CAPTIONING
JUNE 1, 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 METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION FOR 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR JUNE 1st, 2010.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND AN 
INVOCATION.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
HEAVENLY FATHER, NOW THAT MEMORIAL DAY HAS PASSED, HOLD OUR 
TROOPS IN YOUR LOVING HANDS, PROTECT THEM AS THEY PROTECT 
US, BLESS THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE SELFLESS ACT THEY 
PERFORM FOR US IN THIS, OUR TIME OF NEED.
THESE THINGS I HUMBLY ASK IN YOUR NAME.
AMEN.
>> AMEN.
>> AMEN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
FIRST I WANT TO CONGRATULATE HART.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S HERE FROM HART, BUT THEY WERE JUST NAMED 
THE NUMBER ONE TRANSIT AUTHORITY IN THE UNITED STATES, 
WHICH WAS GREAT, BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSIT 
ASSOCIATION.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT, SO -- OKAY.
FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE T.I.P. 
PLAN, AND I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE MPO'S PUBLIC HEARING 
TO ADOPT THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR 2010-11 
AND 2014-15, AND MY NAME IS JOE AFFRONTI.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN 
PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
WE WILL FIRST HEAR A SHORT PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THE 
T.I.P.
THEN WE WILL OPEN UP THE HEARING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WILL FIRST RECOGNIZE PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND THEN TAKE 
PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ORDER THAT THEY HAVE SIGNED IN.
FOLLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL HAVE BOARD DISCUSSION AND 
TAKE ACTION ON THE T.I.P. AMENDMENT, AND THIS WILL BE A 
ROLL CALL VOTE.
WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD, PLEASE CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME 
AND ADDRESS AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES IN 
ORDER THAT EVERYONE MAY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
BEFORE WE START THE HEARING, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT THERE 
ARE GOLD FORMS ON THE TABLE AT THE DOOR FOR THOSE WHO WANT 
TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED IN, PLEASE FILL OUT A FORM AND GIVE 
IT TO LINDA FERRARO, ON MY RIGHT HERE, THE MPO SECRETARY.
IF YOU WISH TO EXPRESS YOUR COMMENTS IN WRITING, THERE ARE 
PINK FORMS ON THE TABLE.
NOW I'LL CALL ON STAFF TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE 
T.I.P. AMENDMENT.
WE CALL THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO ORDER.
>>WALLY BLAIN:  GOOD MORNING.
WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.
THIS IS THE ADOPTION FOR THE T.I.P. FOR THE YEARS 2011 -- 
2010-2011 THROUGH 2014-2015.
THERE'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS 
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT ARE PLANNED TO BE FUNDED OVER 
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THIS INCLUDES THE WORK PROGRAM FROM THE STATE D.O.T., IT 
INCLUDES THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS FROM LOCAL 
AGENCIES, AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS FOR 
ALL OF OUR TRANSPORTATION PARTNERING AGENCIES.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO UPDATE THE T.I.P. AND ADOPT A NEW T.I.P. 
EVERY YEAR UNDER CURRENT STATE STATUTES, AND IT IS THE 
DOCUMENT THAT'S USED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES WHEN THEY REVIEW 
PROJECTS FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
THAT INCLUDES FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AND FEDERAL 
TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
JUST TO REMIND YOU SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN 
SET BY THIS BOARD, PRIORITIES WERE ADOPTED FOR THIS T.I.P. 
BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009.
YOU SEE A LISTING OF PROJECTS UNDER THE SURFACE 
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
THIS IS A FEDERAL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S ALLOCATED TO 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE HAD THE PLANNING EFFORTS THAT THE MPO CONTINUES TO DO 
EVERY YEAR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LONG-RANGE PLAN AND 
ASSISTING THE LOCAL AGENCIES IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FOR 
THE AREA.
THE PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED IS THE 40th STREET WIDENING, 
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT OUTREACH -- THAT WAS FOR 
THE BAY AREA COMMUTER SERVICES -- THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE, 
THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, AND THE NEW NORTH 
TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE UP IN THE USF AREA, BUS 
REPLACEMENTS FOR HART, RIGHT-OF-WAY ACTIVITIES FOR SAM 
ALLEN ROAD IN PLANT CITY, THE WIDENING OF BRUCE B. DOWNS, 
AND AN I.T.S., INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, PROJECT 
FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA.
ANOTHER FEDERAL FUNDING CATEGORY WE GET IS A TRANSPORTATION 
ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.
THESE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE USED TO ENHANCE THE EXISTING 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, NOT CAPACITY WIDENING PROJECTS, AND 
SO SOME OF THE PROJECTS YOU SEE LISTED HERE IS THE BAYSHORE 
BOULEVARD BICYCLE TRAIL -- THIS IS TO CONTINUE AND EXTEND 
THE CURRENT PROJECT THAT'S IN THE T.I.P. NOW -- THE 56th 
STREET AND BUSCH BOULEVARD INTERSECTION IN THE TEMPLE 
TERRACE AREA, A TRAIL ON THE EAST SIDE OF TEMPLE TERRACE, 
AS WELL AS THE GREENWAY IN SOUTH TAMPA.
OTHER PRIORITIES THAT WERE ADOPTED BACK IN SEPTEMBER WAS 
FOR THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 
STATE'S STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM COST-FEASIBLE PLAN.
THAT IS PRIMARILY THE INTERSTATES BUT ALSO SOME OF THE 
MAJOR ARTERIALS AS WELL.
PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE SIS PLAN FOR THIS AREA WOULD 
INCLUDE THE WIDENING OF I-75 AND I-275 NORTH INTO PASCO 
COUNTY AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN-TO-WESTSHORE SEGMENT ON I-
275.
WITH OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS, THE LIST OF PROJECTS 
THAT WE SUBMITTED AS PRIORITIES INCLUDED THE WIDENING OF 
STATE ROAD 574 OUT IN THE VALRICO-SEFFNER AREA, U.S. 
HIGHWAY 301 FROM THE TAMPA BYPASS CANAL TO FOWLER AVENUE -- 
THAT WOULD EXTEND THE FOUR LANES FURTHER NORTH -- AND THEN 
THE ALEXANDER STREET EXTENSION IN PLANT CITY.
AS A RESULT OF THOSE PRIORITIES, D.O.T. WORKS THROUGH THE 
WINTER AND THE FALL TO PROGRAM PROJECTS BASED ON 
AVAILABILITY OF REVENUES.
WHAT WAS FUNDED -- AND LET ME FIRST SAY WHAT WAS NOT FUNDED 
OUT OF THE PRIORITIES.
WE SUBMITTED 40th STREET AS A PRIORITY FOR FUNDING.
IT WAS DETERMINED WHEN IT WENT INTO PROGRAMMING THAT THE 
PROJECT WAS FULLY FUNDED AND DID NOT NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDS, 
SO 40th STREET WAS NOT FUNDED THIS YEAR BECAUSE THERE WAS 
NOT A NEED TO FUND IT.
AND THAT PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THE LAST TWO SEGMENTS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW.
THE PLANNING EFFORTS FOR THE MPO WERE FUNDED.
THE I.T.S. PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA WAS FUNDED, 
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS OUT IN THE WESTSHORE AREA 
CONSISTENT WITH THE WESTSHORE AREA PEDESTRIAN SYSTEM PLAN, 
THE OUTREACH FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT 
ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR SAM ALLEN ROAD.
UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, THE BICYCLE 
LANES, BICYCLE PATH ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD WAS BEING -- IS 
ADDED, SIDEWALK PROJECT ON DALE MABRY, AND THEN ALSO 
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY FOR THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL.
UNDER THE STATE STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM AND THE 
ARTERIAL FUNDING, THE WIDENING OF I-75 FROM FOWLER TO STATE 
ROAD 56 IN PASCO COUNTY HAS BEEN ADDED, THE WIDENING OF I-
275 FROM THE U.S. 41 OVERPASS NORTH TO THE I-75 APEX HAS 
BEEN ADDED, A PD&E STUDY FOR I-275/HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE 
HAS BEEN ADDED.
THIS IS A STUDY THAT LOOKS AT REPLACING THE OLDEST SPAN OF 
THE STRUCTURE AND INCORPORATING INTO THAT PD&E WHAT 
CONSIDERATIONS CAN BE MADE FOR TRANSIT ACROSS THE BAY.
AS WELL D.O.T. ADDED TEN RESURFACING PROJECTS TO MAINTAIN 
THE EXISTING SYSTEM.
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WE HAD A PROJECT ON FLETCHER AVENUE 
BETWEEN 15th STREET AND 46th STREET, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY 
IMPROVEMENTS THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS UNDERWAY, AS WELL 
AS SOME -- THE CONTINUATION OF THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING 
STUDY THROUGH A NEW STARTS GRANT THAT HART HAS RECEIVED.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ADDING PROJECTS, THERE ARE ALSO 
PROJECTS THAT ARE DEFERRED AND SOMETIMES MOVED OUT OF THE 
WORK PROGRAM.
TWO PROJECTS ON STATE ROAD 574 WERE DEFERRED, ONE WAS MOVED 
OUT OF THE WORK PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN STUDY FOR 
THE FRONTAGE ROADS ALONG DALE MABRY HIGHWAY NORTH IN THE 
CHEVAL AREA.
OTHER PROJECTS THAT WERE DEFERRED INCLUDE THE WIDENING -- 
THE NEW EXTENSION OF THE CITRUS PARK DRIVE, THE WIDENING OF 
COUNTY ROAD 579 FROM I-4 TO SLIGH AVENUE, IMPROVEMENTS ON 
THE PARSONS/JOHN MOORE ROAD FROM OAKFIELD TO STATE ROAD 60, 
AND THE WIDENING OF U.S. 301 FROM STATE ROAD 674 TO BALM 
ROAD WAS ALSO DEFERRED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE T.I.P. THIS 
YEAR IS MAKING IT MORE AVAILABLE ON-LINE, MORE ACCESSIBLE 
TO THE PUBLIC AND OTHER AGENCIES OUT THERE.
IN THE PAST WHAT WE'VE HAD IS JUST A PDF DOCUMENT OF THE 
T.I.P. ON OUR WEB SITE THAT PEOPLE COULD GO THROUGH AND 
SEARCH THROUGH THE PDF DOCUMENT.
THROUGH HIRING A CONSULTANT WE HAVE DEVELOPED A T.I.P. 
THAT'S INTERACTIVE AND MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY THAT WILL BE 
ATTACHED TO THE MPO'S CURRENT WEB SITE.
WHAT THAT WILL ALLOW SOMEONE TO DO IS COME AND SPECIFICALLY 
GENERATE A T.I.P. TO THEIR INTEREST.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO PRINT OUT THE WHOLE DOCUMENT, THEY CAN 
PRINT OUT JUST THE AREA THAT THEY WANT, SO IT CAN BE JUST A 
LISTING OF ONE AGENCY'S PROJECTS AS YOU SEE HERE.
IT COULD ALSO BE SEARCHED AND QUERIED DOWN BASED ON AN AREA 
OF THE COUNTY, SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THERE 
NOW ARE THE COMMUNITY PLANNING AREAS, THE JURISDICTIONS, 
AND THEN IF A PROJECT IS INSIDE THE URBAN SERVICES AREA, SO 
SOME DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT ADDING MORE WAYS TO QUERY THOSE, SO IF 
YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN ADD TO THIS, IT'S 
FULLY EXPANDABLE, AND ALL WE NEED IS SOME GIS INFORMATION 
AND CAN LOAD THAT TO THE TOOL, AND AGAIN, IT MAKES THAT 
MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
IN ADDITION TO QUERYING DOWN THE TYPES OF PROJECTS, SOMEONE 
CAN CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE OUT OF THE PROJECT.
THEY CAN CHOOSE TO SEE JUST A PROJECT LISTING, THEY CAN 
SEE -- CHOOSE TO SEE A PROJECT LISTING WITH A MAP OF THE 
LOCATION OF THE PROJECT, OR IF THEY WANT TO INCLUDE ALL THE 
TEXT WITH THE PROJECTS OR JUST THE PROJECTS THAT ARE SHOWN, 
THEY HAVE THE FULL FLEXIBILITY IN THAT.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT ONE OF THOSE PROJECT SHEETS 
LOOKS LIKE WITH A MAP INCLUDED IN IT.
THE WAY THE TOOL IS SET UP IS IT PRINTS ONE PAGE SPECIFIC 
FOR EACH PROJECT WHEN YOU HAVE A MAP, WHICH IS WHY THE 
PRINTED VERSION THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET DOESN'T 
INCLUDE THAT.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH LARGER DOCUMENT, BUT WHAT YOU 
SEE, THEN, IN YOUR PACKET IS MORE OF A SUMMARY DETAIL OF 
JUST THE PROJECTS THEMSELVES, AND SO YOU GET MULTIPLE 
PROJECTS LISTED PER PAGE.
IN ADDITION TO GOING THROUGH A QUERYING OR A SEARCHING 
TOOL, USERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO DIRECTLY TO A MAP AND 
CLICK ON A PROJECT THAT WOULD BRING UP THAT REPORT FOR THAT 
PROJECT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, SO IT'S MUCH MORE ENHANCED AND 
EASIER TO USE, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO 
DELIVER THIS TO THE PUBLIC THAT WAY.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH COMMITTEES AND GOTTEN THEIR APPROVAL 
FOR THE T.I.P.
WHAT WE ARE HERE TODAY IS TO SEEK APPROVAL FROM THE MPO 
BOARD ON THE T.I.P. TO BE ABLE TO TRANSMIT THIS THEN TO 
D.O.T.
THE TRANSMITTAL TO D.O.T. SENDS THAT OUT FOR STATE AND 
FEDERAL REVIEW AND BRINGS THAT IN TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN 
COMPLIANCE AND IT MEETS THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THE WAY 
WE NEED TO, AND THEN IT WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON OCTOBER 
1st, SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, WALLY.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC -- NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK 
TO THIS ISSUE, BUT IS THERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC THAT CARES 
TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM?
IF NOT, BOARD?
YES.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TWO QUICK COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE AT LEAST 
WE HAVEN'T HAD 40th STREET ON OUR LIST, AND I THINK WE 
SHOULD ALL FEEL VERY PROUD THAT THAT PROJECT IS FINALLY 
BEING ACCOMPLISHED, AND IT'S FUN TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT 
MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE OF IT BEING COMPLETED.
I REALLY LOVE THE INTERACTIVITY OF THE MAP, AND I -- I HAVE 
ONE QUESTION, WHICH IS, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT FIGURING -- 
ABOUT BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY HOW MUCH MONEY WAS SPENT IN 
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES LIKE ROADS, TRANSIT, BUSES, BICYCLE 
AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS.
IS THAT CAPACITY CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO 
US?
>>WALLY BLAIN:  I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S SUMMARIZED THAT 
WAY.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  FOR THE NEXT TIME WE DISCUSS THIS, 
COULD YOU -- COULD YOU SHARE THAT WITH US?
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE DICTATED BY THE 
FEDERAL AND STATE GUIDELINES, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I 
KNOW THE COMMUNITY IS INTERESTED IN AS WE MOVE TOWARD MORE 
COMPLETE STREETS AND MORE, YOU KNOW, HOLISTIC VIEW OF 
TRANSPORTATION.
>>WALLY BLAIN:  SURE.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE THAT CARES -- ANYONE ELSE CARES TO ADDRESS THIS 
ITEM?
IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION.
>> SO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OH, WAIT.
I'M SORRY.
ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  YES.
>> WHEAT.
>>JOHN WHEAT:  YES.
>> AFFRONTI.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>> SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES.
>> SAUL-SENA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  YES.
>> CAETANO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YES.
>> FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES.
>> WAINIO.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  YES.
>> WAGGONER.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  YES.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
MOTION CARRIES 9-0.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC INPUT ON AGENDA ITEMS.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM THE 
BOARD IS HEAR THE COMMENTS AFTER THE PRESENTATION IS MADE 
BY MICHELE OGILVIE ON THE NEW FREEDOM PROGRAM PRIORITIES 
BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO 
THAT ISSUE.
I'D LIKE TO DO THAT AFTER THE STAFF MAKES THEIR COMMENTS IF 
THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY.
JOE AMON, CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
OKAY, JOE.
[LAUGHTER]
>>MICHELE OGILVIE:  MICHELE OGILVIE, MPO STAFF, 
REPRESENTING JOE AMON, CAC CHAIR, WHO IS OUT OF TOWN TODAY.
THE CAC COMMITTEE DID MEET ON MAY THE 12th.
THE THEME OF THEIR MEETING REVOLVED AROUND THE 
INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF TRANSPORTATION AND POPULATION GROWTH, 
AND THAT BEGAN WITH ONE MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE OBSERVING 
WITH HIGH-SPEED RAIL ON OUR HORIZON AND LIGHT RAIL IN OUR 
CONVERSATION, WE WILL HAVE TO BE THINKING MORE 
REALISTICALLY ABOUT THE WHEEL AND SPOKE SYSTEM WHICH WILL 
REQUIRE US TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE CONNECT 
TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES AND POPULATION GROWTH IN THE 
TAMPA BAY REGION.
REVIEWING I-75 PROJECT -- THE I-75 PROJECTS THAT WERE 
COMING TO YOU AS WELL, THE COMMITTEE EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO 
MAKE SURE THAT ANY FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED 
DO CONNECT WITH LIGHT RAIL, AND THEY WERE SHORT OF THAT 
CONVERSATION.
VERY BRIEFLY THE EAST-WEST ROAD CONNECTING I-75 AND DALE 
MABRY WAS -- WAS DISCUSSED, AND THAT'S ALL THAT HAPPENED IN 
THAT CAC MEETING WAS A DISCUSSION.
THE DOWNTOWN INTERMODAL CENTER WAS DISCUSSED BY THE CAC.
THEY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE 
TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS CONNECTED TO THE INTERMODAL 
CENTER.
THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY PRESENTED THEIR ELECTRONIC TOLLING 
PROGRAM, WHICH YOU WILL HEAR SOON, AND THE HIGHLIGHTS IN 
THAT IN THE CAC'S DISCUSSION WAS THE BENEFITS OF SAFETY, 
TIME, MONEY, AND FUEL, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO OUR POSITIVE 
AIR QUALITY.
THE COST OF AIR QUALITY ON HUMAN HEALTH WAS A MESSAGE OF 
THE EPC STAFF, AND THE CAC MEMBERS CONNECTED THE SOLUTIONS 
OF TRANSIT AND OTHER MODES OF TRAVEL SUCH AS BICYCLE AND 
WALKING AS BENEFITS OF IMPROVING OUR AIR QUALITY IN TIME.
