CAPTIONING JUNE 2, 2009 METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION ***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION MEETING FOR JUNE 2ND, 2009. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION? >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> HEAVENLY FATHER AS ALWAYS WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS YOU'VE GIVEN US WE ASK YOU GUIDE US TODAY THAT -- AS WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT ALL PEOPLE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PLEASE PROTECT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOMS WHO ARE DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE -- ANYONE WHO HAS A BLACKBERRY PLEASE TURN THEM OFF BECAUSE I GUESS IT INTERFERES WITH THE SYSTEM HERE. THE SOUND SYSTEM. SO ANYONE THAT HAS ONE -- REGULAR CELL PHONES IF YOU JUST TURN THEM ON VIBRATE, THAT WOULD BE OKAY. WE HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION AT OUR POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING THIS PAST WEEK REGARDING THE TIME FOR OUR MEETINGS. WE'VE BEEN RUNNING REALLY LONG AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PRESENTERS AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE DIAS HERE BECAUSE A LOT OF US HAVE COMMITMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE AND THESE LAST TWO MEETINGS HAVE BEEN GOING OVER TWO HOURS. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS WE LIMIT ANY PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE, IF WE COULD LIMIT THEM TO TEN MINUTES AND WHATEVER DISCUSSION WE HAVE, MAKE IT CONCISE. AND TO THE POINT. SO ALL OF US COULD ENJOY A GOOD MEETING. AND WITHOUT HAVING PART OF THE MEMBERS OF THE MPO HAVE TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF OTHER COMMITMENTS AND AGAIN LIKE I SAID IT'S NOT FAIR TO THOSE WHO ARE PRESENTING AND IT'S REALLY NOT FAIR TO THOSE WHO ARE ON THE DIAS WHO HAVE COMMITMENTS THEY HAVE TO FULFILL. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION WITH THIS SO WE COULD SPEED OUR PROCESS ALONG. FIRST WE HAVE -- WE DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. CHRIS WEBER, PLEASE LIMIT IT TO THREE MINUTES. >> GOOD MORNING, CHRIS WEBER, WESTSHORE ALLIANCE THIS MORNING YOU WILL RECEIVE A BRIEFING ON THE HART TRANSFER CENTER BY BOY SCOUT ROAD BY THE AIRPORT WE JUST WANT TO SAY WE SUPPORT IT. IT'S A GOOD LOCATION. IT WILL GET THEM OUT OF SOME LOGISTICAL ISSUES THEY HAD WITH WESTSHORE PLAZA WE SUPPORT THAT LOCATION THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON ABOUT PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS PARTICULARLY ON BOY SCOUT BOULEVARD WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS MAYBE PART OF THE PLAN. WE SEE THAT TRANSFER CENTER POSSIBLY AS A DESTINATION AT SOME POINT. WE FIGURE ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT GOING ON ON O'BRIEN, AVION PARKWAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES IN THAT AREA. AND ALSO CONNECT TO CARPET CENTER ONE AND INTERNATIONAL PLAZA SO WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH HART AND TRY TO WORK SOME KIND OF PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS ALONG BOY SCOUT UP TO THE PLAZA ON THE NORTH OR SOUTH SIDE. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM. THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. WE HAVE ONE OTHER, VIVIAN BACHA. >> GOOD MORNING, VIVIAN BACHA 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON. NOW THAT WE HAVE SIGNED SB 360 INCLUDING HILLSBOROUGH I ASK MYSELF WHAT'S NEXT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MPO JOIN WITH THE MPOS OF THE OTHER SEVEN COUNTIES THAT OPPOSE THIS MEASURE IN URGING THEIR MEMBER GOVERNMENTS TO ONE, CHALLENGE THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF SB 360. AND TWO, URGE FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION AND STUDY OF THE MOBILITY FEE ISSUE INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR TWO YEARS. ASSUMING THAT THE BILL IS UPHELD. THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. BACHA? IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. WE HAVE JOE AMUND FOR THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS. WE MET -- THE CAC MET ON MAY 13TH. AND THE VERY FIRST THING WE DID WAS DISCUSSED OUR RELATIONSHIP AND WHO WAS GOING TO -- WHO WAS GOING TO REPRESENT US ON THE JOINT CITIZENS COMMITTEE. AND WE DID WORK THAT OUT. OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE JOINT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THAT'S THE -- ALL THE MPOS IN THE AREA GET TOGETHER. AND IT'S CONFIRMED FOR JULY 7TH AT THE FDOT DISTRICT 7 OFFICE. ANOTHER MEMBER INTEREST WAS THAT THEY WERE VERY PLEASED THAT MAYOR IORIO IS GOING AROUND GIVEN THE TBARTA PRESENTATION. AND THEY ARE ASKING FOR SUPPORT. THEY WERE -- COMMENTS MADE BY THE CAC MEMBERS WAS THAT'S A GREAT OUTREACH PROGRAM. ACTION ITEMS, UPWP AMENDMENT. BASICALLY THIS IS AN UPDATE OF THE BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE MPO AND AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION WE PASS IT TO YOU FOR YOUR APPROVAL. WE BRING IT TO YOU WITH OUR APPROVAL. AND TO PASS IT TO YOU FOR YOUR APPROVAL. CERTIFICATION REPORT. EVERY TWO YEARS THE FHWA AND FTA INSPECT THE MPOS. WE'VE GOT A BRIEFING ON WHAT THAT -- WHAT THEIR COMMENTS WERE. IT SOUNDS LIKE OUR MPO IS DOING EXTREMELY WELL. WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT WE HEARD. AND HERE AGAIN, WE APPROVE THAT PRESENTATION TO BE BROUGHT TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR APPROVAL. NEXT ITEM WAS TIA TRANSFER CENTER. THERE WAS A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT TRANSFER CENTER. AND AFTER THAT DISCUSSION WAS COMPLETED, WE VOTED TO APPROVE -- TO BRING TO YOU FOR APPROVAL THE TRANSFER CENTER. OUR ONLY COMMENT THAT WE WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL OF IS THAT WHERE THAT TRANSFER CENTER IS WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO IN THE WESTSHORE AREA AND THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD REASONS FOR WHERE THEY WANT TO PUT IT. WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED BETWEEN THE -- THAT THE TIE BETWEEN THAT CENTER AND WHAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY THE RAIL AND I'LL USE THAT TERM VERY GENERICALLY WHATEVER MASS TRANSIT WE HAVE HAS TO BE VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT SO THAT THAT CENTER IS IN THE HUB OF THAT TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE RAIL. SO THAT'S THE ONLY CAVEAT WE BRING FORWARD TO YOU. TIP AMENDMENT, THE NEXT -- THE TIP AMENDMENT THAT WE APPROVED WAS A BUS REPLACEMENT. AND PARATRANSIT ADVANCE. THERE'S OVER $2 MILLION THERE THAT THEY WERE MOVING. AND WE SAW THAT THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE USE OF THE MONEY. SO WE ARE -- WE APPROVED IT TO BRING IT TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. GO UNDER OUR STATUS REPORTS. THERE'S AN UPDATE OF THE TIP GIVEN TO US, INCLUDING NEW PROJECTS IN THE FIFTH YEAR. THE 2035 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN NEEDS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD. ONE OF THE -- IT WAS QUITE INTERESTING TO US AND WE WANT TO APPLAUD THE MPO IS FOR THE NUMBER OF HEARINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE TO GET PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THE CAC HAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF OUR HOT BUTTON WAS HOW MANY PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN THESE EVENTS. AND IT SEEMS AS IF WE ARE GOING ABOUT IT IN THE RIGHT WAY. AND THAT COMMENT WAS ASKED TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO YOU ALL THAT THE CAC IS VERY PLEASED WITH THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS BEING HELD. WE DISCUSSED BRUCE B. DOWNS BOULEVARD. THEIR UPDATE WAS GIVEN. THEY BEGAN WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO BEGIN THE WIDENING PROJECT ON THE ONE SECTION AND I BELIEVE THAT'S FROM PALM LAKE OUT TO CROSS CREEK BOULEVARD. BUT THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FURTHER DESIGN ON THE SECTION FOR INSTANCE FROM BEARSS TO PALM. THAT THAT AREA BE LOOKED AT AND MAYBE REDESIGNED FOR CORRIDOR WITH RAIL. BUT THE CAC HAS COME DOWN REPEATEDLY THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GO FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S CURRENTLY PLANNED FOR THAT IMMEDIATE AREA TO RELIEVE THE TRAFFIC. UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL AND WE SAW THAT THERE'S STILL A BIG GAP IN THE TRAIL FROM THE SUNCOAST DOWN TO THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL AND THERE'S WORK BEING DONE ON THAT. AND SO WE WERE PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL WORK BEING PERFORMED TO TRY TO TIE ALL OF THE TRAILS TOGETHER. HART NEW STARTS STUDY. WE WERE GIVEN A BRIEFING ON WHAT THIS NEW STARTS PROGRAM IS. AND IN A SENSE WHAT WE WERE BEING BRIEFED ON IS THAT THERE'S A COMMITTEE FORMED TO LOOK AT WHERE THE BEST PLACE FOR RAPID TRANSIT MIGHT BE. AND IN THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE AREAS THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE AT THIS POINT. AND WE SOMEWHAT -- WE CON SUR WITH THAT BUT WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR MORE INFORMATION AS IT COMES FORWARD. SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE ITEMS THAT WE COVERED AT OUR MEETING. OUR NEXT MEETING IS FOR JUNE 10TH. SAME TIME AND PLACE, 1:15 AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM AND THAT'S OUR REPORT. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS? IF NOT WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR YOUR GOOD WORK. >> THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: NEXT WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT, ED BUYER. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE. THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET ON MAY 15TH. THERE WERE THREE AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE YOU TODAY THAT WE DID DISCUSS AND WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON EACH OF THOSE THREE ITEMS. THE FIRST BEING THE TIP AMENDMENT THAT WAS EARLIER EXPLAINED THE 2.2 MILLION IN SECTION 5309 FEDERAL FUNDS TO BE USED BY HART FOR BUSES AND PARATRANSIT ADVANCE. AFTER SOME -- VANS. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION WE DID RECOMMEND THAT THE MPO BOARD APPROVE THAT. THE SECOND ITEM WAS THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM. SOME OF THE CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO HART DURING THE REVIEW OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WE DID HAVE A DETAILED PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION AT THE END THE COMMITTEE DID RECOMMEND THAT THE MPO FORWARD MAKE THE APPROVAL TODAY AND IT IS ON YOUR AGENDA. THE THIRD ITEM IS THE CERTIFICATION REPORT. THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION. AND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THERE WERE NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS LISTED. AND THE TAC RECOMMENDED THAT THE MPO BOARD APPROVE THAT FINAL CERTIFICATION REPORT AND I BELIEVE IT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE MPO BOARD AT YOUR JULY MEETING. THE ONE AGENDA ITEM THAT THE TAC SPENT THE MOST TIME ON WAS THE AIRPORT TRANSFER CENTER, THE RELOCATION FOR HART. AND LIKE THE CAC, WE DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL. BUT WE DID WANT THE MPO BOARD TO MAKE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE SPECIALLY PEDESTRIAN AND SIDEWALK NEEDS. FROM THAT FACILITY. THE BOY SCOUT BOULEVARD AREA. AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A DETAILED WESTSHORE PEDESTRIAN PLAN THAT'S BEEN PREPARED. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION IN THAT PEDESTRIAN PLAN THAT COULD BE UTILIZED BY HART. OTHER ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS IN DEVELOPING THIS BUS TRANSFER CENTER. WE ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BUS SERVICE BE CONTINUED TO BE PROVIDED TO THE WESTSHORE MALL. EVEN THOUGH THE STATE -- THE FACILITIES BEING MOVED FROM WESTSHORE MALL BUT STILL PROVIDE THAT CENTER WITH BUS SERVICE. OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON MONDAY, JUNE 15TH AT 1:30. AND THAT'S ON THE 18TH FLOOR IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS NEXT TAC INCLUDES UPDATES OF THE TRANSPORTATION TASK. ALSO WE'RE GOING TO -- TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE AND THE WATER BASE TRANSPORTATION PLANS UNDERWAY BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE CITY OF TAMPA AND OTHERS. SO THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR NED? NO? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. POLICY COMMITTEE, COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THE POLICY COMMITTEE MET ON MAY 26TH IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 28TH '09 POLICY MEETING WERE APPROVED AS SUBMITTED. PRIOR TO ACTING ON THE ACTION ITEMS MAYOR SUGGESTED LIMITING PRESENTATIONS AT THE FULL MPO BOARD MEETINGS TO TEN MINUTES EACH THOSE PRESENT AGREED AND OF COURSE WE ALREADY DISCUSSED THAT ACTION ITEMS THE TIP AMENDMENT APPROVED AND FORWARDED AMENDMENT TO THE FULL MPO BOARD FOR ACTION AT TODAY'S MEETING UPWP AMENDMENT APPROVED IT TO THE FULL MPO BOARD FOR ACTION AT TODAY'S MEETING 2009 FTA DRAFT CERTIFICATION REPORT. DEFERRED UNTIL JULY OF MPO MEETING. LETTER TO TBARTA REGARDING THE MASTER PLAN NEXT STEPS. APPROVED AND FORWARDED TO MPO FOR APPROVAL. LETTER TO FDOT REGARDING SIS PRIORITIES APPROVE CHANGING LETTER TO DON SKELTON INSTEAD OF FDOT SECRETARY STEPHANIE KOPELOUSOS AND STATED HOWARD FRANKLAND SHOULD BE A HIGH PRIORITY AS WELL REMOVED THE WORDING COST AFFORDABLE THE TIA TRANSFER CENTER SUPPORTING PROPOSED TRANSFER CENTER IN THE CENTRAL WESTSHORE AREA THIS ITEM IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. THE STATUS REPORT, HEARD PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF ON THE DRAFT PRESENTATION IMPROVEMENT FROM AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT WHICH ARE BOTH AGAIN ON TODAY'S AGENDA. AS A REMINDER THE NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE SCHEDULED MEETING WILL BE JUNE 23RD AT 9 A.M. IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM AS ALWAYS ALL MPO BOARD MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >> THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE'VE GOT FOUR ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDING THE MINUTES. ONE ITEM IS GOING TO REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE WHICH IS A TIP PROGRAM AMENDMENT. AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THOSE -- THE INFORMATION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND KNOWING THAT THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE HAVE APPROVED ALL THREE EXCLUDING THE MINUTES OF COURSE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS SO IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS YOU WANT TO PULL TO DISCUSS, WE CAN DO THAT. OTHERWISE WE CAN TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE BECAUSE ONE IS REQUIRED ON ONE ITEM ON THE COMPLETE CONSENT AGENDA AND APPROVE THEM ALL AT ONE TIME. >> I HAVE ONE MINOR COMMENT TO MAKE ON THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING IF I COULD. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE CAN PULL THAT THEN. HOW ABOUT THE OTHER THREE ITEMS. >> MOTION TO APPROVE THE OTHER THREE ITEMS IN TOTAL. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE. >>KEN HAGAN: (NO RESPONSE.) >> COMMISSIONER BECKNER: YES. >> COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER: YES. >> LOUIS MILLER: (NO RESPONSE.) >> MAYOR RICK LOFT: YES. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: YES. >>MARK SHARPE: YES. >>MARY MULHERN: YES. >> COUNCILMAN SCOTT: (NO RESPONSE.) >>JOSEPH CAETANO: YES. >> COMMISSIONER FERLITA: YES. >> RICHARD WAINIO: YES. >> JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES. >> MOTION CARRIES 10-0. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. WAGGONER WAG WAGON PAGE 6 UNDER THE GANDY BOULEVARD CORRIDOR DISCUSSION THE LAST DISCUSSIONS MR. STONE STATED SAID ELEVATED LANES WERE THE ALTERNATE TO TRAFFIC CIRCLES ACTUALLY IT SHOULD INDICATE THAT MR. STONE SAID THE ELEVATED LANES WERE THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE AND TRAFFIC CIRCLES WERE AN OPTIONAL PART OF THE PROPOSAL. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. I CAN GET WITH SOMEONE TO MAKE SURE THE WORDING IS CORRECT AFTER THE MEETING. BUT THAT'S MY PROPOSED CHANGE. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. >> THAT'S FINE. >> NO PROBLEM. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: NOW WE NEED A VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THE MODIFICATIONS. >> SO MOVED MR. CHAIRMAN WITH CHANGES. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FLAVOR SAY AYE -- ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. (CHORUS OF AYES.) >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WE HAVE THREE ACTION ITEMS LETTER TO TBARTA REGARDING THE MASTER PLAN. BETH ALDEN? >>BETH ALDEN: GOOD MORNING, BETH ALDEN MPO STAFF. THE TAMPA BAY AREA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY APPROVED IT'S MASTER PLAN IDENTIFYING MAJOR REGIONAL CONNECTIONS FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT AND MANAGED LANES ACROSS THE REGION. AND IT'S NEXT STEPS ARE TO MOVE INTO CORRIDOR STUDIES OF SOME OF THE HIGH PRIORITY REGIONAL CORRIDORS. THE HILLSBOROUGH MPO HAS BEEN IN CLOSE CONVERSATION AND COORDINATION WITH HART ABOUT ITS WORK TO MOVE FORWARD A COUPLE OF THE CORRIDORS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED IN THE REGIONAL SYSTEM. AND WHAT THIS LETTER DOES IS IT REQUESTS TBARTA TO CONSIDER DOING CORRIDOR STUDIES ON SOME OF THOSE REGIONAL CONNECTIONS. AND THAT'S BASICALLY IT. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. WE NEED A VOTE TO APPROVE THE LETTER TO TBARTA. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ALL IN FAVOR AYE. (CHORUS OF AYES.) >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES THANK YOU, BETH YOU'RE ON AGAIN FOR THE LETTER TO FDOT. >>BETH ALDEN: YES, I HAVE THE NEXT LETTER IS REGARDING ONE OF THOSE REGIONAL CONNECTIONS. THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE. WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AS IT LOOKS OUT OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS AT THE POTENTIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF ONE OF THE SPANS OF THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE AND LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD RAIL AS PART OF THAT RECONSTRUCTION. SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT LOOK AT ITS AVAILABLE REVENUES. AND TRY TO PRIORITIZE THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THAT HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> MOVED, SECOND. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY MOVED AND SECONDED. NO DISCUSSION. DO YOU HAVE -- >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SCOTT CALLISTER, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS A PDD STUDY FUNDED IN FISCAL YEAR 2013 TO STUDY THE EASTBOUND STRUCTURE OF THE HOWARD FRANKLAND ABOUT A THREE MILE LONG STRUCTURE AND WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THAT TO INCLUDE TRANSIT ALTERNATIVES AND TECHNOLOGY SO WE CAN DESIGN THE APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE OUT THERE YOU ARE LOOKING AT VERY PRELIMINARILY IF WE REPLACE THE EASTBOUND BRIDGE AND CONSTRUCT A NEW TRANSIT STRUCTURE OUT THERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A $470 MILLION. IT'S A RATHER LARGE AND EXPENSIVE PROJECT. WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE LAST TWO YEARS TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE PDD AND GET IT DONE SOONER IN FISCAL YEAR 2013 AND WE'LL CONTINUE THAT EFFORT TO GET THE NECESSARY STUDY COMPLETED TO GET THE PROJECT COSTS IDENTIFIED AND MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. THIS LETTER WOULD JUST PUT US ON RECORD THAT WE'RE ENDORSING THIS AND ENCOURAGING IT TO HAPPEN. SO OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, MARY. >>MARY MULHERN: YES, I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR BETH. DO WE WANT TO -- WHEN YOU SAY PRIORITIZE, ARE YOU HOPING THAT WE MOVE THAT AHEAD SO THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT SOONER OR JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON RECORD TO PRIORITIZE IT. >>BETH ALDEN: I WOULDN'T WANT TO RECOMMEND AT THIS POINT THAT WE PRIORITIZE THAT PARTICULAR RAIL CORRIDOR ABOVE THE OTHER RAIL CORRIDORS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS NEEDED. BECAUSE THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND ALSO AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL. BUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL REVENUES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECONSTRUCT THAT SPAN DURING THIS PLANNING PERIOD THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUT TO 2035 THEN THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME COST SAVINGS, SOME SHARING OF COSTS. I BELIEVE THAT THE COSTS THAT MR. CALLISTER JUST BROUGHT UP DIDN'T INCLUDE THE RAIL TRACK. IS THAT CORRECT? SO THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE AN ADDITIONAL COST THAT WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT IN OUR MPO PLANNING PROCESS AND WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, AS WELL. TO SEE IF WE COULD IDENTIFY FUNDS FOR THAT PART OF THE PROJECT. SO TRYING TO NAIL DOWN WHAT THE COSTS ARE. >>MARY MULHERN: OKAY. AND YOU WANT THAT, THE PART ABOUT IDENTIFYING THOSE COSTS, TO BECOME A PRIORITY FOR THE MPO. >>BETH ALDEN: YEAH, IT'S BASICALLY -- YOU KNOW IT'S BASICALLY ASKING THE DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO PRIORITIZE THIS PROJECT AMONG ALL OF ITS STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM PRIORITIES. >>MARY MULHERN: RIGHT. THANKS. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER. >> THANKS, MR. CHAIRMAN. BETH, HAVE ANY OTHER -- I'M TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS. BUT HAVE ANY OTHER AGENCIES LIKE THE PINELLAS MPO, PINELLAS COUNTY, TBARTA CHIMED IN WITH SIMILAR RESOLUTIONS. >>BETH ALDEN: THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. IN FACT THE PINELLAS MPO PASSED A MOTION LAST MONTH IDENTIFYING TWO CORRIDORS THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE VERY IMPORTANT REGIONAL CORRIDORS AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM. >> RIGHT. SO -- ANYWAY, MAYBE WE CAN ENCOURAGE THEM ALSO TO HAVE SIMILAR SPECIFIC LETTERS TO ADD THIS PROJECT TO ADD THIS PROJECT TO THE DOT'S PD AND E SO WE CAN GANG UP ON THE DOT AND MAKE SURE THEY INCLUDE THIS. THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS LETTER. >> SO MOVED MR. CHAIR. >> SECOND. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. (CHORUS OF AYES.) >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES THANK YOU BETH NEXT IT TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CENTER. MARY SHAVLER. OH, YOU'RE NOT MARY. >> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS LES WEAKLAND WITH HILLSBOROUGH REGIONAL TRANSIT. I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT ON THE PROPOSED TIA TRANSFER CENTER. WHAT I'LL BE GOING OVER BRIEFLY HERE WILL BE THE PROJECT NEED, PROPOSED PROJECT, THE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS THAT WERE DISCUSSED EARLIER. REQUIRED APPROVALS. THE PROJECT SCHEDULES. AND THE REQUESTED ACTIONS. AS WE -- WE CURRENTLY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES AT OUR CURRENT TRANSFER CENTER THAT'S LOCATED WESTSHORE PLAZA. OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS ARE BUS DELAYS ESPECIALLY DURING THE SHOPPING SEASONS AND SUCH LIKE THAT. WE GET TIED UP INTO THE PLAZA TRAFFIC IN BEHIND THE PARKING GARAGE AREA. SECONDLY, A NUMBER OF OUR TRANSIT ROUTES HAVE TO ACTUALLY TRAVEL OTHER DIRECTIONS TO OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE WESTSHORE PLAZA AREA. WE'RE LOOKING AND FEEL THAT THE PROPOSED NEW TRANSIT CENTER WOULD BE BETTER SUITED AND MORE CENTRALLY LOCATED FOR THE WESTSHORE AREA AT THE SPRUCE, O'BRIEN INTERSECTION AREA. MANY OF OUR ROUTES COME IN FROM THE NORTH. WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AS WAS STATED ALONG THE SPRUCE AND BOY SCOUT CORRIDOR. THERE'S SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYMENT AND OF COURSE VISITORS THAT GO TO AND FROM THE TIA AIRPORT. AND WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THIS TO FACILITATE ACCESS FOR THE CROSS COUNTY BUS SERVICES AND OUR FUTURE BRT. THE PROPOSED PROJECT OVERVIEW IS BASICALLY GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO THE TRANSFER CENTERS THAT WE'VE BUILT AT NET PARK WEST TAMPA TRANSFER CENTER AND THEN OVER IN NORTHWEST. THEY WILL INCLUDE ABOUT EIGHT BUS BAYS. THIS PARTICULAR TRANSFER CENTER OF COURSE IS GOING TO BE LOCATED AT SPRUCE AND O'BRIEN IT WILL BE ON A 3.67 ACRE PARCEL AND IT WILL ENHANCE THE CONNECTIONS FOR OUR LOCAL AND LIMITED EXPRESSES. WE WILL ALSO HAVE FUTURE CONNECTIONS WITH PINELLAS SUNCOAST TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND ALSO AS I STATED FOR OUR PROPOSED FUTURE EAST-WEST BUS RAPID TRANSIT ROUTE. THIS IS A DIAGRAM OF THE LOCATION AND CONCEPTUAL PLAN AS IT STATES RIGHT NOW. AS STATED BEFORE, WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT CERTAINLY DOING ADDITIONAL ENHANCED SIDEWALK CONNECTIVITY. AS REPRESENTED FROM THE TRANSFER CENTER AREA WE'RE LOOKING AT OF COURSE HAVING PEDESTRIAN CENTER CONNECTIONS LEADING FROM THE TRANSFER CENTER DOWN ACROSS FRONTAGE ROAD ACROSS THE O'BRIEN CONNECTING DOWN TO SPRUCE. AND THE DEVELOPMENT WITH AVION, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM IN FDOT FOR THE INCLUSION OF A BUS BAY AND OF COURSE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS FOR CROSSING AT THE SPRUCE AREA. AND YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE OF COURSE THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS THERE TO HELP ENHANCE THE SAFETY IN THAT AREA. AS STATED BEFORE, THE ELEMENTS FOR THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE EIGHT BUS BAYS. WE'LL HAVE A RAISED PLATFORM AND SHELTERS FOR THE PATRONS. WE'LL HAVE A SMALL BUILDING THAT WILL INCLUDE REST ROOMS FOR THE BUS OPERATORS ALSO FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND AN EMPLOYEE BREAK ROOM, TICKET VEND MACHINES AND OF COURSE WE'LL HAVE IT ENHANCED WITH GOOD LIGHTING AND SECURITY PROVISIONS. WE'RE ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT ENHANCING IT POSSIBLY IN THE INITIAL DESIGN BUT IN THE FUTURE OF INCLUDING A KISS AND RIDE DROPOFF AREA SO THAT PEOPLE COMING INTO TOWN IF THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE CONNECTIONS CAN DROP OFF A SPOUSE OR FRIEND OR WHATEVER IN THE KISS AND RIDE AREA. AND MAKE THEIR CONNECTIONS THEN WITH THE OTHER BUS SYSTEMS. FUNDING, WE CURRENTLY HAVE FUNDING IN PLACE. WE HAVE STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL DOLLARS IN PLACE. IN FACT WE JUST RECENTLY APPROVED OUR HART BOARD APPROVED ENTERING INTO TWO JPAS WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT EXECUTED BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH. THE PROPOSED PROJECT PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS OF COURSE AS STATED AND I DESCRIBED EARLIER, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE GOOD CONNECTIONS ALL ALONG THE ADJACENT BUSINESSES CONNECTING OVER TO SKY SHEF OVER TO SPRUCE AND WORKING WITH FDOT FOR THE AVION DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CROSSINGS OF O'BRIEN AND SPRUCE STREET AND ALSO THE BUS BAY AT SPRUCE STREET ON O'BRIEN WE'RE ALSO SEEKING AND LOOKING TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA FDOT TO DO AN ENHANCED AND WESTSHORE ALLIANCE AND I APPRECIATE THEIR COMMITMENT IN TRYING TO ASSIST US IN FINDING FUNDING AND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN ACCESS IS ALL ALONG SPRUCE STREET TO BOY SCOUT AND DOWN EVEN TO WESTSHORE AREA. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE OF PRIME IMPORTANCE. AND OF COURSE WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW FOR OUR REQUIRED APPROVALS, WE'LL BE ISSUING OUT OUR NEPA DOCUMENTATION SHORTLY. WE'RE GOING THROUGH ON SOME FINAL DESIGN, CONCEPTUAL DESIGN ELEMENTS BEFORE WE SUBMIT THIS OUT TO ALL OF THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND ALSO THEN TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION. THE FAA HAS APPROVED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR THE AVIATION AUTHORITY ALREADY AND WE'VE RECEIVED THAT DOCUMENTATION. SO THEY ARE -- THEY BASICALLY HAVE APPROVED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRANSFER CENTER ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE AVIATION AUTHORITY, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON A LONG TERM LEASE. THAT ACTION ITEM WILL ACTUALLY BE PRESENTED AT THE AVIATION AUTHORITY BOARD MEETING THIS THURSDAY. AND THEN OF COURSE WE'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW THE NORMAL PERMITTING PROCESS WITH BOTH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE AVIATION AUTHORITY. THE TENTATIVE SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW IS FOR COMPLETION OF THE NEPA PROCESS HOPEFULLY BY LATE JUNE. WE'LL HAVE AGAIN STATED THE LEASE APPROVAL ON JUNE 4TH. DESIGN WORK WE WANT TO ISSUE THAT OUT AND HAVE THAT READY TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE FALL OF 2009. START THE CONSTRUCTION SUMMER OF 2010 AND HAVE THE SYSTEM AND TRANSFER CENTER OPERATIONAL IN 2011. AGAIN, OUR REQUESTED ACTIONS TODAY ARE JUST TO HAVE THE SUPPORT AND APPROVAL FOR THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. WE HAVE HAD APPROVAL WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEES, MPO SUBCOMMITTEES AND ALSO WITH OUR PRESENTATION WITH WESTSHORE ALLIANCE. AND THEN ALSO WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT HAVING SUPPORT FOR LOOKING AT FUNDING STRATEGIES FOR THE ENHANCED PEDESTRIAN ACCESSES AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SPRUCE AND WESTSHORE BOULEVARD. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MR. DINGFELDER. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I'M REAL EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW TRANSFER CENTER OUT IN THAT AREA. I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED AND WE'VE HAD OUR ISSUES WITH THE WESTSHORE MALL FOLKS. MY QUESTION WAS IS THE IMPACT ON EMPLOYEES AT THE WESTSHORE MALL. I MEAN I WOULD GUESS THAT A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WORK AT THE WESTSHORE MALL YOU KNOW USE OUR SYSTEM AND USE OUR CURRENT TRANSFER STATION AT THE WESTSHORE MALL. SO DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF THAT? OR WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THOSE FOLKS. >> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY LIMITED ON THE IMPACT TO THEM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE HERE IS ON THE ROUTE 30 WHICH IS THE MAIN TRANSIT ROUTE THAT OPERATES ALONG KENNEDY BOULEVARD AND WESTSHORE AND HEADING OUT TO THE AIRPORT, WE'VE ACTUALLY IMPROVED THE FREQUENCY ON THAT PARTICULAR ROUTE. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE TRIPS NOW GOING BY THAT LOCATION THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. SO THAT SHOULD ENHANCE IT. >> SO WHERE WILL THE 30 GO AFTER WE BUILD THIS TRANSFER STATION WILL IT CONTINUE TO GO RIGHT BY THE MALL BEFORE IT GOES TO THE TRANSFER STATION. >> YES, IT WILL IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. OF COURSE IT WILL BE GOING BY THE MALL. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION TO -- >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. (CHORUS OF AYES.) >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OPPOSED, MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. WE HAVE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE, COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN THE LIVEABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MET ON MAY 27TH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IMPACT FEE MANAGER ATTENDED TO EXPLAIN HOW IMPACT FEES ARE ASSESSED AND THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THEY CAN BE USED TO FUND. WE LEARNED THAT THE COUNTIES FEES HAVE REMAINED CONSTANT FOR MANY YEARS. THAT BUILDERS CAN RECEIVE A CREDIT IF THEY CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN THEIR ASSESSED FEE AND THAT HART RECEIVES 3% FOR TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS. INITIAL COMMENTS WERE THAT THOSE FEES SHOULD BE INCREASED SIMILAR TO THE OTHER COUNTIES IN FLORIDA. AND THAT THE PERCENTAGE GIVEN TO HART BE GREATLY INCREASED. A MOTION THEN PASSED ASKING THE MUNICIPALITIES TO CONSIDER EXPANDING IMPACT FEES TO ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION INCLUDING TRANSIT, WALKING AND CYCLING. THE IMPACT FEE MANAGER EXPLAINED THAT A STUDY WOULD NEED TO BE CONDUCTED BEFORE THE ORDINANCE CAN BE AMENDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION LED TO INTEREST IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE FLORIDA MOBILITY FEE STUDY. THE MPO AND PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF WILL TAKE THE LEAD ON ORGANIZING A WORKSHOP IF ONE IS NOT CURRENTLY PLANNED BY DCA WE THEN HEARD A PRESENTATION ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD ALSO SCHEDULED ON TODAY'S MPO MEETING THE ROAD COMMITTEES WANTS TO THANKS AND CONGRATULATE VOLKERT ON A PROJECT WELL DONE AND ENCOURAGE MPO AND THE CITY TO PRIORITIZE FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS ALWAYS MPO BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME AT THE LIVEABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MEETINGS. THE NEXT ONE IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 24TH AT 9 A.M. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MARY. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. GENA. >>GENA TORRES: GOOD MORNING GENA TORRES MPO STAFF WE HELD A MEETING ON MAY 13TH AND ALSO RECEIVED A PRESENTATION OF BAYSHORE BOULEVARD PROJECT I'M REALLY HAPPY WE DID. WE HAD SOMETHING TO -- IF WE HAD SOMETHING TO REPORT TO YOU WE COULD DO THAT BUT WE WERE REALLY VERY PLEASED WITH THE TREATMENTS THEY ARE PROPOSING I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE PRESENTATION YOU'LL HEAR IN A FEW MINUTES BUT IT DEFINITELY COVERED THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAD. ONE SUGGESTION I THOUGHT WAS SUGGESTIONS ONE OF THE BPAC MEMBERS SUGGESTED IF THERE ARE TREES THAT NEED TO BE REMOVED AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO THAT THEY PLANT SOME NOW SO THEY HAVE THOSE HEALTHY AND GROWING WHEN IT COMES TIME TO REMOVE THE TREE. CONCERN WAS ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF BICYCLE LANES IN OUR COUNTY THERE'S A LOT OF DEBRIS AND DIFFERENT GARBAGE AND OVERGROWTH SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO ADOPT A BIKE LANE WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR COUNTY AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MAYBE DOT WILL ASK HOW WE CAN MAYBE DO THAT PROJECT. AND THE -- I ANNOUNCED THAT I WENT TO THE AVIATION AUTHORITY. THEY HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO BICYCLE TO WORK AT THE AIRPORT AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GREAT SO THEY ASKED ME TO COME AND HELP THEM EASE THAT COMMUTE FOR THE CYCLISTS AND THEY HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT ACCESS FROM THE NORTHBOUND BUT NOW WE'RE -- THE AIRPORT WAS JUST -- I WISH MR. MILLER WAS HERE BECAUSE THEY REACHED OUT TO ME TO HELP THEM GET THEIR BICYCLISTS THERE I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT USUALLY I'M HOUNDING PEOPLE AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME FROM THE SOUTH TO THE TRANSFER CENTER IF HART BUILDS THAT TRANSFER CENTER THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH PATRONS AND EMPLOYEES TO COME FROM THE SOUTH NOW. AND I GET A LOT OF CALLS ACTUALLY FROM PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL HERE WHO DON'T HAVE CARS AND WANT TO BICYCLE SO I THINK IT WAS REALLY GREAT, REALLY COOPERATIVE MEETING THAT WE HAD. AND I HOPE I CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE AIRPORT. SO THANK YOU. OUR NEXT MEETING IS JUNE 8TH 5:30. THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU, GENA. ANY QUESTIONS. YES, MR. DINGFELDER. >> GENA, YOU MIGHT WANT TO -- DON'T GO TOO FAR. GOING BACK TO THE LIVEABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE, THE DISCUSSION OF A POSSIBLE INCREASE IN IMPACT FEE TO ADDRESS TRANSIT WALKING AND CYCLING. ALTHOUGH I MIGHT SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, IS IT THE INTENT OF THE COMMITTEE TO INCREASE OR LOOK AT INCREASED FEES NOW BECAUSE I THINK NOW IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO BE INCREASING BUILDING FEES FOR ANYBODY. >>GENA TORRES: NO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT INCREASING FEES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING WHAT WE CAN USE THE IMPACT FEES FOR. >> THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SAYS. >> IN THE COUNTY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING FEES. >>GENA TORRES: IN THE COUNTY BUT NOT WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES. >> NOW WITH CENTER BILL PASSING WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MOBILITY FEES WE WANT TO WAIT AND SEE WE ARE PUTTING THAT ITEM ON ALL OF THE AGENDAS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT TOPIC TO TALK ABOUT WHAT A MOBILITY FEE COULD DO FOR US. IMPACT FEES, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONCURRENCY MIGHT BE GOING AWAY SO THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS WITH THE SENATE BILL SO WE'RE GOING TO HOLD ON IT COUNCIL WILL NOT BE HEARING ABOUT THE CITY'S IMPACT FEES UNTIL THE END OF JULY ALMOST ABOUT THEIR PROPOSALS AND MAYBE THAT WILL BE MOOT AT THAT POINT SO WE REALLY DO HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. >> RIGHT AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT IT BUT THE ONLY MOTION WE MADE WAS TO ASK MUNICIPALITIES TO CONSIDER EXPANDING WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING ON TAMPA CITY COUNCIL TRYING TO BROADEN WHAT WE CAN USE IMPACT FEES FOR. TO INCLUDE SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS OTHER THAN ROADS. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. >> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TEMPER OUR ENTHUSIASM FOR OBVIOUS REASONS RIGHT NOW. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, GENA. OKAY. EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT, MR. CHIARAMONTE. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: I'M GOING TO BE BRIEFER THAN NORMAL I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF MEETINGS THEY ARE ALL LISTED IN YOUR GREEN FOLDER YOU CAN CHECK THEM OUT AND PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS ANY OF THEM IN PARTICULAR I DO WANT TO BRING UP MAYOR AFFRONTI WENT TO THE MEETING WITH THE FEDERAL RAILWAY AUTHORITY AGAIN I THINK FLORIDA IS IN A REALLY EXCITING POSITION I RECEIVED A LETTER BACK FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANS AGAIN REGARDING THEM UPDATING THEIR APPLICATION FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL AND ALSO CONSIDER OUR REQUEST TO HAVE THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY MEET IN TAMPA FOR THE JULY MEETING SO THAT'S STILL A POSSIBILITY THAT WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR FROM ONCE THEY PICK THE DATE. I ALSO INCLUDED SOME ARTICLES IN YOUR PACKET. I THOUGHT A REALLY GOOD ONE ABOUT ATLANTA AND CHARLOTTE THE IMPORTANCE CHARLOTTE'S LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IS PLAYING IN COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES AND SOME OTHER ARTICLES I FOUND REGARDING TRANSIT AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION ISSUES. I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT EACH BOARD MEMBERS AGENCY NEEDS TO GET ME ANY COMMENTS ON THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR REVIEW TO RESPOND TO US TO GENA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND ALSO THAT THE NEXT MPO MEETING WE'RE CHANGING THE DATE. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING IN JULY BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH ON THE AGENDA WITH THE UPDATE OF THE PLAN WE'RE NOT CANCELING THE JULY MEETING WE'RE MOVING IT TO JULY 14TH WHERE WE'VE FOUND THAT MOST MEMBERS CAN ATTEND. ASSUMING THE LEAK IS FIXED AT THE BOCC WE'LL HAVE IT BACK IN THE BOCC CHAMBERS INSTEAD OF UP ON THIS FLOOR. NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON JUNE 23RD AT 9 A.M. THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MR. CHIARAMONTE. ANY QUESTIONS OF RAY? IF NOT WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. STATUS REPORTS. BAYSHORE BOULEVARD ENHANCEMENTS. JEAN DORZBACK? >>JEAN DORZBACK: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE I'M JEAN DORZBACK WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA TRANSPORTATION DIVISION. SORRY. JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE BAYSHORE BOULEVARD ENHANCEMENT PROJECT THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY. JUST TO GIVE YOU A SHORT HISTORY, THE CITY OF TAMPA APPLIED FOR ENHANCEMENT FUNDS FOR A BICYCLE LANE ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD. THIS WAS IN REACTION TO A LOT OF THE REQUESTS WE'VE BEEN GETTING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE BICYCLE ADVOCATES AND SO THE CITY MADE AN APPLICATION. AND RECEIVED ABOUT $2.4 MILLION WORTH OF ENHANCEMENT FUNDS. THE CURRENT PLANNING LEVEL ESTIMATE THAT WE HAVE TO DO THE PROJECT IS IN THE AREA OF $7 MILLION. SO THIS WILL BE A PHASED PROJECT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING BACK IN THE FUTURE TO TRY TO CONTINUE SOME FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT. SO CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IS TO DO A COMPLETE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT. THIS IS ACTUALLY A REQUIREMENT WITH THE DOT AND FEDERAL HIGHWAY IN USING THESE FUNDS. SO WE WILL BE DOING A COMPLETE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT AND THEN WE'LL BE LOOKING TO PRIORITIZE SOME PORTIONS OF THAT DESIGN AND ENTER INTO OUR PHASING OF THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT ITSELF BASICALLY IS GOING TO INVOLVE DOING SOME RESTRIPING OF THE PAVEMENT AND SOME INLET ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE FOR A FIVE FOOT BICYCLE LANE FROM GANDY TO PLATT WE'LL BE DOING THAT ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT MAKING ADDITIONAL STRIPING ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE TO ALSO MAKE A FULL BICYCLE PROVISION ON THAT SIDE OF BAYSHORE BOULEVARD. AND REACTION TO THE BAYSHORE BOULEVARD TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FOLLOWED OUR INITIAL APPLICATION, WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING TO INCLUDE SOME PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENTS AT VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN ROME AND PLATT STREET. AND ALSO SOME SIGNALIZED PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENTS AT BAY TO BAY AND PLATT STREET. WE ALSO HAVE EXISTING LEFT TURN BAYS ALONG THE ROAD. AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ENHANCING THOSE. WHERE TURNS ARE ALREADY PROVIDED FOR. AND AS I MENTIONED UNDER THIS PROJECT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING A PHASED APPROACH. AND WE'RE RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF BAY TO BAY AND PLATT STREET AS OUR FIRST PHASE. AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE MPO AND BPAC AND OTHERS TO SUBMIT ADOPTION/CHILD CARE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE ENHANCEMENT PROCESS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN THE FUTURE. AND I WANTED TO LET MICHEL MOLE HE'S ONE OF THE FUNDERS ON THE PROJECT RELIVEABLE STREETS HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL IN TERMS OF THE PROJECT ITSELF IN TERMS OF DESIGN. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU, JEAN FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION. LET ME MAKE THIS VERY BRIEF. JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DESIGN FEATURES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. FIRST ON THE LIST HERE AND AGAIN I'M MICHEL MOLE WITH LIVEABLE STREETS AND I SUBCONTRACT TO VOLKERT. THE FIRST ONE SHOWS THE PEDESTRIAN CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS AT THIS POINT TRYING TO FIND PEDESTRIAN TO CROSS BAYSHORE ONE SIGNALIZED CROSSING AT HOARD THIS IS LOOKING AT ADDING TO PLATT UP NEAR THE PUBLIC UP THERE AT THE BRIDGE AND ONE TO BAY TO BAY SIGNALIZED CROSSINGS OF BAYSHORE BOULEVARD. WE DON'T KNOW HOW EXACTLY THEY WILL BE DESIGNED BUT THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO REDUCE THE CONFLICTS AND MAKE IT STEP BY STEP WITH ISLANDS IN THE ROADWAY NOW WE'LL GO FROM NORTH TO SOUTH LOOKING AT SECTIONS OF THE ROAD FROM DOWNTOWN ALL THE WAY TO GANDY BOULEVARD JUST BRIEFLY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING THE FIVE THINGS ON THE ROADWAY IN THE AREA BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE DAVIS ALLEN BRIDGE STARTING WITH FOUR LANE ROAD STRIPED THERE'S PARKING THERE FOR THE MARINA THE PLAN IS TO REMOVE THAT PARKING TO ADD BIKE LANES ON BOTH SIDES THE CROSS SECTION IS PROPOSING OTT TO ADD TWO FIVE FOOT BIKE LANES AND A TRAVEL LANE. SECTION FROM DAVIS ALLEN BRIDGE DOWN TO ROME IS WHERE THE MOST - - THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE THE EXISTING SIX LANE CROSS SECTION WITH SIX FOOT CONCRETE MEDIAN WOULD BE CHANGED IN THE CROSS SECTION AS ROUGHLY SHOWN HERE. FOUR 11 FOOT LANES AGAIN WITH FOUR FOOT BIKE LANES CENTER RAISED MEDIAN LARGE ENOUGH NOW FOR GRASS AND LANDSCAPING IN THE FUTURE AND AT INTERSECTIONS A TURN LANE WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THAT MEDIAN SPACE INSTEAD OF THE RAISED MEDIAN TO ALLOW FOR SAFER LEFT TURNING MOVEMENTS FROM BAYSHORE BOULEVARD ONTO THE SIDE STREETS. JUST A BRIEF PHOTO MANIPULATION SORT OF THE LOOK OF THAT AREA HERE THIS IS THE SIX LANE SECTION THERE'S A GENERAL CONCEPT. AND THIS LOCATION WE'RE SHOWING THAT THE MEDIAN BEING CLOSED AT THE STREET. SOME WILL BE CLOSED BUT MOST WILL BE OPEN WITH LEFT TURN BAYS AND THAT LITTLE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THERE I'LL KIND OF SHOW YOU DETAIL OF THAT BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION BECOMES TWO LANES WITH THE BIKE LANE ADDING THAT MEDIAN AND THE ABILITY OF THE LEFT TURN LANES TO BE PLACED. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLING A Z CROSSING ANYWHERE WHERE PEDESTRIANS WILL BE CROSSING THE STREET OUTSIDE OF SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS WE WON'T BE PLANNING FOR MARKED CROSSINGS BUT FOR PROVIDING A REFUGE IN THE CENTER MAKES IT A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO CROSS THE STREET 40% CRASH REDUCTION FOR PEDESTRIAN JUST BY ADDING A MEDIAN LIKE THIS THIRD SECTION NOW FROM ROME DOWN TO HOARD NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGE IN THE PAVEMENT WIDTH IN FACT NONE. IT'S ROUGHLY THE SAME AS IT IS NOW WITH THE LEFT LANE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN YOU CAN SEE THE WATER THERE ON THE RIGHT. DROPPING TO GET -- BECOME TWO LANE SECTION FOR THE NORTH THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT. SOUTHBOUND NOW IS THREE LANES IT WILL BE CHANGED TO TWO LANES WITH THE BIKE LANE. A LITTLE BIT EXTRA SPACE NOT SHOWN IN THIS SECTION IT WILL BE STRIPED OUT JUST AS A -- AS A STRIPED OUT SHOULDER. THE LAST SECTION FROM HOARD DOWN TO GANDY THE LONGEST SECTION BY FAR ALMOST TWO MILES OR SO OF THAT SECTION. THIS IS WHERE THE NORTH END DOESN'T CHANGE AT ALL IT ALREADY HAS BICYCLE IN NORTHBOUND NO PROBLEMS THERE SOUTHBOUND THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN IS WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF WIDENING THREE FEET OR SO INTO THE MEDIAN IS WHAT'S PROPOSED AND THAT'S THE AREA WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME POTENTIAL FOR TREES THAT HAVE TO BE REMOVED THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER BY GENA. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS. JUST REMOVING THE CURB OVER TO ADD ENOUGH WIDTH FOR TWO TRAVEL LANES AND THE BIKE LANE. AND WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JEAN TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ON THE SCHEDULE. >>JEAN DORZBACK: SINCE OUR TIME IS LIMITED TODAY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NEXT WEEK WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC MEETING AT ALONG THE CORRIDOR. IT'S ON JUNE 10TH. I BELIEVE IT'S FROM 4 TO 8 P.M. AT THE BAYSHORE GARDEN CENTER WE'LL HAVE ALL OF OUR DESIGN CONCEPTS THERE FOR VIEWING. STAFF AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WE WELCOME YOU TO COME OUT AND GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS PROJECT AND ASK SOME DETAILED QUESTIONS AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THIS PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GREEN WAYS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN AND ALSO IT RECOGNIZES A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE BAYSHORE TASK FORCE. AS I MENTIONED WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A PHASED CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW OUR FIRST PHASE WE'RE LOOKING AT STARTING IN FISCAL YEAR 2010 THAT'S THE DOT FISCAL YEAR WHICH STARTS JULY ACTUALLY OF 2009 TO JULY 2010 SO WE'RE ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE WITH MEETING THE DEADLINES FOR GETTING OUR NOTICE TO PROCEED FROM THE DOT. AND WE'RE AT THIS TIME CONSIDERING DOING THE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE MENTIONED AT BAY TO BAY AND PLATT STREET AS OUR FIRST PHASE OF THIS PROJECT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL OF THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND AGENCIES TO CONTINUE TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS BICYCLING PROJECT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER THAT OR AGAIN YOU ARE WELCOME TO COME OUT ON JUNE 10TH FOR MORE INFORMATION. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: WHAT TIME IS THAT MEETING GOING TO BE ON JUNE 10TH. >> PARDON ME. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: WHAT TIME WILL THE MEETING BE ON JUNE 10TH. >> 4 TO 8 P.M. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER -- ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? IF NOT WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JEAN DORZBACK: THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: NEXT WE HAVE THE LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN NEEDS ASSESSMENTS. BETH? >>BETH ALDEN: GOOD MORNING AGAIN. BETH ALDEN. MPO STAFF. AND I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND WHERE WE ARE IN DEVELOPING THAT PLAN. AND I AM JOINED THIS MORNING BY SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS ON STAFF WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME DEVELOPING THE NEEDS ASSESSMENTS SO FAR. JOE SAMBITA AND WALLY BLAIN ARE BOTH HERE AND HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE HIGHWAY NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND GENA TORRES SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT SIDEWALKS TRAILS AND BICYCLE FACILITIES. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO THROUGH IT PRETTY QUICKLY. AS YOU KNOW OUR PLAN IS A MULTI-MODAL PLAN. IT'S A PLAN FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS TO COME INTO THIS COUNTY AND FOR US AS A GROUP TO SET PRIORITIES FOR THOSE EXPENDITURES. AND WE KNOW OF COURSE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE GROWING EVEN THOUGH OUR GROWTH RATE HAS SLOWED IN TERMS OF OUR POPULATION GROWTH STILL WHEN YOU STACK IT UP THROUGH 2035 WE'RE LOOKING AT HALF AGAIN AS MANY PEOPLE BEING IN THIS AREA IN THE FUTURE AS THERE ARE NOW. WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME ROADWAY PROJECTS, SOME CAPACITY PROJECTS, TO HELP MEET SOME OF THOSE TRAVEL NEEDS IN THE FUTURE. OUR PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATE ON WIDENING THOSE ROADWAYS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IS UPWARDS OF $8 BILLION AND I'M GOING TO HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS. THEY DO INCLUDE PROJECTS ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM THE STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM ON FINISHING OUT THE WIDENING FROM I-275 FROM DOWNTOWN TAMPA TO THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE AND SOME PROJECTS AT THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY THAT MIGHT BE COST FEASIBLE ON I-75 AND 275 AND I'M JUST GOING TO HIT HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTY IN NORTHERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ON DALE MABRY, FLETCHER AVENUE, LIVINGSTON AVENUE WIDENING THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY IN SOUTHERN COUNTY US 41 I-75 US 301 IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNT MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD ALEXANDER PLANT IN -- WESTERN PART LINEBAUGH AVENUE, RACETRACK ROAD THE CENTER PART STATE ROUTE 60 US 301 HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE OF COURSE PROJECTS IN NEW TAMPA CROSS STREET BOULEVARD THE NEW TAMPA BOULEVARD EXTENSION. IN THE CENTER OF TAMPA FOCUSING MORE ON ENHANCEMENTS OF MAJOR ROADWAYS THAN ADDING LANES. SO THAT MIGHT INCLUDE FOR EXAMPLE TURNS LANES AT INTERSECTIONS. BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT ON ADJACENT BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ROADS HERE THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR WIDENING WESTSHORE BOULEVARD AND THE GANDY BOULEVARD PROJECT YOU HEARD ABOUT LAST MONTH SO WE KNOW THAT THESE PROJECTS EVEN IF WE DID HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD ALL OF THOSE IT WOULDN'T SOLVE ALL OF OUR CONGESTION PROBLEM IN 2035 SO WE ARE LOOKING AT TRANSIT AS A MEANS OF ADDING CAPACITY IN SOME OF THESE MAJOR CORRIDORS. OUR COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR TRANSIT INCLUDES PROJECTS FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SOURCES. INCLUDING HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT TO CONNECT DOWNTOWN TAMPA TO ORLANDO. PASSENGER RAILS BOTH SHORT DISTANCE AND LONG DISTANCE CONSISTENT WITH TBARTA MIDTERM VISION. LOOKING AT EXTENDING THAT STREETCAR NORTH THROUGH DOWNTOWN TO CONNECT TO WHERE LIGHT RAIL LINE MIGHT GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN. CROSS COUNTY BUS ROUTES SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF THE HART LOCAL BUS SYSTEM TO FEED AND CONNECT TO THAT RAIL SYSTEM. WITH LOCAL AND EXPRESS ALSO BUS RAPID TRANSIT, FLEXED ROUTES CIRCULATED ROUTES AND COMMUTER SERVICES EXPANDED THAT VAN POOL PROGRAM AND RIDE SHARE MATCHING PROGRAMS SO YOU CAN PUT ALL THOSE THINGS ON THE MAP TOGETHER YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF POTENTIAL TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS TO MEET THIS COUNTY'S NEEDS AND HITTING IN PARTICULAR SOME OF THE MAJOR ACTIVITY CENTERS AROUND THE COUNTY. WE'VE GOTTEN SOME QUESTIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIGHT RAIL AND COMMUTER RAIL. THE EASIEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS THAT LIGHT RAIL IS SMALLER VEHICLES. SO THEY CAN WE'VE THROUGH YOUR URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS -- WEAVE THROUGH YOUR URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS MORE EASILY START AND STOP FASTER THEY MAKE TURNS IN A CLOSER RADIUS AND AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL COSTS OF SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SHORT DISTANCE OR LIGHT RAIL WE'RE ON THE ORDER OF $5 BILLION FOR CAPITAL COSTS LONG DISTANCE OR COMMUTER RAIL THAT'S ON THE ORDER OF $3 BILLION CAPITAL COSTS OF COURSE THERE'S OPERATING COSTS PER YEAR ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THOSE. HOW THAT OPERATING COST STACKS UP DEPENDS ON WHEN YOU START OPERATING IT. SO AS WE TALK ABOUT PRIORITIZATION THEN WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT A TOTAL OPERATING COST FOR THE PLANNING PERIOD. BUS RAPID TRANSIT EXPANDING THE BUS SERVICE YOU KNOW PUTTING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT HALF A BILLION DOLLARS FOR CAPITAL COSTS PLUS OPERATING COSTS. OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE SYSTEMS EFFECTIVELY IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SAFE AND EFFICIENT PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLING NETWORK TO CONNECT TO THOSE. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT SIDEWALK GAPS ON ALL OF THE MAJOR ROADWAY NETWORKS. IF YOU TOTAL ALL OF THE MAJOR ROADWAY NETWORKS WHERE SIDEWALKS ARE COMPLETELY MISSING AND LOOK AT ADDING SIDEWALKS ON JUST ONE SIDE GETS YOU IN THE RANGE OF 67 MILLION TOTAL THIS IS JUST ON THE MAJOR ROADWAY NETWORKS BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT NEEDS TO DEAL WITH PEDESTRIAN CRASHES ON SOME OF THOSE MAJOR ROADWAYS WHERE WE DO HAVE SIDEWALKS THERE TODAY BUT WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING CRASHES WITH VEHICLES. SO THERE'S A LIST OF PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENT CORRIDORS SUCH AS DALE MABRY HIGHWAY GANDY BOULEVARD STATE ROUTE 63 TO CENTER OF BRANDON WHERE PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE WALKING AND WE NEED TO MAKE THAT CROSSING ENVIRONMENT SAFER. HIGH PRIORITY TRAILS. THERE ARE TRAILS IDENTIFIED BY EVERY JURISDICTION. ABOUT 140 MILES TOTAL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. AROUND 70 MILLION TOTAL COST AND MAJOR ROADS WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT BICYCLING FACILITIES BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE DESTINATIONS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GET TO ON THOSE MAJOR ROADS AND WE WOULD RATHER IF WE DIDN'T FORCE OUR CYCLISTS TO SHARE TRAVEL LANES WITH TRUCK TRAFFIC FOR EXAMPLE OUT ON THOSE ARTERIAL ROADWAYS SO 327 MILES ON THE MAJOR ROADWAYS WHERE WE NEED TO ADD CYCLING FACILITIES. SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A PAVED SHOULDER. SO OUT OF ALL OF THIS, WHAT DO WE THINK WE CAN AFFORD? WE KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE -- GOING TO BE A -- AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION GOING THROUGH THE NEXT FEW MONTHS OF PRIORITIZING THE PROJECTS. LAST TIME WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE COST AFFORDABLE PLAN WE COULD AFFORD ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS NEEDED. AND WE KNOW LOOKING AROUND THE STATE AT OUR MPOS THAT SHORTFALLS HAVE BEEN GROWING IN GENERAL. CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 1997 WHEN CUTTER FIRST STARTED TRACKING THIS. SO THIS IS THE -- TRACKING THE TOTAL SHORTFALLS THIS IS NEEDS VERSUS COST AFFORDABLE PROJECTS IDENTIFIED BY ALL THE MPOS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. IN 1997 THAT SHORTFALL WAS GOING ON 30 BILLION. AS OF 2008 IT WAS, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT. WE KNOW THAT OUR PLAN IS LOOKING AT HIGHER COSTS NOW FOR OUR PROJECTS THAN WE LOOKED AT IN 2004. JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. STATE ROUTE 60 WHEN WE ESTIMATED WIDENING FROM US 31 TO FALKENBURG FROM FOUR TO SIX LANES WE HAD A $13 MILLION COST ESTIMATE WE ARE NOW AT AROUND $29 MILLION AND PARTLY THAT IS THE INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS. AND MATERIALS THAT ESCALATED A LOT AFTER 2004 ALTHOUGH IT SLOWED DOWN OVER THE LAST YEAR. IT'S ALSO PARTLY AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SOME MAJOR PROJECTS LIKE THE SOMA CROSS TOWN CONNECTOR FOR EXAMPLE WHEN WE ESTIMATED THAT EARLIER IT WAS AT A VERY KIND OF GENERALIZED COST ESTIMATE. BUT AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT, THEN WE FIND THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT REVENUE SOURCES TO BRING TO BEAR TO ADDRESS OUR NEEDS. AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME FEDERAL GRANTS THAT FLORIDA AS A STATE HAS NOT BEEN TAPPING INTO. PARTICULARLY FOR TRANSIT FUNDS, GETTING BACK 63 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR IN GAS TAX THAT WE PAY TO WASHINGTON D.C. AND HAVING A LOCAL MATCH FOR THOSE FEDERAL TRANSIT GRANTS WOULD BETTER ENABLE US TO ACCESS THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS. SO WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY IN ITS EXPLORATION OF NEW POTENTIAL REVENUE SOURCES. OUR REASONABLY AVAILABLE FUNDS WE THINK IS IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT $6 BILLION FOR THE PLANNING PERIOD. THE 1% SALES TAX MIGHT BE ABLE TO DOUBLE THAT. AND THEN IF YOU COULD MATCH SOME OF THAT WITH FEDERAL FUNDS, THAT WOULD ALSO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON OUR REVENUES HERE. SO LUCIA GARSYS WILL BE TALKING WITH YOU NEXT ABOUT THE WORK OF THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE. SO FAR THEY ARE LOOKING AT UP TO 1% SALES TAX. AND NOT ASKING HART TO FOREGO IT'S AD VALOREM MILLAGE AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE TASK FORCE RIGHT NOW ON A PUBLIC MEETING LISTENING TOUR ON THIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND HOW DO WE PAY FOR THESE NEEDS. SO I'M GOING TO WRAP UP MY PRESENTATION WITH A COUPLE OF VISIONS OF WHAT WE MIGHT DO WITH RAIL PROJECTS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE ORANGE LINES HERE ON THE MAP ARE POTENTIAL RAIL CONNECTIONS. WE DON'T THINK WE CAN AFFORD EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE TBARTA MIDTERM VISION WHICH HAS A LOT OF RAIL CONNECTIONS BUT PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE AN ORANGE LINE THAT CONNECTS OUR MAJOR ACTIVITY CENTERS AND ALSO MAKES CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE BAY. AND BRUCE B. DOWNS BOULEVARD OR MAYBE WE CONNECT THOSE MAJOR ACTIVITY CENTERS AND GO OVERLAND IN THAT BUSH LINEBAUGH AREA. OR ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE MIGHT BE TO GO EASTWARD AND MAKE A CONNECTION TO THE CENTER OF BRANDON. SO OUR SCHEDULE IS TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AGENCIES TO DEVELOP SOME POTENTIAL SCENARIOS OF WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO WITH A TRANSIT SURTAX AND WITHOUT A TRANSIT SURTAX IN JUNE AND JULY. ANALYZE WHAT THOSE MEAN IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH CONGESTION. WHAT ARE WE GETTING IN RIDERSHIP WHAT ARE WE GETTING IN GREENHOUSE GASSY MISSION AND SO FORTH IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER AND THEN COME OUT TO A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER PLAN ADOPTION IN DECEMBER. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, BETH. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR BETH? GREAT JOB. >>BETH ALDEN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE UPDATE, LUCIA? >>LUCIA GARSYS: GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS. LUCIA GARSYS FOR THE RECORD. ADMINISTRATOR FOR PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY. AND MY PURPOSE TODAY IS TO BRIEF YOU ON THE WORK OF THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE. WHAT IT HAS BEEN DOING. SOME OF THE PIECES YOU ALREADY HEARD FROM BETH. AND SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN ATTENDING SOME MEETINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WITH US. A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS HERE, COMMISSIONER SHARPE IS ON THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE, COUNCILMAN SCOTT AND THEN MAYOR LOFT THAT JUST LEFT THE MEETING AND AS WELL MR. WAINIO IS ON THE TASK FORCE, AS WELL. SO WE HAVE SOME CROSS REPRESENTATION. LET ME -- I'LL GO RATHER QUICKLY AND HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS. AND THEN LEAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 23 MEMBERS STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2007. GENERALLY MEET IN THIS ROOM. PHASE 1 CONCLUDED IN AUGUST OF 2007 WITH A $500 MILLION PROGRAM THAT CONSISTED OF ROADS AND NON-TRANSIT INITIATIVES. AND NOW WE ARE IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE WORK WHICH REALLY IS A PROGRAM TO LOOK AT SOME MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES AND HOW THOSE MIGHT BE FUNDED. THE TASK FORCE ADOPTED GUIDING PRINCIPLES, HIGHLIGHTS REALLY ARE TO ENSURE THAT WE COORDINATE WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES, TBARTA, HART, MPO, FDOT, EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY. WE ARE LOOKING AT A MULTI-MODAL APPROACH. THE TASK FORCE WAS VERY INSISTENT THAT WE ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND GET OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS INVOLVED. AND ON THAT NOTE WE'VE ALREADY BRIEFED THE TASK FORCE ONCE -- THE BOARD MEMBERS ONCE ON THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE. WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD TOMORROW AND THEN IN SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS WE ARE HOPEFUL ON A MONTHLY BASIS ONCE THE TASK FORCE HAS ITS MEETINGS TO BRIEF THE BOARD ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TASK FORCE. AND THE TASK FORCE DID AGREE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A REFERENDUM CONSISTENT WITH THE BOARD'S VOTE TO LOOK AT REFERENDUM LANGUAGE AND ENGAGE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. AND WORKING WITH US ON THE REFERENDUM LANGUAGE. SO WHAT IS THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE DOING? DEFINING PROJECTS. KIND OF WHAT IS THIS PACKAGE OF PROJECTS THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN A POTENTIAL REFERENDUM PACKAGE. AND IT IS NOT JUST THE TRANSIT PIECE BUT A BELIEF THAT THERE ARE OTHER MOBILITY PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED. AND SO WHAT WILL THOSE BE? AND PART OF THIS LISTENING TOUR THAT WE ARE ENGAGED IN NOW WITH TBARTA, HART AND MPO IS TO HEAR WHAT OTHER PROJECTS MIGHT BE A PART OF THAT PACKAGE. SOME OF THEM MIGHT INCLUDE ROADS. SOME OF THEM MIGHT INCLUDE SIDEWALKS. THE QUESTION THAT I THINK WILL BE A KEY ONE HERE IS WHETHER -- HOW INTEGRALLY RELATED TO THE TRANSIT PIECE WILL THOSE PROJECTS NEED TO BE. SO I SEE THAT AS AN ISSUE FOR DISCUSSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD THE TASK FORCE DID LOOK AT SOME SCENARIOS EARLY ONTO SEE WHAT THE REVENUES AND TRANSIT PROJECTS MIGHT LOOK LIKE. AND LATER I'LL TELL YOU THAT THEY DID ENDORSE LOOKING AT THE TRANSIT SURTAX AS A REVENUE SOURCE TO STUDY. WE ARE ALSO, BETH SAID, ENGAGED IN JOINT MEETINGS WITH TBARTA, HART AND MPO. WE HAD THE SECOND ONE LAST NIGHT AT JAN PLATT LIBRARY. AND SO NOW THERE ARE TEN MORE TO GO IN THE NEXT MONTH. THE TIMELINE REALLY THIS IS THE REALLY LONG TIMELINE IF YOU LOOK AT THIS. A COUPLE OF PIECES ON THIS TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE USED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE. WE ARE GOING TO CALL THE FIRST ONE THE LEGAL PIECE. AND THAT IS THESE ARE JUST THE HIGH POINTS OF WHAT IS INVOLVED ON THE REFERENDUM COMPONENT. IF YOU SEE -- LOOK AT NOVEMBER AS THE REFERENDUM DATE, THE ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE DRAFTED OFFICIALLY IN JUNE AND JULY. DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE UNTIL JUNE AND JULY? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I THINK THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW THAT GETS DRAFTED, WHAT THE REFERENDUM LANGUAGE ARE BEGINNING. BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO PUT REFERENDUM LANGUAGE TOGETHER BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT GOES INTO THE PACKAGE ITSELF SO THERE ARE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS AND ALL OF THOSE AND THE DISCUSSIONS ARE HAPPENING ON THOSE. BUT WHEN THE TASK FORCE BRINGS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD IN OCTOBER, IT WILL BRING REFERENDUM LANGUAGE TO THE BOARD, AS WELL. AS IDENTIFY THOSE ISSUES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. ON THE TECHNICAL PIECE THERE REALLY IS A KNITTING OF SOME MAJOR PIECES ONE OF WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT INTO PLACE AND IF IT'S A QUILT THE MAJOR PIECE IS THE TBARTA VISION THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED. SO THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE TO ITS TIMEFRAME. IT PROVIDES THE REALLY BROAD FRAMEWORK. THE MPO LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN CURRENTLY AS YOU ARE NOW LOOKING AT WILL BE ADOPTED IN NOVEMBER. THAT PROVIDES ANOTHER LINK OF THE WHOLE PROGRAM THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED AND THEN THE HART ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS WILL BE CONDUCTED AND AVAILABLE PRIOR TO THE REFERENDUM. BUT NOT BEFORE THAT. THE OTHER PIECE HERE IS THE OUTREACH. AND WHAT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU IS A PIECE THAT IDENTIFIES REALLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD WHAT SOME OF THE OUTREACH WILL CONTINUE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEETINGS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY ARE THE FIRST COMPONENT. THERE WILL BE OF COURSE OTHER PIECES OF THIS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED NOW ABOUT FOCUS GROUPS. WHO IS INVOLVED IN FOCUS GROUPS. WHO IS INVOLVED IN PILOTING THE PROGRAM. THAT REALLY DOESN'T BECOME AVAILABLE UNTIL THERE'S SOMETHING TO TEST AGAINST. AND THAT WOULD BE THE KIND OF PACKAGE THAT WE HOPE TO PROPOSE TO THE BOARD IN OCTOBER. SO THE DELIVERABLES, THE TASK FORCE INTENDS TO BRING ARE A PROGRAM AND FUNDING FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION. IN ADVANCE OF THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING SCENARIOS AND OPTIONS. THEY WILL BRING FORTH THE INPUT THAT COMES OUT OF THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. AND WE WILL BE INFORMING THE BOARD ALONG THE WAY OF THE PROGRESS. THE DIRECTION THE TASK FORCE HAS GIVEN US AS BETH HAS MENTIONED FOR STUDY PURPOSES LOOK TO UP TO 1% TRANSIT SURTAX AS THE REVENUE SOURCE FOR CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND AS WE LOOK AT SCENARIOS RETAIN THE HARD AD VALOREM IN PLACE. THE OTHER PIECE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT HERE IS THE TASK FORCE DID ENDORSE AND ENSURE THAT WE WRITE A LETTER ENDORSING HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN ORLANDO AND TAMPA. JUST A HIGHLIGHT ON THE TRANSIT SURTAX, WE'RE EXPECTED TO GENERATE ABOUT $178 MILLION. IT WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE ENACTED BY REFERENDUM. AND SO THE PLAN IS TO BRING A PACKAGE FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION IN OCTOBER. AND THEN FOR THE BOARD TO PLACE THAT ON THE REFERENDUM FOR NOVEMBER 2010. IT CAN BE USED FOR A NUMBER OF USES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED. TRANSIT. IT'S NOT JUST TRANSIT. IT DOES ALLOW FOR OTHER TRANSPORTATION USES INCLUDING BRIDGES AND MAINTENANCE WORK. THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT THE TASK FORCE IS WORKING WITH, THIS GETS TO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE OUT THERE ABOUT DIFFERENT NUMBERS. FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION WE HAD TO START SOMEWHERE SO THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE PLANNING NUMBERS. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE NUMBERS ONE WOULD USE IF WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE BONDS. AND NOT NECESSARILY THE KINDS OF NUMBERS THAT NEW STARTS WOULD USE IN ITS TECHNICAL ANALYSIS. IN ANY SCENARIOS WE USE FEDERAL -- FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE FEDERAL AND STATE NUMBERS THAT COME FROM THE MPO AND TBARTA. AND CONSERVATIVE GROWTH RATES IN THE TAX THAT COME FROM OUR OWN ECONOMIST. ALSO THE TASK FORCE IS LOOKING AT WE'RE CALLING THEM NON-TRANSIT MOBILITY NEEDS. SO THE -- THOSE ARE THE PIECES THAT AREN'T RAIL AND THEY ARE NOT BUS. AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM BUS THAT THE MPO IS -- HAS IDENTIFIED $8 BILLION IN HIGHWAY NEEDS AND A QUESTION CAME UP HERE WE USE A NUMBER OF 3.5 BILLION. THERE'S AN $8 BILLION NUMBER. AS BETH DESCRIBED, THE LIST OF PROJECTS 8 BILLION IS MUCH BROADER IN SCOPE THAN WHAT THE COUNTY HAS RESPONSIBILITY TO DO. SO THE COUNTY HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR A LINEBAUGH RACETRACK ROAD. NOT THE STATE ROADS AND NOT THE INTERSTATE. SO 3.5 IS A SUBSET OF THE 8. WE'VE ASKED THE CITIES TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR UNFUNDED NEEDS ARE. PLANT CITY HAS COME BACK WITH 561 MILLION AND THAT'S RATHER A ROBUST NUMBER. IT INCLUDES THEIR NORTHEAST MASTER PLAN. SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH SORTING THROUGH PRIORITIES OF THE DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE BROUGHT FORTH. PLANT CITY ABOUT 58 MILLION. TEMPLE TERRACE ABOUT 6 MILLION. AND THE OTHER WRINKLE WE BROUGHT TO OUR TASK FORCE AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS KNOW AND WE'LL DEAL WITH THIS AS THE BUDGET MOVES FORWARD, THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT WERE CURRENTLY FUNDED. THEY WERE IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. MOST OF THEM ARE THE PROJECTS THE TASK FORCE INCLUDED IN ITS RECOMMENDATIONS IN AUGUST OF 2007. AND THEY WILL EITHER BE UNFUNDED OR DELAYED ABOUT 320 MILLION OF THEM. SO THERE'S A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT CANNOT BE DONE. AND THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ARE REALLY A REDUCTION IN THE COLLECTION OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX AND OUR BONDING CAPACITY. WE ARE LIMITED AND SO IT'S A FUNDING AND FINANCING ISSUE THAT ARE CAUSING US TO HAVE TO DELAY 320 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. THE VARIABLES FOR THE SCENARIOS WE REALLY DID TALK ABOUT THIS SO I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT THAT BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO. LET ME GO PUBLIC INPUT 12 MEETINGS GOING ON. MULTI-AGENCIES. SECOND ONE WAS HELD. THE NEXT ONE WILL BE WEDNESDAY. AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THURSDAY. AND WE HAVE THAT LIST IF YOU NEED IT AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, COMMISSIONER SHARPE JOINED US LAST NIGHT SO WE WELCOME YOU TO THESE MEETINGS. EACH ONE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT KIND OF ISSUES ARE IN EACH COMMUNITY. NEXT STEPS. CERTAINLY THE PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE GOING ON. OUR NEXT TASK FORCE MEETING IS JUNE 20TH. AT THAT MEETING THE TASK FORCE WILL BE CONSIDERING SOME OF THOSE NON-MOBILITY -- THE MOBILITY NON-TRANSIT PROJECTS WHICH THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO YET SO THEY ARE GOING TO BE FACING THOSE COSTS OF THE ROADS AND THE SIDEWALKS AND MANY OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN UNFUNDED. AND JULY AND AUGUST THEY ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AND WRESTLING WITH KIND OF WHAT MIGHT THE PACKAGE LOOK LIKE. SO STARTING TO PUT TOGETHER PIECES OF TRANSIT AND NON-TRANSIT. AND THE NUMBER THAT'S BEEN ON THERE FOR THE NON-TRANSIT PIECE IS ABOUT 25% OF THE TRANSIT SURTAX. WHETHER THAT WILL BE THERE OR NOT THE TASK FORCE HASN'T VOTED ON THAT YET. THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE PACKAGE THAT COMES TO THEM AND THE NEEDS. IN SEPTEMBER KIND OF NAILING DOWN WHAT THE REFERENDUM OPTIONS MIGHT BE, INCLUDING THE LANGUAGE IN GETTING A BETTER HANDLE ON THOSE INTERLOCALS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE IN PLACE. AND THEN IN OCTOBER BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION EARLY OCTOBER BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION TO OUR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON WHAT THIS PACKAGE MIGHT BE. CERTAINLY DURING JUNE AND SEPTEMBER BRINGING UPDATES TO OUR BOARD ON WHERE THE TASK FORCE IS WITH THESE ISSUES. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE HAS BEEN DOING AND CERTAINLY I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS IF THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME. >> COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >> THANK YOU, I WAS AT THE LAST MEETING LAST THURSDAY AND I HAVE TO SAY THE OVERVIEW YOU ALL PRESENTED WAS VERY GOOD. AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY IN THE HART MEETING ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT -- TECHNICAL THINGS THAT SOME AGENCIES DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON. SO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT -- AND YOU ANSWERED PART OF MY QUESTION ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE THAT YOU SAW THIS SURTAX THAT WE'RE GOING TO OTHER MOBILITY ISSUES YOU THOUGHT IT WAS 25%. SO THE COMMITTEE IS ALSO TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE TRAILS AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. DO THEY SEE THAT INCLUDED IN PART OF THAT SURTAX. >>LUCIA GARSYS: IN ONE OF IT'S GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE THEY REALLY BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE COMPREHENSIVE MOBILITY SO TRAILS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, SIDEWALKS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. SIGNALIZATION, CONTINUED INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AND SUCH SO THEY SEE IT AS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE MOBILITY PROGRAM. >> HAVE THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT AS WE STARTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN THE INITIATIVES MAY COST IN THE LONGER TERM AS FAR AS HOW LONG THEY FORESEE THIS SURTAX MAY NEED TO GO ON OR TARGET POOL OF MONEY THAT A MONEY OF DOLLARS THAT NEED TO BE RAISED TO FULFILL ALL OF OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND OBLIGATIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE. >>LUCIA GARSYS: THE NUMBER ON -- THE WORKING NUMBER OF HOW LONG THE TRANSIT SURTAX MIGHT WORK IS THE NUMBER THAT'S BEEN PUT OUT THERE FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES IS A 30 YEAR TAX AND WE USE THAT BECAUSE IT PARALLELS THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX AND SO IT SEEMS TO BE THE -- KIND OF AN APPROPRIATE WORKING NUMBER. WHETHER IT ULTIMATELY IS THERE, CERTAINLY IF YOU CUT BACK ON THE TAX YOU REDUCE THE REVENUES. BUT THAT'S THE BALANCING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING AS WE BRING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS FOR THIS MUCH YOU CAN GET THIS MUCH. THE AFFORDABILITY PIECE OF IT. >> THEN THE LAST QUESTION HAVE YOU ALL STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT INFLATION FACTORS