At the February TPB meeting, board members approved Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program (TA Set-Aside) project funding to improve bicycle and pedestrian connections in Northern Virginia and received a briefing on an upcoming TPB member questionnaire to gather input on setting greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals for the region. Read on for more information on the TA Set-Aside projects and other agenda items discussed on February 16.
Watch the presentations, download item memos, and listen to board discussion.
ACTION ITEM
Resolution R9-2022: Approval of FY 2023 and FY 2024 TA Set-Aside funding for projects in Virginia
John Swanson, TPB Transportation Planner, presented an overview of eight Northern Virginia projects recommended for TPB funding as part of the TA Set-Aside Program. The TPB’s projects were reviewed by a panel that includes representatives from the Maryland State Highway Administration and the District Department of Transportation. Northern Virginia projects are funded at over $7 million with the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board’s District office recommending four of the eight projects. The sidewalk extensions, crosswalks, lighting, bike facilities, and trail extensions offer connections to the National Capital Trail, are located within or close to Regional Activity Centers and Equity Emphasis Areas, and one is in proximity to a high-capacity transit station area.
Jeanette Rishell, City of Manassas Park Mayor, asked if there are any surveillance cameras on any part of the trail system for safety reasons, particularly trail segments near the schools. Swanson offered to inquire whether cameras are located near the project locations.
Patrick Wojahn, City of College Park Mayor, said that Maryland did not use its full allocation of TA Set-Aside funds during the last funding cycle and asked if there are lessons learned for the jurisdictions in terms of increasing participation and engagement to get the funds spent on high-quality projects. TPB staff responded that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has an extensive application process, including a pre-application period where the state vets projects and works closely with the local jurisdictions. In addition, VDOT has a two-year TA Set-Aside process, allowing the state to fund more projects and overcome partial funding of projects.
Kristen Umstattd, Leesburg District Supervisor, said that the Plaza Street and Sterling Boulevard project locations do qualify as areas that can use additional support. The funded projects in Loudoun County will make a huge difference for residents to access bus lines and to get to medical appointments.
Takis Karantonis, Arlington County Board Member, commented that federalizing smaller projects adds substantial oversight costs as well as compliance requirements that can have a limiting effect. Karantonis said that he likes all of the projects presented; however, he would like to encourage thinking about how to streamline project administration, so that time and resources can be focused on getting projects done and the best return on investment for the dollars.
Ann Wheeler, Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair, stated that the Old Carolina Road project is complex but is a needed connector in the area given all of the changes within one-eighth mile of the project.
The TPB adopted Resolution R9-2022, to approve the following projects for funding under the Federal Transportation Alternatives Set Aside Program for FY 2023 and FY 2024 for Virginia TPB jurisdictions.
- Vienna Metro Bicycle & Pedestrian Improvements Fairfax Co. $800,000
- Sterling Boulevard Sidewalk: Shaw Road to W&OD Loudoun Co. $1,300,000
- Shrevewood Elementary School SRTS Fairfax Co. $800,000
- Plaza Street Sidewalk Town of Leesburg $800,000
- University Drive Bicycle Facilities City of Fairfax $914,745
- Streetscape Phase 2A Town of Clifton $316,579
- Old Carolina Road Sidewalk Improvements Prince William Co. $1,522,034
- Token Forest Drive Sidewalk Prince William Co. $719,534
INFORMATION ITEMS
Climate Change Elements in the Visualize 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan
Kanti Srikanth, TPB Staff Director, provided an overview of how the TPB will collect input from members on the board’s interest in setting greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals and actions to reduce emissions from the on-road transportation sector. The process for gathering input includes distribution of an online questionnaire asking for responses about two proposed climate change elements and a section on how TPB member jurisdictions will be able to include the TPB goals into their local transportation decision-making process. A third section of the questionnaire focuses on which GHG reduction strategies (as analyzed in the Climate Change Mitigation Study (CCMS) of 2021), should be planning priorities in the near term.
The TPB staff will compile the questionnaire results, which will be used to develop draft on-road transportation GHG reduction goals that the TPB will consider adopting, along with a draft set of GHG reduction strategies that the TPB would consider adopting as planning priorities.
Key 2022 Climate and GHG Reduction Questionnaire Dates:
February 28 – TPB staff distributes questionnaire.
April 1 – Questionnaire responses due.
April 20 – TPB will hold a work session to review and discuss climate change priorities.
May 18 – TPB asked to adopt on-road GHG reduction goals and strategies.
Srikanth noted that the TPB members will be able to integrate the goals and strategies into the local planning process once they are adopted as members have in the past for similar goals related to safety, congestion, and transit service.
