10:00am, November 12, 2014
Note: Coffee will be available at 9:30 a.m. and a light lunch will be served following the meeting.
Commission Office
The ACP Building - 8th Floor
190 N. Independence Mall West
Philadelphia, PA
For directions Call (215) 592-1800
Please Use Sixth Street Entrance
1. Call to Order – Chairman’s Comments
2. Deputy Executive Director’s Report
3. Public Comments on Agenda and Non-Agenda Items
ACTION ITEMS
4. Highlights of the Meeting of October 7, 2014
5. DVRPC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Actions
The dynamic nature of funding transportation improvements and the need to remain within financial constraint require amendments or modifications to the TIP. The following projects require formal TIP Amendments or Modifications this month for the FY2015 TIP for PA and the FY2014 TIP for NJ.
- PA15-07: Montgomery County Act 13 Bridges (Various MPMS#s), Montgomery County – Add Proposed New Projects to the TIP
- PA15-08: Municipal Bridge Retro-Reimbursement Program, (MPMS# 102105) Various Counties – Add Proposed New Projects to the TIP
- PA15-09: Knox Covered Bridge, (MPMS #102586) Chester County – Add Proposed New Project to the TIP
- PA15-10: Rapps Dam Bridge Repairs, (MPMS #103253) Chester County - Add Proposed New Project to the TIP
- PA15-11: 309 Environmental Mitigation, (MPMS #98706) Montgomery County – Add Project Back in to the TIP
- PA15-12: I-95 Central and South Philadelphia Project Development, (MPMS #TBD) Various Counties - Add Proposed New Study Project to the TIP
- PA15-13: StatewideTransportation Alternatives Program (TAP), (Various MPMS #s), Various Counties – Add Proposed New Projects to the TIP
- NJ14-44: Mercer County Signal Project, CR 533, (DB# D0702), Mercer County – Advance and Increase Construction Phase
6. Fiscal Year 2015 Planning Work Program Amendments
To respond to the needs of member governments and agencies, work program changes and additions are brought to the RTC to permit the timely undertaking of technical activity.
a. Building the Circuit
The William Penn Foundation has awarded DVRPC $7 million to resume a re-grant program providing funding to counties, municipalities, non-profits, and other multi-use trail builders to complete priority segments of the Circuit, Greater Philadelphia’s regional multi-use trails network. Implementation of the Circuit is identified as a regional priority in Connections 2040: Plan for Greater Philadelphia.
b. Building Climate Hazard Resiliency in the City of Chester
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) awarded DVRPC and its partners $290k to implement recommendations from the recently adopted Chester City Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The project will focus on developing a green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) sketch plan, designing a GSI demonstration project, and implementing flood hazard mitigation strategies in the City of Chester, Pennsylvania.
c. Analysis of Regional Transportation Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
With support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DVRPC will develop an in-depth analysis of scenarios to evaluate how various levels of uptake of electric vehicles (EVs), natural gas vehicles, and improved fuel economy gasoline vehicles (including hybrids of various levels) might affect transportation energy use and GHG emissions in the DVRPC region.
PRESENTATION ITEM
7. Darby Borough Grade Crossing Study
Staff will present an overview of a two phase study focusing on two highway-railroad grade crossings in Darby Borough, Delaware County. The study explores implementation strategies that serve to improve the safety and efficiency of all modes of transportation at the crossing.
8. Greener Pastures for New Farmers
Greater Philadelphia’s nonprofit land trusts and government-led preservation programs are considered national leaders in farmland preservation. Simultaneously, a new generation of farmers is looking to start farms in and around Greater Philadelphia. Staff will present findings from a recently released report that summarizes information regarding existing financial assistance programs for small and beginning farmers, and highlights a few nontraditional financing resources that aim to keep land in agricultural use.
INFORMATION ITEMS
9. One Minute Reports
RTC Members and guests will be invited to provide updates on the activities of their agencies
10. FY 2015 First Quarter Report
11. Old Business and New Business
12. Meeting Adjournment
The next scheduled meeting of the RTC is Tuesday, January 6, 2015.
Attachments:
- Highlights of the October 7, 2014 RTC Meeting
- TIP Actions, November 2014
- Work Program Amendment: Building the Circuit
- Work Program Amendment: Building Climate Hazard Resiliency in the City of Chester
- Work Program Amendment: Analysis of Regional Transportation Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- FY 2015 First Quarter Report
- Board highlights – October 2014