AMPO HTF Survey Apr 2014

AMPO Highway Trust Fund Survey (Updated April 11, 2014) AMPO surveyed members to determine effects of a freeze in the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) payments. Questions asked: 1. MPO Name 2. City 3. State 4. MPO Size (UZA Population) 5. What approximate federal, state and local dollars are documented in your TIP for Federal Fiscal Year 2015? 6. List up to five key projects in your region that would be halted or not begun if there is a freeze in new obligation authority from the HTF in Federal Fiscal 2015 or later. Also provide quick description of why the project is critical to the transportation system, particularly if it is of state, national or international significance or if it addresses a primary safety issue. 7. Please list the number of staff at the MPO level that the HTF (PL dollars) supports. 8. Do your state and/or local authorities have sufficient financial capacity to assume responsibility for the federal share (80% of project cost) to maintain project construction and/or operations if federal funds are unavailable? 9. Please list specific impacts to other federal transportation programs of a potential HTF cessation, such as system preservation, operations, transit operations and capital activities, safety, CMAQ, etc. 10. Please provide any additional relevant information. Responses (listed by state) Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions, Anchorage, AK Population: 200,000 – 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 3 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $117,155,000 State – $ Local -‐ $ Projects Affected by Freeze: • O'Malley Road Reconstruction, major hillside arterial. • Diamond Center Pedestrian and Transit Improvements, major hub for transit that has subpar pedestrian facilities and ADA compliance issues. • Transit Fleet replacement -‐ continual need for aging fleet. • Seward Highway (Rabbit Creek to 36th) -‐ main corridor in Anchorage needs capacity improvements. Principal Arterial pavement resurfacing and ADA compliance. A preventative maintenance program. 1 •
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Both primary implementation measures for our SIP-‐mandated projects would go unfunded, putting our air quality conformity in jeopardy. $6.4 million in projects managed by the MOA Public Transportation Dept. would be stopped, including preventative and capital maintenance, paratransit services and the FTA required transit reporting via the planning program. The Alaska Railroad would also find their preventative maintenance program in jeopardy. •
Lake Havasu MPO, Lake Havasu City, AZ Population <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 2 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $7,250,000 State – $200,000 Local -‐ $6,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Swanson Avenue -‐ Design and reconstruct • Lake Havasu Avenue -‐ Design & Reconstruct • Havasu Area Transit. Because of the reduction of HURF to the local communities from the State, the roads are in total disrepair and in some cases dangerous. The State has diverted significant monies for the General Fund for the past 5-‐years. • The Transit system, Havasu Area Transit, is funded with FTA Section 5311 and 5307 Funds for a total of approximately $1.8 million. Without this funding the system will shut down as the City does not have the capacity to fund 100% of operation. This system provides approximately 70,000 rides per year. • The general maintenance of the local roads, in an approximate 100 Square mile area, will be almost non-‐existent. • Lake Havasu City is a tourist destination as well as a large winter population. If the condition of the local roads decline, tourism will decline and sales tax revenues and bed tax will be severely impacted. Lake Havasu City is the largest employer; if sales tax revenues decline, staffing at the current level will have to be reduced. The impact: higher unemployment, even lower sales tax revenues and a decline in services to the citizens. • Since 2001, the State of Arizona has diverted over $1.7 Billion dollars of HURF funds for the state deficit, which has had a devastating impact on rural Arizona. The loss of HTF would no doubt cause a safety issue for highly traveled rural roads. North Front Range MPO, Fort Collins, CO Population 200,000 – 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 10 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $30,720,000 State – $10,780,000 Local -‐ $10,635,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • US-‐287 safety widening with pedestrian and bike improvements • I-‐25 Widening from SH 66 to SH 14 • Improved Transit service in Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland and between Fort Collins and Longmont (with connections to Denver) 2 •
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US-‐85 improvements needed to handle Oil and Gas trucks Rebuilding of local arterials damaged by September 13 Flood in Colorado The Denver and NFRMPO may be bumped to moderate non-‐attainment for ozone and without CMAQ funding it will be difficult to maintain much less improve. North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, Jacksonville, FL Population >1,000,001 – 3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 9 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $188,328,027 State – $81,485,475 Local -‐ $150,571,8970 Projects Affected by Freeze: • I-‐10 widening to 6-‐lanes from US 301 to Branan Field Chaffee Rd.(First Coast Outer Beltway) I-‐10 is a major freight corridor as is US 301. This widening links US 301 and the First Coast Outer Beltway a new toll road that is under construction. Several regional distribution centers are located in the area as well as Cecil Airport and Cecil Commerce Center. • I-‐95/I-‐295 North Interchange Reconstruction. A high volume of both passenger vehicles and trucks travel through this interchange. The current configuration is old and substandard. Trucks dreying containers from the Blount Island and Dames Point Marine Terminals (JAXPORT) which are located East of I-‐95 travel through the area on route to NS and CSX Intermodal Rail Yards west of I-‐95. Trucks also directly access I-‐95 from this interchange. • I-‐95/J.T. Butler Interchange Modification. This interchange is located at one of the region’s largest employment centers. Improvements have been made to reduce the back-‐up of vehicles leaving I-‐95 mainline to access Butler Blvd. Further modification including the construction of flyovers is required. • BRT Southwest Corridor. