By: Keith Nichols
Senior Transportation Engineer

With water being such a prominent part of the Hampton Roads landscape, bridges are a critical part of the regional transportation system.  There are over 1,200 bridges in Hampton Roads, ranging from small culverts to some of the longest bridges in the world. 

Of these 1,214 bridges in Hampton Roads, 77 are classified as structurally deficient.  Structurally deficient bridges are structures with elements that need to be monitored and/or repaired, and eventually need to be rehabilitated or replaced.  It should be noted, however, that structurally deficient bridges are not necessarily unsafe, and bridge inspectors will close or place weight limits on any bridge that is unsafe.

Examples of prominent structurally deficient bridges in Hampton Roads include the Gilmerton Bridge, Lesner Bridge, Denbigh Boulevard Bridge over I-64 in Newport News, Churchland Bridge, and a segment of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.

In addition, another 271 bridges in Hampton Roads are classified as functionally obsolete.  Functionally obsolete bridges are structures that were built to standards that are no longer used today, and have narrow lanes, low vertical clearances, difficult approaches, or may occasionally be flooded.

VDOT has made improving bridges a priority, both in Hampton Roads and throughout the Commonwealth.  A total of 27 bridge projects in Hampton Roads are included in the current Six-Year Improvement Program, with a total of $339 million in allocations.  Many structurally deficient bridge projects are funded, including the Gilmerton Bridge, Lesner Bridge, and Denbigh Boulevard Bridge over I-64.

The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization completed a thorough study of bridges in 2008.  This study is available at the HRTPO website at http://hrtpo.org/Documents/Reports/2008/RegionalBridgeStudyFinalReport.pdf.

Structurally Deficient and Functionally Obsolete Bridges in Hampton Roads

By: Sam Belfield, Senior Transportation Engineer

At the September 2011 TPO meeting, the HRTPO Board approved the Hampton Roads Military Transportation Needs Study: Highway Network Analysis. The HRTPO staff worked with various stakeholders – local military representatives, federal agencies, Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Port Authority and local jurisdictions – to determine transportation concerns and needs of the local military.

Based on stakeholder input, the HRTPO staff identified a roadway network that includes both the Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) and additional roadways that serve the military sites and intermodal facilities not included in the STRAHNET. The HRTPO staff reviewed this “Roadways Serving the Military in Hampton Roads” network to determine deficient locations, such as congested segments, deficient bridges, and inadequate geometrics. Based on stakeholder input and the analysis of deficient locations in this study, the HRTPO staff has recommended several transportation projects that may benefit military travel. The HRTPO staff plans to incorporate this work into future iterations of the Congestion Management Process and the regional Long-Range Transportation Plan Project Prioritization Tool to assist decision makers as they select future transportation projects.

Click HERE to view the final report.

by Stephanie Shealey
Transportation Engineer

During the April 5th Hampton Roads Transportation Operations (HRTO) subcommittee meeting, Roemer Alfelor (FHWA) briefed the committee members on the FHWA Road Weather Management Program. The purpose of the briefing was to introduce the member localities to the Clarus Initiative, and explain how local Traffic Management Centers (TMC's) can support the initiative and use the data it collects.

The Clarus Initiative (www.clarusinitiative.org) aims to reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions on roadway users. Part of this initiative, the Clarus System (www.clarus-system.com) compiles weather stations across the US and Canada so that local users can monitor not only the weather in their area, but also the weather patterns that are moving towards them, allowing local governments to be prepared to respond to any inclement weather.

Currently, there are two VDOT weather stations in Hampton Roads that are attached to the Clarus system, and the City of Hampton has several roadway weather stations in its own system.

By Mike Kimbrel
Principal Transportation Engineer

1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 9:46 a.m. (Following ICG Meeting)

2. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (Oral comments - Limit 3 minutes per individual)
There were no speakers.

3. SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS (Written comments included in agenda packet)
The Chair recognized the submitted public comments.

