East Central Florida Corridor Evaluation Study Project Advisory Group Meeting #1 June 9, 2016 Meeting Summary

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Philomena Miles
6 years ago
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1 Date & Time: Project: Meeting Location: Meeting Purpose: (Thursday) from 1:30 pm 3:30 pm East Central Florida Corridor Evaluation Study FDOT District Five Urban Office Lake Harris Conference Room 133 S. Semoran Blvd. Orlando, FL East Central Future Corridors Evaluation Study Project Advisory Group (PAG) Kick-Off Meeting ATTENDEES Alissa Torres, Orange County Antony Biblo, DEO Bob Kamm, Space Coast TPO Brenda Young, FDOT District Five Brian Stanger, FDOT District Five Brian ten Siethoff, Cambridge Systematics Dana Reiding, FDOT Central Office David Cooke, FDOT District Five David Williams, VHB Erin Sterk, Brevard County Glenn Pressimone, CFX Harry Barley, MetroPlan Orlando Hugh Harling, ECFCRPC MEETING AGENDA I. Introductions & Project Overview - John Zielinski (1:30 1:35) II. FDOT Partnership (1:35 2:00) Central Office Dana Reiding Statewide Future Corridors Initiative Statewide agency coordination District Five Project management and administration Technical analysis and evaluation Continued regional coordination James Stansbury, DEO Jamil Gutierrez, FDOT District Five Jeff Bowen, Hanson John Zielinski, FDOT District Five Jon Weiss, Orange County Joseph Berenis, CFX Lori Sellers, Hanson Mansoor Khuwaja, Hanson Shane Friedman, Osceola County Shelley Lauten, trisect Virginia Whittington, MetroPlan Orlando Xavier Pagan, FDOT Central Office III. PAG Involvement - Jeff Bowen (2:00 2:15) Stakeholder Liaison Technical Input Support / Implementation Recommendations PAG Communication Plan IV. Project Approach Discussion (2:15 2:45) Task Force Recommendations Review Project Work Plan V. Stakeholder Updates (2:45 3:15) VI. Next Steps - John Zielinski (3:15 3:30)

2 MEETING SUMMARY East Central Florida Corridor Evaluation Study I. INTRODUCTIONS & PROJECT OVERVIEW - John Zielinski John Zielinski opened the meeting and provided a brief overview of the Future Corridors planning process. John described the current phase of several statewide and regional visioning studies that have led up to the East Central Florida Corridor Evaluation Study (ECFCES). John provided an overview of the history of the statewide Future Corridors Initiative and the East Central Florida Corridor Task Force (ECFCTF) that preceded the ECFCES; The concept of the Future Corridors Initiative and the Future Corridors planning process was discussed. o John noted that four out of the total five total statewide Future Corridors cross in Central Florida, the unique characteristics of Florida s Super Region, and highlighted the importance of the work of the ECFCES. John noted the limitations of traditional forecasting in long range planning and opportunities to design Corridors of the Future in the ECFCES. o With the ECFCES planning horizon year of 2060, and trends like the expanding global economy; technological advances such as vehicle and manufacturing automation; and governance and regulatory policy changes, the ECFCES will be examining and developing new methodologies in planning. o John noted the ECFCES will be utilizing a post-processing tool to facilitate scenario planning and explore multiple future scenarios in the planning process. This tool, called TransFuture, will supplement traditional planning with a probabilistic analysis framework Jon Weiss noted that traditional modeling process assumes today s technologies and trends will continue into the future unchanged. He noted that all assumption and methodologies should be disclosed through the process, but that he s glad to see different methodologies being considered. Bob Kamm also noted he will be interested in how the modeling for a project with this many variables and uncertainties will be accomplished, especially between the current modeling horizon of 2040, and the ECFCES planning horizon of Alissa Barber-Torres also noted that it is good that the ECFCES is evaluating the impact of changes in transportation demand from Millennials. Alissa also noted that Orange County is looking at a 2030 horizon for long range plan and future land use which challenges us all to find a sound technical way to approach long term transportation planning Hugh Harling asked the group to consider ways to integrate water management with transportation planning, including runoff from transportation corridors. He provided an example being examined in Volusia County to store excess water underground vs. installing drainage and retention structures designed for irregular, intense storm events. John provided further background for the ECFCES describing the ECFCTF How Shall We Grow? regional visioning effort. o The ECFCES falls within the Evaluation phase of the Future Corridors planning process: Concept phase: concept studies were completed for two (2) of the future corridors, Tampa to Jacksonville and Central Florida to Tampa Bay. Concept study defined areas for further study, and identifies long range needs for these corridors The Central Florida Tampa Bay Concept Study was completed in The concept study recommended that FDOT conduct the ECFCES to address the regional connectivity gap between 2

