CAPTIONING - Hillsborough County, Florida
CAPTIONING
FEBRUARY 5, 2013
METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.
>>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE WEDNESDAY -- TUESDAY MORNING MEETING OF YOUR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, 9:00, HERE AT THE COUNTY CENTER, AND WOULD YOU PLEASE START WITH THE PLEDGE AND THE PRAYER BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
>>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ARE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU TOUCHED US WITH YOUR LOVING HANDS THIS MORNING TO WAKE US TO SEE ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAYS.
WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU ALLOWED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO COME OUT TODAY TO MAKE DECISIONS TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF ITS CITIZENS TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
WE ASK THAT YOU REGULATE OUR MINDS AND HUMBLE OUR HEARTS AS WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT THOSE THAT ARE ON FOREIGN SOILS THAT FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM EACH AND EVERY DAY AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR US TO PROTECT US.
WE ASK THAT WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE YOU TAKE US BACK TO OUR HOMES TO FIND EVERYTHING SAFE AND SOUND.
THESE AND ALL BLESSINGS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.
AMEN.
>> AMEN.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.
OKAY.
YOU'LL FIND YOUR COMMITTEE REPORTS ARE IN YOUR COMMITTEE PACKETS AT YOUR DESK.
WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND WE'VE GOT ONE INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP, AND THAT'S MR. CHIP THOMAS.
MR. CHIP THOMAS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORWARD, IF YOU'D LIKE, SIR.
>> THANK YOU.
HI.
CHIP THOMAS, 1219 EAST HENRY AVENUE.
AND AS MUCH AS NO ONE CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE WITH ANY CERTAINTY, ONE THING WE SHOULD CERTAINLY PLAN AND PREPARE FOR ARE RISING ENERGY COSTS, ESPECIALLY OIL, AND OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM GOES NOWHERE WITHOUT AFFORDABLE OIL. AND I GET THE SENSE THAT YOU'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THE CAR IS NOT THE ANSWER TO ALL OF OUR TRANSPORTATION WOES, IT'S PROBABLY MORE A SOURCE OF PROBLEMS, BUT I'M NOT SENSING URGENCY IN -- IN MAKING A CHANGE.
REPORT AFTER REPORT FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW ABOUT HOW A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND SALARIES ARE FLAT AND EXPENSES ARE INCREASING AND NO ONE HAS MONEY FOR RETIREMENT OR SAVINGS AND EVERYONE'S ONE MEDICAL EMERGENCY AWAY FROM BANKRUPTCY, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN AFFORD CAR OWNERSHIP FOR MUCH LONGER, AND I DON'T THINK A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO, AND $4, $5 GAS COULD BE THE STRAW THAT MAKES CAR OWNERSHIP UNAFFORDABLE.
GAS HAS MORE THAN TRIPLED IN THE LAST 13 YEARS.
ANYBODY THINK IT'S NOT GOING TO TRIPLE IN THE NEXT 13 YEARS?
AND WE'RE ON BORROWED TIME, AND THIS COUNTY ESPECIALLY IS REALLY -- THE WHOLE COUNTRY, BUT THE COUNTY AND THE WHOLE BAY AREA IS REALLY VULNERABLE TO THIS.
AND ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS WITH RAIL -- BECAUSE I'M NOT INHERENTLY AGAINST RAIL, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF TIME INVOLVED, AND AT BEST WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TEN YEARS FROM NOW HAVING ONE OR TWO LINES OF RAIL BUILT, IF WE CAN GET THE MONEY TO BUILD IT, AND THEN CAN WE GET THE MONEY TO RUN IT YEAR AFTER YEAR?
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE UP THEIR CARS COMPLETELY WHEN WE HAVE ONE OR TWO LINES?
AND THAT'S AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY AND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME THAT'S GOING INTO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE CAR-FREE FOR A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, AND THAT TIME AND MONEY COULD -- I'M THINKING COULD BE BETTER SPENT IN SOMETHING LIKE THE BUS SYSTEM, WHICH THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S ALREADY THERE AND WE COULD HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE BUS SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING IN A COUPLE YEARS, PROBABLY, IF WE REALLY PUT ALL OF OUR EFFORT TO IT.
BUT RAIL IS JUST GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM OUR TIME AND OUR RESOURCES, AND EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT HOW SUCCESSFUL IT IS IN DALLAS AND PHOENIX AND CHARLOTTE AND SO ON.
WELL, IT'S NOT TIME PROVEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, MASS TRANSIT IS HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED FOR A REASON, FOR SEVERAL REASONS, BUT A MAIN REASON IS IF YOU HAD TO CHARGE THE TRUE COST OF THE RIDE, VERY FEW PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE IT.
AND I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS IDEA THAT WE CAN SUBSIDIZE SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN SUBSIDIZE MASS TRANSIT IN A FEW SELECT AREAS LIKE NEW YORK CITY, WHICH WON'T EXIST WITHOUT THE SUBWAY SYSTEM, BUT EVERYBODY HAS TO HELP OUT THERE.
BUT WE CAN'T ALL -- WE CAN'T SUBSIDIZE SOMETHING THAT WE ALL DO.
THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK.
WHO'S DOING THE SUBSIDIZING?
AND THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM, I THINK, WITH MASS TRANSIT THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY REALIZED.
I MEAN -- I DON'T HAVE ANY TIME LEFT.
I THINK THE SOLUTION IS FOR PEOPLE TO GO INTO TWO-WHEELED AND THREE-WHEELED TRANSPORTATIONS, LIKE EBIKES, AND WE HAVE A BUS SYSTEM THAT PUTS THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY WITHIN FIVE MILES OF A BUS SYSTEM AND ANYBODY CAN RIDE AN ELECTRIC BIKE FIVE MILES, SO ANYWAY, THANKS FOR LISTENING.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS,
MR. THOMAS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE THREE ITEMS, AND I BELIEVE MR. CHIARAMONTE WANTS TO ADD A FOURTH, A "D" ITEM, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT BY ROLL CALL.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: RIGHT.
OKAY.
THE ONE ITEM I WANTED TO ADD WAS TO APPOINT MARK SHARPE TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE SINCE WHEN WE CREATED THE POLICY COMMITTEE, HE DIDN'T VOLUNTEER BUT NOW HE WISHES TO BE ON, SO --
[LAUGHTER]
>> HE'S BEING VOLUNTEERED.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: -- UNDER PRESSURE.
>>MARK SHARPE: I WAS FIGURING -- I WAS WAITING.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: SO I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THAT WITH ITEM "B" ON COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS AND ADD HIS NAME.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: [INAUDIBLE]
>>HARRY COHEN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: YEAH, AND I GO ALONG WITH THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW IS WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE CONSENT ITEM BY ROLL CALL.
>> CORRECT.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
SO --
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: DO WE HAVE THE MOTION AND THE SECOND?
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER -- COUNCILMAN SUAREZ OR COHEN.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: BOTH OF THEM, YES.
COUNCILMAN -- COUNCILMAN SUAREZ MADE THE MOTION, COUNCILMAN COHEN SECONDED.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MILLER.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: EXCUSE ME, ARE WE -- IS THIS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS THE WHOLE OR ARE WE GOING --
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
OKAY.
BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: LOPANO.
LOTT.
>>RICK LOTT: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: CHILLURA.
SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: SUAREZ.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: COHEN.
>>HARRY COHEN: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: POLZIN.
>>STEVE POLZIN: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: ANDERSON.
WAGGONER.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MONTELIONE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: THANK YOU.
MOTION CARRIES.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM 5, WHICH IS A MEETING REGARDING THE TMA CERTIFICATION, MR. CRANDOL.
RICH, ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING THIS?
>>RICH CLARENDON: I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR MAIN SPEAKER ON THIS ONE.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.
>>RICH CLARENDON: I'M RICHARD CLARENDON WITH THE MPO STAFF.
THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING THE TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AREA CERTIFICATION.
THAT'S THE FEDERAL TERMINOLOGY FOR THE URBANIZED AREA THAT CONSISTS OF HILLSBOROUGH -- HILLSBOROUGH, PINELLAS, AND PART OF PASCO COUNTY, AND EVERY FOUR YEARS WE GO THROUGH THIS CERTIFICATION PROCESS WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY AND THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE WITH US HERE TODAY SHAKIRA CRANDOL FROM FHWA FLORIDA DIVISION OFFICE IN TALLAHASSEE.
SHE WILL BE WITH US FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS ALONG WITH HER TEAM.
WE WILL BE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE, AND WE HOPE TO LEARN FROM OTHERS.
WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO IMPART SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED.
I DO HAVE -- IN CASE THERE ARE SPEAKERS HERE TODAY, THEY'RE, OF COURSE, WELCOME, AND WE ENCOURAGE THAT, BUT I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ELECTRONICALLY WHICH I'D LIKE TO --
>>MARK SHARPE: ABSOLUTELY.
>>RICH CLARENDON: -- CONVEY TO YOU WHEN SHE GETS DONE WITH HER PRESENTATION, SO WITH THAT, SHAKIRA.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.
WELCOME, MA'AM.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
OKAY.
GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS SHAKIRA CRANDOL.
I'M WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION IN TALLAHASSEE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
AND I'M GOING TO BE A LITTLE RUDE BECAUSE I WILL NEED TO TURN TO THE AUDIENCE FOR THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION, SO I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE SHOW FOR YOU UP HERE AND TURN THIS WAY AS WELL SO THAT I DON'T TURN MY BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC INPUT PORTION, AND USUALLY I'M ACCOMPANIED BY A TEAM THAT'S TRAVELING DOWN, AND SINCE I'VE BEEN UNDER THE WEATHER, NO ONE WANTED TO RIDE WITH ME.
[LAUGHTER]
I'M TRYING TO GET OVER A COLD.
SO THEY SHOULD BE HERE PROBABLY TOWARDS THE END, AND I'LL -- I'LL INTRODUCE THEM WHEN THEY COME IN AND SHAME THEM FOR SENDING ME BY MYSELF.
WE ALSO ARE USUALLY JOINED BY THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
MY COUNTERPART, PARRIS ORR, WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DOWN HERE.
SHE'S IN ATLANTA, BUT SHE WILL BE JOINING US VIA A CONFERENCE CALL FOR THE SITE VISIT PORTION.
SO FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES US TO JOINTLY CERTIFY THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESSES OF TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AREAS, AND THAT'S POPULATIONS OF 200,000 OR MORE, EVERY FOUR YEARS.
THE CERTIFICATION REVIEW USUALLY CONSISTS OF FOUR PARTS.
THERE'S A DESK AUDIT, SO WE SPEND A FEW MONTHS JUST REVIEWING ALL THE PLANNING PRODUCTS OF THE MPO, AND THEN THERE'S A SITE VISIT, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THESE TWO DAYS.
WE'LL GO OVER THE PLANNING PRODUCTS OF THE MPO, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE PLANNING PROCESSES AND HOW YOU'RE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS, AND THEN WE'LL PRODUCE A REPORT.
THIS REPORT WILL BE A SERIES OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, NOTEWORTHY PRACTICES, AND IF THERE ARE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, THAT ALSO WILL BE NOTED IN THE FINAL REPORT.
AND THEN THERE'S A CLOSEOUT PRESENTATION.
SO ONCE WE'RE DONE, I'LL COME BACK AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN THE REPORT, AND ON THE SPEAKER CARD -- IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANTS TO SEE WHAT THAT REPORT IS OR WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE AN ELECTRONIC COPY, THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO REQUEST THAT VIA THE SPEAKER CARD.
SO THE PLANNING PROCESS TENDS TO TALK ABOUT YOUR LONG-RANGE AND SHORT-RANGE PLANS.
THIS IS SORT OF OUR ALPHABET SOUP.
YOU KNOW, WE LIKE OUR ACRONYMS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND SO IT COVERS YOUR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH IS YOUR 20-YEAR PLAN; IT COVERS YOUR UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM, WHICH IS YOUR TWO-YEAR PLAN; A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN; AS WELL AS OTHER PLANS AND HOW INVOLVED ARE YOU AND WHAT THESE PLANS MEAN TO YOUR PLANNING AREA BECAUSE IT GUIDES THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS IN THIS AREA.
SO IT ESTABLISHES OUR FRAMEWORK FOR COLLABORATION, IT MAKES SURE THAT OUR PLANS -- TO SPEAK TO THE GENTLEMEN THAT SPOKE EARLIER -- ARE MULTIMODAL IN ITS FOCUS, THAT WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSING ON HIGHWAYS BUT WE'RE CONSIDERING TRANSIT BY SERVING PEDESTRIANS.
WE WANT TO MAKE -- IT ALSO -- OUR PLANNING PROCESS ALSO GAUGES WHERE THE FUNDS GO AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE INPUT IN WHERE THOSE FUNDS GO.
AND THEN IT PROVIDES OUR FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE, SO WE'RE NOT JUST PLANNING FOR TODAY BUT WE'RE FORECASTING FOR TOMORROW AND FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE NEEDS ARE TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND WHO'S INVOLVED?
EVERYBODY, THE -- FROM SCHOOLCHILDREN TO UNIVERSITY, TRANSIT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE -- FREIGHT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, THAT YOU KNOW WHO YOUR MPO STAFF IS, THAT WHEN YOU MAKE A COMMENT THAT THAT COMMENT IS THOUGHTFULLY CONSIDERED, THAT YOU SEE HOW YOUR COMMENT IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND SO WHY AM I HERE TODAY AND DANCING AROUND THIS MICROPHONE?
I FEEL LIKE A SINGER.
I'M HERE TO FIND OUT FROM YOU JUST TO GAUGE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT THE OVERALL PLANNING PROCESS, HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR MPO BOARD AND YOUR MPO STAFF AND IF THEY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND IF YOU'RE FEELING SHY AND YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE A COMMENT TODAY, THEN WE DO ACCEPT COMMENTS UNTIL MARCH 5th OF THIS -- MARCH 5th, 2013.