Chair Sebesky stated that the goal in the coming weeks is for the TPB members to discuss the questionnaire with their governing boards and agencies so that feedback received is reflective of what all TPB members can do in their own jurisdictions.
Earl Lewis, Jr., Maryland Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary for Policy, Planning, & Enterprise Services, stated that Maryland has a GHG reduction law that goes from 2006 and asked about the possibility of holding a discussion on the results of the survey prior to April 20 work session once the results are received.
Srikanth said that the TPB staff expects to have the results April 1 and will have to analyze the results to determine what the feedback is on the reduction goals and strategies and then develop draft strategies for the TPB to adopt. He said that he was unsure if there would be time to schedule a discussion before the work session. If there was time to bring the preliminary results to the board or a sub-group, the TPB staff will try to do so.
Gary Erenrich, Special Assistant to the Director, Montgomery County Department of Transportation, asked whether the TPB will know how much of the GHG reduction can be expected from the goals adopted versus how much will be left on the table from those that the TPB might not adopt right now. Srikanth responded that staff plans to undertake such an analysis after the board’s formal action in May. He also noted that the TPB could continue to discuss strategies that may not get adopted now and adopt such strategies in the future.
David Snyder, City of Falls Church Council Member, asked about the significance of putting strategies in the long-range plan as it’s not an aspirational exercise—the plan is used to judge and approve projects. Srikanth responded that the TPB had adopted other goals and priorities starting in the late 1990s thru mid-2000s which are intended to inform TPB members’ decision making; however, climate change had not been explicitly identified in these earlier documents. Placing climate goals and strategies in the long-range transportation plan now will mean providing greater detail on the climate change goals and that these strategies will be part of the considerations for localities to determine how their projects support the regional climate goals.
John Lynch, Virginia Department of Transportation Northern Virginia District Engineer, commented that development of the long-range transportation plan currently does not have a federal requirement related to greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and recommended not tying GHG reduction goals or targets to the performance of that federally required planning process.
INFORMATION ITEMS FOR MARCH 2022 TPB ACTION
FY 2023 Draft Unified Planning Work Program Overview
Lyn Erickson, TPB Plan Development and Coordination Program Director, shared a draft of the TPB’s annual statement of work, covering the MPO’s planning priorities and activities for July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. The TPB will be asked to approve an $18.974 million budget of MPO funds and $0.875 million in funds for Continuous Air Systems Planning and State Planning and Research. Key projects include, but are not limited to, the next update to Visualize 2045 long-range transportation plan, a Regional Freight Plan update, an update of the National Capital Trail Network map, and climate change mitigation and transportation resiliency activities.
Rodney Roberts, City of Greenbelt Council Member, shared that NOAA had released a statement forecasting up to a 12-inch relative sea level rise by 2050 and asked how that would affect the TPB staff’s thinking on resiliency and planning for climate change. Erickson said that the UPWP is flexible enough that the program can pivot depending on staff availability to focus on resiliency and related areas. Kanti Srikanth commented that the TPB had recently completed a consultant-assisted study to help understand what level of resiliency activities are being undertaken by member jurisdictions so that the TPB staff can determine how to best support regional and state resiliency initiatives.
Draft FY 2023 Commuter Connections Work Program
Nicholas Ramfos, TPB Transportation Operations Programs Director, presented the Commuter Connections Work Program (CCWP), The CCWP includes alternative commute program projects and services designed to help improve traffic congestion and meet regional air quality goals in the non-attainment area. Commuter Connections plays a role in the congestion management process which includes transportation demand management and supporting regional air quality goals, reducing 156,000 vehicle trips per day in the region.
Key programs for the July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 period include the commuter operations center, Guaranteed Ride Home program, mass marketing initiative, Commuter Connections program evaluation, employer outreach, and the Guaranteed Ride Home Program for the Baltimore region, resulting in an annual work program that totals just over $6.9 million. Commuter Connections will continue to monitor changing needs for the program considering impacts from the coronavirus pandemic and changing trends with telework.
The board will be asked to approve the FY 2023 CCWP at its March 16 meeting.
Draft 2022 Transit Asset Management Targets
Eric Randall, TPB Transportation Engineer, briefed the TPB members on the current federal requirements for transit asset management target setting (TAM) and the TPB’s role as an MPO in establishing 2022 TAM targets for the region. Four transit asset performance measures are used: (1) rolling stock (service vehicles) age; (2) Non-revenue service vehicle age; (3) infrastructure condition for rail fixed-guideway track, signals, and systems; and (4) stations/facilities condition. The actual targets reflect: (1) percentage of revenue vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark; (2) percentage of service vehicles that have either met or exceeded their useful life benchmark; (3) percentage of track segments, signals, and systems with performance restrictions (over length in miles); and (4) percentage of passenger and maintenance facilities rated below condition 3 on the condition scale.
