Below are the minutes for the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, held on Friday, December 19, 2003, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Conference Room East (6A), at the Clark County Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street - Floor 4, 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, December 19, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. in the Conference Room (6 Floor) at Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street Vancouver, Washington. Dale Robins, RTC, Transportation Planner, served as Chair for the meeting. Those in attendance follow:
Randy Bombardier City of Ridgefield Jim Carothers City of Camas John Cullerton Metro Lynda David RTC Evan Dust Clark County John Fratt Port of Vancouver Mark Harrington RTC Marla Harrison C-TRAN Bob Hart RTC Robin Krause Clark County Thomas Picco ODOT Ed Pickering C-TRAN Sandi Roberts RTC Dale Robins RTC Wade Strange SW Clean Air Agency Phil Wuest City of Vancouver Dale Robins asked for any changes or corrections to the November 21, 2003, meeting minutes.
PHIL WUEST, CITY OF VANCOUVER, MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 21, 2003 MINUTES AND ED PICKERING, C-TRAN, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
II. 2004-2006 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program Amendment #1: TPP2 and SE 1st Street, Action
Dale Robins, RTC, distributed a revised memorandum describing the 2004-2006 MTIP Amendment #1 regarding the Transportation Priorities Project II (TPP II), SE 1st Street and the City of VAST project. Dale said the revised Memo has the addition of the VAST project. Dale pointed out that in order for local jurisdictions to receive federal transportation funds, their projects must be listed in the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP), which in turn becomes a part of the statewide State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
Dale said the RTC Board approved amendment to the MTIP that would provide $50,000 of STP-TMA dollars for TPP II. The STP dollars will be provided to Identity Clark County, through RTC. The TPP II project will be a citizen-led public outreach and education program regarding transportation in Clark County.
Dale reported that the City of Camas is requesting an MTIP amendment to carry the SE 1st Street project from the 2002-2004 MTIP into the 2004-2006 MTIP. Dale said that because of unexpected delays in securing right of way, the City of Camas was unable to obligate construction funds for the SE 1st Street project before the end of 2003.
The City of Vancouver is requesting an MTIP amendment to carry the Vancouver Multi-Corridor VAST Project from the 2002-2004 MTIP into the 2004-2006 MTIP. Dale said due to unexpected delays in processing Vancouver’s obligation request, the City of Vancouver will need to delay obligation to January 2004.
JIM CAROTHERS, CITY OF CAMAS, MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2004-2006 MTIP AMENDMENTS FOR TPP II, SE 1ST STREET AND VANCOUVER MULTI-CORRIDOR VAST PROJECTS. JOHN FRATT, PORT OF VANCOUVER, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
III. FY 2004 Unified Planning Work Program Amendment: WTP, Action
Lynda David, RTC, reported that the 2003 legislature included in the transportation budget an additional $2 million to support the work of Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs) to include RTPO participation in the update of Washington’s Transportation Plan (WTP). $1 million per year is available statewide. RTC is to receive $88,976 per year which requires an amendment to the existing FY2004 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).
Lynda said the current WTP was issued in February 2002 for the 2003-2022 planning period. The process to complete a new Plan by fall 2005 is now beginning. Each RTPO will work cooperatively with the WSDOT to develop and complete the WTP. Lynda reviewed the outline of what kind of work activities MPO/RTPO are expected to work on. Lynda said these work tasks will be incorporated into three existing UPWP work elements: 1) Metropolitan Transportation Plan, 2) Regional Transportation Data, Forecast, Air Quality and Technical Services and 3) Regional Transportation Coordination and Management. RTPO work activities carried out in Skamania and Klickitat counties in support of the WTP update will be done under the Regional Transportation Coordination and Management work element. The WTP update will be the building block for WSDOT’s preparation of the 2007-2009 transportation budget.
JOHN FRATT, PORT OF VANCOUVER, MADE THE MOTION TO FORWARD THE FY 2004 UPWP AMENDMENT (WTP) TO THE RTC BOARD OF DIRECTORS. JOHN CULLERTON, METRO, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
IV. C-TRAN 20-Year Transit Development Plan: Update, Discussion
Marla Harrison, C-TRAN, presented the C-TRAN 20-Year Transit Develop Plan. Marla distributed a handout title “20-Year Transit Development Plan” highlighting the five alternatives under consideration and the “Travel Demand Modeling of Alternatives: Findings and Conclusions” dated December 9, 2003.
Marla said in 1999, C-TRAN’s funding was reduced by 40% with the passage of Initiative 695. Since then, C-TRAN has maintained service by drawing on its reserve funds. Money that used to be saved to pay for new buses and transit facilities is now being spent on daily operations. By maintaining the current service levels, C-TRAN will exhaust its reserves in 2005. Marla said additional funding opportunities are limited by state law to a local sales tax which cannot exceed 0.9%. Right now, C-TRAN collects 0.3% local sales tax that partially funds existing services. Any increase in sales tax could only be approved through a county-wide vote.
As part of developing a 20-Year Transit Development Plan and finding a solution to C-TRAN’s funding shortfall, C-TRAN is asking the community to determine how and at what level it should operate in the future. Marla said C-TRAN is currently looking at five different service and funding alternatives. Marla reviewed each of the alternatives:
#1) No Sales Tax Increase: Reduced Service
#2) +0.3% Sales Tax Increase: Improved Service
#3) +0.3% Sales Tax Increase: Urban Service
#4) +0.6% Sales Tax Increase: Service to Light Rail Loop
#5) +0.6% Sales Tax Increase: High Capacity Bus Service.
