RICHMOND AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

Transcription

1 RICHMOND AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION MINUTES OF MEETING MEMBERS PRESENT Edward L. Henson, III, Chair... Town of Ashland Joseph Andrews, Jr.... County of Goochland Richard W. Ayers... County of Powhatan Viktoria W. Badger... City of Richmond Robert M. Berry... RMA Malvern R. Butler... County of Goochland Scott Clark (Alternate)... GRTC Transit System Douglas G. Conner (Alternate)... City of Richmond Robert A. Crum, Jr.... RRPDC Tammye Davis (Nonvoting)... FHWA E. Todd Eure...County of Henrico Allyson Finchum (Alternate)... County of Charles City Thomas E. Flynn... City of Richmond Daniel A. Gecker... County of Chesterfield Kathy C. Graziano... City of Richmond Thomas A. Hawthorne... VDOT Amy Inman (Nonvoting)... Department of Rail and Public Transportation Jean M. Moore...County of Henrico Patricia S. O Bannon...County of Henrico Mark Riblett... VDOT Cherika Ruffin (Alternate)... RideFinders Robert R. Setliff... County of Hanover Barbara K. Smith (Alternate)... County of Chesterfield Frank J. Thornton...County of Henrico Stran L. Trout... County of New Kent Joseph B. Walton... County of Powhatan Deborah B. Winans (Alternate)... County of Hanover MEMBERS ABSENT Timothy W. Cotman, Vice Chair... County of Charles City Linda G. Broady-Myers (Nonvoting)... EDAC Cliff Burnette (Nonvoting)... VDA Marleen K. Durfee... County of Chesterfield John Gordon... County of Hanover Lawrence A. Hagin... GRTC Transit System James M. Holland... County of Chesterfield George M. Homewood... County of New Kent John Jacobs (Nonvoting)... CTAC Ryan Long (Nonvoting)... FTA John McCracken... County of Chesterfield

2 Page 2 MEMBERS ABSENT (cont.) Faye O. Prichard (Alternate)... Town of Ashland Herbert A. Richwine (Nonvoting)... CTAC Ellen F. Robertson... City of Richmond John Rutledge... CRAC Von Tisdale (Nonvoting)... RideFinders Joseph E. Vidunas... County of Hanover OTHERS PRESENT Anne Davis... Citizen Mary Godsey... Citizen James A. Jackson... City of Richmond Carolyn Paulette... Citizen Mark Riblett (Alternate)... VDOT Ronald Svejkovsky... VDOT Hal Vaughan... Citizen RRPDC STAFF PRESENT Daniel N. Lysy, MPO Secretary Sulabh Aryal Aisling Chapin Chuck Gates Billy Gammel Barbara Jacocks Jin Lee Barbara Nelson Sharon Robeson Greta Ryan Randy Selleck Jackie Stewart Tiffany Tran Lee Yolton CALL TO ORDER MPO Chairman Edward L. Henson, III, called the meeting of the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to order at 2:30 p.m. in the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission Board Room. MEETING QUORUM MPO Secretary Daniel N. Lysy reported that a quorum was present. PLEDGE OF ALLEGANCE All present stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag. INTRODUCTION MPO Secretary Dan Lysy noted the appointment of new MPO nonvoting member Amy M. Inman by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. He also noted that GRTC Transit System appointed Lawrence A. Hagin to serve as MPO member and Scott H. Clark to serve as MPO alternate member.

3 Page 3 I. ADMINISTRATION A. Additions/Changes to MPO Agenda Mr. Lysy noted a request to move agenda item III.D, FY 12 FY 15 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and MPO Statement of Certification, up in the agenda immediately following the Public Comment Period. On motion of Malvern R. Butler, seconded by Viktoria W. Badger, the MPO agenda was revised as requested. B. Minutes of the April 14, 2011 MPO Meeting On motion of Malvern R. Butler, seconded by Frank J. Thornton, the MPO unanimously approved the April 14, 2011 meeting minutes as presented. C. Open Public Comment Period Chairman Henson opened the public comment period of the meeting requesting those who wish to speak to step to the podium and state their name and affiliation. He asked that each speaker limit comments to three minutes. Anne Davis, resident of Willow Oaks subdivision, off Forest Hill Avenue and near the proposed Forest Hill Avenue Improvement Project, expressed concern about the $12 million project which is included in the TIP for MPO consideration. She reported that she submitted to RRPDC Executive Director Robert Crum a petition signed by 145 residents in the Forest Hill Ave. project area who are expressing opposition to the current project design. She reported action from a meeting held earlier today by the City Urban Design Committee recommending denial of this project application citing several reasons, which Ms. Davis summarized. Carolyn Paulette, resident of Forest Hill Ave. two blocks from Forest Hill Park, noted that the Vision Plan [of the 2031 Long-Range Transportation Plan] contains a project Forest Hill Avenue Improvement lanes with bikes, pedestrian facilities [further down Forest Hill Ave.; not associated with this project]. She stated that Mrs. Graziano was unaware the project was in the plan and is making an effort to get the City to request the project be removed from the plan. Ms. Paulette requested that the whole area from Stratford Hills area down to Semmes Avenue be considered when looking at changes in the area and involve residents in the process from the beginning. She said she would appreciate it if the City could make changes [in the current project] without taking part of her front yard for bike lanes. Ms. Paulette reported that residents filed last Friday for historic designation for the whole area and are hoping that DHR [Department of Historic Resources] will approve their request. Hal Vaughan, resident of Wakefield Road, not in the Forest Hill corridor, stated that he has 10 valid points about why this plan should not go through as it is and that he is disappointed it is being pushed through. He

