MCC#MCM 2000-97

GJCC#67-00

RESOLUTION NO. 67-00

A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY OF MESA AND THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION CONCERNING ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2001 UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM.

WHEREAS, The City and County have been designated by the Governor as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Grand Junction/Mesa County Urbanized Area; and

WHEREAS, Part 2 of Article 1 of Title 29, Colorado Revised Statutes authorizes the parties to contract with one another to make the most efficient and effective use of their powers and responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, The City and County realize the importance of both short and long range planning in the development of an efficient transportation system, and are both aware that it is the responsibility of the Metropolitan Planning Organization to perform those  planning functions; and

WHEREAS, The City and County, in their performance of those planning functions for the Urbanized Area, wish to use Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration transportation planning funds in coordination with the Colorado Department of Transportation;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT JOINTLY RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF MESA, COLORADO AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO:

That the Fiscal Year 2001 Unified Planning Work Program, hereunto attached, was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Mesa, Colorado on July 10, 2000, and by the City Council of the City of Grand Junction, Colorado on July 5, 2000.

CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION    COUNTY OF MESA

/s/ Gene Kinsey        /s/ Doralyn B. Genova____________________

     Mayor          Chair of the Board

Grand Junction City Council    Mesa County Board of Commissioners

5th day of July, 2000      10^th day of July, 2000

Attest:       Attest:

/s/ Stephanie Nye by Theresa F. Martinez /s/ Monika Todd by Roberta Raley, Deputy

Deputy City Clerk   County Clerk

FY 2001

UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM

FOR THE

GRAND JUNCTION/MESA COUNTY URBANIZED AREA

Prepared by the

Mesa County

Regional Transportation Planning Office

Grand Junction/Mesa County

Metropolitan Planning Organization

& Transportation Planning Region

and the

Colorado Department of Transportation

Division of Transportation Development

Program Management Branch

In cooperation with the

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Transit Administration

May, 2000

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction  3

Summary of the Budget  6

UPWP Work Tasks  8

Tables

Table 1-- Summary of the Budget  6

Table 2 -- Funding Breakdown  6

Table 3 -- UPWP Task Costs  7

Figures

Figure 1 -- Transportation Planning Terminology  2

Figure 2 -- Urbanized Area Map  4

Figure 3 -- MPO Local Review Process  5

Figure 4 -- Task Schedule  14

FIGURE 1-- TRANSPORTATION PLANNING TERMINOLOGY

Air Quality Control Commission  AQCC

Annual Element  AE

Colorado Department of Transportation  CDOT

U.S. Department of Transportation  DOT

Federal Highway Administration  FHWA

Federal Transportation Administration  FTA

Fiscal Year for the MPO  FY

Intermodal Surface Transportation Act  ISTEA

Metropolitan Planning Organization  MPO

FHWA planning funds made available through CDOT to the MPO  PL Funds

FTA funds made available through CDOT to the MPO  Section 5303 Funds

State Implementation Plan  SIP

State Planning and Research Funds  SPR

Title VI of the U.S., Civil Right Act of 1964, as amended  Title VI

Transit Development Plan  TDP

Transportation Improvement Plan  TIP

Transportation Policy Advisory Committee  TPAC

Transportation Technical Advisory Committee  TTAC

Unified Planning Work Program  UPWP

Urban Transportation Planning Process  UTPP

Vehicle Miles Traveled  VMT

INTRODUCTION

The Unified Planning Work Program describes planning tasks and personnel costs and also budgets funds for the Fiscal Year 2001 running from October 1, 2000 through September 30, 2001. The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), composed of Grand Junction and Mesa County elected officials and staff, coordinates this planning with state officials from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Colorado Health Department who, through the Air Quality Control Commission, is charged with protecting air quality throughout Colorado. The ultimate goal of this planning process is an efficient, effective transportation system.

To further the continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative planning for the Grand Junction Urbanized Area (Fig. 2,) the Federal Highway Administration provides Planning (PL) funds to the MPO under the administration of CDOT. The FY 2001 PL/5303 allocation is $126,921. Maximum payable by the department is $104,075 or 82%. These funds are matched at an 18.0% ratio by the MPO members. Local match for PL and Section 5303 is $22,846 and is split 50/50 between Mesa County and the City of Grand Junction.

Section 5307 FTA grant funds will provide $32,000 with a $8,000 local match requirement for a total of $40,000 in FY 2001 for the purpose of FTA grant administration and public transit coordination. Other funding for FY 2001 includes $14,000 from Mesa County, $2,500 from Fruita, and $1,000 from Palisade for a total of $17,500 for Transportation Planning Region planning activities

The MPO, therefore, proposes to spend a total of $184,421, including local match, on transportation-related tasks contained in the FY 2001 Unified Planning Work Program.

