Minutes of June 25, 2014 MVMPO Meeting

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MEETING MINUTES

MerrimackValleyMetropolitan Planning Organization(MVMPO)

Merrimack ValleyPlanning Commission(MVPC),Haverhill, MA

Wednesday, June 25, 2014 – 1:15pm

Attending:

VotingMembers:

Stephen Woelfel, MassDOT, representing MassDOT Secretary Davey

DennisDiZoglio,MerrimackValley PlanningCommission(MVPC) Executive Director

Joe Costanzo,MVRTA Administrator

Theresa Park, representing Mayor Rivera of the City of Lawrence

Connie Raphael,MassDOTDistrict 4representing MassDOT HighwayAdministratorDePaola

Mayor Fiorentini, Mayorof the City of Haverhill

Ken Gray,Mayorofthe City of Amesbury representing MVMPO Subregion #1

Jeff Wade, Georgetown representing MVMPO Subregion #3

Curt Bellavance, North Andover representing MVMPO Subregion #4

OthersPresent:

SreelathaAllam, MassDOT
Mary KayBeninati, MVPC
Michael Chong, FHWA
Joe Cosgrove, MVPC
Rob Desmarais, City of Amesbury
ToddFontanella, MVPC
BetsyGoodrich, MVPC
Jerry Klima, Town of Salisbury / AnthonyKomornick,MVPC
RafaelMares,Conservation Law Foundation
John Pettis, City of Haverhill
Ross Povenmire, Town of Boxford
Frank Suszynski, MassDOT
Geordie Vining, City of Newburyport
Jim Terlizzi, MVPC

Agenda ItemNo.1 CalltoOrder

Mr. Woelfelcalled the meeting toorder at 1:15.

Agenda ItemNo.2 AdoptionofMay 14, 2014 MVMPO MeetingMinutes

There was amotiontoapprove theMay 14, 2014MVMPOmeeting minutes. The motion was seconded and approved.

Agenda ItemNo.3 OpportunityforPublicComment

Mr. Woelfelasked if there wereanymembersofthe publicpresentwho wished tospeak tothe MVMPO. No one came forward to do so.

Agenda ItemNo.4 FFYs2014-2017TransportationImprovement Program(TIP)

a. Status ofFFYs2013 & 2014 TIP Roadway and Bridge Projects

Ms.Raphaelupdatedthe MVMPOonthestatusoftheFFYs2013 2014TIP Projects:

FFY 2013

  • Merrimac – Merrimac Square Reconstruction Project: Construction began on June 17th and the project is expected to be completed in November 2015.
  • Methuen - I-93/Route 110/Route 113 Rotary Reconstruction Project: Construction work began on June 9th and the project is expected to be completed in June 2018.
  • Lawrence–Union CrossingTransportation and Community Systems Preservation (TCSP) Project:the designerprocurement process was completed; a MassDOT Design Agreement executed, and a Notice to Proceed issued. 25% design is expected to be complete in July 2014 and the project is expected to be advertised in September 2014. Funding is 100% TCSP with no match.

FFY 2014

  • Amesbury – Route 150 Reconstruction Project: The project was advertised for construction on May 24th. Bids are expected to be opened on September 9, 2014.
  • Amesbury – PowowRiverwalk Phase I: This project was proposed to be removed from the FFY 2014 element of the TIP and will be discussed later in the agenda.
  • Lawrence – Union Crossing Transportation and Community Systems Preservation (TCSP) Project: The project is at the 25/75% design stage. A Design Public Hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2014 and the scheduled advertising date is September 20, 2014. The $577,608 project cost estimate remains current.
  • Haverhill – Bradford Riverwalk Project: MassDOT has reviewed the 75% design documents and returned comments to the consultant. The MEPA Categorical Exclusion (CE) Checklist has been signed and the City is now able to advance the Project through the ROW certification process. There are 16 temporary easements and seven permanent easements that will have to be obtained. A National Grid lease and an MBTA permit are also needed. The scheduled advertising date for the project is September 20, 2014.

b. Status ofTransitProjects

Mr.Costanzo reportedthat the three new commuter coaches ordered by the MVRTA will be delivered in the first quarter of FFY 2015.

c. Review of Comments Received on Proposed Amendment

Mr. Komornick noted that MVPC had received one comment on the proposed amendment to reprogram the PowowRiverwalk project from FFY 2014 to FFY 2015 and that came from Jerry Klima of Salisbury. Mr. Klima then spoke in favor of usingFFY 2014 TAP funds to pay for the design of the PowowRiverwalk project.

d. Discussion and Action on Proposed Amendment

A motion was made to reprogram target funding for the PowowRiverwalk project from FFY 2014 to FFY 2015, reprogram funding for the Methuen Rotary from FFYs 2015 and 2016 into FFY 2014 and then program $305,000 in FFY 2014 TAP funding for the design of the PowowRiverwalk Project in Amesbury and the Route 97 Reconstruction Project in Haverhill.