4 Page 4 said community involvement has been very poorly handled with only two opportunities for public information and feedback, and that the plans are not really changing as a result of citizen input, but rather the visualization of the project has changed, so that those who have concerns are not being listened to. Mr. Vaughan said his concern is that if funding continues now for this project the final construction design may not change. He said that when traffic through-put is increased, it marginalizes area businesses and that there will still be a bottleneck at the end of the project area. Mr. Vaughan said he believes the City has forgotten the human factor, the people, the families, and that modern traffic engineering practices take this into account. He said his research shows the current project design to be twenty to thirty years out of date and the residents deserve better. Chairman Henson asked if there were any comments from the MPO and in response to questions staff stated that there is a very limited amount of Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds placed on the project and that the project is included in the 2031 Long-Range Transportation Plan. There being no further requests to address the MPO, Chairman Henson closed the public comment period of the meeting. III. NEW BUSINESS A. FY 12 FY 15 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and MPO Statement of Certification RRPDC Principal Planner Barbara Nelson responded to a question from Pat O Bannon on how a project such as the Forest Hill project gets on the TIP list of projects. She stated that this project was first included as a component of the Region s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) as a Vision project in the 2018 LRTP, which was approved by the MPO in 1998; was carried forward in subsequent plans; and has been in the TIP since She explained that projects move forward from the LRTP into the Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) and into the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), with the LRTP as the vision document and the TIP as the implementing document. Mr. Lysy noted that today s MPO action on the TIP document allows all the projects in the TIP to move forward and does not necessarily endorse them. He said there are a number of other steps involved following MPO action and it is still up to the various implementing agencies and localities to continue with whatever additional public review and revisions are required for design considerations. Mr. Butler inquired if the project has been designed and Kathy Graziano responded that the project is a conceptual design which the City has been working on with neighborhood input for over a year. Ms. Nelson noted the staff report and support materials included under agenda tab six for the FY 12 FY 17 Richmond Area MPO Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and provided a PowerPoint presentation which explained what the TIP document is, what kinds of projects it includes, and how it is utilized as a working document in the funding

5 Page 5 process. Ms. Nelson noted that the TIP is financially constrained, publicly reviewed and includes an air quality conformity process, which she reviewed. She discussed this year s abbreviated TIP development schedule and reviewed the steps followed in development and approval of the draft FY 12 FY 17 TIP including a summary of public comments received. Ms. Nelson read the resolution proposed for MPO action on the TIP and offered to answer questions. Bob Crum stated that in addition to comments received during the formal public comment period, the RRPDC has received a number of phone calls and s expressing concern about the Forest Hill Avenue project, most related to design issues. He said staff is recommending that the City consult with the neighborhood to see if the design issues can be resolved as the project moves forward, and noted that MPO action places money on the project to allow it to go forward, but does not preclude design changes. Ms. Graziano commented that the project moving forward today is conceptual. She said the project will take a major arterial road, which runs from the county into the city, and make it into a road that can be used safely by cars, pedestrians, and bike riders, which the road does not accomplish now. Ms. Graziano noted that many changes have been made due to community input and that she and Mr. Flynn have discussed more changes to the conceptual design. Mr. Butler inquired if the City wants to leave the funding on this project and Ms. Graziano replied affirmatively. In response to a question, Ms. Nelson explained that if the project is not constructed, the federal RSTP or CMAQ funds allocated to the project by the MPO would be returned to the MPO or to the locality for reallocation. Mr. Andrews noted that the MPO self certification document references a number of federal guidelines that must be met and inquired if the staff and TAC recommendations for approval ensure that the MPO is in compliance with the noted guidelines and requirements, and Mr. Lysy responded affirmatively that the MPO is in compliance with all federal requirements. On motion of Malvern R. Butler, seconded by Joseph Andrews, Jr., the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization unanimously approved the following resolution: RESOLVED, that the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) hereby adopts the FY 2012 FY 2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process Self Certification as presented, subject to MPO action to find the air quality conformity analysis for regionally significant projects included in the MPO s 2031 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Update and the FY 12 FY 15 TIP to be in conformance with all applicable federal air quality conformity analysis requirements and the MPO accepting the conformity analysis findings for the 2031 LRTP Update and the FY 12 FY 15 TIP.