AND FINALLY, THE CAC DISCUSSED THE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG 
FLETCHER AVENUE.
THEY WERE VERY, VERY PLEASED TO HEAR OF ONE OF THE 
SOLUTIONS BEING AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL, WHICH WILL BE ONE OF 
TWO, I BELIEVE, IN THE -- IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THE CAC HAS BEEN LONG ADVOCATING THE USE OF THESE SIGNALS, 
AND THEY WERE VERY PLEASED.
THEY WILL MEET AGAIN ON JUNE THE 9th AT 1:15.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, MICHELE.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MICHELE?
IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, NED BAIER.
>>NED BAIER:  GOOD MORNING.
NED BAIER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STAFF.
YOUR TECHNICAL STAFF MEETING OCCURRED ON MAY 17th, AND WE 
HAD A FULL AGENDA, MANY OF THE PRESENTATION ITEMS THAT 
YOU'LL BE SEEING HERE TODAY.
WE DID SPEND TIME ON THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT 
PROGRAM, THE T.I.P., THROUGH 2014, AS YOU WILL RECEIVE THAT 
TODAY.
WE DO ENDORSE THE ACTION ITEM FOR YOUR APPROVAL TODAY.
STAFF HAS SEEN THE T.I.P. SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES NOW AND 
HAS PROVIDED INPUT INTO THOSE PRIORITIES AND TRYING TO GET 
THE PRIORITIES OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BACK THROUGH THE 
MPO PROCESS, SO THE T.I.P. HAS BEEN FULLY REVIEWED AND 
ENDORSED BY YOUR TECHNICAL STAFF.
THE OTHER PRESENTATION ITEMS THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY, WE HAD 
TWO PRESENTATION ITEMS ON THE I-75, THE FIRST BEING A PD&E 
STUDY AND THE SECOND BEING A CAPACITY STUDY UPDATE.
THEY'RE BOTH BEING MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF 
TRANSPORTATION.
THEY'RE REALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THEY'RE IDENTIFYING THE 
TIMING OF IMPROVEMENTS ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALSO THE 
GROUPING OF IMPROVEMENTS, LOOKING AT ABOUT TEN INTERCHANGES 
UP AND DOWN I-75 ALL THE WAY FROM MANATEE COUNTY UP INTO 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND IN PARTICULAR, I THINK THAT THE 
COMMITTEE WAS ENTHUSED ABOUT THE -- THE COORDINATION WITH 
TBARTA AND THEIR MANAGED LANE CONCEPT ALONG THE INTERSTATE 
CORRIDOR, THAT BESIDES THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THROUGH 
ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, WE COULD ALSO HAVE MANAGED LANES WITH 
AN EYE TOWARDS THE FUTURE TOWARDS TRANSIT, SO THAT'S BEING 
DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND YOU'LL HAVE A 
REAL COMPREHENSIVE STUDY HERE JUST IN A FEW MINUTES.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM MARTY STONE -- HE'S 
THE PLANNING DIRECTOR OF THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY 
AUTHORITY -- ON THE ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLLING.
TODAY LESS THAN 30% OF THE DRIVERS PAY CASH, AND THEN WITH 
A SYSTEM IN PLACE, IT'S REALLY GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE 
ON CAPACITY AND JUST HOW THAT ROADWAY IS MANAGED, SO THE 
COMMITTEE HAD LOTS OF GOOD COMMENTS TO SAY ABOUT THAT 
PROJECT OF THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY.
THE OTHER ITEM WAS A FLETCHER AVENUE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY 
STUDY.
THIS IS UNDERWAY BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF 
PUBLIC WORKS.
IT'S BEEN UNDERWAY FOR A WHILE WITH THE COUNTY PROVIDING 
SOME MONEY FOR THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF SOME 
IMPROVEMENTS.
I GUESS THE GOOD NEWS WAS THAT THERE ARE SOME STP FUNDS 
THAT ARE BEING PROGRAMMED FOR CONSTRUCTION BEGINNING IN 
2011, AND THAT'S THAT AREA OF FLETCHER THAT NO ONE WANTS 
WIDENED THAT WILL ADD, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, 
CROSSWALKS, AND OTHER SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS.
IT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP TRANSIT TOO AND BUS TRANSIT IN 
PARTICULAR, SO IT'S A GOOD THING.
IT ALSO BODES WELL WITH THE MULTIMODAL TRANSIT DISTRICT 
THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STAFF HAS UNDERTAKEN IN THAT AREA.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM EPC ON THE AIR QUALITY 
IMPACTS AND WHAT THAT WILL DO TO YOUR TRANSPORTATION 
PLANNING ACTIVITIES IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, SO IT WAS 
FULL AGENDA LIKE YOURS WILL BE TODAY, SO I THINK I'LL 
REMAIN QUIET HERE AND JUST ASK FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
OUR NEXT MEETING OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS 
JUNE 14th, AND THAT'S AT 1:30 IN THE AFTERNOON.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, NED.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OF NED?
>>NED BAIER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  IF NOT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
T.I.P. AMENDMENT.
THERE'S ANOTHER ACTION ITEM.
AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM THOSE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO 
THE NEW FREEDOM PROGRAM AFTER THAT'S PRESENTED BY MICHELE.
OKAY.
WALLY.
>>WALLY BLAIN:  GOOD MORNING.
ONCE AGAIN, WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.
NOT TO CONFUSE YOU, THIS IS NOT AN AMENDMENT TO THE T.I.P. 
THAT YOU JUST ADOPTED TO GO INTO EFFECT IN OCTOBER.
[LAUGHTER]
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO BRING THE CURRENT T.I.P., WHICH 
REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SEPTEMBER, INTO COMPLIANCE WITH 
THE T.I.P. THAT YOU JUST ADOPTED, AND I WILL TRY TO RELIEVE 
SOME OF THE CONFUSION IN MY OWN MIND THROUGH THIS 
PRESENTATION.
WE'LL SEE IF IT WORKS.
THIS IS TO AMEND THE CURRENT T.I.P., THE '09-'10 T.I.P., TO 
ADD A SAFETY PROJECT ON 22nd STREET.
IT DOES ADD CONSTRUCTION TO THE CURRENT YEAR, AND THE 
REASON THIS IS NEEDED IS BECAUSE OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE 
STATE FISCAL YEAR AND THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR.
THE PROJECT IS ON 22nd STREET.
GOES FROM 23rd AVENUE TO LAKE AVENUE.
IT'S A SUBSET OF A PROJECT THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE MPO'S 
LONG-RANGE PLAN THAT WOULD EXTEND ALL THE WAY TO 
HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE -- IT'S JUST UNDER A HALF A MILE IN 
LENGTH -- TO ADD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN 
AMENITIES AND A SIDEWALK, CROSSWALKS, THINGS OF THAT 
NATURE.
THE CONSTRUCTION IS FOR JUST UNDER $3 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE IN THIS GRAPHIC THE STATE'S FISCAL YEAR FOR 
'09-'10 ENDS IN JUNE, AND THEIR NEW 2010-2011 FISCAL YEAR 
STARTS IN JULY, SO THEY HAVE A JULY TO JUNE FISCAL YEAR; 
WHEREAS, THE T.I.P. OPERATES UNDER THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 
OF OCTOBER TO SEPTEMBER.
IN THE T.I.P. THAT YOU JUST ADOPTED, THIS PROJECT ON 22nd 
STREET IS LISTED IN D.O.T.'S WORK PROGRAM AS A 2010-2011 
PROJECT.
D.O.T. ANTICIPATES BEING ABLE TO START CONSTRUCTION 
ACTIVITIES ON THIS BEFORE OCTOBER 1st, SO WHAT THAT MEANS 
FROM A FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR IS THIS IS AN '09-'10 FEDERAL 
PROJECT, SO IT NEEDS TO BE LISTED IN OUR '09-'10 T.I.P. TO 
BE CONSISTENT AND ALLOW D.O.T. TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE 
WORK.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE MPO BOARD TO DO IS TO ADOPT THIS 
PROJECT THAT'S IN THE CURRENT T.I.P. LISTED AS 2010-2011 IN 
D.O.T.'S WORK PROGRAM, AMEND THAT INTO THE MPO'S 2009-2010 
FISCAL YEAR TO MATCH UP THAT DISCREPANCY IN THAT QUARTER, 
THOSE THREE MONTHS, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS ALSO DOES 
REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
THANK YOU, WALLY.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?
YES, LINDA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THIS IS AN AREA THAT HAS VERY, VERY 
HEAVY PEDESTRIAN USE, AND IT'S BEEN DANGEROUS AND 
UNATTRACTIVE FOR A LONG TIME.
I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE ADDING THIS IN.
IT'LL BE USED BY MANY PEOPLE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
IF NOT, WE NEED A -- WE NEED A MOTION.
>> SO MOVE.
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
OKAY.
ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  YES.
>> WHEAT.
>>JOHN WHEAT:  YES.
>> AFFRONTI.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>> SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES.
>> SAUL-SENA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  YES.
>> SCOTT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  YES.
>> CAETANO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YES.
>> FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES.
>> WAINIO.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  YES.
>> AND WAGGONER.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
THANKS, WALLY.
>> MOTION CARRIES 10-0.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE THE NEW FREEDOM PROGRAM PRIORITIES, MICHELE 
OGILVIE.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE:  GOOD MORNING.
MICHELE OGILVIE, MPO STAFF.
LAST MONTH THE MPO DID ACT UPON THE JARC AND NEW FREEDOM 
FUNDING PRIORITIES.
THAT DID GO TO THE PINELLAS MPO.
THE -- I'M SORRY.
I NEED TO MOVE ON.
THEY DID HEAR YOUR MOTION, WHICH WAS TO IMPROVE THE RANKING 
OF PROJECTS FOR JOB ACCESS/REVERSE COMMUTE, WHICH IS JARC, 
AND TO ASK THE MPO TO CONSIDER A SMALLER OR PILOT PROJECT 
FOR THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE SERVICES.
HAVING HEARD THAT, THE LOCAL COORDINATING BOARD, WHICH IS 
THE SAME AS OUR TRANSPORTATION COORDINATING BOARD HERE, 
ALLOCATED THE NEW FREEDOM FUNDS OR RECOMMENDED TO THEIR MPO 
BOARD THAT HART'S ADA ACCESSIBLE PROJECTS, THE MONEY BEING 
ABOUT $300,000, BE AWARDED TO THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE SERVICES.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION, THAT HART WOULD 
RECEIVE NOTHING AND QUALITY OF LIFE WOULD RECEIVE $489,176.
IN THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE REVIEWED THE RECOMMENDATIONS BACK 
IN -- EXACTLY OR ALMOST A MONTH AGO, THE NEW FREEDOM MONIES 
HAVE BEEN FIRMED UP.
THEY WERE AN ESTIMATION WHEN WE GOT HERE IN MAY.
THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE THREE 
COUNTIES TO SPLIT UP, AND ALL SIX PROJECTS CAN BE FUNDED 
FROM THE $1.5 MILLION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS 
ASSIGNED.
IT IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT HART RECEIVE THEIR 
300,000 -- THEY ARE THE FIFTH-RANKED PROJECT -- AND THAT 
QUALITY OF LIFE RECEIVE $189,163 -- $176, EXCUSE ME.
AS I DID SAY TO YOU THIS MORNING, YOU DID MAKE A MOTION TO 
HAVE A SMALLER AMOUNT ASSIGNED TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE 
PROJECT, AND WE BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE IN KEEPING WITH YOUR 
MOTION.
OOPS.
LET ME GO BACK.
IT IS, THEREFORE, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS BE YOUR 
MOTION TO THE PINELLAS COUNTY MPO, WHICH WILL ACT ON THIS 
FINAL ACTION NEXT WEEK.
I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY QUESTIONS OF MICHELE?
IF NOT, WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO 
THIS ITEM.
FIRST IS MARY SHAVALIER, MARY FROM HART.
>>MARY SHAVALIER:  GOOD MORNING.
I'M MARY SHAVALIER WITH HART, AND I'VE NEVER SPOKEN AT 
PUBLIC COMMENT AT YOUR MPO BOARD.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  WELCOME.
>>MARY SHAVALIER:  THANK YOU.
I'M HERE TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR THE MPO RECOMMENDATION ABOUT 
PRESERVING SOME OF THE ACCESSIBILITY FUNDING FOR HART.
WE DID A SYSTEMWIDE INVENTORY ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AND 
FOUND, YOU KNOW, SOME CONDITIONS OUT THERE WERE REALLY 
MAKING IT CHALLENGING FOR PEOPLE WITH ACCESSIBILITY 
LIMITATIONS TO REACH OUR BUS STOPS.
WE'VE BEEN PRIORITIZING MONEY TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE 
CONDITIONS, BOTH LANDING PADS AND SIDEWALK SECTIONS.
THERE'S ABOUT 980 STOPS REMAINING THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED.
WE'RE -- WE'RE PRIORITIZED FUNDING FOR ABOUT 400 OF THOSE, 
450, BUT WE STILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES REMAINING.
SOME OF OUR FUNDING CHALLENGES, JUST LIKE OTHER AGENCIES, 
THE AD VALOREM WAS 60% OF OUR OPERATING FUNDING -- EXCUSE 
ME -- BUT WITH SOME OF THE DECLINES IN THE AD VALOREM, WE 
HAVE TO THEN ALLOCATE SOME FEDERAL MONEY TO PRESERVE OUR 
SERVICE, SO THAT LEAVES US WITH VERY LITTLE CAPITAL 
REMAINING TO DO THESE IMPORTANT PROJECTS.
SO AGAIN, I'M, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR ANY -- ANY SUPPORT 
THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO OUR -- OUR PROGRAM AND TO HELP 
PRESERVE THE ACCESSIBILITY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO -- EXCUSE 
ME -- MANY OF OUR PASSENGERS.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, MARY.
NEXT, NANCY CASTELLANO.
>> GOOD MORNING.
NANCY CASTELLANO.
I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF QUALITY OF LIFE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
I HAD EARLIER STAFF HAND OUT A TWO-PAGE WHAT I WOULD CALL A 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF THE NEW FREEDOM RIDERS 
PROGRAM, THE LIFE THAT IT'S TAKEN ON.
NEW FREEDOM -- THE PURPOSE OF NEW FREEDOM FUNDS IS TO 
CREATE NEW AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE 
TO SUCCESSFULLY UTILIZE THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ALREADY 
IN PLACE.
WITH THE SUMMARY IN FRONT OF YOU, IF -- I'M JUST GOING TO 
POINT OUT A COUPLE OF BULLET POINTS THAT WE FEEL ARE 
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW 
FREEDOM FUNDS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING WEEKEND, HOLIDAY, AFTER-HOUR 
TRIPS FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T ACCESS RIDES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING CHAIN TRIPS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ABOUT THE 
CHAIN TRIPS ARE SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE -- THERE MIGHT BE 
FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR A MEDICAL TRIP; HOWEVER, ONCE THEY 
GET TO THEIR DOCTOR, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GET THEIR 
PRESCRIPTION, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GET NUTRITION TO BE 
ABLE TO TAKE THE PRESCRIPTION, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE 
ABLE TO GET BACK HOME?
A LOT OF THE RIDERS AREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT.
THEY ALSO ARE NOT ABLE TO HAVE TWO-HOUR WAIT WINDOWS ON 
EITHER SIDE OF GOING TO THE MEDICAL TRIP.
THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE 
ANY KIND OF DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.
WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER STRATEGIC PARTNERS.
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CTC WILL ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS 
ELIGIBLE FOR OUR PROGRAM.
THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY OTHER 
PROGRAM.
IF THEY CAN TAKE A BUS, THEY'LL TAKE A BUS; IF THEY CAN 
TAKE MEDICAID RIDES, THEY'LL TAKE MEDICAID RIDES.
THIS IS FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE -- ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR 
ANY OTHER KINDS OF TRIPS, SO WE PUT TOGETHER STRATEGIC 
PARTNERS, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SUNSHINE LINE, WE WORKED 
WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF AGING SERVICES, 
WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA AGING -- AGENCY ON AGING, WE HAD 
CITIZENS ADVOCATES INVOLVED IN THIS, AND WE HAD LOCAL 
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS INVOLVED IN THIS PROGRAM.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT QUALITY OF LIFE COMMUNITY 
SERVICE WILL ALSO BE PROVIDING MORE THAN 50%, 518,000 OF 
MATCHING FUNDS, AND THESE ARE ALL FROM NONGOVERNMENTAL 
FUNDING.
ON THE SECOND PAGE BASICALLY IS THE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS 
THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, THE FIRST ONE, WHICH WAS SENT BACK TO 
THE BE RE-REVIEWED, THE SECOND ONE, AND THEN THE THIRD ONE.
WE WERE HOPING THAT NO PROJECT WAS GOING TO BE WIPED OUT 
TOTALLY.
WE WERE LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDING, BUT WE WERE HOPING THAT 
THE FUNDS WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND 
NOBODY WOULD BE WIPED OUT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WOULD YOU WRAP IT UP, PLEASE, NANCY.
>> YES.
SO WE'RE ASKING MPO BOARD TO PLEASE MAYBE RECOMMEND 
SOMETHING BETWEEN TWO AND THREE, IF NOT TWO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE MICHAEL MOSES.
>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE 
BOARD AND STAFF.
I WANT TO REITERATE A FEW THINGS NANCY SAID JUST BEFORE ME 
ABOUT WHAT THE PURE INTENT OF WHAT NEW FREEDOM IS TO BE 
ABOUT, AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM 
IS DESIGNED TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, I'M SORRY.
MICHAEL MOSES, BOARD MEMBER OF QUALITY OF LIFE COMMUNITY 
SERVICES, A NONPROFIT.
AS I SAID IN THE ORIGINAL AGENDA SUBMITTED LAST MONTH FOR 
EVERYBODY HERE, THE NEW FREEDOM PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO 
PROVIDE SERVICES IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES FOR 
DISABLED INDIVIDUALS BEYOND THOSE REQUIRED BY THE AMERICANS 
WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990.
SO WE DESIGNED THIS PROGRAM TO MEET JUST THAT, OPEN UP NEW 
AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS.
YOU HEARD NANCY SPEAK TO THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN 
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CTC SO WE DON'T HAVE DUPLICATION OF 
SERVICES, AND THE ONLY RIDERS THAT WOULD ACCESS THIS WOULD 
BE THOSE THAT ARE PREAPPROVED BY THEM.
IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE -- I'VE SPENT 20 YEARS IN TAMPA BAY 
TAKING CARE OF FRAIL, ELDERLY, AND ADULT DISABLED MEMBERS 
OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE 
LOOKING LIKE TRIPS FOR THE FRAIL, ELDERLY, AND DISABLED 
ADULTS AND MORE ADA PADS FOR HANDICAPPED FOLKS WHO NEED 
THOSE PADS TO SAFELY ACCESS BUS ROUTES; HOWEVER, THE 
PROGRAM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS FOR RIDERS WHO DON'T EVEN 
HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET TO THE ADA PLATFORMS, RIDERS WHO 
CAN'T WAIT FOR A BUS.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A GREAT, EXTENSIVE BUS SYSTEM, THEY CAN'T 
WAIT THAT LONG FOR A BUS AND THEY CAN'T WAIT TO CONNECT, 
AND THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH INCONTINENCE, ET CETERA, AND 
ANXIETY TO HANDLE THE DAY-TO-DAY LIFE EXPERIENCES.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS ALL ABOUT TRIPS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO 
CAN'T ACCESS THE CURRENT FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM WE HAVE IN 
PLACE.
ALSO, YOU HEARD US SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE PUTTING UP 
518,000 OF PRIVATE FUNDING TO MATCH THE NEW FREEDOM FUNDS.
OF ALL THE PROGRAMS SUBMITTED NOW AND HISTORICALLY, THERE'S 
BEEN MAINLY MATCHES FROM OTHER PUBLIC FUNDING SOURCES.
THIS IS PRIVATE FUNDS COMING INTO PLAY IN VERY BAD ECONOMIC 
TIMES.
IN CLOSING, I REALLY HOPE YOU WILL SUPPORT WHAT THE 
PINELLAS LCB RECOMMENDED QUITE VOCALLY THAT THEY FELT THAT 
IT'S TIME TO PUT MONEY INTO TRIPS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE 
TAMPA BAY AREA, AND THIS PROGRAM WE'RE STARTING OFF AS A 
PILOT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH FOR RESIDENTS, AND WE WILL TAKE 
THEM ACROSS COUNTY LINES IF THEY'D LIKE TO AND BRING THEM 
BACK, BUT IT'S STARTING OFF HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND 
WE HOPE TO EXPAND TO OTHER COUNTIES.
I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU SUPPORTING THE LCB BOARD 
RECOMMENDATION FOR 489,000 FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE NEW 
FREEDOM PROGRAM.
IT IS SMALLER THAN THE ORIGINAL 906 THAT WE SUBMITTED EARLY 
THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FOLKS, AND HAVE A SAFE DAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YES, LINDA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION, WHICH IS -- I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHERE 
IS THE PRIVATE FUNDING COMING FROM?
>> CURRENTLY I THINK AT ONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS I WAS AT 
I EXPLAINED HOW TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO I SOLD MY HEALTH 
CARE CONCERN, AND IT'S BEEN A MISSION OF MINE TO GIVE BACK 
TO THE COMMUNITY.
A LARGE PART OF THAT IS COMING FROM MYSELF PERSONALLY.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  WOW.
>> ALSO, ONCE WE KNOW THE FINAL AMOUNT, WE HAVE SIX 
DIFFERENT FOUNDATION GRANTS WE'RE GOING TO WRITE SO WE CAN 
PICK UP SOME MORE MATCH AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM MAYBE TO 
BEYOND THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, AND WE 
CAN'T SUBMIT THOSE FOUNDATION GRANTS UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE 
FINAL NUMBER IS HERE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PART OF A GLOBAL 
PLAN OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO MAKE THIS BROADER FOR ALL 
OF TAMPA BAY.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE DOUGLAS TOWNE.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
DOUGLAS TOWNE.
I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE LOCAL COORDINATING BOARD FOR 
TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED IN PINELLAS COUNTY, 12552 
BELCHER ROAD SOUTH, LARGO.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THREE QUICK POINTS THAT MIGHT 
ILLUMINATE FOR YOU WHY THE LCB TOOK THE ACTION THAT IT DID.
WE TOOK OUR LEAD FROM A DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE AT YOUR 
CAC, WHICH WE WERE GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND QUESTIONED WHETHER 
OR NOT HART -- FUNDING HART TO BUILD -- TO REBUILD OR TO 
IMPROVE EXISTING BUS STOPS WAS APPROPRIATE WITH NEW FREEDOM 
FUNDS.
IT IS TRUE THAT THE FTA GUIDANCE ALLOWS FOR THE USE OF NEW 
FREEDOM FUNDS FOR BUS STOPS; HOWEVER, THESE BUS STOPS DO 
NOT MEET THE FIRST MEASURE OF NEW FREEDOM, AND THAT IS THAT 
THEY ARE NOT NEW.
BY HART'S OWN ADMISSION THESE ARE EXISTING STOPS THAT NEED 
IMPROVING.
THIS IS NOT THE -- YOU KNOW, THE ONLY FUNDING THAT'S 
AVAILABLE FOR SUCH -- FOR SUCH BUS STOPS.
THERE ARE OTHER FUNDS AVAILABLE.
WE -- SO WE -- WE LOOKED AT THE ENTIRE SITUATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN INAPPROPRIATE USE OF FUNDS AND A 
REQUEST THAT HAS BEEN MADE ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY A LOT OF 
TRANSIT AUTHORITIES AND TURNED DOWN 20 YEARS INTO THE ADA. 
THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE BY HART 
AND SHOULDN'T BE USING NEW FREEDOM MONEY.
NEW FREEDOM MONEY IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE NEW AND INNOVATIVE 
SERVICES, OKAY.
THERE ARE ARRA FUNDS AND TIGER FUNDS TO BE USED FOR -- TO 
BUILD BUS STOPS OR REBUILD BUS STOPS.
THESE FUNDS ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE 
TRANSPORTATION TO CITIZENS, TO REAL PEOPLE, REAL RIDES FOR 
REAL PEOPLE, REAL PEOPLE WHO LIVE, LEARN, WORK, PLAY, AND 
VOTE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
NEW FREEDOM IS MEANT IN THIS CONTEXT TO PROVIDE SERVICES, 
SO THE LCB LOOKED AT THIS, LOOKED AT ALSO A RECOMMENDATION 
THAT -- THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE PROGRAM BE ADDED TO THE 
APPROVED LIST.
THIS $300,000 ADDED TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE PROGRAM WOULD DO 
EXACTLY WHAT NEW FREEDOM IS INTENDED TO DO.
SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT 
FUNDING THESE -- FUNDING BUS STOPS WITH NEW FREEDOM MONEY 
IS APPROPRIATE THAT YOU SHOULD ERR ON THE SIDE OF YOUR 
CONSTITUENTS.
WE REQUEST THAT YOU UPHOLD THE LCB'S RECOMMENDATION AND 
SUPPORT RIDES -- REAL RIDES FOR REAL PEOPLE AND NOT 
CONCRETE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE ANN DONAHUE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS ANN DONAHUE, AND I WORK ON PROGRAMS OF ELEMENT 
FOR QUALITY OF LIFE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE MADE MOST OF MY POINTS, BUT I 
STILL APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE 
NEW FREEDOM RIDERS PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD FOR THE PAST 14 
YEARS, AND I'VE SPENT THE LAST TEN YEARS WORKING DIRECTLY 
WITH THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED LIVING IN PASCO, PINELLAS, 
AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES.
THE PROGRAMS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HAVE FOCUSED ON 
CONNECTING THESE RESIDENTS TO SERVICES AND COMMUNITY 
RESOURCES TO HELP THEM STAY HEALTHY AND INDEPENDENT, SO I 
KNOW FIRSTHAND THE CHALLENGE THAT ADULTS LIVING WITH 
DISABILITIES HAVE IN FINDING AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND 
APPROPRIATE TRANSPORTATION FOR THEIR SITUATION.
WHETHER IT BE A RIDE TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT, TO THE 
GROCERY STORE, TO THE HAIRDRESSER, GETTING TO THE PLACES 
THAT THEY NEED TO BE MEANS SO MUCH TO SOMEONE WHO CAN'T 
SIMPLY JUMP IN THE CAR OR WALK TO A BUS STOP AND BE ON 
THEIR WAY.
THE NEW FREEDOM RIDERS PROJECT WAS INSPIRED BY THESE 
CHALLENGES AND TRYING TO FIND NEW WAYS TO PROVIDE 
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIFFICULTY 
REACHING THESE SERVICES.
THE NEW FREEDOM RIDERS OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE AS MANY 
TRIPS AS POSSIBLE TO HELP THESE FOLKS MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE 
THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THEIR RECONSIDERATION 
OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT.
AT THE $489,000 LEVEL, IT MEANS 1,000 MORE TRIPS FOR THE 
RIDERS WE HOPE TO SERVE.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THERE IS ONE -- CHIP THOMAS, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS 
ISSUE OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT ONE BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL 
FROM -- IT JUST SAYS TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES.
DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE NEW FREEDOM PROJECT?
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WELL, THEN I'LL CALL YOU LATER.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
THAT'S THE LAST OF OUR SPEAKERS, SO BOARD.
OH, WAIT.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM BETH.
BETH, YOU WANT TO CLARIFY EVERYTHING FOR US?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THANKS.
BETH ALDEN, MPO STAFF, AND I WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR YOU THAT 
THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING BY 
STAFF ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE FEDERAL NEW FREEDOM PROGRAM, 
AND THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN THAT 
WAS UPDATED THIS PAST YEAR AND FOR WHICH THERE WERE PUBLIC 
WORKSHOPS HELD WHICH WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF CITIZEN INPUT.
THE REASON WHY PROJECTS LIKE HART'S SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT 
PROGRAM ARE PART OF THIS TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN IS BECAUSE 
OF THE DIFFICULTY THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD FROM CITIZENS 
YOURSELVES -- THE DIFFICULTY OF FOLKS BEING ABLE TO GET TO 
BUS STOPS AS THEY'RE WALKING OR AS THEY'RE NAVIGATING THEIR 
WHEELCHAIRS.
WE HAVE MANY SITUATIONS AROUND OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY 
WHERE IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO BE ABLE TO GET FROM YOUR 
FRONT DOOR TO A BUS STOP, AND WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC IN 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN THAT WAS 
SOMETHING THAT THEY WISH TO BE ADDRESSED.
IT'S ALSO A TOPIC THAT HAS BEEN RAISED OVER AND OVER AGAIN 
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED 
SERVICE PLAN, WHICH GETS UPDATED ON A REGULAR BASIS, THAT 
WE FIND THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO TRY TO PROVIDE SERVICES 
TO FOLKS WHO HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES, AND PART OF THAT IS 
MAKING THE BEST USE WE CAN OUT OF OUR BUS SYSTEM.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FOLKS WOULD RIDE THE BUS IF WE JUST 
HAD A LITTLE BETTER ACCESS TO THOSE BUS STOPS, AND IN THE 
AREAS WHERE WE HAVE THAT BUS SERVICE AVAILABLE, THE 
THINKING IS LET'S MAKE THE BEST USE THAT WE CAN OUT OF THAT 
RESOURCE BY TRYING TO IMPROVE THE ACCESS TO IT.
SO MY SUGGESTION TO YOU AT THIS POINT IS THAT WE MOVE 
FORWARD BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRICOUNTY ACCESS 
PLAN WITH THE IDENTIFICATION OF PROJECTS LIKE THIS, AND IF 
YOU WOULD LIKE A FURTHER CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO PROVIDING 
RIDES AS A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT 
THIS BE SOMETHING THAT'S REFERRED BACK TO THE 
TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED BOARD FOR RECONSIDERATION OVER 
THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND THEN NEXT DECEMBER WHEN THE 
RFP IS ISSUED FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF PROJECTS THAT THAT NEW 
GUIDANCE BE PART OF THE NEW RFP.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
SO WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE -- I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S OPPOSED 
TO THE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM IS EXCELLENT.
I THINK THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE WANT TO INCREASE THE 
NUMBER OF TRIPS.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING 6,000 TRIPS.
THERE ARE 189,000, AND PINELLAS IS AT 18,000 TRIPS, TRIPLE 
OF WHAT WE HAVE, AND THEY'RE APPROPRIATING 480,000, AND SO 
I THINK THAT THAT'S THE QUESTION BEFORE THE BOARD AS TO 
WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO GO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY 
THAT WE'RE GOING TO ALLOCATE FOR THIS PROGRAM, AND WHAT 
YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS THAT MAYBE -- IF THERE'S A QUESTION OR 
IF IT'S SORT OF UP IN THE AIR, WE COULD GO BACK TO THE TDC 
AND LET THEM COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT -- ROSE.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  MR. CHAIRMAN.
MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OH, OKAY.
I'M SORRY.
LINDA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN GRAPPLING WITH OUR 
NEEDS FOR MANY YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD THESE DRAMATIC IMAGES 
OF SIDEWALKS THAT JUST COME TO A DEAD HALT AND THEN PEOPLE 
IN WHEELCHAIRS ARE STUCK AND TRYING TO GET ACROSS, AND I 
THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN 
WITH LIMITED FUNDING.
I THINK THAT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT BETH MADE THAT WE GO 
WITH WHAT WE HAVE NOW AND WHEN WE FIX SOME OF THESE GLARING 
GAPS LIKE BUSCH BOULEVARD, LIKE ARMENIA, LIKE FLETCHER -- 
ONCE WE FIX THOSE GAPS, WE DON'T HAVE TO FUND THOSE AGAIN.
IT'S LIKE 40th STREET.
WE'VE DONE IT.
THEN PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS -- IT 
SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY INNOVATIVE AND EXCITING PROGRAM THAT'S 
COMING TO US, THAT WE FUND IT MODESTLY THIS YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO GET UP AND GOING, YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY FOR 
THE GRANTS, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND, YOU 
KNOW, ADMINISTRATION OF IT IN PLACE, AND THEN NEXT YEAR, AS 
WE'VE ALREADY MET SOME OF THE CONCRETE NEEDS THIS YEAR, 
LITERALLY CONCRETE, THAT NEXT YEAR WE CAN PERHAPS SHIFT 
OUR --
>>BETH ALDEN:  SHIFT THE FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  -- SHIFT THE FOCUS TO MORE PEOPLE, BUT 
THE TRUTH IS WE NEED BOTH.
BUT ONCE WE'VE DEALT WITH THE CONCRETE STUFF, IT'S DONE, 
AND THEN IT'S EASIER TO FREE UP RESOURCES.
AND THIS WILL BE RECURRING FUNDING, WON'T IT?
>>BETH ALDEN:  RIGHT.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  GOOD.
WELL, THAT'S GOOD.
OKAY.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE FOLLOW THE STAFF 
RECOMMENDATION --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  -- FOR THIS YEAR WITH THE DIRECTIVE TO 
LOOK AT SHIFTING THE RESOURCES NEXT -- IN NEXT YEAR'S 
BUDGET.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
IS THAT THE FORM OF A MOTION OR --
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  YES, SIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MOVED AND SECONDED.
OKAY.
NOW DISCUSSION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS ISSUE?
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  [MICROPHONE NOT ON]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN'T 
UNDERSTAND ALL ASPECTS OF THIS, BUT HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT 
THAT SPLIT 300,000/189,000?
I HEARD 6,000 RIDES.
I MEAN, WHY 6,000, WHY NOT 8,000, 5,000, 10,000?
WHAT'S THE BASIS FOR THIS SPLIT?
I MEAN --
>>BETH ALDEN:  THE RECOMMENDATION IS BASED ON THE RANKING 
OF PROJECTS, SO THE FUNDING WAS ALLOCATED BASICALLY GOING 
DOWN THE LIST OF PROJECTS.
WHEN WE GOT THE FINAL AMOUNT OF -- THE CONFIRMED AMOUNT OF 
FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR NEW FREEDOM, THEN WE BASICALLY 
HAD $189,000 THAT WAS STILL REMAINING AVAILABLE THAT COULD 
BE USED FOR THIS PILOT PROJECT.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  OH, OKAY.
SO IT WAS BASICALLY WHAT WAS LEFT OVER AFTER YOU FUNDED ALL 
OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THE REST OF THE PROJECTS, CORRECT.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  AND WE'RE SURE ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE 
IMPORTANT AND PROPER PROJECTS?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THEY ARE.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  A LOT OF GAPS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SO THE AMOUNT OF 189 EQUATES TO 6,000 
TRIPS BASED ON THE COST.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  BUT YOU DIDN'T START WITH 6,000 TRIPS, 
YOU STARTED LOOKING AT ALL THE PROJECTS YOU NEEDED TO FUND 
FOR HART --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  -- AND WHATEVER WAS LEFT OVER YOU'RE 
HANDING TO NEW FREEDOM?
>>BETH ALDEN:  LOOKING AT ALL OF THE PROJECTS BOTH IN 
HILLSBOROUGH, PINELLAS, AND PASCO AND RANKING THEM ALL 
BASED ON THE SAME CRITERIA COMING OUT OF THAT TRICOUNTY 
ACCESS PLAN.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  AND NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU LOOK TO FUND NEW 
RIDERS PROGRAM AT A HIGHER LEVEL, WHERE DOES THAT FUNDING 
COME FROM, AND WOULD YOU EXPECT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A 
SIMILAR AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE, 400- OR 500,000, OR DOES 
MPO JUST MAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT AVAILABLE FROM A POT OF 
FUNDING?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THE FUNDING COMES FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, SO 
IT WAS ABOUT 1.5 MILLION FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHAT WE 
WOULD BE LOOKING AT DOING IS CHANGING THAT -- THAT SCORING 
CRITERIA WHICH DEVELOPED THAT RANKING OF PROJECTS.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  SO WE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHIFT 
THAT -- THAT POT OF MONEY AROUND TO A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL IF 
WE WANTED TO?
THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE FEDERAL 
MONEY COMING FOR THIS?
>>BETH ALDEN:  WE MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF 
FEDERAL MONEY --
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEDERAL MONEY.
>>BETH ALDEN:  -- BUT MAYBE REFOCUS IT.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  AND REFOCUS THE 1.5 MILLION?
>>BETH ALDEN:  CORRECT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
LINDA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT PINELLAS 
COUNTY HAS BEEN SPENDING A LOT MORE THAN WE HAVE IN TERMS 
OF SIDEWALKS.
WHEN WE SAY FUNDING FOR HART, THAT'S KIND OF MISLEADING.