Mr. Woelfel stated that MassDOT does not support the use of TAP funding for project design. Should the MPO vote to approve the amendment with this design component, MassDOTwould considernot providing the match for the construction of either project. MassDOT would view the use of TAP funds for these designs as their contribution to the projects.

Mayor Gray noted that under that funding scenario, the City would be worse off financially as it would be responsible for providing $480,000 in construction match for the project versus coming up with $200,000 of its own money to complete the design.

Ms. Raphael noted that there may be other options for reprogramming the FFY 2014 TAP funding target such as for the Lawrence Union Crossing Project or for the Methuen Rotary Project. Funding for the former project would have to be incorporated into that project's current design and then be reviewed and approved by MassDOT in time for the project to be advertised in September. Mr. Chong noted that any proposal to use TAP funds on a state facility would require community support. Mr. Suszynski added that the Lawrence Union Crossing Project design is in good shape and the project's estimated construction cost is slightly lower than amount of TCSP funding that is shown in the current TIP. However, that could be reflective of the fact that the City reduced the scope of their project to fit the budget.

There was a discussion about the status of other projects and a consensus that the MVMPO was not in a position to program FFY 2014 TAP funding now but might be in position to do so in late July if the City of Lawrence or City of Haverhill could come forward with a viable proposal. Mayor Fiorentini asked what would happen to the FFY 2014 TAP funds if they are not programmed and Chairman Woelfel replied that the region may lose this money; but however, MassDOT could reprogram it elsewhere.

Mr. Mares noted that the MVRTA is eligible to receive TAP funding and that Mr. Costanzo could develop a proposal for its use.

There was a motion to table the TAP funding discussion to the next MVMPO meeting in July. The motion was seconded and approved.

This was followed by a motion to move the Amesbury PowowRiverwalk project to FFY2015 and move the Methuen Rotary project to FY2014 until funds are allocated for the Amesbury PowowRiverwalk Project.The motion was seconded and approved.

Mr.Woelfel noted that the minutes of this MVMPO meeting should note that communities seeking to use the available TAP funding should be working diligently over the next couple of weeks to prepare their proposals.

Agenda ItemNo. 5: FFYs2015-2018 TIP

  1. Review of Comments Received on Draft FFY 2015-2018 TIP

Mr. Komornick reported that MVPC had received a number of comments on the Draft FFYs 2015-2018 TIP which are included in members' packets,along with staff's proposed responses to them.

Ms. Beninati presented and reviewed comments received from MassDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on the Draft FFYs 2015-2018TIP and reviewed the changes that are being proposed to address these comments and to correct errors found in the document.

Focusing on changes made to specific projects, Ms. Beninati referred to a handout that contained the following changes:

FFY 2015: The projects listed in Section 1D “Other Statewide Items” have been subdivided into the more specific categories of Statewide Safe Routes to School, Statewide Transportation Enhancements, and Statewide Regional Major Infrastructure. No funding sources or amounts have changed.

FFY 2015: The GHG tracking Total Quantified Impact for 2015 has been increased from-29,182 to -64,178 kg/year, after correcting the formula which had omitted the -34,996 kg/year associated with the Newburyport Clipper City Rail Trail.

FFY 2015: Section 1D – Statewide Interstate Maintenance: Subtotal is mislabeled as 80/20, but should be 90/10. The numbers listed were correct so they do not change.

FFY 2016: The project listed in Section 1D “Other Statewide Items” is now listed as “Statewide Regional Major Infrastructure”. No funding sources or amounts have changed.

FFY 2017: The project listed in Section 1D “Other Statewide Items” is now listed as “Statewide Safe Routes to School”. No funding sources or amounts have changed.

FFY 2018: Section 1A - Non-CMAQ/HSIP/TAP (Other inc. STP): The funding source for Project # 602418 Amesbury – Reconstruction of Elm Street was missing. It is STP.

