MPO Policy Board Meeting   7/27/2022

First of all, Stacy, where are you and why can't you be here?

I'm in the Outer Banks.

And I assume that's vacation rather than work.

It is.

I want your job.

Exactly.

And we know we've got Ms. Londrey approved.

Boyd Snow.

I'm here.

here, Mr. Galloway, you know will not be here, Chris Malek, yes, and then non-voting Mr. Reek, Eddie Shackelford we know is still out, Ms. Monteith, here, Mr. Williams, here, I broke down first names, that was a bad move, what, here, Richard, Duran, FHWA, Brian Long, Lee Condor,

Bill Palmer, and Bill Palmer.

I got Ted walking in to present.

But in any event, is there anybody in the public, either here or remotely, who wishes to address us?

I thought you said something.

Somebody just said they like our hybrid set.

If you are joining us remotely and want to have a comment, please raise your hand using the Zoom raise your hand feature.

Brian, is there anybody in the chat trying to get up?

Whoa, I like the hybrid setup.

We have a motion to approve the agenda.

Second.

Any changes, corrections, additions?

I move the second for a minute.

Mr. Mickels, do you want to present?

That's all right.

Lev and I are going to tag team the presentation throughout this afternoon.

I apologize.

Okay, okay.

I think they're very useful too.

Next slide.

And that's part of the reason why they're pushing the collaboration and joint applications so hard.

And there were some stronger suggestions, but this is what Congress eventually decided to go with.

And we'd be interested to know how this is working in Virginia.

Next slide.

Who in Virginia does that?

Next slide.

So we were happy to see that and that's reflected here.

Congress is going to be looking to make sure that it gets spent and it's invested and people are put to work.

Next slide.

Did I go over?

And I will make sure that a copy of these slides get passed around and they're available following this meeting.

Questions now.

You mentioned way back in your earlier slide about bridge funding and are new bridges available for any of that supplemental, coming down local batches and things, or is this only remediation for existing bridges?

A bridge that's not in existence at this point and building a brand new one?

Yes, it's been in the plans since 1992, but it hasn't been in structure.

That's a great question.

Nah, it's gotta be new bridges.

I'll double check that.

Thank you.

Or is it something that's already part of VDOT's normal programming to replace or is it only when there's sort of

So there's a lot of funding that is available for bridges, but I can't tell you exactly how Virginia is doing it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a mix.

both site conditions now are not safe when you pull up you can't see the way and you try to get down you have to frame your neck like that I don't know if it's even through a lot lower back then or whatever and I'm not willing just to go with the design of those bridges right now but is that the sort of thing that could be a funding with these monies and if so how would that that need to be generated by requests from the city or um as I recall there's already on

on somebody's budget plan for the next few years to replace the bridge at Dairy Road.

Well, it was 15 years ago?

If someone wants to invest in water and a thoughtful, safe purchase, then I'm going to keep going for two minutes.

Yes.

That's been a 15-year anti-campaign for me, and I just want to make sure I'm not missing something.

It tends to be more cut and bite changes per states or industries.

Thank you.

Thank you so much to Ms. Royajan and Mr. Caruso.

So, Ms. Jacobs, Long Range Transportation Plan 2015.

So those are the three suggestions that MPO Tech recommended adding to this book.

So, do they have questions?

A vote of approval?

Yes, we would actually like to recommend a motion to approve issuing the RFP out of consultant support.

And that's this document here, that's what it's about?

Yes, the draft RFP, so it says it one time.

It begins on page 9.

Or questions or comments for Chris's?

Innovation is great, but we have obligations to make sure that we're not messing up and that's, I think,

Thank you.

Anybody else?

Questions, comments, or motions?

I will move that the RFP as previously before the amendments that have been before this afternoon indicate a move that we make the amendments and then just go forward.

If not, do we roll over or voice vote fine?

I think voice vote fine.

Okay.

Aye.

Okay, so then the next item also related to that is the appointment of the technical working group.

So I wanted to bring all of those recommendations up because it may change how you all have a discussion over whether you guys would agree that MPO Tech can serve as that technical committee with the changes that are recommended by either CTAC or MPO Tech or a combination of the two.

Isn't it at some point having 20 some in there not much better than having three or four?

So there would only be a meeting call if there were particular bulleted topics that needed to be discussed to get feedback from this broader coalition of people that are transit tangential, not necessarily direct transit or transportation from it.

The courtroom is going to do all the work and the supplemental people are basically going to be on the mailing list.

You know, policy boards, feedback on the recommended changes by C-Tech and NPO Tech and see what you all would recommend or support.

This is a recommendation that you feel is obviously a bigger recommendation.

I have a lot of confidence in

We definitely felt

So I think staff feels favorable towards the recommendations that we got from those two.

I need to do, maybe as an interview process all along, instead of a really big meeting every quarter or something, might allow you to get better feedback from people.

What is the difference between what was suggested in the initial memo for city and county climate action versus city and county climate mitigation?

