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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.22.18 TTAC Minutes APPROVED MPOJC TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TUESDAY, May 22, 2018 - 10:30 AM EMMA HARVAT HALL, IOWA CITY CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Coralville: Vicky Robrock, Dan Holderness, Ellen Habel Iowa City: Mark Rummel, Scott Sovers, Jason Havel, Ron Knoche, Darian Nagle-Gamm Johnson County: Tom Brase, Greg Parker North Liberty: None Tiffin: Doug Boldt University Heights: Virginia Miller University of Iowa: Brian McClatchey RTBC: Bob Oppliger Iowa DOT: Newman Abuissa ECICOG: Brock Grenis STAFF PRESENT: Kent Ralston, Brad Neumann, Emily Bothell, OTHERS PRESENT: None 1. CALL TO ORDER; RECOGNIZE ALTERNATES; CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES From motioned to approve the meeting minutes. Knoche seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 2. PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA Ralston stated that Bob Oppliger of the Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee (RTBC) would be joining the TTAC as their representative, replacing Terry Dahms. Ralston informed the TTAC that Darian Nagle-Gamm has left MPOJC to be the new Transportation Services Director for Iowa City. 3. CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MPOJC URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION SECTION 5307 TRANSIT OPERATING FORMULA FUNDING APPORTIONMENT FOR FY2018 AND TRANSIT STATISTICS FOR FY2017 Neumann stated that the MPO has around $2.5 million to apportion for FY18 in Section 5307 transit operating formula funding. Available funding is lower than FY17. Funds are apportioned by the Urbanized Area Policy Board to Iowa City Transit, Coralville Transit, and the University of Iowa Cambus. Formula funding for apportionment is based on four factors: operating costs, locally determined income (LDI), revenue miles, and fare revenue. LDI has been calculated by adding total revenue minus state and federal 2 revenue. Staff is recommending changing the LDI formula to total operating costs minus state and federal dollars. This change would level the playing field for the three transit agencies. The proposed change follows how the MPO reports transit data annually, and follows the process the state uses to apportion their funding. Staff is asking for approval of the change to the definition of LDI and a recommendation for the FY18 apportionment funding using the new formula. McClatchey stated that the proposed change is not a change in definition, but a clarification of the definition for LDI. McClatchey also stated that member entities should consider retroactively adjusting their funding for FY16 and FY17 using the new formula. Neumann stated that the MPO had discussions with Iowa City, and they were against adjusting funding for the last two fiscal years, but support using the new formula for the FY18 and future calculations. There were questions if retroactively adjusting funding for the last two fiscal years would require a policy decision from the Board. Ralston stated a policy decision from the Board would not be necessary, and the issue could simply be handled by city and university administrations because it was not something the Board would be able to dictate. TTAC members were in favor of using the new funding formula in FY18 and beyond but were against recommending retroactively adjusting the funding to the Board. Members hoped that this issue could be resolved administratively. McClatchey motioned to approve the revision and FY18 apportionment; Andrew seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 4. CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MPOJC URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD REGARDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE ADOPTED FY18-21 MPOJC TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM – ADOPTING STATE SAFETY TARGETS FOR THE URBANIZED AREA Ralston stated that a memo had been sent out to TTAC members in October outlining safety performance measures as part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program. The MPO was required to adopt the state’s safety targets, or create their own. MPO staff had recommended adopting the state’s safety targets for three reasons: uncertainty in future reporting requirements, potential future penalties for not meeting targets set by the MPO, and time constraints. Safety targets must be approved annually, and can be adjusted annually, if needed. No comments were received; the Board approved adopting state targets at their November meeting. Ralston informed the Board that the DOT provided language to be added to the FY18-21 Transportation Improvement Program to comply with FHWA requirements. Staff is asking for a recommendation for the Board, to amend the language for the adopted FY18-21 Transportation Improvement Program. Holderness motioned to approve the amendment; W heatley seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 5. CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD REGARDING APPOINTMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE STATEWIDE URBAN DESIGN AND SPECIFICATIONS (SUDAS) BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ralston informed the TTAC that the Board is asked every other year to approve a MPO representative to the SUDAS Board of Directors. SUDAS is a non-profit organization that maintains Iowa manuals for public improvements including streets and sidewalks, utilities, sewers, etc. Scott Larson, the Assistant City Engineer for Coralville, is the current 3 representative and is interested in serving another term. The only requirement for this position is being a licensed engineer for one of the MPO entities. Staff is asking for a recommendation to the Board; approving Scott Larson or another engineer as the MPO SUDAS representative for another term. Knoche motioned to approve Scott Larson as the representative; Boldt seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 6. DISCUSSION OF THE POTENTIAL FOR A ‘FEDERAL-AID SWAP’ IN IOWA WHEREBY STATE FUNDING COULD REPLACE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ROAD/BRIDGE PROJECTS Ralston stated that House File 203 was signed into law this past legislative session. The law permits the Iowa DOT Commission to allow for ‘Federal-Aid Swaps’, where city road and bridge projects formerly funded through federal funds and programmed by the MPO, are instead funded by state funds, a 1:1 match. The goal of this program is to minimize requirements that delay projects and increase costs, improving efficiency. The DOT has completed their stakeholder engagement process and has provided a rough draft for review. The DOT will seek approval from the commission as early as their February 13th meeting. The federal-aid swap would officially go into effect in FFY19, beginning in October 2018. Ralston stated that there is no inherent risk for opting-in or opting-out, and asked for feedback from TTAC members on