IT ISN'T FOR HART, IT'S TO GET PEOPLE TO OUR BUS SYSTEM, 
BUT PINELLAS COUNTY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LAST -- 
WELL, PARTICULARLY THE LAST FIVE YEARS ON SIDEWALK 
CONNECTIVITY AND -- AND -- SO THE -- WE'RE SORT OF IN THE 
CATCH-UP MODE, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SPENDING LESS MONEY 
ON THAT BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY SPENT IT.
SIDEWALKS AREN'T A RECURRING COST.
ONCE YOU PUT THEM IN, THEY TEND TO LAST.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
IF NOT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION 
AND A SECOND.
NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>BETH ALDEN:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ONE ORDER OF BUSINESS THAT'S NOT ON THE 
AGENDA, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES 
FROM OUR LAST MEETING.
>> SO MOVE.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL IN FAVOR -- ANY DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
STATUS REPORTS.
IF IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU, MR. MARTIN STONE ASKED THAT HE 
BE MOVED UP BECAUSE HE'S GOT A 10:00 APPOINTMENT, SO -- ON 
ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLLING, SO MR. STONE.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
MARTY STONE WITH THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY 
AUTHORITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT THIS MORNING ABOUT OUR 
CONVERSION TO ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION.
THIS IS REALLY AN EXCITING PROJECT BECAUSE IT MEANS 
CHANGING THE SELMON EXPRESSWAY INTO AN ALL-ELECTRONIC 
FACILITY, REMOVING ALL OF THE TOLL BOOTHS, WHILE STILL 
KEEPING CASH AS AN OPTION FOR OUR CUSTOMERS THROUGH BOTH 
PREPAID AND POST-PAID TOLL COLLECTION ACCOUNTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER IS A PICTURE 
OF A GANTRY THAT WE'VE BEEN OPERATING FOR THE PAST THREE 
YEARS ON OUR REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANES AND DOWN BELOW ONE OF 
THE NEW GANTRIES ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON OUR 
FACILITY.
THE BENEFITS -- AND YOU ACTUALLY HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 
THIS BEFORE -- ARE PRIMARILY SAFETY -- SAFETY BENEFITS FOR 
DRIVERS AND FOR TOLL AUTHORITY WORKERS, AND FOR DRIVERS 
SAVINGS IN FUEL, TIME, AND MONEY BECAUSE SUNPASS SAVES 
PEOPLE MONEY EVERY TIME THEY USE IT.
ALSO ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL 
REDUCTIONS IN EMISSIONS AND NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH ALL-
ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION BECAUSE IT TURNS TRAFFIC INTO A 
COMPLETE FREE-FLOW CONDITION.
WHY ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION NOW?
MOST OF THE EQUIPMENT ON THE EXPRESSWAY IS IN THE 25- TO 
30-YEAR-OLD RANGE AND WAS DUE FOR COMPLETE REPLACEMENT.
OVER THE LAST 11 YEARS WE HAVE INCREASED OUR ELECTRONIC 
TOLL COLLECTION USAGE TO WELL OVER 75%, SO IN ESSENCE, WE 
WERE PAYING ABOUT 50% OF OUR TOLL COLLECTION COSTS TO 
COLLECT ABOUT 25% OF OUR MONEY, AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A 
GROWTH IN OUR CUSTOMER BASE OF ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION.
COUPLE THAT WITH THE NEED TO REPLACE EVERYTHING AND THE 
HUGE AMOUNT OF SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE 
GET LED OUR BOARD TO DECIDE TO MOVE TO ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLL 
COLLECTION ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
IN TERMS OF OUR -- OUR TOLL EMPLOYEES -- AND CERTAINLY, 
ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION MEANS CHANGE FOR MORE THAN 
JUST THE DRIVERS.
OUR TOLL EMPLOYEES ARE CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES FROM THE 
TURNPIKE, BUT WHILE THEY DON'T WORK FOR THE EXPRESSWAY 
AUTHORITY, THE AUTHORITY CERTAINLY HAS GREAT CONCERN ABOUT 
THEM AND, ALONG WITH THE CONTRACTOR, WENT OUT TO THE 58 
EMPLOYEES WHO WORK IN OUR TOLL COLLECTION BOOTHS TO SURVEY 
THEM ON WHAT THEIR INTERESTS WERE IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE, 
AND WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT 25% OF THEM WERE EITHER 
RETIRED OR WERE READY TO RETIRE, APPROXIMATELY 25% WANTED 
TO CONTINUE IN THE TOLL COLLECTION BUSINESS, AND THE 
CONTRACTOR WHO DOES THIS FOR THE TURNPIKE INDICATED THAT 
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ABSORB THESE PEOPLE ON OTHER TOLL 
FACILITIES LIKE THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY, THE POLK PARKWAY, 
THE SUNSHINE SKYWAY, THOSE -- THOSE FACILITIES, AND THEN 
ABOUT 50% OF OUR EXISTING TOLL EMPLOYEES INDICATED THAT 
THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE RETRAINED FOR OTHER CAREERS.
AND SO WE SAT DOWN WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND HAVE DEVELOPED A 
PLAN TO PROVIDE A NUMBER OF TYPES OF ASSISTANCE FOR THESE 
EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING RESUMES AND JOB SEARCH HELP AND JOB 
FAIRS AND SEMINARS, BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT 
THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED WITH THE CONTRACTOR IS AN APPROACH 
TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
EITHER BREWSTER OR ERWIN VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOLS THAT 
REALLY PROVIDE SOME OUTSTANDING VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR 
PEOPLE AND FOR CAREERS THAT WILL GIVE THESE FOLKS I THINK A 
MUCH BRIGHTER FUTURE THAN -- THAN BEING A TOLL COLLECTOR ON 
THE EXPRESSWAY.
IN TERMS OF DRIVERS, IT IS ABOUT CHOICES AND SAFETY.
THIS IS -- IN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER YOU SEE THE SIGN 
THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE WHEN THEY APPROACH THE NEW ALL-
ELECTRONIC EXPRESSWAY.
IT BASICALLY SAYS SUNPASS OR WE BILL YOU BY TOLL BY PLATE, 
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT 
APPROACHES FOR TOLL COLLECTION.
OF COURSE SUNPASS TODAY IS THE TRANSPONDER IN THE VEHICLE 
THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS EXCEPT AT THE 
TOLL PLAZAS, BUT WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE PLAZAS, IT MEANS 
THAT ALL OF OUR TRAFFIC WILL BE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
SUNPASS, OF COURSE, IS A PREPAID ACCOUNT, AND IT DOES SAVE 
ON THE SELMON 25 CENTS AT EACH TOLLING POINT, BUT FOR 
PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A SUNPASS, WE WILL BE INTRODUCING 
VIDEO TOLL COLLECTION.
THIS IS WHERE WE TAKE A PICTURE OF A LICENSE PLATE AND THEN 
ESSENTIALLY SEND SOMEONE A BILL IN THE MAIL, VERY SIMILAR 
TO THE KIND OF BILLS PEOPLE RECEIVE FROM OTHER PUBLIC 
UTILITIES LIKE WATER AND ELECTRICITY, SO A MONTHLY BILL IN 
THE MAIL TO ALLOW THEM TO PAY FOR THEIR TOLLS IN A VERY 
CONVENIENT WAY.
WE WILL BE MAINTAINING THE SAME CASH DIFFERENTIAL THAT WE 
HAVE TODAY ON VIDEO, SO SUNPASS WILL STILL SAVE PEOPLE 
MONEY AT EACH ONE OF THE TOLLING POINTS.
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DO IS REALLY PRETTY SIMPLE.
JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THEIR ADDRESS CORRECT ON THEIR 
DHSMV LICENSE PLATE REGISTRATION AND PAY THE BILL WHEN THEY 
GET IT IN THE MAIL.
IT'S REALLY A PRETTY SIMPLE PROCESS.
TO GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA OF HOW THIS WORKS, I HAVE A 
LITTLE CHART HERE.
FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT SUNPASS WHO ARE USING VIDEO TOLL 
COLLECTION, THE FIRST TIME THEY DRIVE THROUGH ON THE 
SELMON -- SO THE FIRST TIME WE SEE THEM -- WITHIN SEVEN 
DAYS WE WILL SEND THEM AN INVOICE.
FIRST OF ALL, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE DRIVING ON THE 
ROAD FOR A LONG PERIOD NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS A TOLL 
ROAD AND THAT THERE IS A TOLL DUE, SO WITHIN SEVEN DAYS 
WE'LL SEND THEM THEIR FIRST INVOICE, AND THEY'LL HAVE 30 
DAYS TO PAY THAT INVOICE.
THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL FEES.
IT WILL BE THE TOLLS ONLY.
IF THEY DO NOT PAY THE INVOICE, JUST LIKE YOUR UTILITY 
BILL, WE'LL SEND THEM A SECOND ONE.
THIS TIME IT WILL HAVE A LATE FEE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AND 
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE AND BUNDLE THEIR TRIPS ON 
THAT SECOND INVOICE.
SHOULD THEY NOT PAY THE SECOND INVOICE, WE'LL THEN SEND 
THEM A TOLL VIOLATION NOTICE.
THAT TOLL VIOLATION NOTICE IS FROM THE AGENCY.
IT ALSO INCLUDES A LICENSE PLATE REGISTRATION HOLD VERY 
SIMILAR TO WHAT THE CITY OF TAMPA USES FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T 
PAY THEIR PARKING TICKETS.
THAT IS SIMPLY -- I CALL IT A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD 
TO GET THEIR ATTENTION THAT, IN ESSENCE, YOU OWE THESE 
TOLLS, AND WHEN YOU GO TO REGISTER YOUR CAR, THE DHSMV 
OFFICIALS WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE 
UNTIL YOU CLEAR UP THE TOLLS THAT YOU OWE OR PARKING 
TICKETS THAT -- THAT YOU OWE.
WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEN THE HOLD IS REMOVED AND THEY'RE 
ALLOWED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REREGISTERING THEIR VEHICLES.
AGAIN, FOR THE TOLL VIOLATION NOTICE, THERE WILL BE A 
PENALTY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT 
IT WILL BE A VERY LARGE ONE.
FOR PEOPLE WHO, AGAIN, AT THE END OF 90 DAYS STILL HAVE NOT 
PAID US, WE WILL TURN THIS OVER TO A COLLECTION GROUP WHO 
WILL TRY AND CONTACT THEM DIRECTLY.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE FOUND IN THE TOLL BUSINESS IS 
THAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE, AS HIGH AS 10% TO 20% IN 
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DO NOT KEEP THE APPROPRIATE ADDRESS 
ON THEIR LICENSE PLATE REGISTRATION, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, 
SOMETIMES THESE THINGS ARE SENT TO THE WRONG ADDRESS.
SO BEFORE WE GO TO ANY UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION, WE PLAN ON 
DOING A COMPLETE SKIP TRACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BEEN 
SENDING THESE INVOICES TO THE CORRECT ADDRESS.
SHOULD WE FIND THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN SENDING IT TO THE 
CORRECT ADDRESS, OUR INTENTION IS TO BACK UP IN THE 
PROCESS, RESEND THE INVOICE, REMOVE THE PENALTY THAT WE 
WERE EMPLOYING AT -- AT THE TOLL VIOLATION NOTICE, AND GIVE 
PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAY.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS COLLECT THE TOLL, NOT -- NOT TO BE A 
POLICE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY; HOWEVER, IF PEOPLE DO GET TO THE 
END OF THIS PROCESS AND -- AND STILL REFUSE TO PAY, UNDER 
FLORIDA LAW WE WILL ISSUE A UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION, WHICH 
WILL THEN PLACE THIS INTO A TRAFFIC COURT TYPE OF AGENDA, 
AND IT -- IT HAS STATE-ASSOCIATED PENALTIES AND COURT COSTS 
ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO IT'S WHAT WE THINK A VERY CUSTOMER-FRIENDLY PROCESS.
IT IS ONE THAT WE HAVE WORKED OUT VERY CLOSELY WITH THE 
MIAMI-DADE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY.
THEY ARE EMPLOYING THE EXACT SAME BUSINESS RULES.
THE TURNPIKE WILL HAVE VERY SIMILAR BUSINESS RULES ON THEIR 
FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT THEY ARE CONVERTING, 
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS IS WHERE THE TOLL BUSINESS IS 
GOING.
AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SUE CHRZAN, 
WHO'S GOING TO -- OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION MANAGER, WHO IS 
GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ABOUT WHAT'S 
HAPPENING NOW ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND -- AND WITH SUNPASS.
>> THANK YOU.
SUE CHRZAN WITH THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY.
RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU GO TO THE EXPRESSWAY YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF 
CONSTRUCTION AND A LOT OF DEMOLITION HAPPENING.
OUR EASTERN MAIN TOLL PLAZA WE'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN OUT THE 
CENTER SECTION OF THAT, AND THE TRAFFIC IS GOING THROUGH 
THE RIGHT-HAND -- OR ACTUALLY THROUGH THE WINGS RIGHT NOW 
AND YOU'LL PAY YOUR TOLL, AND WHEN WE CONVERT, WHEN WE FLIP 
THE SWITCH, WE'LL HAVE TRAFFIC RUNNING THROUGH THAT MIDDLE 
PART, A GANTRY DOWNSTREAM, AND THEN WE'LL DEMOLISH THE REST 
OF THE TOLL PLAZAS, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU PAY 
ATTENTION TO THE LANE SHIFTS AND THE INFORMATION SIGNS THAT 
ARE OUT THERE BECAUSE IT CHANGES EVERY DAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MARTY TALKED ABOUT IS THAT SUNPASS 
IS A CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE TO DRIVE ON THE ROADWAY, AND 
SUNPASS IS ACTUALLY DONE THROUGH THE FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE, 
AND THEY REALLY HAVEN'T MARKETED THE NEW SUNPASS HERE, SO I 
WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
IT'S CALLED THE SUNPASS MINI, AND BEFORE THEY HAD WHAT THEY 
CALL THE PORTABLE, WHICH I CALL THE BRICK, AND YOU 
BASICALLY TAKE IT FROM VEHICLE TO VEHICLE AND IT STICKS IN 
YOUR WINDOW.
RIGHT NOW THE MINI STICKS ON THE WINDOW.
IT DOESN'T GO FROM VEHICLE TO VEHICLE.
IF YOU MOVE IT, YOU DESTROY THE MINI, BUT IT ONLY COSTS 
4.99 TO PURCHASE.
AND WHEN YOU PURCHASE IT AT 4.99 IF YOU PUT $10 ON YOUR 
ACCOUNT, THE TURNPIKE WILL ACTUALLY PUT $10 -- I'M SORRY -- 
$10 ON YOUR ACCOUNT, THE TURNPIKE WILL ACTUALLY PUT 4.99 
BACK ON YOUR ACCOUNT, SO BASICALLY IT'S FREE, AND THIS IS A 
REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T GET IN BECAUSE 
BEFORE THE BRICK WAS 25 BUCKS AND IT WAS $25 TO GET IN, SO 
$50 IS PRETTY EGREGIOUS FOR SOME PEOPLE.
SO THIS IS A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ALLOWED TO PUT -- TO USE 
SUNPASS TO SAVE THE MONEY AND TO BE ABLE TO GET 4.99 BACK 
ON THEIR ACCOUNT, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE 
ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO FUND YOUR SUNPASS ACCOUNT AND ALSO 
WAYS TO PAY ARE WE BILL YOU, AND YOU CAN FUND YOUR SUNPASS 
ACCOUNT WITH CASH.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SET IT UP AND FUND IT WITH CASH, AND A LOT 
OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE 
TALKING ABOUT IN OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS OUR NEXT 
SLIDE.
WE'RE STARTING OUR MEDIA VISITS, WE'RE STARTING OUR 
COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
WE'RE GOING TO BE OPENING A MICRO SITE AND VIDEO.
HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE UP THERE TODAY, AND I'LL BE SENDING 
OUT INFORMATION ON THAT.
SIGNS ON THE EXPRESSWAY, ALL THAT SORT OF INFORMATION.
OUR MEDIA BUYS WILL START WHEN WE HOPE TO FLIP THE SWITCH, 
WHICH IS AROUND OCTOBER 1st, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL BE 
DOING SOME POST-EVALUATION CAMPAIGN EVALUATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT MR. 
SELMON HAS GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO BE OUR SPOKESPERSON FOR THE 
EXPRESSWAY'S CONVERSION TO ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLLING.
THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE BICEPS SHOT.
[LAUGHTER]
HE HAS GRACIOUSLY GIVEN US HIS TIME, AND HE IS OUR STAR ON 
OUR MICRO SITE AND ON OUR VIDEO, AND HE'LL ALSO BE OUR STAR 
IN OUR PRINT ADVERTISING, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT HE HAS 
GIVEN US HIS TIME AND HIS ENERGY FOR THIS PROJECT.
I'LL TURN IT BACK TO MARTY.
>> THANK YOU, SUE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. STONE?
YES, MR. BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  SO THEN OCTOBER 1st, IS THAT YOUR TIME 
FRAME WHEN YOU WANT EVERYTHING TO BE SET AND READY AND 
EVERYTHING'S GOING ALL ELECTRONIC?
>> OUR TARGET IS THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER NOW TO DO THE 
CONVERSION, AND WHAT WILL OCCUR AFTER THE CONVERSION IS 
QUITE A BIT OF THE DEMOLITION, SO WE'LL MOVE TO A FREE-FLOW 
CONDITION AND THEN START TAKING OUT THE OLD TOLL PLAZAS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  DO YOU HAVE YOUR STATS FROM MIAMI-DADE AS 
FAR AS WHAT THEIR COLLECTION RATES HAVE BEEN?
FOR INSTANCE, IF SOMEBODY IS GOING THROUGH A TOLL AND IT 
COSTS A DOLLAR, HOW MUCH MONEY WILL WE SPEND ON POSTAGE 
TRYING TO COLLECT THAT DOLLAR VERSUS WHEN IT'S CONSIDERED A 
LOST -- LOST MONEY?
>> WE'VE DONE EXTENSIVE MODELING ALONG WITH THE TURNPIKE 
AND OTHER TOLL AUTHORITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS THAT BASED ON -- AND IT'S VERY 
IMPORTANT TO GET THE ADDRESSES CORRECT AND MAKE SURE YOU 
SEND THEM TO THE RIGHT ADDRESSES, BUT IN THE FIRST MAILINGS 
IN PLACES WHO HAVE DONE THIS ALREADY, DENVER, FOR EXAMPLE, 
HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR A YEAR, CTRMA IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND 
NTTA IN DALLAS HAVE BEEN OPERATING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW IN 
THIS ALL-ELECTRONIC MODE.