CDOT, as the Contract Administrator, monitors the timely accomplishment of tasks and the reimbursement process. In addition, CDOT actively participates in the planning process through the provision of technical services (Fig. 3.)

The current local operational structure allows for maximum funding to be channeled to local City and County agencies through the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) and Transportation Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC) and to provide staff and resources for completion of the various tasks. The MPO continues to shift much of the administrative activity associated with each task (grant administration, planning, and implementation) into the task budget itself. This allows the MPO Administrator to focus on required documents, annual certification, and overall policy development for the agency, and to direct more dollars to actual studies and activities.

The MPO is housed within the Mesa County Regional Transportation Planning Office and performs administrative functions working directly to support the task elements of the FY 2001 UPWP. This office is the "single point-of-contact" between MPO agencies and state and federal officials. The technical operational agencies assume an active role in developing, implementing, and monitoring the program tasks. The MPO Administrator provides technical support and performs the managerial tasks necessary for the MPO to comply with state and federal requirements. Program goals call for continued support of grant administration, planning, and implementation tasks with minimum administrative overhead. The MPO's local approach to this UPWP should accomplish those goals.

SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET

For FY 2001 it is proposed that $184,421 be expended by the MPO on transportation planning. Of that amount $30,846 is the required match from Grand Junction, Mesa County, and other local sources and $17,500 is to be provided by Mesa County, Fruita, and Palisade for Transportation Planning Region activities. Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration funds administered through CDOT provide $136,075 for regional transportation planning efforts. A breakdown of these funds by task group and agency is shown below.

TABLE 1-- SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET

TABLE 2 -- FUNDING BREAKDOWN

TABLE 3 -- UPWP TASK COSTS

GRAND JUNCTION / MESA COUNTY MPO

UPWP WORK TASKS

The major portion of this document consists of work tasks to be completed during Fiscal Year 2001 (October 1, 2000 to September 30, 2001.) These work tasks are intended to monitor and implement the continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive urban transportation planning process carried out by the MPO and CDOT in the Grand Junction urbanized area. The agencies with primary responsibility for completion of each task are listed in the UPWP. The UPWP is intentionally presented as an outline of primary funding sources and planning schedules. An overview of the entire planning process is contained in the Memorandum of Agreement establishing the MPO. (See Figure 3 for the MPO structure.)

Figure 4 provides a summary of scheduling for all UPWP tasks. Work tasks of a continuing nature are differentiated from those with definable time frames. Modifications in task schedules are reflected in monitoring reports. Significant changes in schedules will be agreed to by CDOT and the MPO. An accomplishment report for FY 2001 will be completed on a quarterly basis beginning in January, 2001 and submitted to CDOT.

A. MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

The primary objective of the UPWP management activities is to provide for the on-going management of the urban transportation planning program in the Grand Junction urbanized area. Secondary objectives include grants management, coordination of planning efforts between local, regional and state agencies, citizen participation and monitoring, and documentation of transportation planning efforts and technical studies through locally adopted planning documents. Since the MPO and CDOT share responsibility for compliance with Federal planning guidelines, both agencies are involved in program management activities.

A.1.  Task Name:  Fiscal Year 2002 (October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2002) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).

   Objective:  To perform the necessary management tasks to produce a FY 2002 UPWP that will include all transportation planning activities, regardless of Federal funding sources, which significantly impact the local Study Area, whether performed on a federal, state, or local level.

   Product:  A Unified Planning Work Program for FY 2002.

   Schedule:  A meeting to discuss work needs will be held in March. The UPWP first draft will be completed in April, with adoption by May 15th. The MPO Contract will be signed by the Grand Junction City Council, Mesa County Commissioners, and the State of Colorado by September 30th.

Agency:  MPO Administrator

Personnel:  Local - 20 days

Costs:  $7,200 (Includes non-salary costs)    

A.2.  Task Name:  Administration.

   Objective:  To effectively administer, manage, support, monitor, coordinate, and control the continuing federally-assisted transportation planning processes for the Grand Junction urbanized area through the following activities:

           (1) Maintain the commitments included in the Memorandum of Agreement and the contracts for planning funds (PL funds and Section 5303 funds);  

(2) Submit monitoring reports on the FY2001 UPWP tasks;

(3) Maintain and document expenditures and submit financial reports;

(4) Support members of the decision making bodies, Transportation Policy Advisory Committee, Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, and the City and County Planning Commissions in their decisions on MPO-related activities;

(5) To monitor significant policy activities on the federal, state, and local levels that could have potential impact on MPO activities. At the direction of the MPO, represent the MPO members in federal, state, and local decision-making processes;

(6) Represent the MPO in the Regional Transportation Planning Organization;

(7) Monitor UPWP task activities;

(8) Assist in development of RFP's for UPWP study and coordinate contracts.

(9) Develop and implement effective citizen participation activities.

