Loading...
MPO TPC/TAC Board Minutes - 07/09/2014WICHITA FALLS METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION Technical Advisory Committee Minutes Wednesday, July 9, 2014 Voting Members Present: Lin Barnett, Wichita Falls MPO, MPO Director, TAC Chairperson Allan Moore, TxDOT, Director of Construction Danny Brown, TxDOT, Director of TP &D David Rohmer, TxDOT, Area Engineer Davis Powell, City of Wichita Falls, City Engineer Karen Montgomery - Gagne, City of Wichita Falls, Planning Administrator Tim Hertel, TxDOT, Director of Operations MPO Staff: Jaimie Lee, Wichita Falls MPO, Transportation Planner II Absent: Kevin Hugman, City of Wichita Falls, ACM /Director of Community Development Mark Beauchamp, City of Wichita Falls, Traffic Superintendent Visitors: Mike Beaver, TxDOT Will Carter, Public Health District I. Welcome & Introduction Mr. Barnett, the TAC chairperson, called the meeting to order at 9:33 a.m. and welcomed everyone in attendance. IL Public Comment on Agenda and Non - Agenda Items Mr. Barnett asked for any public comments on agenda and non - agenda items. Receiving none, he moved on to the next agenda item. Ill. Review and Approval of the April 9, 2014 Technical Advisory Committee's (TAC) Meeting Minutes Mr. Barnett asked for any comments or corrections to the April 9, 2014 TAC meeting minutes. MPO staff received none. He then asked for a motion to approve the minutes. Mr. Brown made the motion to approve. Mr. Powell seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. IV. Review and Comment Regarding the April 23, 2014 Transportation Policy Committee's (TPC) Meeting Minutes — No Action Required Wichita Falls MPO TAC Meeting July 9, 2014 Page 1 of 4 Mr. Barnett asked for comments on the April 23, 2014 TPC meeting minutes. MPO staff received none. The committee moved on to the next agenda item. V. Review and Recommendation to Approve the 2015 -2018 Transportation Improvement Program Update with Project List Mr. Barnett directed the committee's attention to the 2015 -2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) enclosed in the meeting packet. He stated that the basic structure of the TIP remained unchanged, but incorporated the new project templates required by TxDOT's Transportation Planning and Programming Division in Austin. He stated the new TIP contained performance measures based on MAP -21 regulations. He then went through each section of the TIP and outlined all of the new additions to the TIP. Mr. Barnett started with the Figure 1 — MPO Boundary Man where he pointed out that the new MPO boundary, approved by the Texas Transportation Commission earlier in the year, was now in effect. The new MPO boundary extends south to FM 1954, west to Wells Road, and east to U.S. 281 thus giving WFMPO more planning area in the northern portion of Archer County. Mr. Barnett discussed the projects completed or let for construction in Table 1 — Progress from Previous Years and the new Section L. Performance Measures added to the TIP because of MAP -21 requirements. He briefly touched on each goal and performance measure associated with the Wichita Falls Transit System and with the local TxDOT District Office. Under Section Ill — Federally Funded Mobility (Highway) Projects, Mr. Barnett informed the committee that the TxDOT Transportation Planning and Programming Division (TP &P) in Austin now requires each MPO to utilize spreadsheets developed by the TP &P Division to illustrate all transit and mobility projects within their region. The spreadsheets act as standalone documents away from the main TIP document. Mr. Barnett discussed the spreadsheets in his final comments about the new TIP. Mr. Barnett asked for comments and /or revisions to the 2015 -2018 TIP. Mr. Powell recommended adding the Lawrence /Call Field /Rhea Road intersection realignment project, the three Safe Routes to School projects, the McNiel Drainage project and the Wichita Bluff Nature Area Hike and Bike Trail project to Table 1 --- Progress from Previous Years. Additionally, Mr. Powell recommended adding the Wichita Bluff Nature Area Hike and Bike project under Section V — Locally Funded Regionally Significant Projects. Mr. Barnett asked for any other comments or revisions to the 2015 -2018 TIP. Receiving none, he asked for a motion to forward the document, with revisions, to the Policy Board for review and approval at the July 23, 2014 Transportation Policy Committee meeting. Mr. Brown made the motion to forward the document. Mr. Hertel seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. VI. Progress Report on the 2015 -2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Update Mr. Barnett informed the committee about progress on the 2015 -2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. He stated the plan update was on schedule, that MPO staff had completed the introduction, and that the appendices were 65% complete. He discussed other sections of the plan where MPO staff had made significant progress towards completion. Mr. Barnett stated the plan should be ready for public review and comment by fall of 2014. He stated the goal was to have the MTP completely finished by October or November. This would give MPO staff time to revise the plan prior to the January 2015 approval deadline. Mr. Barnett asked for questions regarding progress on the 2015 -2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Mr. Brown recommended adding the Long- Wichita Falls MPO TAC Meeting July 9, 2014 Page 2 of 4 Range Project Readiness Plan as its own plan under Section 6 — Transportation Plans. Mr. Barnett asked for any additional comments or concerns regarding progress on the 2015 -2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Receiving none, he moved on to the next agenda item. VII. Progress Report on the Transit Oriented Development Study Mr. Barnett informed the committee that WFMPO contacted the transit "activity generators" which included Kell West Hospital, United Regional Health Care Center, Midwestern State University, Sheppard Air Force Base and Wichita Falls Downtown Development for a local meeting on June 11, 2014. Only five out of eleven confirmed for a face -to -face meeting. In light of this, WFMPO staff scheduled a telephone conference call with the remaining five interviewees. Freese and Nichols staff conducted the telephone conference call on June 11, 2014 with two of the five confirmed interviewees. The three remaining interviewees canceled because of meeting conflicts. Because interviewing the five largest transit "activity generators" is an important step in the TOD study process, the Freese and Nichols team wants to try a third time at getting the interviewees into a meeting room so that they can see the maps and give the consultant team valuable input for the study. WFMPO will work to set this meeting up during the month of July or early August. The Freese and Nichols team continues to process the data they have already gathered. Mr. Barnett asked for any other concerns or questions regarding the Transit Oriented Development Study. WFMPO staff received none. The committee moved on to the next agenda item. VIII. Other Business: A. Discussion & Overview of Progress on Local Transportation Projects — City and TxDOT Staff (Quarterly Review) TxDOT Report: Mr. Rohmer reported on US 82 from Galveston to McKinney road and stated this project will begin construction in the next few weeks. He stated FM 369 at McNiel is a right -turn lane project that is connected to the city's drainage ditch project and will begin construction this summer. Future projects include FM 369 at SH 240 to US 287 districtwide seal coat, City View Drive to 1 -44 overlay, FM 171 paved surface width, SH 240 bridge replacement, FM 2650 extend culverts and add shoulders, FM 369 enclose drainage ditch at Fairway and LP 473 Hatton Road place curb and gutter. City Report: Mr. Powell reported that the City had awarded the 2014 Street Rehab Project for various locations around the city and construction is 25% complete. He stated the McNiel drainage and Southwest Parkway intersection improvements have been let and construction will begin this year. Scheduled projects include the Wichita Bluff Hike and Bike Trail for October 2014. B. MPO Quarterly Financial Report (2"d Quarter FY 2014 — January, February, March) Wichita Falls MPO TAC Meeting July 9, 2014 Page 3 of 4 MPO had spent 50.48% of its allocation for FY 2014, He asked for any comments the second quarter financial report. He received none. IX. Adjourn M, Wichita Falls MPO TAG Meeting July 9, 20114 Page 4 of 4