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is developing a BRT system to supplement its transit service. • The number of capacity projects in the TIP are few compared to the number of resurfacing, safety, and ITS/traffic operations projects. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority can better address the impact on transit operations. It should be noted, however, that a significant portion of their ridership is transit dependent. They will be significantly impacted. St. Lucie Transportation Planning Organization, Port St. Lucie, FL Population: 200,000-‐ 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 7 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $55,000,000 State – $26,000,000 Local -‐ $4,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Crosstown Parkway: It will be under construction in FY 14/15 and will connect I-‐95 with U.S. Highway 1 and cross over the St. Lucie River. It is a primary east-‐west multimodal corridor, a needed major river crossing, and serves as a Hurricane Evacuation Route. Over $90 million of local and State funding has been allocated to this project, and the project will not be able to proceed without the $65 million Federal share. 3 •
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Kings Highway: It will be ready for construction in FY 14-‐15. It is a primary north-‐south multimodal corridor that terminates at Florida's Turnpike and I-‐95. It will serve the Treasure Coast Research Park that is the subject of local economic development and job creation efforts. Midway Road: It will be ready for construction in FY 14-‐15 and connects I-‐95 with U.S. Highway 1. It is a major arterial and river crossing serving multiple municipalities as a Hurricane Evacuation Route. The repair of two structurally deficient bridges, the McCarty Road Bridge and the North A1A Causeway Bridge over the East Coast Intracoastal Waterway, will be discontinued with an HTF cessation. Atlanta Regional Commission, Atlanta, GA Population >3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 49 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $649,000,000 State – $116,000,000 Local -‐ $220,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Atlanta Streetcar -‐ Partially reliant on CMAQ funds for three years of start-‐up operating support beginning in spring 2014. This TIGER project is the first phase of a planned citywide network of streetcars. • I-‐75 Northwest Corridor Managed Lanes -‐ Funding is spread out over a number of years, but some construction elements are planned to begin in 2015. This long-‐awaited project will be the third major section of freeway managed lanes implemented in the region and the overall cost is nearly $1 billion. This project will enable more reliable travel times for auto driver and express bus patrons along one of the most heavily congestion suburban freeway corridors in the region. • I-‐85 North Managed Lanes Extension -‐ This $110 million project will extend the existing managed lanes along the corridor to the outer edges of the metro area. Construction is scheduled to occur in 2015. This project will enable more reliable travel times for auto driver and express bus patrons along one of the most heavily congestion suburban freeway corridors in the region. • Numerous substandard bridges along US and state routes are scheduled for major rehabilitation or reconstruction in 2015, including SR 11 at the Appalachee River, SR 92 at Proctor Creek, US 78/278 at Lullwater Creek, SR 53 at Chestatee River, and US 41 at Peachtree Creek. • The I-‐20 West at I-‐285 West interchange is scheduled to begin engineering work in 2015 for a proposed major reconstruction that will alleviate severe safety and congestion issues at this important junction on the west side of the region. One of the largest freight warehousing and distribution centers in the southern U.S. is located to the immediate west. • The Atlanta region has approximately $189 million of federal funds committed in FY 2015 for a variety of system preservation, maintenance and state of good repair programs supporting all elements of the transportation network. • Another $120 million are FTA formula funds used exclusively by transit operators. ARC also has several staff with TDM responsibilities who are supported by CMAQ funds (in addition to those identified as supported by PL funds). Coastal Region (CORE) MPO, Savannah, GA Population: 200,000 – 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 5 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: 4 Federal -‐ $21,578,000 State – $4,693,000 Local -‐ $16,590,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Grange Road Widening: A project of statewide significance will provide access to the planned main gate at the Georgia Port Authority, the port's last mile project, and the Jimmy DeLoach Parkway connector, thus providing high capacity limited access from the Port of Savannah to the Interstate system. • Brampton Road Connector: This new facility will connect the Georgia Port Authority Gate 2 to key freight routes including I-‐516. • Bay Street Widening: This project will provide needed safety and capacity improvements to a priority freight corridor in the vicinity of the Port of Savannah. • US 80 Bridges Replacement: US 80 is the only access/evacuation route for Tybee Island and the bridge replacement project is a key component of the MPO's sustainability/climate adaptation strategy for the Island. Existing auto only bridges would be replaced with higher level bridges accommodating autos, bicyclists and pedestrians. • Lump sum projects (averaging $8M/year) to maintain roadways and improve safety will not be implemented. • Bike/ped safety projects will not be implemented. • Signal upgrades and other congestion mitigation projects will not be implemented. Valdosta-‐Lowndes MPO, Valdosta, GA Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 2 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $12,591,498 