Utah Transportation Commission
February 21, 2003
Salt Lake City, Utah

The regular meeting of the Utah Transportation Commission, held at the UDOT Rampton Complex, 4501 South 2700 West, Salt Lake City, Utah, was called to order at 9:05 a.m. by Commission Chairman Glen E. Brown. He welcomed those attending.

Approval of Minutes
Commissioner Clyde moved to approve the minutes of the January 24, 2003, Commission meeting held in Lehi, Utah. It was seconded by Commissioner Lewis and approved.

Public Comments
There were no public comments.

Planning and Programming
2003 STIP Amendment #2
Bret Anderson, Program Development, said the Cache MPO adopted a project into their TIP, and now the Department is coordinating to get it into the STIP so they can move ahead with the project. When the STIP was approved back in September, the CMPO did not have any 2003 projects programmed because they were uncertain about their funds. They now have a better understanding of where they stand. This is CMPO funds that are being adjusted, and the project is only to get the environmental document prepared and ready to go. Chairman Brown asked for a brief explanation of the project. Jay Aguliar from the Cache MPO said the primary sponsor is Logan City. The project is on 100 East from 450 South to 800 South, about 3/4 of a mile, and runs through part of Providence. Much of it is new road and will help relieve pressure on the highway.

Commissioner Bodily moved to amend the 2003 STIP, and include this CMPO TIP project in the STIP. It was seconded by Commissioner Warnick and unanimously approved.

Aeronautics
Duchesne Municipal Airport
Monte Yeager, Aeronautics, said this is a project at the Duchesne Airport and is for land acquisition of an additional 65 acres so the runway protection zones can be protected. It includes acreage off of four ends of the runway. The project is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The total cost of the project is $164,942, with $150,000 of that coming from the FAA through General Aviation Entitlement Funds, and $7,472 from both the state and the sponsor.

Mr. Yeager distributed a handout titled Change in the Utah General Aviation Entitlement Funds. He said that in 2000, Congress passed the Air-21 bill, which increased the amount of money available to the various states. It increased the Airport Improvement Program money from $1.85 billion in 2000, to $3.4 billion in 2003. That meant Utah’s apportionment increased by about $3 million, to $8.5 million. Also, Congress created a new pot of money called the General Aviation Entitlement Fund, which is money that is an entitlement for small commercial service airports and general aviation airports. It’s money that has to go toward a specific airport. For example, an entitlement for Parowan cannot be used at Kanab, Provo, or any other airport. When Congress first brought about this bill, they said entitlements would be given with a formula, which was 20% of the amount of projects the state had identified in the National Plan. So, if a state project is worth $250,000, they get an entitlement of $50,000, with $150,000 being the maximum amount that could be received. It’s important to keep in mind that this is not new money, but comes from the state apportionment. Utah has 35 airports in the National Plan, and twelve of those received less than the $150,000. In fact, five of those airports received zero dollars. Mr. Yeager noted that at a meeting he attended in Denver, he was told that all of Utah’s airports would receive the maximum $150,000. That is why this Duchesne project is before the Commission today.

Mr. Yeager said that federal monies are now being used, rather than state monies, to do many of these projects, which will save about $1.5 million of state money. That state money can now be used as matching funds for federal projects, or simply as a state project. Utah has 43 airports that have pavement sponsored by a city, a county, both the city and county, or the state, and every one of those airports have received either a state or federal project. The only exception is the Halls Crossing Airport, which had a pavement project done within the last two years. Mr. Yeager mentioned that of the 45 airports in the NPIUS, two are primary commercial service airports – Salt Lake International and St. George – which have a separate entitlement. They get $1 million per year, minimum. The other 43 now get that $150,000, which they can save for up to three years to do a larger $450,000 project.

Commissioner Wells moved to approve the Duchesne Municipal Airport project. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Clyde and approved.

Request for use of Corridor Preservation Funds
Whitehead Residence - Western Transportation Corridor
Lyle McMillan, Chief of Right of Way, said there are two requests today. The first one is the Whitehead property, which is located on 3500 South at the future interchange for the Western Transportation Corridor (WTC). The owner of the home has alzheimers and is in a rest home. The children, who have power of attorney, want to sell the home in order to finance their mother’s health care. They have not attempted to sell the property because it is affected by the WTC as well as the future widening of 3500 South. The Advisory Council agreed that the property owners would not get full market value of this home because it’s impacted by not just one project, but two future projects. Therefore, they recommended approval of the purchase of the home. The estimated cost of the property is $107,000, subject to an independent appraisal. The home is currently vacant, and would be rented or demolished, depending on the impacts of the 3500 South project.

