AMATS (Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions) Policy Committee

ANCHORAGE METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING 4700 Elmore Road Anchorage, Alaska November 19, 2020 1:30 PM Due to COVID-19, this meeting was conducted virtually. Policy Committee Members Present: Name Representing Wolfgang Junge Alaska Dept. of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) Chris Schutte Executive Director, MOA Economic & Community Development Meg Zaletel MOA/Municipal Assembly John Weddleton MOA/Municipal Assembly Cindy Heil Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), Air Quality Also in attendance: Name Representing Craig Lyon MOA/Planning Department Aaron Jongenelen MOA/Planning Department Jon Cecil MOA/Planning Department Christine Schuette MOA/Planning Department James Starzec DOT&PF *AMATS Technical Advisory Committee Member **Designated Assembly Alternate 1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL CHAIR JUNGE called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Chris Schutte, Executive Director, MOA Economic and Community Development, represented Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson. A quorum was established prior to Ms. Heil’s arrival at 1:32 p.m. 2. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT CRAIG LYON encouraged public involvement in this meeting of the AMATS Policy Committee. He explained staff would first make their presentation, followed by any comments from Committee members, and the floor would then be open to public comment. As a result of the virtual meetings, the public has been asked to submit an email request providing their name, phone number, and agenda item to AMATS by 6:30 p.m. the day prior to the meeting,  ANCHORAGE METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS Policy Committee November 19, 2020 Page 2 of 5 but can also participate via Teams and provide testimony when the item is opened to the public for comments. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ASSEMBLY MEMBER WEDDLETON moved to approve the agenda. MS. ZALETEL seconded. MR. LYON noted that a joint work session for Item 5(c) Seward Highway to Glenn Highway PEL Resolution was held Monday, the 16th. The resolution will need to go before the TAC for action at their next meeting prior to coming back before this Committee. He requested to have it postponed. Hearing no objections, the agenda was approved. Ms. Heil arrived at 1:32 p.m. 4. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES – September 24, 2020 and October 22, 2020 MS. HEIL moved to approve the minutes. MR. SCHUTTE seconded. 5. ACTION ITEMS a. AMATS Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment #2 BACKGROUND: An amendment to the AMATS 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is needed to update Table 2 - Roadway and Table 4 - Plans and Studies to add the following two new projects: Table 2 – Roadway  Updated Table 2 to reflect the addition of Academy Drive and Vanguard Drive Area Traffic Circulation Improvements project in 2021 and balance the program with Pavement Replacement cost adjustments. Table 4 – Plans and Studies  Updated Table4 to add an AMATS Safety Plan project. This project will help to evaluate safety in the transportation system within the AMATS area and will provide  ANCHORAGE METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS Policy Committee November 19, 2020 Page 3 of 5 recommendations on projects for future funding. This project is expected to help with AMATS safety targets setting. MR. LYON pointed out that when Amendment #1 was before the PC, it had the addition of the Academy Drive/Vanguard Drive Area Traffic Circulation Improvements project. We had originally thought this would not require the Air Quality Conforming Analysis, but discovered that it is a requirement and, as a result, pulled that item from Amendment #1. This amendment adds that project back into the program. In addition, for many years we have talked about an AMATS Safety Plan, which has also been discussed in Vision Zero. Other MPOs have this and it is something FHWA has been very interested in us doing, so we are asking to add funding in 2021 for an AMATS Safety Plan. It is a comprehensive look at different areas around town that might require some improvements that will lower traffic incidences; and will help with our annual safety targets setting. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WEDDLETON asked if the safety plan is similar to HSIP money that involves a study and funding for different projects. How would this go about, and does it prioritize projects? MR. LYON explained that the HSIP involves federal funds that the state has control over, but AMATS does not decide the allocation of that money. What we are looking for here is a comprehensive safety plan that will look at areas around the entire Anchorage Bowl and Chugiak/Eagle River that would have an implementation section, would offer projects, and list possible improvements that we could use to feed future TIPs for projects. It would also include some of the things that were in the set of recommendations in Vision Zero, but tied more to a funding source than Vision Zero. Vision Zero is a Municipality of Anchorage plan. AMATS funded it, but it is not an AMATS plan. