MINUTES OF THE METRO COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING

Tuesday, October 20, 1998

Metro Council Chamber

Members Present:  Susan McLain (Vice Chair), Jon Kvistad

Members Absent:  Ed Washington (Chair)

Vice Chair McLain called the meeting to order at 3:38 PM.

1.  INTRODUCTIONS

None.

2.  CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 22, 1998

3.  RESOLUTION NO. 98-2716, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AMENDING THE CONTRACT BETWEEN METRO AND ECONORTHWEST FOR THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF THE TRAFFIC RELIEF OPTIONS STUDY

Andy Cotugno, Director, Metro Transportation Department, explained that this resolution would authorize Metro to pay EcoNorthwest $19,656 more than specified in an existing contract. The money would pay EcoNorthwest to undertake additional work related to the traffic relief options study and to compensate for delays resulting from Metro’s difficulties implementing a new traffic demand model. He said the additional money would come from savings from local government pass-through contracts that are not spending the money nor providing the services. Those contracts would be reduced and the money spent on this one. The total amount would remain within the overall grant budget. The additional costs are legitimate, he said, as they are due to expectations imposed by Metro.

Vice Chair McLain asked if EcoNorthwest was overlapping its regional and local work. Mr. Cotugno said he believed some of the same individuals were working on both types of projects, but the billing here is directly related to congestion pricing work.

Councilor McLain said her question was a little different. She noted that in past discussions she had had with Mr. Cotugno, they had discussed the fact that local improvements sometimes result from regional projects and vice versa. She was asking if in EcoNorthwest’s work those kinds of interactions had happened.

Mr. Cotugno said he was not familiar with the details of EcoNorthwest’s projects. He said, however, that this contract is not connected with work in areas such as Stafford. It focuses narrowly on congestion pricing locations.

Chair Washington will carry the resolution to a meeting of the full Council.

4.  RESOLUTION NO. 98-2705, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AMENDING THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO INCLUDE THE TEA-21 HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS

Mr. Cotugno explained the purpose of this resolution. He said the TEA-21 high-priority projects are those that were included and earmarked in the TEA-21 bill that was passed by Congress. In order to draw down money on those projects, they must be programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Positive action on this resolution would amend the TIP to include them.

He said that the schedule of the dollar amounts are the amounts that Congress established. Congress set up the program to draw down the money over time. Although this can put jurisdictions with sponsoring projects in a financial bind--requiring them to either accumulate the money over a five-to six-year period or borrow the money and pay themselves back over that period--those are the rules. This actions allows Metro to draw the money down.

Mr. Cotugno noted the schedule can be adjusted so that projects that are ready to go can be initiated in place of those that have been delayed. However, the total amount allocated to each project would not be changed.

Vice Chair McLain clarified that Exhibit A was the only change to the document. Mr. Cotugno said yes. He added that several details in Exhibit A--for example, the distribution schedule for transit funds--had been corrected to make them consistent with provisions in the bill.

Chair Washington will carry the resolution to a meeting of the full Council.

5.  RESOLUTION NO. 98-2707, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AMENDING THE 1995 INTERIM FEDERAL REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN TO REDESIGNATE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM LINK THROUGH FOREST GROVE FROM HIGHWAY 8 TO THE FOREST GROVE BYPASS

Mr. Cotugno said this redesignation would allow National Highway System (NHS) funds to be used on the Forest Grove Bypass. The purpose of the bypass is to relocate traffic to the bypass from the area where the TV Highway meets Highway 47, a route currently designated as part of the NHS. In so doing, the bypass becomes the NHS route. Because NHS funds can be spent only on roads that are designated as part of the NHS, moving the designation allows money that has been attached to that route to be spent on the bypass. This action would not involve any new money nor any new policy direction. It would simply ensure that eligibility follows the NHS route.

Vice Chair Mclain asked if Mr. Cotugno would provide a time frame on this project. She said she had been asked about that by the City of Forest Grove but had received several different answers from Washington County. She would like to be able to give the city a definitive answer. Mr. Cotugno said he would get that for her.

Vice Chair McLain will carry the resolution to a meeting of the full Council.

6.  COUNCILOR COMMUNICATIONS

There being no further business before the Committee, Chair Washington adjourned the meeting at 3:45 PM.

Prepared by,

Pat Emmerson

Council Assistant