YOU CAN SEND THAT ELECTRONICALLY, YOU CAN E-MAIL ME, YOU CAN MAIL IT IN, YOU CAN PROVIDE IT -- I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A SPEAKER CARD -- COMMENT CARD ON THE WEB SITE, SO YOU CAN SEND IT ELECTRONICALLY.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT.
AND WE TAKE THOSE COMMENTS, AND YOUR COMMENTS BECOME A PART OF THE REPORT.
SO THERE ARE USUALLY FOUR QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK JUST TO GET THIS CONVERSATION GOING: ARE YOU PROVIDED WITH AN ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS; DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS; HAVE YOU SEEN THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN OR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THIS AREA; DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR COMMENTS ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY THE STAFF AND THE MPO BOARD; AND DO YOU FEEL -- AND DO YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW THIS PLANNING PROCESS COULD BE IMPROVED?
SO IS THERE A BETTER WAY FOR US TO IMPROVE YOU -- INCLUDE YOU IN THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS?
SO AT THIS TIME, IF WE HAD ANYONE THAT HAD ANY COMMENTS, YOU CAN COME UP AND PROVIDE THEM NOW.
DID WE HAVE ANYBODY?
NOBODY WANTS TO TALK?
OKAY.
OKAY.
WELL, WE'LL WAIT A LITTLE BIT, AND I GUESS WE'LL -- OH, YOU HAVE A -- OKAY.
THANK YOU.
YOU CAN COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
JUST FOR PUBLIC -- MY NAME IS TIM HEBERLEIN, BY THE WAY.
I LIVE AT 1224 EAST FRIERSON, NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HILLSBOROUGH AND NEBRASKA, AND, OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS WITH OUR COMMUNITY IS, YOU KNOW, JUST THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF -- OF THE -- SPECIFICALLY THAT NEBRASKA CORRIDOR AS WELL AS THE INTERSECTION OF HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED MOVING FORWARD.
I ACTUALLY WENT ON THE INVISION WEB SITE.
ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THERE IS HOW DO WE EFFECTIVELY CHANGE THOSE CORRIDORS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO ALLOW FOR FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TRANSIT, AND I THINK ENGAGING THOSE COMMUNITIES, WHICH I THINK THE CITY, THE MPO, AND ALL THE OTHER RESPECTIVE BOARDS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF ENGAGING, IS ALLOWING ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE TO GO INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES SORT OF ADVOCATING FOR A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH, WHICH IS PRIMARILY TRANSIT AND URBAN DENSITY IN SOME OF THOSE CORRIDORS.
HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE FOR ME IS A HUGE CONCERN, WHICH I
THINK -- NOT JUST FOR THE RESIDENTS THERE, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO CROSS HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ROAD AND ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT IT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR URBAN DENSITY, FOR MORE COMPACT COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, AND ALSO THAT IT'S -- YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW PEOPLE ARE GETTING AROUND IN THOSE -- THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE'S LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, WHERE -- THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED BEFORE, RIDING BIKES ACROSS THE STREET IS VERY DANGEROUS, SO THE CYCLIST COMMUNITY, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ALONG THOSE URBAN CORRIDORS I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THAT PARTICULAR OUTREACH, SO THAT'S MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.
ANYONE ELSE?
COME ON.
THERE YOU GO.
>> KEVIN THURMAN --
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, KEVIN.
>> -- 77 NORTH ASHLEY DRIVE, TAMPA, FLORIDA.
GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
I COME HERE AS PART OF CONNECT TAMPA BAY, AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND I WANTED TO KIND OF ADDRESS A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ASKING, SORT OF CERTIFICATION.
I HAVE TO SAY, FIRST OFF, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A NEW ORGANIZATION, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY VERY HAPPY WITH THE PROCESS AS IT'S GONE BEFORE, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS AND STAFF COMMENTS.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY FORTHCOMING IN TRYING TO DO THAT, AND SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THAT.
WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE EVEN MORE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND DOCUMENTS.
I KNOW THAT REQUIRES FUNDING, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MOVE TOWARDS THAT.
THE ONLY OTHER SUGGESTION THAT WE WOULD REALLY MAKE IS THE MORE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, BOTH WITHIN CITIES, YOU KNOW -- IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT WE HAVE THE CITY AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALL KIND OF ROLLED IN TOGETHER, AND THE PLANNING PROCESS WORKS WELL THERE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE US ALSO WORKING WELL TOGETHER WITH, YOU KNOW, THE PASCO AND PINELLAS COUNTY AND THE OTHER MPOs IN THE AREA, SO WORKING WITH THEM IS IMPORTANT NO MATTER HOW THAT'S DONE, BUT OVERALL, WE'RE EXTREMELY HAPPY.
>>MARK SHARPE: AND, KEVIN, AS -- HE ALREADY SAID IT, BUT HE IS THE -- ARE YOU THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR?
>> EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CONNECT TAMPA BAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
OF CONNECT TAMPA BAY, WHICH IS A REALLY INTERESTING ORGANIZATION.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK INTO THAT.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK?
OKAY.
RICH.
YOU HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT FROM --
>>RICH CLARENDON: YES.
WE DID HAVE THESE QUESTIONS POSED ON OUR WEB SITE AND A SURVEY FORM FOR FOLKS TO RESPOND TO.
I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF PERTINENT COMMENTS.
THIS FROM ONE OF OUR BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I WON'T READ THE ENTIRE COMMENT.
IT JUST SAYS, THE MPO IS A VITAL PLAYER IN MAKING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SAFE FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVED THE NATIONAL AWARD FOR THE BICYCLE SAFETY PLAN IN 2012 AND IS EFFECTIVE IN MAKING BICYCLE SAFETY A CENTRAL ISSUE IN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE ALSO GOT A COMMENT FROM A MEMBER OF OUR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO SAYS HE COMMENDS THE MPO FOR THE WORK ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IN AND AROUND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I WOULD, HOWEVER, LIKE TO SEE THE MPO ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE AND KEEP IN MIND THE HEALTHIEST COMMUNITIES ACROSS AMERICA ARE THOSE THAT HAVE EXCELLENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE TRAINS, CARS, BUSES, AND A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ALSO HEARD FROM ONE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS ACTUALLY OVER IN PINELLAS COUNTY WHO INDICATED THAT THE MPO IS OPEN TO DIALOGUE ABOUT REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY ARE GOOD ABOUT REACHING OUT TO OTHERS AND FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE, COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT.
SO THESE AREN'T ALL THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET, I'M SURE THERE MAY BE OTHERS, BUT WE WILL PROVIDE ALL THESE TO YOU WHEN THEY COME FORTH.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, RICH.
VERY GOOD.
ANYONE ELSE?
OKAY.
>> WELL, THANK YOU.
[INAUDIBLE]
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU THINK OF OR IF YOU WANT TO MAIL THEM IN, PLEASE FEEL FREE, AND, AGAIN, IF YOU WANT A COPY OF THE REPORT, PLEASE JUST INCLUDE IT -- A NOTATION ON THE FORM THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE IT ELECTRONICALLY.
WE ALSO WILL SEND IT IN HARD COPY, SO -- YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SIT IN ON THE SITE VISIT THE NEXT TWO DAYS IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN TALKING ABOUT PLANNING DOCUMENTS.
IF NOT, THEN I'LL SEE YOU ALL AT ANOTHER BOARD MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE.
HOPE YOU GET BETTER.
OKAY.
BETH.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ACTION ITEM 6.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AT LEAST, INTENSE, AND WE'VE AGREED THAT THIS WAS THE MEETING WE WERE GOING TO BRING IT IN FOR A LANDING, SO MS. ALDEN, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE ITEM, AND THEN LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T TAKE SOME ACTION.
>>BETH ALDEN: THANK YOU, SIR.
AND GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS.
BETH ALDEN, MPO STAFF.
AND JUST AS A QUICK HOUSEKEEPING ITEM, THE PROPOSED LIST OF HIGH-PRIORITY MAJOR TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES IS IN YOUR PACKET.
IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IN YOUR PACKET.
IT PROBABLY PRINTED OUT AT 8.5-BY-11, WHICH IS TINY, TINY PRINT AND HARD TO READ, SO I DID BRING YOU SOME HARD COPIES PRINTED OUT AT 11-BY-17 THAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR BOLD -- BOARD FOLDERS, SO YOU HAVE --
>>MARK SHARPE: MS. ALDEN --
>>BETH ALDEN: -- SOMETHING ELSE TO LOOK AT.
>>MARK SHARPE: IT'S AVAILABLE ON-LINE AS WELL?
>>BETH ALDEN: AND IT IS -- YES, ALL OF THIS IS ON-LINE.
>>MARK SHARPE: JUST GO TO THE AGENDA ITEM --
>>BETH ALDEN: MM-HMM.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- FOR THE -- OKAY.
>>BETH ALDEN: YES, SIR.
>>MARK SHARPE: SO IF ANYONE'S WATCHING, YOU CAN GET THIS ON-LINE.
>>BETH ALDEN: AND THERE YOU CAN ZOOM IN AND PAN AND LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN GREAT DETAIL.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
>>BETH ALDEN: I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT WHERE THIS LIST CAME FROM.
THE HILLSBOROUGH MPO HAS BEEN COMMITTED FOR A LONG TIME TO WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES TO SET REGIONAL PRIORITIES AS PART OF OUR METROPOLITAN PLANNING PROCESS.
WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE BEEN ASKED FOR TAMPA BAY'S PRIORITIES FOR FEDERAL EARMARKS.
WHEN OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, WENT TO WASHINGTON IN 2000, THEY ASKED US TO COME TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR THAT PLANNING PROCESS.
WE HAVE SET PRIORITIES IN THE PAST FOR STATE/LOCAL PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS AFTER THE TRANSPORTATION REGIONAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM WAS CREATED BACK IN 2006, AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO ESTABLISH THOSE REGIONAL PRIORITIES EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN.
WE'VE ALSO ESTABLISHED REGIONAL PRIORITIES FOR REGIONAL TRAILS WHERE WE'VE SOUGHT STATE-LEVEL FUNDING FOR THOSE MAJOR REGIONAL CONNECTIONS FOR TRAILS, AND, IN FACT, IT WAS PARTLY BECAUSE OF THIS REGIONAL SUPPORT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET FUNDING FROM THE D.O.T. FOR THE COURTNEY CAMPBELL CAUSEWAY TRAIL CONSTRUCTION.
SO THESE ARE JUST -- JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST WITH PRIORITIZATION.
LOOKING FORWARD, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, WITH OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATURE, BUT ALSO WITH -- WITH FEDERAL HIGHWAY, WITH FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION STAFF, AND TO WORK WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, NOT ONLY ON NEAR-TERM FUNDING IN THE TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM BUT ALSO LOOKING OUT AT THEIR LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND SEEKING THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH MAJOR PROJECT INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR MAJOR NEW FACILITIES OR WORKING WITH CSX, AS THE ORLANDO AREA DID, TO DEVELOP AN AGREEMENT.
SO LOOKING AT PREVIOUS MAJOR REGIONAL INITIATIVES -- THIS YEAR WE WERE ASKED TO THINK BIGGER, TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, OUTSIDE THE BOX OF A PARTICULAR FUNDING SOURCE LIKE A FEDERAL EARMARK OR T.R.I.P. OR THE STATE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.
WE WERE ASKED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE REAL NEEDS OF OUR REGION THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, AND WE MAY NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC SOLUTION YET BUT TO LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN COME TO CONSENSUS ABOUT THE NEED TO CREATE A SOLUTION.
SO WE WENT BACK FIRST AND LOOKED AT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
THE STATE HAS A STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM MULTIMODAL UNFUNDED NEEDS PLAN.
THEY HAVE A SUMMARY DOCUMENT PREPARED IN 2011 THAT'S IN YOUR BOARD PACKET, ALSO ON-LINE, AND SOME OF THE MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED THERE WERE SPECIAL USE LANES ON OUR INTERSTATE CORRIDORS, 275, I-4, I-75.
IT TALKS ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS ON U.S. 19.
YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE PINELLAS, PASCO COUNTIES, MOVING NORTHWARD.
IT LISTS COMMUTER RAIL PROJECTS, NEW FREIGHT RAIL LINES.
THESE ARE LISTED IN A VERY KIND OF BROAD-BRUSH WAY AS A STRATEGIC DIRECTION FOR THE STATE.
ON THE -- YOU KNOW, SORT OF AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM WE SAW PRIORITIES PROPOSED BY THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP, YOU KNOW, AND, AGAIN, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS AVAILABLE TO LOOK AT LAST SUMMER AS WE STARTED ON THIS PROJECT.
THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP HAD AT THAT TIME IDENTIFIED A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WILL GROW OUR REGION.
AND THE AUDIENCE THERE WAS PROBABLY AN IMMEDIATE -- A MORE IMMEDIATE ASK FOR FUNDING FROM THE STATE IN THE SHORT-TERM, SO THEY WERE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE SOME PROJECTS THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH SOONER, SUNCOAST PARKWAY 2, SO COMPLETION OF THE SUNCOAST PARKWAY, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PINELLAS ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS, A MANATEE PORT CONNECTOR, THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE NORTHBOUND SPAN REPLACEMENT, AND THEN LISTED IN A MORE BROAD WAY INTERSTATE MANAGED LANES, INDICATING THEIR SUPPORT FOR THAT.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT PRIORITIES THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE TAMPA BAY AREA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY COMING OUT OF THE TBARTA MASTER PLAN.
THEY IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR FURTHER STUDY OF A NUMBER OF CORRIDORS, AND THESE WERE IN THE REALM OF CONCEPT STUDIES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MORE DETAILED TYPE OF ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS STUDY, YOU KNOW, BUT JUST GENERALLY SORT OF IDENTIFYING THESE ARE SOME AREAS THAT NEED SOME FOCUS AND SOME ATTENTION.
