Below are the minutes for the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, held on Friday, February 18, 2005, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Training Room 679 (6th Floor), at the Clark County Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, 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, February 18, 2005 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:
Justin Clary City of Ridgefield John Cullerton Metro Lynda David RTC Evan Dust Clark County Rebecca Eisiminger Port of Vancouver Seth Gallant WSDOT Richard Gamble Clark County Mark Harrington RTC Bob Hart RTC Dean Lookingbill RTC Ginger Metcalf Identity Clark County Thomas Picco ODOT Sandi Roberts RTC Dale Robins RTC Debbie Elven-Snyder C-TRAN Bill Wright Clark County Phil Wuest City of Vancouver Dean Lookingbill, RTC, asked for any changes or corrections to the January 21, 2005, meeting minutes.
EVAN DUST, CLARK COUNTY, MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 21, 2005 MINUTES AND PHIL WUEST, CITY OF VANCOUVER, SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
II. Vancouver City Center Vision Project, Identity Clark County Presentation, Discussion
Ginger Metcalf, Identity Clark County, presented the Vancouver City Center Vision Project and circulated a copy of the report for RTAC to look at. Ginger pointed out that Identity Clark County, the City of Vancouver and the Port of Vancouver partnered in creating the recently completed “Vancouver City Center Vision” (VCCV) with the assistance of a consultant team. The City Center vision extends the area covered by the successful Esther Short Sub-Area Redevelopment Plan. That effort included the proposed redevelopment of the thirty blocks around Esther Short Park and has produced in excess of $300 million in development investment with more to come. The Vancouver City Center Vision builds on the success and experience of the Esther Short Plan to expand planning for the next wave of development/redevelopment. The City Center Vision is designed to foster and guide continued growth of the approximately 130-block city center area of Vancouver.
Ginger said, “The Vancouver City Center Vision” promotes residential development as key to a vital and attractive city center, supports “messy vitality” with a dynamic and rich mix of residential, cultural, civic, retail and entertain places that will attract growth, jobs and round-the-clock activity, promotes improvement of the Main Street Corridor as a central spine of diverse and complementary uses that establishes downtown as a regional center for commerce, culture and urban living, supports the Vision with strategic investments in public infrastructure, especially transportation, and supports redevelopment of the Columbia River waterfront. Ginger said that RTAC members could see more detail of the Esther Short Streetscape project at the City of Vancouver’s web site.
Ginger provided a Power Point presentation on the Vancouver City Center Vision. Ginger said that the project began by conducting an audit of 53 projects already completed in downtown Vancouver. This was a useful start to reflect on what has been successful. These projects ranged in size from small to large and included things such as providing hanging baskets to the large-scale projects at Heritage Place and Esther Short Park. Ginger highlighted areas and projects and said that the team working on the project had focused on “pulse points” in the center city. They included: Esther Short Park, Esther Short Commons, Main Street, Central Downtown, 6th Street, North Main Street, the Academy, Anthem Park, Uptown Village, Waterfront Amphitheater, Industrial Uses on Westside, the Government Sub-Area, the Columbia River, Waterfront Housing with dining and entertainment at street level, Urban Waterfront, Daniel Street Pedestrian Connection, 7th Street, and BNSF Rail Berm. Kittleson worked on the transportation circulation system. Highlights included making Main Street two-way traffic, providing a number of portals through the rail berm, providing a Kauffman/Jefferson connection, and providing the Heritage Way pedestrian bridge from 7th Street to the historic reserve.
Ginger explained that the next steps for the Vision include adoption by the City Council. The Vision is on the Council’s February 28th agenda. Following adoption of the Sub-area plan, the transportation analysis would be completed as well as an EIS to help prepare sites be shovel-ready for project development. There would also be some re-zoning to address.
III. 2005-2007 MTIP Amendment #2 SR-503, SR-502 to Rock Creek Rd. Paving, Action
Dale Robins, RTC, said WSDOT is requesting an MTIP amendment to advance the paving of SR-503 from SR-502 to Rock Creek Road. This improvement will maintain and preserve the existing state facility. Dale reviewed the WSDOT MTIP amendment request letter with attached STIP project report change. The design of the proposed project will be amended into the 2005 element of the MTIP, with construction amended into the 2006 element of the MTIP. Dale noted that the requested amendment is consistent with the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Congestion Management system, air quality conformity analysis, and is financially constrained. Action on the requested amendment will provide $1,878,000 in federal Surface Transportation Program (STP-State) funds and $28,000 of State funds for transportation paving along SR-503.
PHIL WUEST, CITY OF VANCOUVER, MADE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL TO FORWARD TO THE RTC BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE 2005-2007 MTIP AMENDMENT #2: SR-503, SR-502 TO ROCK CREEK RD PAVING. EVAN DUST, CLARK COUNTY, SECONDED THE MOTION. IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
IV. 2005-2007 MTIP Amendment #3: SR-500/Thurston Way Interchange, Action
Dale Robins, RTC, presented the 2005-2007 MTIP Amendment #3: SR-500/Thursston Way Interchange. Dale said WSDOT is requesting an MTIP amendment to include wetland mitigation and landscape work at the SR-500/Thurston Way Interchange. The environmental permits on the Thurston Way Interchange Project called for this improvement. Dale reviewed the WSDOT MTIP amendment request letter and attached amended STIP project report. The proposed project will be amended into the 2005 element of the MTIP. The requested amendment is consistent with the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Congestion Management System, air quality conformity analysis, and is financially constrained. This project will help to preserve the transportation system investment in the region. Dale said action on this amendment would provide $534,000 in federal National Highway System (NHS) funds and $8,000 of State funds for wetland mitigation and landscape work at the SR-500/Thurston Interchange.
