MINUTES WINSTON-SALEM URBAN AREA TECHNICAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE (TCC) JULY 16, 2015 2:00 P.M. SECOND FLOOR, CONFERENCE ROOM, BRYCE A. STUART MUNICIPAL BUILDING MEMBERS PRESENT: Pat Ivey, Division 9 Engineer, NCDOT Cary Gentry, Senior Environmental Specialist, FCOEAP Margaret Bessette, Assistant Planning Director, CCPB Larry Kirby, Manager, Village of Clemmons Wendy Miller, Principal Planner, WSDOT, Alternate Jeff Hatling, Community Development Director, Town of Kernersville Scott Leonard, Planner, Davidson County Ken Baker, Transit Project Planner, WSDOT Dan Corder, Administrator, Village of Tobaccoville (via phone) Scott Rhine, Director, PART Wayne Davis, Transportation Engineer, NCDOT, Alternate PRESIDING: Connie James, Vice-Chairman, WSDOT STAFF PRESENT: Diane Hampton, Division Planning Engineer, NCDOT, Division 9 Greg Errett, Transportation Planning Manager, WSDOT Matthew Burczyk, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, WSDOT Fred Haith, Transportation Engineer, WSDOT Paresh Patel, Transportation Engineer, WSDOT Stephen Hawryluk, Analyst, Budget RECORDING SECRETARY: Laura Whitaker, WSDOT OTHERS: Susan Hatchell, Susan Hatchell Landscape Architects Jennifer Steed, Susan Hatchell Landscape Architects Paul Martin, FCOEAP Jordan Payne, FCOEAP Taruna Tayal, VHB 1
Connie James introduced Ken Baker as the new Transportation Project Planner. Information items 7 and 8 were postponed to the September meeting. 1. Citizen Comments No one present. Action Items 2. Consideration of the June 18, 2015 TCC Meeting Minutes Presented by Connie James. MOTION: Jeff Hatling moved approval of the minutes. SECOND: Scott Rhine VOTE: FOR: Unanimous AGAINST: None Information for Future Action Items 3. Review of the Air Quality Conformity Determination Findings for the Winston- Salem Urban Area Draft 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and 2016-2025 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) with the State Implementation Plan (SIP) Presented by Wendy Miller. a. Review of a Resolution Finding that the Winston-Salem Urban Area 2040 MTP is in Conformance with the North Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP) in Accordance with the Provisions of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA), and the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century Act (MAP-21) b. Review of a Resolution Finding the Winston-Salem Urban Area Fiscal Year 2016-2025 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) is in Conformance with the North Carolina SIP Wendy distributed a copy of the Moving Times, the MPO s newsletter. Provisions of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) and MAP-21 require that a new air quality conformity analysis and determination be performed with a new Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP). 2
The report demonstrates that the fiscally-constrained 2040 MTP for the urban area eliminates or reduces violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and accomplishes the intent of the North Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP). Based on the regional emissions budget test documented in this report and compliance with other requirements for conformity, the Winston-Salem Urban Area 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan conforms to the purpose of the North Carolina SIP. On June 4, 2015, the NCDOT approved the 2016-2025 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is a comprehensive listing of all transportation projects in North Carolina that are proposed for study or programmed for funding with State or Federal funds during Fiscal Years 2016-2025. The 2016-2025 MTIP is a comprehensive listing of all transportation projects programmed for the Winston-Salem Urban Area. The 2016-2025 MTIP is a subset of the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The draft air quality report will be available for public review and comment for 36 days from July 16th to August 20th. All comments and responses on the draft air quality report will be provided at the September 17th TAC meeting. To meet regional conformity deadlines, a conformity finding must be made by the TAC at the September meeting in order to provide sufficient time for the final federal approvals of the documents. 4. Review of the Winston-Salem Urban Area MPO Approvals of the Draft 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and the Draft Fiscal Year 2016-2025 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) Presented by Wendy Miller. a. Review of a Resolution Approving of the Winston-Salem Urban Area 2040 MTP b. Review of a Resolution Approving the Winston-Salem Urban Area Fiscal Year 2016-2025 MTIP The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century Act (MAP-21) requires that all urbanized areas develop a long-range multi-modal Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and update their plans on a regular basis. The MTP must have at least a 20 year planning horizon, include both long-range and short-range strategies/actions that lead to the development of an integrated transportation system that facilitates the efficient movement of people and goods, and shall be reviewed and updated at least every 4 years to confirm its validity and its consistency with current and forecasted transportation and land use conditions and trends. The 2040 MTP continues the assumptions of the current document with revisions to include an update of the street and highway, bicycle and pedestrian project lists by horizon years, revisions and updates to the Environmental Justice and Congestion 3
