Tuesday, October 27, 2020, 9:00 am CST Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/epf-ezti-bpw
Join by phone: (617) 675-4444 PIN: 930 319 868 4547#
(This a virtual meeting)
Agenda
6100 Southport Road
Portage, Indiana 46368
(219) 763-6060
ACTION REQUESTED: Approval
This is an opportunity for comments from members of the audience. The amount of time available to speak will be limited to 3 minutes. Commenters must indicate their wish to comment on the sign-in sheet.
A spreadsheet with a summary of all applications will be provided at the meeting.
ACTION REQUESTED: For Discussion
1601147 Burns Harbor; Down-scope and move letting to FY 22; Funds will be loaned to the Area Plan Commission of Tippecanoe County (APCTC), with 50% returned in FY 22, and 50% returned in FY 24
ACTION REQUESTED: Informational
1601145 Hammond; Scope /program change from Multi-Use Trail to Complete Streets; From Marquette Greenway Trail to Hohman Ave Phase 2 Complete Streets ($1,500,000- $1,200,000[fed] FY 2023)
ACTION REQUESTED: Approval & Recommendation to TPC
Update on the Spending Plan; FY 21- balanced; FY 22- Need to move approximately
$200,000; FY 23- $1,903,986 Available; FY 24- Approximately $727,000 available
ACTION REQUESTED: Informational
Local Quarterly meetings are Mon Aug 3, Mon Aug 10, Tue Aug 11, or Thu Aug 13
Other Business not discussed earlier
The next regularly scheduled TROC Lake/Porter Meeting is scheduled for January 26, 2021 at 9 a.m. Location and format to be determined later.
Transportation Resource Oversight Committee Meeting (Lake & Porter Counties)
Tuesday, July 28, 2020 Minutes
This meeting was convened as an electronic meeting, pursuant to Governor Holcomb’s Executive Order 20-04 and 20-09, extended by Executive Order 20-39. All persons were meeting remotely on a Google Meet platform that allowed for real time interaction and supported the public’s ability to observe and record the proceedings. When the agenda item was provided for public comment, this was supported as well. A roll call was taken to motion and approve the agenda items.
Charles Bradsky called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll
call. In attendance were AJ Bytnar (Gary), Dean Button (Hammond), Phil Gralik (Hobart), Steve King (Merrillville), William Allen (East Chicago), Jeff Huet (Schererville), Mayor David Uran (Crown Point), Sandy Kolb (Portage), Duane Alverson (Lake County), Michael Jabo (Valparaiso), Beth Shrader (Valpo Transit), George Topoll (Union Township), Bob Thompson (Porter County), Greg Falkowski, AJ Monroe, and Chris Murphy.
NIRPC staff included Charles Bradsky, Kevin Polette, and Flor Baum. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the February 25, 2020 meeting were approved on motion by Dean Button and a
second by Bob Tomlin. A roll call was taken, and the committee voted unanimously to approve.
Public Comments
There were no public comments.
2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program Changes to the Spending Plan
Charles stated that some projects will have to be accelerated from FY-23 or move some projects to FY-24. Because there is no Federal Funding Bill the Fast Act expires on September 30, 2020.
Therefore, INDOT has kept the same numbers from 2020 in 2021. If congress comes together and comes up with funding for FHWA, then we can start seeing increases. (Note: Congress has approved a one year extension on the FAST Act.)
Charles and the LPA’s went through the spending plan and agreed to make the following adjustments:
Charles noted that there is a balance of $1,508,968.00 for FY-21. There is also a balance of
$985,389.00 for FY-22. However, there will be a deficit of $1,690,864.00 for FY-23. The balance will break even for FY-24. These balances also include what has been set aside for Change Orders.