The TPB will be asked to approve final 2022 transit asset management targets at its March 16 meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
TPB Technical Committee Report
On February 4, the Technical Committee members previewed the TAP projects for Northern Virginia, received a briefing on the TPB’s Unified Planning Work Program and the Commuter Connections work program, and a preview of draft TAM targets. In addition, the committee held a discussion on the climate change elements of the Visualize 2045 long-range transportation plan update. Information was shared on the draft inputs for the 2023 – 2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Other agenda items included an update on the draft bicycle and pedestrian plan update for the National Capital Region and findings from the TPB’s recent resiliency study.
TPB Community Advisory Committee Report
Ashley Hutson, TPB Community Advisory Committee Chair, reported that the CAC met on February 10. During the meeting, CAC members discussed their perceptions of the resiliency of the metropolitan Washington region transportation system. Individual CAC members raised questions about the resiliency of the electrical grid and cybersecurity concerns. CAC members agreed about the importance of maintaining and upgrading infrastructure for resiliency and recommended identifying best practices for building and maintaining resilient infrastructure. CAC also heard an update on the draft TPB Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. CAC members asked TPB staff whether the plan encourages regional standards for consistent signage and asked for additional information about bicycle parking.
Hutson noted that the CAC would like to meet with TPB officials from their jurisdictions so that they can learn their elected officials’ priorities and to strengthen connections between the CAC and the TPB.
TPB Chair Pamela Sebesky concurred with Hutson’s interest in setting meeting opportunities for TPB and CA members and asked that TPB staff look for an opportunity for a future virtual meeting.
Access for All Advisory Committee Report
Canek Aguirre, Chair of the Access for All Advisory Committee (AFA), and City of Alexandria Council Member, reported on the AFA committee’s February 11 meeting, which included an overview of the 21 projects selected as part of the 2021 Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities federal funding solicitation. In addition, AFA received an update on the 2022 Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan for the National Capital Region. Other AFA agenda items included an update on the draft 2022 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for the National Capital Region.
Aguirre stated that the bicycle and pedestrian plan created discussion among AFA members who commented on requirements to lock scooters and how that could affect wheelchair users. Other plan-related topics of interest to the committee include how pedestrians are defined or referred to in the plan and whether more inclusive language such as “rolling” in addition to “walking” would be included in the plan. AFA also discussed lack of adaptive bikes and scooters.
Steering Committee Actions and Director’s Report
Kanti Srikanth, TPB Staff Director, provided an update on activities of the TPB Steering Committee at its February 4 meeting, including recent Maryland Department of Transportation amendments to the Transportation Improvement Program. Srikanth also informed the TPB of a letter from COG Executive Director Chuck Bean to Maryland General Assembly Delegate Al Carr regarding Maryland bill HB469, Motor Vehicle Administration – Traffic Control Signal Monitoring Systems – Reciprocal Agreements, which Carr has co-sponsored that would allow the Maryland MVA to set up a pilot program for reciprocal enforcement of traffic violations recorded by a traffic control signal monitoring system (red light-running cameras).
Another key committee item was a report on the “Aspiration to Implementation” virtual public engagement campaign held as part of the Visualize 2045 plan update. The poster and QR code campaign engaged more than 400 respondents who were asked how would projects and programs reflecting the Aspiration Initiatives impact their lives and travel.
Kacy Kostiuk, City of Takoma Park Council Member, stated that she found the Voices of the Region survey useful in understanding the impact of the work and perspectives from around the region. Kostiuk said she finds the input from people under the age of 18 did not seem to be robust as part of the outreach and thinks it is important to get input from young people as they are the future of the region’s communities. Staff responded that the TPB can look into targeted outreach for that age group. TPB surveys are open to everybody. There might be some issues or restrictions regarding reaching out to the age group. Kostiuk noted that there might be some tailoring around the subject matter as among younger generations there is less use of cars and interest in living closer to work.
MARCH 16 TPB MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
Chair Sebesky said that the TPB plans to meet for a hybrid/in-person meeting on March 16. The meeting will be predominantly in person; members who wish to participate virtually will notify staff ahead of the meeting date. For the upcoming meeting, the number of participants in the COG meeting room will be limited to board members or their alternates, and TPB staff whose work activities are on the agenda.