RESEARCH DIVISION
TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY & UTILITIES
SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
July 18, 2016
3:20 P.M.
City Council Chambers
First Floor, City Hall
117 West Duval Street
Attendance: Council Members Al Ferraro (Chair), Doyle Carter (Vice Chair), Anna Lopez Brosche, Greg Anderson, Reggie Brown, John Crescimbeni, Reggie Gaffney; Assistant General Counsel Paige Johnston; Kim Taylor, Council Auditor’s Office; Jordan Elsbury, Mayor’s Office; Philip Zamarron, Legislative Assistant; John J. Jackson, Yvonne Mitchell, Council Research Assistants, (see attached sign-in sheet for additional attendees).
The Chair, Council Member Al Ferraro, called the Special Committee meeting to order at 3:20 P.M. and requested that those in attendance identify themselves for the record.
Jeff Sheffield, Executive Director, North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) provided the Committee with a PowerPoint presentation on the organization and its plans for the future.
The organization was formed in the 1970s as a conduit for the distribution of federal funds for transportation projects to local jurisdictions. Federal law required the formation of what was then designated as a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for urbanized areas with a population greater than 50,000. Jacksonville’s MPO was formed in 1978. It subsequently was renamed the First Coast MPO in 2000. In 2004, the MPO transitioned from the City’s Planning Department into an independent agency that represented Northeast Florida. In September 2008, the MPO was rebranded as the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization.
The North Florida TPO is comprised of Duval, Clay, and Nassau & St. Johns Counties.
The primary responsibilities of the TPO include: a Long Range Transportation Plan (20-year horizon); a Transportation Improvement Program; and a Unified Planning Work Program. Mr. Sheffield underscored the point that major transportation projects must be included in the TPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan to enable them to receive federal funds.
TPO’s Project Needs Plan entails 700 projects with an estimated $27 billion price tag and a Cost Feasible Plan for 90 road projects with an estimated cost of $12.6 billion.
TPO’s Transportation Improvement Program for Fiscal Years 2015 through 2019/20 was adopted on June 11, 2015. Its Unified Planning Work Program was adopted May 12, 2016.
Mr. Sheffield described additional responsibilities and initiatives of the TPO that included: freight & rail planning; North Florida ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) Coalition; a Congestion Management Plan; North Florida Clean Fuels Program; bicycles/pedestrian program; safety; a Commuter Assistance Program; transit planning; Duval County Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinating Board.
North Florida’s ITS Coalition consists of: closed circuit television cameras, a traffic signal controller, dynamic message signs, Road Ranger, vehicle deflection sensor, blue TOAD sensor, 511 information phone, road weather info system, and a regional transportation management center.
In describing North Florida’s Clean Fuels Coalition, Mr. Sheffield cited current TPO investments that include: St. Johns County Fleet Conversion ($732,000 to convert 130 trucks to CNG (compressed natural gas) bi-fuel); JTA Public Access CNG Station ($2.75 million to support JTA’s transition to CNG-fueled buses); City of Jacksonville Sanitation Vehicle Transition ($315,000 for the incremental cost of seven CNG sanitation trucks); FEC Railway Freight Locomotive Conversion ($375,000 to purchase one of four LNG retrofit kits); JAXPORT Clean Truck program ($162,000 for financial incentives for cleaner diesel or alternative fuel vehicles).
Mr. Sheffield described TPO efforts underway to partner with JEA for electric vehicles (JEA incentives to purchase electric vehicles) and a bicycle/pedestrian master plan. The bicycle/pedestrian master plan focuses on area studies for St. Augustine, San Marco/Riverside, the Duval Beaches, beaches to a downtown connection, Amelia Island and Orange Park.
Council Member Reggie Brown inquired about the priority for Mathews Bridge repairs. Mr. Sheffield explained that the repairs are estimated at $1 billion and that the priority for the repairs has dropped owing to the cost restraint and a current decline in traffic on the expressway.
Mr. Sheffield noted that there is a bi-weekly meeting of the Director of the Planning & Development Department and the FDOT to maintain a dialogue regarding the TPO.
Mr. Sheffield announced that the City of Jacksonville was recently designated as a Clean City by the U.S. Department of Energy. The designation recognized efforts to reduce petroleum use in transportation. The designation enables the TPO to submit a grant application for $3 million for continuing projects.
TPO utilizes a Citizen Advisory Committee. The City Council appoints individuals to serve on this panel. Council President Boyer requested a list of the citizens on the committee and their attendance record.
The TPO has funding for traffic studies and for the planning of initiatives that are imperative; there is also funding for the design and construction of projects in the 20-year long range plan. The City Council weighs in by prioritizing projects for the TPO five-year plan.
Bill Killingsworth, Director, Planning & Development Department, explained how the City of Jacksonville interacts with the TPO. The City has voting members on TPO’s Board that sets policy and crafts the budget. The City’s representatives are Council President Boyer and Council Members Carter and Newby; Garrett Dennis is an alternate.
At Council Member Scott Wilson’s request, Mr. Killingsworth will schedule a meeting to discuss the City’s list of priority projects that the TPO will vote on at its August meeting.
Council President Boyer suggested that the JTA make a presentation at a special committee meeting that focuses on its capital improvement projects. The Committee Chair, Council Member Ferraro, requested that Jordan Elsbury contact JTA.
It was announced that the topic for the next special committee meeting will be road conditions. Public Works Director John Pappas indicated that it would be helpful to have a list of specific questions so as to ensure that appropriate Public Works staff would be present to respond.
There being no further business, the special committee meeting adjourned at 4:23 P.M.
John J. Jackson, Council Research Division
07.21.16
Posted: 4:00 P.M.