State: $4,652,586 Local: $8,522,940 Projects Affected by Freeze: • US 84 Widening -‐ The El Camino 5-‐State East/West Corridor Commission (www.elcaminocorridor.org) is dedicated to the widening of US 84 from Brunswick, GA, to El Paso, TX. This corridor would facilitate safety and expediency for the traveling public, businesses and the military that rely on better and safer roads to reach their destinations and points of delivery. In Georgia, the project will widen the last 26 miles of SR 38/US 84 from 2 to 4 lanes between Homerville and Waycross in Clinch and Ware Counties, respectively. In Georgia significant economic benefits would occur from new access to the Port of Savannah via this corridor. Safety would also be greatly improved as this section has seen a great loss of life in recent years due to high traffic volumes on this corridor. This is three projects that total more than $126 million slated to go to construction in December 2014. • SR 133 Widening -‐ The Billy Langdale Parkway or SR 133 is a major north-‐south corridor in South Georgia and provides a vital connection between Valdosta and Albany. SR 133 is identified for widening due to its inclusion on the Governor's Road Improvement Program to address the importance of stimulating economic growth via an improved transportation network. This project would improve access for the City of Albany to I-‐75, including the Albany Marine Corp Logistics Base. This rural area, which is rich in agricultural development (cabbage, broccoli, pine trees, olives, cotton, peanuts, etc.) has seen recent growth in food production in recent years, and is key to the economic well-‐being of these communities. SR 133 will provide better access to markets for these 5 •
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agricultural products in. This is a total of 9 projects that is slated to begin construction in June 2014 at a total cost of $326 million. I-‐75 Phase II -‐ Bridges and Interchange Improvements -‐ Completed in 2008, Phase I, consisted of widening I-‐75 to 6-‐lanes. I-‐75 Phase II, will replace bridges and ramps at several interchange locations to improve safety and traffic operations on I-‐75 throughout Lowndes County. Bridges will be widened to accommodate 8-‐lanes on I-‐75 in the future as well as provide travel lanes for increasing traffic growth on adjoining roadways. Lowndes County is a fast growing county that is now the largest county in south Georgia. This fast growing area is fueled by its location half-‐way between Atlanta, GA and Orlando, FL, it is home to Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta State University, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and South Georgia Medical Center, together, employing nearly 13,000 workers, and serves as the regional center for more than 15 counties. I-‐75 provides access to numerous distribution facilities that serve South Georgia and North Florida and provides connections to the Ports of Savannah, Brunswick and Jacksonville, among others. This project includes 6 individual bridges and interchanges for a total cost of $172 million. Southern Georgia, a largely rural area, would see significant impacts to the long term economic vitality of our communities should federal-‐aid from the HTF cease. Interstates, US Highways and significant state routes pass through this region connecting mega-‐regions (Atlanta/Charlotte, Florida, Texas, etc.) in all directions with one another. Transportation infrastructure is important in this region as it connects commercial food (carrots, blueberries, tomatoes, pecans, olives, etc.) production with markets and industrial distribution centers (Dillards, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) with seaports on the east coast. While Georgia is proud of its reputation of having a well preserved and maintained transportation system, the loss of federal funds would delay needed bridge repairs in Bacon and Coffee Counties. Our 9 rural transit systems currently provide 569 trips per day for a largely low-‐income and elderly populations to access jobs and important medical appointments. The Southern Georgia Regional Commission and the Valdosta-‐Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization have recently prepared a Fact Sheet on Regional Transportation Planning to inform local, state and federal officials of the planning services MPOs and RTPOs can provide to decision makers. We have also developed a Fact Sheet on local projects of National and Regional Significance to share with local, state and federal officials. Des Moines Area MPO, Des Moines, IA Population: 200,000 – 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 9 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $13,700,000 State – $12,000,000 Local -‐ $36,700,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • NW 66th Avenue/Kempton Bridge -‐ reconstruction of an aging bridge on an major route in northern part of metro. • Grand Avenue Phase VI – reconstruction of a deteriorating section of a major east-‐west corridor. • Indianola Avenue Reconstruction – reconstruction of a major north-‐south corridor • E. Grand Avenue Bridge – reconstruction of an aging bridge across the Des Moines River in the Central business District. • The loss of funding from the HTF in the Des Moines region would result in the reduction of millions of dollars in spending that would support high paying construction jobs. The region also depends on 6 •