how their communities feel about this program. The preference of the DOT is to have the MPO opt-in or opt-out during the TIP approval process; TIP projects will be presented to the TTAC in May. The MPO is automatically opted-in to the program, if no decision has been reached. Ralston informed the TTAC that opting-in to the program would require policy changes that would have to be approved by the Board. One of the required policy changes would be that the MPO can determine if a local match will be required for projects (it is currently an 80-20 match). There would no longer be a match requirement from the State. Currently, for the TIP process, each community is allocated funding that is programmed in the correct year of the TIP. Opting-in eliminates this requirement, allowing projects to be frontloaded. This would require a prioritization process for projects that have been allocated funding. Ralston informed the TTAC that one issue is that this process assumes state funding is available; frontloading projects across the state could reduce the amount of available funding from the state. If the decision is made to opt-in, it would be a full commitment from all entities. The MPO would be unable to pick-and-choose which projects to fund through this process, all projects would be subject to this requirement. Ralston stated that projects that have been “federalized” would not be eligible, since they are projects in progress. Wheatley asked if the primary goal of this program is to fund smaller projects. Ralston responded that the primary goal is to improve efficiency and streamline the process. Havel stated that the main benefit of this program is time saved, through the elimination of overlapping requirements. Havel stated that the expectation is that there will be little savings regarding environmental requirements. 4 McClatchey asked if construction costs would be reduced. Ralston stated that because projects would be state-funded, Davis-Bacon and Buy America requirements would no longer apply, which may reduce construction costs. Ralston informed the TTAC that projects under the STBG program are eligible for the Federal-Aid Swap, projects funded through TAP would not be eligible for the swap at this time. Ralston asked the Committee if they wanted to provide a recommendation to the Board, or postpone a decision until the next meeting. The Committee recommended to opt-in to the swap program. Knoche motioned to approve; Holderness seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously. 7. UPDATE ON THE MPOJC FY19 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WORK PROGRAM & FY19-22 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SCHEDULES Neumann stated that the Work Program is a document that identifies all major projects the MPO will address in FY19. This program is a coordinated effort between the TTAC, the Board, and Iowa DOT. The Work Program includes all state and federally required planning processes, documentation for ongoing projects, and special projects requested from member entities. The MPO will be asking for FY19 projects beginning in February. The draft Work Program must be submitted to the Iowa DOT, FHWA, and FTA by April 1st. The Board will approve the final Work Program in May. Neumann stated that the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is where federally- funded transportation improvements in the Iowa City urbanized area are programmed. The document includes all federally-funded transportation projects for all modes of transportation. The TIP formalizes specific projects and the year they are receiving funding. The MPO will not apportion funding this spring for STBG and TAP. Two projects were funded last year that are not in the current TIP, but will be included in the FY19-22 TIP; Highway 965 in North Liberty and Melrose Avenue in University Heights; both are programmed in FY22. A draft will be presented to the TTAC in May. Final approval will occur in July. The approved TIP will be submitted to the Iowa DOT by July 15. 8. OTHER BUSINESS Ralston informed the TTAC of the attachment to their packet identifying the FHWA notice of termination of approval for rectangular rapid flashing signs. These signs are primarily used at mid-block pedestrian crossings. From stated that construction on the new hotel in University Heights will begin in July 2018. Construction will take approximately 1.5 years. Havel stated that Iowa City will begin reconstructing the pedestrian mall in 2018. It will take approximately two years to complete. The Dubuque Street portion will be reconstructed in 2018-19, and the College Street portion in 2019. Havel also stated that Iowa City is partnering with the Iowa DOT to overlay Highway 6 and Riverside Drive from Iowa City limits to the Highway1/6 split. Governor Street from Burlington to Dodge will also be overlaid. Knoche stated that construction is ongoing for the Gateway project. The hope is that the project will be completed by August. One portion of the bridge deck has been completed. 5 The approach spans will be completed in the spring. Park Road will be tied into Dubuque Street after the approach spans are completed. Holderness stated that Coralville bid Phase 2 of the Coral Ridge Avenue project from Oakdale to Forevergreen Road in January. Construction is expected to begin this year. The 1st Avenue project from 6th Street to 9th Street was approved by the Iowa DOT in January; Construction is expected to begin this year. Holderness stated that the Clear Creek Trail was also let in January. It will be awarded in February. Construction is expected to begin this year. Rummel stated that the City will begin a bike-share program this year. The City will also install electric vehicle charging stations, and expand and replace bus shelters. Iowa City has received eight new buses over the last few weeks. They will enter service within the next month. Grenis stated that the RFP for the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids express bus service will be released at the end of the month. Service was expected to begin July 1st, but will be pushed back due to delays in the funding authorization process. Fall 2018 is the new anticipated start date for the service. Cutler stated that the Iowa DOT conducted a study on I-80 to examine the overpasses. The DOT will instead offer an incentive plan to encourage low-volume overpasses to close. Wheatley stated that the interchange project at Forevergreen Road in North Liberty is ongoing. The city is also opening a new elementary school on North Front Street in North Liberty. Designs are in progress for two new roundabouts, including the North Front Street and the South Slope entrance. Highway 965 is ongoing with the next phase of construction occurring from Penn Street to Zeller Street. McClatchey stated that Evashevski Drive will be closed for 1.5 years for the reconstruction of Kinnick Stadium. 9. ADJOURNMENT Wheatley motioned to adjourn; Knoche seconded. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:25 a.m.