Des # 1802973 for 15th Ave Road Reconstruction in The City of Gary will receive $60,000.00 in PE for FY-21. Construction (CN) will be moved back from FY-23 to FY-24. Per Chris Murphy, moving the CN back (which is a one-year schedule) will give the city an opportunity to acquire the Right of Way (ROW). (Note: since there is not enough funds available in FY 24 for this move to take place, the City of Gary agreed to follow guidelines and move their project out of the TIP and reapply in this fall’s NOFA for the funds in FY 25. APPROVED
Des # 1006787 for Mississippi St in Merrillville will receive $460,000.00 for CE funds in FY-
APPROVED
Des # 1901949 for sidewalks along Broadway in Merrillville will receive $60,000.00 of ROW funds in FY-21. Steve King requested the CN to be moved from FY-21 to FY-22. There is also ROW acquisition that needs to be purchased, however the funding is to be
determined. APPROVED
Des # 16001163 for the Pedestrian Crossing at 173rd in Hammond will receive
$275,000.00 in CN funds at Letting on FY-21. Dean Button noted that the letting is scheduled for August. A revised cost estimate for this project has escalated the CN estimate. Funding has to be set aside to cover the engineering estimate as it stands. APPROVED (Note: This project was let and awarded. NIRPC covered $1,224,758)
Des # 1500419 (& 1173594) for the Calumet Trail in Porter County will receive $50,000.00 to get the engineering portion started. Bob Thomson noted that CN will be in FY-23. NOT APPROVED
Des # 1902708 for the acceleration replacement of two Diesel Trucks with CNG in Hobart has moved from FY-24 to FY-21. Phil Gralik noted that it is a favorable decision, and that the Mayor would like them as soon as possible. NOT APPROVED
Des # 1601158 for intersection improvement on 109th & Iowa in Crown Point will receive
$750,000.00 at Letting on FY-21. Greg Falkowski noted that upon approval of the NEPA document, then ROW can begin. This project is on an aggressive schedule and is on schedule. APPROVED
Des # 1601159 for Ransom Rd Safety Improvements in Valparaiso will receive $29,340.00 in FY-21. Mike Jabo noted that the project was underfunded from the start, and that the request would cover CE. APPROVED
Des # 9980080 for 45th Ave in Lake County requested for ANY additional funds for FY-
Duane Alverson noted the project is under construction with phase 2, and proceeding with 92 parcels of ROW acquisition for phase 3 (from Whitcomb to Colfax). The estimated LID cost for the total project is $2.5 million. Any additional ROW funds that become available would be appreciated. There is an open INDOT PO for ROW purchase for $9K. Lake County is proceeding with ROW acquisition using local funds. Duane also noted that there is approval of the NEPA document.
The City of Gary will also receive $196,000.00 of additional funds in FY-21 for Des # 1702158, the Marquette Greenway Green Links. The construction has additional stormwater costs for perforated pipes. APPROVED (The City of Gary requested that these funds be put towards the PE for des # 1802973. See b. above)
The increase in project funding for Merrillville, Hammond, Crown Point, Valparaiso, and Gary, with no further commitment of project funding to be made for the time being was approved on motion by Dean Button, and second by George Topoll. Roll call was announced and the following LPA’s voted to approve the improvements as discussed in 4.1 to the Spending Plan: Aj Bytnar (Gary), Dean Button (Hammond), Phil Gralik (Hobart), Steve King (Merrillville), William Allen (East Chicago), Jeff Huet (Schererville), Mayor David Uran (Crown Point), Sandy Kolb (Portage), Duane Alverson (Lake County), Michael Jabo (Valparaiso), Beth Shrader (Valpo Transit), George Topoll (Union Township), and Bob Thompson (Porter County).
Charles Bradsky stated that any additional funds that arise during the year will go towards the following: PE for Des # 1802973 for 15th Ave, ROW for Des # 9980080 in Lake County, and ROW for Des # 1901949 in Merrillville. However, there is no guarantee that funded projects will come under the proposed budgets, especially during these uncertain times with the covid-19 pandemic. CO funds remain untouched.
New Business
The City of Hammond has requested a scope and program change for Des # 1601145; Marquette Greenway Trail. The multi-use trail will be changed to a Complete Streets. $1.2M of CMAQ construction (CN) funds and $540K in Right of Way (ROW) funds are being requested to be moved
from Marquette Greenway Trail to Hohman Ave Phase 2 Complete Streets (Des No. is to be determined) in FY 2023).
Dean Button stated that the initial project would follow the North bank of the Grand Calumet River, scoring very well in terms of funding. However there has been recent reflection to reconsider the location because it travels closer to a newly constructed sewer overflow basin of the wastewater treatment facility plant. This would not be a pleasant experience using the multi-use trail. The City of Hammond would commit to a street trail connector project, using local funds to be able to make this connection. This project would be supplementing the Phase 2 project of Hohman Ave.
Charles Bradsky informed The City of Hammond, based on NIRPC guidelines, that the request to change scope and program will be submitted to the Ped, Peddle, and Paddle Committee (3PC) for consideration. The committee unanimously agreed.
Charles announced the NOFA will be released from September 11th to October 21st. He explained that the application has been adjusted, and will include additional questions in regards to risk, (scope, schedule and cost) railroad involvement, and project phasing.
Adjournment
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:51 a.m. The next regularly scheduled TROC Lake/Porter Meeting is scheduled for October 27, 2020 at 9 a.m. at the NIRPC office.