CAPTIONING JANUARY 5, 2010 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. >>JOE AFFRONTI: GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO OUR JANUARY 5th -- 5th METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION MEETING FOR 2010. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND AN INVOCATION. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, AND WE ASK THAT DURING THE YEAR 2010 YOU GIVE SPECIAL BLESSING TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISADVANTAGED DURING THESE TERRIBLE ECONOMIC TIMES. WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN HARM'S WAY FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOMS. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. >> AMEN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, DO WE HAVE ANY -- IS THERE ANY PUBLIC INPUT ON ANY AGENDA ITEMS? IS THERE ANYONE THAT CARES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ANY ITEMS? NONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO 2010, HOPING THAT THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE A GOOD TURNAROUND FOR OUR WHOLE ECONOMY. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 1st MEETING? >> SO MOVE. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THEN I'LL GET TO YOU. OKAY. MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. OKAY. JOE AMON, CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE MPO, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. I AM TODAY DOING TWO -- WEARING TWO HATS, ONE FOR THE CAC AND ONE FOR THE TAC. WE HAD A JOINT MEETING IN DECEMBER, OUR ANNUAL JOINT MEETING, SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET TODAY IS A BRIEFING FROM THAT MEETING. AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE PUBLIC INPUT AT THOSE MEETINGS, AND ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE CONTINUALLY KEEP UP WITH WHILE WE HAVE PIERRE MATHURIN IS OUR BRIEFING ON OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND HE -- PIERRE MATHURIN PROVIDED US WITH TWO DOCUMENTS. ONE DOCUMENT GAVE US THE PERFORMANCE OF HART IN THE PAST YEAR AND COMPARED IT TO OTHER -- OTHER FACILITIES, AND WE NOTED THAT 18 OF 30 ROUTES SHOW MORE RIDERS, BUT OVER THE OVERALL, THEY HAVE ABOUT 3.4% LESS RIDERSHIP THAN THEY HAD DURING THE PREVIOUS TIME PERIOD LAST YEAR. SECOND HANDOUT HE GAVE US COMPARED THE COST OF BUS TRANSFERS THROUGHOUT THAT 20-SOME-ODD METROPOLITAN CITIES, AND WE NOTED THAT HART DOES NOT OFFER TRANSFERS. EVERY TIME YOU GET ON A BUS, A HART BUS, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE RIDE. THERE IS NO TRANSFER AVAILABLE. THAT IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL BUT NONETHELESS SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT OUR HART SYSTEM. WE THEN MOVED ON TO ACTION ITEMS. THE FDOT GAVE US A FIVE-YEAR TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM. THAT WORK PROGRAM INCLUDED A NUMBER OF -- BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF REDUCTIONS IN REVENUES INCLUDED A LOT OF CHANGES, BUT THE FDOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN SEVERAL IMPORTANT PROJECTS SUCH AS I-275 THROUGH WEST TAMPA, STATE ROAD 574 IN BRANDON, AND DALE MABRY FRONTAGE ROAD NORTH OF CARROLLWOOD. LOTS OF RESURFACING PROJECTS WERE KEPT ON TO THE PLAN. CAC MEMBERS REQUESTED THAT NEBRASKA AVENUE RESURFACING PROJECT BE CLOSELY COORDINATED WITH HART'S BRT ROUTE THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED ALONG NEBRASKA, AND OF COURSE, FDOT'S STAFF TOLD US THEY WOULD LOOK INTO THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENED. WE DID HAVE A LIVELY DISCUSSION BETWEEN ONE MEMBER OF THE CAC, PATRICK LEDUC, AND A MEMBER OF D.O.T. I KIND OF FELT SORRY FOR MR. COLLISTER. I THINK THEY WERE -- IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HE WAS PUT ON -- HE WAS BEING GRILLED BY A DEFENSE ATTORNEY DURING THE COURSE OF THAT LITTLE DISSERTATION, BUT THE QUESTION WAS IS WHY DID WE WIDEN I-275 AND NOT I-75 WITH THE MONEY THAT WAS AVAILABLE, AND PATRICK LIVES UP ON THE I-75/BRUCE B. DOWNS CORRIDOR, AND OF COURSE, HIS PRIORITIES ARE I-75, SO WE GOT A VERY LIVELY DISCUSSION. A LOT OF DATA CAME OUT OF THAT, AND MR. COLLISTER HANDLED HIMSELF VERY WELL, AND I THINK AT THE END OF THAT PATRICK DECIDED THAT THE DEPARTMENT PROBABLY MADE A GOOD DECISION, BUT HE'D STILL LIKE TO HAVE I-75 WIDENED. WITH ALL THAT -- AFTER HAVING SAID ALL THAT, AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION BOTH THE TAC AND THE CAC PASSED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE FDOT TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM AS PRESENTED AND PASS IT ON TO THE MPO. TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO US, AND THAT'S THE PLAN FOR HILLSBOROUGH, PINELLAS, PASCO MPOs DEVELOPED PROJECTS FOR JOB ACCESS, REVERSE COMMUTE, AND NEW FREEDOM FUNDING. AFTER THAT BRIEFING THE CAC AND TAC VOTED TO RECOMMEND MPO APPROVAL OF THE TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN. THE FISCAL YEAR 2009 AND '10 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENTS, THEY REQUESTED AMENDMENTS TO THE I- 275/STATE ROAD 60 INTERCHANGE, AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MOVEMENTS -- CHANGES AND INCLUDED A TWO-LANE FLYOVER. IT WAS QUITE AN INTERESTING CHANGE TO THE PROJECT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF $9 MILLION WILL COME FROM CONTINGENCY FUNDS. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION, BOTH THE CAC AND THE TAC VOTED TO APPROVE THE T.I.P. AMENDMENT. STATUS REPORT, THE AIRPORT STIMULUS PROJECT. THERE WERE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE WERE GIVEN A BRIEFING ON. THERE'S A NICE VIDEO -- HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT -- ABOUT THE TWO PROJECTS. ONE IS THE NEW TAXIWAY, WHICH IS THE BRIDGE TAXIWAY GOING OVER WHERE THE CHANGES TO GEORGE BEAN PARKWAY AND LIGHT RAIL AND SOME OTHER AREAS ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE. VERY INTERESTING PROJECT, BY THE WAY. AND THE SECOND WAS A TUNNEL PROJECT AT THE END OF A RUNWAY IN ORDER TO SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF TIME TO GET CARGO BACK TO THE NEW CARGO BUILDING FROM THE AIRSIDE AND VICE VERSA. QUITE INTERESTING PROJECTS. BOTH PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY. ONE'S TO BE COMPLETED IN OCTOBER OF 2010, THE OTHER NOVEMBER 2010. THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON THAT, BUT WE WERE QUITE IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE OUT AT THE AIRPORT. THE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, WE HAD A BRIEFING ON A MARKET ANALYSIS AND CONSTRAINTS. IT WAS AN INTERESTING ANALYSIS, AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE. BASICALLY IT'S WHAT CAN HAPPEN -- WHAT CHANGES AROUND RAIL STATIONS WHEN YOU BUILD A RAIL STATION OR HAVE A RAIL STOP, THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU CAN HAVE PROVIDING IT'S PROPERLY PLANNED. IT SEEMS LIKE MONEY COMES TO THOSE DEVELOPMENTS -- THOSE AREAS OR THOSE STOPS BECAUSE THEY'RE HEAVILY USED. ALL RIGHT. HAVING SAID THAT, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT OUR MEETING WAS. THE NEXT MEETING, THE CAC MEETING WILL BE HELD JANUARY 13th, 1/15, AND THE TAC WILL HOLD THEIR NEXT MEETING JANUARY 25th AT 1:30 P.M. WITH THAT -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, JOE. ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS FOR JOE? >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR THE GREAT JOB YOU DO, JOE. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >>JOE AFFRONTI: APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE THE -- NED BAIER WITH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: JOE ALREADY DID -- >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WHO? >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: JOE ALREADY DID HIS PRESENTATION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, I'M SORRY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING BOTH. OKAY. WE HAVE THREE ACTION ITEMS. FIRST IS T.I.P. PROGRAM AMENDMENT FOR 2009/2010, WALLY BLAIN. >>WALLY BLAIN: GOOD MORNING. WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF. WE DO HAVE ONE AMENDMENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THIS MONTH THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD. THIS IS WHAT MR. AMON REFERRED TO IN THE CAC REPORT. THIS IS FOR AN INTERCHANGE REDESIGN AT THE I-275/STATE ROAD 60 INTERCHANGE. THE TAMPA INTERSTATE STUDY WAS DONE BACK IN THE LATE '90s, AND IT CONCLUDED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TRAVEL WAS COMING DOWN WEST OR EASTBOUND ON STATE ROAD 60 AND THEN HEADING NORTHBOUND ONTO THE INTERSTATE. WITH THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY, WHAT D.O.T. HAS FOUND NOW, THE MAJORITY OF THE TRAVEL NOW IS COMING NORTHBOUND ON 275 TO THEN WESTBOUND ON STATE ROAD 60 TO ACCESS THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY, SO WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE DONE A REEVALUATION OF THE EXISTING DESIGN OUT THERE, LOOKING AT AT THIS POINT IN TIME AT LEAST FIVE MAJOR ALTERNATIVES FOR THAT REDESIGN. THIS WOULD CHANGE -- THE PRIMARY CHANGE WOULD BE TO THE NORTHBOUND 275 TO WESTBOUND STATE ROAD 60 HEADING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT, VETERANS, COURTNEY CAMPBELL AREA TO, A TWO- LANE FLYOVER INSTEAD OF A ONE-LANE RAMP AS IT EXISTS NOW, AND SO THERE'S SOME OTHER CHANGES THAT WE'LL GO THROUGH IN THIS DESIGN, BUT BASICALLY IT'S A $9-MILLION ADDITIONAL PROJECT THAT'S BEING ADDED TO THE T.I.P. THIS WOULD IMPROVE THE CAPACITY ON I-275 PRIMARILY IN THAT NORTHBOUND DIRECTION AS WELL AS PROVIDING SOME RELIEF FOR THE SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION AS IT ENTERS INTO STATE ROAD 60 IN THIS WHOLE INTERCHANGE REDESIGN. IT DOES MAINTAIN ACCESS AND ENHANCES THE WESTSHORE BUSINESS DISTRICT, AND I'LL SHOW YOU IN A GRAPHIC HOW THAT IS INTENDED TO ENHANCE THAT ACCESS. IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSIT WEST OF STATE ROAD 60 LEADING OUT TO THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE FOR TRANSIT IN THE FUTURE. D.O.T. HAS GONE THROUGH COORDINATION ACTIVITIES AS FAR AS THIS REDESIGN IN THEIR EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES WITH THE AVIATION AUTHORITY AS WELL AS THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE BEING MET. SO THIS IS THE AREA THAT WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT. THE CONCEPT THAT'S ENVISIONED FOR WEST OF STATE ROAD 60 WOULD BE AN INTERCHANGE SIMILAR TO WHAT EXISTS AT I-4 AND COLUMBUS DRIVE AND STATE ROAD 50 WHERE YOU HAVE A WESTBOUND EXIT AND THEN YOU GO UNDER THE ACTUAL INTERSTATE LANES TO ACCESS COLUMBUS DRIVE AND 50th STREET. THIS ALSO WOULD INCLUDE ACCESS ALONG RIO STREET, WHICH IS A NORTH-SOUTH ROAD WEST OF STATE ROAD 60, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL AND MAINTAINING THE EXISTING CONNECTION THAT ALREADY EXISTS FOR THE WESTSHORE AREA. AS PART OF THIS IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE TWO-LANE FLYOVER FROM NORTHBOUND 275 TO WESTBOUND STATE ROAD 60. THE RAMP COMING FROM SOUTHBOUND I-275 TO WESTBOUND STATE ROAD 60 WOULD ALSO BE ENHANCED PROVIDING FOR CONNECTIONS DIRECTLY TO THE AIRPORT AND THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY TO HANDLE THE ADDITIONAL DEMAND THAT'S BEEN SEEN OUT THERE. FROM THE ALTERNATIVES THAT D.O.T. LOOKED AT, THEY HAVE SELECTED THAT PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE. THEY ANTICIPATE MOVING INTO DESIGN IN 2010, AND THEN WHAT THAT DESIGN WILL DO IS ALLOW THEM TO GET INTO THE PIPELINE FOR THE STATEWIDE STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM LIST OF PROJECTS SO THAT THEY CAN THEN SEEK FUNDING FOR RIGHT-OF- WAY AND CONSTRUCTION LATER ON TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT. WHAT WE'RE SEEKING FROM THE MPO TODAY IS APPROVAL OF THIS AMENDMENT AND TO PLACE THIS INTO THE T.I.P. SO D.O.T. CAN BEGIN THE WORK ON THE DESIGN FOR THIS PROJECT. I WILL MENTION THAT THE MONEY THAT'S COMING FOR THIS PROJECT IS COMING OUT OF AN EXISTING CONTINGENCY FUND AND WILL NOT IMPACT ANY OTHER PROJECTS IN THE PLAN, AND BECAUSE THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE T.I.P., WE'LL NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, WALLY. ANY -- YES, MR. BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, WALLY, FOR THAT REPORT. JUST A POINT OF ORDER. ON THE AGENDA ITEM 4-A THAT'S LISTED, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS A BARGAIN FOR THIS DESIGN WHEN THEY HAD IT LISTED AT $9,037, SO THE RECORD MIGHT WANT TO REFLECT THE NINE MILLION. >>WALLY BLAIN: THERE'S A COUPLE ZEROS MISSING. >>KEVIN BECKNER: BECAUSE WE'LL JUMP ON THAT PROJECT FOR A HEARTBEAT IF WE'RE -- >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I WAS CURIOUS WHY THEY WERE EVEN BOTHERING COMING IN TALKING ABOUT IT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR WALLY? IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WALLY. WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE. FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SO MOVE. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE. >> DINGFELDER. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: YES. >> BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: YES. >> MILLER. >>LOUIS MILLER: YES. >> LOTT. >>RICK LOTT: YES. >> AFFRONTI. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >> SCOTT. >>THOMAS SCOTT: YES. >> FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. >> AND WAGGONER. >>JOE WAGGONER: YES. >> MOTION CARRIES 8-0. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM -- NEXT ACTION ITEM IS THE FDOT FIVE-YEAR TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM FOR YEAR -- FISCAL YEAR 2010-'11, '14-'15, AND WALLY. >>WALLY BLAIN: I'LL INTRODUCE THAT REAL QUICK. LINDA STACHEWICZ FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WILL COME UP AND GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ABOUT THE WORK PROGRAM AND THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THERE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WHAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU IS WE'VE INCLUDED A LETTER IN YOUR FOLDER AT YOUR SEATS OF SOME COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE AS STAFF THAT WE'LL BE COMING BACK AFTER D.O.T. GIVES THEIR PRESENTATIONS FOR YOU TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THAT LETTER. WHAT WE'RE SEEKING TODAY IS APPROVAL OF THE TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM THAT -- TO APPROVE OF THIS AND RECOMMEND THAT D.O.T. CONTINUE ON THIS PATH AS WELL AS THE LETTER OF COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE, AND I'LL COME BACK AFTER LINDA PRESENTS AND DISCUSS THOSE COMMENTS WITH YOU. >> GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS. LINDA STACHEWICZ, D.O.T. DON, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A -- GO AHEAD AND DO MY -- OKAY. IN YOUR PACKET YOU'LL FIND A LIST OF SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS. LAST MONTH I HAD COME TO YOU AND GIVEN YOU SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR PROGRAM, AND THERE'S BEEN A FEW CHANGES IN IT, AND I WANTED TO BRING THOSE TO YOUR ATTENTION. IF YOU RECALL AT THE LAST MEETING WE MENTIONED THAT ALL OF THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM PROJECTS THAT WERE PRIORITIZED BY THE MPO WERE FUNDED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 40th STREET, WHICH DIDN'T NEED ANY FUNDING. IF YOU WANT ME TO REVIEW THOSE, I CAN DO THAT. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS AS WELL THAT I'VE MENTIONED LAST MONTH THAT WERE FUNDED. AS FAR AS OUR MAJOR SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS, I'VE COLLECTED THIS LIST TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN THE WORK PROGRAM. THE BOARD HAD BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION SAM ALLEN ROAD, AND WE HAD STARTED ACQUIRING RIGHT-OF-WAY ON THIS PROJECT AND HAD NOT COMPLETED IT, SO NOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FUND THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN YEARS 2013, '14, AND '15. CONSTRUCTION AT THIS POINT REMAINS UNFUNDED, BUT THIS WILL GIVE US THE ABILITY TO ACQUIRE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR THE PROJECT, AND IT MOVES IT AHEAD. THE NEXT TWO ITEMS IS THE I-275 FROM STATE ROAD 60 TO HIMES AND THEN HIMES TO HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE. THIS IS BASICALLY A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND PORTIONS THAT WE'VE FUNDED IN 2014. SOME OF THIS YOU'VE -- YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH. WE'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE BASED ON THE I-4/CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR COMING IN, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION. I-275 FROM NORTH OF U.S. 41 TO LIVINGSTON, THEN LIVINGSTON TO THE APEX ARE CAPACITY PROJECTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FUND ON I-275. THIS IS GOING TO BE FROM FOUR TO SIX LANES, AND IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE NOISE WALLS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FUND THIS IN 2012. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT PROJECT IS OUR PROJECT ON MLK, WHICH IS FROM HIGHVIEW TO PARSONS. IT'S A CAPACITY PROJECT THAT WAS FUNDED IN 2013. THIS PROJECT WAS ADVANCED FROM 2014 TO 2013 DUE TO SOME FAVORABLE BIDDING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN ON OTHER PROJECTS, SO WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THAT. SOME OTHER CHANGES IN THE WORK PROGRAM THAT OCCURRED SINCE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SINCE THE PRINTING OF THE DECEMBER 11th ARE LISTED HERE. THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL FROM LUTZ-LAKE FERN TO THE SUNCOAST PARKWAY WAS ADVANCED FROM 2014 TO 2013. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT PROJECT. I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT A $3-MILLION PROJECT, AND CONSTRUCTION WAS ADDED IN 2014. AND DALE MABRY FROM LAKEVIEW TO CHEVAL SIDEWALK WE ADVANCED INTO 2013 AS WELL. AS YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DALE MABRY SIDEWALK SEGMENTS ARE BEING PROGRAMMED. ALL OF THEM ARE IN THE WORK PROGRAM FOR ONE PHASE OR ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION, AND WE'RE MAKING AN EFFORT TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD SO THAT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF DALE MABRY WILL HAVE SIDEWALK AND -- CONTINUOUS, AND THERE WON'T BE ANY GAPS. THE OTHER TWO PROJECTS ON I-75, I THINK OUR -- MR. SKELTON WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT. >>DON SKELTON: YES. IN THIS GOES ALONG WITH WHAT THE CAC AND TAC LOOKED AT. AT THE TIME THE CAC MET, WE HAD HAD A REQUEST FROM THE CENTRAL OFFICE IN D.O.T. TO PROVIDE A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WERE PRODUCTION READY AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND SO I-275 FROM NORTH OF U.S. 41 TO THE APEX FIT THAT CATEGORY, AND IT WAS ABOUT A $30-MILLION PROJECT. BECAUSE OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, THAT PROJECT WAS SELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD. SUBSEQUENT TO THAT WE GOT ANOTHER REQUEST TO GO AHEAD AND PROGRAM -- REPROGRAM, I SHOULD SAY, THE I-75 SEGMENTS FROM FOWLER UP TO STATE ROAD 56 IN OUR -- IN OUR FIVE-YEAR WORK PROGRAM, ACTUALLY A YEAR EARLIER THAN THE I-275 PROJECT, SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THOSE BACK IN TO NEXT FISCAL YEAR, 2010-2011, AND SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WIDENING OF I-75 THROUGHOUT ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >> SO THAT MEANS BOTH OF THE INTERSTATES ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH WIDENING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COUNTY, BOTH I-75 AND I-275 IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, SO IT'S REALLY GREAT NEWS. WE DID HOLD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS IN DECEMBER AND OFFERED COMMENTS THAT -- BE PROVIDED FROM THE PUBLIC. WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE MPO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT THROUGH JANUARY 19th ON THE WORK PROGRAM, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S -- AS WALLY MENTIONED, SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS ARE IN THE LETTER THAT HE'S GOING TO COME UP AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT AFTERWARDS. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE PROJECTS IN THE PROGRAM, I'LL BE GLAD TO TRY TO ANSWER. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, LINDA. ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MR. DINGFELDER. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ONE -- ONE, YOU -- FROM YOUR DISCUSSION ON LIVINGSTON AREA, 275, YOU MENTIONED THE NOISE WALLS, AND I'M JUST WONDERING -- I KNOW IT'S NOT REAL FUNCTIONAL, BUT SOME PLACES AROUND THE -- AROUND THE COUNTY AND AROUND THE COUNTRY WE SEE MORE ARTISTIC NOISE WALLS, BUT THAT SECTION THAT -- THAT WE BUILD UP THROUGH SEMINOLE HEIGHTS IN THAT AREA OF NOISE WALLS IS SORT OF BLAND, KIND OF JUST DOWNRIGHT BORING, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THAT'S SORT OF OUR ENTRYWAY INTO THE CITY. ANYWAY, I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION PERHAPS IN THAT LIVINGSTON AREA BECAUSE THAT TRULY IS THE ENTRYWAY INTO THE COUNTY? >>DON SKELTON: WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THOSE NOISE WALLS AND SEE IF THERE'S DIFFERENT PANELS OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PUT IN THERE. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF DECORATIVE WALLS THAT ARE THROUGH YBOR CITY, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME TREATMENT. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: RIGHT. PERHAPS SOMETHING A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT -- >>DON SKELTON: WE CAN -- >>JOHN DINGFELDER: -- A LITTLE TREE THROWN IN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >>DON SKELTON: WE CAN LOOK AT THAT. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: YOU SEE THAT ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT PROBABLY DOESN'T COST MUCH IN TERMS OF JUST PRESSING OUT A DIFFERENT DESIGN. ON A MORE SIGNIFICANT ISSUE -- I HAD A COUPLE OF THEM, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY RELATE TO JUST THIS NEXT YEAR -- I MEAN THE LAST YEAR. ON PAGE 27 IT SPEAKS TO BRUCE B. DOWNS AND TALKS ABOUT 20 - - NEXT YEAR I GUESS $11 MILLION GOING TO -- FROM FOUR LANES TO EIGHT LANES, SEGMENTS "B" AND "C," AND I'M JUST WONDERING -- WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ALL BELONG TO ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A RAIL CORRIDOR IN THAT SEGMENT OF BRUCE B. DOWNS. I'M JUST WONDERING DOES THIS PRICE TAG ACCOMMODATE THE DESIGN AT LEAST OF AN EMPTY CORRIDOR FOR POTENTIAL FUTURE RAIL? >> WELL, INITIALLY BRUCE B. DOWNS WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE A 20-FOOT TRANSIT ENVELOPE, AND AS YOU HAVE MENTIONED, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE CAN HANDLE THAT AND IF WE COULD PROVIDE A 34-FOOT -- WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE SOME FURTHER EXPLANATION, MR. GAO? IT IS AND CONTINUES TO BE A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION, SO -- >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I SEE IT'S NOW SCHEDULED 2011 -- 2010/2011, SO IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING -- >>DON SKELTON: WELL, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION ON WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THIS PROGRAM FOR THAT PARTICULAR LINE, THAT'S A REIMBURSABLE, SO THAT'S PAYING BACK THE COUNTY FOR FUNDS THEY'VE ALREADY PROGRAMMED ON THE PROJECT, BUT I THINK THE -- THE COMMENT IS STILL VALID AS TO WHAT THAT DESIGN ACCOMMODATES, AND MING CAN GO INTO SOME OF THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE NED OR ANYBODY -- >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I MEAN, I JUST THINK -- >>DON SKELTON: -- FROM THE COUNTY WANTS TO ADDRESS -- >>JOHN DINGFELDER: AND I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. I JUST THINK -- I JUST THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE AS AN MPO IN REGARD TO THIS ISSUE IF WE'RE -- IF WE'RE, IN FACT, GIVING OUR BLESSING TO THE D.O.T. THAT THIS IS APPROPRIATE FUNDING. >> GOOD MORNING. MING GAO WITH D.O.T. YEAH, THE CONVERSATION'S CONTINUING RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS WHAT TO BUILD ON BRUCE B. DOWNS FROM BEARSS ALL THE WAY TO PALM SPRINGS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY WITH THE COUNTY TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER TO BUILD SIX LANE OUT OR EIGHT LANE IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE TRANSIT IN THE FUTURE. SO THE PLAN FROM HERE ON OUT IS THE COUNTY ALREADY HAVE A CONSULTANT ONBOARD TO LOOK AT BY BUILDING EIGHT LANE WOULD IT BE PRECLUDE ANY TRANSIT ACCOMMODATION IN THE FUTURE, BUT THE WIDENING PROJECT WILL MOVE FORWARD, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PROGRAMMING IS FOR, THE WIDENING PROGRAM. IT'S REIMBURSABLE. THE COUNTY'S READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS SEGMENT AND THEY GOT FAVORABLE BIDS FOR SEGMENT "B" AND "C," WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND THE INTERSTATE AND CROSS CREEK AREA, SO THEY HAVE SOME FUNDING AVAILABLE TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD IMMEDIATELY, SO THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION THIS COMING YEAR. SO THE PROJECT'S MOVING FORWARD AND TRANSIT IS BEING CONSIDERED ALONG THE CORRIDOR, BUT NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AT