HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.21.20 TTAC MinutesMPOJC TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPROVED
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020 – 10:30 AM
EMMA HARVAT HALL, IOWA CITY, CITY HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Coralville: Dan Holderness, Vicky Robrock, Scott
Larson (alternate)
Iowa City: Simon Andrew, Jason Havel, Ron Knoche,
Darian Nagle-Gamm, Mark Rummel
Johnson County: Tom Brase, Greg Parker
North Liberty: Ryan Rusnak
Tiffin: Doug Boldt
University Heights: Louise From
University of Iowa: Brian McClatchey
RTBC: None
Iowa DOT: Catherine Cutler
ECICOG: None
STAFF PRESENT: Kent Ralston, Emily Bothell, Brad Neumann, Sarah Walz, Frank
Waisath, Nate Bauer, Ian Klopfenstein
OTHERS PRESENT:
1. CALL TO ORDER; RECOGNIZE ALTERNATES; CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MEETING
MINUTES
Neumann called the meeting to order at 10:31 AM.
Scott Larson was recognized as an alternate for Kelly Hayworth (Coralville).
Holderness moved to approve the meeting minutes, Knoche seconded the motion. The
motion carried unanimously.
2. PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA
None.
3. CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MPOJC URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD
REGARDING FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION SECTION 5307 TRANSIT
OPERATING FORMULA FUNDING APPORTIONMENT FOR FY2020 AND TRANSIT
STATISTICS FOR FY2019
Neumann indicated that the apportionment table reflects an approximate $300,000 increase
in federal funding from FY19 to $2,856,872 for FY20. These funds are apportioned between
Iowa City Transit, Coralville Transit, and CAMBUS using a board-approved formula
considering the following factors: operating costs, locally-determined income, revenue miles,
and fare revenues. The primary changes in formula output between fiscal years relates to
increases in operating costs, and each transit agency has been apportioned a larger pool of
funding for FY20 compared to FY19. The input numbers for determining the apportionment
figures are approved by the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Neumann further indicated that the money being apportioned has been granted by the Federal
Government in FY19 – effectively completing the apportionment schedule using previous
years’ funding. This serves the purpose of eliminating redundancies in funding applications in
the case that Congressional apportionments are granted on a staggered schedule. Using
funds from a completed FY cycle allows for the MPOJC apportionment process to operate
using fully-available federal funds.
Nagle-Gamm moved to recommend approval of the MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board
(UAPB) the Section 5307 Transit Operating Formula Funding Apportionment for FY2020 and
Transit Statistics for FY2019. Brase seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
4. CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MPOJC URBANIZED AREA POLICY BOARD
REGARDING APPOINTMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE STATEWIDE URBAN
DESIGN AND SPECIFICATIONS (SUDAS) BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ralston explained that the MPO is required to appoint a representative to the SUDAS Board
of Directors biennially. Scott Larson of the City of Coralville has served as the MPOJC
representative since 2005 and was recently elected as President of the SUDAS Board of
Directors. Larson has indicated his willingness and desire to pursue another two-year term.
Larson further fulfills the only requirement for the appointee, that they are a licensed engineer
working for one of the MPO communities.
Knoche moved to recommend to the MPOJC UAPB that Scott Larson be appointed as the
representative to the SUDAS Board of Directors. Holderness seconded the motion. The
motion carried unanimously.
5. DISCUSSION OF CHANGES TO THE IOWA DOT PAVEMENT DATA COLLECTION
PROGRAM
Bothell explained that the Iowa DOT has elected to change the funding of pavement
management data collection to a four-year schedule. However, they will allow local agencies
to ‘opt-in’ to purchase data on the current two-year cycle. A decision of ‘opt-in’ would require
the expenditure of approximately $40,000 of Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)
funding or local funding from MPO entities. If the MPOJC Urbanized Area Policy Board
decides to ‘opt-out’ of the ‘Federal-Aid-Swap’, as done in previous years, the Iowa DOT will
still allow the use of STBG funds for this purpose.
Bothell indicated that no decision needs to be made until January 2023 and that the intent is
to revisit this issue with the Committee at that time.
