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Policy Goal Committee Report City of Boulder City Council Policy Goal Committee Report Policy Goal Committee: Transportation Meeting Date: March 4, 2004 Present: Jack Stoakes, Tracy Winfree, Amy Mueller, Mike Sweeney, Randall Rutsch Summary Notes: 1. Reviewed the language of the previous goal committee and the new focus areas identified at the January 2004 City Council Retreat. Discussed possibility of keeping overview language of goal area and simply replacing the three previous goal focus areas with the new goal focus areas: Explore/Pursue implementation of the Transportation Master Plan’s Action Plan; Involve Council in FasTracks by taking a position on the plan and advocating for its passage; and Strategize and coordinate City Council / staff involvement in regional transportation studies. The group discussed logistics of goal meetings with a desire to meet once per month, likely the first Thursday of each month. Also, there is a desire to keep the group small with the possibility of inviting others on an as-needed basis, such as a Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) member. Councilmember Stoakes will talk to Councilmember Schultheiss about this approach. 2. Reviewed a draftwork plan (attached) for making progress on the above- noted focus areas. Overall the work plan looks like a sound approach. Will check in with Councilmember Andy Schultheiss before taking to the full Council. 3. Discussed the possibility of establishing a “Regional Transportation Agenda” similar to the Council’s annual “Legislative Agenda”. The reasons for pursuing this type of formalized agenda include the fact that there are so many studies happening at once, there are multiple staff and Council members involved in the various studies, most studies are on a fast track, similar to the state legislature it is not feasible to check in with the full Council every time there is input requested or a decision made. The intent of the “Regional Transportation Agenda” is to: Provide a basic understanding of each study; Establish a framework of transportation objectives for each study that the City of Boulder will strive to achieve; Provide a method for involved Council and staff members to be constructive and active study participants while staying connected to overall city policy; Make the city’s approach accessible to the public, the full City Council and other staff. A draft of a “Regional Transportation Agenda” is attached. There were a number of suggestions to improve the “agenda” such as adding a brief project description, overall timing, implementation issues, etc. The Council Committee would seek full Council endorsement of the Regional Transportation Agenda. In addition, the group discussed the idea of creating a web site location under the Council Transportation Goal Committee on which Council resolutions, city letters providing input, calendar of meetings and other items specially related to the regional studies could be posted. This website would provide a central clearing house that many could access to keep track of the city positions and information regarding the regional studies. Finally, the group discussed a possible method for Council Committees to report to the full Council. Other government entities have a standard “Committee Reports” component on their regular agendas to allow committee leads to present new information to the full Council. Both the full Council and the public would be privy to the issues, actions and work of the Council Committee. As in other organizations, if there is no new news to report, Committee leads can pass on that particular item. Since Councilmember Andy Schultheiss was absent the materials of this meeting will be sent to him and staff and Councilmember Stoakes will seek his input. Next Scheduled Meeting: April 1, 2004, 4:00pm to 5:30pm, Park Central Building, Room 401 DRAFT - Work Plan Transportation Policy Goal Committee Previous language for Council Transportation Goal: ” 1. build regional coalitions and multimodal solutions, with a focus on US 36, Diagonal, Arapahoe, and legislative issues. 2.: continue to pursue Transportation Demand Management for the purpose of modal shift with a focus on parking management, education, transit pass programs, etc. 3. assure success of existing Community Transit Network and upcoming services. Adjustments to language? Thoughts below based on comments from Council retreat. Are there three new focus areas as noted below? Who attends? Recommend starting small. Explore TMP Action Plan Implementation Proposal for task force process / representation sent for City Manager review Proposal accepted and circulated by City Manager to City Council A couple of comments on representation and “remaining objective” about going to the ballot from members Crystal Gray and Gordon Riggle Next Steps – Refine list, identify facilitator, invite participants via letter from Frank, set up first meeting First Meeting Objective – ground participants in the TMP and Action Plan, discuss next steps and information needs, objective to determine if, when and what we go to ballot with based on Action Plan Second Meeting Objective – bring possible packages for consideration, discuss issues related to timing of vote, challenges and opportunities, whether to go for vote Third Meeting Objective – based on progress of first two meetings Involve Council in FasTracks by taking position and advocacy Shape It: Define FasTracks for Council Identify pros and cons from plan from Boulder / Boulder County / US 36 perspective Communication to RTD from Boulder partners on how to better shape FasTracks Draft resolution in support of FasTracks for Council based on analysis Support It: Define appropriate staff and Council member roles and activities Research advocacy efforts underway and evaluate potential Council involvement in efforts (such as TMO, Transit Alliance, MCC, etc.) Bring Maria Garcia Berry to a Committee meeting to understand the bigger picture of the campaign Develop an advocacy strategy based on Council resolution and knowledge of advocacy efforts (such as