Below are the minutes for the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, held on Friday, April 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, April 16, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. in the Conference Room (6th Floor) at the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street Vancouver, Washington. Dean Lookingbill, Transportation Director, served as Chair for the meeting. Those in attendance follow:
Jim Carothers City of Camas Mike Clark WSDOT Jennifer Campos City of Vancouver Lynda David RTC Evan Dust Clark County Mark Harrington RTC Bob Hart RTC Katherine Klockenteger WSDOT, SW Region Dean Lookingbill RTC Ed Pickering C-TRAN Sandi Roberts RTC Dale Robins RTC Chuck Ruhsenberger WSDOT Bryan Snodgrass City of Vancouver Dean Lookingbill, RTC asked for any changes or corrections to the March 19, 2004, meeting minutes.
EVAN DUST, CLARK COUNTY, REQUESTED THAT I-5/219TH STREET INTERCHANGE BE CHANGED TO I-5/SR502 INTERCHANGE IN ITEM II. EVAN DUST WANTED THE FIRST PARAGRAPH TO READ AN RTAC MEMBER, SUGGESTED THAT RTAC SHOULD ADDRESS PARK AND RIDES AT A FUTURE MEETING.
ED PICKERING, C-TRAN, MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 19, 2004 MINUTES AND EVAN DUST, CLARK COUNTY, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
II. FY2005 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), Action
Lynda David, RTC, presented the FY 2005 Unified Planning Work Program Draft (UPWP). Lynda said that RTAC had reviewed the UPWP content and federal and state emphasis areas at the January 2004 meeting. RTAC is now asked for action on the draft FY 2005 UPWP to forward the document for approval by the RTC Board of Directors at the May 4, 2004 Board meeting. Lynda asked that RTAC members check to ensure that the UPWP reflects the work activities anticipated for FY 2005. Lynda asked that if RTAC members had any last minutes changes or corrections that need to be reflected in this draft document then she should be notified by April 22nd before copies are made for the RTC Board packets.
Lynda said that there was a change to be made to the draft document. $3,000 is to be added to the Coordination and Management element for work on the Active Community Environments program. Paula Reeves of WSDOT had confirmed that the program will be continued from FY 2004 and $3,000 will be a minimum amount anticipated for this work in FY 2005. The money originates with the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention and comes to selected MPO/RTPO counties throughout Washington State from WSDOT through the state Department of Health.
Lynda commented that she had started to work with Faye Jenkins-Edwards (WSDOT), Ejaz Khan (Clark County) and Jennifer Campos (City of Vancouver) on Active Community Environments and would be looking at establishing an Active Living Task Force in the region to promote pedestrian and bicycling modes and to make this community more physically active in pursuit of better health. State Department of Health staff would be coordinating with the region and want us to complete a baseline active community assessment survey. Dean Lookingbill commented that there are a number of initiatives being worked on in the Clark County region that support the active environment. They include work by Community Choices 2010, Walkable Community Workshops, and Safe Routes to Schools.
Lynda had RTAC members turn to the index of the draft Unified Planning Work Program for Fiscal-Year 2005. Lynda pointed out that there are four sections of the UPWP. The first is the Regional Transportation Planning Program. One of the main efforts for FY 05 will be update to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) following adoption of the updated Comprehensive Growth Management Plan for Clark County. Another focus area will be adoption of an updated Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) following re-authorization of the federal transportation bill. The second section of the UPWP is Data Management, Travel Forecasting, Air Quality and Technical Services and the third section is Regional Transportation Program Coordination and Management. The fourth section is Transportation Planning Activities of State and Local Agencies. Lynda asked that RTAC members pay close attention to Section 4 and to let her know if last-minute changes are needed before copies of the draft FY 2005 UPWP are mailed to the RTC Board.
EVAN DUST, CLARK COUNTY, MADE THE MOTION TO FORWARD THE DRAFT FY2005 UPWP, TOGETHER WITH ANY CHANGES SUGGESTED MADE BY RTAC, TO THE RTC BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR ADOPTION AT THE MAY 4TH MEETING. MIKE CLARK, WSDOT, SECONDED THE MOTION AND IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
III. Federal Transportation Reauthorization, Discussion
Dale Robins, RTC, reported on the current status of federal transportation bill reauthorization. He said that on February 12, 2004, the U.S. Senate, by a vote of 76-21, had passed a new six-year transportation reauthorization bill with a total funding level of approximately $318 billion. On April 2, 2004, the U.S. House of Representatives, by a vote of 357-60, passed a new six-year transportation reauthorization bill with a total funding level of approximately $284 billion. The previous six-year authorization bill, TEA-21, totaled roughly $218 billion. Both the Senate and House bills are well above the administration’s recommended funding level of $256 billion. Both bills preserve the basic ISTEA/TEA-21 program structure. Senate and House members are now working to reconcile differences between the two versions before a compromise bill can be ready to submit to the President.
Dale noted neither bill appears to include language that would grandfather CMAQ funding for regions that will no longer be non-attainment areas according to the revised 8-hour ozone standard. This will have a significant impact on the CMAQ dollars available to our region. Dale said we can probably count on losing half of our CMAQ money. Dale said the issue of regional CMAQ funding levels may not be resolved until 2005. This will have a significant impact on projects that we have typically funded with CMAQ dollars, for example pedestrian and ITS projects.
Dale said that there is a strong push from members of both the House and Senate to change state guarantee from 90.5% to 95%. So far attempts have failed, but the push is likely to continue into the conference committee and through future amendments.
