COUNCIL ON TRANSPORTATION

Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:

Pete Nellius (Chairman), Lee Beetschen, I.G. Burton, Bobby Fifer, Marty Lessner, Barbara Washam, Ted Williams

COUNCIL MEMBER ABESENT:

Sue McNeil

DELDOT STAFF PRESENT:

Shailen Bhatt, Secretary; Nicole Majeski, Deputy Secretary; Natalie Barnhart, Chief Engineer; Drew Boyce, Director of Planning; Karen Brittingham, Planning;Hugh Curran, Director of Finance;Lesley Devine, Office of the Secretary;Tom Greve, Acting Director of Maintenance & Operations; Shanté[d1] Hastings, Chief of Performance Management; Dawn Hopkins, Office of the Secretary; Brian Motyl, Finance; Jeff Niezgoda, Planning; James Pernol, Public Relations; Fritz Schranck, Deputy Attorney General; Lauren Skiver, DTC Chief Executive Officer; Geoff Sundstrom, Director of Public Relations; Brett Taylor, Director of Policy and Communications; Earle Timpson, Assistant Director Finance; David Nicol, Asset Management.

GUESTS:

Matt Allen, Walls, MontgomeryAssociates; Alison Denton, Decision Lens;Vicki Ford, Office of Management and Budget;Andrea Godfrey, Office of Management and Budget; Jackie Griffith, Office of the Controller General;Alan Marteney, Century Engineering;Roland Longacre;James Wilson, Bike Delaware.

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Chairman Nellius called the meeting to order with a review of the Agenda.

Before moving to the first item, Chairman Nellius asked for a motion to approve minutes from the February 20, 2013, Council meeting. Councilman Lessner made the motion to accept the minutes as written. Councilman Williams seconded and the minutes were unanimously approved.

Prior to giving the department update, Secretary Bhatt asked to go around the room for the purpose of introductions.

In his department update, Secretary Bhatt provided a fiscal overview of 2013 and a look ahead at 2014. The presentation touched on the departments’ entire budget, highlighting the reduction of DelDOT’s overall indebtedness, decreasing the operating budget for the second consecutive year and holding the line on DTC subsidy growth through identifying efficiencies instead of transit cuts. (Copy of presentation attached.)

Hugh Curran discussed the department’s pursuit of a revolving line of credit, which will only be used to help with cash flow management related to capital projects when revenues lag expected expenditures. The line of credit will not add additional spending capacity and when revenues catch up, the line of credit will be repaid.

Continuing the department update, Secretary Bhatt detailed DelDOT’s Performance Management Program identifying the 15 key performance indicators for measurement (Included in the attachment.) This data will be listed on the department’s on-line DASHBOARD providing transparent, public accountability.

Natalie Barnhart provided an update on major projects, including:

  • I-95 / SR 1 – The southbound flyover ramp is scheduled to open next Tuesday morning (August 27, 2013). The northbound version of the ramp is expected to open in October. Overall, work will be substantially completed by next calendar year.
  • I-95 / 202 – Considerable reduction in congestion is anticipated with the recent opening of two ramps; approximately one year of work remains.
  • West Dover Connector – We are in the process of right-of-way acquisition with construction anticipated in FY 2015.
  • Carter Road – Expect completion by the end of this calendar year.
  • SR 26 – Advertised for construction this week; start utility work again after Labor Day; construction anticipated to start end of November/ early December, with a three year construction schedule.
  • Delaware City DMV – Ground has been broken; opening expected in May/June 2014.

Jeff Niezgoda offered an update on the First State Trails and Pathways Initiative. Actual spend in FY 2013 was over $3.1 million; expected spend for FY 2014 is $7.6 million; there are five active construction projects; three additional projects will begin construction prior to the end of this calendar year; eleven projects will be built over next three years; it’s an over $16 million program.

  • C and D Canal Trail – Near completion; media event/ ribbon cutting planned; trail counters are in place and operational with current use already described as “almost off the chart”.
  • Industrial Phase III – Money recently programmed for design; work on conceptual plan, cost analysisand NEPA approval anticipated by end of December.