FFY 2018: Section 1B - Off System Bridge - Project # 607740 Amesbury: Bridge replacement, A-07-015, R Street over the Back River has been removed from programming.

FFY 2018: Section 1D- Statewide Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program – Project # 607541 (Southern Georgetown section of the Border to Boston Trail): Total Project cost remains at $1,998,000, but the Federal share was incorrectly shown at 90% with a 10% match, when in fact it is 80% with a 20% match for CMAQ funds and therefore the correct Federal share is $1,598,400 with a required match of $399,600.

FFY 2018: The misspelling of Salisbury has been corrected.

FFY 2018: The “Highway Program Financial Plan” table is updated to include the funding changes in FY 2018 and the “Cost Estimates and Available Resources” table for Highway FY 2018 is also updated.

Ms. Beninati then referred to a second handout that included proposed changes to comments received relating to other sections of the document. Summarized below, these include:

In response to MassDOT Comments

  • Revision of definitions for what are major and minor changes in the TIP adjustment procedure;
  • Changes made to ensure the document is in accessible format;
  • Efforts that will be made to ensure that HSIP, CMAQ and TAP funding minimums can be met;
  • Updating of the Statewide Bridge List with the revised and latest list from 05/30/2014.

In response to FHWA Comments

  • Provision of a more in-depth description of the Advance Construction (AC) funding mechanism;
  • Inclusion of region-specific Operations and Maintenance data;

Ms. Beninati added that there were comments made by two residents related to MVRTA operational issues. These comments have been forwarded to the MVRTA Administrator.

She added that Mr. Klima made the following comments:

  • There will be a hearing in September for the Salisbury Section of the Border to Boston Trail.
  • He supports programming of the Salisbury Rail Trail in the TIP, and the use of federal funds to construct the Clipper City Rail Trail in Newburyport.
  • Salisbury is misspelled on page 57 of the document (change noted above).
  • The Elm Street project in Amesbury will provide a link between the PowowRiverwalk and the trail connection under I-95 that is now under design and he wants to make sure that it is included in the TIP.
  • Inquired whether the TAP funds available in FFY 2017 could be used for the Salisbury Rail Trail underpass at Route 110.

Mr.Costanzo reportedthat the MVRTA's FYs 2015-2019 Capital Plan, a five year program, was adopted by the Advisory Board in May and updated the group on the following MVRTA projects included in the document:.

  • FY2015 – Start replacement of 17 model year 2004 buses (end of service life);
  • FY2015 – Replace model year 2009 vans (end of service life);
  • FY2016 – Remaining sevenmodel year 2004 buses to be replaced (end of service life);
  • FY2016 – Replace model year 2011 vans (end of service life);
  • FY2016 – State of Good Repair at the McGovern Center in Lawrence;
  • FY2016 – Housekeeping upgrades to the Haverhill Maintenance facility:
  • FY2017 - Order three new commuter coaches adding to the fleet of 47 buses making the total size of the fleet 50 commuter buses;
  • FY2019 – Replacement of 12 buses (end of service life), and
  • Use of FTA funds used for ADA expenses and to support the planning process with MVPC.

Mr. Costanzo added that the operational issues identified in the two comments noted earlier had been addressed by having a supervisor visit the persons involved.

  1. Discussion and Action on Draft FFY 2015-2018 TIP

There was a motionto approve the Draft FFYs 2015-2018 TIP. The motion was seconded and approved.

Agenda ItemNo.6: FFY2015 MVMPO Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

  1. Review of Comments Received on Draft FFY 2015 UPWP

Mr. Komornick referred members to their packets to a handout of comments received from FHWA, MassDOT and the MVRTA on the FFY2015 MVMPO Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). Pages containing proposed changes to the document to address these comments are color coded: MassDOT in yellow, FHWA in green, and the MVRTA in blue.

Addressing a comment from FHWA, language has been added to the document to explain that MVPC is assisting the City of Haverhill in updating its Pavement Management Program using MGL Chapter 90 funds.

As an example of changes made to address comments received from MassDOT and the MVRTA, Mr. Komornick referred to the expanded description of how GreenDOT policies could impact the MVMPOregion that appears in the Introduction.