THIS POINT. >>DON SKELTON: AND AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE WHAT MING SAID IS THE COUNTY'S ALREADY RECEIVED BIDS ON THESE SEGMENTS, SO THEY'VE GOT THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'LL START FAIRLY CERTAIN. THIS IS JUST A PAYBACK FOR THAT. THE BIGGER ITEM THAT YOU PROBABLY ARE EVEN AS MUCH INTERESTED IS RIGHT BELOW THAT WHERE WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT- OF-WAY PROGRAMMED IN '12-'13 THROUGH '14-'15 TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CAN MAKE THE SAME ACCOMMODATIONS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: RAY, HAVE WE PROVIDED ANY WRITTEN COMMENT EITHER TO THE DEPARTMENT, TO THE COUNTY ABOUT THAT ISSUE BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME GENERAL CONCERN THAT WE AREN'T ON THE ONE HAND SAYING WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY IT'S GOING TO GO UP TO WESLEY CHAPEL ALONG BRUCE B. DOWNS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, AND THEN WE WON'T HAVE AN ENVELOPE FOR IT. I MEAN, I'M SUGGESTING PERHAPS THAT AT THE MINIMUM WE PUT THAT IN WRITING FROM THIS BODY THAT -- >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WELL, RIGHT NOW IN THE -- YOU -- KIND OF IN WRITING IS IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN IT'S SHOWN AS A SIX-LANE, SO, I MEAN, THAT HAS BEEN THE MPO'S INPUT. NOW I'M TALKING ABOUT SEGMENT "A," NOT "B" AND "C." WHICH IF YOU REMEMBER, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO GO AHEAD WITH THOSE AND THEN TO CHANGE THE LANES IN THE FUTURE, BUT ON SEGMENT "A" -- AND WE DID HAVE THAT MEETING YESTERDAY WITH THE COUNTY. THE MPO AND THE CITY WERE ALSO PART OF THAT MEETING. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS COME UP WITH SOME ALTERNATIVES THAT WE CAN TAKE OUT TO THE PUBLIC AT SOME POINT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS TO -- TO SHOW WHAT A SIX-LANE WITH TRANSIT WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT AN EIGHT-LANE WITH TRANSIT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO TRY TO GET SOME PUBLIC INPUT ON THAT AND THEN TO ULTIMATELY MAKE SOME TYPE OF RECOMMENDATION TO THE MPO AND THE COUNTY AND THE CITY. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: YEAH. I MEAN, I RECOGNIZE THE FOLKS UP THERE NEED RELIEF AND THEY NEED IT QUICK AND THEY NEED IT SOON -- WELL, QUICK AND SOON, THEY NEED IT NOW, BUT I GUESS -- I DON'T RECALL A WHOLE LOT OF DISCUSSION IN HERE ABOUT THAT -- THAT ISSUE. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: ABOUT THE SIX VERSUS EIGHT LANES? >>JOHN DINGFELDER: YEAH, AND THE ENVELOPE AND THAT SORT OF THING. HAS THERE BEEN MUCH -- >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WELL, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION, YES. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: ALL RIGHT. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADD, COUNCILMAN, THAT AS PART OF THE TBARTA D.O.T. EFFORT TO LOOK AT FUTURE TRANSIT CORRIDOR, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A CONTRACT ISSUED THIS YEAR TO LOOK AT THE BRUCE B. DOWNS CORRIDOR BETWEEN USF AND WESLEY CHAPEL AND SEE WHAT TECHNOLOGY FITS MOST FOR THAT CORRIDOR IN THE FUTURE, SO THE STUDY WILL BE STARTING VERY SOON ACTUALLY. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: OKAY. THE NEXT QUESTION HOPEFULLY IS AN EASY ONE, AND THEN I HAVE ONE MORE AFTER THAT. ON PAGE 36, DON, THE -- THAT'S THE I-4/SELMON EXPRESSWAY, AND I'M JUST WONDERING FOR AN UPDATE IN REGARD TO STIMULUS MONEY AND THE PROGRESS OF THAT PROJECT. >>DON SKELTON: THAT -- THAT PROJECT, THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN EXECUTED, SCOTT? >> [INAUDIBLE] >>DON SKELTON: OKAY. THE CONTRACT IS NEARLY EXECUTED FOR THAT. WE DID LET AND OPEN THE -- OPEN BIDS FOR THAT, AND WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL BIDDER. THERE'S JUST SOME FORMS THAT THEY HAVE TO GET IN. WORK IS LIKELY TO START ON THAT EARLY PART OF MARCH AS THEY MOBILIZE AND GET THINGS GOING, SO THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE UNDERWAY. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: AND WE NAILED DOWN LIKE A LOT OF STIMULUS MONEY FOR THAT, DIDN'T WE? >>DON SKELTON: THERE'S $105 MILLION OF STIMULUS FUNDS THAT WERE APPLIED TO THAT PROJECT. WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE WORK PROGRAM IS THE PAYBACK TO THE CONTRACTOR BECAUSE WE -- WE BID THAT OUT AS A BUILD- FINANCE, SO THEY'RE PUTTING A LOT OF THE MONEY UP FRONT, AND WHAT'S SHOWN HERE IS THE YEARS THAT WE WILL ACTUALLY START THE PAYBACKS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I THINK THAT'S VERY EXCITING FOR THE WHOLE REGION. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAD IS ON PAGE 31 IS A COUNTY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER. NED, WERE YOU ABLE TO FIND OUT ANYTHING MORE ON THAT? MY QUESTION AS I WAS READING THAT LAST NIGHT, I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF IT'S $4.5 MILLION, AND I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE CITY RECENTLY BUILT A VERY STATE-OF- THE-ART SOPHISTICATED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER OVER HERE AT THE EXPRESSWAY -- AT THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY, AND -- CHAIRMAN SCOTT, YOU'RE OVER THERE REGULARLY, AND I THINK WE RUN THAT JOINTLY WITH THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY AS WELL AS D.O.T. HAS INVOLVEMENT IN THAT AS WELL, AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT WOULDN'T IT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE WHEN ALL THE TIME IN OUR DIFFERENT BODIES WE TALK ABOUT CITY-COUNTY COOPERATION AND JOINT EFFORTS AND THAT SORT OF THING IS WHY $4.5 MILLION WE WOULDN'T COMBINE THE COUNTY WITH THE CITY AND DO IT TOGETHER, AND I SPOKE TO MR. DAIGNAULT THIS MORNING ABOUT IT, AND HE SAID THAT THEY'VE HAD SOME LOOSE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT OVER THE YEARS, BUT HE'D LOVE TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S THIS KIND OF MONEY INVOLVED. >>NED BAIER: NED BAIER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU AND THE REST OF THE BOARD ON THAT QUESTION WITH OUR COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE THOSE ARE FUNDS PRIORITIZED BY THE MPO BOARD. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE XU FUNDS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THEY'RE WHAT FUNDS? >>NED BAIER: AND -- XU. >> SURFACE TRANSPORTATION. >>NED BAIER: SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FUNDS, BUT THEY WERE PRIORITIZED BY THE MPO BOARD SOME YEARS AGO, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SO WE WILL GET BACK TO THE BOARD. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: YEAH, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO USE THOSE FUNDS. WHAT I'M THINKING IS JUST IF WE COULD MAKE A COMBINED OPS CENTER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY, JUST -- IT WOULD SEEM TO MAKE A HECK OF A LOT OF SENSE WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN ALL THESE VARIOUS ROADS AND NOBODY KNOWS WHEN THEY LEAVE THE COUNTY AND COME INTO THE CITY OR VICE VERSA, SO IT SEEMS LIKE A COMBINED CENTER MIGHT BE A NICE WAY TO GO AND THEN MAYBE SAVE SOME MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE PULL IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IF YOU COULD GET -- MAYBE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND HAVE A LITTLE MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ANY OTHER -- ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE -- >> SO MOVE APPROVE. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: -- THE FIVE YEAR PLAN. MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. NEXT ITEM IS THE TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN, JOEL RAY. >> GOOD MORNING. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS JOEL RAY, AND I'M A DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT SERVICES WITH TINDALE-OLIVER & ASSOCIATES, AND I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME HERE TODAY TO GO THROUGH THIS PLAN, WHAT IS THE TCAP, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THIS. BASICALLY THE TCAP IS A PLAN THAT CAME ABOUT AS THE RESULT OF SOME NEW FUNDING SOURCES THAT CAME ABOUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES, SPECIFICALLY THE 5316 AND 17 PROGRAMS, THE JOB ACCESS, REVERSE COMMUTE, AND THE NEW FREEDOM PROGRAM. THESE FUNDS BECAME AVAILABLE, BUT TO BE ABLE TO TAP THEM YOU NEEDED TO COMPLETE A PLAN KNOWN AS A LOCALLY COORDINATED HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN OR AN LCHSTP. BACK IN 2007 PINELLAS, HILLSBOROUGH, AND PASCO COUNTIES GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO PURSUE THIS FUNDING, AND THEY DECIDED TO COMPLETE A REGIONALLY COORDINATED PLAN. BECAUSE THE NAME OF THE PLAN WAS I GUESS A MOUTHFUL, THEY DECIDED TO RENAME THE PLAN LOCALLY FOR THE REGION THE TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN OR TCAP. THE TCAP AGAIN WAS COMPLETED IN 2007, CAME TO THE BOARDS, WAS ADOPTED AT THAT TIME, AND IN THE LAST YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OR ONGOING BASED ON THE FUNDING THAT CAME ABOUT AFTER THAT PLAN WAS FINISHED. CURRENTLY WE HAVE UPDATED THE PLAN, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES ARE STILL BEING MET BY THESE POTENTIAL NEW PROJECTS. SO IN 2007 WHAT WE DID WAS WE LOOKED AT THE UNMET NEEDS IN THE THREE-COUNTY AREA AND IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL PROJECTS TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, AND THEN WE OPENED IT UP TO ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBMIT PROJECTS FOR ONE OF THE THREE FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT WERE AVAILABLE. THE OTHER ONE THAT I DID NOT MENTION, THE 5310, IS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE ELDERLY OR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, AND THIS IS A FUNDING PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FOR CAPITAL FUNDS FOR MOBILITY PROJECTS. NOW, IN THE CASE OF THIS UPDATE, TECHNICAL ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE IN THAT INTERVENING YEAR AND A HALF PERIOD BETWEEN THE PLANS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GAPS THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BEFORE WERE STILL THE GAPS THAT ARE OCCURRING NOW AND THAT THERE WEREN'T CHANGES. WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE NEW PROGRAMS THAT HAD OCCURRED THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY OVERLAPS OF SERVICE WHERE MAYBE SOME RESOURCES COULD BE REALLOCATED, AND SO WE DID A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS. A LOT OF THE ANALYSIS WAS BASED ON EXISTING TRANSPORTATION AND PROVIDER INFORMATION, ALSO INFORMATION REGARDING THE POPULATIONS THAT WE WANT TO TRY AND SERVE WITH THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS; THAT IS, PERSONS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES, PERSONS WHO ARE IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES OR ARE WELFARE RECIPIENTS, THE UNEMPLOYED, THE ELDERLY, AND THEN WE ALSO WANTED TO LOOK AT THE EXISTING TRANSPORTATION NETWORK IN TERMS OF WHERE THESE PEOPLE LIVE AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND THEN ALSO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. SO TO JUST GIVE YOU A FLAVOR OF SOME OF THE GIS-BASED ANALYSIS THAT OCCURRED, I'LL SHOW YOU SEVERAL MAPS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT AS FAR AS DESTINATIONS GO IS MAJOR EMPLOYERS, WHERE DO THESE FOLKS WANT TO GO, AND CAN THE CURRENT TRANSPORTATION NETWORK -- AND THIS IS SHOWING THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, PINELLAS COUNTY, AND PASCO COUNTY TRICOUNTY AREA -- CAN THE NETWORK TAKE THEM WHERE THEY WANT TO GO IN TERMS OF MAJOR EMPLOYERS. WE ALSO LOOKED AT MEDICAL FACILITIES, ANOTHER BIG DESTINATION FOR THESE FOLKS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN SENIOR FACILITIES. SO LOOKING AT THESE AREAS, WE FOUND THERE WERE SOME ISSUES, GAPS IN THE THREE-COUNTY AREA. SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO HILLSBOROUGH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE TARGET AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN THE NEW PLAN, THE UPDATE VERSION, NORTH TAMPA AND PLANT CITY, NORTHEAST AND SOUTH COUNTY. MAJORITY OF THESE AREAS ARE IDENTIFIED AS TARGET AREAS BECAUSE OF THE POPULATIONS WITHIN THOSE AREAS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HIGH PREPONDERANCE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, PERSONS WHO ARE ELDERLY, HAVE INCOME ISSUES OR ARE UNEMPLOYED. IN THE CASE OF TEMPLE TERRACE AND WESTSHORE, THOSE TWO WERE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE OF A TARGET AS A DESTINATION, A LOT OF JOBS, USF AREA IN TEMPLE TERRACE, BUSCH GARDENS, MAJOR EMPLOYERS. THE OTHER THING WE DID WAS UPDATE THE STRATEGIES THAT WERE FIRST IDENTIFIED BACK IN 2007 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GAVE PROPER GUIDANCE TO ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANTED TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR THE FUNDS IN THIS COMING YEAR. THESE STRATEGIES GIVE THEM GUIDANCE ON WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THESE PROGRAMS, AND THEY -- WHENEVER THEY SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION, THEY HAVE TO SHOW THAT ONE OF THESE OR MORE OF THESE ARE BEING MET BY THE PROJECT THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING. THE STRATEGIES THAT HAVE BEEN INDICATED IN THE UPDATE PLAN INCLUDE THE EXPANSION OF MOBILITY ON EVENINGS AND ALSO DURING THE WEEKEND PERIODS, IMPROVING COORDINATION AMONG THE TRANSIT PROVIDERS, HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES AND VOLUNTEER DRIVER PROGRAMS, TO MAKE SURE THERE'S BETTER COORDINATION, BETTER COVERAGE BETWEEN THESE ENTITIES AS THEY PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES; INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR TRANSIT PERHAPS THROUGH THE PURSUIT OF FEDERAL GRANTS, ESTABLISHING FUNDING TASK FORCES, ALSO PURSUING PUBLIC- PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. ALSO IMPROVING THE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THE TRANSIT SERVICES THAT ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDED; COORDINATING ELIGIBILITY PROCESSES. THIS ONE ACTUALLY RESONATED VERY MUCH WITH YOUR TD BOARD WHO ENDORSED THIS PARTICULAR UPDATE. A CENTRALIZED MOBILITY CENTER IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT, HAVING A ONE-STOP SHOP WHERE THESE PEOPLE CAN GO TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE TRANSIT SERVICES, TO GET PERHAPS BUS PASSES, AND ALSO TO GET THEIR ELIGIBILITY CERTIFIED FOR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THIS IS A KEY ELEMENT, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE TD BOARD WANTED TO PURSUE FURTHER, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR COUNTY. IMPROVEMENT IN THE ACCESSIBILITY AND MOBILITY RELATED TO ADA TRANSIT SERVICES; IMPROVING THE ACCESSIBILITIES AND MOBILITY ALSO FOR RURAL PURPOSES, PROVIDING SERVICES IN AREAS THAT ARE RURAL IN NATURE OR DON'T HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CURRENTLY; EXPANDING THE AVAILABILITY OF TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS TO THOSE FOLKS IN THESE POPULATIONS THAT WE WANT TO SERVE, THE LOW-INCOME, THE ELDERLY, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES; AND FINALLY, PROVIDING MORE PERSONAL SERVICES FOR THOSE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. NOW, THE NEXT STEPS, I HAVE PRESENTED TO THE PASCO MPO BACK IN EARLY DECEMBER, DECEMBER 10th, AND THEY HAVE ADOPTED THE UPDATED PLAN. OBVIOUSLY OUR NEXT STEP IS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH YOU FOLKS AND HAVE YOU HOPEFULLY ADOPT THIS PLAN, AND THEN NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY WE'LL BE GOING TO THE PINELLAS MPO FOR THE FINALIZATION OF THE PLAN, AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE DUE ON FEBRUARY 19th. SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETING WILL THEN BE HELD. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WILL BE COMPRISED OF FIVE FOLKS, ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH MPO, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FDOT, AND I'M ASSUMING THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVE WILL PROBABLY COME FROM TBARTA OR THE PLANNING COUNCIL. AND THEY WILL BE THEN SELECTING PROJECTS TO BRING BACK THE -- THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING BEFORE THE MPOs FOR APPROVAL, AND THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE SPRING. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE AGENCY AWARD WILL OCCUR TO GET THESE PROGRAMS GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET MORE SERVICES ON THE STREET FOR THESE FOLKS. AND WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE AND OPEN FOR QUESTIONS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, JOEL. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PLAN. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, JOEL. JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. ON THE LAST VOTE THAT WE TOOK REGARDING THE FIVE-YEAR FDOT PLAN, THERE WAS A LETTER THAT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET GOING TO SECRETARY SKELTON WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR -- FOR THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN, SO IF -- IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'LL JUST INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE PREVIOUS MOTION TO APPROVE THE PLAN. >>THOMAS SCOTT: YES. >>JOE AFFRONTI: IS THERE -- >>ROSE FERLITA: WANT TO ADD THAT ADDENDUM TO THE MOTION? >>JOE AFFRONTI: YEAH. >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT'S FINE. >>THOMAS SCOTT: WELL, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN HE MADE THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ITEMS THAT WAS PRESENTED, SO I WAS ASSUMING IT WAS PART OF THE MOTION ALREADY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WELL, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE TO CLARIFY THAT. >>THOMAS SCOTT: DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING TO CLARIFY THAT? >>ADAM GORMLY: IF IT'S JUST TO CLARIFY IF THERE WAS ANY COMMENTS ON THE LETTER AS DRAFTED. IF IT WAS OKAY, I BELIEVE IT'S SUFFICIENT. >>THOMAS SCOTT: I KNOW IT WAS PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED, SO THEREFORE I ASSUMED IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE MOTION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'LL JUST INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF IT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ITEM IS THE STATUS REPORTS. BUSCH BOULEVARD PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR -- CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS. JAMAL. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, GOOD MORNING, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. I'M HERE TO REPORT ON THE BUSCH BOULEVARD RESURFACING PROJECT WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO YOU IN THE PAST. I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU THAT WE HAVE -- THE NEWS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT WAS RESURFACING OF BUSCH BOULEVARD, WHICH IS NEARLY A FOUR-MILE CORRIDOR. AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO A RESURFACING PROJECT, WE TAKE CARE OF THE -- OF COURSE THE PAVEMENT BUT ALSO THE SIDEWALKS TO MAKE THEM ADA COMPLIANT. WE WILL GIVE YOU A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, AND I'LL BE HELPED BY MY CONSULTANT, MR. JOHN NOVAK OF GRIMAIL CRAWFORD. THE PROJECT INCLUDED NOT ONLY RESURFACING AND THE SIDEWALKS, IT ALSO INCLUDED AT THE BEHEST OF CITIES OF TAMPA AND TEMPLE TERRACE LANDSCAPING, DECORATIVE SIDEWALKS, LIGHTING, AND OTHER ITEMS THEY WANTED. WE ALSO INCLUDED SAFETY, AND THAT IS WE DID MEDIAN MODIFICATION TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CRASHES THAT USED TO OCCUR ON BUSCH BOULEVARD. DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES OF THE MPO, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HART, BUSCH GARDENS, SO WE WORKED WITH MANY OF THESE ENTITIES. THERE WAS A GAP IN OUR SIDEWALK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BUSCH BOULEVARD JUST EAST OF NEBRASKA AVENUE, AND THAT WAS ABUTTING THE RAILROAD CORRIDOR. WE COULDN'T BUILD OUR SIDEWALK THERE BECAUSE WE HAD NO EASEMENT, AND WE TRIED FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS TO GET AN EASEMENT AND WE HAD NEARLY GIVEN UP HOPE, AND THEN ONE FINE DAY OUR DIRECTOR, MR. COLLISTER, PREVAILED UPON THE RAILROAD TO GIVE US THAT EASEMENT, AND FINALLY WE GOT THE EASEMENT AND WE CONSTRUCTED THE SIDEWALK. JOHN. >> LET'S SEE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S JOHN NOVAK, AS JAMAL MENTIONED. WHAT WE WANTED TO COVER IS THE BUSCH BOULEVARD. I JUST HAVE SOME PHOTOS OF WHAT HAPPENED -- BEFORE-AND- AFTER SHOTS BASICALLY ALONG THERE AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE COOPERATION THAT WE HAD WITH THE TWO CITIES, TAMPA AND TEMPLE TERRACE, AMONG OTHER ENTITIES. SOME OF THE KEY SCOPE ITEMS WE HAD OF COURSE WERE THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, ADA IMPROVEMENTS, AND ALSO THE SAFETY AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS ON THE JOB; AS JAMAL MENTIONED, THE MEDIAN OPENINGS, BUT WE ALSO UPGRADED THE SIGNALIZATION ALONG THE CORRIDOR AS WELL AS UPGRADING THE SIGNING AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS. A BIG HELP ON THIS PROJECT WAS THE REPORTS PREPARED BY THE MPOs. WE GOT A LOT OF GUIDANCE FROM THEM, AND IT HELPED US WITH - - ELIMINATE SOME OF OUR LEGWORK BUT ALSO GAVE US GOOD DIRECTION AS WELL AS INPUT FROM THE MPO COMMITTEES. THE MAIN PURPOSE AGAIN, AS JAMAL MENTIONED, WAS TO RESURFACE THE ROADWAY AND PROVIDE A SMOOTH RIDE, AND WHAT WE DID THERE TOO WAS TO -- IF YOU REMEMBER, THERE WERE SOME MANHOLES ALONG THERE. THEY WERE ALL RESET IN COOPERATION WITH THE CITY. CURB RAMPS WAS A MAJOR ITEM. THERE WERE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE THERE WERE NONE, THEY WERE NONSTANDARD. WE BROUGHT THOSE UP-TO-DATE. SOME THAT WERE COMPATIBLE WE JUST HAD TO ADD THE DETECTABLE WARNING SURFACES, SO THAT WAS ALL DONE TO BRING IT UP TO STANDARD. WITH THE COOPERATION OF SAM THE HUBCAP MAN LICATA, WE WERE ABLE TO ELIMINATE THE SIDEWALKS -- THE STEPS ALONG THE SIDEWALK AND PROVIDE A CLEAR PATH ALONG HIS PROPERTY. AS JAMAL MENTIONED, THE EASEMENT FROM CSX WAS A MAJOR COUP. I KNOW IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK BY MANY OF THE D.O.T. DEPARTMENTS, THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, LEGAL. IT WAS -- AND ALSO CENTRAL OFFICE WAS INVOLVED TO GET THAT TO PROVIDE A SIDEWALK ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE TO COMPLETE THE CORRIDOR. AS JAMAL MENTIONED TOO, WE COORDINATED WITH HART ON THAT. WE CONSOLIDATED SOME OF THEIR BUS STOPS, MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE ALL BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO ALSO PROVIDE THEM A FEW AREAS WHERE NOW KIOSKS WERE PROVIDED. AGAIN, THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THERE. WE DID MEDIAN CLOSURES AND MODIFICATIONS. WE WERE ABLE WITH THAT WORK TO EXTEND TURN LANES, WHICH ALL THIS KIND OF EQUALS TO PROVIDE CRASH REDUCTION. HERE'S JUST A -- ONE OF THE HANDOUTS WE HAD. THERE WAS A MAJOR PUBLIC EFFORT -- INVOLVEMENT EFFORT TO GET THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHAT WE DID, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH CLOSING AND MODIFYING THE MEDIANS. SOME OF THE SIGNALS AND SIGNAGE WORK WE DID, WE CONSTRUCTED MAN -- MAST ARMS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT AND ALSO ALONG WITH THAT WE WERE -- IN COORDINATION WITH THE MEDIAN CLOSURES, WE WERE ABLE ALSO TO ADD LEFT TURN ARROWS BECAUSE THAT WOULD GENERATE MORE LEFT TURNS OR U-TURNS TO ACCESS SOME OF THE BUSINESSES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, SO THAT FACILITATED IT. WE ALSO ADDED COUNTDOWN PED HEADS, UPDATED THE PEDESTRIAN FEATURES WITH NEW BUTTONS, AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, UPGRADED THE SIGNAGE AND MARKINGS. CITY BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS, TAMPA, THEIR MAIN EMPHASIS WAS LANDSCAPING AND ALSO THE DECORATIVE CROSSWALKS THAT WE DID ALONG ALL THE SIDE STREETS ALONG THE PROJECT, AND THE MEDIANS WERE LANDSCAPED AND IRRIGATION WAS INCLUDED. TEMPLE TERRACE ALSO ADDED -- HAD LANDSCAPING, BUT THEY ALSO ADDED DECORATIVE LIGHTING FOR PEDESTRIANS AND TRAFFIC AND ALSO DECORATIVE SIDEWALK PAVERS, AND THIS BASICALLY DOVETAILS INTO THEIR OVERALL REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, THE WORK THEY'RE GOING TO DO ON 56th STREET AND THEIR ONGOING PROJECTS. WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. ANY -- GO AHEAD. >> ANY QUESTIONS? >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SECRETARY SKELTON, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ON BEHALF OF TEMPLE TERRACE AND ESPECIALLY THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND D.O.T. FOR A WONDERFUL JOB YOU DID ON BUSCH BOULEVARD. IT IS ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS TRANSFORMATION FROM WHAT IT WAS, AND WE ALL THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >>RICK LOTT: ONE QUESTION I HAVE, THOUGH -- I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLAN. I MEAN, IT LOOKS -- I'VE SEEN IT IN THE WORKS NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND I LOVE HOW IT'S BEEN COMING TO A COMPLETION AND SO FORTH AND READY TO GO FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT I SEE THAT