E. OLD BUSINESS 6 E.1 Summary of Surface Transportation Program/Transportation Alternative Program Project Applications INFORMATION ITEM

Transcription

1 WHATCOM TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD AGENDA WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, :30 PM 4:15 PM Gordon W. Rogers Conference Room 314 E. Champion Street Bellingham, WA PAGE A. CALL TO ORDER/INTRODUCTIONS B. PUBLIC COMMENT During this period of time, citizens may speak informally to the Board on subjects not scheduled for public hearing. EACH SPEAKER IS ALLOWED A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES C. AGENDA APPROVAL ACTION ITEM D. MINUTES 1 5 D.1 Minutes from May 13, 2015 ACTION ITEM E. OLD BUSINESS 6 E.1 Summary of Surface Transportation Program/Transportation Alternative Program Project Applications INFORMATION ITEM F. NEW BUSINESS 7 F.1 Surface Transportation Program Project Scope Change ACTION ITEM G. PUBLIC HEARING 8 9 G.1 Amend the 2015 Whatcom Transportation Improvement Program ACTION ITEM Staff Presentation Public Hearing Open During this period of time, citizens may speak to the Board on the subject scheduled for public hearing. EACH SPEAKER IS ALLOWED A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES Public Hearing Close Board Discussion & Action H. REPORTS H.1 Executive Director INFORMATION ITEM I. BOARD OPEN FORUM J. ADJOURNMENT Persons with disabilities needing special accommodation for this meeting, please contact the WCOG office at (360) , 314 East Champion Street, Bellingham, 98225, at least six (6) days prior to this meeting to receive assistance. Para asistencia en español, por favor llame al (360)

2 PAGE 1 WHATCOM TRANPORTATION POLICY BOARD MINUTES MAY 13, 2015 ATTENDANCE BOARD MEMBERS: Gary Jensen, Jim Jorgensen, Roxanne Murphy, Jack Louws, Todd Carlson, Timothy Ballew II, Barry Buchanan, Tom Jones, Mel Hansen, Kathy Berg GUESTS: Kirk Vinish, Pete Stark, Terry Terry, Maria Callen, Cleo Callen, Brian Heinrich STAFF: Bob Wilson, Ron Cubellis, Hugh Conroy, Lethal Coe III, Leslye O Shaughnessy A. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 3:30 pm and introductions were made. B. PUBLIC COMMENT None received. C. AGENDA APPROVAL MOTION: Buchanan moved, Jones seconded, to approve the agenda as presented. D. MINUTES MOTION: Hansen moved, Murphy seconded, to approve the minutes from March 11, 2015.

3 PAGE 2 WTPB Minutes May 13, 2015 Page 2 E. PUBLIC HEARING Coe reviewed amendment #3 (1505) to the 2015 Whatcom Transportation Improvement Program. The amendment includes the following: Item #1, per advice from Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) to improve processing efficiency, the amendment consolidates TIB awarded Hughes Ave project with current Surface Transportation Programed Hughes Ave/Peace Portal Intersection Realignment project. Changes to programmed project include: add TIB funds, change project name to Hughes Ave Reconstruction, modify description, and increase total project length and total costs. Item #2-6, adds five WSDOT managed Highway Safety Improvement Program projects including: two intersection roundabouts, guardrail installation, curve warning signage, and enhancements for signage and pavement markings. Item #7, adds WSDOT managed Surface Transportation Program project for pavement preservation - crack seal pavement preservation on highways to extend service life PUBLIC HEARING OPENED at 3:36 PUBLIC COMMENT No public comment. MOTION: Buchanan moved, Jones seconded, to close the public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED 3:37 MOTION: Louws moved, Buchanan seconded, to approve amendment #3 to the WCOG TIP

