Below are the minutes for the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, held on Friday, November 15, 2002, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in RTC's conference room, 1351 Officers Row, Vancouver, Washington. The agenda for this meeting is also available.
I. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes
The meeting of the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee was called to order on Friday, November 15, 2002 at 9:00 a.m. in the Conference Room at RTC, 1351 Officers’ Row, Vancouver, Washington. Dean Lookingbill, RTC Transportation Director, served as Chair for the meeting. Those in attendance follow:
Jonathan Abuyan WSDOT Lynda David RTC Tyler Deke Parsons & Brinckerhoff Evan Dust Clark County John Gray Metro Mark Harrington RTC Bob Hart RTC Dean Lookingbill RTC Shinwon Kim RTC Dale Miller C-TRAN Thomas Picco ODOT Sandi Roberts RTC Dale Robins RTC Brian Snodgrass City of Vancouver Wade Strange SW Clean Air Agency Phil Wuest City of Vancouver Bill Wright Clark County Dean Lookingbill asked for any changes or corrections to the October 18, 2002, Meeting Minutes.
EVAN DUST, CLARK COUNTY, MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 18TH, 2002 MINUTES AND JOHN GRAY, METRO, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
II. WSDOT 2003 MTIP Amendment, Action
Dale Robins, RTC, presented the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) 2003 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) Amendment. Dale said at the October RTC Board meeting, the 2002-2004 MTIP was amended to carry over regional projects that have been delayed from the 2002 program into the 2003 program. However, WSDOT delayed amending their 2003 program until after the result of Referendum 51 was known. The proposed WSDOT amendment will add a preservation project, change funding sources, move projects from 2002 to 2003, and remove projects from the MTIP. These changes are needed to ensure that all regionally significant WSDOT projects will be included in the new State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
Dale reviewed the project additions and funding change.
- WSDOT is requesting an MTIP amendment to add $597,000 of federal Bridge dollars for the SW Region Seismic Retrofit project. The project includes structures on I-5, I-205 and SR-14.
- WSDOT is requesting an MTIP amendment to change the SR-501/19th Avenue Signal design from local to partial federal funding. The change switches $57,000 WSDOT dollars for $57,000 federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) dollars. The total project cost and scope do not change.
Dale reviewed the project delays and project deletion from the table that was attached to the memorandum.
PHIL WUEST, CITY OF VANCOUVER, MADE THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF AMENDING WSDOT 2003 MTIP AMENDMENT AND DALE MILLER, C-TRAN, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
III. Metropolitan Transportation Plan Update: Draft MTP, Action
Lynda David, RTC, presented the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Update. Lynda highlighted key changes in each chapter of the MTP. Lynda distributed a handout with regional travel forecast model results presented. The system performance results for speed, vehicle miles traveled, lane miles of congestion, and vehicle hours of delay appear as tables in MTP Chapter 3. Each table presents data by functional classification.
Lynda asked RTAC members to review the draft Plan and if there were any suggestions for minor edits then members should contact Lynda before the RTC Board mailing on Tuesday, November 26th. Lynda asked that members pay close attention to the section in Chapter 3 on Concurrency and check that the information is still valid for particular jurisdictions.
DALE MILLER, C-TRAN, MADE THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND FORWARDING THE MTP TO THE RTC BOARD FOR ADOPTION AT THE DECEMBER 2002 RTC BOARD MEETING AND PHIL WUEST, CITY OF VANCOUVER, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
IV. MTP and Comprehensive Plan Coordination: Certification Requirements, Discussion
Lynda David, RTC, presented the MTP and Comprehensive Plan Coordination: Certification Requirements. Lynda said at the last RTAC meeting there was interest expressed in discussing the Growth Management Act requirement that Regional Transportation Planning Organization’s (RTPO’s), such as RTC, must certify the transportation element or amendments to the transportation element of local Comprehensive Plans.
