MPO Technical Committee

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE AGENDA Farmington Metropolitan Planning Organization September 25, 2014 10:00 a.m. Council Chambers Bloomfield City Hall 915 North First Street Bloomfield, New Mexico  AGENDA FARMINGTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEETING September 25, 2014 10:00 AM This meeting will be held in Council Chambers at Bloomfield City Hall, 915 North First Street, Bloomfield, New Mexico. ITEM PAGE 1. Call meeting to order 2. Approve the minutes from the August 26, 2014 Technical Committee meeting 9 3. Receive a TIP Project Status 1 4. Receive report from NMDOT a. District 5 (David Quintana) b. Planning Division (Brian Degani) 5. Receive a report on TAP 4 6. Receive a report on Complete Streets 5 7. Information Items: 8 a. 2040 MTP b. NMAPA Statewide Conference c. NMDOT Statewide Long Range Plan – Freight Workshop d. TRB Conference on Transportation and Federal Lands e. Other 8. Business from Chairman, Members, and Staff 9. Business from the Floor 10. Adjournment ATTENTION PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing or meeting, please contact the MPO Administrative Aide at the Downtown Center, 100 W Broadway, Farmington, New Mexico or at 505-599-1466 at least one week prior to the meeting or as soon as possible. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact the MPO Administrative Aide if a summary or other type of accessible format is needed.  FARMINGTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION Agenda Item #3 Subject: Status of TIP Projects Prepared by: Duane Wakan, Acting MPO Planner Date: September 17, 2014 BACKGROUND  The STIP Protocols, finalized in early 2014, indicate that each MPO shall develop a process to monitor the progress and status of each project in the first two years of the TIP.  Although NMDOT STIP procedures require a review of projects during the last two quarters of the Federal Fiscal year, MPO Staff recommends a monthly review of all FMPO TIP projects with the Technical Committee.  Reviewing the status of projects is an opportunity to review project details, programmed amounts, and any potential situations that may cause funding not to be obligated by September 30th.  At the June 26 meeting, the Technical Committee recommended a monthly review of TIP projects be continued. CURRENT WORK  MPO staff will seek updates on the three regional TAP projects for tracking purposes (Local Agreement Status and Project Certifications).  MPO is required provide these updates to NMDOT on a regular basis. ATTACHMENTS  List of amendments/adjustments that were approved in the last quarter are attached.  FY2014-FY2019 list of federally funded projects in the TIP will be provided at the meeting INFORMATION ITEM  Review the status of federally funded projects in the FY2014-2019 TIP. 1  Recent TIP Amendments • CN F100110 – US 64 Phase IV – adds $6,195,273 in National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) funds for FY2015 and moves $350,000 from Construction to Right-of- Way (ROW); Decreases STPS funds by $2,655,239 and NHPP funds by $4,440,034 in FY 2016. Total project cost is $15,600,000. • CN F100100 – East Pinon Hills Boulevard – adds $300,000 in local funding in FY2015; adds $400,000 in STP Small Urban funds in FY2016. Total project cost is $3,700,000. • CN F100091 – East Arterial Project (Phase II) - added as a new project to the TIP with $3,800,000 in State Severance Tax in FY2016, and $3,500,000 in STP Small Urban funds in FY2017. Total project cost is $7,300,000. • CN F10091 – Legion Road – this project was removed from the FFY2014-2019 TIP. The City of Aztec was able to find funding for the entire East Arterial Project (Phase IB and Phase II), which eliminated the need for a logical termini (Legion Road). This control number will be re-assigned to the East Arterial Phase II project. • CN F100112 – US 64 Phase V – changes the FY2015 funding source from NHPP to STPF and increases funding levels to $974,000 in FY2015. Total project cost is $17,724,000. • CN F100091 – East Arterial Project (Phase II) - adds an additional $19,750 to State Severance Tax funds in FY2016. Total project cost is $7,319,750. • CN F100130 – 20th Street Sidewalks – modifies the project description to indicate sidewalks will only be constructed on the north side of 20th Street. Adds an additional $28,143 (Local Non-Match) for construction in FY2015. Total project cost is $277,143. • CN F100221 – NM371/N36 – this project was added to the FFY2014-2019 TIP. This project will install Intersection Flashing Beacon and Advance Warning System at the intersection of NM371 and N36. The project will be funded using $100,000 in Capital Outlay Funds in FY2015. Total project cost is $100,000. • CN F100114 – Bridge Preservation Project US 550 Bridge 9178 & 9179 (Animas River) – this project was added to the FFY2014-2019 TIP. This project will provide Bridge preservation/maintenance at mile post 169.5. The project will be funded using $260,000 in NHPP funds in FY2017. Total project cost is $260,000. Recent TIP Modifications • CN F100230- Vereda del Rio San Juan Trail Phase II - a new financial category (PE) was added to FY 2014 in the amount of $46,311 ($39,568 Federal and $6,743 State Match). The $46,311 previously mentioned was moved from FY 2014 construction category to the new FY 2014 PE category. The overall project funding total remains the same at $199,636. • CN F100230- Vereda del Rio San Juan Trail Phase II - all 2014 TAP Construction funds were moved FY2015. FY2014 PE funds will remain in the current fiscal year. The overall project funding total remains the same at $199,636. 