SO CONCEPTUALLY THEY THOUGHT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE SUNCOAST VETERANS CORRIDOR, AT THE STATE ROUTE 54/STATE ROUTE 56 CORRIDOR IN PASCO COUNTY, JUST NORTH OF OUR BORDER, REGIONAL BUS ROUTES ON I-75, THEY RECOMMENDED A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE TO INCLUDE TRANSIT, AND THEY RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVES ANALYSES FOR -- THAT PINELLAS ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS STUDY FOR ANOTHER CORRIDOR FROM THE USF AREA UP INTO PASCO COUNTY AND FOR IN SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTIES AN EXTENSION OF THE BRT PROJECT IN SARASOTA.
WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THESE THINGS LAST SUMMER, AND WE WERE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, HOW DO WE SIFT THROUGH THIS, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE, WHAT IS OUR AUDIENCE, WHAT ARE THE HOPED OUTCOMES?
AND THE STAFF WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS STAFF OF ALL OF THE MPOs OF THIS EIGHT-COUNTY AREA, SUGGESTED THAT WE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE REGIONAL LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH WE DEVELOPED IN 2009, AND LOOK AT AN AUDIENCE THAT, YES, IS THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE AND IMMEDIATE FUNDING REQUESTS BUT ALSO LOOKING more LONG-RANGE, AGAIN, AT HOW THE STATE DOES ITS STRATEGIC PLANNING, ITS LONG-TERM UNFUNDED NEEDS, HOW IT STARTS TO MOVE PROJECTS FROM FEASIBILITY STUDIES TO PD&E, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, TO DESIGN, TO RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION, AND THEN TO CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT'S A STAGED PROCESS, AND YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE HOPING FOR?
YES, LET'S BRING NEW FUNDING TO BUILD SOMETHING, BUT LET'S ALSO START LOOKING AT EVALUATING AND PLANNING FOR NEW MAJOR PROJECTS, WHAT ARE THE NEXT PROJECTS THAT MOVE INTO THE PIPELINE?
SO WE LOOKED AT THE REGIONAL LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AS AN INFORMATIVE DOCUMENT.
AGAIN, IT IS FOR AN EIGHT-COUNTY AREA, INCLUDING THE TBARTA AREA PLUS POLK COUNTY.
THAT PLAN HAD BEEN DONE BREAKING DOWN THE REGION INTO 11 TRAVEL MARKETS.
THERE WERE HIGH-PRIORITY CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED IN EACH TRAVEL MARKET.
THAT PLAN IDENTIFIED FUNDING SOURCES FOR MAJOR PROJECTS, SIMILAR TO OUR LOCAL LRTPs, AND THE PRIORITIES WERE IDENTIFIED BASED ON THESE FIVE FACTORS: IS THE CORRIDOR PART OF THE STATE'S STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM, IS THE CORRIDOR AN EVACUATION ROUTE, DOES THE CORRIDOR SUPPORT ONE OF THE DESIGNATED REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTERS OR REGIONAL FREIGHT ACTIVITY CENTERS WHICH WERE DEVELOPED IN COOPERATION WITH TBARTA, IS THE CORRIDOR EXTREMELY CONGESTED AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONGESTION RELIEF, AND ARE -- IS THERE A HISTORY OF CRASH PROBLEMS IN THE CORRIDOR?
SO I'M GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROPOSED TOP TEN LIST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE 11 TRAVEL MARKETS THAT ARE IN THE REGIONAL LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
AND I'M GOING TO START AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, WHICH IS THE I-75 CORRIDOR.
THE I-75 CORRIDOR IS IDENTIFIED AS A HIGH-PRIORITY CORRIDOR IN FIVE OUT OF THE 11 TRAVEL MARKETS.
IT'S IN HILLSBOROUGH TO PASCO AS PART OF THAT MAJOR COMMUTER SHED.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HARD TO SEE IT ON HERE, BUT IT IS THIS LINE HERE.
IT'S IN THE SOUTH BRANDON TRAVEL MARKET, WHICH IS BASICALLY FROM THE CENTER OF HILLSBOROUGH DOWN TO NORTHERN MANATEE COUNTY, ALSO A MAJOR COMMUTER SHED.
IT CONTINUES ON SOUTH THROUGH OUR REGION AS A MAJOR CONNECTION TO BOTH BRADENTON AND SARASOTA, SO WE'VE GOT IT HERE.
THIS IS ON OUR LANES MAP.
AND THEN IT CONTINUES FARTHER SOUTH DOWN TO THE NEXT METROPOLITAN AREA SOUTH, WHICH IS THAT CHARLOTTE, PUNTA GORDA, NORTH PORT AREA.
AND NORTH PORT, ACTUALLY BEING IN SARASOTA COUNTY, IS STILL PART OF OUR PLANNING AREA.
AND, OF COURSE, I-75 CONTINUES NORTH CONNECTING US TO THE REST OF THE STATE AND IS A MAJOR CONNECTOR FOR PASCO AND HERNANDO, SERVING BROOKSVILLE, DADE CITY, AND, YOU KNOW, A COMMUTER SHED FOR THE NORTHERN PART OF PASCO COUNTY.
SO WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THIS LIST AS A REGIONAL PRIORITY?
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS MENTIONED IN THE LIST.
FIRST IS WIDENING THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR TO A MINIMUM OF SIX GENERAL USE LANES.
THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN A LOT OF THE CORRIDOR, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SPOTS WHERE IT HASN'T BEEN COMPLETED, AND, IN FACT, OUR -- OUR D.O.T. SECRETARY JUST ANNOUNCED, I THINK LAST WEEK, THAT PART OF I-75 NORTH OF US IN PASCO AND HERNANDO IS FUNDED NOW FOR CONSTRUCTION TO WIDEN TO SIX LANES.
BUT GOING BEYOND THAT, KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, I-75, PARTICULARLY IN OUR COUNTY, IS ONE OF OUR MOST CONGESTED CORRIDORS, THERE'S A LOT OF VEHICLE HOURS OF DELAY ON THAT CORRIDOR, WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE FOR CAPACITY?
AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION HERE IS TO BE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL MANAGED LANES.
THOSE HAVE BEEN STUDIED IN PD&E STUDIES IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL EXPRESS LANES THAT COULD BE BUILT IN THE MEDIAN OF I-75.
WE'RE -- ALSO IN THIS LIST IS A RECOMMENDATION OUT OF THE TBARTA MASTER PLAN TO LOOK AT REGIONAL EXPRESS BUS SERVICE IN THIS CORRIDOR.
WE DO HAVE SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE RELATED TO THIS REGIONAL PRIORITY ALREADY ADOPTED IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
THEY'RE IN THE TOP 20% OF OUR RANKED PROJECTS LIST.
AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF YOU SUPPORT THIS REGIONAL PRIORITY?
LIKELY NEXT STEPS WOULD BE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASES FOR THE REMAINING SIX LANE SEGMENTS; FOR THOSE EXPRESS LANES, COMPLETING TOLL FEASIBILITY STUDIES TO SEE IF THAT'S A STRATEGY FOR BRINGING SOME MONEY TO THE PROJECTS; AND ALSO LOOKING AT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP EXPLORATION.
AGAIN, THIS MAY BE AN AREA WHERE THE CENTRAL OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MIGHT NEED TO PLAY A ROLE IN NEGOTIATING THOSE KINDS OF PARTNERSHIPS.
AND FINALLY, EXPRESS BUS FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND WHAT WOULD BE A DESIGN FOR HOW TO USE THOSE EXPRESS LANES FOR TRANSIT, WHAT'S THE PARK-N-RIDE ACCESS TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE EXPRESS LANES, FOR EXAMPLE?
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE BUILT INTO THE DESIGN.
OUR SECOND PROPOSED PRIORITY IS AN EAST-WEST CORRIDOR THAT'S ALSO VERY SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S THE I-4 CORRIDOR TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA AND THEN GOING WEST OF DOWNTOWN TAMPA ON I-275, SO THAT SERVES OUR CROSS-BAY TRAVEL MARKET.
IT ALSO SERVES OUR TAMPA-TO-LAKELAND TRAVEL MARKET AND GOING FURTHER EAST, CONNECTING LAKELAND TO ORLANDO.
AND THIS IS A HIGH-PRIORITY CORRIDOR IN ALL THREE OF THOSE TRAVEL MARKETS.
SO ON OUR PROPOSED REGIONAL PRIORITY LIST, WHAT'S PROPOSED IS ADDITIONAL MANAGED LANES SIMILAR TO THAT I-75 CONCEPT, WHICH MIGHT BE EXPRESS TOLL LANES, AND EXPRESS BUS STATIONS AND SERVICE, SO IT IS A REAL SIMILAR KIND OF RECOMMENDATION.
WE DO HAVE RELATED PROJECTS ALREADY ADOPTED IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH PLAN IN THE TOP 20%.
LIKELY NEXT STEPS, AGAIN, WOULD BE TOLL FEASIBILITY STUDIES, EXPLORATION OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO TRY TO ACCELERATE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE EXPRESS LANES, AND LOOKING AT EXPRESS BUS FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND DESIGN CONCEPT FOR TRANSIT CENTER ACCESS TO MANAGED LANES.
THE THIRD PRIORITY ON THE LIST IS THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE.
THIS, OF COURSE, SERVES OUR CROSS-BAY TRAVEL MARKET AND IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE A LITTLE MICROCOSM OF THAT LARGER CORRIDOR THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT.
THE PROPOSED REGIONAL PRIORITY IS BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, INCLUDING A TRANSIT ENVELOPE OF SOME KIND STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
THE D.O.T. STUDY POINTS TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS, INCLUDING A SEPARATE BRIDGE FOR RAIL OR SPECIAL LANES FOR SOME EXPRESS BUS SERVICE.
WE'RE ALSO SUGGESTING THAT THE MAJOR MULTIMODAL TRANSIT CENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN PLANNED AT EITHER END OF THE BRIDGE BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS PRIORITY.
AND WE RECEIVED A COMMENT FROM THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE THAT CONSTRUCTION OF THE MEMORIAL HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE NEEDS TO BE FUNDED AND SHOULD PROBABLY BE INCLUDED IN THIS IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES IN THIS AREA.
AGAIN, TOP 20% OF OUR HILLSBOROUGH RANKED PROJECTS LIST.
LIKELY NEXT STEPS, HOPEFULLY CONSTRUCTION OF THAT MEMORIAL HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE, SOME KIND OF DESIGN PHASE OF THE NEW NORTHBOUND SPAN OF THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE, POTENTIALLY AN EXPRESS BUS PILOT PROJECT.
THERE IS AN EXPRESS BUS ROUTE OUT THERE, COULD THAT BE EXPANDED TO MAKE A MORE REGIONAL CONNECTION?
NEXT ARE TWO MAJOR INITIATIVES WHICH ARE NOT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
ONE IS THE U.S. 19 CORRIDOR, WHICH SERVES THE PINELLAS-TO-PASCO TRAVEL MARKET, ANOTHER MAJOR COMMUTER SHED, AND THE PASCO-TO-HERNANDO TRAVEL MARKET, NEW PORT RICHEY UP TO SPRING HILL, AND IT ALSO CONNECTS DOWN TO THE SKYWAY BRIDGE AND MAKES THAT CONNECTION DOWN TO BRADENTON.
WHAT'S PROPOSED AS A REGIONAL PRIORITY IS CONTINUED WORK ON INTERCHANGES AND OTHER WAYS OF CONTROLLING ACCESS, FRONTAGE ROADS AND SO FORTH, TO MAKE THAT MORE OF AN EXPRESS TRIP ON U.S. 19 RATHER THAN THE KIND OF STOP-AND-GO THAT YOU HAVE ON MAJOR COMMERCIAL ARTERIALS.
SO THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A NUMBER OF INTERCHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED, AND SO THE IDEA HERE WOULD BE TO CONTINUE THAT CONCEPT.
IT'S ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT EXPRESS BUS STATIONS AND SERVICE BE INCLUDED IN THE CORRIDOR, AND THE PINELLAS MPO HAS ASKED US TO INCLUDE IN THIS PRIORITY THE CONNECTION OF U.S. 19 OVER TO I-275 AS THE 118th AVENUE EXPRESSWAY.
THIS IS NOT IN HILLSBOROUGH, SO IT'S NOT RANKED IN OUR PRIORITIES LIST.
AND LIKELY NEXT STEPS, HOPEFULLY CONSTRUCTION OF THAT 118th AVENUE EXPRESSWAY DESIGN FOR NEW SEGMENTS OF OVERPASSES AND CONTROLLED ACCESS AND EXPRESS BUS FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
JUST NORTH OF OUR BORDER, RUNNING EAST-WEST, IS THE STATE ROUTE 54 AND 56 CORRIDOR, GOES ALL THE WAY ACROSS PASCO COUNTY AND CONNECTS U.S. 19 TO THE SUNCOAST TO I-75 AND CONTINUES ON EASTWARD TO ZEPHYRHILLS AND WESLEY CHAPEL.
SO IT SERVES BOTH FOLKS KIND OF ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF STATE ROUTE 54/56 AND ON THE NORTH SIDE.
IT IS A MAJOR EAST-WEST CONNECTION ACROSS OUR REGION.
IT'S BEEN TOUTED AS KIND OF THE -- A NORTHERN BELTWAY, AND WHAT'S PROPOSED HERE IS THE ADDITION OF MANAGED LANES AGAIN IN THIS CORRIDOR AND ACCOMMODATING TRANSIT.
THIS IS NOT A PROJECT THAT'S RANKED IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH PLAN.
LIKELY NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TOLL FEASIBILITY AND LOOKING AT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR MANAGED LANES.
SOUTH OF US, CONNECTING SARASOTA AND BRADENTON, IS THE U.S. 41 CORRIDOR.
THIS IS A MAJOR URBAN CORRIDOR FOR THESE COMMUNITIES, BUT IT IS CONTINUOUS ON FARTHER SOUTH IN SARASOTA COUNTY GOING ON DOWN TO NORTH PORT.