GENERALLY THEY GET -- BETWEEN THE FIRST AND LAST INVOICE 
APPROXIMATELY 85% OF THE PEOPLE PAY.
THAT IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THE KINDS OF PERCENTAGES 
THAT WE SEE TODAY IN THE COMBINATION ETC AND CASH WORLD 
WHERE THAT SMALL NUMBER -- ANYWHERE BETWEEN 5% AND 15% WILL 
GET UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE CLASSED AS 
VIOLATORS.
WHAT IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT, PROFOUNDLY DIFFERENT ABOUT 
THIS APPROACH, IS THAT TODAY IF YOU DRIVE THROUGH A SUNPASS 
AND -- AND DO NOT HAVE A SUNPASS ACCOUNT -- SO IF YOU'RE A 
VIOLATOR, YOU WILL GET A UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION, ONE FOR 
EACH ONE OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS, SO IF YOU DRIVE THROUGH 30 
TIMES, YOU'RE GOING TO GET 30 TICKETS.
WE WILL BE BUNDLING AND ACCUMULATING THE TRIPS AND SENDING 
THEM OUT ON ONE INVOICE, AND IF SOMEONE DOES NOT PAY THAT 
INVOICE, WE'RE GOING TO SEND THEM ONE TRAFFIC CITATION FOR 
THE 30 TRIPS.
THAT WAY WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT THAT'S FLOWING 
THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT A LOT 
EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO PAY THESE THINGS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  AND IS THERE ANY PLANS LIKE FOR ON THE 
VETERANS AND OTHER EXPRESSWAYS FOR THOSE TO GO ALL 
ELECTRONIC AS WELL?
>> YEAH.
THE TURNPIKE DOES HAVE PLANS FOR THE VETERANS.
THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD.
I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE IS, BUT THAT WILL BE 
ONE OF THE FIRST FACILITIES IN THE -- IN THE WEST COAST 
AREA OF FLORIDA TO BE CONVERTED BY -- BY THE TURNPIKE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE IS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER -- YES.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
PEOPLE WHO RENT CARS AND WHAT ABOUT THE UNEMPLOYED TOLL, 
YOU KNOW, WORKERS?
>> WELL, THE CAR RENTALS ARE ALREADY HANDLED TODAY IN THE 
STATE OF FLORIDA BY THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS WHO ACTUALLY 
COLLECT THE TOLL FROM THE -- ACTUALLY THEY PAY US.
THEY PAY US THE GUARANTEED TOLL WHEN SOMEONE DRIVES THROUGH 
WITH -- WITH A RENTAL CAR, AND THEN THEY COLLECT FROM THE 
DRIVER THROUGH A VARIOUS -- THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR 
DIFFERENT PROVIDERS AND THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.
SOME OF THEM SELL A FLAT RATE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.
A COMPANY CALLED RENT A TOLL CHARGES YOU $6 A DAY AND GIVES 
YOU UNLIMITED TRIPS ON FLORIDA TOLL FACILITIES.
THERE'S A COMPANY OUT OF ARIZONA WHO CHARGES YOU A $2.50 
PREMIUM PER DAY, AND THEN THE TOLL IS ADDED TO YOUR RENTAL 
BILL.
SO THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS THAT THE THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS DO 
THIS, BUT WE'VE SOLVED THAT PROBLEM ABOUT TWO, TWO AND A 
HALF YEARS AGO.
BUT IN TERMS OF -- OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE LEAVING, LIKE I 
SAID, ABOUT 50% OF THEM HAVE INDICATED THEY WANT TO BE 
RETRAINED FOR OTHER AND BETTER CAREERS, AND THROUGH THE 
GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND WITH OUR 
CONTRACTOR AND ERWIN VOCATIONAL TECH AND BREWSTER, WE 
BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE AN OFFERING OF 20 TO 25 
DIFFERENT CAREERS FOR THEM, ANYWHERE FROM COMPUTERS TO THE 
MEDICAL FIELD FOR THEM TO GET INVOLVED WITH.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  GREAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHERS?
IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE THE I-75 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND 
ENVIRONMENTAL -- ENVIRONMENT, JEFF NOVOTNY.
>> GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JEFF NOVOTNY WITH AMERICAN CONSULTING ENGINEERS.
I REPRESENT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN 
PRESENTING THE STATUS OF THE I-75 PD&E STUDIES TO YOU 
TODAY.
THE I-75 PD&E STUDIES ACTUALLY IS A GROUP OF TWO PROJECTS 
THAT ARE BEING STUDIED CONCURRENTLY.
SOUTHERN PROJECT EXTENDS FROM MOCCASIN WALLOW ROAD DOWN IN 
MANATEE COUNTY UP TOWARDS U.S. 301 JUST SOUTH OF BRANDON, 
APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES.
THE NORTHERN PROJECT RUNS FROM THAT SAME POINT AT U.S. 301 
AND RUNS NORTH OF FLETCHER ABOUT 15 MILES.
THERE ARE EXISTING INTERCHANGES WITHIN THIS AREA, INCLUDING 
STATE ROAD 674, BIG BEND ROAD, GIBSONTON, U.S. 301, THE 
SELMON EXPRESSWAY, STATE ROAD 60, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING 
JR. BOULEVARD INTERCHANGE, I-4, FOWLER AVENUE, AND FLETCHER 
AVENUE, AND THESE ARE ALL BEING EVALUATED AS PART OF THIS 
STUDY AS WELL.
THE STUDY BEGAN IN MAY OF 2007.
IN FEBRUARY OF 2009 WE HELD A CORRIDOR WORKSHOP, A VISION 
WORKSHOP, TO LOOK NOT JUST AT WHAT THESE STUDIES ARE 
LOOKING AT BUT LOOKING AHEAD AS FAR AS 50 YEARS IN TERMS OF 
WHAT THE VISION OF THE I-75 CORRIDOR MAY BE.
WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION, DEVELOPED ALTERNATIVES THAT WE 
PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC IN JUNE OF 2009, ALSO PRESENTED TO 
YOUR COMMITTEES AND THIS BOARD -- BOARD AS WELL IN JUNE AND 
AUGUST OF 2009, TOOK INFORMATION RELATED TO THE 
ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE PRESENTED, DEVELOPED A RECOMMENDED 
ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS PRESENTED AT A PUBLIC HEARING IN MAY 
6th OF 2010, DOWN AT THE FLORIDA STATE FAIRGROUNDS.
WE HAD 42 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTEND, FOUR PUBLIC 
STATEMENTS WERE MADE.
MOST OF THE COMMENTS DEALT WITH AREAS THAT ARE TYPICAL IN 
TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN TERMS OF NOISE.
THIS PROJECT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MANAGED LANES, SO THERE 
WAS DISCUSSION ON TOLLS AS WELL AS TRANSIT.
IN TERMS OF THIS PROJECT AND ITS CONSISTENCY WITH YOUR 
LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2009, 
YOUR PLAN INDICATES IN THE NEEDS COMPONENT TEN-PLUS LANES 
FOR I-75.
THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED IN THIS 
STUDY, AND THOSE LANES HAVE AN OPTION FOR BEING MANAGED 
LANES.
TBARTA APPROVED THEIR MASTER PLAN BACK IN 2009 AS WELL THAT 
IDENTIFIED THIS SEGMENT OF I-75 AS HAVING MANAGED LANES, 
WHICH ARE SPECIAL LANES ON HIGHWAYS FOR BUSES AND CARPOOL 
VEHICLES WITH TOLLS FOR OTHER VEHICLES.
SO THIS PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH BOTH LOCAL PLANS.
TODAY INTERSTATE 75 GENERALLY IS A SIX-LANE INTERSTATE 
FACILITY.
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 600 FEET, 
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE WITHIN THE LOCATION.
THERE'S AN 88-FOOT CENTER MEDIAN, BASICALLY A GRASSED 
MEDIAN, GRASS AREA THAT'S THERE TODAY.
THE RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE CONSISTENT WITH THE PLANS IS TO 
CONSTRUCT WHAT WE CALL SPECIAL USE LANES WITHIN THE MEDIAN.
THESE LANES MAY BE MANAGED BY EITHER ACCESS TOLLS OR 
VEHICLE OCCUPANCY OR VEHICLE TYPE.
THE RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVES SHOWS TO WIDEN TOWARDS THE 
MEDIAN OF I-75 IN THAT 88-FOOT AREA THAT'S THERE TODAY.
WHAT THAT INSIDE WIDENING DOES IS IT DOES STILL ALLOW ROOM 
ON THE OUTSIDE FOR THE FUTURE, WHETHER IT BE RAIL OR 
OTHER -- OTHER OPTIONS IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL MULTIMODAL 
ENVELOPES.
WE DID EVALUATE WHETHER A HIGH-SPEED RAIL MAY FIT WITHIN 
THE MEDIAN OF I-75 AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY 20% TO 
25% OF THE AREA WHERE A HIGH-SPEED COMPONENT WOULDN'T WORK 
GEOMETRICALLY, SO WE FELT WIDENING TO THE INSIDE WAS 
APPROPRIATE FOR THESE SPECIAL USE LANES WHICH COULD BE USED 
BY BUSES AND TRANSIT.
ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY, WE'RE WIDENING TO THE MIDDLE SO 
THE MAIN IMPROVEMENTS WOULDN'T REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL 
RIGHT-OF-WAY, BUT THERE WOULD BE RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDED FOR 
STORMWATER PONDS, FLOODPLAIN COMPENSATION SITES, AND SOME 
OF THE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE SOUTHERN PROJECT SOUTH OF U.S. 301 HAS TRAFFIC THAT WE 
FEEL TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION IN THESE SPECIAL USE LANES 
WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, BASICALLY, AND TO THE NORTH WOULD BE 
THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION BECAUSE WE HAVE HIGHER 
TRAFFIC VOLUMES WITHIN THIS AREA.
THE CENTER, THE NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND LANES WOULD BE 
SEPARATED BY A BARRIER MEDIAN WHICH YOU SEE ALONG 
INTERSTATE 275 TODAY, VERY SIMILAR TO THAT.
THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE SPECIAL USE LANES AND GENERAL 
USE LANES WOULD ONLY BE ABOUT SIX FEET, AND IT WOULD BE A 
PAINTED STRIPE.
WHAT THAT DOES IS IT ALLOWS US IN GENERAL TO KEEP THE 
EXISTING LANES INTACT WHERE THEY ARE AND TO BUILD TO THE 
MEDIAN, SO WE ONLY HAD SO MUCH SPACE TO FIT WITHIN THERE, 
BUT WE CAN PROVIDE SEPARATION BETWEEN THOSE SPECIAL AND 
GENERAL USE LANES.
IN THE SOUTHERN PROJECT, WHEN YOU TAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS -
- WE LOOKED AT INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS AT STATE ROAD 674, 
BIG BEND ROAD, AND GIBSONTON DRIVE -- THE OVERALL COST IS 
JUST OVER $450 MILLION FOR EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE 
SPECIAL USE LANES.
WE LOOKED SPECIFICALLY AT WHAT THOSE LANES THEMSELVES MAY 
BE BECAUSE THEY COULD BE TOLLED, THEY COULD BE PART OF A 
TOLL INITIATIVE.
THE SPECIAL USE LANES COST ROUGHLY $400 MILLION.
THE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE BUILT SEPARATELY.
THEY'RE SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENT FROM THE SPECIAL USE LANES, 
AND THEY RANGE FROM 11 MILLION AT 674, 42 MILLION AT BIG 
BEND, AND 22 MILLION AT GIBSONTON DRIVE.
>> [MICROPHONE NOT ON]
>> A ROUGHLY 88-FOOT MEDIAN, IN BETWEEN THERE.
SO THE 467 MILLION INCLUDES THE SPECIAL USE LANES FOR THOSE 
25 MILES AS WELL AS THE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND BIG BEND ROAD, CURRENTLY IT'S AN INTERCHANGE WITH ALL 
THE RAMPS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BIG BEND.
ON THE NORTH SIDE THERE ARE TWO PROPERTIES THAT ARE OWNED 
BY THE COUNTY, THAT ARE MANAGED BY THE COUNTY, AND THEY ARE 
CONSERVATION SITES THAT WERE ELAPP PARCELS.
IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT TWO NEW RAMPS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 
THIS INTERCHANGE, WE'LL HAVE SOME LIMITED RIGHT-OF-WAY 
ACQUISITION FROM THOSE PARCELS.
WE'VE BEEN IN COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT 
AND VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY 
ABOUT THESE, AND WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE SEEKING A 
DE MINIMIS FINDING FROM FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION IN 
TERMS OF THE SECTION 4(F) EVALUATION.
THE ACQUISITION IS FAIRLY LIMITED TO THOSE AREAS AND 
OUTSIDE OF THOSE PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION AREAS.
THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY EXTRA LANDS THAT WERE PURCHASED AS 
PART OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
THE NORTHERN STUDY, THE 15 MILES THAT RUNS FROM 301 THROUGH 
ALL THOSE INTERCHANGES AND THE INTERSTATE, TOTAL COST IS 
ABOUT $2.4 MILLION.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  BILLION?
>> BILLION WITH A "B."
THE PROJECT IS GENERALLY SPLIT UP INTO THREE SEGMENTS.
RATHER THAN LOOKING AT JUST INTERCHANGES, IT'S SPLIT UP 
INTO SEGMENTS.
THE SPECIAL USE LANES COST ABOUT A LITTLE OVER A BILLION 
DOLLARS TO CONSTRUCT.
THOSE ARE THE THREE LANES THAT I INDICATED BEFORE WITHIN 
THE MEDIAN.
THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF SHIFTING OF THE EXISTING LANES TO 
ACCOMMODATE THOSE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS IN SEGMENT ONE, 
THESE ARE IMPROVEMENTS TO U.S. 301, THE SELMON EXPRESSWAY 
INTERCHANGE, AS WELL AS STATE ROAD 60.
THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE ABOUT 490 MILLION.
THE INTERCHANGES BETWEEN MARTIN LUTHER KING AND I-4 AND THE 
ACCESS CHANGES BETWEEN THERE, THOSE ARE TIGHTLY SPACED 
INTERCHANGES, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ELIMINATING A LOT OF THE 
WEAVING MOVEMENTS THAT EXIST BETWEEN ACCESS AND ENTRANCE 
POINTS BETWEEN THOSE TWO INTERCHANGES, ABOUT 450 MILLION.
AND THEN THE FOWLER AND FLETCHER AREA, AGAIN WE HAVE THE 
SAME THING WHEN WE HAVE TWO CLOSELY SPACED INTERCHANGES AND 
A GOOD DEAL OF WEAVING MOVEMENTS BETWEEN PEOPLE THAT GET ON 
ONE AND GET OFF OF THE OTHER, ABOUT $360 MILLION FOR THAT 
SEGMENT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  [MICROPHONE NOT ON]
>> SIR --
>>MARK SHARPE:  -- DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO, THE NORTHERN 
AND THE SOUTHERN?
>> WELL, TWO THINGS.
ONE, THE NORTHERN PROJECT -- THE SOUTHERN PROJECT HAS THREE 
OF THE TEN INTERCHANGES, THE NORTHERN ONE HAS SEVEN, SO YOU 
HAVE DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF INTERCHANGES.
SPECIAL USE LANES WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE LANES IN EACH 
DIRECTION, WHICH IS SIX, AS OPPOSED TO FOUR, SO YOU'RE 
LOOKING AT 50% MORE SPECIAL USE LANE, AND THE THREE LANES 
IN EACH DIRECTION, WE HAVE TO SLIDE OVER THE EXISTING LANES 
A LITTLE BIT TO GET THEM IN THERE AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT 
THE NORTHERN SEGMENT HAS COLLECTOR/DISTRIBUTOR ROADS THAT 
CONNECT U.S. 301, THE SELMON EXPRESSWAY, AND STATE ROAD 60, 
AND A LOT OF THOSE SAME TYPE OF ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS ARE 
BEING PUSHED FURTHER NORTH TO ACCOMMODATE AND ELIMINATE A 
LOT OF THE WEAVING MOVEMENTS, SO THERE'S A LOT MORE IN 
TERMS OF IMPROVEMENTS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  ON THE SOUTHERN YOU'RE TALKING 25 MILES.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING FOR THE NORTHERN ELEMENT?
>> ABOUT 15 MILES.
>>MARK SHARPE:  HOW MANY?
>> 15.
>>MARK SHARPE:  15 MILES?
>> ROUGHLY.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND WITH THE SIX WILL YOU HAVE TO WIDEN OUT 
-- IN THE SOUTHERN YOU'RE GOING DOWN THE CENTER 88 FOOT.
>> RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WITH THE SIX YOU'RE GOING OUTSIDE AS WELL?
>> YEAH.
WE'LL HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE A LITTLE BIT TO ACCOMMODATE 
PUSHING OUT ENOUGH FOR THE MEDIAN, AND THEN THAT'S ONE OF 
THE AREAS WHERE THERE'S GREATER THAN 300 FEET OF RIGHT-OF-
WAY, THERE'S SOME COLLECTOR/DISTRIBUTOR ROADS ON THE 
OUTSIDE, SO WE'LL HAVE TO BE RESHUFFLING SOME OF THOSE AND 
MOVING THEM AROUND.
AGAIN, IT'S GENERALLY WITHIN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOOTPRINT 
THAT'S THERE TODAY.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU.
>> IN TERMS OF FINANCING, THE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT FIVE-
YEAR WORK PROGRAM, 2009-10 THROUGH '13-'14 DOES NOT 
PRESENTLY SHOW ANY FUNDING FOR DESIGN, RIGHT-OF-WAY, OR 
CONSTRUCTION.
THE TIMING IN FUNDING MAY CHANGE, OF COURSE, DEPENDING ON 
THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING.
BEING A PROJECT ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM DOES MAKE IT 
FEDERALLY AVAILABLE FOR FUNDS OF THOSE SORTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT -- GRANTED WE HAVE VERY HIGH 
COSTS.
IN GENERAL WE'RE DEVELOPING A MASTER PLAN FOR WHAT I-75'S 
GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSTRUCT INTERIM IMPROVEMENTS TO 
THIS PROJECT, BASICALLY LOOKING AT HOW THOSE INTERCHANGE 
FUNCTIONS AND NOT NECESSARILY BUILD THE SPECIAL USE LANES 
RIGHT AWAY, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE 
INTERIM IMPROVEMENTS AT STATE ROAD 674 FOR THE SOUTHERN 
PROJECT, BIG BEND ROAD, AND GIBSONTON DRIVE, AND WE LOOKED 
AT NOT JUST THOSE FULL INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS BUT PERHAPS 
BREAKING THEM INTO STAGES AS TO WHEN A PARTICULAR 
IMPROVEMENT AT AN INTERCHANGE, WHETHER IT BE ADDING A RAMP 
OR MODIFYING AN ACCESS POINT, MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE, AND 
WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE FOR ALL THREE INTERCHANGES.