Marla pointed out the Alternatives Comparisons sheet on the last page of the handout. Marla said that the annual cost to a household of a 0.3% sales tax increase would be about $34 dollars on average. Marla said that public opinion surveying found that 19% of residents know about the 20-Year Plan. 70% of respondents were generally supportive of C-TRAN. Over 50% of respondents answered they would be willing to pay additional sales tax for better service. She said alternative #2 appears to have the most support. It could be viewed as a 10-Year Plan. A 20-year plan may include the potential to include the high capacity transit option. She said Alternative 4 and 5 are difficult for some people to embrace because mass transit tends to be an emotional topic; people either like the idea or dislike it intensely.
Next steps include development of an implementation plan for alterative #1 should the C-TRAN Board decide not to go out for a sales tax increase or if a sales tax measure does not pass. C-TRAN will need to complete service reductions in 2005 to enable a balanced budget in 2006. The C-TRAN Board will be asked to decide on a preferred alternative. From survey results, #2 appears to be the community choice.
Marla said C-TRAN is looking for a new location for the Vancouver Mall transit center because C-TRAN does not have a lease with the Mall. C-TRAN is also looking for a new location for the downtown Vancouver transit center to replace the 7th Street location. There was general discussion about transit service and the relationship with land uses. Lynda David, RTC, said RTAC may be interested to have a presentation by Metro’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) staff who provided an interesting Power Point presentation at a TPAC meeting.
V. RTC’s 2004 Work Plan and FY 2005 Unified Planning Work Program, Discussion
Lynda David, RTC, presented RTC’s calendar year 2004 Work Plan and introduced the process to develop the federally required FY2005 Unified Planning Work Program that covers the year from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. RTC’s 2004 Work Plan and Budget was provided to the RTC Board at the December 2nd, 2003 Board meeting.
The UPWP is expected to reflect federal, state and local transportation planning emphasis areas. RTC staff will be seeking assistance from RTAC members to help draft the UPWP section on Transportation Planning Activities of State and Local Agencies. E-mails will be sent out to each jurisdiction and agency asking for input on regionally-significant transportation plans to be undertaken in FY 2005.
RTC staff anticipate that a draft of the FY2005 UPWP will be available in mid-January, 2004. RTC’s federal and state review is scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2004. Metro’s review will be from 9 a.m. to noon at Metro and RTC’s review will be from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the PSC. A staff representative from C-TRAN and WSDOT SW region should plan to attend this meeting. It is anticipated that the FY2005 UPWP will be forwarded to the RTC Board for adoption in either April or May.
Lynda reviewed the adopted 2004 Work Plan contained in RTAC packets. She said that the federal and state emphasis areas would be reviewed at the January RTAC meeting.
VII. Other Business
A. RTAC Members
GMA Process, Update
Evan Dust, Clark County, said County staff is preparing for a January 14, 2004, Board of County Commissioners work session. He said the land use plan and capital facilities will be addressed.
B. RTC Staff
Highway of Statewide Significance
Dale said an RTAC recommendation that segments of SR-500, SR-502 and SR-503 be proposed as additions to the statewide Highways of Statewide Significance (HSS) system was presented at the December 2003 RTC Board meeting. The RTC Board voted against the recommendation particularly because of concurrency issues.
2005 TIB Project Selection
On November 21, 2003, the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) announced projects selected for the 2005 TIB program. Within our 3-county RTPO region, 6 projects were selected for $14.1 million in grant funding. For the first time, the Clark County region received funds from the statewide competitive portion of the Transportation Partnership Program (TPP) for the I-5/Salmon Creek Interchange. Our RTPO region received 19% of the $74.3 million available statewide for the 2005 TIB programs. The I-5/Salmon Creek Interchange (Clark County) received $8 million, NE 138th Avenue from 18th to 28th Street (Vancouver) received $2.7 million and Mill Plain Boulevard from 172nd to 192nd Avenue (Vancouver) received $2.7 million.
Walkable Communities Workshops
Lynda reported that workshops will be held in Clark County in the week of May 3 – 7, 2004. The National Center for Bicycling and Walking (NCBW) staff trainers will be Charlie Gandy from Austin, Texas and Sue Newberry from Reno, Nevada. Lynda said she will be working with staff from the City of Vancouver, small cities, C-TRAN and WSDOT to plan for workshop locations and invitees. NCBW staff has advised that the success of the workshops is largely dependent on getting the right people to attend. It is hoped that attendees can include elected officials, those that recognize the health benefits of walking and neighborhood activists interested in improving their community.
Future Agenda Topics
Dale said the federal appropriations request should be on next month’s agenda. Regionally significant projects ready to be submitted for consideration for a federal earmark will be discussed. Dale said TEA-21 has been continued through February 29, 2004. Reauthorization of the federal Transportation Act continues to be discussed and there is talk of a new program for mega transportation projects such as improvements recommended for the I-5 bi-state corridor.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:48 a.m. The next meeting will be Friday, January 16, 2004.
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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