4 PAGE 3 WTPB Minutes May 13, 2015 Page 3 F. NEW BUSINESS F.1 SFY 2016 Unified Planning Work Program Conroy reported all the work that WCOG does was included in the 2015 UPWP. The changes in the current document are mostly federal required language. Also new in the document includes staff working on the update to the metropolitan and regional transportation plan which is due June 2017 and the State requirement to certify that the jurisdiction s transportation elements in their comprehensive plans reflect the guidelines and principals of comprehensive plan guidelines, conform with the transportation element required sub-elements and is consistent with the adopted regional transportation plan. Staff met with WSDOT, FHWA, and FTA representatives on April 2 nd and received positive feedback and they suggested only minor changes to the preliminary draft plan. Those changes were incorporated into the document before the Policy Board. MOTION: Murphy moved, Hansen seconded, to approve the Unified Planning Work Program, Whatcom Metropolitan Planning Area, Whatcom County, Washington for State Fiscal Year F.2 Surface Transportation Program (STP) Reallocation Conroy reported WSDOT sets target dates each federal fiscal year for how much of the STP funding received locally must be obligated. The amounts that cannot be obligated by August 1 st will be reallocated to other MPO/RTPOs. To avoid losing STP funds Bellingham has agreed to swap $1,000,000 of local funds from their Alabama Corridor project with the STP funds currently allocated to the James Street project. This will allow Bellingham to obligate the federal funds this summer and they will use their local funds on James Street next year.

5 PAGE 4 WTPB Minutes May 13, 2015 Page 4 MOTION: Louws moved, Murphy seconded, to approve reallocating $1,000,000 of Surface Transportation Program funds from City of Bellingham s James Street Improvements project to the Alabama Corridor Safety project. F.3 Surface Transportation Program and Transportation Alternative Program Project Selection Process Conroy reviewed the changes to the STP and TAP application forms. The Transportation Technical Advisory Group has been working on the changes over the last three months. The draft applications were included in the packet for Board approval. MOTION: Murphy moved, Ballew seconded, to approve the application form for WCOG s 2015 STP and TAP project selection process as presented. G. REPORTS G.1 Executive Director Wilson reported that WCOG was notified of a grant award pending adoption of the state budget. It is a mobility management grant working with WTA. WCOG s lease is expiring in June and staff worked with a broker to find office space. After staff looked at various locations in Bellingham the current landlord worked with us and WCOG will be staying at the current location. H. CORRESPONDENCE Correspondence included in the packet: Letter from Matt Kunic, Manager of WSDOT Tribal and Regional Coordination Office.

6 PAGE 5 WTPB Minutes May 13, 2015 Page 5 Letter from Pete Stark, WTA General Manager, asking Wilson to be on their six-year strategic technical planning committee. I. BOARD OPEN FORUM Hansen reported that WTA s first strategic plan meeting is coming up at Bellingham High School on May 20, 2015 at 5:00 7:00 pm. The plan should be completed by March Jones reported that the Bellingham Herald had an article on Bike to Work and School Day and a brief history of Smart Trips. J. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Hansen moved, Buchanan seconded, to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 3:59 pm. Robert Bromley Chair Robert H. Wilson, AICP Executive Director

7 Summary of STP and TAP Funding Requests 2015 Call for Projects STP FFYs TAP FFYs Information PAGE for WTPB 6 July 1, 2015 STP Allocations Allcoation + flex Urban $3,700,000 $4,100,000 Rural $2,000,000 $2,400,000 Flex (any area) $400,000 $6,100,000 Program Proponent Project Request Bellingham & Horton Rd. Extension Whatcom Co. $4,100,000 Blaine Hughes Ave. Ph. 2 $774,441 STP Urban Main St. Barret to city limits Ferndale $459,000 Thorton St. - Vista to Malloy $500,000 Lynden Riverview Rd. Gap Total urban requests $791,302 $6,624,743 STP Rural Linclon St. Ph. 1 $626,152 Everson Linclon St. Ph. 2 $409,810 SR 544 Sidewalk $1,218,951 Lummi Nation Kwina Sidewalk $300,000 Whatcom Co. Hannegan / Ten Mile Creek bridge (No. 236) replacement $950,000 Whatcom Co. Welcome Center access Total rual requests $200,000 $3,704,913 TAP Allocations Allocation + flex Urban $620,000 $840,000 Rural $260,000 $480,000 Flex (any area) $220,000 $1,100,000 Program Proponent Project Request TAP Urban Whatcom Co. Birch Bay Dr. & Ped. Facility Total urban requests $620,000 $620,000 TAP Rural Lummi Nation Everson Lummi Transit Infrastructure for bus shelters $40,000 SR 544 S. Everson Sidewalk Improvements $480,000 Total rural requests $520,000

