Technical Planning Committee

March 14, 2017 9:00 a.m.

6100 Southport Road, Portage

AGENDA

1. Call to Order by Chairman, Opening and Announcements

   1. Pledge of Allegiance; Introductions

   2. Meeting Participation Survey

   3. Action on the minutes of the February 14 TPC meeting (Pages 1-3)

      
      

2. 2040 Comprehensive Regional Plan Presentation: Goal 3 - Vibrant Region/Well- educated – Tina Rongers/Stephen Sostaric

   
   

3. Implementation Planning

   1. Planning for VW Clean Diesel Settlement Funding – Carl Lisek/Kathy Luther

   2. Action on National Highway System Update – Scott Weber/Sarah Geinosky (Pages 4-6)

   3. I-65 & US 30 Safety Study – Design Options – Stephen Sostaric (Handout).

      
      

4. Programming

   1. FY 2018-2021 Transportation Improvement Program, Air Quality Conformity, CRP Amendment #4 – West Lake and Double Tracking – Mitch Barloga

   2. Transportation Resource & Oversight Committee for Lake & Porter Counties – Gary Evers

   3. FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program Amendment #34 – Gary Evers (Pages 7-11)

      
      

5. Topical Committee Reports

   1. Environmental Management Policy Committee (EMPC)

   2. Ped, Pedal & Paddle Committee (3PC)

   3. Transit Operators Roundtable

   4. Land Use Committee

   5. Rail Vision/Freight Committee

   6. Surface Transportation Committee (STC)

6. Reports from Planning Partners

   1. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)

   2. South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association

   3. Southwestern Michigan Commission

   4. Federal Highway Administration & Federal Transit Administration

      
      

7. Public Comment on Agenda Items

   
   

8. Emerging Trends Presentation –

   
   

9. Other Business, Staff Announcements and Upcoming Meetings

   1. Other Business

   2. Staff Announcements

   3. NIRPC Meetings

      • The Executive Board will meet on Thursday, March 16 at 9:00 a.m. in the Lake Michigan Room at the NIRPC office.

      • The Transportation Resource & Oversight Committee for Lake and Porter Counties will meet on March 23 at 9:00 a.m. in the Lake Michigan Room at the NIRPC office.

      • The Ped, Pedal & Paddle Committee will meet on Thursday, March 23 at 1:30 p.m. in the Lake Michigan Room at the NIRPC office.

      • The Environmental Management Policy Committee will meet on March 6 at 9:00 a.m. at the NIRPC office.

      • The Surface Transportation Committee will meet on April 4 at 9 a.m. in the Lake Michigan Room at the NIRPC office.

      • The Transportation Resource Oversight Committee for LaPorte County will meet on April 4 at 1 p.m. at LaPorte Parks Department.

      • The Lane use Committee will meet on Wednesday. April 19 at 10 a.m. in the Dune Room at the NIRPC office.

The NIRPC Office will be closed on Friday, April 14 in observance of the Good Friday holiday.

The next Technical Planning Committee meeting will be held on April 11, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. in the Lake Michigan Room at the NIRPC office.

Requests for alternate formats, please contact Mary Thorne at NIRPC at least 48 hours prior at (219) 763-6060 extension 131 or at mthorne@nirpc.org. Individuals with hearing impairments may contact us through the Indiana Relay 711 service by calling 711 or (800) 743-3333.

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, parental status, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.

Technical Planning Committee Meeting‌‌

NIRPC Lake Michigan Room 6100 Southport Road, Portage February 14, 2017‌

MINUTES

Vice Chair Kevin Breitzke called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and self- introductions. Members present included Kevin Breitzke, George Topoll, David Wright, Julie Ritzler, Tyler Kent, Mark O’Dell, Tom MacLennan, Beth Shrader, Margot Sabato, Susan Weber, Stephen Stofko and Kay Nelson. Joyce Newland and Mary Enright participated by conference phone. Others present included Mike Yacullo, Joe Crnkovich, Deb Backhus, Jack Eskin, Shannon Eason, Skyler York, Aaron Borngraber, Ray Riddell, Dean Button, Dennis Cobb, Jake Dammarell, Jeff Huet, Don Oliphant, K-Todd Behling, Matt Deitchley, Claudia Taylor, Karie Koehneke, Bob Thompson, Lauren Orchard, Teri Dixon, Jerry Siska, Fred Williams, Tom Silich, Bruce Lindner, Ron Wiederman, Tom Regalado and Chris Moore. Staff present included Mitch Barloga, Gary Evers, Kathy Luther, Joe Exl, Scott Weber, James Winters, Eman Ibrahim, Amanda Pollard, Gabrielle Biciunas and Mary Thorne.

