MPO TPC/TAC Board Minutes - 01/21/2004RECEIVED IN Approved 4 -21 -04
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
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Byo�. - Time 2:7,5"I'n►
TRANS PORTATION-POUeY- PC) MEETING
WICHITA FALLS METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
January 21, 2004
Present:
Woodrow (Woody) Gossom, County Judge, Vice - Chairperson ♦ Members
Dennis Wilde, NORTEX Regional Planning Commission
Johnny Burns, City Council Representative
Don Sheppard, Lakeside City
Joe Nelson, TxDOT, District Engineer
Linda Ammons, City Council Representative
Scott Taylor, Director of Public Works
Darron Leiker, ACM /Dir. Traff., Trans. & Avia., Interim MPO Director ♦ Staff
James Kelley, TxDOT
Lin Barnett, Transportation Planner II
Mark Beauchamp, City of Wichita Falls — Acting Traffic Superintendent
Phillip Lujan, TOOT, Interim Dir. Trans. Planning & Development ♦ Ex- officio
Rhonda Poirot, Senator Estes, State Senator, District 30
Dan Shine, Chairperson ♦ HNC
Bill Presson, Wichita County ♦ Guests
Jon Moller, Citizen Stakeholder
Mayor Bill Altman, Chairperson ♦ Absent
Jeff Watts, City of Pleasant Valley
I. Welcome & Introduction.
With a quorum present, the meeting was called to order at 8:37 a.m. by Mr. Burns.
Judge Gossom arrived a few minutes later and chaired the rest of the meeting.
II Review and Comment on the January 7th TAC meeting minutes — No Action
Required
Mr. Nelson stated there needed to be more discussion during today's meeting on the
50/50 cost share of the new VIVID detectors. Mr. Leiker made some brief comments on
the decision by City Council to approve the purchase of more of the video detection
units. He stated that no purchases had been made or purchase orders issued to date,
and that there was still time for more input from those interested. Mr. Burns stated that
Council did unanimously approve the purchase of the units.
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III. Approval of the TPC's October 24th and December 19th meeting minutes
Mr. Taylor motioned to approve both sets of minutes. Mr. Sheppard seconded the
motion. The motion passed unanimously.
IV. Review and Comment on the FY 2003 Annual Performance and Expenditure
Report — No Action Required, For Informational Purposes Only
Mr. Barnett gave a brief summary of the FY 2003 Annual Performance and Expenditure
Report sent to Austin, TxDOT (TPP) on January 2, 2004. No comments were received.
V. Review and Comment on the Revised Request For Proposal for a Qualified
Consultant to Complete the 2005 — 2030 MTP update — No Action Required,
For Informational Purposes Only
Mr. Leiker stated the RFP was mailed out to 103 prospective consultants and that MPO
staff had received 10 to 15 requests, via email, for copies of the RFP. The RFP was
also published twice in the Wichita Falls Times Record News.
Mr. Nelson stated TxDOT had referred several consultants up to this area. The
discussion then focused on the number of finalists that would be interviewed and who
the interviewers would be. A subcommittee made up of three MPO members, Mr.
Taylor, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Leiker, would then make the final selection to be presented
to TPC for its approval.
VI. Review and Comment on the Definitive Use in the Planning Effort of
Sample Data Taken From the ACTRA System
Mr. Leiker explained the example of the report (included in the meeting packet) from the
ACTRA system and its use as a planning tool for traffic and transportation. Mr.
Beauchamp then gave a very detailed description of the ACTRA system, the video
detection units (VIVID), and the various ways of compiling a specialized report. He
commented that the equipment is not portable and is a permanent installation, but is
considered a multiple use tool. Mr. Beauchamp stated the current installations were
TxDOT owned. Mr. Leiker commented that any additional installations, plus those units
already in place, would be maintained by the City.
(The board returned to this item after the discussion of Other Business at the request of
Mr. Leiker in order to provide better clarification and guidance.)
Mr. Leiker outlined the October 2003 TPC directive to split the cost of the detectors
50/50 based on a total cost of $48,000. He stated the actual cost was approximately
$52,000 and the split would be closer to $25,500 rather than $24,000. Mr. Leiker asked
the board for direction on whether to remain with the estimated cost or apply the actual
cost. The board directed Mr. Leiker to leave the MPO contribution at $24,000 dollars.
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Mr. Nelson commented the presentation by Mr. Beauchamp illustrated well the uses of
the ACTRA system with the video detection units. He also stated there was a definite
use of the system as a planning tool for the MPO and that it would supply a positive
benefit for TPC review.
VII. Discussion, Recommendation, and Approval of the February amendments
to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
Mr. Leiker briefly outlined the amendments highlighted in gray for 2005 and 2006. There
were no amendments for 2004. Mr. Lujan gave a more in -depth description of the listed
amendments.
