Action Summary
Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization Board Meeting
November 20, 2014
The Regional Board Room, 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia
 
Resolution of Condolence
 

1.     Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 10:46 a.m.
 
2.     Approval of Agenda
The Board approved the agenda.
 
 
WORKSHOP AGENDA
 
3.     Commonwealth Transportation Board Members Comments and Updates
There were no members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board available for comments and updates.
 
4.     Virginia Department of Transportation Comments and Updates
Mr. Utterback had no comments or updates.
 
5.     Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation Comments and Updates
Ms. Jennifer Mitchell noted that the Richmond-Washington High Speed Rail Tier II EIS is in the scoping phase.  Four public meetings have been held and the window for public comment will expire on December 5, 2014.
 
6.     Military Liaisons Comments and Updates
Lt. Colonel Huber had no comments or updates.
 
Captain Clark had no comments or updates.
 
7.     Hampton Roads to Raleigh Highway Corridor – Future Interstate Designation
Mr. Joe Milazzo II, PE, RTA Executive Director, briefed the HRTPO Board on an initiative to secure a future interstate designation for the highway corridor from Hampton Roads to Raleigh North Carolina.  Hampton Roads and Raleigh-Cary are two of the largest east coast metropolitan regions served by a single primary interstate route and this initiative proposes a second primary interstate route for the two areas.  There is bipartisan and bicameral Congressional support for this initiative in North Carolina.  The entire extent of the corridor in Virginia would be in the City of Chesapeake.  The HRTPO Board Resolution (2014-07) for this item was included in the meeting agenda for approval under item #14-L.
 
8.     I-64/High Rise Bridge Corridor Study Environmental Assessment: VDOT
Mr. Scott Smizik, VDOT Environmental Division, updated the HRTPO Board on the I-64 High Rise Bridge Corridor Study Environmental Assessment.  He outlined the purpose and need for the project which include capacity, safety, and emergency evacuation improvements.  Mr. Smizik highlighted the projected 2040 traffic conditions under the no -build scenario as a LOS “F” as compared to the 2013 existing LOS of “C”. Public input on the EA is scheduled to end on November 21, 2014 followed by a month long review of the input prior to a briefing to the CTB in January of 2015.
 
 
9.     Hampton Roads High-Speed Passenger Rail Vision Plan: Final
Mr. Chris Wichman briefed the HRTPO Board on the Hampton Roads High Speed Passenger Rail Vision Plan.  The final report is the culmination of phases 1 (Preliminary Vision Plan, July 2010), 1B (Blueprint Study, December 2010), 2A (Data Collection, March 2013), and 2B (Alternatives Analysis, March 2014).  The final report stemmed from the October 2009 HRTPO Board Resolution #2009-05.  The recommended action to approve the Hampton Roads High Speed Passenger Rail Vision Plan: Final for distribution and to prioritize working with DRPT to pursue funding for the Tier II EIS for the Richmond to Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project was included in the meeting agenda for approval under item #14-H.
 
10. Transit Funding Fiscal Cliff: DRPT
Ms. Jennifer Mitchell, DRPT Director, reported to the HRTPO Board that the CTB transit formulas that were adopted in December of 2013 are based on new performance metrics.  She noted that the financing for transit capital needs has been achieved primarily through nonrecurring sources such as bonds.  In FY-15, $48 million in revenue came from sustained sources while $110 million was from CPR bond revenues (due to expire by FY-18).  In addition, failure of the federal government to pass the Marketplace Fairness Act could result in a loss of $129.5 million by FY-19.  Ms. Mitchell stated that the reduced state match will cause local shares to increase significantly and the funding gap will need to be filled from other sources or it will be necessary to make extensive service cuts.
 
11. Connect Hampton Roads Survey: HRT
Mr. Brian Smith, Assistant to the President and CEO of Hampton Roads Transit, and Mr. Ray Amoruso, Chief Planning and Development Officer, briefed the HRTPO Board on the Connect Hampton Roads Initiative which is an effort to shape a new plan to support economic prosperity and quality of life for communities across Hampton Roads by improving regional mobility.  The kickoff for the initiative was in June of 2014.  Phase 1 of the process (public/stakeholder engagement) ran from June-September of 2014.  The current phase of the initiative is the Preliminary Connect Hampton Roads Program Development which includes eight main goals along with six pillars of plan elements. A formal resolution, approved by the HRT in January 2014, calls for the formal consideration of mass transit as a component of major transportation projects to be pursued by the HRTPO and the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The resolution was included in the agenda.
 
ACTION ITEMS AGENDA
 
12. Public Comment Period (limit 3 minutes per individual)
A citizen from Norfolk commented on enhancement of public transportation leading to economic diversification, development, and regional/global competitiveness.
 
A citizen from Newport News requested that the HRTPO include a transcription or a submitted copy of comments to be included in the minutes of the HRTPO Board meeting public comment section.
 
A representative from the RTA shared an email of support for the Hampton Roads to Raleigh Highway Corridor – Future Interstate designation from the Secretary of the Hampton Roads Business Roundtable.
 
A representative from the Hampton Roads chamber of Commerce stated their organization’s support for the  Priority Transportation Projects identified by the HRTPO and the Hampton Roads to Raleigh highway Corridor – Future Interstate Designation Initiative.
 
A citizen from Portsmouth suggested that members of the General Assembly should recuse themselves from voting on matters relating to Legislative Agendas that are forwarded to the General Assembly.
A citizen from Chesapeake presented a plan for a “General Taylor Freeway” as a more cost efficient way of moving freight and traffic as opposed to the current planned components of the “Third Crossing” project.
 
 
13. Submitted Public Comments
There was one submitted public comment.
 
14. Approval of Consent Items
The HRTPO Board approved the Consent Agenda items.
 
15. HRTPO Board Three-Month Tentative Schedule
This item was for informational purposes only.
 
16. Correspondence of Interest
This item was for informational purposes only.
 
17. For Your Information
This item was for informational purposes only.
 
18. Old/New Business
Delegate Yancey suggested that the HRTPO include verbatim transcription of the public comments in the minutes of HRTPO Board meetings.  Dr. Ravavbakht stated that the HRTPO Staff will incorporate the full public comments into future Board minutes.
 
Dr. Ravanbakht announced that the HRTAC meeting will be held at 12:30 in the Regional Board Room.
 
ADJOURNMENT