2 • CN F100220- South Side River Road River Trail Project - all 2014 TAP Construction funds were moved to FY2015 in the amount of $27,262 ($23,293 Federal $3,969 Local). FY 2014 PE funds will remain in the current fiscal year. The overall project funding total remains the same at $93,586. • CN F100130- 20th Street Sidewalk project Phase I - all 2014 construction funds were moved to FY2015 in the amount of $186,963 ($159,741 Federal $27,222 Local). FY 2014 PE funds will remain in the current fiscal year. The overall project funding total remains the same at $249,000. • CN F100170- NM 173 Safety Project - moved all HSIP Safety funds from FY 2015 to FY 2016 in the amount of $1,000,000 ($926,400 Federal $73,600 State). FY 2014 Safety HSIP funds will remain in the current fiscal year. The overall project funding total remains the same at $2,000,000. 3  FARMINGTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION Agenda Item #5 Subject: Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Prepared by: Mary L. Holton, AICP, MPO Officer Date: September 18, 2014 BACKGROUND  MAP-21 created the new Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).  TAP merges Transportation Enhancements (TPE), Safe Routes to School (SRTS), and Scenic Byways. Projects may include pedestrian and bicycle facilities; safe routes to school projects; infrastructure improvements that provide non-drivers better access to transit; environmental mitigation; and, other improvements to the transportation system.  Eligible applicants include local governments, transit agencies, state and federal natural resource or public land agencies, school districts, among others.  Minimum amount an agency can apply for is $75,000. (Does not apply to non- infrastructure projects.)  Maximum amount an agency can apply for is $2 Million.  Total available funding for both years state-wide is $5,889,742.  TAP projects must be consistent with the State Long Range Plan (SLRP) and the MPO’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), as well as with other locally adopted plans.  TAP is a cost reimbursement program and requires a 14.56% local match.  NMDOT has worked with the MPOs/RTPOs to develop guidelines for the project selection process.  TAP Projects will be evaluated by a statewide evaluation committee using the six factors defined in MAP-21: Economic Vitality; Safety and Security; Accessibility and Mobility; Environmental Protection; Efficiency of System Management; and, Transportation System Preservation. CURRENT WORK  A Call for TAP projects was issued by the MPO on September 11.  The MPO will host a TAP workshop on October 6 (subject to change) for eligible applicants in the MPO Planning Area.  All TAP applications deemed feasible must be complete and submitted to the MPO electronically by Thursday, December 11.  The deadline for the MPO to submit applications to NMDOT is February 1, 2015. ANTICIPATED WORK  Provide guidance to eligible applicants.  Collect, review, prioritize, and submit project applications to NMDOT after approvals made by the Policy and Tech Committees in January 2015. RECOMMENDATION  Information only. 4  FARMINGTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION Agenda Item #6 Subject: Complete Streets Prepared by: Duane Wakan, MPO Associate Planner Date: September 11, 2014 BACKGROUND or PREVIOUS WORK  Complete Streets is a means of designing a roadway so that it accommodates all modes of travel, including driving, walking, biking, and transit.  Staff has worked with the Advisory Group to finalize the land use context areas (LUCAs) and road typology (RTs) nomenclature and descriptions.  The Advisory Group held its latest meeting on August 28th. CURRENT WORK  MPO Staff finalized the road descriptions and land use overlays that will be reflected in the final document.  The Advisory Group advised staff to develop the cross section drawing based on the new road typology descriptions.  The Advisory Group also recommended that cross-section diagrams include a range of dimensions for each combination. ANTICIPATED WORK  Research and develop the cross-section diagrams for the Downtown/Urban Areas ATTACHMENTS  Matrix combinations along with the new Road Typology description changes. INFORMATION ITEM  This is an informational presentation only. 5 Final Advisory Group Design Guidelines Matrix Y = Yes – design guidelines for this combination should be developed N = No – design guidelines for this combination are not needed Rural Neighborhood Commercial Industrial Downtown/Urban Lane Y Y N N Y Street Y Y Y N Y Avenue N Y Y N Y Boulevard Y N Y Y Y Parkway Y N Y Y Y 6  Road Typologies Changes (RTs) Average Daily Traffic Road (ADT) Typology Description Existing Examples Vision Examples Up to 1000 One or two lane roads (includes alleys) with the lowest travel speeds that serve low N Church Street in density residential areas. Lower volumes and speeds allow for integrated bike use in the Aztec, McCoy Ave in SJ Lane roadway and do not necessarily require separate facilities. Sidewalks are encouraged County, (North Aztec) depending on the surrounding density. On street parking rarely exists on short street (Cir, Pl, Dr) sections