FOR INSTANCE, STAGE ONE AT STATE ROAD 674 IS REALLY NEEDED 
BY YEAR 2020, ABOUT $1.3 MILLION; STAGE TWO WOULD BE NEEDED 
BY YEAR 2030; AND THEN THE BALANCE OF THAT COULD BE 
CONSTRUCTED WITH THE REST OF THE INTERCHANGE -- INTERSTATE 
PROJECT.
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT WAYS TO POTENTIALLY IDENTIFY SMALLER 
PROJECTS THAT COULD BE DONE INITIALLY.
FOR THE NORTHERN STUDY, WHEN YOU PULL OUT THOSE SPECIAL USE 
LANES AND LOOKING AT INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS, THEY'RE A 
LITTLE BIT MORE SUBSTANTIAL BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE C/D ROADS 
THAT EXTEND AND CONNECT.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE SOUTHERN SEGMENTS, ABOUT $100 MILLION 
OF IMPROVEMENTS REALLY AROUND THE STATE ROAD 60 INTERCHANGE 
WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN TERMS OF INTERIM -- INTERIM TYPE 
IMPROVEMENTS.
THE SECOND SEGMENT, THERE'S REALLY TWO OPTIONS THAT WE'VE 
LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF ACCESS BETWEEN MARTIN LUTHER KING AND 
I-4 AT 115 MILLION OR A MORE EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENT AT THE 
I-4 INTERCHANGE 430 MILLION, AND THEN THE NORTHERN SECTION 
WE DID LOOK AT IMPROVEMENTS BETWEEN FOWLER AND FLETCHER 
THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT SCALE IN WHAT THE ULTIMATE 
IMPROVEMENTS ARE AT 150 MILLION.
MOST OF THESE INTERIM IMPROVEMENTS, HOWEVER, ARE REUSABLE 
IN THE ULTIMATE, SO WE LOOKED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND 
MONEY EARLY THAT CAN STILL BE USED LATER ON WITHOUT HAVING 
TO REDO IMPROVEMENTS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  LINDA, YOU HAD A QUESTION THAT YOU WANTED 
TO ASK?
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  YES.
BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE VISION OF THESE INVESTMENTS, YOU 
STARTED THIS PLANNING, I BELIEVE, IN '09?
>> 2007 WE STARTED THIS STUDY.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  2007.
>> WE HAD A VISION IN 2009.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  WELL, THIS IS, OF COURSE, THE BIG 
CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL FACE.
OUR THINKING AS A COMMUNITY IS SHIFTING.
IN '07 WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THE SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL MONEY 
FOR A HIGH-SPEED RAIL TO ORLANDO, WE WEREN'T AS FAR ALONG 
WITH TBARTA IN TERMS OF LOOKING REGIONALLY, AND MY QUESTION 
IS AT WHAT POINT DO YOU GO BACK AND REEXAMINE THE PREMISES 
WHICH SHIFTS WHERE DEVELOPMENT IS OCCURRING AND HOW WE'RE 
MAKING TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS TO REFLECT THOSE -- THOSE 
OTHER I THINK VERY SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES?
DO YOU DO THAT OR DO YOU JUST KEEP THINKING -- DOES THE I-
75 PROJECT JUST SORT OF GO ON ITS OWN STEAM?
THAT'S SORT OF A PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S 
REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT SUCH LARGE 
NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AT LEAST.
>>SCOTT COLLISTER:  GOOD MORNING.
SCOTT COLLISTER, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
THE I-275 PROJECT IS PART OF THE TAMPA INTERSTATE STUDY 
WHICH HAS BEEN UPDATED INCREMENTALLY SINCE THAT STUDY WAS 
DONE IN 1997.
WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE I-75 CORRIDOR, AS JEFF HAS 
OUTLINED THIS MORNING, IS WE'RE BUILDING A STRATEGIC 
TEMPLATE, AND WHAT'S UNIQUE IN THIS STUDY UNLIKE OTHER 
STUDIES THAT WE'VE DONE IS THE PROJECT TEAM WAS REALLY 
DIRECTED TO FOCUS ON WHAT COULD WE DO IN THE INTERIM, WHAT 
ARE SOME INTERIM STEPS WHAT COULD WE DO AS THIS PROJECT IS 
BEING BUILT IN SECTIONS TO PERHAPS IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF 
ALL THE INTERCHANGES THAT JEFF HAS MENTIONED AHEAD OF 
BUILDING THE C/D ROADS OR MAKING OTHER -- CONSTRUCTING 
MANAGED USE LANES OR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
WE WILL, OF COURSE, BE BRINGING ANY PROJECT, AS WE DEVELOP 
EVERY YEAR AS A FIVE-YEAR WORK PROGRAM IS BUILT FORWARD, 
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE TO THE MPO FOR CHANGES THAT WE 
WOULD WANT TO MAKE OR THE NEXT STEPS, IF YOU WILL, ALONG 
THE I-75 CORRIDOR.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
YES, JOE.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  I BELIEVE YOU DID MENTION THAT THE 
SPECIAL USE LANES IS CONSISTENT WITH THE TBARTA LONG-RANGE 
MASTER PLAN, SO THEY ARE ROLLING IN THE TBARTA VISION AS 
PART OF THIS PLANNING STUDY.
I MEAN, THAT WHOLE SEGMENT THAT WAS OUTLINED, IF I THINK I 
RECALL, THE 2035 TBARTA VISION HAD THAT WITH SPECIAL USE 
LANES AS A PRIMARY COMPONENT OF THEIR LONG-RANGE PLAN, SO 
THEY ARE -- THEY ARE STICKING WITH IT AND BEING CONSISTENT 
WITH THE EVOLUTION THAT'S HAPPENING.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THAT'S GREAT.
GOOD.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> BASICALLY DONE WITH MY PRESENTATION.
WE'VE HAD ALL THE PROJECT INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED AT 
ALL THE PUBLIC MEETINGS AS WELL AS THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE 
MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR REVIEW, THE STUDY 
DOCUMENTS.
THEY'RE ALL POSTED ON THE WEB SITE IF YOU GO TO MYTBI.COM, 
CLICK ON FUTURE PROJECTS, AND THEN I-75 PD&E STUDIES, YOU 
CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE PRESENTED TO THE 
PUBLIC AS WELL AS WHAT ALL OUR STUDIES INDICATE.
WE'VE ALSO HAD COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY RELATIVE TO A 
LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE APPROVED IN TERMS OF 
DEVELOPMENTS AND HAD EXTENSIVE COORDINATION RELATIVE TO -- 
TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS AT MANY OF 
THE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, SO --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE THE I-75 CAPACITY STUDY UPDATE, SCOTT 
COLLISTER.
>>SCOTT COLLISTER:  GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TODAY IS GIVE THE MPO HERE A BRIEFING 
AND AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT ON I-75, KIND OF AT THE 
NORTHERN END OF THE CORRIDOR.
JEFF NOVOTNY WAS JUST UP HERE TALKING ABOUT THE PD&E STUDY 
IN THE FUTURE OF WHAT THE CORRIDOR WILL LOOK LIKE TO THE 
SOUTH.
WHAT I'M GOING TO ADDRESS IS IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE ONGOING 
AND UNDER DESIGN FOR THE NORTHERN END OF THE CORRIDOR RIGHT 
NOW.
FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE UNDER CONSTRUCTION TWO PROJECTS, AND 
YOU'LL SEE THE LITTLE GRAPHIC THERE ON THE RIGHT, AND I'LL 
TALK ABOUT THESE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE MAKING AT STATE ROUTE 56, THE EXIT 
RAMPS, AND ALSO THE COUNTY ROAD 54 INTERCHANGE AND THEN 
ALSO UNDER DESIGN THE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ONGOING, I-
275 FROM BEARSS AVENUE UP TO THE APEX AND THEN THE WIDENING 
OF I-75 NORTH FROM FOWLER AVENUE.
THIS FIRST PROJECT IS ALREADY ON THE GRAPHIC BEHIND THIS.
I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT FOR ABOUT A 2.3-MILE-LONG PROJECT OF 
$30 MILLION, WELL UNDERWAY.
IT WAS STARTED LAST OCTOBER BY SEMA CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, 
AND WHAT THIS PROJECT DOES IS IT HAS NEW DEDICATED 
NORTHBOUND RAMPS TO STATE ROUTE 56 AND ELIMINATES THE 
WEAVING ON NORTHBOUND I-75.
THE SITUATION WE HAVE TODAY IS THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH WEAVING 
BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC VOLUME EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT 
THEY HAVE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT EXIT SAFELY.
THIS IS KIND OF A GRAPHIC THAT WILL SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE 
DOING.
YOU'LL NOTICE DOWN ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE THE DEDICATED 
EXIT RAMP THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED THAT WILL ACTUALLY FORCE 
DRIVERS TO MAKE THE DECISION A WHOLE LOT SOONER.
IF WE KNOW THAT 56 IS THEIR ACCESS POINT, WE'LL BE TAKING 
THEM OFF OF I-275 AND OFF OF NORTHBOUND I-75 AND PUTTING 
THEM BASICALLY ON THEIR OWN DEDICATED FACILITY.
THEN AS YOU TRAVEL FARTHER TO THE NORTH THERE, YOU'LL SEE 
THAT THERE WILL BE BARRIER SEPARATION BETWEEN THAT, SO 
WE'LL BE TAKING THE TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING NORTHBOUND ON I-
75 AND ALLOWING IT TO MERGE BASICALLY MORE SAFELY WITH THE 
TRAFFIC THERE AND ELIMINATE THE WEAVING THAT OCCURS ALONG 
THIS SECTION.
NEXT PROJECT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THE COUNTY ROAD 54 
INTERCHANGE A LITTLE BIT FARTHER NORTH UP THERE IN PASCO 
COUNTY, AGAIN UNDERWAY SINCE EARLY FEBRUARY OF 2009 BY THE 
LANE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AT AN INVESTMENT OF ABOUT $32 
MILLION, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS VASTLY IMPROVE THE OPERATION 
OF THIS INTERCHANGE.
EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN YELLOW THERE, THAT'S THE MAIN LINE OF 
I-75 CROSSING COUNTY ROAD 54, IS BEING WIDENED, AND IF 
YOU'LL PAY PARTICULAR NOTICE TO THE RAMPS DOWN ON THE 
RIGHT, BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC VOLUME IS SO HEAVY COMING INTO 
THIS FACILITY, WE HAD TO EXPAND GREATLY THE RAMP OPERATIONS 
THERE AND PROVIDE THE DUAL LEFT AND SINGLE RIGHT THAT 
YOU'LL SEE THERE IN ORDER TO HANDLE THE TRAFFIC VOLUME AND 
GET IT SAFELY OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND ONTO THE COUNTY 
FACILITY.
THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS LAST YEAR RAISED BY -- WHEN I HAD 
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF THE CAC -- AND YOU MAY REMEMBER 
JOE AMON COMING IN AND TALKING ABOUT THAT PRESENTATION, AND 
AT THE TIME THE DEPARTMENT OR THE DISTRICT HAD NOMINATED TO 
CENTRAL OFFICE TWO PROJECTS FOR FUNDING IN FISCAL YEAR '11 
OR '12, AND WE WERE -- AND THE DECISION WAS MADE SOLELY ON 
THE BASIS OF FUNDING.
THE I-75 PROJECTS THAT WE NOMINATED HAD A MUCH HIGHER 
CONSTRUCTION COST THAN THE I-275 PROJECTS, BUT AS A RESULT 
OF THOSE CONCERNS AND REALLY SINCE LAST FALL WHEN THE 
TBARTA MASTER PLAN WAS DONE IN MAY, WE ALREADY HAD I-75 
UNDER DESIGN, WE STARTED LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT 
OUR I-75 PROJECT CAN ACCOMMODATE TRANSIT, AND WE ALREADY 
KNEW THAT IN DOING THAT EVALUATION THAT THE MAINLINE 
STRUCTURES OVER I-75 WERE TOO SHORT; IN OTHER WORDS, THEY 
WERE ABOUT FIVE FEET TOO SHORT AND WERE NOT TALL ENOUGH IN 
ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE A TRANSIT ENVELOPE UNDERNEATH.
SO NOW IF WE LOOK AT THESE TWO CORRIDORS, ON THE LEFT 
YOU'LL SEE I-275 AND ON THE RIGHT, AND WE DID THE AVERAGE 
ANNUAL DAILY TRAFFIC THERE, AND YOU'LL SEE IT FOR 2008, 
THAT'S THE LAST -- THE CURRENT YEAR FOR WHICH WE HAVE MODEL 
DATA AVAILABLE, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE IF WE LOOK AHEAD ABOUT 
TEN YEARS TO 2018 HOW MUCH IT WILL INCREASE AND THEN AGAIN 
TO 2035 USING THE VERY LATEST TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING 
MODEL FOR TRAFFIC, AND YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE RIGHT, ON THE 
I-75 CORRIDOR THERE IS A MUCH HIGHER INCREASE IN TRAFFIC 
FORECASTED TO OCCUR ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE -- AND AGAIN, THE 
STANDARD FOR A STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM IS LEVEL OF 
SERVICE "D."
IN 2018 I-275 WILL BE OPERATING AT LEVEL OF SERVICE "C" AND 
"D."
IF WE LOOK AT I-75, NO SURPRISING WHY IT'S HIGHLIGHTED 
THERE IN RED.
YOU CAN SEE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, AND AGAIN WE CHECKED IT 
IN BOTH A.M. AND P.M., AND YOU'LL SEE EVERYWHERE ON THERE 
WHERE IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN RED THAT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IS 
LOWER THAN THE STANDARD OF LEVEL OF SERVICE "D," AND THIS 
WAS NOT SURPRISING TO US KNOWING THAT, AGAIN, THE TRAFFIC 
VOLUME IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER ON I-75 THAN IT IS ON I-275 
AND IS FORECASTED TO REMAIN SO.
THEN WE WENT AHEAD AND DID A COMPARISON -- THIS WILL TAKE A 
MINUTE TO LOAD UP HERE -- AND WE LOOKED AT -- AND AGAIN, 
THIS MIGHT BE -- THINK OF THIS AS AN INTERSTATE SCORECARD.
WE LOOKED -- ON THE TOP THERE YOU'LL SEE I-275, THE 
EXISTING CONDITION, AND THEN WHAT WAS EVALUATED -- AND 
AGAIN, THERE ARE TWO NORTHBOUND LANES AND TWO SOUTHBOUND 
LANES -- FOR YEAR 2018, 2025, AND 2035, AND IF WE GO AHEAD 
AND WIDEN THAT FACILITY FROM TWO LANES TO SIX LANES 
NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'LL HOLD A 
LEVEL OF SERVICE "D" OR BETTER FOR THAT GREAT AMOUNT OF 
TIME.
DID THE SAME THING ON I-75, AND WE LOOKED AGAIN AT THE 
EXISTING CONDITIONS THERE.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, NONE OF THE SEGMENTS MEET THE LEVEL-OF-
SERVICE STANDARD THAT WE NEED FOR LEVEL OF SERVICE "D," BUT 
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC AGAIN, WE CAN SEE THAT BY 
CONSTRUCTING A FACILITY THAT HAS THREE NORTHBOUND AND THREE 
SOUTHBOUND SEGMENTS PLUS AUXILIARY LANES IN ORDER TO 
CONNECT WITH THE INTERCHANGES, WE CAN HOLD A LEVEL OF 
SERVICE THROUGH 2025, WHICH IS A RATHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, 
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT THE INTERSTATE CORRIDOR, AND WE HAD THE 
INTERSTATE CORRIDOR UNDER DESIGN SINCE 2004.
INITIALLY IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A SIX-LANE FACILITY.
WE WERE ONLY GOING TO ADD ONE LANE.
WE LOOKED AT THE TRAFFIC AGAIN AND WE DETERMINED THAT 
THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE US A LEVEL OF SERVICE "F," WHICH IS 
NOT ADEQUATE TO MOVE THE TRAFFIC SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY 
ALONG THIS CORRIDOR, SO WE WERE, IN FACT, WIDENING THE 
FACILITY AND MAKING IT -- MAKING IT MUCH WIDER.
AGAIN, ON I-275, AS I MENTIONED, SIX LANES NORTHBOUND AND 
SOUTHBOUND, AND I-75 WILL HAVE SIX LANES PLUS TWO AUXILIARY 
LANES TO CARRY US ALL THE WAY UP TO BRUCE B. DOWNS AND THEN 
A SIX-LANE SEGMENT NORTH OF BRUCE B. DOWNS.
BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS -- THEY HAVE TWO SEPARATE PROJECT 
I.D. NUMBERS -- THEY MUST BE CONSTRUCTED TOGETHER BECAUSE 
THE DRAINAGE CROSS-FLOWS BETWEEN TWO PROJECTS, AS WELL AS 
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE RECEIVING LANES NORTH OF BRUCE B. DOWNS 
IN ORDER TO HANDLE THIS TRAFFIC THAT WE'LL BE DELIVERING TO 
IT BY A MUCH WIDER INTERSTATE SEGMENT.
AND AGAIN, THIS GRAPHIC -- AND I APOLOGIZE, IT'S KIND OF 
HARD TO SEE.
THIS SHOWS YOU DOWN AT THE BOTTOM HERE, THIS IS THE FOWLER 
INTERCHANGE AND THEN TO THE RIGHT IS THE FLETCHER 
INTERCHANGE.
WHAT'S NOT CLEARLY SHOWN AS PART OF THIS BRIEFING IS ONE OF 
THE ADDED FEATURES THAT WE'RE DOING ON OUR PROJECT IS WE'RE 
GOING TO MAKE THIS EXIT LANE ON FOWLER A TWO-LANE EXIT.
IT IS CURRENTLY ONE LANE.
AND IN THE MORNING IN PARTICULAR ALL THE TRAFFIC THAT'S 
HEADED INTO USF AND HEADED DOWN FOWLER AVENUE, THERE IS A 
SIGNIFICANT BACKUP THAT OCCURS ALONG I-275 BEGINNING ABOUT 
7:45 OR SO AND CONTINUES FOR QUITE SOMETIME.