3 the Orlando International Airport and southern Brevard County to refine the future corridor planning process for future use. The Task Force was created by Executive Order , November 1, 2013 with the purpose of evaluating and developing consensus recommendations on future transportation corridors serving established and emerging economic activity centers in portions of Brevard, Orange, and Osceola Counties. The Final Report was provided to the Governor in December o The ECFCTF developed 21 recommended guiding principles based on the 4C s - Conservation, Countryside, Centers, and Corridors - developed in How Shall We Grow?, and a proposed action plan that recommends: Existing corridors for further study: SR 528 Super Corridor; SR 50/SR 405 Corridor; SR 520 Corridor; US 192 Corridor; SR 417 / Narcoossee Rd Corridor; and Four new corridors providing connections between Brevard, Orange, and Osceola counties. The 4C s will be guiding principles in the ECFCES The ECFCTF recommendations also include developing a regional transit system plan to set priorities for long-term transit investments in Central Florida II. FDOT PARTNERSHIP Dana Reiding and John provided an overview of the partnerships involved in ECFCES. Central Office will oversee the statewide Future Corridors Initiative and ensure statewide future corridors policy implementation consistency and provide statewide agency/stakeholder coordination District Five will provide ECFCES project management and administration, continued regional coordination, and lead the technical analysis and evaluation of proposed projects The Central Florida MPO Alliance will lead the Regional Transit Study; results will be incorporated into ECFCES III. PAG INVOLVEMENT Jeff Bowen Jeff led a discussion of the PAG s role and involvement in the ECFCES. The PAG is a critical component to the ECFCES. Jeff provided an overview of the key roles and functions the PAG provides to the ECFCES. Jeff noted the three (3) primary roles / responsibilities of the PAG include: o Stakeholder Liaison PAG members will communicate with their respective stakeholders and agency officials regarding the project process and findings o Technical Input Provide jurisdictional, policy, technical, and administrative guidance throughout the Study review; provide information and direction for key project milestones 3

4 o Support Implementation of Recommendations Assist in identifying and establishing an evaluation approach and criteria that will help prioritize investments in transportation infrastructure and services Assist in developing information that will rank / prioritize corridor alternative(s) being adopted by the maintaining agency Support implementation through comprehensive and land use policy adoption Dana stressed that the metropolitan planning organizations, regional planning council, cities, counties, and system owner/operators like the Central Florida Expressway Authority, have a primary role in implementation Jon Weiss recommended making a clear distinction between the role of the PAG in the ECFCES process (stakeholder liaison, technical advisor) from outreach to elected officials. IV. PROJECT APPROACH DISCUSSION Jeff Bowen Jeff noted the scope of the ECFCES was developed in consideration with the guiding principles and proposed action plan put forward by the ECFCTF. Jeff presented the ECFCES Work Plan outlining the anticipated schedule of the ECFCES. Project tasks include: Existing Conditions Analysis; Evaluation Approach and Criteria Development; The Regional Transit System Plan, to be conducted by the Central Florida MPO Alliance with support from the Hanson Team; Future Conditions Analysis; Purpose and Need Development; Alternatives Analysis; Funding / Financing Identification; Support Local and Regional Plan Amendments; Develop Local and Regional Agency Agreements; Development of Methods / Tools to Facilitate Implementation; and Project Documentation The ECFCES has a tentative completion date by February Jeff described the tentative meeting calendar: o PAG meetings every two to three months, either in person or through teleconferencing, generally in conjunction with deliverables o PAG project update meetings occurring during longer gaps between deliverables. Jeff defined and led group discussion of the ECFCES study goals, which are: o Coordinate and develop best alignments for new corridors o Prepare projects for project development o Local plan amendments o Facilitate right-of-way (R/W) preservation and agreements o Develop Purpose and Need statements to facilitate proposed corridor improvements moving straight into Project Development Joe Berenis noted that a clearly defined need and purpose must be established to set aside R/W o Establish a process for evaluating corridors, to be used in the statewide Future Corridor Initiative 4