funding from programs like CMAQ and the Recreational Trails program to help support projects that reduce vehicle travel and pollution while providing alternative transportation options. High quality transit is also important to our region and the MPO has dedicated millions of dollars to our transit agency to replace buses and improve service. The region has also placed a high priority on implementing Bus Rapid Transit and the success of this priority will be jeopardized without the funding from the HTF. Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, Baltimore, MD Population: >3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 31 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $421,015,000 State: $130,292,000 Local: $23,988,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Baltimore Red Line -‐ Light Rail Line -‐ The proposed Red Line is a 14.1-‐mile, east-‐west transit line that would provide enhanced mobility and connecting service to Baltimore's existing transit systems -‐ MARC commuter service, metro, light rail and local and commuter bus routes. • I-‐695 Baltimore Beltway Widening -‐ MD 41 to MD 147 -‐ Safety and congestion mitigation on one of the region's major bottlenecks. • Base Re-‐Alignment and Closure (BRAC) Roadway improvements near Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Meade (MD 22 and MD 175) -‐ improvements to accommodate additional employees at critical military installations. • MD 32 Improvements -‐ Safety and congestion mitigation projects in growing area linking DC and Baltimore suburbs. • Widening of US 29 in Howard County -‐ improving safety and mitigating congestion in heavily congested corridor. • State of good repair for regional transit systems (MARC, METRO, Baltimore Light Rail and MTA bus systems) would cease, as would funds for locally operated transit systems. • 38 local bridge rehabilitation projects. • Critical road preservation, safety and spot improvements and congestion management. • Transportation Alternatives, ADA retrofits and ITS solution projects. • CMAQ funding cessation would impact regions efforts to address critical air quality issues. • Private sector development timed to coincide with public sector investment would be impacted. Salisbury-‐Wicomico MPO, Salisbury, MD Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 1 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $19,772,000 State: $3,007,000 Local: $3,946,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • The overwhelming majority of projects will be system preservation projects for State roadways and U.S. Freeways in the Urbanized Area. 7 •
Our local transit provider (Shore Transit) will not be able to maintain their current level of service; thereby, causing major transportation related obstacles for their fixed service and origin to destination ridership. East-‐West Gateway Council of Governments, St. Louis, MO-‐IL Population: 1,000,000 -‐ 3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 55 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $236,172,000 State: $196,288,000 Local: $49,331,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • HTF cessation in FY 2015 alone would delay almost 150 pavement rehabilitation or reconstruction projects, including major projects on the aging Interstate system and projects that include ADA, pedestrian, and bicycle accommodations to improve non-‐motorized transportation safety. • In FY 2015 alone, a cessation would delay 54 bridge rehabilitation or replacement projects affecting bridges that are functionally or structurally deficient, a number of which could be closed because of falling condition ratings. It would also delay critically needed bus replacements on the regional transit system and rehabilitation work on the region's twenty-‐year old light rail system, including an essential tunnel rehabilitation project. • In brief, a cessation would cost the region in many ways: more vehicle crashes, accumulating costs associated with deferred maintenance, higher vehicle emissions with associated health impacts, higher congestion costs to commuters and businesses, and the inflationary impacts of time. • Reconstruction of I-‐270 in St. Louis City and County. I-‐270 is a major commuting and national freight corridor with high levels of congestion and significant safety issues. It is an aging piece of infrastructure with a need for pavement and bridge replacement, as well as updating of interchange configurations. • Replacement of the MO 47 Bridge over the Missouri River in Franklin County, Missouri. It is a deteriorating eighty-‐year old bridge that provides the only river crossing in the western portion of the St. Louis region. Replacement is needed to ensure continued connectivity and preserve effective emergency response. • Reconstruction of I-‐44 in the City of St. Louis. I-‐44 is a commuting and national freight corridor and is in deteriorated condition, with deficient pavement and structurally and functionally deficient bridges. • Two Bus Rapid Transit routes in St. Louis City and County. These routes would provide high-‐quality commuting and reverse commuting services to transit dependent populations, helping overcome the geographic and travel barriers to economic opportunities in the region. • Major projects on the downtown St. Louis Mississippi River bridge complex, notably the reconstruction of ramps and widening of the William Clay Bridge and a new ramp from the Martin Luther King Bridge. These projects are intended to solve long-‐standing connectivity and congestion problems in downtown St. Louis and the near Illinois communities. Bismarck-‐Mandan MPO, Bismarck, ND Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 4 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $17,032,860 8 State: $729,140 Local: $3,864,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • North Washington Street (Reconstruction) -‐ North Washington Street is a Principle Arterial located in Bismarck North Dakota. The reconstruction of this project in 2015 is critical as this area is a primary growth area in the community and a new elementary school will be opening adjacent to the subject roadway attracting more homes and vehicle trips to the area. • Interstate 94 Grant Marsh Bridge (Structural Repair and Paint) -‐ This is a critical link over the Missouri River for Interstate 94. It connects the communities of Bismarck and Mandan and is one of only 3 crossings in the MPO area over the Missouri River. Continued reliance on this facility is critical for local, state, and national transportation/freight movements. • If Federal Transit Operations funds were not available, the public fixed route and paratransit services would not be able to operate as local funds would not be sufficient to support it. • Federal Transportation funds are currently programed in 2015 to address area wide retroreflectivity to enhance safety of freight and motor vehicle drivers. • Grant Marsh Bridge on Interstate 94 is utilizing Federal Transportation Funds for system preservation of the existing facility. • North Washington Street Reconstruction