Lynda asked that RTAC members refer to the checklist provided by the Washington State Office of Community Development (OCD). The checklist summarizes the required components of the transportation element. Jurisdictions should be aware of the GMA certification requirements and the need for consistency between state, regional and local plans as they update the transportation elements. Lynda said that as the Comprehensive Plan update process progresses we need to decide on a timeline for completion of this checklist and the certification process. The RTC Board will eventually need to take action to recognize that the Plan updates are certified. Dean commented that it may be wise to mail the checklist to small cities or their consultants to help them prepare their transportation elements. Phil Wuest, City of Vancouver, suggested bringing this up at the Comp Plan Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) where all jurisdictions are represented and then later have a meeting with all jurisdictions. He suggested one meeting on concurrency and LOS so we could have a unified approach and the other on general topics.
V. 2004-09 Federal Transportation Reauthorization Bill: Project Principles, Discussion
Dean Lookingbill, RTC, presented the 2004-09 Federal Transportation Reauthorization Bill: Project Principles. Dean said that at the November 2002 RTC Board meeting, the Memo was provided to the Board for the purpose of proposing a set of principles to guide discussion of earmarks to be requested in the 2004-09 federal transportation reauthorization bill and the 2004 appropriation. The six-year federal reauthorization bill be discussed in Congress early next year (2003) and represents a one in six-year opportunity to request Congressional earmarks for certain key regional transportation projects.
Dean highlighted the principles intended to provide a guide for the discussion of federal earmarks for the 2004-09 Reauthorization Bill. He said that he wanted feedback on what kind of projects we should pursue for this reauthorization request. Bill Wright, Clark County, said he believes the average citizen thinks the most needed projects are on the interstate and state systems. Dale Miller, C-TRAN, said Park-and-Rides need funding as well as the Vancouver Area Smart Trek (VAST) program and transit service such as that provided for Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC). Bill Wright, Clark County, said he would like to see the widening of I-5 continue north of 99th Street to I-205. He said it is a project that is ready for construction and could be delivered quickly. Bill Wright also said that the I-5/I-205/134th Street interchange area projects would benefit the County in light of the concurrency problems in the area. Bill said that safety projects on SR-500 project would benefit both the City and county. Phil Wuest, City of Vancouver, said the Phase I, I-205/Mill Plain/Chkalov/112th, project is high on the City’s priority list. Phil said the City was looking for $12 million for the project last year but he would need to check on its current status.
Dale Robins, RTC, commented that there are also bi-state needs, for example the Interstate Bridge and Delta Park. Thomas Picco, ODOT, said that ODOT is pursuing an earmark for Delta Park and EIS work on the river crossing. Thomas Picco said he assumed there would be coordination from both states as the project moves forward.
Dean Lookingbill, RTC, asked each jurisdiction to have conversations on reauthorization with top staff people and ask them to address this with elected officials.
VI. Other Business
A. RTAC Members
Phil Wuest, City of Vancouver, said he would like someone from Identity Clark County to come and give a presentation on the results from the Community Forum.
Dale Miller, C-TRAN, commented on I-5 Partnership recommendations regarding TDM and light rail. He also pointed out that MTIP criteria would need to address how to evaluate TDM projects and strategies as well as transit projects against other transportation needs.
There was brief discussion on the failure of Referendum 51.
B. RTC Staff
- Urban Area Boundary Workshop, WSDOT Southwest Region HQ Building: Monday, November 18th, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- TIB Project Selection: Friday, November 22nd, Spokane
The meeting was adjourned at 10:37 a.m. The next meeting will be Friday, December 20, 2002.
For More Information Contact:
Regional Transportation Council
1300 Franklin Street, Floor 4
Vancouver, Washington 98660Tel: 360-397-6067
Fax: 360-397-6132
E-mail: info@rtc.wa.govServed by C-TRAN Route 3.
If you have special needs, please contact RTC.
       
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