such as cul-de-sacs. Rural lanes are not always paved. No lane striping. Up to 2000 Two lane roads with the lowest travel speeds that serve residential and commercial areas West Blanco & South within the cities. On street parking is common but may be restricted in some places. First St in Bloomfield, Street Driveway-Lane access is allowable at moderate levels. No medians. Lower volumes and Fairview between Main speeds allow for integrated bike use in the roadway and do not necessarily require St and 20th St, separate facilities. Sidewalks may be buffered from the street. Provides connectivity. Up to 4000 Most common utilitarian streets in the network. They are characterized by lower volume Aztec, Chaco in Aztec, speeds with 2-3 lanes primarily connecting commercial, retail, and downtown districts. West Blanco & South Bike lanes, wide sidewalks, and transit stops are recommended, multi-modal side-paths in First St. in Bloomfield, high traffic areas are encouraged. These roads distribute traffic between the higher Fairview between Main Avenue classifications and local streets. Medians and two-way left turn lanes are common. Shared St and 20th St. driveway access is encouraged. Downtown areas include additional street-scape features that promote multi-modal travel. These streets support the higher road classifications and connect with Lanes and Streets and feed to Parkways. 4000 + Meaningful roads that are meant to be enjoyed. They steer motorist through/to local Butler, 20th St, West West Main St. in amenities such as rivers, urban centers and neighborhoods. They are 3-5 lanes with Blanco in Bloomfield, Farmington, South moderate volume and speeds and connect travel through a city serving commercial areas. Rio Grande Ave in Main St. in Aztec, Boulevard Travel lanes are smaller in width to accommodate the presence of medians, sidewalks & Aztec, West Chaco St in new North Main St. bike lanes and/or multi-modal side-paths, on-street parking, and transit stops. Access Aztec, CR 3000 in Aztec, San Juan management controls should minimize conflicts with bicyclists and pedestrians. River East of US 550 In Bloomfield NMDOT Vehicle-oriented, high speeds and volumes, typically 4-6 lanes; land uses include office Murray Drive, US 64, US Standards parks, multi-use centers with parking lots; access management controls; recommends 550, NM 516, CR 350, Parkway multi-modal side-paths; locate transit stops within adjacent developments Main St, Pinon Hills Blvd, and any state route 7  FARMINGTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION Agenda Item Subject: Information Items Prepared by: Mary L. Holton, AICP, MPO Officer Date: September 17, 2014 INFORMATION ITEMS a. 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Update. The public meetings were completed in August and the online survey was taken down on September 10. The results of the meetings and survey are now being compiled and summarized by the consultant. The report, due September 30, will provide us with the public’s view of priorities and possible new projects to consider. b. NMAPA Statewide Conference. The New Mexico Chapter of the American Planning Association hosted the state-wide planning conference in Albuquerque on September 21-24, 2014. c. NMDOT Statewide Plan-Freight Workshop. NMDOT held a Freight Workshop on the Statewide Long Range Multimodal Transportation Plan on September 11, 2014 in Farmington. d. TRB Conference on Transportation and Federal Lands. Duane attended and presented at this conference on behalf of the Red Apple Transit. e. Other. 8  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 MINUTES FARMINGTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 26, 2014 Technical Members Present: Bill Watson, City of Aztec Teresa Brevik, City of Bloomfield Cynthia Lopez, City of Farmington Nica Westerling, City of Farmington Dave Keck, San Juan County Technical Members Absent: None Staff Present: Mary Holton, MPO Officer Fran Fillerup, Acting MPO Planner Duane Wakan, MPO Associate Planner June Markle, MPO Administrative Aide Staff Absent: None Also Present: Habib Abi-Khalil, NMDOT Brian Degani, Planning Liaison, NMDOT Miguel Gabaldon, NMDOT Larry Hathaway, San Juan County Javier Martinez, NMDOT David Quintana, NMDOT 1. CALL TO ORDER Ms. Lopez called the meeting to order at 10:08 a.m. 2. APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JULY 24, 2014 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEETING Mr. Keck moved to approve the minutes from the July 24, 2014 Technical Committee meeting. Mr. Watson seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously. 3. AMENDMENT #7 TO THE FFY2014-2019 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (TIP) Subject: FFY2014-2019 TIP Amendment #7 Prepared by: Duane Wakan, MPO Associate Planner Date: August 19, 2014 9  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 BACKGROUND  On August 17, 2014 the Farmington MPO advertised Amendment #7 to the FFY2014-2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  The amendment adds/amends six project(s) to the TIP as described below in the attached notice. ADDED/DELETED TIP PROJECTS  Newly added TIP projects include a Bridge Preservation Project (F100114) north of Aztec and a flashing beacon (F100221) at the intersection of NM 371 and N36  A public hearing on Amendment #7 will be held on August 26, 2014 during the Technical Committee meeting. ANTICIPATED WORK  Seek approval of the amendment at the September 18, 2014 Policy Committee meeting.  