WE'RE GOING TO WIDEN THIS RAMP TO TWO LANES AND CARRY IT UP 
TO MORRIS BRIDGE, WIDEN THE BRIDGE BEYOND MORRIS BRIDGE 
ROAD, AND CARRY IT ALL THE WAY UP TO NEW RIVER HILLS DRIVE, 
AND THAT WILL GIVE US THE CAPACITY TO MOVE ALL THAT TRAFFIC 
IN THAT A.M. SURGE SAFELY OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND ONTO 
FOWLER.
A LITTLE COMPLEX GRAPHIC HERE.
THIS IS A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE BRUCE B. DOWNS 
INTERCHANGE.
I HAD MENTIONED THAT.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE I-75 MAINLINE BRIDGE WAS TOO LOW.
YOU'LL SEE HERE THIS IS THE NEW I-75 SOUTHBOUND FLYOVER 
THAT'S BEEN CONSTRUCTED HERE.
WE LOOKED AT LOTS OF ALTERNATIVES FOR ACCOMMODATING TRANSIT 
THROUGH HERE, AND DETERMINED THAT BY BUILDING TWO EQUAL 
SPAN BRIDGE -- A DUAL SPAN BRIDGE HERE, THE BEST 
CONSIDERATION FOR OPERATION OF TRANSIT WOULD GIVE US A 
FUTURE CORRIDOR AS YOU SEE HERE IN THIS SECTION AA CUT 
THROUGH HERE.
WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING THIS WITH HART AND TBARTA FOR A 
NUMBER OF MONTHS NOW.
THERE ARE ADEQUATE LOCATIONS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE 
INTERCHANGE BOTH EAST AND WEST OR NORTH AND SOUTH HERE 
ALONG BRUCE B. DOWNS IN ORDER TO TRANSITION THE OPERATION 
OF SOME TRANSIT OPERATION BACK TO EITHER SIDE OF THE 
CORRIDOR.
WE WANT TO KEEP TRANSIT -- A TRANSIT OPERATION THROUGH THE 
CENTER OF THE MEDIAN OR -- THE MEDIAN HERE BECAUSE WE DON'T 
WANT TO CUT ACROSS THE RAMP OPERATIONS, WHICH IS WHAT WE 
WOULD BE FORCED TO DO AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING IT THROUGH THE 
MEDIAN.
NOW, THIS NEXT GRAPHIC, THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT THING TO SHOW 
YOU ON HERE IS THAT GIVEN BOTH OF OUR PLANS' PREPARATION 
CRITERIA IN 2009 FOR AMERICAN SOCIETY -- AMERICAN 
ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS 
CRITERIA, WE CAN WIDEN THIS STRUCTURE AND CARRY IT HIGHER 
AND GET IT UNDERNEATH THE BRUCE B. DOWNS FLYOVER AND STILL 
HAVE ADEQUATE CLEARANCE UNDERNEATH.
FORTUNATELY WHEN THE PLANNING WAS DONE FOR THE BRUCE B. 
DOWNS SOUTHBOUND FLYOVER, IT WAS PUT AT SUFFICIENT 
ELEVATION AND HIGH ENOUGH IN THE AIR THAT THERE WILL NOT BE 
A CONFLICT BY US WIDENING AND CHANGING THE VERTICAL CURVE 
OF THE BRIDGE THAT IS OUT THERE NOW.
I MIGHT ALSO ADD THAT ONE OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WE 
LOOKED AT IN DOING THIS IS LAST YEAR THE DEPARTMENT 
TRANSITIONED TO A NEW TYPE OF STRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO 
BECOME THE STANDARD FOR ALL OF OUR INTERSTATE BRIDGES AND 
MAIN BRIDGES IN FLORIDA, AND THAT IS CALLED THE FLORIDA I-
BEAM.
IT'S A MUCH MORE DURABLE POST-TENSION STRUCTURE.
THESE WILL BE SOME OF THE FIRST INTERSTATE BRIDGES THAT ARE 
DONE THAT I KNOW OF IN THE STATE USING THAT NEW TECHNOLOGY, 
A MUCH LONGER -- A MUCH MORE DURABLE BEAM SECTION THAN 
WE'VE BEEN USING IN THE PAST, SO WE'LL HAVE A MUCH MORE 
EFFICIENT, IF YOU WILL, FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT BRIDGE 
BEING CONSTRUCTED OUT THERE.
AGAIN, I MENTIONED THE TRANSITIONS.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A GRAPHIC.
HERE'S THE I-75 INTERCHANGE AGAIN THAT SHOWS YOU THERE ARE 
LOCATIONS, AND AGAIN, WHERE THESE LOCATIONS WOULD OCCUR OR 
WHETHER OR NOT TRANSIT WOULD REMAIN IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S 
SOMETHING THAT'LL BE COORDINATED WITH THE COUNTY AND HART 
AND TBARTA AS THIS PLAN MOVES FORWARD.
I MIGHT ALSO ADD THAT WE'VE HAD EXTENSIVE DIALOGUE WITH THE 
COUNTY ABOUT THEIR SEGMENT B-C THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER 
CONSTRUCTION TO COORDINATE WHAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ON 
THEIR PROJECT VERSUS WHAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ON OUR 
PROJECT WHEN WE WIDEN THE INTERSTATE.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY HERE.
I TALKED ABOUT TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION UP 
KIND OF AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY AND INTO PASCO 
COUNTY, AND AGAIN, THOSE WILL BE COMPLETED -- ONE WILL BE 
COMPLETED AS EARLY AS THIS FALL.
THEN WE HAVE UNDER DESIGN THE I-75 PACKAGE.
THAT'S BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS I MENTIONED.
THAT'S ABOUT $123 MILLION.
THAT'S JUST THE CONSTRUCTION COST, NOT THE INSPECTION COST.
WE PLAN TO LET THAT IN JUNE OF 2011 BECAUSE IT'S IN OUR '11 
WORK PROGRAM, AND THEN THE I-275 PACKAGE FROM BEARSS TO THE 
APEX, THAT'LL ALSO BE LET IN JULY OF 2011.
I'M SORRY, THAT SLIDE SHOULD BE DOWN BELOW.
AGAIN, OUR FINAL -- LAST WEEK THE GOVERNOR DID VETO THE 
$160-MILLION RAID OF FUNDS FROM THE STATE TRANSPORTATION 
TRUST FUND.
BOTH OF THESE INTERSTATE PROJECTS, HOWEVER, ARE FINANCED 
WITH 100% FEDERAL FUNDS, SO THEY'LL STILL REMAIN IN OUR 
WORK PROGRAM, AND NOW WE'RE JUST WAITING ON THE NEW FEDERAL 
TRANSPORTATION BILL ALSO TO BE -- TO BE APPROVED AND MOVE 
FORWARD SINCE THE CURRENT SAFETEA-LU REGISTRATION EXPIRES 
IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT COMPLETES MY COMMENTS SUBJECT TO YOUR 
QUESTIONS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
RAY, YOU HAD A QUESTION.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  YES.
SCOTT, I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT WITH THIS 
QUESTION, BUT I DO WANT TO ASK YOU -- ASK IT ANYWAY.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE 
TRAFFIC ON BRUCE B. DOWNS, THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE 
INTERSTATE?
I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T DONE MODELING YET.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE A POSSIBILITY TO 
ME, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU AGREED WITH THAT.
>>SCOTT COLLISTER:  THERE WILL BE AN IMPACT ON THE TRAFFIC, 
RAY.
THE -- WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NOT HAVE COMPLETED IS THE 
WIDENING OF BRUCE B. DOWNS UNDERNEATH THE NEW INTERSTATE.
WHEN WE MET WITH THE COUNTY -- BECAUSE THEIR PROJECT IS SO 
FAR UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE 
JUST TO EXTRACT OUT THAT PIECE AND HAVE OUR CONTRACTOR 
COMPLETE THAT, SO THE TRAFFIC WILL BE NARROWING DOWN FROM A 
WIDER SECTION IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ON BRUCE B. DOWNS DOWN TO 
TWO LANES THAT EXIST THERE NOW.
THE GOOD -- THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT TO HANDLE THE A.M. 
TRAFFIC, THE MAJORITY OF THE TRAFFIC THAT HEADS INTO WORK 
IN THE A.M. WILL STILL BE TAKING THE FLYOVER, SO THAT WILL 
NOT BE AN ISSUE.
IT WILL BE SOME OF THE P.M. TRAFFIC, THE NORTHBOUND 
MOVEMENT THE TRAFFIC HAS TO MAKE TO GET ONTO I-75.
THE RAMP CONFIGURATION WILL STAY THE SAME, THE NUMBER OF 
LANES FEEDING THE RAMP WILL BE THE SAME, BUT AGAIN, 
DEPENDING UPON WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS, THERE MAY BE A 
SLIGHT QUEUE BUILDING UP ON BRUCE B. DOWNS BECAUSE IT WILL 
BE A WIDER FACILITY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  I WAS LOOKING AT A LITTLE LONGER-TERM 
ISSUE OF THE EIGHT- VERSUS SIX-LANE ISSUE, WHETHER THAT 
WOULD LESSEN POSSIBLY THE NEED FOR EIGHT LANES AND SUPPORT 
MORE OF A SIX-LANE WITH TRANSIT IN THE CENTER FOR BRUCE B. 
DOWNS IN THE LONG-TERM.
>>SCOTT COLLISTER:  RAY, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC 
VOLUMES AGAIN THAT ARE PROJECTED TO LEAVE THE INTERSTATE, I 
MEAN, THAT WOULD BE FEEDING THAT FACILITY, BUT WE COULD 
CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SCOTT.
>>SCOTT COLLISTER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GOOD PRESENTATION.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE THE DOWNTOWN INTERMODAL CENTER, LEE ROYAL.
>> BEAR WITH ME FOR A MOMENT.
HERE WE GO.
GOOD MORNING.
I'M LEE ROYAL WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND 
I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE INTERMODAL SYSTEMS 
CONNECTIVITY HERE IN OUR AREA, AND I'M GOING TO INCLUDE THE 
TAMPA BAY INTERMODAL CENTER THAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED HERE 
DOWNTOWN, HIGH-SPEED RAIL, AND SOME OF THE VARIETY OF 
CORRIDORS THAT ARE BEING STUDIED, AND I WILL BE BRIEF, AND 
AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, IF THERE'S MORE SPECIFIC 
DETAIL YOU WOULD LIKE, LET ME KNOW.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND PROVIDE CONTINUOUS UPDATES 
TO THE BOARD.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL 
STARTED, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S REQUIRED TO DO 
A FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
I BELIEVE I PRESENTED THAT LAST MONTH.
AND THAT'S AN OUTCOME OF THE FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION PLAN 
WAS THE FLORIDA HIGH-SPEED RAIL, AND WE BEGAN THAT WAY BACK 
WHEN AND HAD A PLAN DEVELOPED BY 2005.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR TAMPA BAY INTERMODAL 
CENTERS, SO WE DEVELOPED A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
WE LOOKED AT LIKE 50-SOME-ODD SITES IN 2004 AND THEN WENT 
FORWARD WITH A FULL-BLOWN DEVELOPMENT STUDY, WHICH WAS 
APPROVED IN 2005.
IN ADDITION, TBARTA OF OUR AREA DEVELOPED A MASTER PLAN IN 
2009, SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE PLANS THAT ARE UNDERWAY.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, TBARTA HAS GONE THROUGH AND 
GROUPED THEIR PROJECT PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT 
CLOSELY AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR CORRIDOR STUDIES, AND 
WE'RE DOING IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, 
INCLUDING TBARTA.
THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL JUST COMPLETED ITS REEVALUATION OR IS 
UNDER REEVALUATION.
AT THE SAME TIME HART HAS THEIR ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS 
UNDERWAY.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER CORRIDOR EVALUATIONS THAT 
INCLUDE THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP 
WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING PSTA, 
THE TRANSIT AGENCY IN PINELLAS, THE MPO, AND THE 
DEPARTMENT, LOOKING AT PINELLAS' ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS, 
THEY HAVE ONE THAT'S UNDERWAY, LOOKING AT ST. PETE TO 
CLEARWATER AND CLEARWATER TO THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE.
VETERANS EXPRESSWAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT MANAGED LANES AND A 
VARIETY OF OPTIONS THERE.
AND ALSO FROM USF TO WESLEY CHAPEL, WHICH WOULD BE A 
CONNECTION TO THE HART ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS.
AND, OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TAMPA BAY INTERMODAL 
CENTER.
THIS IS THE VISION FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IT GOES FROM TAMPA TO ORLANDO.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STOPS ALONG THE WAY.
THE ONES IN LAKELAND -- THERE WILL BE ONE IN LAKELAND THAT 
HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED UPON AT THIS TIME, BUT THEY'RE GOING 
UNDER -- UNDERGOING THAT EVALUATION NOW.
THERE IS ALSO A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE LINES THAT GO FROM 
ORLANDO TO MIAMI THAT LOOK AT USING I-95 OR THE TURNPIKE, 
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ALSO.
THIS IS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CORRIDOR.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE LOCATIONS AND 
WHERE THE INTERMODAL STOP IS IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA.
THE GREAT PART OF HIGH-SPEED RAIL IS CLOSE TO 90% OF OUR 
RIGHT-OF-WAY IS ALREADY ACQUIRED, AND THAT'S IN -- MAINLY 
ON I-4.
IF YOU REMEMBER MAYBE 15, 20 YEARS AGO WHEN WE WIDENED I-4, 
WE RESERVED THAT RIGHT-OF-WAY IN THE MEDIAN FOR THIS.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  YAY!
SMART.
>> THIS IS CONCENTRIC CIRCLES THAT LOOK AT WHERE PEOPLE 
WOULD HAVE TO WALK OR WOULD BE ABLE TO WALK TO THE 
INTERMODAL CENTER -- IT'S A QUARTER OF A MILE AND HALF MILE 
-- JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA OF THE WALKABILITY THAT'S NEEDED 
FOR THE CENTER.
THIS IS A GRAPHIC OF WHERE THE INTERMODAL CENTER WOULD BE.
I'VE BEEN ASKED IF WE -- WE NEED TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL 
RIGHT-OF-WAY.
YES, WE DO.
A GOOD PORTION OF IT HAS BEEN ACQUIRED.
WE'LL BE ACQUIRING SOME MORE.
ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS THE MARION STREET TRANSITWAY, SO WE'LL 
BE COORDINATING AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH HART.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A VARIETY OF MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY THAT 
FUNCTION -- THAT COULD FUNCTION IN THE INTERMODAL CENTER, 
SO IT WON'T BE JUST RAIL OR BUSES, IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF 
OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.
THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL GRAPHIC OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE 
LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR DIFFERENT MODES 
AND HOW IT COULD -- PASSENGERS COULD TRANSFER FROM ONE MODE 
TO ANOTHER FOR A SEAMLESS CONNECTION FOR THEIR DESTINATIONS 
WITHIN OUR TAMPA BAY AREA.
ANOTHER LOOK AT WHAT IT COULD POSSIBLY LOOK LIKE.
WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IS WE HAVE A LOT OF TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES WE'RE LOOKING AT 
BECAUSE IF YOU DEVELOP AN INTERMODAL CENTER, YOU NEED TO 
CREATE AN ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AROUND -- YOU KNOW, THE LAND 
USE GUIDANCE AROUND THOSE CENTERS, YOU KNOW, CREATING A 
PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY, 
REDUCING AUTO DEPENDENCY, AND YOU WANT PEOPLE TO WANT TO GO 
THERE AND RIDE TRANSPORTATION, RIDE THE TRANSIT.
WE'RE CONTINUING OUR COORDINATION WITH A VARIETY OF GROUPS, 
LOOKING AT MOBILITY AND AGAIN COMMUNITY DESIGN.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF COORDINATION AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.
WE'RE MEETING WITH CITY OF TAMPA, THE COUNTY, THE MPO, 
HART, JUST A VARIETY OF FOLKS, AND WE'LL BE INCLUDING THE 
PORT OF TAMPA, TAMPA INTERNATIONAL IN OUR COORDINATION 
EFFORTS.
KEEP IN MIND HIGH-SPEED RAIL IS GOING TO BE OPENING BY 
2015.
THAT -- BUT WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE CONNECTIONS THE DAY IT 
OPENS, AND WITH OUR STUDIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY 
DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT 
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LIGHT RAIL OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE 
DETERMINED THROUGH THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS TO CONNECT TO 
TAMPA BE INTERMODAL CENTER, SO WE'RE COORDINATING CLOSELY 
WITH OUR TRANSIT AGENCIES AND PROVIDERS AS TO HOW DO YOU 
MAKE THE CONNECTIONS, WHAT MODE, AND THE DAY IT OPENS WE 
ARE LOOKING FOR A COMPLETE SUCCESS AND PARTNERSHIP.
SO WE'RE COORDINATING THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND OF COURSE, THE FUNDING PLAN OF HOW TO OPERATE IT.
THAT IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, LEE.
>> AND WEB SITES ARE AVAILABLE THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK 
AT SOME OF THE FACT SHEETS AND INFORMATION, BUT IF THERE'S 
FURTHER DETAILS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
LINDA, YOU HAD A --
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  BRIEFLY.
THIS IS FANTASTIC NEWS.
WOULD YOU BE THE PERSON TO CONTACT TO SPEAK ON THIS TO, FOR 
EXAMPLE, TAMPA CITY COUNCIL, THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS 
COMMITTEE, ENTITIES LIKE THAT?
>> IT WOULD BE ME OR WE DO HAVE A SPEAKERS BUREAU OF 
INDIVIDUALS IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME 
TO ANY AGENCY AND ELECTED OFFICIAL BOARD TO TALK ABOUT IT.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  WE WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN 
SCHEDULING THAT.
THANK YOU.
THIS IS VERY EXCITING.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
IF NOT, LEE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GREAT REPORT.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
THE LAST STATUS REPORT WE HAVE IS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 
MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS, DONNY RITSEMA.
>>DONALD RITSEMA:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
GOOD MORNING.
DONALD RITSEMA, MPO STAFF.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO PRESENT TO YOU 
THE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS FOR THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 
PLAN, WHICH COVERED A TWO-YEAR EVALUATION FROM JANUARY 1st, 
2008, THROUGH DECEMBER 31st, 2009.
THE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS WAS PROPOSED AS PART OF THE 
EVALUATION PROCESS UNDER THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE 
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN TO HELP ESTABLISH EACH OF THE 
FOUR CRITERIA SHOWN BELOW.
AND WE HAD SEVERAL AREAS OF PARTICULAR SUCCESS STARTING 
WITH THE TBT ROUTE, WHICH WAS ISSUED IN ALL THE LOCAL 
PAPERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LRTP PROCESS, WHICH HELPED 
EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON WHAT'S -- UPCOMING EVENTS, HOW THEY 
CAN GET INVOLVED, AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE PLAN.