Mr. Costanzo provided brief explanations of some of his comments as noted below:

  • Page 57 - Safety Monitoring System:It's important to incorporate the output of this task into the MVRTA's bus and van training program.
  • Page 69 -Transit Planning: It should be pointed out that the MVRTA's Regional Mobility Plan combined the Elderly, Disabled, and Coordinated Human Service plans into one document to better serve the divergent transportation needs of these groups. Undertaking a new, separate Coordinated Human Coordinated Plan could fragment those efforts and must be avoided.
  • Page 73 - Downtown Lawrence Traffic Circular Study: Any changes to the roadway network could affect MVRTA bus operations.
  • Page 87 - Regional Transportation Security:People should be aware that the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) released the (statewide) Sheltering Plan and a toolkit for immediate evacuation. The toolkit directs cities and towns within a region on how to coordinate immediate evacuation plans and shelters.
  1. Discussion and Action on Draft FFY2015 UPWP

There was a motion to approve the Draft FFY2015 UPWP. The motion was seconded and approved.

Agenda ItemNo.7: Discussion of MVMPO Title VI Program

Mr. Fontanella first referred to the Self-Identification Survey developed specifically for the MVMPO that will assist in the planning process required by FDA to document the participation within the MPO’s process. He asked that members fill out this form before they leave.

Mr. Fontanella then updated the group on the MVMPO Title VI Program. All MPO’s are in the process of updating their Title VI Program documents for MassDOTapproval. Once approved, the Title VI Program document will be on a three year schedule for review. Title VI addresses requirements of MAP-21, includes a better description of the MPO planning process, and proposes changes to the MPO's Public Participation Process. Also, it is proposed that the current Merrimack Valley Transportation Committee (MPO Working Group) will continue with the newly established Environmental Justice Committee as a subset to the MPO working group.

Mr. Fontanella added that this is also an opportunity to update the MPO Public Participation Plan to address USDOT recommendations made during the MVMPO's2013 Planning Certification Review.

He then requested the MVMPO’s approval to release the MVMPO Title VI Program to MassDOT and noted that it is likely that we will be amending this document in the coming months.

There was a motion to approve the release the MVMPO Title VI Program to MassDOT. The motion was seconded and approved.

Agenda ItemNo.8: Other

Mr.Vining referred to Mayor Holaday’s letter responding to the actions taken at the May MVMPO meeting. She thinks there needs to be a level of certainty in the way that projects are removed from or reprogrammed within the TIP, and the value of reaching consensus. Mayor Holaday asks that the MVMPO go back to its traditional consensus-based decisions on programming transportation projects.

Mr. DiZoglio commented that after the presentation made by MassDOT's Bridge Section at the last MVMPO meeting, it was agreed that MassDOT would provide us with a listing of bridge scores for the region. He asked that there be a follow up on receiving that information. Mr. Woelfel said he would check on this matter.

Mr. Vining asked why the R Street Bridge project in Amesbury was being removed from the TIP. Mr. DiZoglio responded that the issue there was securing the necessary rights of way/easements to build the project. All agreed that we should get a response from the Bridge Section for why this action was taken.

Mr.Viningthen questioned how some bridge projects have disappeared from the TIP and that MVMPO members should have a clear understanding of how this happens. The formula process described by the bridge consultant at the last meeting does not provide any insight as to how such changes are made. The MassDOT Bridge section should provide the MVMPO with an explanation whenever this situation arises.

Mr. Klima commented that in response to comments made that the MVMPO make fuller use of its HSIP/CMAQ/TAP funding targets, MassDOT is now funding the design for the Ghost Trail Connector under I-95 and for a stairway the would connect the Whittier Bridge Trail with Main Street. These projects would seem to qualify for TAP or CMAQ funding and it would be great if they could be completed when the Whittier Bridge opens in 2016. Mr. Woelfel said that MassDOT is trying to get locals to develop more of their projects. Part of this problem is that there is not enough funding in the system and targets are too small. He noted that several MPO’s are leaving either CMAQ or HSIP funding on the table. This is an issue that may be addressed by the RPA Directors by reviewing the method that funds are distributed or even shared. Mr. Chong cautioned that we don’t want to see a lapsing of these funds.

Mr. Komornick read aloud the changes he had madeto thesignature page to accommodate the change to the FFYs 2014-2017 TIP Amendment as previously discussed so that part of it can move forward while the issue with TAP funding is resolved, which all present agreed to.

Agenda ItemNo.9: Adjourn

Thenext scheduled MVMPO meeting is to be determined.

There was amotiontoadjourn at2:30p.m.Themotion wassecondedand unanimously approved.