Management Processes sections with new mapping, updates of the Consultation and Environmental Analysis/Mitigation Plan, regional Freight Plan, and a revised Public Participation Policy adopted on March 20, 2014. The MTIP must be a subset of the Winston-Salem Urban Area 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and found conforming to Air Quality Conformity standards in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAAA). From February 12 th through March 16 th, the MPO supplement of the draft STIP went out for public review. On February 19 th, a public comment meeting on the draft Fiscal Year 2016-2025 STIP for the Winston-Salem Urban Area MPO and the 2040 MTP Street and Highway project list by horizon years was held in the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building with a public hearing held during the TAC meeting. A public comment meeting on the draft STIP was held on April 21 st at the Piedmont Triad Regional Council in Kernersville. As required by the MPO Public Participation Policy, the draft 2016-2025 MTIP, the draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis and Determination Report, and the draft 2040 MTP are available for review and comment for 30 days. The draft documents will be distributed to each library and municipality within the MPO, NCDOT Division 9, and will be available on the City of Winston-Salem website for a 36- day public review period from July 16, 2015 through August 20, 2015. Eight public meetings to review the 2040 MTP, the draft Air Quality Conformity Determination Report and Fiscal Year 2016-2025 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) will be held in July and August, 2015. Comments received from the public will be summarized and provided at the September 17, 2015 TAC meeting for consideration. To meet regional conformity deadlines, the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the MTIP and Air Quality Conformity Analysis and Determination Report must be reviewed and approved by various federal agencies and sent to the Federal Highway Administration and NCDOT by the end of September 2015 to prevent a lapse in federal funding. 5. Review of Proposed Modifications to the Fiscal Year 2012-2018 MTIP for the Winston-Salem Urban Area MPO Presented by Fred Haith. On September 20, 2012, the TAC approved of $3,200,000 in STP-DA funds for the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter Rail with Trail project (U-4741OI). The project consists of approximately 2,600 ft. of 10 ft. wide greenway trial with concrete shoulders from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to just south of Third Street in Winston- Salem including clearing, grading, drainage, paving, pedestrian bridge, pedestrian scale lighting, and pedestrian and bicycle amenities. The project will be constructed on land owned by the NCDOT and the PART and leased to the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter (WFIQ) in downtown Winston-Salem. The original project limits were Martin Luther King Jr. Drive south to Fogle Street, but will be adjusted to coincide with the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter Rail with Trail South 4
project. The Wake Forest Innovation Quarter Rail with Trail project was the top ranked greenway project in the 2012 call for projects. The City of Winston-Salem would like to exchange $1,120,000 in STP-DA funds with available TAP-DA funds. A funding source exchange would allow the MPO to obligate a significant portion of its TAP-DA funds before they expire in September, 2016. 6. Review of Programming Available Federal Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Funds for Eligible Projects for the Winston- Salem Urban Area MPO Presented by Fred Haith. On April 27, 2015, the NCDOT announced the release of federal CMAQ funds for the Winston-Salem Urban Area MPO for Fiscal Year 2017. The funds are eligible to be programmed for projects in Fiscal Year 2017, which runs from October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. NCDOT has allocated $1,865,541 in CMAQ funds for Fiscal Year 2017 to the MPO. Four candidate projects have been submitted for funding consideration. The Village of Clemmons is requesting $384,000 in CMAQ funds for sidewalk from the Trinity Elms at Tanglewood north to the intersection of Village Point Drive and Harper Road and $600,000 for sidewalk on Peace Haven Road from Morgan Elementary to the Jerry Long YMCA. The PART is requesting $372,000 in CMAQ funds for bus replacements. The City of Winston-Salem is requesting $2,106,459, to be provided for the construction of the Business 40 multi-use path. A project evaluation committee will be formed to review the required emissions analyses for the candidate projects and provide project rankings and funding recommendations to the TCC and TAC. Fred stated that the committee, as of now, will consist of Lynne Mitchell from the Forsyth County Health Department, Matthew Burczyk from WSDOT, Diane Hampton from NCDOT, Scott Snow from the Town of Walkertown, Cary Gentry, Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance & Protection and Todd Love from the City of Winston-Salem Engineering Department. Fred further stated that the committee plans to meet on July 24, August 21 and August 24. A discussion ensued regarding right-of-way issues. Information Items 7. Presentation on the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2), Freight Demand Modeling and Data Improvement Study 5