in Bismarck will address existing and near term projected operations issues. • Currently, Bismarck-‐Mandan MPO area jurisdictions do not have any alternative means to fund any of the identified needs in this survey. As the region continues to prosper and grow, transportation demands in the area will increase significantly. Without HTF dollars it is highly uncertain how future transportation demands will be met. North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Newark, NJ Population: >3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 52 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $2.4B State: $3.9B Local: $0 Projects Affected by Freeze: • In the NJTPA region, one year without the HTF would lead to a reduction in $2.4 billion in spending costing thousands of jobs. It would stop important projects such as the Route 3 and Route 46 Interchange improvement ($25 million); Route 37, Mathis Bridge replacement ($37 million); Route 18 Bridge replacement ($15 million); and Route 80 roadway reconstruction ($11 million). • For transit , a cessation of HTF funding would halt the following programs: Light Rail Vehicle lease payments ($28 million); Preventive Bus Maintenance ($122 million); and Preventive Rail Maintenance ($267 million). Without the preventative maintenance programs, bus and rail vehicle repairs would become future replacements. • The NJTPA has an aggressive safety program which is performance based. The most dangerous corridors and intersections are prioritized and funded with HSIP funding. The program began in 2007 and accidents have been reduced by as much as 30%. • The NJTPA also provides $80 million for local projects which are mostly for bridge replacements. Such projects address bridges that have either a weight restriction or have been closed due to unsafe conditions. Federal funding is the only source for locals to fund these multimillion dollar projects. 9 Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV Population: 1,000,000 – 3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 11 FTE, 6 PTE FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal -‐ $216,341,807 State – $177,331,768 Local -‐ $101,498,900 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Boulder City Bypass Phases 1 & 2 Construction (Future I-‐11) -‐ Congress designated the corridor between Phoenix and Las Vegas as future I-‐11 in MAP-‐21 because of its importance for interstate and international trade and travel. Boulder City Bypass is a part of the future I-‐11 corridor. Phase 1 will be implemented by Nevada DOT at a cost of $80M. Phase 2 will be implemented by the Regional Transportation Commission at a cost of $300M. Both of these projects are programmed to receive significant amounts of federal funding in FFY2015. • I-‐15 Project Neon Right-‐of-‐way and Construction -‐ Nevada DOT is embarking upon an ambitious plan to reconfigure parts of I-‐15 through the urban core of Las Vegas at a cost of $2B. The project will address safety concerns as well improve traffic flow through the region. The state is using a public-‐
private partnership to deliver the project but significant amounts of federal funding are tied to the project. • Airport Connector Construction -‐ As McCarran International Airport reaches capacity (one of top ten busiest airports in the country), the Clark County Dept. of Aviation is moving forward with plans to build a Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport. This project includes road improvements by Clark County Public Works to increase access to the site. $78M is programmed for this project over FFY2014 and FY2015. • US 95 Resurfacing -‐ Nevada DOT has plans to resurface this part of the national highway system in 2015 at a cost of $21M. • Fixed Route Bus Fleet Replacement -‐ The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is the transit provider for the region. The aging fleet is systematically being replaced with cleaner compressed natural gas buses. Over $5M of bus replacement is identified in FFY2015 but the need is closer to $20M. This project is anticipated to receive CMAQ funding as well (e.g. $12.5M in CMAQ is going to CNG bus replacement in FFY2014). • Paratransit Bus Fleet Replacement -‐ In order to continue to serve the needs of the disabled, the RTC also has identified replacement of buses which provide paratransit service. Nearly, $8M of bus replacement is identified in FFY2015. Elmira-‐Chemung Transportation Council, Elmira, NY Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 3.5 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $11,000,000 State: $2,000,000 Local: $1,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Intersection reconstruction, State Route 328, with HSIP funds because of crash deaths and collisions. 10 •
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Federal Transit funding ($1.1 million) for the County transit system operation (with an operating budget of $5 million), which 47% of passengers ride to and/or from work. This would likely require a 33% reduction in transit service\routes. Most of the funding, except for the two specifics above, are for system preservation. There are considerable paving\resurfacing projects on State Routes 13 and 14 connecting Elmira with two other regional destinations. Adirondack/Glens Falls Transportation Council, Glens Falls, NY Population: 200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 3 Projects Affected by Freeze: • System preservation will continue at a greatly diminished capacity (local and state dollars only). Annual set-‐asides for safety improvements, infrastructure preservation, and bicycle and pedestrian improvements would cease in the absence of federal funding. • Transit provider would lose 50% funding relief for operating; capital projects and vehicle replacements would be delayed. • Pavement preservation program to prevent infrastructure from deteriorating from good to poor condition. Necessary to preserve and maintain pavement conditions throughout the region, stave off more costly repairs, and address pending required performance measures. • Bridge preservation program designed to maximize service life and restore carrying capacities for area structures. Necessary to extend the life of as many bridges as possible