The survey was available at the table.

The minutes of the January 10, 2016 Technical Planning Committee meeting were approved on a motion by Beth Shrader and a second by Kay Nelson.

Presentation: Kathy Luther presented an overview of the first goal of the 2040 Plan for a vibrant region

– thriving economy and each objective of the goal showing NIRPC’s role in implementation projects.

Implementation Planning

• Joe Exl presented on the Deep River-Portage Burns Waterway Initiative implementation and cost- share with Section 319 funding of $300,000. The deadline for submission is October and the cap is

  $50,000 per project. Contact Joe Exl at NIRPC for more information.

• Mitch Barloga reported that approval of the Greenways + Blueways Plan Update has been delayed to receiving significant public comment, as well as public comment periods for the West Lake double tracking and Extension. The revised plan update will be ready for public comment in May and final approval in June.

• David Wright, Gary Public Transportation Corp. showed a YouTube sneak preview of a video promoting benefits of public transit in Northwest Indiana.

  
  

  Programming

• Gary Evers reported that the Transportation Resource & Oversight Committee for LaPorte County met earlier this month. Reports were given from the operators and two lettings will close out the year.

• Gary Evers explained FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program Amendment #34, changes to existing projects in Valparaiso, Michigan City and LaPorte County and deleting a Valparaiso project. The amendment was reviewed by the Interagency Consultation Group and no public comments were received. On a motion by Mark O’Dell and a second by George Topoll, the Committee voted to recommend Amendment #34 to the Commission for adoption.

  
  

  Topical Committee Reports:

• Kathy Luther reported that a live streamed presentation was made at the Environmental Management Policy Committee earlier this month.

• Mitch Barloga reported that the Ped, Pedal & Paddle Committee heard a presentation from Justin Kiel, LaCrosse Town Council. The town has a Complete Streets Policy. The committee will hear a presentation on plans for a bike share program from Valparaiso Parks at their meeting on February 24 at 1:30 p.m. The roll out is on April 19.

• James Winters reported that the transit operators will meet this morning to continue to constrain the project selection.

• Eman Ibrahim reported that the Land Use Committee met last month and heard a presentation from the City of Gary on the Creating Livable Centers grant for the downtown, Horace Manna and Emerson areas. A summary of the plan is on the NIRPC website. There are plans to move from a polygon- based to a parcel-based data system which will give more accurate transportation modeling data.

• Mitch Barloga, reporting for Stephen Sostaric, said that the Rail Vision/Freight Committee met on February 7 to discuss structure and membership. The next meeting is in March.

• Scott Weber reported that the Surface Transportation Committee met last week and heard a presentation on the Indiana Toll Road construction, the 80/90 Push. In answer to a question by Dennis Cobb, Mitch Barloga said that Ty Warner is working with the legislators almost daily on the final rulemaking for performance based planning and staff will provide an update at the next Technical Planning Committee meeting.

  
  

  Reports from Planning Partners:

• Teri Dixon reported that CMAP is doing a call for projects for CMAQ and TAP with a deadline of March

  23. They are also beginning outreach on their 2050 Plan for climate change, technology, urban living, depleted public resources and economic restructuring.

• Susan Weber reported that the new Secretary of Public Transportation is Elaine Chao, who served as Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush. The partial apportionment has been issued, and the full apportionment should be in May.

• Mary Enright reported that there will be a STIP meeting on April 11 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Central at INDOT’s LaPorte District office.

  
  

  Emerging Trends: James Winters showed two videos on Solar cell roofs and the application of this technology.

  
  

  Announcements:

• Kathy Luther said IDEM’s new Commissioner is Bruno Pigott.

• Kay Nelson will appoint an alternative as she will be in Washington next month.

Kevin Breitzke announced the upcoming meetings and noted the office is closed on February 20 in observance of Presidents’ Day. The next Technical Planning Committee meeting will be on March 14, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. in the Lake Michigan Room at the NIRPC office. Hearing no other business, he adjourned the meeting at 10:10 a.m.

A Digital MP3 of this meeting is filed. Contact Mary Thorne at the phone number or email below should you wish to receive a copy or a portion of it.

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, parental status, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.