WHAT WE'RE USING AS AN INFLATION FACTOR FOR COST OF PROJECTED PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE. >>LUCIA GARSYS: I WOULD DEFER FOR -- DEFER TO BETH FOR INFLATION OF COSTS BUT INFLATION ON THE REVENUE HAS BEEN 4%. AND WHILE THAT'S HISTORICALLY LOWER THAN WHAT OUR CIT HAS GENERATED AND OVER THE YEARS WHAT WE MIGHT ANTICIPATE, IT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW. AND IT PROBABLY IS A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER. BUT IT IS THE NUMBER THAT OUR ECONOMISTS AND MIKE MERRILL FEEL CONFIDENTIAL USING IF AND WHEN WE -- COMFORTABLE USING IF AND WHEN WE GO TO BONDING IT'S A COMFORTABLE NUMBER FOR RIGHT NOW. SO IF THERE'S AN INFLATION PIECE ON THE COST SIDE, I WOULD ASK BETH TO RESPOND TO THAT. BECAUSE WE'VE WORKED JOINTLY WITH HER. IN PUTTING THOSE NUMBERS TOGETHER. >> OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I JUST WANTED TO SAY I KNOW A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HERE HAVE ATTENDED ALREADY. COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER WAS AT THE MEETING LAST NIGHT, AS WELL. AND I THOUGHT WHAT YA'LL DID WAS VERY EFFECTIVE. IT'S CHALLENGE IN 45 MINUTES. IS THAT ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE PRESENTATIONS -- AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. I COUNTED MAYBE 120. FIVE ROWS. I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A QUICK ESTIMATE. A LOT OF FOLKS. LOTS OF QUESTIONS. A LOT OF CONCERNS OBVIOUSLY ABOUT THE TAX AND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN. BUT I JUST THOUGHT AND ALL OF THE OPINIONS CAN BE PRETTY STRONG AND SUPPORT AND I JUST APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL WERE ABLE TO DO. ONE CONCERN, THOUGH, THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO HEAR AND I KNOW THE TASK FORCE WILL TAKE THIS UP, THERE'S THIS QUESTION ABOUT HOW MUCH TO GO TOWARDS TRANSIT AND HOW MUCH SHOULD GO TOWARDS OTHER PROJECTS AND SUCH AND WE'VE ALL SAID ALONG THE MIX HAS TO MAKE SENSE. I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD JUST BE A SPLIT. THE WHOLE PLAN SHOULD MAKE SENSE TO PEOPLE. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PLAN WHICH WOULD INCLUDE OUR BUS EXPANSION AND THE RAIL LINE WITH THE EXISTING TAX. AND THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE AND I THINK OTHER MEMBERS WILL BEGIN TO EXPRESS IS IF WE TRY TO PUT TOO MUCH ON THERE OR PUT TOO MANY ROAD PROJECTS AND WE CAN'T COMPLETE THE ENTIRE PROJECT EVEN THIS QUESTION ABOUT WHICH WAY DO WE GO FIRST THE NORTH LINE OR WEST LINE FIRST AS PART OF THIS MULTI-MODAL PLAN. WELL EITHER OF THE LINES WORK BY THEMSELVES. THEY HAVE TO BE ULTIMATELY CONNECTED AND WE WANT THEM TO GO TO THE AIRPORT SO WE'VE JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PLAN OUT THAT WE HAVE REVENUE IN PLACE TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE PACKAGE BECAUSE ONE OF THE FIRST STUMBLING BLOCKS WILL BE IF WE PUT SO MUCH ON THERE THAT WE FINANCIALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT AND SOMEONE OBVIOUSLY THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING CLOSELY WITH CALCULATORS WILL COME OUT AND SAY YOU CAN'T DO IT WITH THIS TAX YOU'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR MORE MONEY SO THAT MEANS WE NEED TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE TRY TO PUT ON. THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THIS ARTICLE HERE RIFLERY TO THE ECONOMIC KING OF SOUTHEAST I READ THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT'S A FABULOUS PIECE AND I'M PRETTY CLOSE WITH MAYOR MC COREY AND THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BLUE LINE AND THAT'S BROUGHT IN $3 MILLION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NOT IN THIS ARTICLE OR IN A PIECE THAT JUST CAME OUT NORFOLK 7 MILE LINE THEY ARE ESTIMATING $2 BILLION IN ECONOMIC REVENUE COMING IN AS A RESULT OF GROWTH ALONG THOSE LINES AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE AS WE'RE OUT THERE EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE WHY WE'RE DOING THIS, THE ECONOMIC VALUE AND BENEFIT. AND YOU KNOW ATLANTA -- AND GEORGIA IS STARTING TO FIGURE IT OUT BUT IT'S ALMOST TOO LATE FOR THEM BECAUSE OTHERS ARE MOVING QUICK SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC VALUE, AS WELL. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER. >> THANK YOU. I'M NOT ON THE TASK FORCE AS YOU KNOW LUCIA. BUT WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS THE STATUTORY LIMITATION ON THE LET'S CALL IT THE 25% IN TERMS OF THE NEXUS THAT THOSE PROJECTS HAVE TO HAVE TO THE OTHER 75%. YOU ALLUDED TO IT. BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING. >>LUCIA GARSYS: THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS ON HOW THAT TRANSIT SURTAX CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. EACH ONE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. AND SAM HAMILTON OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS WORKING ON LOOKING AT WHAT THAT IS. ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIES 25% AS THE NUMBER THAT CAN BE USED FOR NON-TRANSIT RELATED PROJECTS. SO WHAT WE ARE NOW EXPLORING IS WHICH ONE OF THOSE FOUR OPTIONS IS APPROPRIATE TO USE AND WHICH SET GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY TO INCLUDE THE KINDS OF USES THAT WE INTEND TO INCLUDE. SO IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS UNDER THE TRANSIT SURTAX LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY LIMITS 25% AS THE NUMBER. BUT THE OTHERS DO NOT. SO WE KIND OF STARTED WITH 25% AS THE MAX BASED ON WHAT'S IN THAT. DID I ANSWER THAT? >> YEAH, I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE STATUTE AND YOU STOLE SAM FROM THE CITY. SO . . . NO, HE'S A GREAT ATTORNEY. GREAT GUY. THE OTHER QUESTION RELATES TO WHEN YOU ASK THE CITIES FOR THEIR INPUT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEIR NEED IS, I'M WONDERING, MAYBE YOU NEED TO ASK AGAIN IN TERMS OF ONCE YOU FINISH WHAT THAT ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS. I MEAN WHICH PROGRAM YOU'RE GOING TO GO UNDER. AND THEN MAYBE THE CITIES CAN REFINE THAT I GUESS. >> AND THAT CERTAINLY IS TRUE. AND I THINK WHEN YOU ASK THE QUESTION WHAT ARE YOUR UNFUNDED TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, WITHOUT PUTTING SOME PARAMETERS ON IT, CLEARLY YOU GET THE KIND OF RANGE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED. AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH PLANT CITY TO CERTAINLY BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR HIGH PRIORITIES ARE SO THAT AS WE PACKAGE IT WE'LL KNOW THESE ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS THEY NEED AND SUCH. BUT YOU ARE RIGHT. I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. >> EITHER THAT OR THE CITY OF TAMPA NEEDS TO HIRE PLANT CITY'S CONSULTANT. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. ANY MORE QUESTIONS. >>LUCIA GARSYS: IF I MIGHT JUST ASK AS YOU SAID GOING -- KIND OF TYING THESE TWO ISSUES TOGETHER THE COUNTY HAS HIRED OUR GENERAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT TO COME ON BOARD AND HELP US WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE OF THEIR FIRST TASKS IS TO TAKE THESE UNFUNDED NEEDS AND OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM AND LAY THEM OVER THE TRANSIT PLANS TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE HAPPENING, TO SEE WHERE THE NEXUS IS. AND I THINK THAT WILL GIVE US A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE ALL OF THESE OTHER NON-TRANSIT MOBILITY NEEDS ARE. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, THANK YOU. >>LUCIA GARSYS: THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. NEW STARTS PROJECT, MARY? >> GOOD MORNING. I'M MARY SHAVLER WITH HART AND MY PRESENTATION WILL BUILD ON THE -- ON BETH'S PRESENTATION AND LUCIA'S PRESENTATION BUT IT WILL TAKE A DIFFERENT FOCUS. IT WILL TALK ABOUT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. HOW DO WE GO ABOUT IMPLEMENTING MORE INTENSIVE TRANSIT IN THE CORRIDOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M GOING TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE PROJECT. THE TAMPA RAIL PLAN. ABOUT SOME OF OUR EFFORTS TO REINITIATE THAT PROJECT. TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CRITICAL AND GORY FEDERAL FUNDING ISSUES AND THEN GIVE YOU SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS COMING FROM OUR EARLY WORK AND OUR NEXT STEPS. AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS VERY WELL. I'LL GO QUICKLY. THE TAMPA RAIL PLAN WAS THAT PLAN ADOPTED BY THE HART BOARD AND THE MPO BACK SEVEN YEARS AGO. LIGHT RAIL SERVICE ON THREE CORRIDORS. DOWNTOWN TO USF. DOWNTOWN TO WESTSHORE. AND THEN A SMALL ONE DOWN TO SOUTH TAMPA IT WENT FAR IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS RECEIVING PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS. BACK IN 2003. BUT PROJECT WAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE FEDERAL FUNDING PROCESS FOUR YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF LACK OF LOCAL FUNDING. SO GAINING THAT LOCAL FUNDING IS SO CRITICAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS PROJECT. AND THERE IS THE 20 MILES LIGHT RAIL. LAST FALL THE HART BOARD ASKED US TO LOOK AT THIS PROJECT AND TRY TO GET IT GOING AGAIN. WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT OVERSEE THAT NEW STARTS. THAT IMPORTANT CAPITAL FUNDING. WE FORMED A STEERING COMMITTEE AND HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THEM MONTHLY. EVERYTHING FROM TBARTA, THE MPO, THE CITIES, THE COUNTY, USF, THE AVIATION AUTHORITY AND FDOT AND WORKING ON SOME OF THOSE IMPORTANT COORDINATION ISSUES WITH PLANS AND PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE DID SOME EARLY ACTION WORK WITH THE CONSULTANT TEAM, JANET FLEMMING AND ECOM WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AGAIN THAT PROJECT FROM THE PAST WHAT IS THE NEED FOR THE PROJECT, WHAT CORRIDORS SHOULD WE RECOMMEND TO GO FIRST AND THEN WHAT WAS THE ACTION STEPS TO TAKE IT BACK INTO THE FEDERAL FUNDING PROCESS. SO THAT'S THE WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON THROUGH -- SINCE JANUARY. JANE I KNOW YOU KNOW A LOT OF THIS THE FEDERAL FUNDING ISSUES, THE NEW STARTS PROGRAM IS THE MAJOR FUNDING SOURCE FOR LIGHT RAIL. CHARLOTTE, CALIFORNIA, A LOT OF SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN GETTING THE FUNDING. IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE. AND IT'S VERY RIGOROUS. LOTS OF ANALYSIS AND MODELING. MR. ARMEL REFERS IT TO THE POCKET PROTECTOR PEOPLE. LOTS OF LOOKING AT THE STATS. WHERE ARE YOU TRAVELING FROM. WHERE CAN WE CAPTURE WITH TRANSIT. SO WE HAVE TO PROVE THE CASE THAT WORK HAS BEEN MORE INTENSE RECENTLY. AND YOU HAVE TO SHOW THEM THAT YOU'RE PICKING THE BEST ALTERNATIVE TO THE PROBLEM. YOU CAN'T JUST SAY I'VE HAD RAIL IN THE PAST. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN. VERY STRINGENT CRITERIA BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT HOW THIS IS CHANGING AND HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT OUR PROJECT IN A MINUTE. YOU CAN GET SOME GOOD CAPITAL MONEY IF YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL ON IT BUT AGAIN THE OPERATING COSTS AREN'T COVERED BY THIS PROGRAM SO FINDING THAT LOCAL MONEY FOR OPERATING IS CRITICAL. AND YOU HAVE TO SHOW THEM THAT YOU HAVE THE MONEY. TO GET INTO THE NEXT STEP AFTER PLANNING WHICH IS PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM THAT WE HAVE SOME DEFINED PLANS. BUT TO GET INTO THE FINAL ENGINEERING STAGE, FINAL DESIGN YOU HAVE TO SHOW THEM THE MONEY. I HAVE A REFERENDUM APPROVED AND THIS IS OUR FUNDING SOURCE. SO THAT FINANCIAL ISSUE IS IMPORTANT EACH STEP OF THE WAY. AGAIN WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WHAT CORRIDOR SHOULD GO FIRST AND WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO GET BACK INTO THE NEW STARTS PROCESS. THERE'S THE THREE CORRIDORS WE LOOKED AT USF TO DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN TO WESTSHORE. AND THAT SMALL 1.5 MILE SECTION DOWN TO SOJO. OUR FINDINGS THE NORTHEAST AND THIS ISN'T SURPRISING IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IT'S SOME OF OUR HIGHER DENSITY AREAS SOME OF OUR TRANSIT DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES THE LOW INCOME AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES THAT TRANSIT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO. TWO CONNECTIONS TO THE BOTH DOWNTOWN AND USF. IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS FOR JOBS, FOR MEDICAL FACILITIES AND FOR EDUCATION. AND THAT'S THE CORE OF OUR BUS SERVICE. THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IS THE CORE OF OUR BUS SERVICE. IT'S MOST OF OUR BUS SERVICE AND IT'S MOST OF OUR RIDERSHIP. ON A TWO MILE BUFFER FROM THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR THE RIDERSHIP IS 59%. THE WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP AVERAGE WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP 59% OF OUR LOCAL WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP. SO THAT CORRIDOR, AGAIN, IS THE HEART