Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Agency
Technical Advisory Committee
Meeting Summary
January 26, 2007
Committee Members Present:
Mr. Erik Nelson, Chairman, City of Fredericksburg
Ms. Kathy Beck, City of Fredericksburg
Ms. Diana Utz, George Washington Regional Commission
Mr. Dennis Carney, Caroline County
Mr. Bassam Amin, City of Fredericksburg
Mr. Eric Vogel, VA Department of Transportation (VDOT)
Mr. Anthony Foster, Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC)
Ms. Christine Hoeffner, Virginia Railway Express (VRE)
Ms. Unwanna Dabney, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Mr. Daniel Cole, Spotsylvania County
Others Present:
Mr. Marvin Tart, VA Department of Transportation (VDOT)
Mr. Jim Ponticello, VA Department of Transportation (VDOT)
George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) Staff:
Mr. Lloyd Robinson, Director of Transportation Planning/FAMPO Administrator
Mr. Kevin Byrnes, Director of Regional Planning
Mr. Andy Waple, Regional Planner
Mr. David Lee, Regional Planner
Ms. Marti Donley, Public Participation Coordinator
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Erik Nelson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The Transportation Advisory Committee agenda was approved.
APPROVAL OF MEETING SUMMARY OF JANUARY 26, 2007
The Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Summary of December 15, 2006 was approved.
REVIEW OF FAMPO BOARD MEETING OF JANURARY 22, 2007
Mr. Robinson gave summaries on the FAMPO Policy Committee meetings of December 15, 2006, and of January 22, 2007, and of the Executive Committee meeting of January 22, 2007. The FAMPO Policy Committee Meeting Summary of December 15, 2006 was included in the packet, and the highlights of the FAMPO Policy Committee Meeting and the Executive Committee Meeting of January 22, 2007 are summarized below:
Executive Committee Meeting:
§ Development of a New Business Relationship with VDOT:
FAMPO Policy Committee Meeting:
§ Update on Legislature - Eldon James gave an update on the legislature he received at the General Assembly.
§ I-95 HOT Lanes - A presentation by Mr. Tim Young from the Flour Transurban Team on the I-95 Hot lanes. The environmental assessment schedule will be compress for the southern segment which will move the schedule up by approximately one year from the original project schedule. The southern segment will be divided into two construction projects. The first construction project will end at Rt. 630 in Stafford County, and the second construction project will consist of crossing the Rappahannock River and ending at Massapponax in Spotsylvania County.
§ Virginia Railway Express (VRE) - The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is involved in making significant changes. The change of voting structure is based on how the budget is apportioned. The two commissions in the VRE Operations Board are looking to change the dues structure for VRE and to expand membership on the VRE Operations Board. The issue of the third rail and CSX were discussed.
§ Stafford County Regional Airport - A presentation was given on the airport construction and asked for advisement on a pending loan application of $1.2m with the USDA. A resolution requesting endorsement will be presented at the February 2007 Policy Committee meeting.
§ TIP Amendment - The Board authorized a public hearing on a TIP Amendment for the Stafford VRE Parking Log Expansion. To use $500,000 of CMAQ funds.
§ VDOT Workshop
§ GWRC Procurement Policy – The Board authorized the release of the draft GWRC Procurement Policy be advertised for a Public Comment and a Public Hearing. The Public Hearing is scheduled during the February Policy Committee meeting.
§ Retainer Contract for Engineering and Planning Services – The Board approved FAMPO to enter into a retainer contract for engineering and planning services when needed. An RFP will be completed to accomplish this objective.
§ 2007 Multimodal Planning Grant Program – VDOT and Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) has $3.25m available for multi-modal planning grants. Applications are due March 2, 2007. Two projects were discussed which included the Falmouth intersection and Lafayette Blvd. A prioritization list of projects will be presented to the Board in February for submission to VDOT.
Mr. Robinson outlined the meeting of the first Transportation Advisory Group (TAG) committee meeting for FY2007. The meeting was well attended, but a representative from Caroline County is still needed. It was a reorganization meeting, and the topics discussed were the same as the TAC agenda. The meetings are scheduled for the Wednesday before the meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee.
OLD BUSINESS
a.) Constrained Long Range Plan (CLRP) Status
A new CLRP Plan is due by January 2008, and the CLRP schedule was included in the meeting packet. Mr. Ponticello indicated that an approved, final project list would be needed in order to start the Conformity Determination. The requirements of the Conformity Determination, the requirements of an Ozone 8-Hr. Maintenance Area have changed. A positive conformity determination needs to be in place before the CLRP is adopted by the FAMPO Board in December 2007 in order to meet the January 2008 deadline. A screening process for the project list is needed to guide the project list first through the Needs Plan and then onto the CLRP.