throughout the region and delay replacements, closings or abandonments. • Hudson Avenue rehabilitation -‐ City of Glens Falls, Warren County -‐ pavement restoration and multimodal access improvements into an established urban core and home to the region's largest employer. Bike/ped safety considerations to be incorporated. • US Route 9 over Interstate 87 bridge rehabilitation, Town of Moreau, Saratoga County. • CR 113 over the Batten Kill bridge replacement, Town of Greenwich, Washington County -‐ bridge along critical employment access route to be replaced. Corvallis Area MPO, Corvallis, OR Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 2 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $8,500,000 State: $3,000,000 Local: $1,500,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Almost all of our federal dollars are allocated to system preservation and maintenance projects. The need for system preservation has been magnified after the cold spill winter. Federal dollars are now more needed for preserving and maintaining our transportation system. • These are projects that must be done now to maintain the integrity of the system: 15 Street preservation, West Hill Road Preservation, 10th Street Preservation, Lewisburg Road Preservation. • The region relies heavily on its transit system. This transit system in a city of 54 thousand population has more than one million annual ridership. A disruption in the flow of transit dollars would paralyze the public transportation system. Brownsville MPO, Brownsville, TX 11 Population: 200,000 – 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 4 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $3,500,000 Local: $700,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • The Brownsville MPO recently became a TMA. We are seeking to use our STP-‐MM monies to alleviate congestion on area roadways by implementing operational improvements. These type of improvements augment mobility by making better, more efficient use of existing corridors. Typically, these types of improvements (traffic signals, including use of radio or other linkages between signals to improve traffic flow) provide needed relief from congestion problems at different hours of the work day, including peak hours. If HTF monies are cut or delayed, then these remedies for the City of Brownsville and other communities will be curtailed or delayed. • Brownsville Metro is the Direct Recipient for the Brownsville MPO. HTF cessation would severely hinder operations at Brownsville Metro. North Central Texas Council of Governments, Dallas-‐Fort Worth, TX Population: >3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 60 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $200,000,000 State: $25,000,000 Local: $534,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • TEX Rail Corridor -‐ This project is a major rail line connecting Fort Worth (and cities along the way) to DFW International Airport. • SH 360 -‐ This project is a major toll facility being implemented with federal and state funds. It has been in development for 15-‐20 years, and will alleviate a significant bottleneck. • SH 183/SH 114/Loop 12 -‐ This project will reconstruct a major east-‐west highway corridor between Dallas and Fort Worth; it is planned as a public-‐private partnership (and could not be built without a PPP), so failure by the public sector to secure funding would jeopardize the entire project. • Various air quality and congestion management programs throughout the region would be halted, which impacts our ability to meet air quality conformity rules, which in turn could lead to far damaging consequences for any future federal funding. • IH 35E, IH 35W, and IH 635 are all currently under construction as either design-‐build or concession contracts. It is unclear whether or not the situation hypothesized in this question would halt payments to those projects, but if so, there would be a major impact to the success of the PPPs as well as to 3 major interstate highways in the DFW region. • Mobility assistance patrols, operations of the HOV/managed lanes, regional 511 program, vanpool program, transit operations, wrong way driving/safety program, and many other specialized programs would be halted if funding were not available. Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization, Lubbock, TX Population: >200,000 – 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 3 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: 12 Federal: $61,000,000 State: $ Local: $8,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Several projects that represent extension of the current network to insure mobility and connectivity: Erskine Street, 98th Street, N. University Ave., S. Slide Road, Outer Route (route study), F.M. 1585 • System preservation would be reduced by 60 to 70%. Transit operations would be reduced by 15%. MOTOR MPO, Midland, TX Population: 200,000 – 500,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 4 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $5,700,000 State: $1,650,000 Local: $1,800,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • No realignment and connection of a key arterial street. • Preventive Maintenance on transit discontinued. • Planning funds for transit discontinued. • Paratransit services ceased. • Regular transit service ceased. Tyler Area MPO, Tyler, TX Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 3 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $1,258,840 State: $338,223 Local: $537,435 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Tyler Transit SR-‐PT8 -‐ Capital and preventative maintenance expenses such as buses and bus maintenance. Project SR-‐PT8 is critical to the daily operations of Tyler Transit in order to provide the citizens of Tyler a reliable transit system. • Tyler Transit SR-‐PT8 -‐ Operating expenses such as personnel salaries, fuel, utilities, etc. • Tyler Transit SR-‐PT8 -‐ Security expenses such as cameras and alarm systems. • Tyler Transit SR-‐PT8 -‐ Capital expenses related to Americans with Disability Act such as wheelchair ramps, bus repairs, etc. • Tyler Transit SR-‐PT8 -‐ Planning short term planning such as administrative costs. • Tyler Transit relies on funds so that contracts can be bid, workers