EVAN DUST, CLARK COUNTY, MADE THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL TO FORWARD TO THE RTC BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE 2005-2007 MTIP AMENDMENT #3: SR-500/THURSTON WAY INTERCHANGE AND PHIL WUEST, CITY OF VANCOUVER, SECONDED THE MOTION. IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
V. Metropolitan Transportation Plan Update: Goals and Policies, Discussion
Dean Lookingbill, RTC, said the purpose of the agenda item is to define MTP goals and purpose so they can be presented to the RTC Board in March for endorsement. Lynda David, RTC, said that since the January RTAC meeting RTC staff had presented a preliminary set of goals and policies to the RTC Board. The Board had also concurred with the decision to have 2030 be the 2005 MTP update’s horizon year.
Lynda said that the table attached to the RTAC MTP memo is a draft of the re-written MTP Goals. The simply stated goals appear in the left column with an explanation of why have the goal in the right column. As discussed at previous RTAC meetings, the starting point of the MTP update should be articulation of key policies and goals that will guide the Plan and shape its priorities
Lynda explained that the MTP framework was re-worded to emphasize the connection between land use and transportation. In the MTP Purpose section wording was inserted to note that “the MTP is one of the reports needed to fulfill federal requirements to ensure the continued receipt of federal transportation funding to this region. Lynda then proceeded to review each of the MTP goals with RTAC members providing comments and suggestions that Lynda said would be reflected in the updated version of the MTP Goals that would be presented to the RTC Board at the March 1st meeting.
Phil Wuest, City of Vancouver, said that maintenance and preservation is also a top local priority as well as federal priority. Dale Robins, RTC, suggested omitting the word “federal” from descriptions of the first two goals. Phil Wuest pointed out that safety issues are very important and especially noted safety concerns for bicyclists. Evan Dust, Clark County, suggested that the “strategic use of public funds” should be noted when describing the economic development goal. Phil Wuest also suggested the goal should be re-worded to read “support economic development and community vitality”. Becky Eisiminger, Port of Vancouver, suggested adding the notion of strategic partnerships under the economic development goal. Phil Wuest suggested inserting the word “efficient” to the balanced transportation system goal.
Under the environment goal, Dale Robins said that resource agencies want avoidance of environmental impacts before minimization and mitigation. Evan Dust and Phil Wuest both commented that environmental goals can sometimes be contrary to the goal of providing for transportation needs in which circumstances there have to be tradeoffs between the goals. They both pointed out that each jurisdiction values its environmental quality of life. Phil suggested that the “Why Have This Goal?” sections be re-worded to answer the question. Evan Dust said that these goals should be clear to any member of public who reads the MTP document. Lynda thanked RTAC for its suggestions and input and would reflect the comments in the version to go to the Board. Board packets would be mailed on Tuesday, February 22nd. Dean said we would also be presenting the planning process from Comprehensive Plan development through to MTP adoption to offer some insight into how land use and demographics are included in the transportation planning process. RTC staff would also offer 2030 countywide growth totals suggested for MTP update in order to get feedback from the Board.
VI. Other Business
A. RTAC Members
B. RTC Staff
- State Transportation Legislative Issues
- 2006 Federal Appropriations
Dale Robins, RTC, said completed applications for 2006 federal Appropriations should be submitted to RTC by March 1st. Senator Murray is requiring the completion of a one-page form. Congressman Brian Baird and Senator Marie Cantwell are also requesting completed applications. Dale offered that he is available to provide help with applications.
Dean Lookingbill reported that he had been contacted by Representative Deb Wallace to ask what projects would be on the list of priority needs from this region if there is a state transportation funding package. Dean said there is no news on what size of funding package this might be. Dean distributed the “Transportation Projects for Potential New State Revenue Package, Clark County Public Works Priorities”. Projects on the Clark County list are: 1) Salmon Creek Interchange, 2) NE 15th Avenue, 3) St. Johns Road, 4) NE 72nd Avenue, 5) NE 88th Street, 6) Ward Road/NE 172nd Ave, 7) NE 88th Street, and 8) NE 63rd Street. Dean said that the state legislature does not usually make direct allocations to local projects. However, this year the legislature is asking for priority local projects. Dean asked that other jurisdictions be prepared with a list of their top priority projects.
Dean also spoke of other bills that could provide local transportation funding. He said there is a proposed regional bill that has a fair amount of flexibility. HB 1989, Local Transportation Funding Options, would authorize several local option transportation taxes that include the annual vehicle fee, annual roadway fee, and local option fuel tax. The bill also includes a street utility service fee.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:29 a.m. The next meeting will be Friday March 18, 2005.
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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