OF OUR SYSTEM, THE HEART OF OUR RIDERSHIP. ROADS THAT'S NOT ALONE IN THIS CORRIDOR. THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR HAD THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FACILITY. THE LIGHT RAIL FACILITY IN THAT CORRIDOR. IT WAS UP AT FOULER AND MCKINNLEY DRIVE THAT FACILITY WASN'T AVAILABLE NOW SOMEBODY WASN'T ON THE PROGRAM AND DEVELOPED IT FOR RESIDENTIAL WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR OTHER LOCATION BUT WE FEEL THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR WE CAN FIND THAT LARGE TRACT OF LAND THAT'S IMPORTANT AND THAT PROJECT IS FORWARDED IN THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL PLANS. THERE'S JUST SOME OF THIS LOOKING AT THE LOW INCOME AND MINORITY CONCENTRATION. REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTERS. SOME OF OUR ROUTES AGAIN IT'S THE CORE OF THE SERVICE WITH MOST OF THE BUS ROUTES AND MOST SERVICE THE WEST CORRIDOR, AGAIN, THE WEST CORRIDOR IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT CORRIDOR. THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE EMPLOYMENT IS. I BELIEVE IT'S 23% OF THE EMPLOYMENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IS IN THAT CORRIDOR. NOT AS MUCH RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR BUS SERVICE IS NOT AS PRODUCTIVE. AND THERE'S DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THIS PROJECT PROCEEDS. PREVIOUSLY THE PROJECT WAS ON STREET. IT WENT ALONG NORTH BOULEVARD UP ALONG MAIN STREET ALONG CYPRESS OVER TO BOY SCOUT AND TRASK THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT PUTTING IT IN THE MEDIAN OF I-275 AND EXTENDING IT THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND UP TO LINEBAUGH. THOSE REVISIONS, THOUGH, WOULD TAKE A LOT MORE ANALYSIS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T IN THE ORIGINAL PLANNING APPROVAL. AND TRYING TO GET A VEHICLE STORAGE YARD A LARGE SITE IN THAT WEST CORRIDOR MIGHT BE CHALLENGING. THE SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR IS VERY SHORT SO TO GO FIRST IT WOULD BE CHALLENGING. IT'S NOT SERVING MANY PEOPLE OR JOBS AND AGAIN TRYING TO FIND A LARGE TRACT OF LAND FOR A FACILITY WOULD BE CHALLENGING. OUR RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE CHANGED SINCE WE WENT TO THE CAC WE HAD SOME GREAT DISCUSSION LAST WEEK AT THE HART FINANCE COMMITTEE AND AT THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE. OUR RECOMMENDATION THEN IS TO DO BOTH CORRIDORS DO THE DETAILED PLANNING WORK ON BOTH CORRIDORS THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR AND THE WEST CORRIDOR. AS WE DO THAT WORK WHICH LOOKS AT EVERYTHING FROM NEEDS AT VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT BOTH CORRIDORS TOGETHER. AND THEN DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST CORRIDOR TO GO FORWARD WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING PROCESS. SO THAT WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT STEP. BUT WE'LL HAVE MUCH BETTER NUMBERS AND MUCH BETTER DATA AS WE GO THROUGH THIS STUDY TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION. THERE'S THE CORRIDORS THERE, THE SHADING SHOWS YOU THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT BROAD BANDS AND NOT JUST LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS ALTERNATIVE. WHAT ARE OUR CRITICAL ISSUES. IMPLEMENTABILITY. I CAN'T EVEN SAY THAT WORD. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A PROJECT THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT. THE PREVIOUS NORTHEAST CORRIDOR WAS ON THE CSX ALIGNMENT. AGAIN CAN WE GET A CSX AGREEMENT. THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT COMMUNITY ISSUES, TRAFFIC, IMPACTS ALL THOSE OTHER ISSUES AND COSTS. THE DOWNTOWN GETTING INTO THE DOWNTOWN IS VERY CRITICAL. IT'S HEART AND SOUL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE HIGH SPEED RAIL IS BRINGING IN A DIFFERENT ELEMENT. WE HAVE TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THAT HIGH SPEED RAIL PROPOSAL COMING IN FROM I-4 AND INTO THE DOWNTOWN. AND THAT CONNECTION. AGAIN FUNDING AND TRANSIT THE FORECASTING WILL BE IMPORTANT. LAND USE ISSUES IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT. FTA RELEASED SOME PROPOSED GUIDANCE TWO WEEKS AGO. THAT WOULD INTENSIFY AND MAKE THIS MORE IMPORTANT CRITERIA LAND USE. LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS NOT BEEN APPROVED YET. BUT WE HAVE TO -- THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PROJECT NOT JUST TO GET FEDERAL APPROVAL BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FUNCTIONAL VIBRANT LIGHT RAIL. WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE GET PEOPLE LIVING AROUND THAT LIGHT RAIL USING THAT LIGHT RAIL SO OUR PLANS AROUND THE STATIONS WILL BE VERY CRITICAL THE WALKABILITY, THE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS, MORE INTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS CRITICAL AS WE GO FORWARD AND AGAIN THAT PROPOSED FEDERAL GUIDANCE WILL MAKE THIS CRITICAL. WE FORMED A NEW GROUP -- WE'RE FORMING A NEW GROUP WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE MPO. A LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT GROUP. WE'RE GOING TO BE INVITING THE CITIES, THE COUNTY THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITIES AND SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS INTO THAT AND LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR POLICIES AND PLANS AND HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE MORE INTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A KEY GROUP. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EIGHT MONTH TIMEFRAME TO DO THE WORK. JULY TO MARCH. IT'S FAST. THE PROPOSERS, WE'VE GOT PROPOSALS IN FOR BOTH PROJECTS SO THE NORTHEAST AND THE WEST TOGETHER. SO THEY SAID THAT THEY CAN MEET THAT TIMELINE. I KNOW THERE'S SOME UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT SOME OF THE MODELING WORK BUT WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARD AT TRYING TO MEET THAT DEADLINE. THERE'S OUR ORGANIZATION CHART. WE HAVE A STEERING COMMITTEE UP THERE TO THE RIGHT AGAIN THAT'S THAT MONTHLY MEETING WITH TBARTA, MPO AND FDOT WE HAVE A TECHNICAL GROUP THE POCKET PROTECTOR PEOPLE WORKING ON THE MODELING ISSUES WE HAVE A STAKEHOLDERS GROUP WE'RE GOING TO MEET -- WE FORMED A GROUP IN APRIL MEETING WITH COMMUNITY BUSINESSES. WE ADDED THE HOSPITALS. COMMISSIONER SHARPE HAD SOME GOOD SUGGESTIONS ABOUT GETTING MOFFIT AND TAMPA GENERAL THE ZOO IS ON THERE WE HAVE A REAL ROBUST GROUP IT WILL HELP US GET THAT PROJECT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEN THE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT GROUP. OUR NEXT STEPS IS WE ARE COMPLETING THE PROCUREMENT OF THE CONSULTANTS. WE HAVE CONSULTANT PROPOSALS IN. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE EVALUATING VERY SHORTLY. AND MAKING RECOMMENDATION TO THE HART BOARD AT JUNE 29TH AT A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING. WE ARE DOING OUTREACH IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TASK FORCE AND THE MPO. WE ARE DOING SOME OTHER OUTREACH TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT IN THIS PROJECT IN THE COMMUNITY. SO BY JULY WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO INITIATE THIS PROJECT AND GO FORWARD. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU, MARY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY THE LAST ITEM IS THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE WALLY BLAIN. >> GOOD MORNING WALLY BLAIN MPO STUFF TALKING TO YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE THIS IS THE DOCUMENT THAT THE MPO USES BECOMES WHAT'S USED BY THE FEDERAL REVIEWING AGENCIES FOR APPROVING PROJECTS. BEGINNING IN OCTOBER OF 2009 RUNNING THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2010. JUST REAL QUICK THIS IS A COMPILATION OF THE FDOT WORK PROGRAM. IT ALSO INCLUDES ALL OF THE COUNTY AND THE THREE CITIES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY AVIATION AUTHORITY PORT AUTHORITY HART LINE AND ALSO WHAT GOES THROUGH FOR THE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING FOR THE COORDINATION BOARD THE MPO IS REQUIRED TO UPDATE THIS EVERY YEAR UNDER CURRENT STATE STATUTES AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER IT'S USED BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION WHEN THEY ARE REVIEWING PROJECTS THEY NEED TO BE LISTED IN THE TIP. BRIEFLY THE PRIORITIES THAT THIS IS BASED ON THE MPO ADOPTED LAST SEPTEMBER FOR THE SERVICE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED THERE INCLUDING 40TH STREET BRUCE B. DOWNS TRANSPORTATION OF MAIN MANAGEMENT PROJECTS BUS REPLACEMENTS FOR HART SAM ALLEN ROAD AND -- IN PLANT CITY AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM WE CURRENTLY HAVE A BACKLOG OF APPLICATIONS THAT ARE AWAITING ELIGIBILITY AND FEASIBILITY DETERMINATION FOR THOSE PROJECTS. IN ADDITION THE LETTER WAS SENT TO DOT HIGHLIGHTING SOME OTHER PRIORITIES. WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS IN PREVIOUS MONTHS ABOUT CHANGING OUR PRIORITY PROCESS THIS IS BASED ON THE PRIORITIES ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR. THE CROSS TOWN CONNECTOR WAS ON THERE ALSO I-75 FROM FAILOR AVENUE NORTH INTO PASCO COUNTY OTHER IN THE CROSSWAY BOULEVARD, ALEXANDER EXTENSION AND ALSO BRT AND TRANSIT COORDINATIONS JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE CURRENT TIP THAT RUNS THROUGH THIS SEPTEMBER. AND THE CIP FOR NEXT YEAR. I-275 AND I-75 SOME ITS PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ADDED INTELLIGENCE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. ONE HIGHLIGHT -- PROJECT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SPECIFICALLY ON THIS LIST IS THE STAYED ROUTE 60 RESURFACING PROJECT DOT ADVANCED THIS BECAUSE OF CITIZEN INPUT SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE. THE I-4 CROSS TOWN CONNECTOR CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF THE STIMULUS MONEY THAT'S COME IN ADVANCED THAT PROJECT. SOME OTHER PROJECTS YOU CAN SEE HERE HAVE BEEN DEFERRED SUCH ABOUT EVERYTHING I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME REASONS WHY PROJECTS ARE BEING DEFERRED AND SOME OF THE VOLATILITY THAT WE HAVE IN THE PROGRAM. AND HERE IT IS. SINCE JULY OF LAST YEAR THE CURRENT STATE FISCAL YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN SIX STATEWIDE REVENUE FORECASTING ESTIMATED CONFERENCES THAT'S ABOUT A RESULT OF 3 AND 3 QUARTER BILLION DOLLAR REDUCTION IN STATEWIDE REVENUES SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES NEEDED TO BE PLACED INTO THE FIVE YEAR WORK PROGRAM ALSO YOU HEARD EARLIER ABOUT THE COUNTY AND TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE TASK FORCE IS ALSO REVIEWING LOCAL REVENUES SO THERE'S LOCAL PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING REVIEWED AS WELL. THAT ARE CHANGING ON A DAILY BASIS. WE ARE GOING TO TODAY IN A REVIEW WE PRESENTED THIS THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND POLICY COMMITTEE LAST MONTH THIS MONTH IT WILL BE GOING TO THOSE FOR THE APPROVAL COMING BACK TO APPROVE THE TIP BEFORE TRANSMITTING IT TO DOT THE NEXT DAY. IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS, I CAN -- >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OF WALLY? >> YES. I ASSUME THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THIS PLAN HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THE CURRENT PROGRAMS. BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH THE TAMPA PORT AUTHORITY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS QUITE FRANKLY. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AT LEAST A YEAR OLD. >> THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S THE INFORMATION I HAVE AT PRESENT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED UPDATED INFORMATION. >> WE'LL PROVIDE IT THIS WEEK. BECAUSE AGAIN PLEASE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO LOOK AT THIS. THIS DOES NOT IN ANY WAY REFLECT OUR CURRENT PROGRAM. WE'RE A SMALL COMPONENT OBVIOUSLY OF THE -- OF THE ENTIRE TIP. BUT WE WILL BRING IT UP TO DATE THIS WEEK RAHM CONTROL WILL BE CALLING YOU. >> THANKS. >> THANKS. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, WALLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. ARE THERE -- IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC INPUT? ANYBODY THAT WOULD CARE TO ADDRESS THE MPO BOARD? IF NOT, ANY NEW BUSINESS. >> I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING ON THE 14TH WE'LL HAVE OUR FEDERAL CERTIFICATION THAT OCCURS EVERY FOUR YEARS. THE THEY WILL BE PRESENTING THAT TO THE MPO BOARD. SO THAT WILL BE KIND OF AN IMPORTANT MEETING. AND AGAIN, IT IS ON THE 14TH, A DIFFERENT DATE THAN WE NORMALLY HAVE IT. I WILL BE ON VACATION STARTING RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF. I HAVE MY BLACKBERRY WITH. SO JUST SEND ME E-MAILS LIKE NORMAL AND I'LL GET THEM AND ANSWER THEM. AND I'LL BE BACK ON THE 12TH OF JUNE. >>CHAIRMAN JOSEPH AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BUSINESS? IF NOT, WE ADJOURN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 1