can be hired, buses can be purchased, and work can begin or continue on transit construction projects that create jobs and drive economic growth. Waco MPO, Waco, TX Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 4 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $13,700,000 13 State: $3,400,000 Local: $1,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Highway Mobility FM 1637 (China Spring Rd) -‐ FM 3051 to FM 2490, widen to 4 lanes divided. Project would be delayed at least 12 months and would result in estimated $1.1 to $1.4 million additional cost due to inflation. Project adds capacity to the most congested highway and in the fastest growing area within the Waco Metropolitan Area. • The Waco Metropolitan Area relies very heavily on federal dollars for highway & bridge preservation and public transportation operations. Over the past 3 fiscal years approximately $17 million in highway preservations projects and $4 million in bridge preservation / replacement projects have been funded using federal dollars within our region. These funds are targeted to facilities that are in the greatest need of repair or replacement. Delays in funding these projects may result in temporary road, lane or bridge closures and/or load restrictions for facilities scheduled in FY 15. • Waco Transit utilizes approximately $2.6 million in federal funds to operate and maintain fixed route & ADA paratransit services within the Waco Metropolitan Area. These services combined carry over 1.2 million riders annually. Many of these riders have no other means of transportation to employment, school or to access various public services. Without federal dollars, these services would likely terminate as state and local dollars are insufficient to make up this difference. • This winter has been very harsh on roads and bridges within our region as we have experienced a record number of days below freezing and a greater than average snow/ice events. The freeze/thaw cycles and road salting operations have significantly deteriorated pavements and bridges within our region. The result is that we are anticipating a greater need for maintenance & rehab funding to bring roadway & bridge conditions back to an acceptable level this year. Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, Winooski, VT Population: <200,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 11 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $44,000,000 State: $2,000,000 Local: $300,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • Vermont relies heavily on federal funding to support programmatic activities across all federal programs. The suspension of HTF allocations would bring to a halt critical paving projects on the state and interstate highway systems, reduce and/or suspend commuter and local bus services, impacting jobs and access to critical services such as medical, childcare, and market access, delay critical safety implementation projects which could lead to increased crashes and highway fatalities in our region. • Vermont is a state which relies on federal allocations to maintain critical economic linkages between the Port of Montreal, Boston and New York. Burlington, located in the heart of the MPO region, and the state's largest city, is a critical stopping off point along the international trade corridor defined above. Preservation of the Interstate system through Vermont, as well as upgrades to the Federal and State Highway resources serving the Interstate are critical to economic activity, safety and security for Chittenden County and the balance of Vermont. • US 2 / Industrial Avenue, Williston, VT -‐ $4,000,000 intersection upgrade to improve accessibility to a regional economic development industrial production area in Chittenden County, VT, the state's principle economic activity center. 14 •
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Interstate 89, Exit 14 / US 2, South Burlington VT -‐ $4,000,000 roadway widening project along Vermont's busiest PM peak hour roadway segment which serves as the principle access point to Vermont's largest city, Burlington. VT2A/James Brown Drive, Williston VT -‐ $2,500,000 intersection project to reduce congestion along a primary commuter linkage serving the IBM campus area and other regional economic clusters with significant numbers of high end jobs in Chittenden County, the state's principle economic activity center. Interstate 89 Bridge Replacement, Milton, VT ($11.4M) -‐ Critical international freight connection between the Port of Montreal and points south in New England. Interstate 89, Exit 16 Diverging Diamond Interchange, Colchester, VT ($5.5M) -‐ Safety project with critical economic development linkage in Chittenden County, Vermont's leading county for economic sustainability. Champlain Parkway, Burlington, VT ($24M) -‐ Economic development linkage between Interstate 89, US Route 7 and the south end of Burlington, including the Burlington rail yard; serving freight connections from Burlington to points in southern New England and New York. Puget Sound Regional Council, Seattle, WA Population: >3,000,000 MPO staff supported by HTF: 74 FY 2015 dollars in TIP: Federal: $647,000,000 State: $126,000,000 Local: $529,000,000 Projects Affected by Freeze: • State Route 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program. FFY 2015 federal funds = $242 million ($140 million for capital expenditures, $102 million for debt service payments of the GARVEE bonds) Total project cost = $2.5 billion • The SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program will replace the SR-‐520 floating bridge and landings, to include four general purpose lanes and two HOV lanes and including construction of pontoons to restore the floating section of the bridge, and will complete the HOV and transit system between Medina to Redmond. The SR 520 floating bridge, built in 1963, is vulnerable to failure during severe windstorms and earthquakes. Improving and replacing the bridge and corridor is critical to maintaining public safety and the safety of Washington State’s transportation infrastructure. GARVEE Bonds and federal TIFIA funds are being utilized on the project, as well as other federal and state funding sources. WSDOT is paying the required debt service