   Schedule:  Continuous throughout the year with quarterly monitoring reports (October, January, April, and July) and TTAC meetings as required.

Agency:  Regional Transportation Planning Office

Personnel:  Local - 200 days

Costs:  $56,221 (Includes non-salary costs)

A.3  Task Name:  Training and Travel

Objective:  To provide training for MPO member agency personnel and increase their expertise in transportation planning and related issues. Pay for travel associated with ongoing programs.

Products:  The product of this effort will be the successful completion of training courses by selected staff members.

Schedule:  Continuous throughout the year. Progress reports furnished quarterly.

Agency:  Regional Transportation Planning Office

Personnel:  Local - 30 days

Costs:  $8,500 (Includes non-salary costs)

A.4  Task Name:  Memorandum of Understanding for MPO

Objective:  To update the 1984 Memorandum of Understanding for the Metropolitan Planning Area between Mesa County, the City of Grand Junction and other potentially eligible municipalities within a planning area determined by the twenty-year transportation planning horizon.

Products:  The product of this effort will be the successful completion and adoption of a new MOU by the participating entities.

Schedule:  Draft MOU - June, 2001. Final MOU - September, 2001.

Agency:  Regional Transportation Planning Office

Personnel:  Local - 20 days

Costs:  $5,000 (Includes non-salary costs)

       B.  PLANNING ACTIVITIES

The primary objective of planning activities is to support the decision-making process of the MPO through the development of studies and analyzes concerning short and long-term transportation needs.

B.1. Task Name:  Planning Tasks

   Objective:  Continuous planning to create a “Total Transportation Solution” for the urbanized area through a multi-modal, travel demand management approach to studies, analyses, and recommendations. This includes extensive use of traffic/transit modeling, geographic information systems for transportation (GIS-T), technical assistance to requesting agencies and to the public, and training programs for the area’s planning commissions in transportation planning, implementation tools & impact analysis. Specific tasks include:

•  Continuous planning for the adopted Major Street Plan and 2020 Regional Transportation Plan,

•  Continuation of planning commission & city council transportation issues training,

•  Maintenance of the Census / MPO GIS database,

•  Continuous planning for the 1998-2002 Transit Development Plan and long-range transit strategy,

•  Travel Demand Management techniques and transportation indicators analysis,

•  MinUTP to TransCAD traffic model conversion,

•  Continuation of school transportation safety design strategies,

•  Development of recommendations for local transportation policies.

   Products:  Reports, maps, graphics, and electronic products to support analyses and recommendations for each task.

           Schedule:  Continuous.

           Agency:  Regional Transportation Planning Office

           Personnel:  Local - 200 days

       Costs:  $75,250 (Includes non-salary costs)

B.2 Task Name: Intermodal Plaza for AMTRAK, Greyhound & Grand Valley Transit

   Objective:  To complete a feasibility study for a Grand Junction Intermodal Plaza to be located at the historic Grand Union Depot in downtown Grand Junction to house AMTRAK, Greyhound Bus Lines, the new Grand Valley Transit system and other auxiliary transportation services. To identify, analyze, and prioritize space and use needs for all participating agencies.

   Product:  Adoption of a final report and feasibility analysis by the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, Regional Transportation Policy Advisory Committee and members of the MPO.

   Schedule:  Draft report, April 2001. Final version completed by June 2001.

   Agency:  Regional Transportation Planning Office

   City of Grand Junction Public Works

   City of Grand Junction Community Development

   AMTRAK Passenger Rail Corporation

   Greyhound Bus Lines

   Grand Valley Transit

   Federal Transit Administration

   The Great American Station Foundation

Personnel:  Local - 75 days

Costs:  $30,000 (Includes non-salary costs)

C. IMPLEMENTATION TASKS

Implementation activities refer to lists of capital projects adopted by the MPO which establish policy guidance on the use of transportation funds in the urbanized area of Grand Junction.

C.1.  Task Name: Amendments to the FY 2001-2006 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) as needed.

   Objective:  The Fiscal Years 2001-2006 TIP established capital projects in the urbanized area for which federal assistance is expected. It contains an annual element showing specific projects to which funds have been committed by the participating agencies, including the City of Grand Junction’s Engineering Dept., Mesa County Engineering Dept. and CDOT Region 3. Amendments to the FY 2001 - 2006 TIP are anticipated during FY2001, including new transit operating cost figures.

           Products:  Various amendments to the FY 2001-2006 TIP.

           Schedule:  Continuous.

           Agency:  MPO Administrator

           Personnel:  Local - 20 days

           Costs:  $2,250 (Includes non-salary costs)

1900-00-00T00:00:00
[1]

Now that there are three of us in the office, I have booted up the training money to $7,500.

2064-00-00T00:00:00
[2]

Now that there are three of us in the office, I have booted up the training money to $7,500.