MCM#2001-76               GJCC# 57-01

RESOLUTION NO. 57-01

A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY OF MESA AND THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION CONCERNING ADOPTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2001-2006 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT 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 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 Administrative Amendment to the Fiscal Year 2001-2006 Transportation Improvement Plan, hereunto attached, is adopted by the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Mesa, Colorado on ________________, and by the City Council of the City of Grand Junction, Colorado on June 6, 2001.

CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION    COUNTY OF MESA

/s/ Cindy Enos-Martinez        ________________________

Mayor            Chair of the Board

Grand Junction City Council  Mesa County Board of Commissioners

 6th day of June, 2001       ____ day of _________, 2001

 Attest:        Attest:

 /s/ Stephanie Nye          ________________________

 City Clerk        County Clerk

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

ADMINISTRATIVE AMENDMENT

FOR THE

GRAND JUNCTION/MESA COUNTY URBANIZED AREA

May 9, 2001

PREPARED BY THE

MESA COUNTY

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING OFFICE

IN COOPERATION WITH THE

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

DIVISION OF TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT

CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION

MESA COUNTY

AND THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

INTRODUCTION

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a six-year capital improvement program for the urbanized area of Grand Junction and Mesa County. The Grand Junction/Mesa County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is charged with carrying out continuing, comprehensive and cooperative transportation planning by:

▪  Coordinating projects in the urbanized area initiated by individual City, County, and State agencies;

▪  Defining the costs of these projects and the available financial resources;

▪  Prioritizing the projects to make the best use of available resources.

The TIP serves not only the need in this area for an efficient transportation system, but also satisfies regulations jointly issued by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHwA), regarding the content and purpose of the program. Amendments to an approved TIP are necessary (as per Section F, paragraphs 2a, 2b, and 2c of the Grand Junction Urbanized Area Memorandum of Agreement dated July 2, 1984) to maintain federal funding for highways and streets within the planning area, and for federal assistance on transit programs. It is developed by the Mesa County Regional Transportation Planning Office (RTPO) acting as the MPO.

CONTENTS

The TIP shall contain all federally funded transportation projects in the urbanized area initiated by Mesa County, Grand Junction or by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). It is also necessary to include operating and/or capital grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration to agencies (public or private) in the urbanized area. The urbanized area (or Federal Aid Urban Boundary) is defined by the boundary of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

In 1985 the City and the County began a two-year cycle for sharing of Small Urban Program funds. This allows the money to be used more effectively on larger projects. Annual adjustments of funds were made as required with input from the City, County and CDOT. Beginning in 1992, the City and County began to apply for these funds jointly and coordinate their planned improvements in such a way as to maximize the efficiency of the funds expended.

FORMAT

Format for the TIP is specified by federal and state requirements. Projects are broken out by:

1. Funding Source - (STP, FTA, etc.)

2.  Priority - The projects are listed by priority in the first year of the program.

Each project must identify the location, description, responsible agency, general purpose, whether the project has received or will receive federal/state funding beyond the program period, and the breakdown of funding by year and by source. This format is standardized by CDOT for all urbanized areas. The general purpose states how the project furthers the goals of the State of Colorado 20-year Transportation Plan.

PROCESS

The projects in the TIP are originally proposed for inclusion by the implementing agencies. Projects are then considered by members of the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC), which is composed of representatives from all public agencies involved in construction or operation of transportation systems in the Grand Junction Urbanized area.

After review of the program, the TIP is forwarded to the Transportation Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC), composed of local representatives from the Grand Junction City Council, the Mesa County Board of Commissioners, the Federal Highway Administration (FHwA), State Air Quality Control Commission and the local Transportation Commissioner and the. The TPAC may refer the program back to the TTAC or endorse the program and place it before the Mesa County Commissioners and the Grand Junction City Council for their approval. The Council and the County Commissioners will either approve the program or refer it back to the TPAC for consideration. A copy of the final document is sent to CDOT for review and approval.

Finally, the TIP is sent to the Governor for his approval and forwarded to the Federal Highway Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency for concurrence and/or comments. The FTA Region VIII office in Denver, Colorado also receives a copy of the approved document.

Amendments to the TIP are required when there are major changes in the cost of a project or when there are additions to or deletions of projects within the TIP. These are approved in the same manner as the program. Flexibility is required to allow for construction cost changes or for the allocation of additional Federal or State funds.

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

ADMINISTRATIVE AMENDMENTS

FY 2001-2006

TRANSIT            

LINE ITEM - Capital Construction

Location: Mesa County

Project Description:  Administrative amendment in preparation for application of FTA Section 5307 urban area formula funding to be used to construct a transfer point at Mesa State College in FY 2001.

Responsible Government:  Mesa County      Project Sponsor:  Mesa County

Past Funding: N      Future Funding: Y    Long Range: Y  TSM: N

LINE ITEM - Purchase Paratransit Vehicles

Location: Mesa County

Project Description:  Administrative amendment in preparation for application of FTA Section 5310 demand response paratransit funding to be used to purchase 3 paratransit vehicles for replacement in FY 2002 and 2003.

Responsible Government:  Mesa County      Project Sponsor:  MesAbility

Past Funding: N      Future Funding: Y    Long Range: Y  TSM: N

LINE ITEM - Rural Operating

Location: Mesa County

Project Description:  Administrative amendment in preparation for application of FTA Section 5311 rural transportation funding to be used to fund operating and project administration costs associated with public transit service provided to rural areas of Mesa County (Fruita and Palisade) for FY 2002 and 2003.

Responsible Government:  Mesa County      Project Sponsor:  Mesa County

Past Funding: N      Future Funding: Y    Long Range: Y  TSM: N

LINE ITEM - Planning Assistance

Location: Mesa County

Project Description:  Administrative amendment in preparation for application of FTA Section 5313(b) transportation planning funding to be used to fund transportation planning projects including but not limited to an update to the 1997-2002 Transit Development Plan in FY 2002 and 2003.

Responsible Government:  Mesa County      Project Sponsor:  Mesa County

Past Funding: N      Future Funding: Y    Long Range: Y  TSM: N

- - End of Administrative Amendments - -