6 Page 6 I. ADMINISTRATION D. MPO Chairman s Report 1. Election of FY 2012 MPO Chairman and Vice Chairman In accordance with the MPO Bylaws rotation order for MPO officers, and on motion of Malvern R. Butler, seconded by Patricia S. O Bannon, the MPO unanimously elected Timothy W. Cotman, Jr., Charles City County Board of Supervisors, as FY 2012 MPO Chairman and Stran L. Trout, New Kent County Board of Supervisors, as FY 2012 MPO Vice Chairman. 2. Other Business No other business was reported. E. RRPDC Transportation Director s Report 1. ARRA Projects Status Mr. Lysy provided a handout of the latest available ARRA project status report for the Richmond Region dated. He said the projects must be completed by September Other No other business was reported. II. OLD BUSINESS No old business was brought forward. III. NEW BUSINESS B. MPO Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) Meeting Report In the absence of both CTAC co-chairmen, Barbara Nelson, RRPDC staff, noted the report included in agenda package tab three. She briefly reported on the presentation by Mary Doswell, Senior Vice President, Alternative Energy Sources, for Dominion Resources Services, Inc., and the election of FY 12 CTAC officers at the April 26 CTAC meeting. Ms. Nelson reported CTAC s participation in a May 25 joint meeting with EDAC on the Route 5 Urban/Suburban Multimodal Corridor Study and said a presentation on bus rapid transit is scheduled for the July 26 CTAC meeting. C. MPO Elderly and Disabled Advisory Committee (EDAC) Meeting Report In the absence of the EDAC chairman, Lee Yolton, RRPDC staff, noted the staff report in agenda package tab four and briefly reported on discussion at the April 27 EDAC meeting expressing concerns regarding

7 Page 7 MCV s action to change the pick-up and drop-off point for paratransit vehicles, without prior notice to a location that is difficult for the paratransit vehicles to access, unloads riders from the vehicles into oncoming traffic, and is not adequately staffed to provide assistance to individuals with disabilities to get from the new location to and from their appointments. Mr. Yolton noted that an ad hoc committee was appointed to address this issue as necessary and appropriate. Mr. Yolton reported on the presentation by RRPDC Executive Director Bob Crum and Chamber President and CEO Kim Scheeler on the Capital Region Collaborative Strawman Draft Regional Priorities and said an EDAC subcommittee was appointed to look at the Strawman categories and, from EDAC s perspective, determine the key messages the elderly and disabled community would want the Region s policy-makers to hear. Mr. Yolton reported on additional discussion and action items from the EDAC meeting and EDAC s participation in the May 14 joint meeting with CTAC on the Route 5 Urban/Suburban Multimodal Corridor Study. D. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Work Group Tiffany Tran, RRPDC staff, noted the staff report and proposal for the Richmond Region ITS Work Group included in agenda tab five, and she defined ITS as the integration of communication and technologies into the surface transportation network. Ms. Tran provided an overview of intelligent transportation system components and provided examples of how ITS technologies are used to help monitor and manage traffic flow, enhance productivity and save lives, time and money. Ms. Tran explained that VDOT has identified a Central Region ITS Architecture and noted that there are five architectures in Virginia as well as a statewide architecture which provides a blueprint of how the information exchanges and the infrastructure is deployed in within each architecture. She noted the ITS Implementation Plan covers the process for ITS deployment and cooperative agreements, whereas the ITS Architecture Maintenance Plan establishes the agency serving as the ITS Architecture Maintainer (VDOT in the Central Region) and defines the maintenance process. Ms. Tran explained the staff proposal that the MPO establish an ITS work group that reports to the MPO Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for ITS related planning and programming activities and indicated that work group members would either be TAC members, alternates or a TAC member designee and would also include staff from the Crater PDC (staff to the Tri-Cities MPO) and staff from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Virginia Division office. Ms. Tran said RRPDC staff would provide administrative services for the work group and would serve as liaison to the Central Region ITS Architecture Maintainer and she defined the primary responsibilities for the MPO TAC ITS Work Group, which would report directly to TAC. Ms. Tran noted that the MPO TAC took action at its April 15 meeting to endorse the establishment of the TAC ITS Work Group.

8 Page 8 On motion of Richard W. Ayers, seconded by Kathy C. Graziano, the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization unanimously approved the following resolution: RESOLVED, that the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) supports the establishment of the MPO Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Work Group for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to provide planning and programming support and assistance for TAC, and to advise TAC on ITS related matters; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in addition to those individuals appointed by TAC members to the TAC/ITS Work Group, that a representative from the Crater Planning District Commission and from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Virginia Division office may also serve on the TAC/ITS Work Group; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that representation on the TAC/ITS Work Group and its duties and responsibilities are subject to TAC review, consideration and action. IV. OTHER BUSINESS No other business was brought forward for consideration. V. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chairman Henson adjourned the meeting at approximately 3:20 p.m. Next regularly scheduled MPO meeting is July 14, 2011 (start time between 2:00 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., depending on time required for the RRPDC Board meeting).