Below are the minutes for the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, held on Friday, January 16, 2004, 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, January 16, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. in the Conference Room (6th Floor) at the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street Vancouver, Washington. Dale Robins, Sr. Transportation Planner, served as Chair for the meeting. Those in attendance follow:
Sam Adams City of Battle Ground Todd Boulanger City of Vancouver Jan Bowers C-TRAN Mike Clark WSDOT John Cullerton Metro Lynda David RTC Evan Dust Clark County Mark Garrity WSDOT Ejaz Khan Clark County Dean Lookingbill RTC Thomas Picco ODOT Ed Pickering C-TRAN Sandi Roberts RTC Dale Robins RTC Wade Strange SW Clean Air Agency Bill Wright Clark County Phil Wuest City of Vancouver Dale Robins asked for any changes or corrections to the December 19th, 2003, meeting minutes.
ED PICKERING, C-TRAN, REQUESTED TO CORRECT THE WORD START TO COMPLETE, ON PAGE 3, FOURTH PARAGRAPH OF THE DECEMBER 19TH, 2003 MINUTES.
PHIL WUEST, CITY OF VANCOUVER, MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 19, 2003 MINUTES AND SAM ADAMS, CITY OF BATTLE GROUND, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
II. RTC’s FY 2005 Unified Planning Work Program
Lynda David, RTC, said she wanted RTAC members to be aware of RTC’s FY 2005 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) development schedule. Lynda explained that a draft documents needs to be completed by January 19th to be submitted in preparation for the federal and state review meeting at RTC, 1:30 p.m. on Monday, February 9th. She noted that participants from C-TRAN and WSDOT should plan to attend this review meeting. Lynda thanked local staff for submitting descriptions of anticipated transportation planning projects to be inserted in section 4 of the draft document. The RTC Board will likely be asked to adopt the FY 2005 UPWP at its May 4th, 2004 meeting. The adopted UPWP will then be submitted to WSDOT’s Planning Office by May 31st and FY 2005 will begin on July 1, 2004.
Lynda described the federal and state emphasis areas for transportation planning in FY 2005. The Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration are continuing with the five key planning themes originally identified for FY 2002. Lynda reviewed the federal emphasis areas: 1) safety and security in the transportation planning process, 2) integrated planning and environmental processes, 3) consideration of management and operations within planning processes, 4) consultation with local officials, and 5) enhancing the technical capacity of planning processes.
The WSDOT planning emphasis areas for FY 2005 are similar to those for SFY 2004 with the addition of the Washington Transportation Plan update. RTPO’s will receive additional funding to participate in the update of the Washington Transportation Plan (WTP). The state emphasis areas for FY 2005 are: 1) Washington Transportation Plan update, 2) continued implementation of transportation and growth management planning, 3) MPO travel demand forecasting, and 4) Intelligent Transportation System architecture. Lynda said the WTP development will be in two phases. Phase I has begun and involves analysis of current circumstances and trends to set the context for the Plan development. The WTP update will be the building block for WSDOT’s preparation of a proposed biennial 2007 – 2009 budget. Phase II will be completed in the fall of 2005 and will be available for legislative use in January 2006. RTAC will be kept informed of the progress on WTP update.
Lynda said local emphasis areas were reported at the December 2003 RTAC meeting. They include: update to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), coordination with the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan update, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) deployment, WSDOT congestion relief study, I-5/I-205/SR-500 Alternatives Analysis, I-5 Transportation and Trade Partnership Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) process, regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Strategy, Bi-State Coordination Committee, technical services, UPWP development and implementation, congestion monitoring, Transportation Improvement Program, development and prioritization of projects for federal and statewide competitive selection, and regional travel forecasting model, data and mapping.
III. Transportation Priorities
Dale Robins, RTC, said in 2003 the Washington State Legislature passed a 10-year, $4.2 billion transportation package that includes over $210 million for state highway, rail, and transit improvements in the Clark County region. In addition, the 2003 Federal Transportation Appropriations Bill included three projects totaling $8.6 million, the 2004 Federal Transportation Appropriation Bill will likely include four project totaling $8.1 million and the state Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) selected three projects totaling $13.4 million in this region. These investments will make significant transportation improvement on the regional transportation system in the next several years.
Dale said these projects would help to relieve traffic congestion at certain locations in the region; but they do not meet all of our region’s transportation needs. There are improvements that need to be made in the I-5 Columbia River crossing corridor, and unmet state highway capacity needs on I-5, I-205, SR-14, SR-500, and SR-502. SR-503 has no improvement projects identified in the MTP but has forecast volume to capacity problems. There is also a host of significant local/regional arterial improvements to be addressed.