WE HAVE THE DOLLARS AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION, THE LANDSCAPING AND SO FORTH, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE CITY OF TAMPA; IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YEAH. >>RICK LOTT: THE CITY OF TAMPA, ARE THOSE FUNDS BUDGETED TO MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, AND SUPPORT THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND -- OR ARE WE SPENDING DOLLARS HERE -- I MEAN, I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING DOLLARS HERE FOR A BEAUTIFICATION PLAN BUT THEN ON THE OTHER HAND THE SUPPORT DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN IT ARE NOT IN PLACE. IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON THAT OR -- >>DON SKELTON: WE ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS BEFORE WE AGREE TO PUT ANY OF THIS TYPE OF WORK IN. WHETHER THEY'RE BUDGETING OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE CITIES. FOR THE MOST PART THEY HAVE BEEN TAKING CARE OF THE LANDSCAPING THAT'S GONE IN AND THE DECORATIVE LIGHTS THAT GO IN AS WELL. SAME THING WITH CITY OF TEMPLE TERRACE. >>RICK LOTT: SO THERE IS A MECHANISM IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT IS MAINTAINED? >>DON SKELTON: WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE MAINTAIN THOSE. TEMPLE TERRACE MAINTAINS WHATEVER IS IN TEMPLE TERRACE. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: SAME THING IN THE CITY. WE HAVE -- WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE AGREEMENTS WITH THE STATE ON THESE NEW MEDIANS, AND WE MAINTAIN THEM AFTER THEY PUT THEM IN. >>RICK LOTT: OKAY. GREAT. THAT WAS MY ONLY CONCERN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN. OKAY. THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN IS NOT HERE, SO YOU HAVE THE REPORT FOR THE -- >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: MICHELLE CAN DO THE REPORT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, OKAY. IS SHE GOING TO DO THE -- ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY? >>MICHELE OGILVIE: IT'S UP TO YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I AM PREPARED TO READ -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, YOU'RE GOING TO DO BOTH. OKAY, MICHELE. >>MICHELE OGILVIE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MICHELE OGILVIE, MPO STAFF, REPRESENTING THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE. THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MET ON DECEMBER 2nd, 2009. THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM BILL JONSON, A MEMBER OF SCENIC FLORIDA, WHO SHARED HIS EXPERTISE ON THE CONVERSION OF TRADITIONAL BILLBOARDS TO THE NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN PINELLAS COUNTY. MR. JONSON FOCUSED HIS PRESENTATION ON THE ASPECTS OF SAFETY FOR THE PEDESTRIAN AND MOTORISTS AS THESE BILLBOARDS HAVE BECOME MORE POPULAR. FOLLOWING VIGOROUS DISCUSSION, THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MADE THE FOLLOWING MOTION. THEY ASKED THAT THE MPO CONSIDER ENCOURAGING THIS COUNTY AND THE CITIES OF TAMPA, TEMPLE TERRACE, AND PLANT CITY TO CONSIDER A MEMORANDUM ON -- I'M SORRY -- A MORATORIUM ON DIGITAL -- BIG DIFFERENCE -- ON DIGITAL BILLBOARDS UNTIL THE PENDING FEDERAL STUDY IN APRIL WHICH WILL ADDRESS SAFETY ON ALL ROADWAYS. MICHAEL MOULE OF LIVABLE STREETS, INC., GAVE A PRESENTATION TO -- ON COMPLETE STREETS. THE COMMITTEE LEARNED THE FOLLOWING THINGS ABOUT THIS POLICY. ONE, IT INCLUDES A VISION OF HOW AND WHY THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO COMPLETE ITS STREET. TWO, IT SPECIFIES THAT ALL USERS, INCLUDING PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, TRANSIT PASSENGERS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES, AS WELL AS TRUCKS, BUSES, AND AUTOMOBILES ARE CONSIDERED IN THE DESIGN OF THESE STREETS. ENCOURAGES STREET CONNECTIVITY TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED, AND CONNECTED NETWORK. AND FOURTH, IT DIRECTS THAT COMPLETE STREET SOLUTIONS COMPLEMENT THE CONTEXT OF THE COMMUNITY. FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MADE THE FOLLOWING MOTION: THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE SUPPORTS THE GOAL OF COMPLETE STREETS POLICY WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS OF THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND IT IS A GREAT INVESTMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THE NEXT LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 27th AT 9:00 A.M. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU, MICHELE. ANY QUESTIONS OF MICHELE? OKAY. THE -- GO AHEAD. YOU WANT TO DO THE -- >>MICHELE OGILVIE: BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN. AGAIN, MICHELE OGILVIE, MPO STAFF, REPRESENTING THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET ON JANUARY -- I'M SORRY -- DECEMBER 8th, 2009. THE FOLLOWING HIGHLIGHTS ARE PRESENTED TO YOU. THE COMMITTEE WILL FOCUS ITS -- THIS YEAR, 2010, ON THE PROMOTION OF BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY THROUGH THE CREATION OF A COMPLETE STREETS POLICY. YOU'LL PROBABLY BE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA. THE FIRST EVENT ADDRESSING SAFETY WILL BE THE CHILDREN'S GASPARILLA PARADE BICYCLE RODEO WILL BE HELD ON JANUARY 23rd FROM 11:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M. ON BAYSHORE. IN THE WORDS OF CHAIR RUSSO, THE GOOD BICYCLE SKILLS A CHILD LEARNS WILL TRANSLATE TO GOOD DRIVING BEHAVIOR AS ADULTS, AND SO THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN GROUP IS EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY. THE NEXT BPAC MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON JANUARY 13th AT 5:30 IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S BOARDROOM. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MICHELE. ANY -- YES, MR. DINGFELDER. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: NO, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND A THANK YOU TO THE D.O.T. ON THEIR WORK PLAN. THE FIFTH YEAR INCLUDES ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD FROM DAVIS ISLAND TO ROME THE ADDITION OF BIKE LANES FOR A MILLION DOLLARS. I THINK THAT'S GREAT, AND I JUST WANTED TO TOSS THAT IN DURING THIS COMMITTEE PRESENTATION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD. THE TDCB MEETING WAS HELD ON DECEMBER 10th, 2009. THE BOARD REVIEWED AND APPROVED THE COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR'S REQUEST TO RENEW THREE NEW CONTRACTS WITH THE CHILD ABUSE COUNCIL, TORIA'S SUPPORT CARE SERVICES, AND THE CITY OF TEMPLE TERRACE. THE COMBINED -- THESE COMBINED ENTITIES LAST YEAR PROVIDED OVER 11,000 TRIPS TO THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE ANNUAL COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR'S EVALUATION WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD. OVERALL THE CTC PROVIDED 8,000 PEOPLE WITH TRANSPORTATION TO DIALYSIS, JOBS, JOBS TRAINING, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THE BOARD RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR'S EVALUATION BE APPROVED AND SENT TO THE MPO BOARD FOR THEIR ACTION IN FEBRUARY. THE PLANNING SUBCOMMITTEE ASKED AND WAS GIVEN APPROVAL TO BEGIN WORK ON A REGIONALIZED CALL CENTER THAT WOULD HELP PARATRANSIT RIDERS ACCESS SERVICES IN HILLSBOROUGH, PINELLAS, AND PASCO COUNTIES. THE COMMISSION FOR TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED IS INTERESTED IN THE OUTCOME OF THIS EFFORT AS IT WOULD BECOME A MODEL FOR STATEWIDE ACCESS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED. THE NEXT TDCB MEETING WILL BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 25th AT 9:15 ON THE 18th FLOOR OF THE COUNTY CENTER. IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS, I -- OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THE NEXT THING, I SAW A VIDEO THAT I -- I THOUGHT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO SHOW TO THE MPO BOARD -- IT'S VERY SHORT -- TO SHARE THE BENEFITS OF OUR MASS TRANSIT, SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE. WHO'S GOING TO -- >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WELL -- [VIDEO PLAYED] >> OUR NEW BOOK, "MOVING MINDS CONSERVATIVES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION," ENABLES LIBERAL TRANSIT ADVOCATES TO TALK TO CONSERVATIVES ABOUT WHY WE NEED PARTICULARLY RAIL TRANSIT IN TERMS CONSERVATIVES CAN RELATE TO. YOU CAN'T GO TO CONSERVATIVES AND SAY, WELL, WE SHOULD HAVE BETTER TRANSIT BECAUSE IT WILL REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES AND