Secretary Bhatt emphasized the department’s work with DNRECto set an aggressive schedule to beginconstruction in three years. Important to the timing are several issues surrounding project including wildlife andenvironmental challenges to building in this area. We are working with environmentalists to identify concerns and factor this information into fast-tracking resolution. On the positive side, Norfolk Southern approved a “Right of Entry”.

  • US 301 – Final design has been approved with advanced utility relocation underway. The NEPA process is complete and a Record of Decision has been given by the Federal Highway Administration. Right of way acquisition should be complete by the end of the year, with a preliminary schedule calling for a spring 2014 advertising and fall 2014 ground breaking. DelDOT has made application for Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program funding, a government loan program which lowers cost of borrowing by providing credit assistance on qualified projects of regional and national significance. The decision to build will depend heavily on TIFIA funding, a decision which will probably come this fall. The Council will be kept abreast of the issue.

Nicole Majeski distributed a draft modification/update of the COT brochure for Council’s review. The language has been modified to reflect the detail and timeline found in Delaware Code. DelDOT photographer James Pernol will add photos taken during today’s meeting.

In following the brochure timeline, Secretary Bhatt explained the process of releasing a draft Capital Transportation Program (CTP) to the Council prior to public release. The Council will receive a copy of the FY2015 – FY2020 draft CTP in early September. During the last week of September, Public Workshops are scheduled to present the draft CTP in each county. Comments relating to the CTP will be accepted during this period, and will continue to be accepted up to ten days after the final public meeting.All comments will be compiled and shared with the Council. The Council will reconvene later this year to review those comments and determine any necessary changes. Under Delaware Code the Council is charged with adopting a final CTP document by March 1st of each year.

Secretary Bhatt reiterated the two primary roles of the COT under Delaware Code - approve DelDOT’s process per Delaware Code (Title 29, Section 8419) 2(a.) Establish a formula-based process which shall be used for setting priorities on all Department transportation projects and which shall consider but not be limited to the following: Safety, service and condition factors; social, economic and environment factors; long range transportation plans and comprehensive land use plans; and continuity of improvements. Secondly, the Council is charged with having final approval and adoption of the CTP document produced by said process.

The department carefully examined DelDOT’s prioritization process in consideration of the Delaware Code. In collaboration with Decision Lens, Inc., a software program was developed integrating the mission, vision and goals of the department. Company representative Allison Denton demonstrated the formula based, transparent process detailing the driving factors behind the customized program.

In essence, through Decision Lens, DelDOT utilized the department goals already established through pair-wise comparisons developed criteria to achieve those goals, weighted the importance of specified criteria, determined metrics for each of the criteria and evaluated the projects quantitatively/qualitatively against each of the rating scales to determine a technical score. Also included in this process is consideration for the resources necessary to implement/construct the project along with thepotential value return on investment.This methodology establishes a well-articulated, data-driven priority list.

Deputy Attorney General Fritz Schranck clarified that Council does have formal statutory authority to reprioritize the CTP, however it must use the same formula based process. Mr. Schranck noted that the Council can vote to readjust priorities and weights used in the formula.

Mr. Williams made a two-part motion to approve the prioritization process based upon the criteria and rankings provided at today’s meeting, followed with a request for the department to provide the Council a summary of what the components of each of the rankings of the criteria are. Mr. Williams added that DelDOT should proceed with creating the CTP ranking based upon process identified this evening, allowing time for the Council to review the material while continuing the public notification and comment process. Mr. Williams also noted that this motion does not prohibit the council from making adjustments and asking questions about the ranking, based on criteria the Council wants to establish and vote on at the appropriate time. Mr. Burton seconded the motion. After brief discussion Chairman Nellius asked for a voice and hand raised vote of those in favor or opposed. The decision was unanimous to move forward with the motion offered by Mr. Williams.

At the request of the Councilbackground materials detailing criteria, categories and sub-categories will be mailed to all members this week. Also included in the mailing will be a list of definitions related to the prioritization process.

Mr. Williams made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Mr. Burton seconded and it passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Dawn Hopkins

Assistant to Deputy Secretary

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