5 Harry Barley noted that the ECFCTF process appeared straightforward, but noted the ECFCES process will have many more variables and agencies involved; many agencies involved in implementation and adoption of the Task Force recommendations. Xavier Pagan noted that any project that may move into a Federalized process has to be very careful about how R/W preservation is approached and described in pre-nepa planning documents Hugh Harling recommended focusing on existing corridors first; future new corridor alignments would be developed later when there is a need for it as growth happens. Corridor reservation will be part of Osceola County agreement with developer of North Ranch; asked if similar agreements needed with other major landowners along these corridors. Harry asked if the ECFCTF sunsetted or if they have an ongoing role. John responded that the Task Force did sunset, but we will keep them apprised of our progress in this evaluation effort. Jeff noted that there has been time between when the ECFCTF published their report to the Governor, but the FDOT has maintained coordination with several key stakeholders to the ECFCES process: Central Florida Expressway Authority Deseret Ranch East Central Florida Regional Planning Council Florida s Turnpike Enterprise Osceola Expressway Authority Discussion was held regarding project communication with the PAG, public, and agency and elected officials. It was noted that the ECFCES process will not include a traditional public involvement process as that will be addressed at later stages of project development. V. STAKEHOLDER UPDATES Jeff Bowen Alissa noted that Orange County Transportation Planning is proposing to their Board to update an East Orange County Transportation Needs Study in coordination with planned and proposed development in East Orange County. The first Needs Study was conducted about 15 years ago. Joe noted that the CFX Board adopted 2040 Master Plan. o As part of agreement to acquire R/W along SR 528, Joe stated that CFX agreed to do a study of a north-south expressway through the North Ranch. o This study area could be a derivative of corridors H and I, dependent upon the sale of property to land developer, Tavistock, and direction from Deseret Ranch. He noted that preliminary traffic projections conducted by Tavistock do not indicate sufficient demand to support a limited access facility through their property (as would be constructed and operated by CFX). o CFX anticipates initiating a mobility evaluation study within the next six (6) months which will include the new corridor derivative and multimodal analyses. o USF conducting study for CFX of transit policies regarding multimodal transportation investments and operation and maintenance. Bob Kamm noted that many of the corridors recommended for analysis by the ECFCTF are part of existing planning and implementation efforts; the challenge may be to tie it all up. Alissa noted that MetroPlan Orlando recently funded an update to the Orange County portion of the regional Freight, Goods, and Services Plan. John mentioned an update to the Osceola portion is also planned. 5

6 VI. NEXT STEPS Define Forecasting Methodology (2040 and 2060) Finalize Scope for Evaluation Approach and Criteria Development Develop corridor specific Purpose and Need statements Finalize Stakeholder Engagement Plan Develop Post-Process Forecasting Tool Upcoming PAG Meeting August 2016 (tentative) VII. ADJOURN HANDOUT MATERIALS Agenda East Central Florida Corridor Task Force Summary Report East Central Florida Corridor Task Force Recommendations and Action Plan Central Florida Projects Map East Central Florida Corridor Evaluation Study PAG Kickoff Meeting Presentation Work Plan / Schedule PAG Membership PAG Meeting Schedule (Tentative) 6

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