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MPO TPC/TAC Board Minutes - 04/20/2005I. 9 RECEIVED IN CITY CLERK'S OFFICE Date By T b Time TRANSPORTATION POLICY COMMITTEE (TPC) MEETING WICHITA FALLS METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION April 20, 2005 Present: Arthur Bea Williams, Mayor ♦ Members Charles Elmore, City Council Representative Don Sheppard, Lakeside City Jeff Watts, City of Pleasant Valley Larry Tegtmeyer, TxDOT, District Engineer Linda Ammons, City Council Representative Scott Taylor, Director of Public Works Carolyn Askins, TxDOT, Transportation Planning Assistant ♦ Staff Danny Brown, TxDOT, Director of Trans. Planning and Development Darron Leiker, Interim City Manager Donnie Arbeau, Transportation Planner I James Kelley, TxDOT, Area Engineer Lin Bamett, Transportation Planner III ♦ Ex- officio Bettye Tanner - Shelby ♦ HNC ♦ Guests Dennis Wilde, NORTEX Regional Planning Commission ♦ Absent Woodrow (Woody) Gossom, County Judge, Vice - Chairperson I. Welcome & Introduction. At the request of Mayor Arthur Bea Williams, Mr. Leiker began the meeting at 8:36 a.m. II. Approval of the January 20th and February 18th TPC Meeting Minutes Councilor Elmore motioned to accept both sets of minutes as presented. Mr. Taylor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. III. Review and Comment Regarding TAC's April 6th Meeting Minutes - No WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING April 20, 2005 PAGE 1 .y Action Required No comments were received. IV. Review and Approval of the 2006 -2008 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for Submission to TxDOT in Austin Mr. Brown discussed the scope of the projects and how they were compiled. Mr. Taylor inquired about the lack of projects on the FY 2006 project list. Mr. Brown stated the reason for that was because they were listed in the appendix under Statewide CSJ's. Mr. Tegtmeyer stated a notation should be. added informing the reader of this fact. He also commented on the FY 2008 Projects by State Category concerning the Kell Interchange. Mr. Tegtmeyer stated CSJ project 0156 -04 -092 should be listed as Category 11 and CSJ 0044 -01 -080 should be Category 3. Mr. Brown commented that TxDOT was currently looking at other funding methods for the interchange, which would change the funding category for those funds. Mr. Leiker asked for the earliest let date for the project. Mr. Brown stated the earliest it could let would be in September of 2007 (FY 2008). He stated construction would take approximately 18 to 24 months once let. Mr. Leiker asked for other comments or questions. He then asked for a motion to approve with revisions. Councilor Ammons motioned to approve. Councilor Elmore seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. V. Review, Discussion and Revision of the Draft 2006 Unified Planning Work Program — No Action Required Mr. Leiker discussed the work staff had done to assemble the 2006 UPWP into its current form. He informed the board that the unapproved draft was not due into Austin until June 1, 2005. However, the TPC approved final document would be due into Austin by August 1, 2005. Mr. Leiker pointed out that TPC would see the document again at the July 27th TPC meeting and would be voting on its approval. He then discussed some of the major changes because of FHWA requirements resulting in new language in the document i.e. Planning Emphasis Areas, web page requirements, a transportation newsletter, updating the pedestrian /bicycle trail inventory, and various other areas. Councilor Elmore asked TxDOT if they could help him contact the agency responsible for the Conoco pipeline that runs through City View. He stated that it connects the two parks in the City View area and has a 25 -foot right -of -way. He commented that the pipeline could be used as a bicycle or walking trail or some type of park facility. Councilor Elmore stated he wanted find out, from the agency responsibility, if it was feasible or not. He stated that it would be real benefit for the community. Mr. Taylor recommended contacting the Railroad Commission. Mr. Tegtmeyer stated his department would help to locate a contact person. WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING April 20, 2005 PAGE 2 Vf Mr. Leiker discussed the subtasks under Task 5, specifically subtask 5.1, the Traffic Signal Optimization Study; subtask 5.2, the in -house Transit Route Study and subtask 5.3, the preliminary in -house study of the Beverly Drive, Avenue H and Kemp Street connection. Councilor Elmore commented there was a large open space in behind the Loop 11 and Seymour Highway connection that could be developed into a roadway connection to Lebanon. Mr. Taylor discussed the problems associated with buying out the housing in that area, and the expense involved, and the fact that a drainage project was also going to construction. He did state that it could be considered as an alternative along with the fact that Avenue H has an extra wide right -of -way and that Kemp was available. Mr. Leiker also pointed out that Environmental Justice issues would have to be addressed concerning how a project would impact the surrounding neighborhood. Mr. Watts inquired as to the status of the Loop 11 extension. Mr. Leiker stated the City's Property Manager was in the process of acquiring the final parcel. Mr. Brown discussed the recently adopted MTP bicycle plan and the expectations for a Transportation Enhancement Application call by TxDOT in the near future. Mr. Taylor stated the City was ready to submit their application for funds. The board agreed that all projects should be prioritized to take advantage of funding as it became available. Mr. Taylor discussed the various obstacles that