for the GARVEE bonds with federal funds through FFY 2024. • State Route 99: South King Street Vicinity to Roy Street Viaduct Replacement. FFY 2015 federal funds = $65 million Total project cost = $2.2 billion This project will construct a bored tunnel under downtown Seattle to replace the seismically vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct along the central waterfront. The viaduct was built in the 1950s and was already showing signs of age and deterioration before the 2001 Nisqually earthquake further weakened the structure. The SR 99 viaduct is one of the state’s busiest highways, carrying over 110,000 vehicles each day as a vital north-‐south route through downtown Seattle. • Community Transit Revenue Vehicles Project. FFY 2015 federal funds = $5 million, Total project cost = $29 million This project will purchase approximately 80 replacement or expansion vehicles, including transit buses, paratransit coaches and vanpool vehicles. Due to the recent economic downturn, expenditures on these types of investments had to be deferred, extending the useful life 15 •
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of these vehicles. Washington State, similar to states across the country, is currently facing challenges in a variety of areas including congestion, increases in fuel prices and an economic recession. Efforts to combat these problems are focused on heightened use of mass transit. However, transit agencies are struggling with operational deficits that make it difficult just to maintain current service levels. As Community Transit’s ridership continues to increase, sales tax revenues are decreasing, while at the same time fuel costs are fluctuating. Therefore, it is crucial that federal funds be available to allow the continued provision of reliable and efficient transit service. Community Transit programs and obligates funding for operating assistance, preventative maintenance and ADA paratransit operations annually. In the event the 2015 federal funds could not be obligated, Community Transit would have to replace federal funds with local funds to fund current service levels. The City of Buckley’s State Route 410 and State Route 165 Realignment , Phase 2 Project. FFY 2015 federal funds = $1.5 million, Total project cost = $1.8 million This project will realign State Route 165 between State Route 410 and Ryan Road, providing three travel lanes, paved shoulders, curb/gutter/sidewalk, street lighting, stormwater improvements, traffic signalization and a realignment of the Foothills Trail. This project corrects a safety and geometric issue at this location, for vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and freight movement. The City of Tacoma’s Puyallup Bridge Replacement. FFY 2015 federal funds = $12.2 million, Total project cost = $38.7 million. This project will replace two segments of the Puyallup River Bridge with a single cable stayed bridge, providing 4 lanes of traffic. The bridge is 85 years old and showing significant deterioration throughout its length, with a sufficiency rating for these segments of 7 out of 100. The replacement bridge will provide significant freight benefits to the Port of Tacoma. Federal funds are programmed to a variety of projects in our region, including transit, safety, efficiency, and preservation. Specific CMAQ projects with FFY 2015 funds include traffic signalization and other Intelligent Transportation Systems projects, and bicycle and pedestrian investments. Projects with Safe Routes to Schools funding will also be jeopardized, as will FTA funding for transit projects such as expansion of light rail, bus replacements, preventative maintenance and Washington State Ferry terminal preservation investments. In addition, many projects in our region with FFY 2015 funds are for safety, preservation and/or efficiency investments such as paving, seismic retrofits, fish barrier removal and bridge rehabilitation. Approximately $52 million of preservation projects in the Puget Sound region would be deferred, addressing 27 centerline miles of needed paving and preservation of 7 bridges. In other parts of the state, $77 million of preservation would be deferred addressing 181 centerline miles of paving and preservation of 3 bridges. $12 million in safety projects would be deferred statewide addressing dangerous intersections and railroad crossings. The Washington State ferry system is heavily dependent on federal funds for the preservation of vessels and terminals. Three terminal preservation projects in the Puget Sound region would be deferred including a major project replacing part of the trestle and replacing the terminal building at the largest terminal in the system servicing 8 million passengers in 2012. Additionally, nearly every vessel preservation project utilizes federal funds. Deferring a vessel preservation project may impact whether the vessel would be allowed to operate impacting millions of passengers. The Puget Sound Regional Council would have to cease operations, and critical transportation projects would not be able to proceed, if access to FFY 2015 federal funds were to be denied. This would affect our regional and state economy, as the Central Puget Sound region represents approximately 55% of the state’s population and 58% of the state’s jobs, and provides critical linkages in the movement of freight to and from the State of Washington. 16 •
The state and local jurisdictions are facing significant funding shortfalls, and the use of federal funds for transportation projects is critical, particularly for preservation of failing infrastructure. Further, there would be an extraordinary administrative burden on MPOs, the state and local jurisdictions to accommodate such a cessation of federal transportation funds. The state has issued two GARVEE bonds to finance the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program. By bond covenant and memorandum of understanding with FHWA, the first transaction submitted by the state each year is the obligation of funds sufficient to cover debt service on the GARVEE bonds for the year. Without obligation and reimbursement from FHWA, the state would be faced with the possibility of defaulting on the bonds. 17

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