RESOLUTION 17-07

A RESOLUTION OF THE NORTHWESTERN INDIANA REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING CHANGES TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM IN LAKE, PORTER, AND LAPORTE COUNTIES

March 16, 2017

WHEREAS, Northwest Indiana’s citizens require a safe, efficient, effective, resource- conserving regional transportation system that maintains and enhances regional mobility and contributes to improving the quality of life in Northwest Indiana; and

WHEREAS, Title 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 470 establishes that the National Highway System (NHS), overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, consists of roadways vital to the nation’s, and consequently Northwest Indiana’s, economy, defense, and mobility; and

WHEREAS, Northwest Indiana is served by several major roads and highways already identified as being a part of the National Highway System; and

WHEREAS, Northwest Indiana’s roads and highways are subject to change in the type of traffic they serve and level of service they provide over time; and

WHEREAS, some of Northwest Indiana’s roads and highways not heretofore identified as being a part of the National Highway System warrant inclusion on the National Highway System; and

WHEREAS, some of Northwest Indiana’s roads and highways previously identified as being a part of the National Highway System no longer warrant inclusion on the National Highway System; and

WHEREAS, the Indiana Department of Transportation, the agency responsible for formally requesting changes to the Federal Highway Administration in the State of Indiana, is requesting the Commission to recommend any changes to the National Highway System in its metropolitan planning area; and

WHEREAS, staff to the Commission have examined the guidelines for determining eligibility and applicability for roads and highways to be included on the National Highway System; and

WHEREAS, staff to the Commission have conducted extensive dialog with Indiana Department of Transportation staff about candidate roads and highways in Northwest Indiana to change in their National Highway System inclusion status.

WHEREAS, the Commission’s Technical Planning Committee reviewed the recommended changes to the National Highway System at its March 14, 2017 meeting and acted to recommend the Commission to recommend the changes.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Commission officially recommends that the Indiana Department of Transportation request the Federal Highway Administration to make the changes here noted to the National Highway System in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.

Duly adopted by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission this sixteenth day of March, 2017.

Michael W. Griffin Chairperson ATTEST:

Diane Noll Secretary

Recommended Changes to NHS in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties

RESOLUTION 17-04

A RESOLUTION OF THE NORTHWESTERN INDIANA REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION AMENDING THE

2016-2019 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR LAKE, PORTER, AND LAPORTE COUNTIES, INDIANA

AMENDMENT NO. 34

March 16, 2017

WHEREAS, Northwest Indiana’s citizens require a safe, efficient, effective, resource- conserving regional transportation system that maintains and enhances regional mobility and contributes to improving the quality of life in Northwest Indiana; and

WHEREAS, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, hereafter referred to as “the Commission”, being designated the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Lake, Porter and LaPorte County area, has established a regional, comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing (3-C) transportation planning process to develop the unified planning work program, a transportation plan, and a transportation improvement program to facilitate federal funding for communities, counties, and transit operators, and to provide technical assistance and expertise to regional transportation interests; and

WHEREAS, the Commission performs the above activities to satisfy requirements of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015 (PL 114-94), applicable portions of all prior federal transportation program authorizing legislation, as well as other federal, state, and local laws mandating or authorizing transportation planning activities; and

WHEREAS, the FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program is a product of a multi-modal, 3-C transportation planning process, compatible with regional goals and objectives and socio-economic and demographic factors used to form the 2040 Comprehensive Regional Plan (CRP), as amended; and

WHEREAS, the FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program is an implementation of the 2040 Comprehensive Regional Plan (CRP), as amended; is fiscally constrained, and is consistent with the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality; and

WHEREAS, the FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program is developed by the Commission in coordination and cooperation with local elected and appointed highway and transit officials, special interest and service organizations, including users of public transit, the Indiana Department of Transportation, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Federal Transit Administration, and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency; and

WHEREAS, the changes to the FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program brought about by this amendment were reviewed by the Air Quality Conformity Task Force’s Interagency Consultation Group (ICG); and

WHEREAS, the changes to the FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program brought about by this amendment were subjected to public comment in the manner prescribed by the 2014 Public Participation Plan with no comments received; and

WHEREAS, the Technical Policy Committee (TPC) has recommended that the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission make these changes to the 2016- 2019 Transportation Improvement Program.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission hereby amends the 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program by adding the new projects and making other changes as shown on the attachment to this resolution.

Duly adopted by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission this sixteenth day of March, 2017.

Michael W. Griffin Chairperson

ATTEST:

Diane Noll Secretary