Dale asked for RTAC discussion on what the region’s next transportation priorities should be so the region is prepared to respond to the state legislative session and pending federal transportation funding bills, including requests for ’05 Appropriations. The region’s next set of transportation investment projects should support the region’s economic development goals and address traffic congestion problems. To support the discussion, Dale referred to the lists of projects identified in the fiscally-constrained MTP (2003-2023). Interstate, state and local projects on the designated regional transportation system are listed with details of cost estimate, fully funded, partially funded and unfunded status. Dale also distributed Metro’s FY ’05 Appropriations Request, Project List. The Metro list includes support for two Clark County priorities; the Vancouver Area Smart Trek (VAST) and I-5/I-205 HCT Loop.
Phil Wuest, City of Vancouver, said we should prioritize projects that create the most benefit based on quantified analysis. It was suggested that the SR-500 projects at St John’s, 42nd Avenue and 54th Avenue be moved into the partially funded category because the Environmental Assessment is complete. Bill Wright, Clark County, said the County would like to see the funding for the construction of the state’s portion of the I-5/NE 134th Street interchange project be moved up from 2011. The County has been granted some TIB funding for its portion of the interchange vicinity projects. However, the County needs the Park and Ride to be relocated before much of its work can proceed.
Clark County staff spoke of giving priority to infrastructure investment in Focused Public Investment Areas (FPIAs), particularly those at 1) St. John’s/Barberton, 2) Highway 99 Redevelopment (63rd Street to Salmon Creek) and 3) I-5 from 134th to 179th Street.
Phil Wuest said the 26th Avenue Extension/Columbia Gateway project needs to be added to the list. The Port of Vancouver has proposed building a rail spur to serve the Port’s Columbia Gateway area. The Port has done some pre-design work for this.
Priorities for transit include analysis of the Central County Park and Ride to look at how it can be integrated into the transit system. The 134th Street Park and Ride relocation requires land.
Dale reminded RTAC members that federal appropriations should only be requested for projects that can obligate and use the money in the year or else the money is lost.
Phil Wuest, City of Vancouver, said it seemed clear that the regional priorities are the Interstate Bridge, the HCT Loop, and regional park and rides. Dean Lookingbill, RTC, said there are also local arterial needs. Dean suggested to RTAC that to meet local needs, attention should be paid to the program categories included in the next reauthorization and that this region should work out which would be the most appropriate programs for the projects to compete for funding. These formula programs may be more significant than trying to earmark funds for local projects.
Dale said there is still a lot of uncertainty about the timing of the federal Transportation Act reauthorization. Metro’s analysis of the House and Senate Bills proposed for federal reauthorization can be e-mailed to interested RTAC members.
IV. Walkable Communities Workshops
Lynda David reported that RTC has been selected to participate in the Walkable Communities Workshops program organized by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking (NCBW). RTC has entered into an agreement with the NCBW to provide training to the MPO and to present four, one-half day Walkable Community Workshops in the region. The workshops focus on real-world problems and hands-on solutions. Lynda said the NCBW is conducting this project as part of its active living through community design program, sponsored in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Lynda reported the workshops are designed to bring together community leaders, planners, engineers, public health officials, and pedestrian advocates to look at specific barriers to realizing greater pedestrian activity in their communities as well as potential fixes.
Lynda gave a Power Point presentation on walkable communities. Lynda shared some of the things she learned from NCBW staff at the training held in the San Jose/Monterey Bay area in fall 2003 as well as focused on organization for the forthcoming Clark County workshops. Lynda will serve as the local workshop coordinator but needs sponsorship and help from other agency/jurisdiction staff to prepare for the four workshops which are to take place in the Clark County region May 10th through 14th, 2004. The NCBW staff presenter will be Charlie Gandy from Austin, Texas and he will be joined by a second presenter. RTC will share a week of workshops with Lane Council of Governments (COG), Eugene, Oregon. Workshop invitees should include elected officials, those that recognize the health benefits of walking and neighborhood activists interested in improving their community.
