KALAMAZOO AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEETING JULY 13, 2017-9:00 A.M. KALAMAZOO METRO TRANSIT APPROVED MINUTES CALL TO ORDER The July meeting of the Technical Committee was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Chair Hummel. ROLL CALL (Sign-in Sheet Circulated) Meeting attendance was recorded on the sign-in sheet. Members Present Mohamed Aguib James Baker Christopher Bessert Mickey Bittner Roger Buell Tony Dacoba Steve Deisler Chris Forth, Vice-chair Rick Fowler Jamie Harmon Jim Hoekstra Lawrence Hummel, Chair Debbie Jung Rebekah Kik Jason Latham Dan Lewis Jim Mallery Ryan Minkus Michelle O Neill Abhishek Prodduturi Kathy Schultz Jodi Stefforia Greg Vlietstra Members Absent Tom Anthony Muhammad Arif Curtis E. Flowers Jeff Heppler Rob Wilson Others Present Megan Arndt Andrea Dewey Jeff Franklin Mara Gericke Sean McBride City of Kalamazoo Oshtemo Township Kalamazoo County Planning Department Village of Paw Paw City of Portage Engineering Van Buren Public Transit Texas Township City of Portage Planning Michigan Department of Transportation Planning (Lansing) City of Portage Engineering City of Kalamazoo Van Buren County Road Commission Road Commission of Kalamazoo County City of Kalamazoo Michigan Department of Transportation Planning (Southwest) Village of Schoolcraft Village of Vicksburg Road Commission of Kalamazoo County Michigan Department of Transportation (TSC) City of Kalamazoo Engineering Central County Transportation Authority Comstock Township Kalamazoo County Transportation Authority Village of Mattawan City of Portage Engineering City of Parchment Village of Augusta City of Galesburg Federal Highway Administration MDOT Lansing Central County Transportation Authority
Jenny McKillop Jesse Morgan Fred Nagler Jon Start Steve Stepek Linda Teeter Julie Warner Monica Zehner Central County Transportation Authority Hubbell, Roth and Clark Central County Transportation Authority/ Kalamazoo County Transportation Authority Hubbell, Roth and Clark CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA - NONE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA MOTION by Stefforia, SECOND by Minkus, to approve the agenda of the July 13, 2017 Technical Committee Meeting. MOTION APPROVED. MINUTES FROM THE MAY 11, 2017 MEETING Draft minutes from the May 11, 2017 Technical Committee Meeting were included in the meeting materials. MOTION by Stefforia, SECOND by O Neill, to approve the Minutes of the May 11, 2017 Technical Committee Meeting. MOTION APPROVED. POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT Start reported that the Policy Committee met on May 31 with a full agenda. The committee took action to approve amendments to the Transportation Improvement Program recommended by the Technical Committee. They also approved the 2017 Unified Planning Work Program amendment which occurs every half year to ensure continuity between the work program and activities. An adjustment was made due to the Southcentral Michigan Planning Council s MDOT contract being lower than what was budgeted. Payment was authorized by the Transportation Asset Management Council through the for the Kalamazoo County Road Commission to collect local nonfederal aid data and be reimbursed. The committee approved the 2018 Unified Planning Work Program, the MDOT/KATS Master Agreement, and a revision to the extension of Southcentral Planning Council s MDOT work program. Memberships for two Citizen Advisory Committee members whose terms had expired were renewed. CITIZENS COMMENTS NONE AMENDMENTS TO THE FY 2017-2020 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Stepek reported that there has been a shift in funding from operations to capital for transit. The projects have been put into a general program account to add some flexibility. A list of projects in that line item can be provided if requested. Additionally, there were a few minor scope changes such as an error noted from the last amendment regarding a rail project for MDOT that needed correction. Schultz asked about a City of Kalamazoo project in which a pathway is being changed to a sidewalk and whether that is the only change in that project. Hoekstra answered yes, and that it is being changed from a shared use path to a widened sidewalk. Proposed amendments to the FY 2017-2020 Transportation Improvement Program were included in the meeting materials. Proposed amendments can be found on pg. 7 of the meeting minutes.