6. UPDATE ON THE MPOJC FY21 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WORK PROGRAM &
FY21-24 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SCHEDULES
Neumann introduced the Transportation Planning Work Program, a document developed
each year to identify projects which will be addressed by MPOJC in the coming fiscal year.
The FY21 Work Program includes all the state- and federally-required planning processes,
routine planning documents, as well as the ongoing and requested projects by member
entities. MPOJC will begin soliciting for FY21 projects in February to prepare the draft Work
Program for submission to the Iowa DOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) by April 1. The Urbanized Area Policy Board will approve
the final Work Program in May.
Neumann went on to introduce the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the
programming document for federally-funded transportation improvements within the Iowa City
Urbanized Area across all modes of transportation. The TIP designates specific projects to
receive funding as well as which fiscal year the funding is programmed. The Surface
Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program and Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
funding were programed in the previous year according to their biennial schedule, so no
apportionments will be made this year. $6.7 million in STBG funding and $1.45 million in TAP
funding were programmed in the previous year. Two projects previously receiving allocations
were scheduled for FY24 and will be included in the coming FY21-24 TIP - Iowa City’s Dodge
Street Improvement Project ($3,750,000 in STBG funding) and North Liberty’s North Liberty
Trail project ($648,118 in TAP funding). The Urbanized Area Policy Board will consider
adopting the FY21-24 TIP at their July meeting.
7. UPDATE ON CRANDIC PASSENGER RAIL STUDY
Neumann explained that the MPO has been waiting since December of 2018 for the
completion of the Phase III Passenger Rail Study – focusing on ridership, revenue forecasts,
financial strategies, benefits to the community, and conceptual station design. The delay has
been caused by discrepancies between previously collected data and Federal Transit
Administration requirements. HDR Consulting has completed a bus ridership survey which is
a necessary data component for the ridership forecast and revenue models. Over 1,200
surveys have been administered along CAMBUS and Coralville Transit routes. The additional
funding for the data collection came from the Iowa DOT and CRANDIC Railroad, incurring no
additional cost to MPO member entities.
8. OTHER BUSINESS
Bothell updated the Committee on the MPO’s role in the 2020 Census. The Iowa City
Urbanized Area was invited to take part in the Participant Statistical Areas Program to review
and clarify census tracts and block groups. This includes reviewing boundaries and verifying
any proposed changes for enumeration units - used both for the Census as well as for the
American Community Survey (ACS). The MPO’s traffic analysis zones are nested within these
boundaries to allow for the use of the most current demographic information in traffic
forecasting models. Bothell indicated that the MPO plans to reach out to the Census Bureau
to clarify how this process will affect each constituent community.
McClatchey indicated that the CAMBUS maintenance facility renovations have been
completed.
From expressed that the bidding process for University Heights’ Olive Court project has
opened and that project will hopefully be scheduled for this coming spring. The project is
scheduled to be completed before the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel which is slated to open
on September 1st.
Knoche announced that the Iowa City Streets Department has joined the rest of the Public
Works Departments at their new facility on South Gilbert Street. The Burlington
Street/Madison Street intersection project is set to commence soon, including the installation
of additional bike lanes on both streets to connect to the path along Riverside Avenue. The
department is also set to accept bids for the McCollister Boulevard extension as well as for
the Prentiss Street bridge replacement.
Larson indicated that Coralville has two upcoming road projects, including the East 9th Street
project and the 7th Avenue reconstruction. The Iowa River Trail connection between Rocky
Shore Road and Clear Creek is scheduled to be constructed this year as well.
Cutler shared that travel time signs have been posted along the I-80 and I-380 corridors to
provide timing updates as construction progresses.
Nagle-Gamm announced that the transit agencies will be holding open houses to discuss the
transit study in the coming weeks. The public is expected to provide input on three different
transit system designs: a high-frequency scenario, a constant-interval scenario, and a
scenario involving system-wide transit improvements.
Rummel expressed that Iowa City Transit will be conducting its triennial review in May.
9. ADJOURNMENT
Nagle-Gamm moved to adjourn, McClatchey seconded the motion. The motion carried
unanimously.
Meeting adjourned by Neumann at 11:00 AM.