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WEDDLETON hopes it is done in a way that we could use the information as part of the scoring system. MS. HEIL appreciated Mr. Lyon’s comments on the Air Quality Conformity because nothing was mentioned in the memorandum. When this goes before the Assembly and is posted for public review, she requested to add that an Air Quality Conformity Determination is required since this is a major amendment. MR. LYON pointed out that it does state at the bottom of the memorandum that it will also go through an Interagency Consultation meeting and then to the MOA Assembly for comments. MS. HEIL also requested to add the word “Conformity” after Interagency Consultation for more clarity. There were no public comments.  ANCHORAGE METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS Policy Committee November 19, 2020 Page 4 of 5 MR. SCHUTTE moved to approve. MS. HEIL seconded. Hearing no objections, this motion passed. b. AMATS TIP Narrative BACKGROUND: The Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a four-year program that prioritizes and documents the funding of transportation improvement projects within the AMATS area. Projects included in the TIP range from construction and maintenance of major highways and arterials; to maintenance and expansion of public transit; to construction and maintenance for bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The TIP draws projects from the AMATS Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for the AMATS area, and from public input. These projects are evaluated for consistency with the goals and objectives in the MTP. AMATS is the agency responsible for transportation planning, intergovernmental coordination, and transportation funding allocations within the MPO boundary. MR. LYON noted that the TIP tables were approved in the 2018 timeframe for this 2019-2022 TIP. The tables should have an accompanying narrative with them that explains the process used to adopt this TIP. The requirement of a narrative was discussed in the last certification as a corrective action, but staff did not have the opportunity to complete it earlier. The tables allow us to do the funding, but the narrative meets FHWA guidelines. He further noted that, during the certification for planning procedures, FHWA discussed our process that we had followed for many years regarding adding or deleting projects that were outside AMATS’ allocation as Administrative Modifications. FHWA stated that whenever we add or delete, no matter where it is in the TIP tables, it is a major amendment, which certainly changes things for us. For example, if we are adding a project that Alaska Railroad (ARRC) wanted, but were using their Federal Railroad Administration Funds, it needs to be a major amendment making it a little more challenging for ARRC in trying to move the project quickly. In that certification, FHWA agreed that if we include it in the narrative as an appendix to the other tables, then we could move monies around because they are not part of our tables or our allocation. There were no comments. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WEDDLETON moved to approve. MS. ZALETEL seconded. Hearing no objections, this motion passed. c. Seward Highway to Glenn Highway Connection PEL Resolution  ANCHORAGE METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS Policy Committee November 19, 2020 Page 5 of 5 MR. LYON explained that this resolution relates to the Planning Environmental Linkages Study that is underway and funded through the TIP, and managed by DOT&PF. It was offered by Assembly Member Weddleton to go before the PC. Upon finding out that the TAC had not reviewed the resolution, this Committee sent it to the TAC allowing them an opportunity to comment on it. The TAC tabled the resolution requesting to schedule a joint work session with the PC to better understand the PEL process, etc. The work session was held, but not in time to meet the deadline of posting agendas and, as a result, the TAC has not been able to formally weigh-in on the resolution. However, it is scheduled to go before the TAC at their December meeting and then forwarded to the PC, also in December. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WEDDLETON commented that the work session was very helpful. The main goal is to get as close to certainty as we can on a preferred route, and it seems a PEL can do that. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WEDDLETON moved to table the resolution to December allowing the TAC to review and recommend it back to the PC. MS. ZALETEL seconded. Hearing no objections, this motion passed. 6. Project and Plan Updates - None 7. General Information - None 8. Committee Comments - None 9. Public Comments - None 10. ADJOURNMENT ASSEMBLY MEMBER WEDDLETON moved to adjourn. MS. HEIL seconded. Hearing no objections, the meeting adjourned at 1:54 p.m.