approaches to garner support from various community segments, get out the vote, etc.) Coordinate and Strategize City/Council Involvement in Regional Transportation Studies Shape It (“Create Regional Transportation Agenda”): Identify all studies requiring involvement and identified representation Prioritize studies by potential impact/benefit to Boulder/Boulder County Identify goals for outcome(s) for each corridor study Council approval of goals for each corridor study (perhaps via resolution) Support It: Track meetings, topics and necessary involvement via meetings, coalition building, letter writing, etc. Establish a part of the Council Goal web site that provides a calendar of Regional Transportation meetings, Council resolutions and letters making statements about various studies, etc. Committee reports to full Council as results unfold. After studies finalized determine next steps to realize desired outcomes Regional Transportation Agenda (similar to “Legislative Agenda”) List of Studies Underway, who’s involved US 36 EIS – Toor, McGrath, Stoakes, Winfree, Mueller Northwest Corridor EIS – Schultheiss, Mueller, Winfree North I-25 EIS – Eldridge, Mueller, Rutsch Diagonal Transit Feasibility Study – Eldridge, Toor, Sweeney, Rutsch Boulder County Regional Transit Committee – Toor, Stoakes, Rutsch University of Colorado Parking and Transportation Micro Master Plan – Winfree, Winter Colorado Tolling Enterprise Tolling Feasibility Study – No one invited, provide comment as possible Proposed Prioritized Involvement – based on potential benefit/impact 1.US 36 EIS – direct benefit and impact 2.Diagonal Transit Feasibility Study – direct benefit and impact 3.Boulder County Regional Transit Committee – direct benefit and impact 4.Northwest Corridor EIS – potentially significant impact 5.University of Colorado Parking and Transportation Micro Master Plan – benefit and impact, significant alignment with city policy 6.Colorado Tolling Enterprise Tolling Study – potentially direct impact 7.North I-25 EIS – indirect impact Draft Goals and Objectives for each study US 36 EIS Continue to support a consensus approach with corridor governments Continue to support a multimodal package similar to the locally preferred alternative (LPA) (Bus Rapid Transit, Commuter Rail using existing BNSF tracks, a regional bikeway, climbing lane at Davidson Mesa, a total of 3 th general purpose lanes in each direction east of 96 Street) Continue to evaluate improved approaches through the EIS, such as improved BRT applications Continue to support efforts to identify funding for the LPA through FasTracks, state and federal funding Track and address evolving tolling approach being developed by the Colorado Tolling Enterprise (CTE), which could heavily influence CDOT involvement in EIS Diagonal Transit Feasibility Study Assure City of Boulder involvement in study Support coalition developed to date with Boulder County and the City of Longmont Strive to include all transit elements of the “Shared Vision for the Diagonal” which include transit operational and capital improvements for the Diagonal Assure long-term success and support for BOLT and LOBO services Connect results of study and FasTracks outcomes Determine additional future steps for funding upon results of study Boulder County Regional Transit Committee Outcome of this committee could be significant boost for transit in all of Boulder County Continue to support, within an equitable distribution of costs, financial support to studies being conducted by committee Continue to support actions by the committee to support Boulder County bus- based transit service inclusion in FasTracks (suburb-to-suburb service and distribution systems) Continue to support actions by committee to support such programs as Eco Pass and CU Student Bus Pass Participate in and support any evaluation that considers alternative approaches to transit service plans, transit operation, transit funding and/or transit governance Northwest Corridor EIS Greatest impact to Boulder/Boulder County is based on land use issues – concern about impacts to Open Space, Wildlife Refuge, development adjacent to open space areas, mountain backdrop, wetland, floodplain and other sensitive land areas Evaluate need for transportation connections in this area Assure that any transportation connections and/or expansions occur south and east of Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge Assure that any future transportation connections and/or expansions include acquisition of open space to protect adjacent sensitive land areas Track and address tolling approaches that penalize existing users to support existing and/or new development University of Colorado – Boulder Parking and Transportation Micro Master Plan Continue positive and productive transportation partnership generated over the last 14 years Look for policy alignment among master plans Look for opportunities where recommended actions overlap Provide positive public support, even if recommended improvements are identified As final plan emerges identify and agree to joint work plan Colorado Tolling Enterprise Study Monitor actions for the CTE Provide input when opportunities arise (note attached draft resolution) Protect assessing existing users when they have already paid for existing facilities Protect principal arterials such as State Highways 119 and 93 Monitor potential impacts and address tolling proposals to critical corridors such as US 36 – assure tolling is complementary to multimodal solution rather than removing multimodal solutions Assure that tolling will support long term operations and maintenance of any new facilities Support continued tolling for managing travel performance of these lanes (HOT lane concept) and to support additional transportation investment in a given corridor North I-25 EIS Monitor progress of EIS Track opportunities and impacts such as the opportunity of extending regional rail as a Front Range connection, impacts to parallel corridors, etc Track actions that may indicate new policy directions such as approaches to tolling, treatment of HOV facilities (existing and new), etc.