Dale reported that one of the concerns of the House bill is the effort to establish new programs that will not be allocated through the formula process. This provides more modest gains for the core program such as STP and CMAQ and greater flexibility for Congress to earmark funds.
Dale said the U.S. House of Representatives reauthorization bill includes specific earmarks for projects in the Clark County region: I-5 Columbia River Crossing preliminary EIS ($10 million), I-5/Salmon Creek Area Improvement Project ($12.354 million), I-5: Delta Park to Lombard ($5 million), I-5/SR-503 Access Study and Development Plan, Woodland ($300,000), and SR-501 Overpass-Rail Improvement ($1 million).
Dale reviewed the 2004 appropriation earmarks and reminded jurisdictions that funds must be obligated by September of 2004. However, until a reauthorization bill and markdowns are completed, the actual federal dollar amounts are not determined. WSDOT has informed RTC that the only way to currently proceed with a 2004 appropriation earmark is to use advanced construction. Agencies using this method must understand that there is no guarantee of reimbursement.
IV. 2003 CMS Preliminary Findings, Discussion
Dale Robins, RTC distributed maps that highlighted the preliminary finds for the 2003 congestion management monitoring effort. RTC adopted a Congestion Management System in 1995. The congestion management program has been continued from that point and results in an annual Congestion Management Report.
Dale pointed out that the congestion management network was changed in 2003 to add 99th Street (Lakeshore to St. Johns) and 137th Avenue (Mill Plain to Padden Parkway). In addition, Main Street and St. Johns corridors were extended and Ward Road was removed as a corridor.
Dale noted that RTC uses a corridor approach to analyze performance data. The corridor approach provides a regional orientation. In addition, RTC uses more detailed segmental data to identify specific locations where congestion is occurring, which may or may not be affecting the operation of the corridor as a whole.
Dale Robins, RTC reviewed the following 2003 corridor maps: 1) CMS Corridors, 2) PM Vehicle Volumes, 3) AM Corridor Congestion Ratio, 4) PM Corridor Congestion Ratio, 5) PM Corridor Travel Speed, 6) PM Speed as Percent of Speed Limit.
Dale Robins, RTC reviewed the Areas of Concern. Areas of concern are defined as segments within an individual corridor that has a volume to capacity ratio greater than 0.9 or a travel speed 60% or less of the posted speed limit. Dale highlighted the table and maps referring to the following data: 1) AM Volume-to-Capacity Ratio, 2) PM Volume-to-Capacity Ratio, 3) AM Speed, and 4) PM Speed. Dale asked jurisdictions to review the Area of Concern tables and provide any comments prior to the RTC Board mailing.
At next months meeting the full 2003 Congestion Management Report will be presented.
V. GMA Travel Modeling and Results, Discussion
Mark Harrington, RTC presented the GMA Travel Modeling and Results in a PowerPoint presentation. Mark said in September 2003, RTAC Committee reviewed the results of the regional travel forecast used for the Clark County’s Comprehensive Growth Management Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement. Since that time, the Clark County Board of Commissioners drafted a new land use plan map to be used by staff for analysis purposes in January 2004. In March 2004, county staff provided RTC with a new land use allocation for analysis in the regional travel demand model. Mark said that he was going to review the results of that modeling with RTAC members as the use changes incorporated into the updated Comprehensive Growth Management Plan will be used as the basis for the 2004 update to the MTP for Clark County.
Mark highlighted the peak hour volume to capacity ratios on highway network links across the regional transportation system, focusing on links and facilities with high levels of congestion. He followed this with a brief look at traffic volumes at key location around the county. Mark then reviewed the regional land use allocation that was used as an input in to the travel model and transportation system performance measures (e.g., VMT, VHD and lane miles of congestion). Mark’s presentation concluded with a macro-level discussion of trips generated within, and exchanged between, four major regions of the county (the outlying communities in the northwest and northeast and the inner urban core areas in the southwest and southeast).
Dean Lookingbill said, with the future level of congestion on the regional transportation system at significantly higher levels than has ever been forecast, new policy discussion are sure to arise. Questions of how we set levels-of-service standards and moving from peak-hour travel analysis to multi-hour assignment analysis are discussions that may need to be addressed as a region.
VI. Other Business
Evan Dust, Clark County, distributed a copy of an April 1, 2004 memorandum he had sent out to staff with Capital Facilities Plan assignments regarding “Expectations Regarding Capital Facilities Plan Document”. Evan also asked that RTAC members pay attention to the memo’s attachment (dated February 23, 2004) regarding “Draft Language Addressing Issue of Reassessment of Land Use”. Evan said this Memo addresses the legal requirements for CFPs and contains proposed language to address the need to reassess the land use plan if the CFP’s assumptions are not met.
A. RTAC Members
Ed Pickering, C-TRAN, asked that the Columbia River Crossing Study be an agenda item at a future meeting.
B. RTC Staff
Walkable Communities Workshops: May 12th – 14th, 2004
Lynda David, RTC, reminded RTAC members if they want to attend any of the Walkable Community Workshops to let her know.
Lynda reminded RTAC members that Barbara Ivanov, Director of the Freight Strategy and Policy section from WSDOT, Olympia will be here the week of April 26th and will be in this building April 28th and 29th to discuss freight needs with staff and RTC Board members. Please let Lynda know if you can attend and which session you would prefer to attend.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m. The next meeting will be Friday, May 21, 2004.
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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