4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Gibson requested that a new agenda item be added after Item 14 to discuss amending the 2034 LRTP list of projects to change the Route 460 project from a study to a construction project. Mr. Hicks requested that a new agenda item be added after Item 11 to address a James City County TIP Amendment request. Mr. Gibson moved approval of the requested changes to the agenda. Mr. Abt seconded the motion and the agenda was approved with the
requested changes.

5. MINUTES
The minutes were approved with no changes.

6. NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Mr. Schnaufer noted that the Nominating Committee had recommended Mr. Sorey for TTAC Chair and Mr. King for TTAC Vice-Chair. He then moved approval of the recommended officers. Mr. Drumwright seconded the motion and it was approved.

7. CMAQ/RSTP RECONCILIATION WORK: STATUS REPORT
Mr. Kimbrel briefed the TTAC on the status of reallocating CMAQ and RSTP funds found to be available from Categories A and C, noting that the total available funds had been reduced as a result of a determination by York County, James City County, and Williamsburg that two projects listed as Districtwide projects were underway projects as opposed to completed projects. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

8. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: CHESAPEAKE
Mr. Walton briefed the TTAC on the City’s request to reallocate RSTP and CMAQ funds, noting that some funds were being returned to the CMAQ Reserve. Mr. Walton moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Hicks seconded the motion and it was approved.

9. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: NEWPORT NEWS
Mr. Slaughter briefed the TTAC on the City’s request to reallocate CMAQ funds and moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Lewis seconded the motion and it was approved.

10. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: NORFOLK
Mr. Brown briefed the TTAC on the City’s request to reallocate CMAQ funds and moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Walton seconded the motion and it was approved.

11. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: JAMES CITY COUNTY
Mr. Hicks briefed the TTAC on the County’s request to add the Skiffes Creek Connector to the FY 2009-2012 TIP as a Preliminary Engineering and Right of Way Only project and to transfer funds to the new project from the Route 60 Relocated project. Mr. Hicks moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Cross seconded the motion and it was approved.

New Item FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: JAMES CITY COUNTY
Mr. Hicks briefed the TTAC on the County’s request to reallocate CMAQ and RSTP funds and moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Walton seconded the motion and it was approved.

12. REVIEW OF THE FY 2012-2017 SIX-YEAR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROCESS: VDOT
Mr. Jack briefed the TTAC on the roles and responsibilities of the various entities involved in the development of the SYIP. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

13. I-64 PENINSULA STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT: VDOT
Mr. Nies briefed the TTAC on the purpose of the study, as well as the timeline and current status. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

14. 2034 LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN: STATUS REPORT
Ms. Ravanbakht noted that the Recommended List of Projects and Studies that was approved by the HRTPO Board during its March 2011 meeting was enclosed. She further noted that the document had been widely distributed, and that recipients included the Governor, Secretary of Transportation, and members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Ms. Stith then briefed the TTAC on the status of the 2034 LRTP development, noting the tasks completed to date as well as the schedule of remaining tasks to be completed by January 2012. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

New Item AMENDING THE RECOMMENDED LIST OF PROJECTS AND STUDIES FOR THE 2034 LRTP TO SHOW THE ROUTE 460 PROJECT AS A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Mr. Gibson noted that the current Recommended List of Projects and Studies for the 2034 LRTP includes the Route 460 project as a study, but that the PPTA process makes the construction of the Route 460 project financially-constrained. As such, Mr. Gibson moved that the Recommended List of Projects and Studies for the 2034 LRTP be amended to show the project as a construction project. Mr. Ponticello seconded the motion and it was approved.

15. INRIX NATIONAL TRAFFIC SCORECARD
Mr. Nichols briefed the TTAC on the INRIX National Traffic Scorecard 2010 Annual Report,which details the status of congestion in the largest 100 metropolitan areas across the country. The congestion information is based on travel speed information collected from over 4 million GPS-equipped vehicles, as well as consumer cellular GPS-based devices. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

16. CORRESPONDENCE OF INTEREST
There were no items this month.

17. FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The Chair noted the item on the VDOT public hearing on the draft Six-Year Improvement Program that is scheduled for April 27, 2011 at the Regional Building, 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia. The items listed under FYI were for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on the items listed under FYI.