Commissioner Warnick made a motion to use Corridor Preservation Funds to purchase the Whitehead property. It was seconded by Commissioner Clyde and approved unanimously.

Benjamin H. Fenn - 10400 South
Mr. McMillan said this next request is a little more complicated. The project is currently in the environmental stage, and the request made to purchase the home is based upon slope and medical issues. However, based upon feedback from Region Two, the region believes the project will actually improve the slope and condition of the home after the project. When this project was brought before the Advisory Council in January, they voted to recommend that the Commission deny the request. Mr. McMillan said he called Mr. Fenn and let him know what the Advisory Council recommended and what the rational was. He didn’t necessarily like it, but understood that the Council felt this did not rise to the level of qualification for acquisition at this time.

Commissioner Lewis made a motion to deny the Benjamin H. Fenn property purchase request. It was seconded by Commissioner Wilson and the motion to deny the request was approved.

Accomplishments/Condition and Needs Reports
Traffic and Safety
Robert Hull, Engineer for Traffic and Safety, presented the Accomplishments/Condition and Needs report for the Traffic and Safety Division. The essence of his report is about making a difference, and emphasizing the significance of the funding the Commission has approved and the difference that has resulted from that. The presentation covered Traffic and Safety’s Vision and Commitment, a Virtual Tour of Completed Projects, a Program Overview, and Funding Recommendations. Their vision is to be champions for safety, and to consider every project as a safety project. Their commitment is to have a 2% annual reduction in fatalities, and that commitment is a shared priority with the Utah Highway Patrol, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Highway Safety Office. The three “E’s” for success that these agencies represent are education, enforcement and engineering, which all have important functions in providing safety throughout the state. The first virtual tour showed recently constructed HES projects.

Mr. Hull provided an overview of each of their programs. The Federal Hazard Elimination Program is federally funded. They are developing a five-year program similar to the STIP, which will be a prioritized list of safety needs statewide. They are working in partnership with FHWA on the development of the projects. The rest of their programs are state funded. In the Traffic Signal Program, of the $6.3 million budgeted for FY 2003, $3.4 million has been expended. Moving into the spring construction season, they are on pace to expend the remaining $2.9 million by July 1. In the Spot Improvement Program, there are significant benefits for the small cost of specific improvements. They are also working on a minimum guaranteed funding amount for each of the region’s highest priorities so they can be responsive to immediate safety concerns. Also, additional safety projects have already been identified for any additional funding that may become available in this category. The Lighting Program provides safety lighting. It enhances UDOT community involvement, which promotes funding partnerships with local communities. With the School Zone Program, pedestrian safety is an important component to what they are doing. There were nine school-aged children in pedestrian or bicycle fatal crashes, so they are spending $100,000 per year for school zone sign upgrades through 2004. The Signing Program includes school zone signing, replacement of milepost signing, 511 Travel Info signing, and “Move over a Lane” signing, in conjunction with UHP. The Americans with Disabilities Act will provide accessible ramps at all intersections, will put in new ramps to existing sidewalks only, and will retrofit existing ramps to bring them into ADA compliance during construction projects.

The second virtual tour was of proposed Hazard Elimination Projects and was followed by funding recommendations. For the Hazard Elimination Program, Mr. Hull recommended $6 million per year for FY 03, 04 and 05, with $400,000 for end treatments, and $5 million per year for FY 06 and 07. For the Traffic Signals Program, the recommendation was based on the trend line of previous years. In FY 2004, they are asking for $6.8 million and anticipate 50 traffic signal improvements. There are several requests for lighting projects throughout the state for FY 2004 totaling $300,000. With the Americans with Disability Act, there are 9000 ramp locations statewide that do not have ADA compliance right now, so they are requesting $1 million per year for seven years to get those ramps installed. The Barrier Treatment Program FY 2004 request is for $300,000, and the Signing Program requests $400,000. Mr. Hull reiterated that safety is their highest priority and the funding of safety programs saves lives.