THE U.S. 41 MULTIMODAL CORRIDOR IS THE TOP PRIORITY OF THE SARASOTA/MANATEE MPO, AND WHAT'S PROPOSED AS A REGIONAL PRIORITY IS TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS, EXTENDING THE SARASOTA TRANSIT BUS RAPID TRANSIT CORRIDOR FARTHER INTO BRADENTON AND ALSO FARTHER SOUTH AND MAKING THAT BRT PROJECT HAPPEN, SIDEWALKS, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, LANDSCAPING, MAKING THIS A MORE URBAN MULTIMODAL CORRIDOR AND INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC FLOW.
THIS IS NOT RANKED IN OUR PLAN.
LIKELY NEXT STEPS WOULD BE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASES FOR SOME OF THESE INTERSECTION, PEDESTRIAN, AND BUS FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
IN WHAT WE CALL THE VETERANS CORRIDOR AND THE REGION CALLS THE SUNCOAST VETERANS CORRIDOR WE ARE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, AND, AGAIN, THIS CORRIDOR SERVES HILLSBOROUGH-TO-PASCO COMMUTER SHED, IT SERVES THAT PASCO-TO-HERNANDO MAJOR CONNECTION, AND IT GOES ON FARTHER NORTH TO CITRUS COUNTY.
THE REGIONAL PRIORITY THAT'S PROPOSED IS TO COMPLETE THE WIDENING OF THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY IN OUR COUNTY TO EIGHT LANES THROUGH THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE VETERANS; AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE REGION TO EXTEND THE SUNCOAST PARKWAY FARTHER NORTH THROUGH CITRUS COUNTY AND CONNECT IT OVER TO U.S. 19 -- THAT'S WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS SUNCOAST 2 -- AND, AGAIN, TO LOOK AT EXPRESS BUS STATIONS AND SERVICE IN THE CORRIDOR.
THERE -- OUR VETERAN EXPRESSWAY WIDENING PROJECT IS, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IN THE TOP 20% OF OUR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION LIST.
AND LIKELY NEXT STEPS, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY CONSTRUCTION FOR THAT LAST PIECE NORTH OF GUNN HIGHWAY ON THE VETERANS RIGHT-OF-WAY PHASE FOR SUNCOAST 2.
THEY'VE JUST STARTED WORKING WITH WILLING SELLERS ON SUNCOAST 2, AND TBARTA HAS BEEN WORKING ON A TRANSIT STUDY OF THE CORRIDOR, SO MAYBE MOVING BEYOND THAT TO AN EXPRESS BUS FEASIBILITY STUDY.
OKAY.
WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE LAST THREE, AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
[LAUGHTER]
>>MARK SHARPE: YOU'RE DOING GOOD, THOUGH.
>>BETH ALDEN: THE LAST THREE FOCUS MORE ON TRANSIT, AND THE FIRST ONE HERE IS THE PINELLAS ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS, WHICH SERVES THE CROSS-BAY TRAVEL MARKET.
WHAT'S PROPOSED IS LIGHT RAIL -- THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION OUT OF THE PINELLAS ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS -- CONNECTING
ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN TO CLEARWATER DOWNTOWN, THROUGH THAT GATEWAY BUSINESS DISTRICT, THROUGH THAT CARILLON AREA, SO CONNECTING THOSE JOBS AND THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES A TRANSIT CONNECTION ACROSS THE BAY, CONNECTING TO THE WESTSHORE DISTRICT AND TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA, AND COUNTYWIDE BUS SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS ARE PART OF THE ENTIRE RECOMMENDED PACKAGE.
THERE REALLY AREN'T RELATED PROJECTS IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH LONG-RANGE PLAN.
IT'S A PINELLAS INITIATIVE.
LIKELY NEXT STEPS, PSTA HAS REQUESTED THAT THE PINELLAS COUNTY COMMISSION CONSIDER A REFERENDUM TO SUPPORT LOCAL FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT.
IN OUR COUNTY WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CSX CORRIDOR THAT IS NORTH OF DOWNTOWN TAMPA AND THAT CONTINUES UP INTO THE NORTHERN COUNTIES.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS A MAJOR COMMUTER SHED.
ON THIS TRANSIT MAP YOU CAN SEE THIS CORRIDOR.
HERE'S DOWNTOWN TAMPA.
WE'RE BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE CSX CORRIDOR THAT RUNS NORTH ON INTO PASCO, LAND O'LAKES, CONNERTON'S OVER HERE, AND THEN IT GETS UP TO BROOKSVILLE, AND I THINK THEN WE RUN OUT OF RIGHT-OF-WAY IN BROOKSVILLE.
WHAT'S PROPOSED AS A REGIONAL PRIORITY IS ADDING COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE OF SOME KIND ON THIS EXISTING CSX TRACK THAT'S GENERALLY NORTH OF DOWNTOWN TAMPA.
RELATED PROJECTS IN THE HILLSBOROUGH LONG-RANGE PLAN INCLUDE THE RAIL PROJECT THAT WAS UNDER STUDY BY HART AT THE TIME WE DEVELOPED THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES THAT SEGMENT FROM DOWNTOWN TAMPA UP TO USF.
THE MOST LIKELY NEXT STEPS ARE A MULTICOUNTY STUDY LOOKING AT CSX'S USE OF THE CORRIDOR AND HOW PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE MIGHT INTERACT WITH THE GOODS MOVEMENT THAT CSX NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO CONDUCT IN THAT CORRIDOR.
YOU KNOW, SO, AGAIN, SINCE THIS IS -- THIS SERVES A MULTICOUNTY AREA, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HILLSBOROUGH PROBABLY WOULDN'T DO BY ITSELF, YOU KNOW, THAT WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON A STUDY LIKE THAT, AND -- AND THAT WOULD BE DONE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY COORDINATING VERY CLOSELY WITH CSX TO MEET THEIR NEEDS AND INFORMATION REQUESTS.
AND THE LAST PROJECT ON OUR LIST IS THE U.S. 92 CORRIDOR RAIL.
THIS IS THE TITLE THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED BY THE POLK TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
I THINK YOU SAW IT PREVIOUSLY AS THE I-4 CORRIDOR RAIL, BUT GENERALLY IT WAS TO SERVE THIS EAST-WEST TRAVEL MARKET GOING FROM TAMPA TO PLANT CITY TO LAKELAND AND THEN CONTINUING FARTHER EAST, CONNECTING INTO ORLANDO.
SO WHAT POLK WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER INCLUDING IN THE LIST IS THE POTENTIAL TO EXTEND COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE WESTWARD FROM THE SUNRAIL PROJECT AND MOVING IN TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS INTO POLK AND HOPEFULLY ULTIMATELY OVER TO HILLSBOROUGH.
THIS IS A SECOND 20% RANKED PROJECT IN OUR PLAN, BUT WHAT ARE THE LIKELY NEXT STEPS FOR THIS ONE?
AGAIN, LOCALLY THERE'S A REFERENDUM PROPOSED BY POLK TRANSIT TO CONSIDER FUNDING FOR THAT PROJECT.
SO SHOULD ALSO BE IN YOUR FOLDER THE SUMMARY MAP.
THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHTED CORRIDORS THAT WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH AND ALL OF OUR TRAVEL SHEDS AND -- SO WHAT DOES THIS -- WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR US?
WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR HERE IS A BALANCE OF PROJECTS FROM AROUND THE REGION, BUT STILL, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD INVESTMENT IN OUR MOST HEAVILY POPULATED AREAS AND OUR MOST HEAVILY TRAVELED CORRIDORS, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT JUST SCATTERED INVESTMENT ALL OVER THE REGION.
WE'RE PROPOSING A MIX OF PROJECTS THAT ARE READY FOR A CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND A MIX OF LONGER-TERM INNOVATIONS, IF YOU WILL.
LOTS OF ROOM FOR PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE IS A LOT OF EXPLORATION OF MANAGED LANES, OF TOLL FEASIBILITY STUDIES, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO TRY TO ACCELERATE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THROUGH PRIVATE FINANCING.
AND FINALLY, THE LIST IS INTENTIONALLY BROAD-BRUSH.
THE IDEA HERE IS TO ALLOW FLEXIBILITY SO THAT THE MANY DIFFERENT ENTITIES WHO ARE DOING GOOD WORK AROUND THIS REGION CAN MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE SOME -- SOME ROOM TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY ARISE.
SO, YES, THIS IS A WISH LIST, AS IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED IN THE PAPER, BUT MORE THAN THAT, IT'S AN IDEA FOR A STRATEGIC DIRECTION FOR BOTH THE SHORT-TERM AND ALSO THE LONG-TERM.
THE LIST HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY YOUR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ALSO BY YOUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO YOU THAT YOU SUPPORT THE HIGH-PRIORITY MAJOR TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES, THAT YOU CONSIDER SUPPORTING THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE'S COMMENT TO ADD CONSTRUCTION OF THAT I-275/MEMORIAL HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE TO THE PRIORITY LIST, AND ALSO, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE FORWARD OTHER EDITS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO THE REGIONAL COORDINATING GROUP.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, FIRST, LET ME SAY, BETH, THIS HAS BEEN A HERCULEAN TASK ON YOUR PART.
YOU'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY PATIENT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, AND YOU'VE ENDURED A LOT OF HARD QUESTIONS, WHICH ARE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS, FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHERS, BUT I THINK YOU'VE RESPONDED VERY WELL, AND SO I WANT TO JUST BEGIN BY STATING I THINK YOU'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF KIND OF GIVING US A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, AND THAT'S REALLY TO MEET IMMEDIATE NEEDS BUT ALSO TO LOOK OUT INTO THE FUTURE, ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING STATES IN THE NATION, AND THIS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGION IS GROWING FAST AS WELL.
SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS BOTH OUR CURRENT NEEDS BUT ALSO LOOK OUT INTO THE FUTURE AND TO PUT SOMETHING ON A PIECE OF PAPER -- BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE PUT A LIST TOGETHER, YOU CAN BET THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DON'T LIKE WHAT'S ON THE LIST FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT I THINK YOU'VE DONE A COMPREHENSIVE JOB OF EXPLAINING WHY, AND SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET'S START WITH BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, SO DOES ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO -- ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL START WITH DIRECTOR LOTT, COMMISSIONER LOTT, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO DR. POLZIN.
>>RICK LOTT: SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT -- THAT SO FAR JUST ABOUT EVERYONE ON THE LIST THAT NEEDS TO APPROVE THIS HAS APPROVED THIS LIST, IS THAT CORRECT, THE OTHER --
>>BETH ALDEN: YES.
THE --
>>RICK LOTT: -- MPOs AND SO FORTH?
SO WE'RE THE LAST MPO?
>>BETH ALDEN: THE PASCO MPO WILL BE ON THE 14th OF FEBRUARY.
>>RICK LOTT: OKAY.
THAT'S RIGHT.
IN OUR WORKSHOP YOU MENTIONED THAT.
BUT MANATEE, PINELLAS, ALL THE OTHER ONES HAVE --
>>BETH ALDEN: MM-HMM.
>>RICK LOTT: -- HAVE APPROVED THAT?
>>BETH ALDEN: POLK, HERNANDO.
>>RICK LOTT: WHAT ORGANIZATIONS HAVEN'T APPROVED THIS LIST YET?
>>BETH ALDEN: HAVE NOT OR --
>>RICK LOTT: YES.
I GUESS HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, AND WHO ELSE?
>>BETH ALDEN: HILLSBOROUGH AND PASCO ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE OUTSTANDING.
>>RICK LOTT: THE LAST TWO?
>>BETH ALDEN: YEAH.
>>RICK LOTT: OKAY.
I'M AMAZED WHEN YOU BRING THIS MANY MPOs TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MAJORITY OF THESE PROJECTS ARE PREDOMINANTLY HILLSBOROUGH PROJECTS, THAT YOU HAVE THAT MUCH, YOU KNOW, COORDINATION AMONGST ALL THE GROUPS.
I MEAN --
>>MARK SHARPE: BETH'S PRETTY TOUGH.
>>RICK LOTT: -- WHAT WAS THE -- ESPECIALLY THE TOP THREE, YOU KNOW.
WHAT WAS -- WHAT WAS -- I'D LIKE TO JUST GET A SAMPLE OF WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CONCERNS FROM THE AREA -- OTHER MPOs ABOUT THIS LIST?
>>BETH ALDEN: OH, WOW.
[LAUGHTER]
>>RICK LOTT: I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN --
>>BETH ALDEN: YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LONG --
>>RICK LOTT: -- [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] HILLSBOROUGH PREDOMINANTLY THE MAJORITY OF THIS TOP TEN LIST?
>>BETH ALDEN: WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF COLLEGIALITY WORKING AMONG THE MPOs, AND, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, WHEN YOU -- WHEN YOU START DOING THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, THE -- THE CONNECTIONS TO HILLSBOROUGH ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
>>RICK LOTT: OKAY.
>>BETH ALDEN: YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE OTHER COUNTIES DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN PRIORITIES, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE THEIR OWN PRIORITIES.
YOU KNOW, SARASOTA/MANATEE CAME FORWARD SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE VENICE BYPASS AND THE ENGLEWOOD BYPASS HAVE BEEN TOP PRIORITIES OF OUR BOARD FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT CAME RIGHT DOWN TO IT, THE ONE THAT THEY WERE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THAT U.S. 41 CORRIDOR, AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IF THERE -- IF WE -- IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT WE HAVE TO SEE ON THE LIST OR WE CAN'T SUPPORT THE LIST, IT'S THAT U.S. 41 MULTIMODAL CORRIDOR.
>>RICK LOTT: OKAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.
DR. POLZIN.
>>STEVE POLZIN: YEAH.