18. OLD/NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Hicks stated that there was a recent public meeting in James City County on the Mooretown Road Corridor Extension, noting that over 70 people attended the meeting. He expressed special appreciation to Ms. Ravanbakht for her attendance and presentation during the public meeting. The TTAC took no action on this item.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:04 a.m.

Kendall Miller
Public Involvement and Community Outreach Administrator

Dwight L. Farmer, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, will present an overview of the 2034 Long Range Transportation Plan and the Project Prioritization Process to members of the business community in Portsmouth. The presentation will occur at the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, 206 High Street, Wednesday, April 6, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Dale M. Stith
Transportation Planner

On March 17, 2011, the HRTPO Board unanimously approved a fiscally-constrained prioritized List of Projects and Studies to include in the region’s next 2034

Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).  This action

represents an unprecedented 18 months of focused dialogue and regional cooperation to develop and approve an objective analysis of critically needed transportation improvements.    Furthermore, this is also the first time a formalized process for prioritizing transportation projects was used as input to rank regionally significant projects.

Projects and studies recommended for the LRTP must be fiscally-constrained per federal regulations.  The HRTPO must be able to demonstrate that reasonable funding exists to cover the costs associated with each recommended project in the LRTP.  In the face of scarce funding resources, HRTPO staff had the challenging task of evaluating over 150 candidate transportation projects that were submitted by transportation stakeholders and concerned citizens from across the region.  The price tag for these projects totals approximately $30 Billion.  Combining revenue sources from federal, state, the Governor’s Transportation Funding Proposal, local, and private investment, the region can expect slightly over $5 Billion in the next 20 years to invest in new transportation projects.  HRTPO staff utilized the Prioritization Tool to help rank projects based on their technical merits and regional benefits.  High-ranking projects were then selected based on funding sources available.

In spite of the limited funding resources, the HRTPO staff identified funding for approximately 50 projects and studies for the 2034 LRTP.  These projects range from widening roadways to relieve congestion including I-64 on the Peninsula, replacing and repairing critical bridges, improving interchanges and intersections, reinstating and enhancing passenger rail service, developing passenger rail stations, and adding new roadways for increased connectivity such as the I-564 Intermodal Connector as well as adding another tube to the Midtown Tunnel.  The approved list also includes several studies that will evaluate the benefits and impacts of major regional projects such as US Route 460, widening I-64 from Hampton Roads to Richmond, Patriots Crossing, widening the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt, High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail, and the Virginia Beach Transit Extension.

For more information about the approved List of Projects and Studies for the 2034 LRTP, please visit the HRTPO website at www.hrtpo.org.

Kendall Miller
Public Involvement and Community Outreach Administrator

TRB Special Report 304: How We Travel: A Sustainable National Program for Travel Data assesses the current state of travel data at the federal, state, and local levels and defines an achievable and sustainable travel data system that could support public and private transportation decision making. The committee that developed the report recommends the organization of a National Travel Data Program built on a core of essential passenger and freight travel data sponsored at the federal level and well integrated with travel data collected by states, metropolitan planning organizations, transit and other local agencies, and the private sector.  To get a copy of the report, click here.

Camelia Ravanbakht, HRTPO Deputy Executive Director and Kendall Miller, HRTPO Public Involvement and Community Outreach Administrator, will be attending  a forum on the Mooretown Extension, conducted by the James City County Citizens Committee (J4C). The forum, entitled, "Mooretown Extension: What is the Purpose of the Extension?" will cover such issues as the extension's effects on the region's environment, economy, and traffic, as well as explore other alternatives to the extension itself. Ms. Ravanbakht will be reviewing the 2034 Long Range Transportation Plan and the Project  Prioritization Ranking System . The forum will take place on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the Croaker Road branch of the Williamsburg Regional Library, starting at 7:00 pm.