Maintenance
Sterling Davis, Engineer for Maintenance, referred the Commission to the page in the workshop binders titled Pavement Preservation Expenditures for FY 2002/2003. The top box on the left indicates how much money has been made available for state funding by contract for FY 2002. The top right box shows the same information for FY 2003. The middle left box is the federal funding made available to be used for pavement preservation by contract, and the right middle box shows the same information, but for FY 2003. The bottom box on the left is the Code One Funding for FY 2002, which is money that has been used by UDOT’s maintenance workers to do work on pavements. The bottom right box is the same information for FY 03. When federal money is received, they have to spend it in the categories it was made available in. Mr. Davis noted that in the top right box – State Funding FY 2003 – the statewide allocation shows $15 million. They were told they would have about $20.5 million, but decided early on they better not spend it because the funding picture looks pretty bleak. However, if there is money still available toward the end of the year, then they will spend it. Carlos Braceras, Deputy Director, pointed out that projections are made of what they think the gas tax revenues will be, so they need to have the ability to balance at the end of the year.

Mr. Davis referred to the second page in the binders and discussed Maintenance Management Quality Assurance (MMQA). He said MMQA is the way they want to measure the quality of work they are doing, not just how much money they are spending. Roads and anything out there that the Department is responsible for maintaining, be it pavement, roadside vegetation, signs, or paint markings, are evaluated for its condition and given a grade of A, B, C, D or F. Once a determination is made as to what level of service or level of maintenance is desired, then a cost is specified as to how much it will cost to get to that level. There may be some things that can be done that are affordable, and other desires that cost too much, so they all have come to an agreement of where they are trying to go and how much money it will take to get there. More and more of their people are becoming involved with the MMQA, and some of them are taking it to new heights and getting a lot out of it.

Intelligent Transportation System
Martin Knopp, ITS Director, presented his division’s accomplishments and needs. Their accomplishments from 1998 through 2003 included Successful ITS Deployment, Innovative Traveler Information, Cooperative Partnerships, Successful Operations during the Olympics, National Recognition and Awards, and Established Effective Operations. Their CommuterLink goals include reducing accidents by 20%; increasing peak-hour speeds by 20%; reducing the duration of freeway delay by 30%; reducing intersection delay by 20%; and reducing stops by 15%. The benefits of CommuterLink to date include benefits of $195 to $510 per household per year; annually saving users $89 million to $215 million; drivers stuck behind accidents save 30 minutes; reducing signal delay by 19.5 %; and 75 million hits on the web in February 2002. Mr. Knopp also covered the benefits of managing traffic and providing traveler information.

Dave Kinnecom, Manager of the Traffic Operations Center, discussed Performance Measures and TOC Funding Needs. He said they track performance statistics monthly and reviewed several of those categories. Categories discussed included website visitor sessions – monthly and annually; number of incident responses by the TOC; percent of operational CCTV and VMS; percent of online traffic signals; average speed on arterial streets and average freeway speed; and percent of roadway used. In regards to funding, Mr. Kinnecom indicated that currently, the TOC’s budget is about $1.9 million. They supplement that with about $400,000 a year in project funding, which is coming out of the Congestion Management Air Quality (CMAQ) category and is used for contracted services such as fiber optic maintenance, signal timing, control room operations, etc. Issues associated with the CMAQ program include a three-year time limitation on how long they can use that with operations, and geographic restrictions. Some of those three year clocks will begin to expire in FY 05, and a number before FY 06. The CMAQ funding will be tapering off, and they are projecting there will be other maintenance needs, as well as expansion to the rest of the state. Mr. Kinnecom suggested looking at other federal aid categories to replace the CMAQ money, starting in FY 05, which will then free up CMAQ money for other implementation projects.