BETH, SEVERAL THINGS, REALLY, BUT FIRST, TELL ME HOW THIS LIST AND THIS SET OF PRIORITIES PLAYS AGAINST THIS MPO'S LOCAL PRIORITIES WHICH MIGHT NOT BE CONSIDERED REGIONAL, AND WHERE IS THE TRADEOFF MADE BETWEEN INVESTMENT IN REGIONAL PRIORITIES VERSUS INVESTMENT IN LOCAL PRIORITIES THAT MIGHT NOT BE DEFINED AS REGIONAL?
>>BETH ALDEN: WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND HERE IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD THE PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THIS MPO FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
THAT PROCESS IS NOT CHANGED.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE HOLD AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF THOSE PRIORITIES, THERE'S AN ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO DO THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO REPORT BACK TO YOU ON WHAT THE PROGRESS IS ON FUNDING THOSE PRIORITIES.
>>STEVE POLZIN: OKAY.
LET ME TURN TO SOME OF THE TRANSIT QUESTIONS, AND I'LL TAKE ITEM NUMBER 2, FOR EXAMPLE, AND YOU SAY, EXPRESS BUS STATIONS AND SERVICE, AND BOTH OF THOSE WORDS, "STATIONS" AND "SERVICE," HAVE CONNOTATIONS.
STATIONS HAVE A VERY DISTINCT APPLICATION, RELATIVELY UNIQUE, NOT NEARLY AS UBIQUITOUS AS IMPLIED IN THIS LIST, AND I'M WONDERING WHERE THAT CAME FROM, WHO SUGGESTED IT, WHY IT'S IN THERE BECAUSE, FRANKLY, TO ME IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
I MEAN, EXPRESS BUS SERVICE, PARK-N-RIDE FACILITIES.
THERE MAY BE A LOCATION OR TWO WHERE A, QUOTE, STATION MAKES SENSE, BUT -- BUT IT'S A VERY UNIQUE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES; WHEREAS, A STATION ON A FREEWAY FOR BUS SERVICE MAKES SENSE, AND I THINK IT'S A LITTLE MISLEADING.
>>BETH ALDEN: WELL, I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE -- THE SECOND PRIORITY IS THAT I-4/I-275 EAST-WEST CORRIDOR; CORRECT?
>>STEVE POLZIN: WELL, IT'S PASTED ON SEVERAL OF THESE --
>>BETH ALDEN: OKAY.
>>STEVE POLZIN: -- WITH BUS STATIONS OR WHAT ARE CHARACTERIZED AS STATIONS, AND IN YOUR GRAPHICS, YOU DO HAVE AN IMAGE OF A STATION.
>>BETH ALDEN: CORRECT.
>>STEVE POLZIN: VERY [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>BETH ALDEN: ONE OF -- THAT -- THAT I-4 AND I-275 EAST-WEST CORRIDOR RUNS THROUGH SOME VERY URBAN AREAS, AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE NEED FOR HAVING SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, MORE FORMAL STATION, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THE URBAN COMMUNITY INTERACT WITH THE TRANSIT SERVICE THAT'S ON THAT FAST-MOVING EXPRESS LANE?
YOU KNOW, THERE NEED TO BE SOME DESIGNATED POINTS WHERE THAT'S FOCUSED, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT WESTSHORE INTERMODAL CENTER THAT YOU ALL WERE TALKING TO.
>>STEVE POLZIN: AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING MANY OF THESE CORRIDORS AREN'T IN THOSE URBAN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE -- ANYWAY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO --
>>BETH ALDEN: FARTHER EAST --
>>STEVE POLZIN: [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>BETH ALDEN: -- ON I-4, DEFINITELY.
THERE'S PROBABLY MORE, YOU KNOW, PARK-N-RIDES AND STUFF.
>>STEVE POLZIN: AS WELL IN HERNANDO, SARASOTA, AND SOME OTHERS.
THE OTHER THING IS YOU SAY "SERVICE," AND, OF COURSE, TRANSIT'S UNIQUELY DIFFERENT THAN THE ROADWAY SYSTEM IN THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COST IS IN OPERATIONS AND VEHICLES AND OFF-SITE BUS MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE FACILITIES, ET CETERA, AND NOT NECESSARILY ON THE ROADWAY FACILITY.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, "SERVICE"?
ARE WE ASKING THE FEDS AND THE STATE TO PAY FOR SERVICE?
>>BETH ALDEN: WE'RE POINTING OUT THE NEED FOR SERVICE TO BE CONSIDERED, AND AS YOU POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW, THE MAJOR COST HERE IS NOT JUST THE UP-FRONT CAPITAL, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO HOW TO YOU PAY FOR THE DRIVER, HOW DO YOU PAY FOR THE GAS.
THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED, AND DEVELOPING A FUNDING STRATEGY FOR THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS CORRIDOR.
>>STEVE POLZIN: OKAY.
JUST IN GENERAL, AND I -- I MEAN, I DON'T WANT FOLKS TO MISINTERPRET MY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HERE.
I'M DELIGHTED THAT -- THAT TRANSIT'S AT THE TABLE AND THAT IT'S GOT SOME ATTENTION.
I THINK THAT IT'S -- IT'S ALMOST IN A KIND OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS PERSONA HERE WHERE WE'VE PASTED TRANSIT IN EVERYTHING WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE OR NOT, AND IT -- FRANKLY, I THINK WE LOSE SOME CREDIBILITY BECAUSE WE'RE PRESCRIBING THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE MARKET SENSE, THEY'RE DECADES OR GENERATIONS AWAY.
MANY OF THESE LONG DISTANCE MARKETS ARE CARPOOL AND VANPOOL MARKETS INITIALLY, MAYBE SOME EXPRESS BUS SERVICES ONCE THOSE MARKETS HAVE MATURED.
THEY CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T BE INFRASTRUCTURE INTENSIVE, AND ANY TIME YOU HAVE A MANAGED ROADWAY LANE, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AS MUCH TRANSIT SERVICE AS THE MARKET CAN SUPPORT WITH A COMPETITIVE OPERATION AND A CONGESTED FREE LANE, SO, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THAT CONGESTION-FREE CORRIDOR, YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT IT WITH AS MUCH TRANSIT AS YOU WANT, BUT I THINK IT -- AGAIN, I THINK IT, FRANKLY, LOOKS JUST A LITTLE SILLY WHERE WE'VE PASTED TRANSIT IN ON ALL OF THESE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE SENSE.
AND THAT'S FINE, AND TO HAVE A STAKE IN THE GROUND AND TALK ABOUT THAT WE'RE GOING TO PLAN THESE WITH AN AWARENESS OF TRANSIT NEEDS IS APPROPRIATE, BUT I THINK SOME OF THE SPECIFICITY DISCREDITS THE -- FRANKLY, THE SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TRANSIT WORKS IN RELATIVE PRIORITIES BETWEEN LONG DISTANCE EXPRESS MARKETS, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO SERVE WITH TRANSIT AND HAVE VERY, VERY THIN MARKETS VERSUS URBAN CORE MARKETS WHERE TRANSIT IS NEEDED AND FULL AND WE'RE RUNNING FULL BUSES AND NEED ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS.
SO WHAT I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY PROVIDING SERVICES IN THESE MARKETS THAT AREN'T MATURE AND, IN THE MEANTIME, NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE URBAN CORE MARKETS THAT DO NEED EXTRA INVESTMENT AND EXTRA CAPACITY, SO I'LL JUST -- I'LL LET IT BE SAID THAT I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY ROOM TO IMPROVE THIS GOING FORWARD.
AND ANY TIME SOMEBODY BADGES SOMETHING WITH -- WITH PRIORITIES AND IT GETS DISSEMINATED, IT BUILDS UP A LOT OF MOMENTUM, AND, FRANKLY, SOME OF THESE THINGS AREN'T -- YOU KNOW, DON'T MERIT THAT BADGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
ANOTHER POINT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT IS PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE, 2 AND 10 AND 7 AND 9 AS PAIRS.
YOU'VE GOT ARGUABLY MAJOR TRANSIT CAPITAL AND SERVICE IN PARALLEL COMPETING CORRIDORS, AND AS A REGION, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULDN'T BE -- THOSE WOULDN'T BE LOGICAL INVESTMENTS TO INVEST IN PARALLEL CORRIDORS THAT SERVE BASICALLY THE SAME MARKET OR AT LEAST -- AND PIECES OF THE CORRIDOR SERVE THE SAME MARKET, SO YOU WOULD DO ONE OR THE OTHER GENERALLY, NOT DO BOTH.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RUN CSX TO BROOKSVILLE AND ALSO SUNCOAST PARKWAY EXPRESS BUS SERVICES BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL FOR A COUNTY OR TWO OF THEIR PATH. AND, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S CONFUSING TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY SEE THAT AND WONDER WHAT IN THE WORLD WE'RE DOING, SO THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: AND, OF COURSE, THIS IS ABOUT EXAMINING AND STUDYING POTENTIAL FUTURE STATIONS, SERVICES, NOT NECESSARILY SUGGESTING THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING OR INDICATING THAT THESE ARE WHAT WE WANT BUT LOOKING AT THE NEED; IS THAT CORRECT?
>>BETH ALDEN: THAT IS VERY CORRECT, AND DR. POLZIN MAKES SOME EXCELLENT POINTS.
THESE ARE VERY LONG CORRIDORS.
THEY HAVE VERY DIFFERENT TRAVEL CHARACTERISTICS ALONG THE LENGTHS OF THE CORRIDORS, AND SO EXACTLY WHAT WOULD GET IMPLEMENTED WOULD NEED TO VARY ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CORRIDOR, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, START IN ONE PORTION OF IT, YOU KNOW, AND AS A NEED GREW, THEN YOU'D EXPAND THAT A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS -- IS POINT OUT THE NEED FOR ULTIMATELY THESE LONGER DISTANCE CONNECTIONS SO THAT WE ALL KNOW WHAT OUR -- WHAT OUR STARTING POINT IS.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND, BETH, YOU REALLY HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
I COMMEND YOU FOR THE PRODUCT.
I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUSLY WELL NEEDED.
I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THOUGH, I'M GOING TO ECHO
MR. POLZIN'S COMMENTS BECAUSE I LOOK AT THIS LIST, AND, NUMBER ONE, WHENEVER YOU GIVE SOMEBODY TEN PRIORITIES -- I MEAN, HAVING BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE TOP ONE OR TWO ARE AND POSSIBLY STRETCH IT TO THREE.
I -- I THINK THAT THE PERCEPTION THAT -- OF THIS BEING RECEIVED BY THE LEGISLATURE WILL NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY -- HAVEN'T ZEROED IN ON THAT TOP PRIORITY THAT WE KEEP BEING ASKED, WHAT IS YOUR TOP PRIORITY, AND GETTING ALL THE PARTNERS TO AGREE ON IT.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND THEN WHEN YOU -- AND I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED ABOUT THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THIS MORNING, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT APPROVED THOSE PRIORITIES, AND THERE IS A PERCEPTION OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE APPROVED THEM, AND I IMAGINE THAT'S GOING TO STIR UP SOME DISCUSSION.
BUT THESE -- MOST OF THE PRIORITIES, I WILL SAY -- THE TOP SEVEN ARE GENERALLY WAITING FOR FUNDS, BUT THEN THE NEXT THREE GET -- AND -- YOU KNOW, IF THE FUNDING COMES ALIVE.
AND THEN THE NEXT THREE GET INTO MORE OF A VOTER REFERENDUM TYPE SITUATION, AND I WONDER IF THEY REALLY HAVE A PLACE ON THIS PRIORITY LIST, IF THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANOTHER LIST SOMEWHERE LIKE A FUTURE INTERMODAL TRANSIT WISH LIST OR SOMETHING, BUT I'M NOT SURE -- YOU JUST -- YOU'RE KIND OF MIXING APPLES AND ORANGES HERE.
THESE THREE, OBVIOUSLY, IF THEY WERE TO GO FORWARD, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE -- IT'S A VERY POLITICAL ISSUE.
SOME OF THEM HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY VOTER REFERENDUMS,
AND -- WHEREAS, THE OTHER ISSUES ARE NOT, THEY'RE MORE -- I KNOW THE CORRIDORS ARE LONG, BUT IT'S NOT THINGS THAT ARE SENSITIVE OR REQUIRE VOTER REFERENDUMS, SO I PERSONALLY -- I MEAN, I THINK -- I LOVE THE TOP THREE.
I THINK THAT'S -- AND LEE AND DEBBIE AND GANG OVER THERE, TOP THREE ARE GOOD, AND I'M JUST NOT SURE IF ALL TEN NEED TO BE THERE BECAUSE, AGAIN, GETTING BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE WANT FUNDED, OKAY.
>>BETH ALDEN: YOU'RE RIGHT, AND WE'VE DEFINITELY STRUGGLED WITH THAT WITH WHAT IS THE AUDIENCE FOR THIS PRODUCT --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: RIGHT.
>>BETH ALDEN: -- AND, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY, THE LEGISLATURE IS ONE OF THOSE AUDIENCES, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC REALM, WE HAVE A LOT OF AUDIENCES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
SO, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IN -- IN WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, A POTENTIAL NEXT STEP ON THAT CSX CORRIDOR IS TO FIGURE OUT IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE, IS THAT SOMETHING CSX WOULD ENTERTAIN?
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENED AT THE D.O.T. LEVEL IN THE ORLANDO REGION WHERE THEY HAD A -- A THREE-COUNTY SYSTEM THAT THEY STARTED WITH SUNRAIL, AND -- AND SO THE STATE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE, AS YOU KNOW, IN -- IN FIGURING -- IN CRAFTING THAT AGREEMENT WITH CSX, FIGURING OUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE FREIGHT TRAVEL NEEDS.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO BY OURSELVES.
YOU KNOW, AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT'S A MAJOR ASSET THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS AND DO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT ASSET BETTER?
WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF THE WHOLE REGION IN ORDER TO ASK THAT QUESTION, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LIST IS DESIGNED TO DO.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I THINK -- WHAT I -- AND I'LL FINISH HERE QUICKLY.
