4:00 p.m., June 14, 2007 Meeting
Call to Order & Welcome:
District 9 Co-Chairman, Gary Brown, called the June 14, 2007, TAC meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. The meeting was held in the large conference room at MRPC.
1. Attendance
See attached sign in sheet.
2. Approval of February Minutes
A motion was made by Vince Sampson and seconded by Bruce Harrill to approve the minutes of the May 10, 2007 meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Gary Brown asked that everyone introduce themselves including guests representing absent TAC members.
3. District 5 Enhancement Grants
The cities of Linn and Hermann are two Meramec communities in District 5 applying for Enhancement Grant funding.
Linn City Council Member Rhonda Thompson and City Engineer John Mann of Bradford Engineering explained that the city of Linn is applying for $201,500 to add 15 crosswalks along Highway 50, to improve existing crosswalks, improve pedestrian signage and enhance the courthouse square area with improved sidewalks, curb, guttering, lighting and handrails. Total project will be $261,875 with the city contributing $60,375 to the project.
Jay Gourley, economic developer for the city of Hermann, briefly updated the TAC on Hermann’s enhancement request. He had presented the project at a previous TAC meeting. Hermann’s project is to build sidewalks from Highway 100 to the middle school, approximately one mile. This is phase two of a three-phase plan. Total cost of the project is $196,500 with the grant request being $155,235.
Co-Chairman Brown asked TAC members to rate the two projects. The results were to be presented at the end of the meeting.
4. Transit Mobility Plan – Bonnie Prigge
The federal government is now requiring that three federal transportation programs – 5310 program which provides vans for elderly and low-income, 5316 program which is the job access, reverse commute program and the New Freedom program that provides for transportation improvements – coordinate planning efforts, and all grants through these programs must be a part of the coordinated plan.
MoDOT is contracting with RPCs in Missouri to develop the plans, which will cover four areas: service assessment, needs assessment, strategies, and priorities. Meetings are planned with stakeholders in July.
5. Meramec Region Transportation Plan – Connie Willman
Connie Willman reported that Phase 2 of the Regional Transportation Plan has been drafted. The plan will replace the version currently in each member’s binders.
In year one, the board identified goals and objectives for the region. Phase 1 also included an inventory of the state system. This year, staff added city and county transportation information to the plan. More will be added because this is a work in progress. The plan will be delivered to MoDOT at the end of June to complete Phase 2. Updates may be submitted until June 25. Staff will continue updating state and local information on a yearly basis.
Chris Heard made a motion to approve submission of the Regional Transportation Plan. John Petersen seconded. Motion passed.
6. Statewide Major Priorities Discussion
Last month, staff worked with TACs and the board to identify regional needs of a statewide significance, as part of MoDOT’s effort to identify statewide investment priorities. Staff member Bonnie Prigge renewed the list and TAC members fine-tuned it. The projects were divided by districts. Members were instructed to vote on the needs important to their district. Those projects receiving the most votes at the district level were then prioritized by all TAC members from a regionwide perspective.
John Petersen pointed out that Phelps County had only one TAC member present and asked if he should be granted two votes. Discussion ensued regarding the counties represented by only one member. Since it was emphasized at the last meeting the importance of being at this meeting and there were other counties with only one TAC member present, the board decided to vote. Jerry Wolfe made a motion that the TAC members vote with the members present. Ed Worley seconded the motion. Motion passed.
The complete list of projects considered for a regionwide vote were:
Multi-Modal:
Programs and initiatives:
Chris Rutledge said that eliminating one-lane bridges is a priority. The state needs a program to address deteriorating bridges and MoDOT is bringing that issue forward. As a TAC, Rutledge said it would be appropriate for the TAC to reinforce that issue.
Richard Cavender reminded the board that it is necessary to convince the rest of the state that these projects have statewide significance. All the projects mentioned are worthwhile.
Bruce Harrill asked for a clarification on chipping and sealing roads. Alan Trampe of MoDOT, District 5 suggested the board not specify the treatment needed, but to request maintenance and improvement on lettered routes.
Bonnie Prigge distributed multicolored dots to the board and explained the voting process. Red dots indicate high priority, green dots represent medium priority, and blue dots signify low priority. Each member was given seven dots of each color and asked to place only one dot on each project.
Votes will be tabulated and reported at the next meeting.
7. MoDOT Updates and Staff Reports
Ed Worley asked MoDOT why cable guards have different numbers of cable on different side of the road. Alan Trampe explained that our area has low-tension cables while other areas have high-tension cables.
Gary Brown reported on the District 5 Enhancement Grant vote process. Linn received the most votes with eight votes, followed by Hermann with five votes.
There will not be a July TAC meeting, unless it is determined that more discussion is needed.
8. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
Co-Chairman, Gary Brown