8 PAGE 7 Memo To: Whatcom MPO/RTPO Transportation Policy Board (WTPB) Date: July 1, 2015 From: Hugh Conroy, Director of Planning Subject: STP project scope change request -- Birch Bay Drive & Pedestrian Facilities (aka The Berm) Background The Birch Bay Drive & Pedestrian Facility project was selected by the WTPB to receive $1,234,805 in federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds in October, As it gets ready for construction (total est. cost of $11.5 million), Whatcom County Public Works is managing a number of known risks: cultural, fish passage, shoreline permitting, private property, etc. Given the high priority of this project and the effect of tides on available construction time frames, Public Works would like to obtain pre-approval to scale the project to defined segments (project limit alternatives) depending on future contractor bids. Three segments are shown in the graphic below. If bids are higher than currently available funding can cover, Whatcom County will proceed with the project segments that current funding allows and complete remaining work as additional funding is available. With pre-approval of project limit alternatives, the risk of missing a construction season is greatly reduced. TTAG review and recommendation Whatcom County staff reviewed project information and the projectlimit-alternatives strategy with other TTAG members on May 28. TTAG unanimously approved a recommendation to the WTPB to consider and approve the motion below. Suggested motion Approve Whatcom County s request to scale the Birch Bay Dr. & Pedestrian Facility project by the use of project limit alternatives dependent on contractor bids.

9 PAGE 8 Memo To: Whatcom Transportation Policy Board From: Lethal Coe, Planner II Date: June 26, 2015 Subject: WCOG 2015 TIP Amendments and Administrative Modifications Amendment #4 (1507) of the 2015 WCOG Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) includes the following changes: Item #1, remove I-5/Birch Bay-Lynden Rd NB Ramp Terminal, deferred by WSDOT until biennium. Location will be monitored closely. Item #2, remove Regionwide Guardrail Installation (15-17). This project has been transferred to new guardrail installation projects, Items 3 & 4. Item #3-4, adds WSDOT managed Surface Transportation Program safety projects guardrail installation for I-5 / Lakeway Dr northbound and SR 20 / Diablo Dam Road westbound. Item #5-7, adds WSDOT managed Surface Transportation Program projects for paving and safety along SR 542 (Mt Baker Highway) from I-5 to Britton Rd. Formal TIP Amendments require review and resolution from the Policy Board to amend the current TIP and make federal funding accessible. Administrative Modifications are less substantial project changes than amendments and are administered by WCOG staff. ACTION REQUESTED: Approve Amendment #4 (1507) to the Whatcom Council of Governments 2015 Transportation Improvement Program

10 PAGE 9 Whatcom Council of Governments 2015 Transportation Improvement Program Amendment 1507 Table # Agency Project Name Amended Action Added Funds $ 1 WSDOT I-5 / Birch Bay-Lynden Rd NB Ramp Terminal 2 WSDOT Regionwide Guardrail Installation (15-17) 3 WSDOT I-5 / Northbound Lakeway Dr Vicinity Guardrail Installation 4 WSDOT SR 20 / Westbound Diablo Dam Rd Vicinity Guardrail Installation 5 WSDOT SR 542 / I-5 to Britton Road - Paving 6 WSDOT SR 542 / Dewey Rd Vic Culvert Replacement 7 WSDOT SR 542 / I-5 to Hannegan Road Vicinity ADA Compliance Total Costs $ Fed Source Remove project. -4,465,397 4,465,397 HSIP Remove Project. -114, ,200 HSIP Add safety project. 110, ,365 STP Add safety project. 57,437 57,437 STP Add paving project. 3,873,456 3,873,456 STP Add safety project. 250, ,901 STP Add safety project 711, ,226 STP Current Administrative Modifications 1506 and 1507 Agency Project Modification Administered Total Costs WSDOT SR 546 / Northwood Rd Intersection Improvements Revise federal funding code for CN phase. Federal Source 2,590,522 HSIP & NHPP WSDOT Northwest Region Curve Warning Signs (15-17) Modify title, cost, funding and funding code, and expenditure schedule 360,600 STP