Include the project revisions in the STIP. ATTACHMENTS  Public Notice describing the projects in Amendment #7. ACTION ITEM  It is recommended that the Technical Committee review the projects in Amendment #7, hold a public hearing, and make a recommendation on Amendment #7 to the FFY2014-2019 TIP. DISCUSSION: Mr. Wakan said that during the last STIP cycle, the MPO has had two amendments. Amendment #6 was approved by the Policy Committee on August 21 and, since that time, NMDOT has requested that additional projects be modified or added to the TIP which necessitated Amendment #7. Mr. Wakan reviewed the projects in Amendment #7 that were shown on Pages 2-4 of the Agenda: US 64 Phase V (F100112) (Milepost 56 to 58) Increase the funding level to $974,000 in FY2015 and change the federal funding source from National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) to Surface Transportation Program (STP) Flex. East Arterial Project (Phase II) This project was added to the TIP as part of Amendment #6, but $19,750 in State Severance Tax was not included in the funding amount. Amendment #7 will add this funding amount to the project for FY2016. 10  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 NM371 & N36 This project will install a flashing beacon and advance warning system to the intersection. The project will use capital outlay funds and will be led by NMDOT. 20th Street Sidewalks This project had a slight change of scope. The original project called for sidewalks on the north and south sides of 20th Street. With some change requests from within the City of Farmington, they are now only able to do the sidewalk on the north side of 20th Street. The changes include constructing buffered sidewalks as part of a complete streets effort. This project also added $28,143 in local non-match funds for FY2015 that will be used for construction. Mr. Quintana said that because these were construction funds, the agreement would not be made until the project was closer to PS&E. He stated that the local funding would be included as part of the agreement. US 64 Phase IV (F100110) (Milepost 58 to 60) This project was actually addressed in Amendment #6 so no approval recommendation on this project will be sought. Bridge Preservation Project US 550 Bridge 9178 & 9179 (Animas River) Mr. Wakan stated that this project was a new project being added to the TIP at a cost of $260,000. When the Amendment was advertised this project showed that it was on the San Juan River. The location was changed in the Agenda to show the correct location across the Animas River. Mr. Quintana said this was a preventative maintenance project to install a bridge deck overlay. Ms. Lopez opened the public hearing on Amendment #7. No comments were received. Ms. Lopez closed the public hearing. ACTION: Mr. Keck moved to recommend approval on Amendment #7 to the FFY2014- 2019 TIP with the exclusion of the US 64 Phase IV (F100110) project. Ms. Brevik seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously. 4. DISCUSSION ITEMS Ms. Lopez stated that the joint meeting today was an opportunity for the Technical Committee members and NMDOT staff to report on how things are going and to provide updates on project, priorities, and/or concerns. Mr. Quintana reported that much of the TAP funding has been moved to FY2015 to allow more time for the projects to be developed, get the PS&E packages prepared and the funding authorized. He said the cooperative agreements should be completed and sent out during the first half of the new federal fiscal year. 11  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 Funding for the East Arterial project will be authorized this year and this project is in good shape. NMDOT will be programming the next phase into the TIP/STIP which was necessary in order to fund Phase I. Mr. Quintana reported that NMDOT and the City of Farmington are in the process of amending the funding agreement on the Piñon Hills Boulevard project. The City of Farmington plans to add $300,000 in local funding for FY2015. Mr. Quintana said the city is working to acquire the needed right-of-way for this project. This project should be ready in the first half of FFY2015. Mr. Quintana reported on some TAP program updates and said that the call for projects for FFY2016 and FFY 2017 should be sent out near the end of the year. He said that notification should be coming out soon. Mr. Quintana said he expected the TAP process should be much smoother now that the first year wrinkles have been ironed out. Mr. Wakan clarified that a TIP modification was required for the East Arterial project to change the federal funding with a state match to federal funding with a local match. Mr. Watson asked if it was possible to modify the project cost to include utilities. Mr. Quintana said this was not possible as a change in cost would require an amendment to be completed and this could not be done until the first quarter of FFY2015. Ms. Lopez asked for updates on any changes in policies and procedures. Mr. Quintana said that Mr. Degani had touched on the changes to the HSIP program over the last several meetings. The application process now includes a quarterly review and the next review is in November. He recommended that project applications be ready for submittal to the MPO in the next month. Mr. Quintana