WHEN YOU ARE STARTING TO PUT THESE PRIORITIES TOGETHER, I GUESS MAYBE -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A DECISION-MAKING POINT TODAY, BUT I THINK FOR ME I WOULD LIKE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE PRIORITY SETTING OF THESE PROJECTS BEFORE THEY GET TO THIS LIST OR MAYBE ON THE LIST IT NEEDS TO SAY TOP THREE ARE HILLSBOROUGH PRIORITIES, NEXT ONE'S PINELLAS, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'RE LABELED THAT -- YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE LEGISLATURE, PINELLAS PEOPLE CARE ABOUT PINELLAS; PASCO, PASCO, AND IT GOES ON DOWN THE LINE.
COMMISSIONER MILLER AND I BOTH KNOW THE DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOSE AREAS ARE GOING TO FIGHT FOR WHAT'S GOOD FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT AFFECT HILLSBOROUGH.
SO I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN REWORK THIS TO GIVE IT JUST A DIFFERENT LOOK, BUT I CAN'T -- I CAN'T GO ALONG WITH THE LAST THREE.
I THINK THAT THEY'RE JUST ABSOLUTELY -- I MEAN, THEY JUST DON'T BELONG ON THIS AS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FUNDING FOR BECAUSE IT'S TOO OUT THERE, IT'S TOO FUTURISTIC, IT'S GOT TOO MUCH POLITICS ATTACHED TO IT, AND WE NEED TO WORRY TODAY WHAT WE CAN GET TODAY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE HAVE OVER A $3-BILLION SHORTFALL IN TRANSPORTATION.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CONNECTIONS AND ALL THESE LONG-RANGE CORRIDORS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT'S GOING TO HELP IS SHORT-RANGE TOO, AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE FROM HILLSBOROUGH ARE GOING TO BE ASKING AND THAT'S WHAT OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATIONS ARE GOING TO BE ASKING TOO, SO --
>>MARK SHARPE: BUT REMEMBER, THE REQUEST IS FOR -- WE'RE A HILLSBOROUGH MPO LOOKING AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, COMING UP WITH A -- AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EVEN THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF, A SMALL ORGANIZATION LOOKING AT OUR AREA BUT TRYING TO THINK REGIONALLY, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT REGIONAL PROJECTS AND EVEN THE FUNDING -- AND I'M NOT HERE TO GO POINT/COUNTERPOINT WITH YOU COMMISSIONER MURMAN, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS ARE OUT THERE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN USING THE SAME TECHNOLOGIES -- IF YOU LOOK -- YOU KNOW, WHERE RELYING ON ROAD BY ITSELF HASN'T WORKED.
THE REASON WE'VE GOT THIS MASSIVE DEFICIT IS BECAUSE WE CAN'T WIDEN OUR WAY OUT OF THE PROBLEM.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS AD NAUSEAM, AND THE NEED, THEN, IS TO COME UP WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO HELP US -- ASSIST US IN PUTTING TOGETHER A TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT WILL WORK FOR THE ENTIRE REGION, AND -- AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO PUT SOME TRANSIT PROJECTS ON THERE.
AND EVEN THE QUESTION ABOUT, WELL, HOW DO YOU FUND IT, IT'S INTERESTING.
IF IT'S A ROAD PROJECT THAT GOES FOR A SMALL AREA THAT NOBODY ELSE USES, GENERAL REVENUE, NO ONE EVEN ASKS A QUESTION, BUT IF IT'S A TRANSIT PROJECT, SUDDENLY IT'S GOT TO BE A PUBLIC REFERENDUM.
AND I UNDERSTAND WE DO FUND IT BY PUBLIC REFERENDUM, BUT, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, WE HAVE THE STATE NOW FINALLY SAYING WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW WE FUND THESE PROJECTS, AND THE STATE IS BEGINNING TO FUND TRANSIT PROJECTS.
BEFORE IT WAS ROAD ONLY.
NOW YOU'VE GOT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LOOKING AT US AND SAYING ROAD ONLY, WE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SOME TRANSIT, AND I THINK, TO THE CREDIT OF MS. ALDEN, YOU'VE PUT THOSE ALTERNATIVES AT THE BOTTOM.
I MEAN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TOP TEN, THERE THEY SIT, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THREE, AND SO IF WE DON'T BEGIN TO AT LEAST ENGAGE IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TRANSIT FITS IN TO REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE GOING TO BE BEHIND EVERYONE ELSE WHO'S IMPLEMENTING IT QUICKLY.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
OF COURSE, WE CAN -- BECAUSE OF SUNSHINE, WE CAN ONLY HAVE THIS DIALOGUE HERE ON THIS DAIS, BUT DON'T YOU AGREE, THOUGH, THAT THESE THREE ITEMS REQUIRE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN JUST ASKING D.O.T. TO TAKE THIS TO THE STATE BUDGET AND SEE IF WE CAN GET IT FUNDED?
THEY DO.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OKAY.
ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR THESE PROJECTS, WE'RE ASKING TO LOOK AT A STUDY TO SEE IF THEY EVEN COULD BE CONSIDERED.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
LIKE ON THE CSX ISSUE --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: BUT YOU HAVE TO FUND THE STUDY?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: RIGHT.
NOT TO BUILD THEM.
WE DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN OR THEY EVEN MAKE SENSE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO START A CONVERSATION, I MEAN, WOULD CSX CONSIDER SHARING THEIR RAIL WITH US --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: RIGHT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: -- LIKE THEY --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: RIGHT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: -- DID IN ORLANDO?
WE NEED TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
WE NEED TO STUDY, OKAY, HOW WOULD IT WORK, HOW MANY TRAINS DO THEY HAVE ON THAT LINE, WHEN WOULD THEY RUN THEM TO SEE IF IT'S EVEN FEASIBLE.
IT MIGHT NOT BE, BUT UNLESS WE ASK THE QUESTION AND MOVE THAT -- I DON'T THINK WE'VE DECIDED, YES, THIS NEEDS TO BE THE PROJECT --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: -- EVEN THOUGH IT IS IN OUR MPO ADOPTED MPO PLAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND I THINK THAT GETS BACK TO THE POINT, AND COMMISSIONER LOTT HAS SAID THIS, THAT -- HOW DID WE GET TO THESE PRIORITIES?
WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY THAT WE COULD HAVE HAD MAYBE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO BEFORE THIS LIST EVER GOT PUT TOGETHER.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WELL, YEAH.
I THINK WE DID, AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AT THAT MEETING.
IT WAS IN OCTOBER, I BELIEVE --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH.
IT WAS --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: -- YEAH, WHERE WE DID BRING THE LIST, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON IT --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: -- AND WE WENT BACK AND WORKED WITH THE OTHER MPOs.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, I JUST --
>>MARK SHARPE: IN FACT, THE INITIAL CONVERSATION -- AND
DR. POLZIN DIRECTED MANY OF THE QUESTIONS -- WAS, OKAY, YOU'VE GOT A LIST OF TEN, WHAT'S YOUR JUSTIFICATION, AND SO WE HAD TO GO BACK AND INCLUDE JUSTIFICATION, INCLUDE ALL THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND ENTITIES, WHICH YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH AND COORDINATE WITH WHO HAVE A LIST.
I MEAN, THESE -- THE ONE THING ABOUT THESE PRIORITIES, THEY DIDN'T COME FROM THIN AIR, THEY CAME FROM A LIST OF EXISTING PRIORITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THINKING OUT THROUGH 2040.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE'VE GOT THINGS ON HERE THAT JUST REQUIRE A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS FOR APPROVAL.
EVEN IF YOU DO A STUDY, THAT'S GOING TO BE --
>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- MUCH MORE LONG-TERM --
>>MARK SHARPE: [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- AND WHAT OF THOSE -- WHAT OF THOSE THREE WOULD BE OUR MOST IMPORTANT?
>>MARK SHARPE: WELL -- BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE ANALYZING THAT.
BUT LET'S GO TO COUNCILMAN COHEN, AND THEN WE'LL WORK OUR WAY THIS WAY AND WE'LL GO BACK.
>>HARRY COHEN: THANK YOU.
I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THE LIST HAS ONE ITEM THAT DOES SCREAM OUT TO BE NUMBER ONE, AND I THINK THAT'S THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE, AND I THINK THAT PART OF THIS DISCUSSION SHOULD INCLUDE A LOT MORE IMAGINATION AND A LOT MORE ATTENTION TO THE BRIDGE BECAUSE OF WHAT IT CAN MEAN FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR CONNECTING BOTH SIDES OF THE BAY.
I KNOW THAT WE OFTENTIMES, IN OUR ROLES ON CITY COUNCIL OR THE COUNTY COMMISSION, TALK ABOUT TRYING TO SEARCH FOR A REGIONAL IDENTITY, AND TO ME THE BRIDGE AND ITS REPLACEMENT OFFER A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK THE WAY THAT THIS REGION APPEARS AND IS THOUGHT OF.
PEOPLE GO FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO VISIT SAN FRANCISCO JUST TO SEE THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, AND THIS BRIDGE CONNECTS PINELLAS COUNTY AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND IT CONNECTS THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG, AND EVERY MAJOR ISSUE THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN HERE, THE AIRPORT'S MASTER PLAN, THE ABILITY OF A MAJOR LEAGUE SPORTS FRANCHISE TO ATTRACT A FAN BASE ACROSS THE BAY, THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO BIKE AND WALK AND HAVE RECREATIONAL AMENITIES, ALL OF THESE THINGS I THINK COULD BE A PART OF A MUCH MORE IMAGINATIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THIS BRIDGE CAN BE.
WHEN I -- WHAT FRUSTRATES ME TO SOME DEGREE -- AND BY THE WAY, I APPLAUD THE VERY, VERY THOROUGH AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE VALUE AS A REGION, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT -- AT SOME OF THE DESIGNS -- AND I REALIZE THESE ARE JUST PICTURES TO GO ALONG WITH THE CONCEPTS -- OF A NEW HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE THAT JUST SHOW US GLOBING AN EXPRESSWAY ON TO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER EXPRESSWAY, I THINK THAT WE ARE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT THIS DIFFERENTLY.
WHEN FDOT WAS HERE RECENTLY TALKING ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'RE MAKING TO 275, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH WAS WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S FINISHED, AND I THINK that WE SHOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THIS BRIDGE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT BRAND THE REGION IN SOME WAY, LIKE THE SUNSHINE SKYWAY OR THE BAYSHORE BALUSTRADE OR SOME SORT OF COMPATIBILITY WITH THE MINARETS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW -- LISTENING OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE, IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT POPS, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY STARING US RIGHT IN THE FACE.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ADMONISHED NOT TO GET TOO FAR AFIELD IN TALKING ABOUT ICONIC STRUCTURES AND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PIE IN THE SKY, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT MAY SERVE THIS COMMUNITY FOR A CENTURY, AND I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT BUILT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE OR THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE OR THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE DID A GREAT SERVICE TO GENERATIONS AHEAD OF THEM BY THINKING BIG WHEN THEY ENTERED INTO THE DISCUSSIONS, SO I JUST AM SAYING THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE GOING FORWARD THAT WE WORK WITH PINELLAS COUNTY, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG, AND HAVE OUR OFFICIALS START REALLY BRAINSTORMING EVERYTHING THAT THIS BRIDGE CAN BE.
THE DISCUSSION OF THE FRIENDSHIP TRAIL I THINK WOULD BE -- WOULD BE A LOT DIFFERENT IF THERE WAS A ROBUST PLAN FOR THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE.
SO THAT'S -- THAT'S JUST SORT OF MY TWO CENTS ABOUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE US TALK ABOUT ONCE WE'VE -- ONCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS INITIAL PHASE.
>>MARK SHARPE: MS. ALDEN, WITH REGARD TO THE PRIORITIZATION OF THE TOP THREE, MR. COHEN TALKING ABOUT -- I MEAN, HOW DID WE COME TO THE TOP THREE, AND WOULD -- WOULD THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS BOARD TODAY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IF THE BOARD WISHED TO DO SO, TO, YOU KNOW, REPRIORITIZE THOSE THREE?
I MEAN, NUMBER ONE, FOR INSTANCE, CAN YOU --
>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: COULD I ASK A --
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, COMMISSIONER.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: MS. ALDEN, ARE YOU A LITTLE CONFUSED RIGHT NOW?
I MEAN, TELL THE TRUTH.
>>BETH ALDEN: I'M JUST LISTENING.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: NO, TELL THE --
[LAUGHTER]
-- ARE YOU CONFUSED RIGHT NOW?
BECAUSE I'M CONFUSED.
WE'VE BEEN ON HERE TWO YEARS, AND I'VE HEARD COMMENTS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT A REGIONAL PLAN AND PRIORITIES OF WHAT TRANSPORTATION WILL BE IN THIS REGION, OKAY, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE -- YOU HEARD THAT.
BY THE WAY, YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THIS.
AND I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON HERE ABOUT HOW DO WE LOOK AT OUR REGIONAL PRIORITIES IN TRANSPORTATION AND WHAT WE DO AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THEN WE COME BACK NOW AND SAY LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WHAT'S OUR -- WHAT'S OUR -- WHAT'S OUR PRIORITY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND I WAS THE ONE LAST WEEK THAT SAID WE NEED TO PUT IT TOGETHER, PUT OUR PRIORITIES TOGETHER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE GOTTA BE CONFUSED BECAUSE I'M SITTING HERE SAYING, OKAY, WE'VE ASKED HER TO PUT TOGETHER IN THE PAST TO TALK ABOUT REGIONAL PRIORITIES, AND SHE'S DONE THAT, AND NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON, WAIT A MINUTE, THIS IS TOO MUCH, HOW DO WE GET TO WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND SHE'S PROBABLY SITTING THERE GOING, THIS IS ABOUT ONE OF A BUNCH OF DUMB -- WHAT DO THEY WANT?
[LAUGHTER]
WE NEED TO GIVE HER SOME DIRECTION AS DECISION-MAKERS IN THIS BODY, WHAT DO WE WANT OUR PRIORITIES TO BE, OR -- IS IT GOING TO BE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IS IT GOING TO BE WORKING WITH PINELLAS COUNTY WHERE THE BRIDGE -- THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AND WHERE DO WE GO WITH THAT?
