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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.17.17 TTAC Minutes APPROVED MPOJC TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TUESDAY, JANUARY 17th 2017 -10:30 AM EMMA HARVAT HALL, IOWA CITY, CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Coralville: Dan Holderness, Vicki Robrock, Ellen Habel Iowa City: Mark Rummel, Chris O’Brien, Jason Havel, Ron Knoche, Scott Sovers Johnson County: Tom Brase North Liberty: Dean Wheatley Tiffin: None University Heights: None University of Iowa: Brian McClatchey RTBC: Terry Dahms Iowa DOT: Catherine Cutler ECICOG: Brock Grenis FHWA: None STAFF PRESENT: Kent Ralston, Brad Neumann, Emily Bothell, Sarah Walz OTHERS PRESENT: None 1. CALL TO ORDER; RECOGNIZE ALTERNATES; CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES There were two alternates at the meeting; Scott Sovers for Geoff Fruin (Iowa City) and Ellen Habel for Kelly Hayworth (Coralville). Knoche motioned to approve the meeting minutes, Holderness seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 2. PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA None. 3. CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD REGARDING FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION SECTION 5307 TRANSIT OPORATING FORMULA FUNDING APPORTIONMENT FOR FY2017 Neumann informed the group that the MPOJC has over $2.6 million dollars available for the FY17 operating assistance, which is apportioned between Iowa City Transit, Coralville Transit, and Cambus annually. Funding is determined based on a formula that includes operating costs, locally determined income, revenue miles, and fare revenue. Neumann stated that this formula was reapproved by the Policy Board at their September meeting. 2 Neumann referred to the attached table showing the proposed FY17 apportionment and compared the apportionment to the previous year. Neumann also attached the FY2016 transit performance statistics were attached for the Committee to review. O’Brien motioned to approve the proposed funding apportionment, Habel seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 4. UPDATE ON FY2021-2022 SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT AND TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES SET-ASIDE GRANT FUNDING PROCESS Ralston informed the group that the funding application process has changed for the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside funding process. Municipalities will need to apply to the DOT for funding through the MPO by October. Applications for the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program will be distributed in January or February of this year. Holderness asked when the target funding for the programs would be available. Ralston explained that the MPO expected to receive draft targets for FY21 and FY22 in the next month. Ralston stated that the new Long Range Transportation Plan scoring criteria approved at the last Board meeting will be used for future STBG funding decisions. 5. UPDATE ON THE MPOJC FY2018 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WORK PROGRAM AND FY2018-2021 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SCHEDULES Neumann explained that the Transportation Planning Work Program identifies all of the major projects that will be addressed in the following year and will include all state and federal planning requirements. The Urbanized Area Policy Board will review the draft work program in May. The TIP identifies federally funded transit improvements and transportation projects for all modes of transportation. The draft will be provided to the Board at their May meeting and the Board will approve the TIP in July. Wheatley asked if all STP funding is now considered STBG funding. Ralston replied affirmatively, but mentioned that not all of the wording in the Long Range Transportation Plan had been changed quite yet. 6. UPDATE ON MPOJC LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN REVISION SCHEDULE AND DRAFT MATERIALS Ralston informed the group that MPOJC has been working on the Long Range Transportation Plan for the past 18 months. Guiding principles and details regarding the Long Range Transportation Plan were included in the packet. Ralston mentioned that the Committee would have access to the complete draft of the Long Range Transportation Plan in March. The complete draft will be published for public comment in April. Staff will be requesting approval of the plan in May. 7. UPDATE ON FEDERAL FUNCTIONAL CLASS DESIGNATION FOR THE URBANIZED AREA ROADWAYS Bothell updated the Committee on the federal functional classification changes approved by the Iowa DOT and the Federal Highway Administration. 3 8. UPDATE ON THE CRANDIC PASSENGER RAIL STUDY Neumann reminded the Committee that the Phase II CRANDIC Passenger Rail study was completed last fall. The study yielded a lower capital cost estimate of about $30- $40 million dollars for an Iowa City to North Liberty passenger rail service. Staff is working with DOT and CRANDIC to work out the details of a Phase III study. Neumann mentioned that this is still in process, and the Board would be notified before a third study was implemented. Dahms asked what a third study would cost. Neumann answered that a Phase III study would likely cost the same as previous studies which is approximately $40,000-50,000. Wheatley asked if the survey done by the ADA Public Facilities is set to be updated. Ralston responded that updates are the responsibility of each community, but the MPO may assist with future updates if necessary. 9. OTHER BUSINESS Wheatley mentioned that the contract for North Liberty’s Penn Street road construction project has been completed. Sovers said that construction on Washington Street was 90% complete and would be fully completed in the spring. The City has started the design work for the pedestrian mall improvement project; construction will begin in 2018 and conclude in 2019. Havel mentioned that the 1st Avenue/railroad overpass project was nearly complete and would finish completely in the spring. The Gateway Project is still on schedule to be finished in early to mid-2018. Design work has begun on the four lane to three lane conversions for 1st Avenue and Mormon Trek Boulevard. The pedestrian tunnel along Riverside Drive is scheduled to begin this year, depending on the railroad agreement. Habel said that a new Coralville Police Chief was in the process of being hired after interviewing many great candidates. Holderness informed the group that Clear Creek Trail extensions six and seven were being designed with construction to be completed over the summer. Holderness also stated that the two-lane to four-lane project on Coral Ridge Avenue from Oakdale Boulevard to Forevergreen Road would occur in 2018. McClatchey stated that the BONGO system used by transit is being updated. Cutler mentioned the I-80/I-380 interchange project would soon be starting and Commission Tours would begin in the area in June. Grenis mentioned that work continues on the DOT’s express bus service between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. The service is scheduled to begin in 2018. 10. ADJOURNMENT Knoche motioned to adjourn; Wheatley seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:00 am.