GLOBAL WARMING AND SO FORTH. WHENEVER YOU DO THAT YOU'RE TELLING THEM, OH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS SOMETHING I SHOULD OPPOSE. THERE ARE VERY GOOD CONSERVATIVE ARGUMENTS FOR IMPROVED RAIL TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT MANY CONSERVATIVES RIDE SUCH TRANSPORTATION. THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DECREASE RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC CONGESTION IS TO GIVE PEOPLE ANOTHER WAY TO GET TO WORK THAT THEY WILL ACTUALLY CHOOSE TO USE. PUBLIC TRANSIT DOES WORK IF YOU MEASURE HOW IT WORKS CORRECTLY. LIBERTARIAN TRANSIT CRITICS SAY, WELL, PUBLIC TRANSIT ONLY CARRIES 1% OF TOTAL TRIPS, BUT THE NUMBER IS MISLEADING BECAUSE THE MEASUREMENT IS WRONG. HALF OF AMERICANS HAVE NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, SO OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN'T USE IT. OF THOSE WHO HAVE IT, ONLY HALF SAY IT'S SATISFACTORY. IF WE USE ANOTHER MEASUREMENT, WHICH IS TRANSIT-COMPETITIVE TRIPS, TRIPS THAT TRANSIT CAN ACTUALLY COMPETE FOR, WE GET A VERY DIFFERENT ANSWER. IF WE LOOK AT THE CORRIDORS THAT ARE SERVED, WE FIND IN MANY CASES THEY'RE CARRYING, SAY, 40%, NOT 1% OF TOTAL TRIPS IN THE AREAS SERVED. IF WE GO BACK 80 YEARS, WE WOULD FIND AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK CALLED RAIL TRANSPORTATION IN THIS COUNTRY, BOTH INNER CITY AND WITHIN CITIES, ALL PRIVATELY OWNED AND PRIVATELY OPERATED AND PAYING TAXES. WHAT HAPPENED IS WE FORCED THAT PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO COMPETE AGAINST A GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDIZED COMPETITOR, NAMELY HIGHWAYS. AS EARLY AS 1920 GOVERNMENT WAS POURING A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR INTO HIGHWAYS. WELL, EVERY CONSERVATIVE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAX ONE COMPETITOR AND SUBSIDIZE THE OTHER. THE SUBSIDIZED COMPETITOR WINS. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE CURRENT AUTOMOBILE DOMINANCE. IT IS NOT A FREE-MARKET OUTCOME, IT IS THE OUTCOME OF MASSIVE AND PROLONGED GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION. THE SECOND SUBSIDY ARGUMENT IS THAT TRANSIT REQUIRES SUBSIDIES AS OPPOSED TO HIGHWAYS WHICH DON'T. WELL, HIGHWAYS DO. IF WE LOOK AT THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION'S NUMBERS, WE FIND THAT USER FEES, INCLUDING THE GAS TAX AND TOLLS, ONLY COVER ABOUT 58% OF THE COST OF HIGHWAYS, WHICH IS TO SAY 42% IS SUBSIDIZED. NOW, MANY RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEMS COVER MORE THAN 50% OF THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES OUT OF THE FAREBOX, SO, IN FACT, IT'S A WASH. OUR ECONOMY DEPENDS UPON ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING RAIL. [END OF VIDEO] >>JOE AFFRONTI: SORRY FOR THE LOW VOLUME AND INTERFERENCE IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT I THINK IT DOES STRESS A POINT. OKAY. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, RAY. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: THANK YOU. AS YOU ARE AWARE, BEING ON THE MPO BOARD, WE HAD A VERY ACTIVE AND BUSY DECEMBER. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE WE DID PRESENT THE LRTP TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. I PARTICIPATED IN THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE TAMPA BAY 2009 TRENDS CONFERENCE AND DID PRESENT THE PLAN TO WHAT I FELT WAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE AT THAT CONFERENCE. WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH HART AND THEIR CONSULTANTS ON [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ROUTING AND ALL THE DETAILS OF REALLY TRYING TO BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT OUR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN. DECEMBER 9th WE HAD OUR HEARING, WHICH WE SUCCESSFULLY ADOPTED THAT PLAN. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND CONTINUE TO HAVE MEETINGS, AS WE DID IN DECEMBER, ON THE BRUCE B. DOWNS LANE CONFIGURATION ISSUE, AND THAT'LL BE A MAJOR EFFORT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE. AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOK -- ATTENDING STAKEHOLDERS MEETINGS ON THE ALIGNMENTS, BOTH THE NORTH ALIGNMENT AND THE LIGHT RAIL WEST ALIGNMENT TOWARD -- TOWARD THE AIRPORT AND THE WESTSHORE DISTRICT, PARTICIPATING IN THE COUNTY'S MOBILITY FEE MEETINGS, BRANDON, MEETING WITH HART STAFF AGAIN ON THE PROPOSALS. I WANTED TO -- AND YOU HAVE A LIST EXACTLY OF THE MEETINGS THAT THE MPO'S BEEN PARTICIPATING WITH FROM STAFF. I WANTED TO BRING UP A POINT. THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION -- THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT -- IS ANTICIPATING A SECOND ROUND OF STIMULUS FUNDING THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED JOBS FOR MAIN STREET THAT WAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENT TO THE SENATE IN DECEMBER. FDOT REQUESTED THAT WE LOOK AT OUR BOARD-APPROVED PRIORITY LIST AND AFFIRM THAT THESE ARE THE MPO'S CONTINUING PRIORITIES. I WANT TO REMIND YOU YOU MAY REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE HAD THE FIRST STIMULUS WE HAD, LIKE, 14 PROJECTS THAT WE HAD LISTED, AND IT WAS BASED ON THE VISION AND POLICIES IN THE NEW PLAN, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT. WHAT WE'RE -- STAFF IS DOING -- ARE DOING RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING AT THE DESIGNS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLETE TO THE LEVEL REQUIRED BY THE LEGISLATION THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FUNDED YET, SO WE'RE WORKING ON DOING THAT. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE UNDER CONTRACT, I UNDERSTAND, WITHIN 90 DAYS, AND PERHAPS MR. SKELTON CAN FILL US IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT, BUT THAT WAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL WHICH PROJECTS REALLY NEED TO BE PRIORITIZED FOR THIS SECOND STIMULUS LEVEL. >>DON SKELTON: THOSE ARE THE PARAMETERS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE HOUSE VERSION THAT WAS PASSED IN -- BACK IN DECEMBER WAS THAT THE PROJECTS HAD TO BE UNDER CONTRACT WITHIN 90 DAYS OF ANYTHING BEING PASSED. WHETHER THAT HOLDS TRUE, WHETHER THE SENATE EVEN TAKES IT UP, WE DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED WITH THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO GO. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS STAFF IS IDENTIFY THOSE PROJECTS WHICH CAN BE UNDER CONTRACT IN 90 DAYS FROM THAT LIST OF PRIORITIES THAT THE BOARD ALREADY IDENTIFIED A FEW MONTHS AGO. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. I WANT TO REMIND YOU THE NEXT MPO MEETING WILL BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 2nd HERE AT THE BOCC AT 9:00 A.M. NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE JANUARY 26th AT 9:00 A.M. IN THE 18th FLOOR OF THE COUNTY CENTER AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. YES, ROSE. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. IN ISN'T ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO THE ITINERARY THAT RAY HAS BEEN KEEPING THERE, BUT I THINK IT'S -- IT'S -- IT'S SOMETHING WORTH MENTIONING. RAY CONTINUES TO BE VERY VISIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND REPRESENTS US WELL, AND HE DID THIS A WHILE BACK. IT WAS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT EARLY IN TERMS OF THE REFERENDUM DISCUSSION HEATING UP, BUT IN -- IN BEHALF OF THE PRODUCER, THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATION THAT PRODUCES A PROGRAM ON SUNDAY NIGHT THAT I HOST CALLED "TAKING SIDES," SOMETIME THIS MONTH WE'RE GOING TO DO A SHOW EXCLUSIVELY ON -- ON RAIL, AND EVERY NOW AND THEN WE INVITE A GUEST PANELIST, AND I THINK RAY'S PERCEPTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND HIS INFORMATION THAT HE OFFERS IS CERTAINLY OBJECTIVE, AND I THINK HE'S WELL GROUNDED IN REPRESENTING MPO'S OPINIONS TO COMMUNITIES AND MEETINGS ABOUT THE REFERENDUM, SO RAY IS ABLE TO COME TO THAT SHOW AND BE A GUEST PANELIST FOR US, AND I'M VERY EXCITED BECAUSE I THINK YOU REPRESENT US WELL. SO THAT'S ONE MORE THING YOU'RE DOING. THANKS, RAY, FOR ACCEPTING. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YOU'RE WELCOME. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE -- THE AUDIENCE THAT CARES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ANY ITEMS, ANY CONCERNS? IF NOT, WE THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS? ANY NEW BUSINESS? IF NOT, WE THANK YOU, AND WE ADJOURN. HAPPY NEW YEAR. ALL RIGHT. 1