Item postponed to the September TCC meeting. 8. Presentation on the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Business 40 Reconstruction Project Public Outreach Program Item postponed to the September TCC meeting. 9. Presentation on the Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) Bus Stop and Transit Shelter Improvement Plan Presented by Greg Errett and Susan Hatchell, Landscape Architects. The bus stop and transit shelter improvement plan includes: o Change of some bus routes o Create a standard for future bus stops system-wide o Investigate efficiency, connectivity and determine new stop locations o Improve rider experience and perception o Address accessibility, safety and equity Project design process includes: o Research o Visual and transit assessment o Design development o Public involvement o Construction drawings and cost estimates Staff has reviewed planning documents and had phone conversations with WS Planning, NCDOT, FTA and NEPA agencies Research has been completed on bus shelter aesthetic, sustainability, public art, lighting and other options and the impact on budget. Other site amenities were researched such as benches, signs, waste receptacles, etc. GIS date has been compiled to map locations for minority, low-income and English as a second language populations to meet Title VI guidelines. Boarding and alighting maps have been prepared. Transportation patterns have been assessed. Major commuting and recreational routes, popular origin and destination points and attractions with the study area have been identified. Staff has ridden the routes by bus, car and google street view. Nextbus has been monitored for real time data. Staff has reviewed potential for historic properties along the routes. Appearance, safety, security, connectivity, accessibility, signing and over legibility of the routes has been assessed. Existing route10/future route 7: o Route travels north from DSS/Health Services on Patterson Avenue to Walmart o Corridor includes residential, industrial and commercial areas 6
o Small Area Plans show activity centers at University/Hanes Mill, Northside and Patterson/Glenn o Narrow right-of-way in more urban areas, in rural areas, much wider right-ofway. Existing route 13/future route 3: o Route travels south on Peters Creek Parkway from the Transit Center to Walmart o Corridor is predominately commercial o Small Area Plans show activity centers at West Salem, Parkway, Peters Creek Metro o Wide right-of-way o Peters Creek Parkway Corridor Study (road diet) Visual Assessment: o Sidewalks available and connected or not provided, cowpaths o Landing pad 5 X 8 minimum requirement by ADA but often not provided. o Site amenities are sometimes provided, no unified palette o Weather protection from sun, rain and wind varies o Some stops feel unsafe too dark, surrounded by thick vegetation and too close to fast moving traffic o Drainage, ditches, guy wires, utility boxes, vaults, man holes provide obstacles o Some bus users crossing street to get to bus stop/some afraid to cross because of traffic o Inconsistent signage or no signage, hard to know where bus stops or the schedule The best transit experience would be accessible for all users, connected via sidewalks, have shelters with weather protection, be unified in palette and color, have a strong identity and be easy to use. Proposed site amenities: o Bus shelter 5 X 10 and 2.5 X 10 (narrow profile) with solar light package o Bench backless or freestanding with back o Leaning rail o Waste receptacle (freestanding or mounted on pole) o Galvanized steel pole o Clear anodized aluminum finish Public Involvement: o Meeting held on June 20, 2015 o Had 43 participants o Presented maps with proposed stops, bus stop standard guidelines and image boards showing proposed site amenities o There were 67% in favor of the proposed changes in bus stop locations on both routes o There were 85% in favor of adopting the guidelines for bus stop types. o There were 76% in favor of using the bus stop type at the location shown on the bus stop map 7
o Based on public comments, proposed stops and stop types were reviewed and adjusted as necessary Bus stop standard details: o There are 4 bus stops (A, B, C and D) o There are 21 standard details o Standards address proposed amenities o Type A (Basic) 4 standard details o Type B (Seating) 9 standard details o Type C (Shelter) 7 standard details o Type D (Community) 1 standard detail Today construction drawings and cost estimates are being prepared as well as reviewing phasing of project. The budget of $625,000 includes costs for site amenities purchase costs ($402,000), construction costs ($176,000) and sidewalk and accessibility improvements ($47,000). 10. MPO Staff Reports a. NCDOT Division 9 Transportation Projects Update Presented by Diane Hampton. There will be an Idols Road Extension Project drop-in meeting in Clemmons at the Town Hall on July 23 from 4 pm 7 pm. There will be an Akron Drive Bridge Replacement Project drop-in meeting at the Smith Reynolds Airport on July 28 from 4 pm 7 pm. There are several bridge project under construction. Macy Grove Road interchange with US 421 is 91% complete. Business 40 will be down to one lane on Tuesday night - west bound only. Salem Creek Connector from Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive to Rams Drive in Forsyth County is 61% complete. Union Cross Road from Wallburg Road to Sedge Garden Road in Forsyth County is 71% complete. Williams Road Bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction is ahead of schedule. The roundabout project in Lewisville is 50% complete. The roundabout project in Bermuda Run is 23% complete. b. Forsyth County OEAP Air Quality Update Presented by Cary Gentry. Forsyth County had its first code orange day in two years on June 25. c. Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Projects Update 8
No questions for staff. d. Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) Update No questions for staff. e. Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) Update Presented by Scott Rhine. Staff is reviewing a couple of alternative routes for Business 85 in Davidson County. Chapel Hill provides a subsidy to employees that use alternate transportation and PART will be working with other employers to see if alternate transportation could benefit their employees. Bid openings for the intermodal project were on July 21, received positive comments. f. Title VI Compliance Update No questions for staff. g. 2015 MPO Calendar of Activities Presented by Greg Errett. Next TCC meeting will be September 17, 2015. 11. Next Meeting/Adjourn Meeting Adjournment 3:00 pm. 9