Informational Items
Avalanche Control Program
Liam Fitzgerald from Region Two Avalanche Control said it is the responsibility of UDOT to provide safe travel on state roads, and UDOT’s Highway Avalanche Safety Program has been charged with the task of keeping motorists who travel on Utah’s mountainous roads safe from avalanches. This job is performed by four full time and four seasonal employees operating from three separate facilities – Provo Canyon, Brighton and Alta. SR-210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon is perhaps the focal point of the UDOT Highway Avalanche Safety Program. Considering the terrain of the canyon, the 500 inches per year average snowfall, and the daily traffic, it’s easy to understand why this road has been given the highest avalanche hazard index rating of any major road in America. UDOT Avalanche Forecasters utilize information from three primary sources to evaluate the highway avalanche hazard. Those sources are snowpack investigations, monitoring local weather conditions, and the weather forecast. Avalanches result from the combination of steep terrain, a layered snowpack, and sustained heavy snowfall. In order to know when avalanches are likely to occur, it is necessary to have an understanding of the complex nature of the snowpack. Weather conditions known to contribute to an increase in avalanche activity are monitored continually from November to May. When it has been determined that weather and snowpack conditions are likely to produce natural avalanche activity that may threaten a road, steps must be taken to restrict vehicle traffic through hazardous areas. And, if possible, reduce the avalanche hazard by triggering avalanches artificially.

Mr. Fitzgerald pointed out that passive and active methods are used to reduce hazards to motorists on the road. Closure of a road can be considered a passive method of dealing with an avalanche hazard. Additional passive measures would include placement of snow sheds over a section of highway that is frequently threatened by avalanche activity. Active control measures include the use of explosions to initiate avalanches before they can release naturally. Several methods are used to deliver explosive charges to the avalanche starting zones, including dropping explosive charges from helicopters, or the use of gas propelled launchers. The town of Alta was destroyed several times by avalanches in the 1800's. If it were not for UDOT’s Highway Avalanche Control Program in Little Cottonwood Canyon, history would most likely repeat itself and the town of Alta would probably not exist. Although the scientific process plays a major role in gathering data and monitoring conditions, it is still the experienced practitioner that stands the best chance of accurately assessing the hazard and determining the appropriate measures necessary to keep the public safe. The complexity of UDOT’s Highway Safety Program requires a partnership with many agencies and organizations in order to make it work.

Mountainland AOG Long Range Transportation Plan
Chad Eccles from Mountainland AOG said he was asked to come and present a status report about MAG’s current Long Range Plan (LRP). The LRP went out for public comment on February 16, with a 30-day public comment period, and they anticipate having an approved LRP, barring any significant public input. They also have a TIP amendment that is currently out for public comment as well, so they hope to have a conforming LRP by the middle of March. They also anticipate coming back to the Commission in a month and presenting their approved LRP, after they’ve had final approval from their Regional Planning Committee.

Next Transportation Commission Meetings:
The next Transportation Commission meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 21, 2003, in the St. George City Council Chambers, St. George, Utah. The following dates and locations have also been scheduled:

• April 18, 2003 - Salt Lake City
  
• May 23, 2003 - Location to be determined
  
• June 2003 - No meeting to be scheduled

The meeting adjourned at 12:05 p.m.

The following Commissioners, staff members and others were in attendance:

Glen E. Brown, Chairman
Stephen M. Bodily, Vice-Chairman
Hal M. Clyde, Commissioner
Jan C. Wells, Commissioner
Bevan K. Wilson, Commissioner
Ken Warnick, Commissioner
Jerry B. Lewis, Commissioner
LeAnn G. Abegglen, Commission Secretary
John R. Njord, Executive Director
Carlos M. Braceras, Deputy Director
Max J. Ditlevsen, Program Development Director
David K. Miles, Engineer for Operations
Jim McMinimee, Program Development Director
Linda Hull, Legislative and Government Affairs
Nile Easton, Community Relations
John Quick, Program Development
Bret Anderson, Program Development
Lloyd Neeley, Program Development
Lyle McMillan, Chief of Right of Way
Jackie Nosack, Right of Way Division
Pat Morley, Director of Aeronautics
Monte Yeager, Aeronautics
Martin Knopp, ITS Director
Dave Kinnecom, Traffic Operations Center
Robert Hull, Engineer for Traffic and Safety
Rob Clayton, Traffic and Safety
Peter Tang, Traffic and Safety
Richard Clarke, Traffic and Safety
Katie Knaus, Traffic and Safety
Sterling Davis, Engineer for Maintenance
Randy Park, Region Two Director
Liam Fitzgerald, Region Two Avalanche Control
Newel Jensen, Region Two Avalanche Control
Frank Long, FHWA
Roland Stanger, FHWA
Jay Aguilar, Cache MPO
Chad Eccles, Mountainland AOG
Zack Van Eyck, Deseret News