Action Summary
Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization Board Meeting
March 19, 2015
The Regional Board Room, 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia
 

1.     Call to Order
  The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 10:41a.m.
 
2.     Approval of Agenda
  The Board approved the agenda.
 
WORKSHOP AGENDA
 
3.     Commonwealth Transportation Board Members Comments and Updates
Mr. John Malbon noted that at this month’s CTB meeting progress was made on the House Bill 2 Statewide Prioritization Process.  Also, the CTB passed a resolution to recommend their preferred alternative for the I-64/High Rise Bridge Corridor Study.  The CTB recommended that “the Preferred Alternative for this project be approved as Alternative 2, addition of two additional lanes of capacity in each direction including the construction of a new bridge and eventual replacement of existing bridge, with a decision as to the management option be made at a later date.”
 
4.     Virginia Department of Transportation Comments and Updates
Mr. James Utterback mentioned that a contract was awarded for the Turnpike Road project in Portsmouth. The 1.08 mile segment project contract award amounted to $23.4 million.  Also, the Shirley Contracting Co. was given the notice to proceed on the I-64 widening Project (Segment I) on March 18, 2015.  He announced that “Work Zone Awareness Week” is upon us and that the paving season will begin shortly with about 200K tons of asphalt due to be placed in the coming months. Mr. Utterback also stated that the Six-Year Improvement Program public meeting was scheduled for April 23, 2015 in the Regional Board Room and that the CTB meeting on April 14-15, 2015 would be held at the Sheraton Waterside.
 
5.     Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation Comments and Updates
Ms. Amy Inman stated that the DRPT is continuing work on their Six- Year Improvement Program.
 
6.     Military Liaisons Comments and Updates
Captain Clark announced that this was his last HRTPO Board meeting and introduced his replacement, Captain Bob Geis.
 
Lt. Colonel Huber had no comments or updates.
 
7.     FY 2016 Unified Planning Work Program: Draft
Mr. Mike Kimbrel briefed the Board on the Draft FY 2016 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), noting that the UPWP describes regional transportation planning activities to be performed by the HRTPO, transit operators, and VDOT.  He highlighted notable activities in the FY 2016 UPWP, including a new task to address multimodal mobility. The final UPWP is set for approval at the TTAC meeting on April 1, 2015 and the HRTPO Board meeting on April 16, 2015. The HRTPO Board took no action on this item.
 
 
 
 
 
8.     2040 LRTP Candidate Projects: Draft Project Prioritization Scores
Ms. Dale Stith briefed the Board on the 2040 LRTP Candidate Projects: Draft Project Prioritization Scores and mentioned that, per Federal regulations, any transportation project that receives federal funds or is categorized as ‘regionally significant’ must be included in the LRTP in order to proceed through construction.  The prioritization methodology examines transportation projects based on the components of Project Utility, Economic Vitality, and Project Viability.  The 2040 LRTP Candidate Projects: Final Project Prioritization Scores are set for HRTPO Board approval at the April 16, 2015 meeting. The HRTPO Board took no action on this item.
 
9.     I-64/High Rise Bridge Corridor Study Environmental Assessment: VDOT
Mr. James Utterback briefed the HRTPO Board on the I-64/High Rise Bridge Corridor Study Draft Environmental Assessment and stated that the draft EA includes a no-build option as well as an eight lane build alternative without tolling (CBA1).  In addition, there are eight lane build managed alternatives (CBA2) which include a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) option, a High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) alternative, and an All Tolled option.  The two fixed bridge options are at 95 feet and 135 feet. This item was included in the meeting agenda as a resolution for approval under item #14.  
 
 
10. Elizabeth River Tunnels Project – Construction Update: VDOT/ERC
Mr. Daniel A. Norman, PE briefed the HRTPO Board on the progress of construction and rehabilitation at the Midtown and Downtown tunnels.  He stated that the project is 70% complete and is on schedule to be completed on time in May of 2018. The HRTPO Board took no action on this item.
 
ACTION ITEMS AGENDA
 
11. Public Comment Period (limit 3 minutes per individual)
A citizen from Portsmouth commented on the I-64/High Rise Bridge Corridor study.  He is in favor of the CBA2 – Eight Lane Build Managed Alternative – High-Occupancy Toll (HOT). He stated that this is a viable funding model for transportation infrastructure projects.
 
 A citizen from Newport News mentioned that he was confused about the purposes of the 2040 LRTP Candidate Projects: Draft Project Prioritization Scores.  He questioned the exclusion of committed and HRTAC projects from the prioritization process.
 
A representative from Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance (HRPTA) announced that the Hampton Roads area was well represented at the Community Transportation Association of Virginia Legislative Day and Reception in Richmond on January 26, 2015.  He also stated that the HRPTA Power Hour Luncheon is set for March 26, 2015 at 12pm at the Stover Library in Norfolk.
                 
12. Submitted Public Comments
   There was one submitted public comment included in the agenda packet and one that was distributed as a handout at the meeting.
 
13. Authorizing Resolutions for FY 2016 Federal and State Grant Applications
The HRTPO Board approved the resolutions.
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. I-64/High Rise Bridge Corridor Study: Select Preferred Alternative and Bridge Height Option: Resolution
The HRTPO Board approved a motion stating the same preference regarding the project as the CTB identified in a resolution passed on March 18, 2015 - that “the Preferred Alternative for this project be approved as Alternative 2, addition of two additional lanes of capacity in each direction including the construction of a new bridge and eventual replacement of existing bridge, with a decision as to the management option be made at a later date.” The motion passed was not in the form of an HRTPO Board resolution.
 
15. Approval of Consent Items
The HRTPO Board approved the Consent Agenda items.
 
16. HRTPO Board Three-Month Tentative Schedule
          This item was for informational purposes only.
 
17. Correspondence of Interest
This item was for informational purposes only.
 
18. Minutes of HRTPO Committee Meetings
This item was for informational purposes only.
 
19. For Your Information
          This item was for informational purposes only.
 
20. Old/New Business
There was no Old/New business.
 
ADJOURNMENT