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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 - Transportation Board - Work PlanTRANSPORTATION BOARD 2006 WORKPLAN The goal of the Transportation Board is to promote the implementation of a balanced transportation system that provides choice, mobility, access, congestion mitigation and safety for all people while achieving: I )Efficient and Effective movement of people and goods throughout the community; 2)A reduction in the rate of VMT growth to equal the rate of population growth; and 3)Enhanced mobility through emphasis of modal shifts. TRANSPORTATION PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS (All Modes) The Transportation Board feels strongly about the use and importance of clear, accurate metrics of transportation system performance. Transportation Board is supportive of the FCMOVES (Mobility Index) program to be undertaken in 2006-2007 by the Transportation Service Area. The Board is interested in regular updates (1-2 years) of transportation metrics. Actions: • Plan future meeting agenda items to discuss progress of the FCMOVES program. • Actively link results of metrics to public education and outreach under V. below It. TRANSPORTATION FINANCING A. Maintenance 1. Promote adequate funding for pavement management needs in addition to the 1/a cent sales tax, making up any additional funds from the General Fund or other sources. Include an inflation -proofing to recover costs due to increases in construction prices and additions to the street network. The Board will take an active part in discussions of alternative funding mechanisms such as the Transportation Maintenance Fee (TMF). B. Operating 1. Promote and support long-term funding for transit. 2. Monitor the balance between user fees and operating/maintenance costs for public parking. This balance is important to the success and vitality of retail services and the overall downtown economy. 3. Encourage business contributions/partnerships. C. Capital 1. Work with City Council to address the chasm in capital funding for streets by: - Finding new ways to provide leveraging such as seeking funds from the North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Planning Council (NFRT & AQPC). Transportation Board - 2006 Work Plan November 30, 2005 Page 2 - Assess and manage Street Oversizing and other fees to ensure that sufficient impact fees are generated to cover the community wide cost of development to ensure adequate public facilities 2. Support long-term funding for the enhanced travel corridors, such as the Mason Transportation Corridor Plan. 3. Investigate ways to adequately fund the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) capital improvement project list. 4. Help prioritize TMP projects when appropriate, taking all travel modes into consideration. D. General 1. Continue to promote and support increases of statewide transportation funds including equitable "shareback" of statewide funds for regional needs. 2. Develop and promote a package of transportation projects for the City's budget exception process. 3. Participate in the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) resource allocation process. III. TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATIONS A. Work with City staff and advise Council on the development and installation of Intelligent Transportation Systems. B. Promote the new Traffic Control System as an information network for monitoring and improving traffic flow. • Evaluate performance measurements of the current system to help monitor system effectiveness. • Determine new ways of utilizing the completed Traffic Control information network. C. Investigate and promote other technology and innovation such as: • Bus -system GPS (global positioning system), • Pedestrian count -down devices and audible crossing devices, • Integration of transportation data with the GIS system, • Implementation of compliance data studies, • Methods of automated traffic enforcement • Implementation of a rating system for bike lanes and paths • Real time transportation network condition monitoring system • Better collection of accident data (including bicycle crashes as a distinct type of accident) • Increased accessibility of transportation data by the general public • Bicycle and pedestrian detection devices at intersections • Telecommuting efforts • Improved security through right-of-way coordination • Demonstration projects for clean fuel technologies • Real-time travel tracking IV. COORDINATE WITH COUNCIL AND OTHER BOARDS AND AGENCIES A. Network with other City boards and commissions in advising City Council on transportation planning and construction projects. Designate e-mail links to boards. Transportation Board - 2006 Work Plan November 30, 2005 Page 3 Informally monitor the transportation related activities of other Boards and report back periodically to the Transportation Board. Provide specific liaisons to the: • City Council — Thordarson • Planning and Zoning Board — Watkins Air Quality Board — Thordarson Natural Resources Board — Johnson Parks & Recreation Board — Hallock-Solomon • Chamber of Commerce — Grigg • Economic Development Activities (e.g. EVSAG) - Robert Informal liaisons: • Loveland Transportation Board — Gary Thomas • Transit Accessibility Advisory Board — Gary Thomas The Transportation Board will review its liaison assignments at the January 2006 meeting. B. Provide periodic recommendations to Council throughout the year. C. Continue to participate in the activities of the North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Planning Council (designate e-mail links). 1. Monitor projects, planning activities, funding and issues— Grigg and Thordarson V. COMMUNITY EDUCATION ON TRANSPORTATION A. Educate citizens and businesses on transportation needs, and, in particular, promote the importance of maintaining and enhancing mobility in the face of increasing congestion. Identify and utilize communication channels for the education of citizens. • Increase the public awareness of the rapid growth in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), its effects on congestion and air quality, and alternative methods of dealing with this problem. • Develop methods to illustrate more clearly the community costs of providing a transportation system, including such things as "social and hidden costs;" costs associated with congestion; total costs of transportation for the community and the individual; how costs can be reduced; and how needs can be met. • Identification of and education about specific behaviors of users of the system that cause safety problems. Education methods could include: • Community Booth (e.g. Foothills Mall, New West Fast) • Attendance at Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair Sept. 16 - 17, 2006 in cooperation with other community groups or City departments and boards • Working with City Public Relations staff • Convincing Coloradoan to run a transportation -focused series. • Board member to write the Coloradoan soapboxes. • Write a soapbox for the quarterly transportation issues of the Utility Bill Newsletter (Written Route). Transportation Board - 2006 Work Plan November 30, 2005 Page 4 Examples of Soapbox topics: • Transportation Master Plan • Transportation Maintenance Fee • Mason Transportation Corridor • Arterial standards cap problem • Pavement Management Funding (e.g. pavement condition "sweet spot') • Safe cycling history (addition of lanes on Lemay once considered good, no longer) • Specific projects • Roundabouts • Pedestrian Program • Bicycle program plan • Transit • Hostility factor between modes • True cost of travel for all modes VI. TRANSPORTATION SAFETY A. Promote transportation safety as it affects all modes of transportation, through engineering, education and enforcement. B. Make recommendations for enforcement and its funding in all modes of transportation. C. Be proactive in the planning and promoting of enforceable pedestrian safety regulations. D. Identify specific portions of the infrastructure and transit system where safety issues exist. E. Identify embedded hazard issues (i.e. equinox visibility, weather). F. Review perceived issues regarding automated traffic enforcement technologies, including evaluation of effectiveness in reducing accident rates. G. Consider the issue of long haul through -truck traffic on Fort Collins city streets. VII. OTHER ACTIVITIES A. Monitor City staff planning activities. B. Monitor the North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Planning Council's planning activities. C. Monitor Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) planning and discussions and recommend appropriate actions to Council (potentially a significant area of activity during 2006). Transportation Board - 2006 Work Plan November 30, 2005 Page 5 D. Monitoring 1. Monitor progress of the projects remaining in BCC/BOB: • The Mason Transportation Corridor project • The non route based strategies for 1-25/1-80 truck diversion • East Prospect Road improvements 2. Continued involvement in developing transportation projects funded by Building on Basics (BOB) such as: • North College Improvements • Harmony Corridor Improvements • Timberline improvements • Intersection Improvements • Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan programs