said that NMDOT is working to identify a systemic safety improvement project for the district as a whole. This is a project to install digital speed display flashers. NMDOT would like to get these installed at various locations throughout District 5. Mr. Quintana sent a request to the MPO and RTPO planners to see if any member entities would like to have this signage considered at locations within their respective jurisdictions (all routes are eligible). To make application for a flasher, Mr. Quintana said the entities simply needed to provide the location, route, and if for a local street, the cross streets, and then be willing to enter into a flasher agreement to cover maintenance and energy operation if the signal is hard-wired (solar flashers are also available). District 5 plans to submit an application for this signage in the next month or two. Ms. Brevik said that the City of Bloomfield had discussed replacing non-warranted stop signs with flashers at a recent City Council meeting. Mr. Quintana said a letter from the City Manager or Mayor committing to entering an agreement to maintain the system was all that was needed. Mr. Quintana said there is an existing template for a flasher agreement that he would send to Ms. Brevik. Mr. Quintana said District 5 will take the lead on completing the application and will plan to submit it in November. He recommended entities get their information to NMDOT by October. Ms. Lopez asked if these requests went to NMDOT rather than to 12  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 the MPO. Mr. Quintana said that for this application the requests should come directly to NMDOT and they will actually submit the application. He said to be sure to keep Mr. Wakan aware of each request because a TIP amendment will need to be completed on these projects. Mr. Gabaldon stated that NMDOT had a similar program in place before where the District would do a speed study and establish a database of the speed characteristics of that highway segment. The segments are then prioritized based on speed and class related problems. Having the HSIP funding available will allow for more flashers to be installed, but the state routes will likely receive priority because of the generally greater speeds. If the funding gets tighter, the District will prioritize the projects and look for other ways to fund them. Mr. Quintana said that the non-state facilities would still be considered and he expected that, based on the history of the safety program, that 90% to 100% of the requests being completed. Mr. Wakan offered MPO assistance in providing crash data to supplement the requests. Communication and Project Management Mr. Fillerup said that the “cradle to grave” training had been scheduled for Farmington on November 5 and 6 at the Civic Center. Interested parties need to complete a registration form. Mr. Quintana said there was additional training in Las Cruces and Roswell prior to the Farmington training. Registrations can be made with Mary Eloise Martinez at (505) 827- 5273. Maintenance and Inter-Governmental Agreements Ms. Lopez said there had been delays with some of these and asked how the work on those has been progressing. Mr. Keck said San Juan County and NMDOT entered into a MOA for litter pick-up along the state highway corridors in the county. Mr. Keck reported that the county will pay the August billing for the Shiprock street lighting agreement, but will not pay any future bills until a maintenance agreement has been reached. Mr. Keck said he had sent a letter to Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) informing them of the County’s decision and will forward a copy of that letter to Mr. Quintana. Mr. Quintana said that this MOA is held up in NMDOT’s legal department and he was unsure of the reason. Mr. Keck said the County believes that maintaining the lighting system along US 64 and NM 491 is important to maintain for the entire region and has been paying $22,000 every year for the past six years, but the County cannot continue to do this without an agreement. Mr. Keck, Mr. Quintana, and Mr. Gabaldon spoke about the issue and lack of communication by Navajo DOT regarding this issue. Mr. Keck said that NTUA is willing to provide the power for the lighting but they are not willing or able to do the required maintenance. Mr. Degani offered to contact Ron Shutiva with NMDOT and Larry Joe with Navajo DOT to see if they can assist with this issue. Mr. Gabaldon said 13  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 he would inform NMDOT staff of the County’s decision and see if they could get the issue resolved. Mr. Gabaldon recommended that now that the litter pick-up agreement with the County has been signed, that MOAs with the other entities be considered. He said he would send a copy of the agreement to Mr. Watson for possible use by Aztec. Mr. Watson asked if the truss bridge on Chaco Street in Aztec belonged to NMDOT. Mr. Gabaldon said he thought it was the responsibility of the City of Aztec, but would look into it. Mr. Watson asked if that changed if the bridge was on the national historic register. Mr. Quintana thought that if the bridge in Shiprock was eligible to be on the national historic register that the Aztec bridge should also be eligible. Mr. Watson said he thought the bridge required a new deck. Mr. Gabaldon said that as long as the other structural characteristic