Mr. Sheppard motioned to approve the amendments as presented. Mr. Taylor seconded
the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Vlll. Discussion & Overview of Progress on Local Transportation Projects — City
and TxDOT staff (Quarterly Review)
Mr. Taylor discussed the Faith Village improvement, Phase 1 project; scheduled start
date is March /April of 2004. He discussed the suspension of the regular street overlay
project until March 1St due to weather concerns. He stated funding was now available for
a CDBG street overlay project to be bid in the early spring. He stated there was $1.6
million available for street overlay and /or reconstruction projects for this summer. He
stated City Council had awarded an engineering services contract to a consultant from
Ft. Worth to design Faith Village Phase 2 and 3. He stated there would need to be
interaction between the City and TxDOT because of work starting on Rhea Rd. and
coming along Southwest Pkwy., where an enclosed channel is to be located. He also
commented on a box culvert at Kemp and potentially relocating the bridges on
Maplewood.
Mr. Kelley discussed the gateway landscaping project nearing completion. He
discussed the work progressing on FM 2380, and the pre- construction meeting for the
Scott Street overpass, which should begin at end of February and complete in six
months.
Mr. Lujan discussed Loop 11 and the on -going work with the City to acquire right -of-
way, the Kell Interchange project and the Kell West projects, stating TxDOT still has not
received construction authority as of yet. Mr. Nelson commented on TxDOT's
commitment to continue the landscaping projects on Maurine Street and other
intersections around the City. He stated that beautification had been committed to
several years ago and that TxDOT was trying to keep that commitment. Mr. Lujan
stated the Maurine project simply ran out of funds, and would be delayed to a later date.
He also commented on the two railroad underpass projects for Business 287.
Mr. Shine commented that the Loop 11 project should continue to be at the forefront of
public information because of the amount of public interest. Mr. Nelson commented
work would be farther along on this project if it were not for the issue of Access
Management. He stated there was an opportunity to inform the public with either a one-
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hour overview or a six -hour mini - course of what constitutes Access Management by a
speaker from Austin TxDOT.
IX. Other Business:
a. Update on TEMPO Contract Meeting held January 12 -13, 2004 at the
Austin CAMPO Offices — Purpose: Discussion of Roles,
Responsibilities, and Relationship of the MPO, MPO Policy Committee,
Fiscal Agent and Transportation Planning Director
Mr. Leiker gave a brief summary of his attendance at the TEMPO contract
meeting in Austin. He stated 13 to 14 other MPO's were also there. He discussed
the expiration, last September, of the Wichita Fall's contract and its temporary
extension. He commented on the fact that FHWA and TxDOT wanted the MPO's
to have continuity through a standard document and not have 25 different
documents to contend with. He stated TEMPO was requesting the MPO's form
subcommittees to review the contract and meet with TxDOT staff in Austin to
formulate a final product. The deadline for submittal would be at the end of 2004.
The timeframe of the contract has yet to be determined and will probably be tied
to the next Congressional bill.
b. MPO Quarterly Financial Statement: Two sample formats
Mr. Barnett briefly described both statement formats stating the first format would
cover an entire quarter and provide a moderate amount of detail, whereas, the
second format would present a monthly summary with a large amount of detail.
The board members preferred the first format, but with a breakout of the tasks.
Additionally, the summary from the second format should be added in order to
provide a comparison between meetings and to illustrate progress.
c. Other
Mr. Nelson commented on the handout "Why Toll Roads for Texas ?" that he had
brought for the board members to review. The handout gave a brief overview of
how TxDOT will conduct future business and how new sources of income can be
used for upcoming transportation issues. He stated gasoline taxes would not be
enough to cover the costs associated with a free highway system, especially with
the new hybrid vehicles being produced.
Mr. Nelson also commented on the Trans Texas Corridor and the importance of it
in TxDOT's overall transportation planning. He stated there would be public
meetings in every county in the state in February to make the public aware of its
impact. Mr. Nelson then discussed Pass - Through Tolling or Shadow Tolling and
its use as a funding mechanism.
X. Public comment on any item not on the agenda
Mr. Moller discussed planning issues at 15th and Holiday, on over to Brook, which will
help establish a zone of redevelopment in that area. He raised questions of how TxDOT
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will complete the intersection, whether there will be a main -lane facility or a public
recreation facility in the right -of -way areas.
Mr. Nelson commented there was a long -term commitment for Kell to have an
interchange and an elevated section over Scott Street and reenter at the Emmanuel
Davis overpass, which had been accepted by the public. He stated this issue should be
scrutinized closely during the 25 year plan review.
XI. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:58 a.m.
Mayor William Altman, TPC Chairperson
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