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH EVENT WAS THE TOWN CALL 
MEETINGS WHICH HAD OVER 7,000 PARTICIPANTS AND WHICH 
ENGAGED THE PUBLIC TO ASK A SERIES OF QUESTIONS TO GUEST 
PANELISTS MADE UP OF MPO REPRESENTATIVES AND ASKED HOW THEY 
WOULD IMPROVE THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
AND LASTLY WAS THE MONEY GAME WHICH HAD PARTICIPANTS 
RECEIVE SURVEYS, EVALUATION FORMS, AS WELL AS $100, AND IT 
ASKED THEM HOW THEY WOULD INVEST THEIR MONEY TOWARDS THE 
DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORTATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE HAD OVER 350 SURVEYS AND 343 PARTICIPANTS.
SO TO SUM UP OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS, WE HAD OVER 15,000 
PARTICIPANTS AT 114 MEETINGS, EVENTS, AND TOWN CALLS, ON 
TOP OF THE 111 REGULAR MPO BOARD AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS, 
RECEIVED OVER 3500 COMMENTS, AND HAD OVER 2,000 
PARTICIPANTS IN THE SURVEYS, POLLS, AND MONEY GAME.
A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS IS IMPLEMENTED TO FURTHER ENHANCE 
THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROGRAM SUCH AS THE ONES COMING 
UP, CONTINUE REVISING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PUBLICATION LOGS 
FOR ACCURACY REASONS, UPDATING THE RIDE GUIDE IN 
CONJUNCTION WITH PASCO AND PINELLAS COUNTIES, CONTINUE 
COOPERATIVE EFFORTS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, TBARTA, 
AND MPO CHAIRS' COORDINATING COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE 
INTEGRATION OF LAND USE PLANNING AND REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE 
IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS AND 
CONTINUE EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE CITIZEN REPRESENTATION THAT 
REFLECTS THE DIVERSE POPULATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND 
CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON INCREASING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 
EFFORTS WITH THE MINORITIES, THE LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, AS 
WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED.
AND LASTLY, IMPLEMENTING NEW ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS FOR 
THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD TO 
MAINTAIN GRANT ELIGIBILITY, IMPLEMENT NEW 3D VISUALIZATION 
TOOLS INTO ALL PRESENTATIONS TO EMBRACE PUBLIC 
PARTICIPATION THROUGH ATTENDANCE, INPUT, AND MOTIVATION, 
AND LASTLY, IMPLEMENT STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION PROCESSES 
FOR FREIGHT MOBILITY.
AND THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
IF NOT, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
NEXT, LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE, COUNCILWOMAN LINDA SAUL-
SENA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED 
TODAY AT OUR LIVABLE ROADWAYS MEETING, THE IMPROVEMENTS 
ALONG FLETCHER, BUSCH BOULEVARD, ARMENIA, AND EVERYONE IS 
INVITED TO ATTEND OUR NEXT MEETING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THAT'S IT?
THANK YOU, LINDA.
OKAY.
NEXT, BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MICHELE 
OGILVIE.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE:  MICHELE OGILVIE, MPO STAFF.
THE BICYCLE/PED GROUP WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THREE 
THINGS, BOARD MEMBERS.
ONE, JIM SHIRK, OUR VICE CHAIR, WAS NAMED BICYCLE VOLUNTEER 
OF THE YEAR BY THE FLORIDA BICYCLE ASSOCIATION.
THE OTHER IS THAT WE WILL BE SENDING A LETTER TO THE CITY 
OF TAMPA ENCOURAGING THEM TO USE DYNAMIC ROAD SIGNS TO 
PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF -- AND EDUCATION ON SAFETY FOR 
BICYCLISTS.
AND THE LAST THING THAT WE'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW ABOUT IS THE 
USE OF SHARROWS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA WHICH WILL BE USED ON 
EUCLID AVENUE TO BALANCE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S DESIRE FOR 
PARKING ON THE STREET WITH THE COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE A 
BICYCLE FACILITY.
A SHARROW IS A BICYCLE STENCIL WITH TWO CHEVRON MARKINGS 
ALONG ROADWAYS THAT ARE TOO NARROW FOR BICYCLE LANES, AND 
IT PROMOTES THE LAW, WHICH IS THAT BICYCLISTS CAN SHARE -- 
SHOULD BE SHARING THE ROAD WITH CARS.
IT WAS PIONEERED IN DENVER AND HAS BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY IN 
[INAUDIBLE] AS A WAY OF PROMOTING BICYCLE USE.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE JUNE 9th AT 5:30.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS OF MICHELE?
IF NOT, LINDA, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  YES.
I WANTED TO COMPLIMENT -- WHEN WE MET ON THE 26th, WE 
DISCUSSED THE SELMON GREENWAY PROJECT WHERE OUR CONSULTANT 
AND STAFF HAVE INVENTORIED THE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE 
CORRIDOR, AND THE COMMITTEE OFFERED SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR 
TYING IN THE CONCEPT OF A GREENWAY WITH OTHER FACILITIES IN 
DOWNTOWN SO WE COULD HAVE A 12-FOOT SHARED-USE FACILITY 
ADJACENT TO THE SELMON GREENWAY, AND HYDE PARK, YBOR CITY, 
AND TAMPA HEIGHTS CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ARE ALSO VERY EXCITED 
ABOUT THE POTENTIAL GREENWAY CONNECTIONS TO THEIR 
COMMUNITIES AND ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT.
THEN WE GOT SOME GOOD NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF 
TRANSPORTATION WHO WILL CONTINUE THE GREENWAY CONCEPT ALONG 
ADAMO DRIVE WHEN THEY RESURFACE THAT ROADWAY IN 2012.
THE COMMITTEE'S PLEASED ABOUT THE COLLABORATION OF ALL THE 
STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS PROJECT, AND A STAKEHOLDERS MEETING 
WILL BE HELD JUNE 10th AT 8:00 A.M. AT THE EXPRESSWAY 
AUTHORITY'S OFFICE.
IT'S A WONDERFUL COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, LINDA.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
IF NOT, THANK YOU.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, RAY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THANK YOU.
I'VE LISTED ALL THE MEETINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED.
THREE THINGS I WANTED TO BRING UP.
ONE IS IT APPEARS THAT THE MPO MAY BE ASKED TO HAVE A 
REPRESENTATIVE SERVE ON THE PINELLAS STUDY GROUP, AND I 
HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO -- TO FILL THAT ROLE IF THEY DECIDE TO 
HAVE A HILLSBOROUGH MPO STAFF MEMBER SERVE ON THAT, WHICH I 
THINK IS A GREAT IDEA TO COORDINATE THEIR STUDY OF THE 
HOWARD FRANKLAND AND ITS CONNECTION INTO HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY.
SECOND ITEM IS I WAS AT MY FIRST I GUESS INFORMATIONAL 
PRESENTATION DOWN IN APOLLO BEACH WHERE I MET CHUCK SYKES, 
WHO IS HEADING THE MOVING HILLSBOROUGH FORWARD EFFORT FROM 
THE PRIVATE-SECTOR SIDE, AND THAT PRESENTATION OF THE MPO 
PLAN WENT VERY WELL WHEN COORDINATED WITH THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR SPEAKING AFTER ON THE ACTUAL REFERENDUM, AND I THINK 
WE'LL BE DOING THAT AGAIN FOR THE CHAMBER AND OTHER GROUPS.
THIRD THING IS SOMETHING THAT I ATTENDED ALSO WITH MR. 
WAINIO ON THURSDAY, WHICH WAS THE CONFERENCE OF REGIONAL 
LEADERSHIP IN ORLANDO.
IT WAS AN AWESOME DAY-LONG CONFERENCE WHERE PENN STATE 
PRESENTED THEIR LONG-TERM SUGGESTIONS AND VISIONS FOR OUR 
SUPER REGION.
WE LEARNED A LOT OF INTERESTING FACTS SUCH AS PUT TOGETHER 
TAMPA AND ORLANDO ARE THE TENTH LARGEST SUPER REGION IN THE 
COUNTRY.
WE ALSO HAD GOOD PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING ONE ON THE PORT 
AUTHORITY.
I HAD THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN THE AUDIENCE WITH A LOT OF 
ORLANDO PEOPLE AROUND ME, AND THEY WERE CLEARLY EXTREMELY 
SURPRISED AT THE SIZE AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON IN 
THE PORT OF TAMPA, SOMETHING THEY HAD NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO.
WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT EACH COMMUNITY AND HOW THE ASSETS WE 
HAVE WHEN YOU COMBINE THEM TOGETHER ARE JUST REALLY 
OUTSTANDING WHEN YOU COMBINE THE SCHOOLS AND THE DIFFERENT 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OCCURRING, SO IT WAS VERY 
EXCITING.
THE MOST EXCITING THING WAS U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY 
RAY LAHOOD WAS THERE AND GOT TO SEE THE COOPERATION AND 
COMMENTED ON HOW FAR WE HAVE COME AND HAD A CHECK FOR THE 
FIRST $66 MILLION FOR THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL THAT WAS 
PRESENTED, AND THAT WAS FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY SOMETHING 
I'M SURPRISED THE PAPERS HAVEN'T PICKED UP YET, BUT I 
THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT, WAS THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP 
GAVE $25,000 TO OUR EFFORT FOR OUR REFERENDUM IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT THING, 
AND EVERYBODY WAS VERY IMPRESSED.
WE HAD THE THREE MAYORS THERE FROM TAMPA, LAKELAND, AND 
ORLANDO TO RECEIVE THE ACCOLADES FROM THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT, AND THE MEETING WAS REALLY EXCELLENT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION OUT OF THAT.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY WE'RE NOT HAVING AN MPO MEETING 
IN JULY.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN JULY 6th, AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE 
BOARDS ARE ON VACATION THEN, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A 
MEETING THEN.
SO THERE WILL NOT BE A POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING IN JUNE 
BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO THE NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING WOULD BE JULY 27th AT 
9:00 A.M.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  COULD I MAKE ONE QUICK COMMENT --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, SURE.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  -- ON THAT REPORT, JUST TO ALSO INDICATE 
THAT I THOUGHT THAT SUPER REGIONAL CONFERENCE WAS -- WAS AN 
OUTSTANDING SUCCESS.
I MEAN, NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF 
PEOPLE PRESENT, BUT THE QUALITY OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT FROM 
BOTH TAMPA -- WELL, NOT JUST BOTH TAMPA AND -- AND ORLANDO 
BUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
OBVIOUSLY CENTRAL FLORIDA WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED, LAKELAND 
AND ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
IT WAS A GREAT GATHERING.
I THOUGHT SECRETARY LAHOOD'S REMARKS -- YOU KNOW, I WISH 
EVERYBODY IN HILLSBOROUGH WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO HEAR 
WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL, AND I THINK 
AS WE PURSUE THESE -- THESE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IN 
HILLSBOROUGH, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO 
CONSISTENTLY DO IS TRY TO EDUCATE OUR PUBLIC SO THAT THEY 
UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN HILLSBOROUGH IS ONLY A 
PIECE OF A HUGE, HUGE UNDERTAKING THAT WILL BENEFIT THE 
ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AS SECRETARY LAHOOD POINTED OUT, I MEAN, WE WENT FROM LAST 
IN TERMS OF RAIL, WE HAVE LEAPFROGGED THE COUNTRY NOW, AND 
AS WE MOVE FORWARD ALONG WITH -- WITH CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA 
WILL BE ABSOLUTELY -- FIVE, TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WE WILL 
BE THE LEADER IN BOTH -- IN HIGH-SPEED RAIL AS WELL AS 
PERHAPS LIGHT RAIL, AND JUST LASTLY, IN TALKING ABOUT THE 
OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY BE A LEADER IN OUR 
COUNTRY BUT OUR REGION'S GOING TO BE A LEADER IN THE EYES 
OF THE WORLD ON THESE KINDS OF ISSUES.
EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT GERMANY, JAPAN, CHINA, ALL THESE 
COUNTRIES THAT HAVE THESE HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEMS.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT OURSELVES RIGHT INTO THAT LEAGUE IN THE 
NEXT DECADE, AND -- AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN HILLSBOROUGH 
WITH THE REFERENDUM AND THE LIGHT RAIL, THAT'S AN 
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
WE HEARD ABOUT THE INTERMODAL SYSTEM, THE INTERMODAL CENTER 
THAT'S BEING BUILT.
I MEAN, YOU CAN RUN A HIGH-SPEED RAIL FROM DOWNTOWN TAMPA 
TO -- TO ORLANDO AND DOWN TO MIAMI, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE 
THOSE INTERMODAL CONNECTIONS THAT GO OUT INTO TAMPA BAY, 
LIGHT RAIL, BUS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT -- IT'LL BE 
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT FOR -- NOT FOR 
NOTHING BUT -- BUT CERTAINLY YOU WILL NOT GET THE BENEFITS 
THAT YOU OTHERWISE WOULD ACHIEVE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT 
LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IN PLACE.
IT'S CRITICAL TO THE ENTIRE -- TO THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, AND IN 
CLOSING, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WHEN IT'S ALL IN PLACE, 
WE'RE GOING TO BE EXTREMELY PROUD AS CITIZENS OF THE STATE 
OF FLORIDA WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE GREAT COMMENTS.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON WHO WANTS TO SPEAK UNDER GENERAL 
CONCERNS, AND THAT'S --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  I THINK HE'S GONE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  NO.
MR. COSENTINO.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND HELLO EVERYONE, AND WELCOME 
BACK TO WORK.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING A PUBLIC INTEREST THINK TANK, CAMELOT 
FLORIDA.
I HOPE YOU'VE HEARD OF IT.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS.
I DON'T -- WE DON'T EXPECT ANSWERS TODAY, BUT OUR INTEREST 
IS IN THE NEW FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HORIZON 
2060 PLAN, OKAY, SO WE LOBBIED FOR THAT PLAN, AND MAYBE 
MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN OUR E-MAILS WHERE WE SAID WE WERE 
PLANNING TEN YEARS OUT AND THE WORLD IS TRAVELING AT MACH 
2, SO WE FINALLY GOT THAT WINDOW PUSHED OUT.
NOW THE QUESTION IS WHEN WILL THE MPO COME UP WITH A PLAN 
THAT INTEGRATES WITH FLORIDA'S PLAN, SO THAT IS STILL AN 
OPEN ITEM.
IN REGARD TO HIGH-SPEED RAIL, WE CAUTION EVERYONE BECAUSE 
WE HOPE THEY DON'T START CONSTRUCTION AT ORLANDO 
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
WE HOPE THEY START IT HERE.
NOW, WHY DO WE SAY THAT?
YOU KNOW, LIKE THE -- THE -- WHEN THE RAILROADS CROSSED THE 
UNITED STATES, THEY MET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY.
WELL, IF IT STARTS IN ORLANDO AT THE AIRPORT, OUR CONCERN 
IS WHEN THEY GET TO DISNEY WORLD THEY'LL RUN OUT OF MONEY.
NOW, YOU MAY THINK THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAPPEN.
WELL, IT'S A CONCERN, AND WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE SHOULD BE SOME MONEY IN THE BANK AND 
SAY NO, THIS -- IF YOU START CONSTRUCTION, WE WANT TO MAKE 
SURE YOU DON'T RUN OUT OF MONEY BY THE TIME YOU REACH 
ORLANDO -- I MEAN DISNEY WORLD.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO GET A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I'VE BEEN 
ASKED AND PEOPLE ASK IS TECO STREETCAR LIGHT RAIL.
BECAUSE IF IT IS LIGHT RAIL, IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE LIGHT 
RAIL, IT'S SMALL, IT -- IT'S ON A TRACK, AND EVEN THOUGH IT 
LOOKS LIKE AN OLD TRAIN, IT COULD LOOK LIKE A NEW TRAIN, 
BUT IT SERVES THE SAME FUNCTION AS LIGHT RAIL.
SO WE KIND OF THINK IT IS LIGHT RAIL.
WELL, IF IT IS LIGHT RAIL, LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN 
NEXT YEAR, AND WE'D HOPE THAT SOMEONE WOULD DEAL WITH THAT 
ISSUE.
AND THEN FINALLY -- I DIDN'T SEE A LIGHT HERE, BUT IN ANY 
CASE, WE ARE INTRODUCING THE FLORIDA GLOBAL AIRPORT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HEARD ABOUT THE FLORIDA GLOBAL 
AIRPORT INITIATIVE, BUT THE FLORIDA GLOBAL AIRPORT IS THE 
NEW NEXT-GENERATION AIRPORT.
IN THE OLD DAYS IN THE BEGINNING WE HAD AIRPORTS, THEN WE 
HAD CITY AIRPORTS AND THEN WE HAD COUNTY AIRPORTS, WE HAD 
NATIONAL AIRPORTS --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  PLEASE WRAP IT UP.
>> -- WE HAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS, AND SO THE NEXT 
ITERATION, THE FUTURE AIRPORT WILL BE THE FLORIDA GLOBAL 
AIRPORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS?
YES.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO TAKE AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR HELP IN ASKING 
FOR LEGISLATIVE RELIEF FROM THE ORIGINAL $69-MILLION TAKE 
FROM THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY.
I WANT TO OFFER SPECIAL THANKS TO REPRESENTATIVE GLORIOSO 
FOR HIS EFFORTS TO GET THAT REDUCED TO 19 MILLION.
MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO HIS WIFE AS SHE RECOVERS FROM CANCER 
SURGERY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK GOVERNOR CRIST FOR HIS ACTION TO VETO 
THE $19-MILLION TAKE FROM THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY 
AUTHORITY AND AGAIN TO ALL OF THIS BOARD AND TO OUR 
COMMUNITY WHO WROTE ON BEHALF OF THEA.
MY THANKS AND THE APPRECIATION OF OUR AGENCY IS HEARTFELT.
OUR PLAN IS NOW TO PAY OFF THE 60 MILLION EXISTING BONDS 
THAT THANKS TO THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE ON OUR 
BEHALF, THAT PLAN IS INTACT.
WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT AND ACTION OF 
REPRESENTATIVE GLORIOSO AND GOVERNOR CRIST, THOSE EFFORTS 
WOULD HAVE COME TO A HALT, SO AGAIN, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO 
SAY THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  THE HELP WAS APPRECIATED.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER OLD BUSINESS?
ANY NEW BUSINESS?
IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ADJOURN.
SEE YOU IN AUGUST.


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