BECAUSE -- AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING WHERE WE WERE THIS WEEK WITH THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE.
THERE WAS A MAJOR TIE-UP ON THAT BRIDGE, AND IT WAS -- PEOPLE SAT THERE FOR THREE AND FOUR HOURS TRYING TO GET ACROSS THAT BRIDGE.
NOW, I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE THAT IN THE LEGISLATURE ON THIS PANEL REPRESENTED THREE COUNTIES, MANATEE, HILLSBOROUGH, PINELLAS, AND IF YOU LOOK -- IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S ON HERE WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE THREE COUNTIES, THESE ARE PRIORITIES BECAUSE I DROVE I-75 MANY A DAYS GOING BACK AND FORTH, I RODE THE ROADS IN PINELLAS COUNTY AND KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS, AND IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
SO I THINK AS A BODY WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION WHAT'S OUR PRIORITIES.
WE'VE ASKED HER THROUGH THE YEARS -- AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE BEEN HERE, SOME HAVE NOT -- WHAT'S OUR REGIONAL PRIORITIES, GO BACK AND WORK ON THE REGIONAL PRIORITIES, AND SHE'S DONE THAT.
THEN WE COME BACK AND SAY, WAIT, TIME OUT, NO, LET'S WORK ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S PRIORITIES.
YES, SHE'S CONFUSED.
I'M CONFUSED.
WE HAVE TO SIT HERE AS A BODY RIGHT NOW AND SAY WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES?
IS IT GOING TO BE STRICTLY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, ARE WE GOING TO WORK WITH PINELLAS COUNTY?
I DO AGREE THAT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSIT ISSUES, WE'RE GETTING OURSELVES OUT THERE A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE'S GOING TO WANT TO LOOK AT, IT'S NOT WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO LOOK AT.
THE DAY AND TIME OF FUNDING THOSE THINGS ENDED WITH MIAMI, LET'S JUST FACE THE FACTS, SO AS A BODY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AS OUR PRIORITIES, IS IT GOING TO BE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IS IT GOING TO BE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY/PINELLAS COUNTY, OR IS IT GOING TO BE THE MPOs THAT SHE'S GONE BACK AND WORKED WITH AND RAY HAS WORKED WITH AND MAKING SOME OF THESE DECISIONS?
LET'S DO THAT BECAUSE SHE'S GOTTA BE CONFUSED.
I'M SITTING HERE GOING WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE DOING, WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A BODY?
SHE'S DONE WHAT WE'VE ASKED HER TO DO, AND EVERY TIME SHE COMES BACK, WE KIND OF GO NAH, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO, WELL -- LET'S BE SERIOUS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, WE'RE NOT LEAVING HERE WITHOUT A DECISION, SO -- WE AGREED AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF GOING AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND ON THIS AND HAVING MANY OF THE SAME CONVERSATIONS TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO GET IT DONE, SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER, FOR KIND OF BRINGING US BACK TO POINT.
I'M GOING TO LET MR. CHIARAMONTE SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL GO --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OKAY.
JUST A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS -- AND I DON'T WANT TO DISRESPECT THE LEGISLATURE, BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY THE REASON THAT WE STARTED DOING THIS.
WE DID THIS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTED US TO HAVE BETTER REGIONAL COORDINATION.
NOW, IF WE CAN GET PROJECTS OUT OF HERE THAT WE WANT TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE WITH, THAT'S FINE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE PRIMARY ROLE OF THE MPO, THAT'S MORE OF A POLITICAL ROLE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO GO AND FIGHT FOR PROJECTS, HOPEFULLY, THAT WOULD BE ON THIS LIST, AND IF IT'S THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE, THAT'S FINE.
I THINK THE DISCUSSION ON THE BRIDGE, THAT'S A GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE WANT IT DESIGNED, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS -- AND MAYBE FDOT CAN HELP ME WITH THIS.
I MEAN, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS CAN GO FORWARD FASTER, LIKE MAYBE THE SIX-LANING OF I-75 OR THE MANAGED LANES.
I MEAN, THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT STILL HAS A LIFE SPAN OF TEN YEARS.
AM I INCORRECT OR -- WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOCK THE BRIDGE DOWN TEN YEARS SOONER JUST TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
I MEAN, THERE'S A TIME FRAME ON THAT, AND THAT -- I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO CLARIFY THAT SO WE UNDERSTAND.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MING GAO WITH D.O.T.
RAY, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE BRIDGE LIFE ACTUALLY HAS TEN MORE YEARS, PERHAPS AROUND THAT TIME FRAME, AND, OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES OF THE BAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S PINELLAS GOING TO DO AND WHAT HILLSBOROUGH'S DOING, AND ALSO, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PD&E STUDY CURRENTLY ONGOING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A TYPICAL SECTION, WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE NEW NORTHBOUND SPAN, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE STUDYING IT AND LOOKING AT ALL SCENARIOS.
AS FAR AS I-75, WE ARE SIX-LANING WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 75 SIX LANES ALL THE WAY TO WILDWOOD, SO THAT'S CURRENTLY ONGOING.
IT'S BEING COMPLETED.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: RIGHT.
OKAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS, JUST ON THESE PRIORITIES, TOO, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE TOP PRIORITIES, WE TRIED TO DO THINGS THAT INCLUDED THE MOST COUNTIES.
WE HAVE EIGHT COUNTIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A LIST THAT ALL EIGHT CAN AGREE ON, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT, BUT -- BELIEVE ME, I KNOW BECAUSE I SAT THROUGH THE MEETINGS OF ARGUING ABOUT THESE THINGS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH THIS LIST.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
COUNCILMAN SUAREZ.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: OKAY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
BETH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE IN ALL THIS AND YOUR CONFUSION OR NOT CONFUSION, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, BELIEVE ME.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'RE MISSING SIGHT ON, OKAY, THIS IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT, THIS IS NOT A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY LIST, THIS IS NOT A LIST IN TERMS OF EVEN OUR OWN PRIORITIES AS AN MPO, THIS IS JUST A WORKING DOCUMENT TO GET A CONSENSUS FROM ALL THE OTHER MPOs AND THE OTHER REGIONAL AUTHORITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.
I MEAN, THE SUMMARY IS -- AND BY THE WAY, THE SUMMARY IS EXCELLENT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED, WHICH IS TO GET A CONSENSUS ON TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES.
IF I'M A LEGISLATOR IN POLK COUNTY OR IN CITRUS COUNTY OR IN HERNANDO COUNTY, I STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH, AS YOU ALL KNOW -- AND I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO OUR COLLEAGUES HERE FROM -- THE FORMER LEGISLATORS, THAT -- YOU'RE STILL NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING DONE, IT'S ALL GOING TO BE PART OF THE MPO PROCESS ANYWAY.
I MEAN, WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE PLANNING FOR THOSE PRIORITIES FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES, SO THIS DOCUMENT IS JUST THE LAST ASPECT.
WE'RE JUST VOTING ON SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN VETTED SIGNIFICANTLY, BOTH FROM THE -- THE CAC, OUR TAC, IT'S GONE OVER TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S GONE THROUGH THE OTHER MPOs.
WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH WHAT THESE -- WHAT THESE PRIORITIES ARE, AND, AGAIN, THERE ARE TEN PRIORITIES, NOT NECESSARILY MEANING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD ANY OF THESE THINGS.
I DO TAKE DR. POLZIN'S POINT VERY SERIOUSLY, THOUGH, ABOUT US DRAWING IN DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE IT DOES SEND A MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING THIS THING IN ABOUT TEN YEARS, AND THAT'S -- THAT CAN BE A MISTAKE, AND, ACTUALLY, I WILL SAY THE D.O.T. MADE THE SAME MISTAKE.
THERE'S A WONDERFUL RENDITION OF SOME KIND OF TRANSIT CONNECTING FROM BUS TO HIGHWAY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IT'S IN THEIR REPORT THAT'S IN HERE TOO.
I THINK THAT WE LOSE SIGHT SOMETIMES WHEN WE FORGET THAT AS A PLANNING ORGANIZATION THAT THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM NOW UNTIL 2040 OR 2035 ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD ALL OF THEM, AND THE PRIORITIES ARE GOING TO SHIFT BASED ON WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WHERE JOBS ARE GOING TO BE CREATED.
I MEAN, THERE ARE THINGS THAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS THAT ARE GOING TO CHANGE THESE PATTERNS SIGNIFICANTLY, AND I THINK THAT THE PLANNING DOCUMENT IS THERE PRIMARILY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
I LIKE -- I LIKE THIS PLAN.
THE PRIORITY LIST, OBVIOUSLY, IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK OUT THROUGH ALL THE OTHER MPOs, INCLUDING OUR OWN, AND THEN WHEN WE DO OUR LIST, OUR FIVE-YEAR LIST IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PLAN FOR I THINK WILL BE REFLECTIVE OF THIS IN AN UPDATED WAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I WANTED -- I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAD SAID, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS IS, BUT THIS IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT, THIS IS NOT A FINAL, HEY, WE'RE BUILDING ALL THIS STUFF.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THAT OUT, SO THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>>RICK LOTT: MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>MARK SHARPE: DIRECTOR WAGGONER.
>>RICK LOTT: MR. CHAIRMAN, REAL QUICK.
>>MARK SHARPE: OH, YES.
>>RICK LOTT: I KNOW IN THE PAPER HERE IT SAYS THAT WE HAVE A WISH LIST, OKAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, PLANS GET FUNDED, AND A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE I-4 CONNECTOR.
THAT WAS NOWHERE ON THE CHARTS OF BEING -- THAT WAS ON A WISH LIST, OKAY, UNTIL WE HAD FEDERAL STIMULUS DOLLARS.
LUCKILY WE HAD A PLAN, LUCKILY FDOT WORKED WITH OTHER AREAS AND MULTIPLE POs CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE OUR LITTLE PORTION OF THE DOLLARS WE WERE GOING TO GET IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THE EXIT RAMP, OKAY, BUT EVERYONE PULLED TOGETHER AND WE GOT, WHAT, $500 MILLION OR A LARGE CHUNK OF MONEY TO BUILD THAT, SO THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF WE APPROVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS TODAY, YOU KNOW, SO I SURE HOPE AS AN MPO WE MOVE THIS FORWARD, AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME I'M WILLING TO BET NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, AND NUMBER THREE WILL MOVE AROUND AS STUDIES ARE DONE.
AND COUNCILMAN COHEN, I LOVE YOUR IDEA, OKAY, AND HOPEFULLY IT MOVES UP TO NUMBER ONE ONE DAY, BUT AS FAR AS HAVING A LIST WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, I'D LIKE FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, RALLY AROUND THIS --
>>MARK SHARPE: ARE YOU MAKING IT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION?
>>RICK LOTT: I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE LIST AS IT'S PRESENTED TODAY.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: EXCELLENT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONTINUED CONVERSATION SO EVERYONE CAN STILL SPEAK.
>>RICK LOTT: ABSOLUTELY.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
DIRECTOR WAGGONER.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES, SIR.
BETH, HAS THERE EVER BEEN A LIST LIKE THIS THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY ALL THESE SEPARATE JURISDICTIONS FOR THE REGION?
>>BETH ALDEN: WE HAVEN'T RUN IT THROUGH THIS EXACT SAME PROCESS, NO.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER: OKAY.
IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY UNIQUE THING TO ME.
I'M A SHORT-TIMER.
I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FIVE YEARS NOW.
[LAUGHTER]
IT'S GOING FAST, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S FAIRLY UNIQUE TO ME.
I THINK WHAT I'M GOING TO -- MY OPINION IS SIMILAR TO WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, THAT THIS IS A STARTING POINT.
THE REAL COMPETITION BEGINS WITH REGARD TO IDEAS, THE LOOK AND PARTICULARS OF WHAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE FOR THESE PROJECTS, THE USE OF MODALITIES.
THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY -- I THINK OUR WANTS ARE IN THIS LIST, THEY'RE IN THE BUCKET.
THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO START WORKING ON PARTNERSHIPS AND FORMING SUPPORT FOR THE PARTICULAR THINGS WE WANT.
PART OF THIS IS GOING TO BE THE COSTING.
LIKE DR. POLZIN, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE ABOUT -- YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE THROWAWAYS IN THE PRESENTATION -- I RAISED MY EYEBROWS A LITTLE BIT -- WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT P-3s.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FINANCING.
ONE CAUTION I'LL GIVE YOU ABOUT P-3S, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, IS THAT THE REPAYMENT OF A P-3, A PRIVATE INVESTOR, COMES FROM THE SAME SOURCES THAT ANY OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROJECT COMES FROM.
THEY DON'T DO IT FOR FREE, THEY DON'T -- WHAT THEY DO IS THEY BRING A FINANCING SCHEDULE TO THE TABLE AND YOU HAVE TO PAY THEM BACK, AND THEY'RE -- JUST LIKE A BOND OR ANY OTHER AD VALOREM OR MILL RATE TAX SUPPORT, IT'S THERE.
IT'S A MATTER OF HOW THAT FINANCING IS STRUCTURED.
SO THAT WILL BE SOMETHING I PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO BECAUSE THAT'S MY COMPETITION, AND I JUST WANT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD TO COMPETE IN, SO I TALK THAT WAY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING IN THE BUCKET HERE.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING FOR US TO DO AS A REGION.
AND, AGAIN, I'M AMAZED THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS SO MANY ON THE TOP END OF THIS LIST.
>>MARK SHARPE: EXACTLY.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER: THAT SAID, I CAN SEE WHERE OTHER REGIONS MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE THEIR PROJECTS THROUGH WHATEVER MEANS THEY CAN.
WE HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WAGGONER.
DR. POLZIN.
>>STEVE POLZIN: YEAH.