Lynda said that the fall 2003 NCBW trainers were Dan Burden and Pete Lagerway. The training covered topics such as bicycle and pedestrian safety, parking, traffic calming, streetscapes, road diets, mixed-use development, and Walkable Communities Workshop organization. Lynda provided an overview of the benefits of the walk mode. Reasons for walking include: it promotes a sense of community, walking can reduce crime (eyes on the street), improve health, reduce vehicle trips, revitalize town centers, promote the economy, improve air quality (compared with driving), walking is a simple travel mode, walking can reduce the feeling of social isolation, and walking makes you feel good. Lynda provided visual images from her walkable communities training from places such as Santana Row, San Jose, Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Seaside, Monterey, Carmel, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Stanford University.
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. Lynda asked jurisdictions to think about people that would be interested in this project and send a list to RTC. She would like approximately 25 participants per workshop. Invitees should be those people that may be instrumental in getting projects implemented.
Lynda said that Walkable Communities Workshops are typically 4 hours in length and are usually held from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The NCBW presenter has said he would be willing to schedule an early evening meeting if this would work better for us. Meeting rooms need to be found that are adjacent to the outside area we will want to perform the walking audit of as part of the workshop. These meeting rooms should preferably have a large blank wall for the Power Point presentation that the NCBW staff will present. Lynda suggested that the four workshop locations should be representative of different areas throughout the county e.g. downtown, suburban, small cities. Also, she said that locations may want to be chosen based on different themes that we are interested in covering e.g. accessibility, universal design, walking and high volume arterials, access to transit, access to schools etc.
Evan Dust, Clark County, suggested that Fire District Chiefs be included in our list of participants because when you start to talk about narrowing streets and traffic calming this can be on of the first challenges. Phil Wuest, City of Vancouver, suggested two locations: 1) the Fourth Plain Corridor and 2) the Evergreen Airport area. Ed Pickering, C-TRAN, suggested the Highway 99 area. Bill Wright, Clark County, suggested that we should include what makes an area pedestrian friendly which is a very important issue for most transportation projects. Todd Boulanger, City of Vancouver, distributed some “Pedestrian Safety” brochures and talked about the Flex Car program. Lynda reiterated that she would be setting up meetings with local jurisdictions and agencies to organize these workshops and will keep RTAC informed of progress.
V. Other Business
A. RTAC Members
New WSDOT employee, Mark Garrity, was introduced. In the mid 90’s Mark was employed by C-TRAN so is very familiar with this region.
GMA Process, Update
Evan Dust, Clark County, reported on the continuing Comprehensive Growth Management Plan update process. He said the Board had reached a conclusion on the land use map to be used as the basis for capital facility planning. Evan said the Board of Commissioners would meet on January 27th to confirm, deny or modify the emergency moratorium adopted on December 16, 2003 that precludes the filing of applications for land division in certain areas of unincorporated Clark County. Evan said that a work plan is being formulated by January 27th. The work plan will document how the County will complete the capital facilities planning process. Evan said that RTC will need to determine how long it will take to develop a travel demand matrix following the receipt of land use allocations to Transportation Analysis Zone (TAZ) from Clark County. Dean Lookingbill urged that we all coordinate on the allocation. Phil Wuest said that the allocations for existing UGA’s are static. Most of the allocation work relates to land use designations for areas at the margins of the updated UGA’s most of which land is currently controlled by the County. Evan said that the Comprehensive Plan update must be completed by December 1st, 2004 or the County will be in violation of state law. Evan said he is charged with pulling all capital facilities work plans together in a single coordinated document for presentation to the Board of Commissioners. Dean offered to provide RTC assistance to help the regional transportation planning and Comprehensive Plan update process where needed.
John Cullerton, Metro, reported that Metro just completed the federal update to the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The update’s primary purpose was to meet federal air quality conformity requirements. Yesterday, federal and resource agencies met to review the RTP’s air quality conformity. John also reported on the use of the 2025 Metroscope model. Metroscope is the integrated, interactive transportation/land use model developed by Metro staff. John said that the Metroscope model is forecasting higher employment numbers for the Clark County part of the region than have been used historically. John suggested that Metro and Clark County region staff should meet to discuss the model and demographic forecast.
Ed Pickering said the C-TRAN Board would be discussing the 20-Year Transit Development Plan in February. Attention is focused on Alternative #2 with a recommended county-wide +0.3% sales tax increase and improved service. The longer-term vision for a High Capacity Transit system would be determined with the completion of the Alternatives Analysis process.
B. RTC Staff
2004 STIP Approved
Dale Robins, RTC, said the 2004 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) was approved on January 7th and local agencies can now move their projects forward.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m. The next meeting will be Friday, February 20, 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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