municipal contributions. He explained that the minimum 20% contribution was a federal requirement, but that the Board could raise the minimum if desired. Rettig suggested that the ratio of actual funds received to funds requested be considered in reaching a compromise. Mims argued that if the American Legion Road project was fully funded using money from Coralville, the local match for that project would still be the highest of the four. She moved to adjust apportionments by reducing Coralville’s share by $500,000, and adding that money to fully fund the American Legion Road project at $2.5 million. From seconded, followed by further discussion. Dodds and Gill said that the cost of the First Avenue Project at $9.5 million should also be considered. Gill argued that First Avenue is a high-volume arterial of regional importance, and that the project was needed to alleviate congested traffic coming from I-80. Rettig said that she didn’t think it was a good compromise to award Iowa City 100% of its requested funds for the American Legion Road Project. Rettig expressed concern that the transfer of $500,000 from Coralville to Iowa City could lead to consternation between the two communities. Throgmorton asked if scoring criteria already accounted for congestion on First Avenue. Ralston explained that it did indirectly by scoring projected reductions of vehicle miles traveled. Throgmorton reiterated that the wide discrepancy between project scores should be considered. Sullivan proposed a compromise by adding $250,000 to Iowa City’s American Legion Road project. Ricketts suggested that approximately $250,000 could be sourced by deducting approximately 7% from the original TTAC recommended allocation for each project, including Iowa City’s IWV Road project. Rettig said that the Board rarely over-rode TTAC’s recommendations, and that it would be somewhat “precedent-setting” to do so. A roll call vote was taken on the original motion to deduct $500,000 from Coralville’s First Avenue project and allocate it to Iowa City’s American Legion Road Project. Dickens, Karr, Throgmorton, Botchway, Payne, and Mims voted in favor of the motion. Donahue, Nielsen, Berner, Gill, Rettig, Sullivan, Dodds, From, and Ricketts were opposed. The motion failed, with six in favor and nine opposed. Throgmorton moved for a second proposal which called for a deduction of 7% from the other three projects, producing $240,660 in total to be allocated to Iowa City’s American Legion Road project. Donahue seconded the motion. Nagle-Gamm directed the Board’s attention to new numbers for each project based on the motion: • Coralville’s First Avenue project would receive $1,430,340 • Iowa City’s IWV project would receive $930,000 • North Liberty’s Penn Street project would receive $837,000 • Iowa City’s American Legion Road project would receive $2,240,660 A roll call vote was taken on the motion recommending STP funding. Dickens, Karr, Throgmorton, Botchway, Rettig, Sullivan, Payne, From, Mims, and Ricketts voted in favor of the motion. Donahue, Nielsen, Berner, Gill, and Dodds were opposed. The motion passed, with 10 in favor and 5 opposed. b. Consider approval of the Locally Determined Projects list for the MPOJC FY2016 Transportation Planning Work Program Nagle-Gamm directed the Board’s attention to a list of projects that were submitted for the work program by the MPO staff and TTAC. Rettig moved to approve the FY2016 Transportation Planning Work Program list of projects. Gill seconded. The motion was unanimously approved. c. Consider approval of MPOJC FY2016 Transit Program of Projects Neumann turned the Board’s attention to the Transit Program of Projects for FY2016. He explained that only listed projects would be eligible to receive state and federal funding, and that the projects would be included in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Throgmorton moved to approve the Program of Projects; Donahue seconded. The motion was unanimously approved. d. Consider approval of the MPOJC FY16 Transit Capital Equipment Replacement Plan Neumann asked the Board to consider the FY16 Transit Capital Equipment Replacement Plan, which makes transit equipment eligible for replacement. Rettig pointed out that the region’s stock of paratransit buses was deteriorating. Mims moved to approve the plan; Dodds seconded. The motion was unanimously approved. e. Update on Iowa DOT I-380 corridor transportation study Neumann updated the Board on the MPO’s continued participation on the advisory committee for I-380 corridor transportation study. He apprised the Board of a two- year timeline, with the committee looking to implement an express bus service by 2017, before construction was to begin on the I-80 and I-380 interchange. He explained that consultants had interviewed the largest employers in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, and that further surveys would be conducted. He said that other committees were considering van pooling and carpooling alternatives, which would likely be implemented sooner than express bus service. Rettig and Throgmorton expressed that the DOT study was shortsighted because it did not consider a light rail alternative. 4. OTHER BUSINESS a. Update on Recent Activities Ralston presented the updated recent activities to the Board. There were no comments. b. Update from North Liberty Staff on significant community projects Ryan Heiar updated the Board on significant projects in North Liberty, including the ongoing construction on Highway 965. He projected that the highway would be closed at the Scales Bend intersection for 45-60 days beginning in May. He turned the Board’s attention to the new East Side utility, and said the permitting process was complete and that initial construction was underway. The project was slated for completion in June 2016. He also updated the Board on Phase 2 of the expansion to the wastewater treatment facility, which was estimated to cost $15.3 million and would provide service for at least 28,000 people. He updated the Board on the Special Census which anticipated a current population of 16,500. 5. ADJOURNMENT Berner motioned to adjourn; Botchway seconded. The motion was unanimously approved. Meeting adjourned at 5:50 PM.