MOTION by Schultz, SECOND by Hoekstra, to recommend Policy Committee approval of the proposed amendments to the FY 2017-2020 Transportation Improvement Program. MOTION APPROVED. PEDESTRIAN, GREENWAY, AND TRANSIT STUDY UPDATE Stepek reported that the third technical memorandum is available on the KATS Moves website and that the subcommittee is meeting to review the final draft of the plan on July 17. The final public meeting will be held in the beginning of September when school is back in session. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Schultz reported that Metro Transit is in the process of identifying bus shelter locations. Nine shelters were delivered this week with two of them being placed in the community within the next two days. They are working with the City of Kalamazoo on identifying more locations. Many bus stops are being improved this summer and Schultz thanked those who are partnering with them. MDOT is doing stop updates on M- 43 from US-131 to downtown. A significant improvement is occurring on the corner of Stadium and 11th, with a shelter being added on the inbound section in collaboration with the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County. Improvements will be beginning on Portage Road and Burdick Street in the next few weeks. Over 40 stops should be upgraded to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards this year. On July 26 and 27 Federal Transit Administration will be at Kalamazoo Metro Transit to conduct the triennial review. On July 10th, the Central County Transportation Authority and Kalamazoo County Transportation Authority heard a proposal by Blaine Lam to look at the future branding of the transit system. A focus group was held in the spring to bring riders and the community together to discuss this and the presentation reflected the results. There will be future focus groups to continue discussion. STATUS REPORTS ROAD STATUS REPORTS City of Kalamazoo: The Ransom, Harrison and Gull Street Roundabout Project is proceeding, primarily with utility work. The Burdick Street and Drake Road Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Projects are on track. The preconstruction meeting has been held for the Vine Street Project from Westnedge to Crosstown. The Vine Street Transportation Alternatives Program Project from Westnedge to Davis is targeted for a December letting with construction next year. Construction is anticipated to begin at the Grand Elk railroad crossings at Paterson Street in July. Some road repaving in the area will also be completed. Next year, the W. Michigan and Howard Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Project, the Pitcher Street Project from E. Michigan Ave to Kalamazoo, the Howard Street Project from Stadium to Oakland, and the Howard Street Pedestrian Upgrade Project from Stadium Dr. to W. Michigan Avenue are targeted for the January letting. Road Commission of Kalamazoo County (RCKC): RCKC Non-Motorized: The Texas Drive Trail project is still open with the contractor yet to complete watering and cultivating of plantings for the year. The Transportation Alternatives Program grant was submitted for the Drake Road Trail Project in Oshtemo Township and has been reviewed by the MDOT Office of Economic Development. The current decision date is set for July 24. Design plans are being completed and the township is working on right of way acquisitions. There is a stakeholder meeting planned for the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail and the segment from 35 th, through Galesburg, and along M-96 to 37 th Street. The Road Commission of Kalamazoo County will be the Act-51 agency for this segment and will continue their partnership with Kalamazoo County Parks for the trail through the county. RCKC Road Updates: The Stadium Drive safety project is wrapping up with punch list items remaining. The Sprinkle Road Safety Project is starting with utility work and foundations are being poured. The Q Avenue Project at 10th Street and the 9th Street Project at KL Avenue and Quail Run Drive are targeted for the January letting. The East Michigan Ave. Bridge in Charleston Township is closed and railing and
joint replacements are underway. It is currently on track for completion in September. Work is being done on Stadium Dive from 9 th Street to US-131 in Oshtemo Township with intersection work underway on 11 th and lowering castings on Stadium in preparation for night paving. Intersection ramps are being built to accommodate Oshtemo s future trail project. The MDOT July bid letting came in 15% under estimate for the N Avenue Project from Sprinkle to 26 th Street, with savings coming back to the road commission. The D Avenue project over the Gull Lake Outlet came in 30% under estimate in the MDOT July bid letting with the project cost totaling $135,000. The Road Commission of Kalamazoo County chip seal project is 58% through the 175-mile program and the fog seal project is 34% through the 116 mile program. The Road Commission of Kalamazoo County Board added $1.8 million from bid and winter maintenance savings to its primary road overlay program. This added 11 more projects to be completed this year and the Road Commission thanked their township partners for coordinating quickly with them on their non-motorized plans to allow the projects to move forward this year. A full list of roads is available if needed for review and are additionally listed in the board meeting minutes. The Grand Elk Railroad has notified the RCKC that D Avenue between Westnedge and Riverview will be closed July 31-August 4. Preliminary design is underway for the KL Avenue project at Almena and 1 st Street in Oshtemo Township and initial contacts with residents and the Township for property needs are underway. Additionally, at 11 th Street to Drake Road, designs are underway and coordination with the Oshtemo Township trail and the MDOT US-131 bridge continue. Oshtemo Township: Excavation is anticipated to begin in July for the Water Extension Project on West J Avenue and North 2 nd Street. The Sewer Extension Project on KL Avenue between 8 th and 9 th Street is anticipated to begin August 3. Village of Vicksburg: Vicksburg has started a water project at Boulevard Street and Prairie. It was anticipated to take approximately three weeks to complete. Boulevard and V Avenue will be milled and repaved in August. City of Portage: Water main installation for the Shaver Road Project was anticipated to be completed by the end of the week. The northbound lane is anticipated to be paved in July. Traffic will then be switched for the southbound lane paving. The project is targeted for mid to late August completion. Sewer installation is complete from Squire to Prestwick for the Angling Road Project. Sewer installation is continuing from Romence Road south. Angling Road is expected to remain closed through the summer. The Portage Road Project from Oosterhout to Mandigo has begun. The road is closed to through traffic. The