I think that was just me typing words without considering how important that might be, but it's really a climate-related staff member in the city and the county, probably to identify who the best person is in each, but I may not have titled that properly.

Because it seems you may have 30 people involved as decision makers.

It's to make sure that we're getting the critical feedback we need from all of these different areas so that we can then have MPO tech making recommendations to the policy board.

to have that broader approach from the catalog.

Are you asking if we would, to be adding these other groups, if we would talk to them ahead of time and make sure that they, hoping that they should be part of this?

Because I was on that for eight years, and that's what we did, was to read LRTB.

They will continue to meet as CTAC serving in the same role they did before, giving the citizens perspective.

That, I hope, will be able to get back to that, because listening back,

The Chairperson of CTAC is actually Lee Condor who is here on here with us today.

Okay, so we have a motion on the floor, is that right?

Yes, sir.

It is the Route 20 bridge replacement.

to basically update our working chair with the state document.

What is the effect in general terms of this amendment?

Yes sir, so basically I think it's adding about almost $7 million to the project.

due to what sorts of problems.

which you'll see on that second page, it's really going from 31 million to 38 million and that's 4.2 million together.

That's why it's coming before the board tonight for action.

So we need to pass a motion to adopt that change to the fifth amendment.

So I just am very concerned that this multiplication happens.

So with the bid at 35 million, is it the sense that this particular set of expenditures and reshuffling of things gets us to fund 35 million and we're ready to do it or are we still looking for more money?

I think there's still a bit of bubbles in the contingency period.

I think staff would be looking for a motion to approve the proposed TIP amendments as delivered.

Do I have a second?

Second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

None.

Sorry to interrupt.

Yes, sir.

That increases 16.4 million.

Any questions on those?

We've got to take great care to make sure that the funding is available to solve some of these things as well.

There are issues on this group's minutes.

Yes.

Shannon.

They will be meeting in August and having another vision plan up to the end.

So you're not meeting tomorrow?

We're not meeting tomorrow.

I was curious on this.

open houses and stuff you have, any anecdotal reactions that you're hearing?

new services that were in the plan and getting more hours of service.

No, go ahead.

We have a sense of that market for late-night different types of things, thousands of people, hundreds.

I mean, if you look at the people who are employed and who work in the service industry and have to

When you say late night, we can talk later, late night, midnight, one a.m., that kind of thing?

Yeah, I would say most restaurants probably close around 10 or 12 o'clock.

Oh, okay.

We're talking in the meantime.

It's just, it's a matter of having enough

We're not pleased, but not feel like there should have or could have been more, but I am really pleased with the shift in doing much smaller and much more focused communications with people so that we can really hear what isn't coming up in questions on the survey.

I've been trying for 30 years to get transit to here so far, but I think that it is really grateful for the way you're approaching this map because it's going to be hearing from the people who are willing to be taking it.

You said Boarshead and what was the other end?

So these are those ones that the fringes, I know there are limits to what's possible, but it would be great to know where those limits are now and where the gaps are.

Yeah.

Having that localized data can really help you narrow in on something that's truly reflective of your community's behavior.

Is that only possible at census intervals or is that something where we can do at our own initiative?

You know, a survey doing in-person telephone, digital, you know, targeting in a way that's just statistically significant and kind of matches the mosaic of your community.

Normally you start off with a mailing out to the household, so that's the easy and quick methodology.

Special thanks.

And they're expensive.

But you get what you pay for it.

Pretty expensive.

I'm sure they could share some lessons.

OK. Yeah, we're done, Roanoke.

In case there's nothing to remember you can go to another kid.

Please share that with us so that we can try to allocate staff time to get people in these different places as much as we can.

Okay, thank you.

Sarah, anything to share with us?

They're right now in the process of procuring a bus and then of course hiring some drivers, but that route most likely will be focusing on those 12-hour shifts at the health care system.

Thank you.

That right, pardon, right?

We still have a few more years since the delay of our smart scale is, but it is fully funded in a six-year plan.

And that will be good.

So, Brian?

We are going to get the students hoping around August 1 that they won't be interested.

So, if it would be on the agenda for the council meeting on August 1st, is that the notion?

Yes, it was definitely scheduled for August 1st.

Okay, I'll make a note to make sure of that.

Does that mean we sort of approve the whole slate, or just the one or two that are Charles related?

On the council agenda, there will be four in-scale projects, which will be District Avenue, 5th Street, and the ones that are in DO.

Can I ask a question or not?

I'll be brief.

Is that what I'm seeing here?

But we're, I think, hopeful that at some point, maybe the property itself might be redeveloped at some point in the future.

We might not do part of the overall trail system as part of this project.

Okay.

Are there any roundtable updates?

Great.

Give her our best, please.

We are very excited to see her.

Thank you.

We'll make sure we're done sometime back in December of 23.

And for the minutes, TSP is?

Strategic Plan.

transportation, thank you.

Matters from the public, is there any public who would like to address us?

If you would please use the Zoom feature, raise your hand.

Okay, no matters from the public.

Well, that lets us adjourn then, ten minutes early.

Thank you so much.