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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9.12.18 TTAC Minutes APPROVED MPOJC TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 -10:30 AM EMMA HARVAT HALL, IOWA CITY, CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Coralville: Dan Holderness, Vicki Robrock Iowa City: Mark Rummel, Darian Nagle-Gamm, Jason Havel, Ron Knoche, Simon Andrew Johnson County: None North Liberty: Dean Wheatley Tiffin: None University Heights: Louise From University of Iowa: Brian McClatchey RTBC: None Iowa DOT: Catherine Cutler ECICOG: Brock Grenis STAFF PRESENT: Kent Ralston, Brad Neumann, Emily Bothell, Frank Waisath, Nate Bauer OTHERS PRESENT: None 1. CALL TO ORDER; RECOGNIZE ALTERNATES; CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES 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 AN AMENDMENT TO THE ADOPTED MPOJC 2018-2022 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (TIP) - ADDING TRANSIT VEHICLES FOR REPLACEMENT Neumann informed the group that the Iowa DOT is preparing a state-wide bus replacement grant through the Federal Transit Administration. They have requested that one bus from Iowa City and two from CAMBUS be amended into the FY2018-2022 TIP. This amendment would allow the three buses to be eligible for the bus replacement grant. Wheatley motioned to approve the recommendation. Holderness seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 2 4. CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MPOJC URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD REGARDING SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT (STBG) AND TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM (TAP) SCORING CRITERIA FOR FUNDS ALLOCATED BY MPOJC Ralston explained that the MPO grant applications for STBG and TAP funds will be available early in 2019. Prior to releasing grant applications, staff is seeking approval of the current scoring criteria. The scoring criteria was last approved by the Board in 2016 for the 2017 application process. Holderness questioned the scoring of roundabouts, direct access to planned growth areas, quality of life, existing congestion problems versus future congestion problems, and ADA compliance. Ralston explained that criteria with higher point values were adjusted during the previous approval process. Any recommended adjustments will be made available for review by the Board. McClatchey questioned how low-income neighborhoods are defined. Ralston explained that staff looks at census blocks to determine whether projects are within an area of lower socioeconomic income levels. Ralston confirmed that points for criteria 1a, 3, 3a, 7c, and 10 should be increased, criteria 5a and 5b should have equal points, and points for 9b should be reduced. Holderness motioned to approve the recommendation. Wheatley seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Ralston noted changes would be provided to the Urbanized Area Policy Board for consideration. 5. DICUSSION REGARDING POTENTIAL FEDERAL FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION CHANGES FOR MPOJC URBANIZED AREA ROADWAYS Bothell informed the group that the MPO is in the process of working with the Iowa DOT and Federal Highway Administration to update the federal functional classification map. The functional classification system is a hierarchical system that identifies which roads are federal aid routes. Classifications from highest to lowest include interstate, principal arterial, minor arterial, collector, and minor streets. Federal funding can only be used on roads classified as collector or higher. Bothell asked member entities to submit additions or revisions to MPOJC staff by October 12, 2018 for preapproval by the Iowa DOT. Knoche asked about updating the metropolitan area boundary. Ralston informed the group that if projects are impacted by the current boundary it could be modified, but the process is more time consuming as it requires coordination with ECICOG. 6. UPDATE ON THE CRANDIC PASSENGER RAIL AND RAILS-TO-TRAILS STUDIES Neumann informed the group that the Phase III CRANDIC Passenger Rail study and the rails-to-trails study are underway. The Phase III passenger rail study will focus on ridership, revenue forecasting, financial strategies, benefits for communities, and conceptual station design. The study will take about 120 days. The rails-to-trails study will focus on removing existing rail infrastructure between downtown Iowa City and the University of Iowa Research Park (Oakdale) and constructing a new trail in the existing corridor. The study should take about 90 days. 3 Ralston explained that the rails-to-trails study was in part requested to preserve the corridor if the passenger rail is not built in the near future. McClatchey questioned the number and location of stations. Neumann answered that station locations include Penn Street, Forevergreen Road, the Research Park, The Iowa River Landing in Coralville, the Highway 6 pedestrian overpass at the Public Health Building, and the University of Iowa campus. 7. OTHER BUSINESS Wheatley informed the group that North Liberty’s Highway 965 project is underway and the Kansas Avenue repaving is approximately sixty percent complete. From explained that land for the Courtyard Marriott in University Heights is cleared and construction is scheduled to start after November 1. A restaurant was added to the top of the building and adjustments to the plan were made. The project is scheduled to be completed December of 2019. Havel informed the group that Iowa City’s Park Road Bridge is open and the remaining paving should be done this year. Some cleanup is expected during the spring of 2019. Mormon Trek Boulevard pavement patching is underway. A right turn lane on Benton Street is scheduled to be done by late October. Intersection patching and new signals will follow. The Pedestrian Mall construction is underway and the north-south portion should be complete this year. The east-west portion will take place next year. The intersection of Burlington Street and Clinton Street is receiving new traffic signals and Clinton Street will undergo a four to three lane conversion with bike lanes. Myrtle Avenue is closed at Riverside Drive and is scheduled to reopen by mid-October. Patching on Riverside Drive will occur this year and a full overlay will occur in the spring of 2019. Knoche explained that the first phase of Iowa City’s public works facility is open for public input. Cutler informed the group the Iowa DOT will hold a public information meeting on October 23 for the I-380 study. The meeting will be at the North Liberty Recreation Center. McClatchey explained that the University is lifting the moratorium on capital projects and the transit facility rehabilitation project can now move forward. Robrock informed the group that Coralville went live with google transit. Holderness explained that the southbound through lanes on 1st Avenue in Coralville should be completed soon. The intersection of 1st Avenue and 6th Street is nearly complete and is scheduled to open soon. Traffic will be moved to the west side of 1st Avenue and construction on the east side will begin. Coral Ridge Avenue southbound through lanes from Forevergreen Road to Oakdale Boulevard are paved and work on the northbound lanes is ongoing. Nagle-Gamm explained that Iowa City is in the final stages of selecting a vendor for the bike share program. They are currently looking at details regarding the fleet. The system will be dockless. Discussions with the vendor for new bus shelters is ongoing. Up to 30 new shelters will be placed in the next few years. Existing shelters will be replaced and some additional locations will be added. Rummel added that Iowa City has accepted the last 3 of 11 new buses and may wrap existing buses. 4 Grenis noted that the Cedar Rapids to Iowa City express bus service will start October 1. 8. ADJOURNMENT Knoche motioned to adjourn. McClatchey seconded. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:25 AM.