MPO TPC/TAC Board Minutes - 02/25/2009TRANSPORTATION POLICY COMMITTEE (TPC) MEETING
WICHITA FALLS METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
February 25, 2009
Present:
Woodrow (Woody) Gossom, Wichita County Judge, Vice - Chairperson
Charles Elmore, City of Wichita Falls, City Council Representative
Larry Tegtmeyer, TxDOT, District Engineer
Michael Smith, City of Wichita Falls, City Council Representative
Russell Schreiber, City of Wichita Falls, Director of Public Works
Steven Halloway, Lakeside City, Mayor
Dave Clark, City of Wichita Falls, Community Development Director
Donnie Arbeau, WFMPO, Transportation Planner II
Lin Barnett, WFMPO, Transportation Planning Director
Tammy Marlow, TxDOT, Funding Administrator
Nora Hodges, NORTEX Regional Planning Commission
Lanham Lyne, City of Wichita Falls, Mayor, Chairperson
Dennis Wilde, NORTEX Regional Planning Commission, Executive Director
Jeff Watts, City of Pleasant Valley, City Representative
I. Welcome & Introduction
♦ Members
♦ Staff
♦ Ex- officio
♦ Guests
♦ Absent
Judge Gossom called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m.
II. Public Comments on Agenda and Non - Agenda Items
Judge Gossom asked for public comments from anyone that had signed up on the Public
Comments Sign -up Form. No one had signed up and there were no public comments.
111. Review and Approval of the February TIP Amendment to the 2008 -2011 Transportation
Improvement Program
Mr. Barnett gave the Policy Committee a brief summary of the reasons for the amendment to
the Transportation Improvement Program. He stated that the Wichita Falls TxDOT District and
the City of Wichita Falls were currently working to finalize plans and clear any environmental
issues concerning the Holliday Creek Trail Phase III, MPO Project I.D. number WF -14 on the
current environmental justice prioritized project list. Mr. Barnett stated there were three TxDOT
WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING February 25, 2009 PAGE 1
projects located within the MPO's boundaries that Mr. Tegtmeyer had considered funding with
the Wichita Falls sub - allocation. However, he had determined that none of the three projects
met the criteria set forth in the ARRA legislation. Mr. Tegtmeyer had contacted the City of
Wichita Falls to see if it had any new - facility projects that would qualify for funding. After the
TEMPO meeting in Austin, and several local meetings between TxDOT, MPO and City staff, it
was determined that the Holliday Creek Hike and Bike Trail Project could be made ready in time
to qualify for the Wichita Falls sub - allocation funding, which at last estimate would be around
$4.6 million dollars. The City of Wichita Falls had estimated construction of this project to be
around $2.9 million dollars. Mr. Barnett stated once moved from the MTP into the TIP, the
project would receive a CSJ number and become a local TxDOT project. The Wichita Falls
TxDOT District would then administer the project.
Councilor Elmore asked if this was the same project that the City had set aside funds for
through a bond initiative. Mr. Barnett stated that it was and that part of the bond funds might be
used to reimburse TxDOT for charges submitted to them by Kimley -Horn and Associates, Inc.
for the completion of the plans for the trail segment.
Mr. Tegtmeyer stated he was concerned about the property acquisition of the four houses that
separated the trail into two parts. Mr. Clark stated that conversations with the land and home
owners indicated a willingness to sell their properties. He stated one of the properties appraised
at $10,000 and the rest should be relatively inexpensive to acquire. Mr. Clark commented that
the Wichita Falls Country Club was donating the portion of land needed to bring the trail across
their borders.
Judge Gossom asked for a motion to approve the TIP amendment as presented. Councilor
Elmore motioned to approve the amendment. Mayor Halloway seconded the motion, which was
unanimously approved.
IV. Review and Approval of the February 2009 Revisions to the 2005 -2030 Metropolitan
Transportation Plan.
Mr. Barnett discussed his reasons for adding two new bicycle & pedestrian trail projects to the
2005 -2030 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. He stated that the recent bill signed into law by
President Obama, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, would
provide a 3% set aside of the Texas apportionment for enhancement projects. According to the
latest information he had received, this set aside would be approximately $67.5 million dollars.
Mr. Barnett stated that he wanted to incorporate these two projects into the MTP in the event
they became eligible for enhancement dollars. He stated that it was unlikely these projects
would be ready in time to take advantage of the set aside, but if another round of stimulus funds
were to become available at a later date, and if the projects were to become "shovel ready",
then the MPO could move these projects into the TIP for funding. He did not rule out the
possibility that they could be ready for the ARRA enhancement dollars as proposed in the
current bill. He stated many issues such as completion of the project plans, right -of -way, utility
easements, etc. would have to be resolved before that could happen.
Councilor Elmore asked why there were gaps between the two trail sections. Mr. Barnett stated
the section of Fairway between Kell Freeway and Seymour Highway was left out because of
high density population issues and would require more work to see if this part of the route would
be viable. He stated that neither section of trail was "written in stone ", but added that he hoped
the City would be able to solidify plans for this part of the trail system in the near future.
WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING February 25, 2009 PAGE 2
Councilor Smith asked where the trail ends at the Wichita River, if the trail would continue east
along the river and connect into the trail system at Lucy Park. Mr. Barnett remarked that the
vision and goal of the Circle Trail system was to accomplish this very thing. However, issues of
land acquisition, ROW, utilities, and contacting the Corp of Engineers concerning the river would
need to be addressed first. Mr. Barnett stated the ultimate goal was to connect all the pieces of
the trail system and eliminate the missing links.
Judge Gossom asked for a motion to approve the
motioned to approve the revision. Councilor
unanimously approved.
V. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.
Honorable Lanham Lyne
Mayor Wichita Falls
MTP revision as presented. Councilor Smith
Elmore seconded the motion, which was
RECEIVED IN
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
Date
By TrnE. 00
WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING February 25, 2009 PAGE 3