Mr. Byrnes explained the general methodology in the used in the population forecast, and the factors involved
in regional population growth in this region. A handout was given to the committee of the GWRC/FAMPO regional demographic control forecasts for the 2035 CLRP which included the total population,, total employment by place of work, group quarters population, total households, and the total employment for the region.
b.) Transit Policy Plan Status
The GWRC is the actual owner of the project in business for FAMPO. A notice to proceed letter was sent to Edwards & Kelcey, and an open house is scheduled for Tuesday, February 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Questions, recommendations, and concerns about the Transit Policy Plan are welcomed at the open house.
c.) Public Participation Plan Status
The Public Participation Plan (PPP) is close to completion. The completion date is scheduled for February 15, 2007. All Board members will receive an electronic copy to review before the February Board meeting on February 26, 2007. A Resolution will be recommended to advertise the PPP for public comment for a forty-five day period and to hold a Public hearing at the April FAMPO meeting.. A resolution will be presented at the April 2007 Board meeting for adoption of the PPP depending on the outcome of the public comment period. The FAMPO website is currently under consideration, and the consultants, Cordell & Crumley, will be helping expedite both the GWRC and FAMPO websites.
d.) Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Status
The Bike and Pedestrian Plan is moving forward, and the next committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 29th. A set of goals and objectives, a vision statement, a public survey will be reviewed, and any recommendations, revisions, and comments will be presented to the February TAC committee for review. A handout was given outlying a funding program for projects less than $500,000 under from FHWA for public lands highways discretionary funds. The application must be submitted to VDOT by March 6, 2007. The funds do not have a local match requirement, and the funds must be obligated by the end of the fiscal year. The projects under consideration for the grant were outlined to include construction, engineering, planning and research. The projects in question for the funding program will be presented to the Board at the February meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
a.) Discussion of VDOT Business Relationship
In December, Chairman Matt Kelly, Mr. Bob Wilson, Mr. Hap Connors, and Mr. Lloyd Robinson met with Secretary of Transportation, Pierce Homer, and Commissioner David Ekern of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The goals of the VDOT, the region, and local governments were discussed in order to develop a new, working business relationship between the entities. A workshop was recommended to discuss a range of issues and topics which are outlined in the handout. A facilitator, Sheila Lawson, has been selected for the workshop. The conclusions and recommendation from the workshop will be presented to the FAMPO and CTB boards for discussion in order for a MOU to be signed.
STAFF AND AGENCY REPORTS
The Staff and Agency Report were included in the meeting packet. No comments were given.
REPORTS FROM JURISDICTIONS
§ VDOT – The secondary road devolution report to the Stafford County Board for different options such as taking over their maintenance, construction, and taking over the entire operations. What was created by the study is something that can be applied statewide as well as Stafford County. The created model was based on VDOT’s current expenditure history in these areas. The funding level available to VDOT to maintain a level of serve was a major question.
There will be a series of workshops on the Safe Routes of School Program which are not currently scheduled.
§ City of Fredericksburg – The Fredericksburg City Counsel has formally adopted Fall Hill Avenue has the next project upgrade to include the Mary Washington Blvd. extension. A lease with VRE was approved for use of the parking area to become an enhanced ADA area to include an increase number of parking spaces and different modifications to meet ADA requirements.
§ Spotsylvania County - Spotsylvania County recently adopted a level of service standards for facilities and has developed design standards to hopefully be adopted shortly. The Massapponax Corridor Project Study is due to be completed in April 2007. The County is continually working on the Traffic Model development.
§ Caroline County – A new land use map has been approved. At February meeting, the Carmel Church and Ladysmith land use map will be presented for adoption.
§ PRTC – No report was given
§ FRED – The grant application from DRPT The buses have been ordered for their additional routes, and replacement buses for Spotsylvania County. They have a new Assistant Transit Manager, Wendy Kimball, who begins on February 5, 2007. Their new facility is scheduled to be completed in September 2007. Mr. Robinson stated that the Board endorsed FRED’s demonstration grant with the University of Mary Washington.
§ VRE – The new rail cars were christened last week, and they will be put into service this weekend. Two will be on the Fredericksburg Line and two will be on the Manassas Line. Over the course of the year, there will be a rolling delivery of additional cars at four to six at a time until the end of this year.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.
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