of the bridge or its physical appearance were not altered, the process would simply be preparing and submitted the application. However, altering the physical appearance of the bridge would change its historical value. If the decking needs to be replaced to maintain the safety of the bridge, then the repairs need to be completed. Traffic Operations Ms. Brevik asked about a meeting in Bloomfield on August 28 regarding several areas impacted by water and power issues by the US 64 project. Mr. Gabaldon reported that there had been some issues with the US 64 project that were identified during construction or came up after construction. NMDOT decided to address the concerns and issues as a separate project. The issues and remedies will be addressed at this upcoming meeting. TAP Selection Changes Mr. Degani reported that the planning division is finalizing the FY2016-2017 TAP selection guide and process. He expects that the information will go out this week and noted that the draft schedule had already been issued. Mr. Degani said that the certification section under project criteria has been removed. There were very few projects that actually had certification during the last round for FY2014-2015. There were also some scoring criteria that did not apply to projects (SRTS coordinator program). Project readiness will now be assessed as part of the Project Feasibility Form (PFF). These will be included as part of the review processes by the MPOs and RTPOs as they ensure quality projects. Mr. Degani also stated that the TAP selection process has reduced the number of planning points that one entity could receive. Since large cities have more plans that can be cited and used for planning points, this was a disadvantage for the more rural communities. Under the section on project selection and the programming process, it will be a statewide selection process for the three population areas: areas from 5,000 to 200,000, population less than 5,000, and a flexible category. The selection committee will include MPO representation. 14  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 TAP applications will be required to apply for both FFY2016 design and FFY2017 construction. This requirement must be met unless the entity is granted an exception by the regional design center. Mr. Quintana clarified that those entities that have the capabilities for in-house design that NMDOT would accept would likely receive the exception and be allowed to develop the plan in-house. Mr. Degani said that these changes should allow for more project development on the timelines so that the entities can work through the design phases with NMDOT. This is also hoped to help aid and shepherd the entities through the application process to meet deadlines and increase collaboration. Mr. Degani reported that the call for TAP projects should be ready during the September/October time period; MPO screenings will happen in November/December for project feasibility; and the TAP applications will be due to the TAP Coordinator, Rosa Kozub in February 2015. Ms. Holton commented that this new process will be very different from the original process in that the MPO’s projects will now be competing against other locations. Although this change is within MAP-21 requirements and from an organizational perspective for NMDOT it makes sense, Ms. Holton said that Staff is concerned with the change because FMPO will be competing against other entities with greater resources and the ability to complete their projects quicker. This could likely dilute the funding for FMPO. Ms. Holton said it was important for this to be discussed and make sure everyone was fully aware of the changes and could provide their input. Mr. Degani urged the Technical Committee members to provide their comments as there could conceivably be fewer projects able to meet the deadlines. The group also discussed the need to identify potential project issues early on especially those involving environmental right-of-way. This is a tough and time-consuming process. Mr. Quintana also said the entities need to consider the level of effort they will need to expend on a project and then plan accordingly. He added that the state-wide project selection process could allow for larger projects to be awarded, and if planned and prepared for early on those projects would have a good chance of being selected. Mr. Quintana noted that discussion is ongoing about the impact of the new process on NMDOT’s rural partners. Mr. Wakan said that the local entities worked very well together during the TAP project selection process last year. The new process will be much more competitive. Mr. Degani said that evaluating the size of each project and the requirements to be met will be critical. Ms. Holton said the message to the entities was to complete a preliminary environmental and factor in all the variables to determine if the project can be completed within the two-year time frame. As an example, she noted that FHWA would never fund a project in a flood plain. Mr. Degani agreed that this type of assessment will need to be done by the entities to ensure a project can be done within the two-year period of FFY2016-2017. Mr. Gabaldon also commented on the requirements necessary for project closure. NMDOT has 180 days to finish up all the administrative items and closing out a completed project. This timeline will also apply to the local