project is targeted to be complete by Labor Day. Resurfacing of Oakland Drive from north of Katie Court to Centre was anticipated to begin July 17 and last approximately a week or two. The local street program is out to bid. The City has approximately 30 streets to resurface. About half are expected to be completed in late summer and fall with the remainder to be completed in the spring. The S. Westnedge Project from Romence to Mall are out for bids for design services. Next year s projects include a mill and resurface project on W. Centre from 12 th Street to Oakland and Oakland from Milham to I-94. The Westnedge and Romence traffic signal project is complete except for punch list items. The Westnedge and Kilgore Road traffic signal project is expected to be complete by the end of the month. Traffic signals have been activated at West Centre Avenue at Old Centre Road. Signal activation at West Centre at Cooley Drive is waiting on additional improvements. There will be railroad crossing replacement on Romence between Westnedge and Lovers Lane in August. The road is expected to be closed for approximately two weeks. Portage has received state Transportation Economic Development Funds for a FY 2018 project for a new signal at Portage Road and Stryker Way. Stryker Way will be a new road constructed between Lovers Lane and Portage as part of the plans for Stryker s Research and Development Facility. Michigan Department of Transportation: Paving of eastbound I-94 is complete. Bridgework on the 6 lane section of I-94 in Portage and Texas Township is going on until August 25. The M-43 Project is underway and the next phase for sidewalk work from Kendall to Pitcher is anticipated to begin August 7. There will be closures for railroad crossing work on Westnedge and Kalamazoo from August 14-25 and on Michigan and Park from September 11-22. M-96 surface sealing is wrapping up and should be finished before the end of July. Repairs of drainage structures along US-131 in Schoolcraft will begin July
31. There will also be concrete patch repairs south of Schoolcraft on US-131. MDOT maintenance forces will be doing this work. Winter maintenance savings will be used for M-40 concrete repairs in Paw Paw and for mill and resurface projects on Kings Highway in Kalamazoo and M-96 in Galesburg. Van Buren County Road Commission: Bids have been opened for an overlay project on Van Kal from Almena to M-43. LAND USE/PLANNING AND ZONING STATUS REPORTS Kalamazoo County Planning and Development: The County is reviewing the second draft of its Master Plan. It will include a generalized future land use map and the generalized zoning map was updated for the county. The county is working on a farmland preservation ordinance. The Kalamazoo County Planning and Development Department has committed to providing support and collaborating on the River to River Trail Plan to establish a route to connect the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail with the Kent County Trail system. The aerials from the 2017 Pictometry flight are anticipated to be available July 20. This was the second flight due to heavy leaf cover in 2016. Although the imagery has not yet been received, the 2017 flight also experienced problems with leaf cover. As a result, there will be an additional flight for aerials in 2018 free of charge. The county is working on 911 dispatch data updates. Western Michigan University is renaming its streets and addresses on campus. The county will need to make changes to its street database to accommodate some of these changes. The county will be working on the 2020 Local Update of Census Addresses Operation (LUCA). The county continues to work toward moving its GIS data to a new platform. Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data was anticipated to arrive at the county July 13. Oshtemo: A new development called Westgate is planned near the W. Main and US-131 interchange at the space formally occupied by TGI Fridays. There will be a Holiday Inn, a Holiday Inn Express, four restaurants, and six box chain stores. A traffic impact study is being conducted. There are also plans for a Trader Joe s near Costco. City of Portage: The permits for the foundation of the Stryker Research and Development facility have been issued. A grant from the state was received to fund over 50% of the traffic signal project at Portage Road and Stryker Way. AVB is continuing construction of a 5-story office building near Westnedge and I- 94. There are plans for the construction of Home Goods on the north side of Earth Fare and the city is about to approve plans for a restaurant in the same area called Black Rock Bar and Grill. The Capital Improvement Program has been approved. There are also plans for a CoreLife Eatery at the abandoned Pizza Hut building on Westnedge Avenue. City of Kalamazoo: The 2025 Imagine Kalamazoo Strategic Vision will be presented for adoption on July 17. The Master Plan is about to be released for a 63-day review. The city will be moving away from separate zoning and land use maps and preparing to move toward Form-Based Code. Michigan Department of Transportation: The consultant has started collecting data for the Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study for downtown Kalamazoo. Sarah Binkowski is the new project manager. A meeting is targeted for August for the PEL administrative team. NEW BUSINESS Federal Highway Administration: Andrea Dewey will be the new Federal Highway Administration representative for KATS. South Central/Southwest Traffic Safety Network Meeting: The next meeting of the South Central/Southwest Traffic Safety Network will be held on July 25 at 8:30 a.m. at the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County.
Michigan Department of Transportation: The Investment Reporting Tool (IRT) platform for the Transportation Asset Management Council is being overhauled. There will be a transitional release in August, another transitional release next year with final implementation the following year. The state will be switching to a new accounting system, called Sigma. Due to its implementation, the final submission dates for changes to federally or state funded projects is September 1, 2017. The state will also be implementing the Jobnet System for programming projects. River to River Trail Plan: A third public meeting will be held on August 9 at Wayland Union Highschool Fine Arts Center, 850 E Superior St. Wayland, MI 49348. The final public meeting will be held September 14 at Plainwell City Hall from 5-7 p.m. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Stefforia, SECOND by Mallery, to adjourn the July meeting of the Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study Technical Committee. MOTION APPROVED. There being no other business the July meeting of the Technical Committee was adjourned at 9:55 a.m. by Chair Hummel. The next meeting of the Technical Committee will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Kalamazoo Metro Transit.