would have to be overcome in order to complete the trail system. He also pointed out that striping and signage could be done with minimal cost and minimal lead time and that if no enhancement grant opportunities became available then the project could be assigned to the Public Works general budget in an above current level item. The board further discussed the importance of the trail system to the bicycling community. VI. Other Business: a. Discussion & Overview of Progress on Local Transportation Projects — City and TxDOT staff (Quarterly Review) City Report: Mr. Taylor reported the 2004 street overlay projects was complete, the CDBG overlay project was complete, advertisements for the next CDBG of $200,000 dollars would soon be posted, the annual street rehabilitation program of approximately $1.6 million would soon go out for bid, the Holiday Creek drainage improvement plans were 90% complete, construction would have a disruptive effect at Kemp due to the installation of 6 box culverts. He stated the City would begin installing a new raw water line in the summer at Johnson and Barnett Roads along with a storm water drainage system. Mr. Taylor then discussed the possible creation of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) zone in the Lawrence, Rhea and Callfield Road area for the purpose of stimulating commercial development, while addressing necessary traffic and flooding problems. Also included in the TIF would be the Kemp /Maplewood extension out to McNiel, and the Winona extension coming off of Kell. Mr. Leiker explained the purpose behind a TIF and how it works. WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING April 20, 2005 PAGE 3 TxDOT Report: Mr. Kelley reported that an inspection of the restroom facility was completed at the Sikes Lake trail system and that Phase II was nearing completion. He stated the bridge repair at FM 325, going under IH -44, was nearly complete, the Maureen Street and Jacksboro Highway landscaping projects were complete, and that a Novachip project east of Jolly would soon be let. b. MPO Quarterly Financial Report (1st Quarter— October, November, December) Mr. Leiker summarized the report and asked for comments. There were none. c. Progress report on RFP No. 05 -01: Traffic Signal Optimization Study of the Kemp Boulevard and Southwest Parkway Traffic Corridors Mr. Leiker outlined the steps taken to find a suitable consultant for the Traffic Signal Optimization Study. He discussed the RFP that was sent out, the reasons behind the study, the interviews done by the selection committee of three quality firms. Mr. Leiker stated the selection committee was recommending the choice of Kimley -Horn and Associates, Inc. to TPC for their approval to do the project. Mr. Leiker then asked the committee for guidance on contract negotiation. Mr. Barnett gave a brief summary of the funding sources available for the study. The TPC agreed that the selection committee should negotiate the contract not to exceed $100,000. Councilor Elmore made the motion to proceed as stated and Mr. Sheppard seconded his motion. The motion carried unanimously. d. Wichita Falls Transit System Triennial Review Update Mr. Leiker briefly discussed the upcoming review scheduled for June 15th and 16th and what staff would be expected to produce for the review and site visit. e. Report on MPO Presentation, Monday, April 4, 2005 at Pleasant Valley City Council Meeting Mr. Barnett thanked Mr. Watts for inviting him to give a presentation, to the Pleasant Valley City Council, about the function and purpose of the MPO. He stated the presentation went well and that he left copies of a briefing notebook entitled: The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process: Key Issues (FHWA 2004) with the council members. f. First Round of Environmental Justice /Transit System Public Meetings Scheduled for May 2005 Mr. Leiker explained that the MPO was endeavoring to meet FHWA guidelines concerning equal access to transportation for low- income and minority areas of the MPO. He stated the MPO would begin doing a series of these meetings in WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING April 20, 2005 PAGE 4 the Environmental Justice Target Area in order to allow people living there to have an opportunity to see the various proposed projects and to give their input about them. The purpose behind the meetings was to gather data concerning the negative or positive impact a project might have in that area. The upcoming May meeting would specifically discuss projects from the 2006 -2008 TIP and the existing transit route system. Mr. Brown commented that the MPO was taking the second step in complying with the FHWA mandate, which originally stemmed from Executive Order 12898 under the Clinton Administration. Mr. Barnett commented that the issue of Environmental Justice was relatively new and that staff was gradually learning how to comply with the mandate. Mr. Brown commented that the Wichita Falls MPO was probably ahead of the other state MPO's in this area and that staff was doing a good job. g. Other Mr. Leiker, in light of his recent appointment as Interim City Manager, asked the board for guidance on the "interim" status of his title as MPO Director. Mr. Tegtmeyer recommended leaving the situation "as is" until a resolution to the City Manager position was reached by City Council. The board recommended drafting a letter to TxDOT in Austin informing them of the current situation and the decision to wait until a new City Manager was hired before addressing the MPO Director position again. VII. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 9:55 a.m. �'5!!!� Mayor Lanham Lyne, TPC C irperson WICHITA FALLS MPO TPC MEETING April 20, 2005 PAGE 5