entities. Mr. Gabaldon stated that NMDOT is the liaison for FHWA in funding for local-lead projects. He asked 15  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 that the entities provide NMDOT with project completion and closeout information to them as soon as possible. He said that funding could be taken away or District 5 or the entities held responsible for paying for projects if these timelines are not met. Mr. Gabaldon said that all of these requirements are further explained and detailed in the cradle to grave training. Project Management - TIP Projects Mr. Wakan presented a new template Staff developed to hopefully improve communications between NMDOT and the entities. He noted the importance of providing accurate information to Staff for the TIP. Mr. Wakan said the entities and District 5 staff could use the template and help ensure all information provided is accurate and precise. Mr. Wakan reviewed the draft template and showed the different drop down boxes where the various funding sources can be identified and this listing matches the information on the TIP database. Another drop down box allows the funding categories to be identified. Mr. Quintana said that whatever application the entity is completing that would be the funding option being selected (i.e.: HSIP, TAP, or STP). Mr. Quintana thought that the template would be helpful for him because during the last amendment cycle, FMPO had upwards of ten projects to keep straight and track. Mr. Watson asked if any of the other MPOs used this type of template. Mr. Quintana said they did not and it this information was simply handled with an e-mail trail. Ms. Westerling asked if the funding options that the local entities would not ever receive could be deleted from the drop down box. Mr. Quintana said it was better to leave all possible options available on the template because it could be a possible source in the future. Mr. Degani suggested adding an information sheet to clarify and explain NHPP and STP funding since these would be the two primary categories. The information sheet could detail the eligible activities for each of these sources. The group agreed that a funding description would assist them in completing the template. Mr. Fillerup asked if the template would parallel the database managed by NMDOT. Mr. Quintana said a possible solution to the TIP communication issue is for the MPO to wait to issue the call for projects until later in the year and until closer to the STIP amendment cycle. He added that the STIP policies and procedures will spell out exactly when the call for projects should be initiated. The group discussed the need for the MPO to revise the calendars for the Technical and Policy Committees to better coordinate with the NMDOT STIP timeline calendar. MPO Staff will review this calendar for the upcoming 2015 calendar year. The group thought the template looked good and would help in keeping track of TIP projects and their progress. Mr. Quintana agreed that the template could be a valuable tool especially for the MPO when entering TIP data. Mr. Fillerup asked if there was a computerized project management tracking calendar that allowed NMDOT and the entities to interface. Mr. Quintana said there was not a shared tracking format and no interface with local governments. NMDOT relies on the MPO and local entities to provide the details and scheduling for their projects. Mr. 16  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 Degani said the NWCOG uses their own spreadsheet that tracks deadlines and dates. Additionally the cradle to grave training will demonstrate and explain this type of tracking and required deadlines for advertisements, the amendment process, etc. Ms. Holton said the City of Farmington is purchasing a project management system that will be available to the MPO as well. Ms. Brevik thanked the NMDOT for their assistance in helping the City of Bloomfield retain their TAP funding for the river trail project. Mr. Gabaldon said NMDOT was glad they were able to help with that this time, but reminded everyone that this flexibility might not always be possible. 5. RECEIVE REPORT FROM NMDOT ON OTHER ITEMS District 5 - Project Update (D. Quintana) Mr. Quintana said the current phase of US 64 project is being completed and should be open to travel by the end of the month. District 5 has prepared the punch list for the prior phase of the US 64 project. They have been working with the City of Bloomfield’s consultants to provide them with design information on the median landscaping project. NMDOT Planning Report (B. Degani) NMDOT is working on drafting one boilerplate to be used for the Memorandum of Agreements (MOA) with the MPOs. The MOA between NMDOT and FMPO was entered into on December 23, 2010 and it will terminate on June 30, 2015. MOAs were generally good for five years and it is anticipated that this will remain the same going forward. Mr. Degani said a draft MOA should be available in December. Mr. Degani reported that a freight workshop is still planned for September 11 in Farmington for the larger northwest region of the state. More information on the Recreational Trails Program will be available soon. Mr. Degani said the revisions to both the guide and application are currently being developed. The Recreational Trails Program will follow the same schedule as the TAP. NMDOT is still waiting on FHWA New Mexico’s review and approval of the FFY2015 Annual Work Program which includes all the FFY2014 MPO and RTPO work programs. NMDOT’s Data Management Bureau is working on its All Roads Network of Linear Referenced Data (ARNOLD) database. With this program, each road that is eligible for federal funding is accurately delineated and detailed, and will assist with HSIP applications. This database will allow NMDOT and the MPOs to isolate and reference specific crash data. 17  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 6. INFORMATION ITEMS Subject: Information Items Prepared by: Fran Fillerup, MPO Associate Planner Date: August 18, 2014 INFORMATION ITEMS a. 