I'M COMFORTABLE WITH US ADVANCING THESE IN THE CONTEXT THAT IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT THESE ARE PRIORITIES FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS AND DETAILING, AND WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS COME BACK AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SITTING HERE IN A YEAR OR TWO AND WE SAY SOMETHING AND SOMEBODY'S, OH, NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT ON THIS LIST OR WE'D HAVE TO CHANGE THE LIST OR WE -- YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE INTERPRETED AS, FOR EXAMPLE, ENDORSEMENT OF THINGS WHERE WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE ANALYSIS AND THE STUDIES, AND I THINK THAT CERTAINLY APPLIES TO THE LAST THREE ON THE LIST.
I DON'T WANT OUR VOTE TO IMPLY THAT WE'VE ENDORSED, YOU KNOW, AND ARE READY TO MOVE AHEAD FOR FUNDING FOR THESE THINGS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHERE WE'RE AT ON SEVERAL ELEMENTS OF SOME OF THESE.
SO I THINK SOME KIND OF QUALIFIER OF THESE ARE ADOPTED AS HIGH-PRIORITY INITIATIVES FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS OR FOR PLANNING OR FOR, YOU KNOW, FURTHER EXPLORATION, SOME TYPE OF QUALIFIER BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION AT THIS POINT, AT LEAST SOME OF --
>>MARK SHARPE: AND WE'LL MAKE THAT CLEAR AGAIN.
I MEAN, THAT WAS -- WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BE CLEARER ABOUT THAT ISSUE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE THERE, BUT THE POINT IS TO BE ABLE TO STUDY AND ANALYZE IT, AND I'M GLAD THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING -- I MEAN, I THINK SOMEONE'S MADE THE REFERENCE TO APPLES AND ORANGES, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THIS AS A FRUIT BASKET WHERE WE DON'T JUST WANT APPLES.
I DON'T WANT A BASKET OF APPLES, I WANT A MIX SO THAT WE
CAN --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- SO WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL APPEAL -- NOT JUST APPEAL TO EVERYONE BUT THAT WILL ACTUALLY WORK, AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT JUST THOSE PROJECTS WHICH WE'RE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH.
I'VE SAT THROUGH MORE MEETINGS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO COME IN AND THEY'RE ALL LIKE ME, YOU KNOW, OLDER AND WE'RE SET IN OUR WAYS, BUT WE'RE SITTING HERE TRYING TO APPEAL TO PEOPLE LIKE CONNECT TAMPA BAY WHO COME HERE, YOUNGER PEOPLE.
YOU LOOK AT EMERGE.
YOU TALK TO THE -- I MET WITH THE STUDENTS AT USF YESTERDAY.
YOU TALK TO THE STUDENTS AT USF ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HEAR IN THESE MEETINGS HERE, AND I KNOW IT'S A STRETCH FOR US SOMETIMES TO -- YOU KNOW, TO BE WILLING TO EVEN CONSIDER THESE ITEMS, BUT THEY'RE CONSIDERING THEM, AND WE REPRESENT THEM AS WELL.
SO I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE MIX WE HAVE WITH THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS MADE SOME EXCELLENT POINTS, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE.
COMMISSIONER BECKNER, YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE -- MR. ARNOLD, YOU COME TO EVERY MEETING.
YOU NEVER SAY ANYTHING.
IN FACT, I'D LIKE TO AT SOME POINT MAKE YOU A VOTING MEMBER IF WE CAN DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR --
>>BOWEN ARNOLD: PLEASE.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- YOU SIT HERE AND YOU DON'T EVEN GET TO -- SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT?
>>BOWEN ARNOLD: SURE.
>>MARK SHARPE: PLEASE.
>>BOWEN ARNOLD: I'D BE HAPPY TO.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A VOTE.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
>>BOWEN ARNOLD: OKAY.
I GENERALLY ECHO THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD, GOOD REGIONAL PRIORITIES, GOOD FRAMEWORK, GREAT, TERRIFIC JOB, AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING IN.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU.
AND WE'RE GOING TO -- WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF YOUR VOTING STATUS.
COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: DID COMMISSIONER BECKNER WANT TO SPEAK?
>>KEVIN BECKNER: NO, I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THEIR WORK IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, AND I THINK IT'S CLEAR AND WE'RE -- WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE -- THAT THIS -- THIS IS NOT THE FINAL LIST THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON, BUT THIS IS -- WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS FOR -- AD NAUSEAM FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A STARTING PLACE.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT STARTING PLACE.
I SUPPORT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AND THEN, AFTER COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE, WOULD MOVE THE QUESTION.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: THANK YOU.
WELL, I DID SECOND THIS MOTION THAT -- MADE BY COMMISSIONER LOTT, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT -- IT SHOWS EVEN A SOLIDARITY THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM PLANT CITY WHO SEES THE -- THE REGION AS, YOU KNOW, PUTTING -- PUTTING A PRIORITY ON SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN COHEN FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS SAID IN THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE, SO YOU'VE GOT THE UTMOST EASTERN END OF THE COUNTY WORKING WITH THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE COUNTY, AND IF WE CAN JUST GET THAT DONE, I'D BE HAPPY.
BUT --
[LAUGHTER]
-- BUT LOOKING AT THIS, IT IS REGIONALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BRAND THIS MARKET, AS COMMISSIONER COHEN SAID, AS ONE AREA THAT WORKS TOGETHER.
WE WANT -- WE HAVE AN ASSET IN THE BEACHES, WE HAVE ASSETS IN OUR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, AND WE NEED TO BRING ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER.
PEOPLE COME HERE TO WORK, PEOPLE COME HERE TO BE TOURISTS AND GO TO THE BEACHES, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, COME TO OUR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND BUSCH GARDENS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY WANT TO MOVE HERE, BUT THEN THEY MOVE HERE AND FIND THEY CAN'T GET FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER ON A DAILY BASIS, AND -- AND WE DO NEED TO THINK BIG AND WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT MAYBE EASING, IF NOT ERASING THE BOUNDARIES BECAUSE I ATTENDED THE GRASS-ROOTS TRANSIT -- IT WAS CALLED THE TRANSIT ACTIVIST MEETING, AND TWO OF THE GENTLEMEN THAT ARE -- THAT SPOKE EARLIER WERE SOME OF THE COORDINATORS OF THAT ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER ENTITIES, AND THERE WERE USF STUDENTS THERE, AND THEY DON'T SEE BOUNDARIES.
ONE OF -- I WROTE DOWN THE GOALS THAT THEY HAD BEEN PUTTING UP ON THE BOARD THROUGH THIS DYNAMIC CONSERVATION THEY WERE HAVING, AND ONE OF THEM WAS A REGIONAL CONVERSATION AND ONE OF THEM WAS HAVE A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AND -- AND STOP HAVING TO DRIVE WAS ON THAT LIST OF GOALS.
SO, YOU KNOW, MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS -- I SAW SOMETHING -- A REALLY FUNNY SIGN.
IT SAID, YOU ARE NOT SITTING IN TRAFFIC, YOU ARE TRAFFIC.
AND WE HAVE TO STOP THINKING ABOUT OUR OLD MODES OF TRANSPORTATION AND MOVE WITH BOLD STROKES TO A FUTURE.
THIS ISN'T -- THIS ISN'T LOOKING AT FANTASYLAND, THIS IS BEING VISIONARIES, AND AS MANY HAVE SAID, THIS IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT, THIS ISN'T A FUNDING DOCUMENT, AND AS THE, YOU KNOW, D.O.T. HAS SAID -- THE FDOT HAS SAID, THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE ALREADY BEING STUDIED.
HAVING TEN YEARS OF LIFE SPAN IN THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE IS NOT A LONG TIME.
>>MARK SHARPE: [INAUDIBLE]
>>LISA MONTELIONE: AND TO REPLACE A STRUCTURE LIKE THAT BRIDGE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TEN YEARS OF PLANNING TO GET US THERE, SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THIS LIST -- I MEAN, IF WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS LIST AND REARRANGING THE PRIORITIES, I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THE NUMERICAL MARKERS ON THIS LIST, MS. ALDEN, ARE INTENTIONAL WHERE YOU'VE GOT HERNANDO/SARASOTA THE -- AS NUMBER ONE AND THEN
ORLANDO/TAMPA/PINELLAS AS NUMBER TWO FOR THE I-4/275, AND HOWARD FRANKLAND AS NUMBER THREE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ASKING US TO RANK THESE IN PRIORITY, AND I BELIEVE AT THE -- AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER LOTT WHO HAD MENTIONED THAT AT THIS MEETING -- I WROTE THIS DOWN -- THAT WE NEEDED TO DISCUSS HOW PROJECTS ARE RANKED NOW THAT WE ARE WORKING ON A PLAN.
SO MAYBE FOR A FUTURE MEETING WE CAN APPROVE THIS LIST AND THEN TALK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO -- TO RANK THESE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I ALSO TALKED ABOUT AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE, SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO IT HUGELY HERE, BUT -- IS HOW DO WE DOVETAIL THESE PROJECTS?
WHERE DO THEY FIT TOGETHER WITH OUR LOCAL PRIORITIES, WITH THE LOCAL PRIORITIES OF PASCO, AND THE LOCAL PRIORITIES OF PINELLAS?
SO WHICH PROJECTS CAN WE LOOK AT AND HOW DO WE RANK THOSE PROJECTS SO THAT THEY ALL FIT TOGETHER IN NICE PIECES AND WE AREN'T DEVELOPING SOMETHING -- AS YOU SAID, WE LOOK AT SEGMENTS, BUT WE NEED TO SEE HOW THOSE SEGMENTS FIT TOGETHER.
AND I THINK, UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE COMMENTED THIS MORNING, I DO THINK THAT RAIL NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
IT DOESN'T NEED, YOU KNOW, TO OVERTAKE THE CONVERSATION, BUT IF -- IF WE CONTINUE TO WAIT, I THINK SOMEONE HAD MENTIONED, FOR THE MARKET TO MATURE, THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.
>>MARK SHARPE: EXACTLY.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: AND IF WE CONTINUE TO WAIT, THE MARKET IS GOING TO SURPASS THE POINT WE'RE AT IN PLANNING AND FUNDING.
SO -- SO I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THOSE LAST THREE PROJECTS THAT TALK ABOUT RAIL NEED TO BE ON THIS LIST AND THEY BELONG ON THIS LIST.
SO WITH THAT, I BELIEVE WE WERE GOING TO MOVE THE QUESTION.
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM.
DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I DON'T THINK JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THIS ORDER THAT WE, AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, ARE BOUND NOT TO ADVOCATE FOR WHATEVER NUMBER WE WANT.
I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULDN'T CHANGE THE ORDER BECAUSE THAT MEANS WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE OTHER SEVEN MPO COUNTIES AND CONVINCE THEM YOUR CHANGE IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: I JUST THINK THERE'S A -- WE WANTED TO BE FLEXIBLE.
>>MARK SHARPE: THIS IS THE GRAND BARGAIN, AND WE'RE GOING TO SHOW THEM HOW TO DO IT HERE LOCALLY.
WE CAN DO IT.
WE CAN DO IT.
OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LOTT, WE HAVE A SECOND BY OUR VICE CHAIRWOMAN.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
ANY OPPOSED?
OH, UNANIMOUS.
FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU.
>>BETH ALDEN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>MARK SHARPE: [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] GET A UNANIMOUS.
EXCELLENT JOB, BETH.
LET'S GO TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OKAY.
I'M GOING TO SPARE YOU GOING THROUGH ALL THE MEETINGS I ATTENDED.
YOU HAVE THE LIST IN HERE.
I WILL TELL YOU I'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE THIS LAST MONTH TALKING ABOUT ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RIGHT NOW THAT DEAL WITH LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION, AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DIFFERENT MEETINGS I'VE HAD I'VE BEEN OUT AND ABOUT A LOT, SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: YOU'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, AND YOU'VE GONE OUT -- AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE MANY CITIZENS WHO WILL BE COMING TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE THIS MORNING ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE DID.
AND I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, THANK STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS AND GETTING THIS FORWARD AND THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR BEING SO PATIENT AND ASKING THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ASKED, AND I KNOW WE'RE JUST BEGINNING, SO WE'LL HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE.
ANY OLD BUSINESS OR NEW BUSINESS?
>>LISA MONTELIONE: DID WE WANT TO ASK STAFF TO LOOK AT THE RULES AND ADD THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS A VOTING MEMBER?
>>MARK SHARPE: OH.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, YEAH, THE MPO BOARD AWARE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTUALLY HAS PASSED A RESOLUTION ASKING FOR VOTING MEMBERSHIP.
IT IS ALLOWED.
A PLANNING AGENCY CAN HAVE A VOTING MEMBER ON THE BOARD.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE REDESIGNATION PROCESS TO SEE IF -- DO WE WANT TO KEEP OUR MPO AT THE LEVEL WE WANT, DO WE WANT TO ADD A MEMBER MAYBE FROM A JURISDICTION, MAKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION A VOTING MEMBER, SO WE'LL HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATION AS WE GO THROUGH THIS REAUTHORIZATION PROCESS AS TO WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
>>MARK SHARPE: SO THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YES.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- TO A FUTURE BOARD MEETING?
WILL THE POLICY COMMITTEE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: SURE.
OF COURSE.
>>MARK SHARPE: SO YOUR POLICY COMMITTEE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT, AND THEN IT WILL COME TO THE FULL BOARD AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION, BUT MR. ARNOLD, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN VERY PATIENT THROUGH THESE MEETINGS.
ANY OTHER OLD OR NEW BUSINESS?
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related searches
- hillsborough county jobs opportunities
- hillsborough county civil service jobs
- hillsborough county government jobs
- hillsborough county careers jobs
- hillsborough county open jobs
- hillsborough county jobs openings
- hillsborough county schools job openings
- hillsborough county jobs
- hillsborough county florida jobs available
- hillsborough county government jobs openings
- hillsborough county elementary school map
- careers in hillsborough county fl