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Update. – The survey and online comment mapping tool are up and running. The MPO participated in the San Juan County Fair as part of the outreach effort for the MTP. The community meetings will be held the weeks of August 18 and 25, 2014 b. Other. DISCUSSION: Mr. Fillerup distributed an informational card on the MTP, the public engagement process, and the online survey. He also presented a map that showed where survey results had been gathered from. To date surveys have been recorded from Waterflow, Cedar Hill, Blanco, La Plata, along with a concentration of responses from Aztec, Bloomfield, and Farmington. Mr. Fillerup said that as of August 22, there had been 271 online survey responses along with 43 paper surveys plus another 30 paper surveys collected during the public meetings. Staff is hoping to collect around 500 responses before the survey is taken down on September 11. Ms. Holton commented that the MPO also had a booth at the San Juan County Fair during the week of August 11-15 which highlighted the MTP. Ms. Holton said that the attendance at the evening public meetings last week had been less than expected possible due to the start of the new school year. Staff hopes that attendance at the meetings on August 26, 27 and 28 will be stronger. Ms. Holton encouraged everyone to complete the online survey. Mr. Degani asked what had been the underlying theme of the meetings. Mr. Fillerup said many of the participants have said that the Red Apple Transit service needs to be expanded in times of the day, days of the week, and in providing more connections. This would allow students to attend evening classes and not just day classes. Also, people who have no vehicle could take a swing shift job if the buses ran later in the evening. Another element being brought up is that there are elements of a bike network but those individual elements need to be expanded and connected. Ms. Holton said she had spoken to several people at the fair about roundabouts. She explained that they can handle easily handle capacities and help calm the traffic. Responses from the public were positive once they understood how a roundabout might work in the area. 18  TC Draft Meeting Minutes August 26, 2014 6. BUSINESS FROM THE CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS AND STAFF Ms. Holton reported that Mr. Wakan would be making a presentation on behalf of the Red Apple Transit at the Transportation and Federal Lands: Enhancing Access, Mobility, Sustainability, and Connections Conference in Washington, DC the week of September 15. Ms. Holton thanked Mr. Fillerup for his service as Acting MPO Planner. He will be returning to Community Development effective September 1. Mr. Wakan will be assuming the Acting MPO Planner position until it can be permanently filled. Ms. Holton will be taking over the MTP project for the MPO and assisting Staff as needed. Mr. Watson thanked NMDOT for assisting the City of Aztec with funding for the entire East Arterial project so that Legion Road did not have to be constructed. There was no additional business from the Chairman, Members and Staff. 7. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR Mr. Gabaldon spoke briefly about the State Infrastructure Bank that he thought might be of benefit to City of Aztec. This state bank allows an entity to borrow money to begin construction on a project sooner than the STIP schedule. The STIP funding is then used to pay back the loan when the STIP takes effect in FFY2016-2017. Mr. Gabaldon said there was some minimal interest payments required from the entity, but this could expedite project scheduling. Training on the Infrastructure Bank could be done with the cradle to grave training scheduled for November. Mr. Gabaldon and Mr. Quintana will also look at scheduling something sooner. It was noted that the interest rate for this money was maybe 3%, but with construction costs continually rising, this might outpace the interest rate so it might be a cost savings mechanism for the entities to consider. Mr. Watson asked what would be the risks. Mr. Gabaldon said these are questions that would need to be considered and discussed with the financial representatives. Mr. Gabaldon said that several months ago, the Transportation Commission had considered shutting the program down as other states have done due to a lack of confidence in Congress. There was no additional business from the Floor. 8. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Westerling moved to adjourn the meeting. Ms. Brevik seconded the motion. Ms. Lopez adjourned the meeting at approximately 11:50 a.m. __________________________ ________________________________ Cynthia Lopez, Chair June Markle, MPO Administrative Aide 19