North Front Range Transportation and Air Quality Planning Council Regular Meeting 7/6/2023 by Matthew Liberati
Meeting Summary
Summary
2050 Fiscally Constrained Plan Direction Passed
Greenhouse Gas Transportation Report Approved
Follow-Up Questions
How will I-25 Openings and Transit be coordinated? Commissioner Kathleen Bracke “Through the transportation commission we did approve funding to increase service on Bustang on North I-25. I think it is important to follow through on what we said we were going to deliver and then we are investing hundreds of millions of dollars on North I-25 improvements and the mobility hubs the local communities are investing money in the mobility hubs. I’m very interested in seeing not if but how that service is going to come to fruition that has been approved not only through legislation but through subsequent action by the transportation commission on funding. Wanting to make sure that as the segments of North I-25 open the transit service is there day one for people to ride. So that they go hand in and hand and there isn’t a lag between when the mobility hub opens or when the express lanes open. It really needs to be done together. “
Who is making decisions with the Front Range Passenger Rail District?
Meeting Readiness Checklist:
Full Meeting Notes:
Regional Air Quality Council Update Mike Silverstein Executive Director Regional Air Quality Council
Mow Down Pollution Program Switch To Electric Lawn Mowing Equipment
Residential Program Go Electric Funds Have been depleted
Government Second Round Includes private contractors for governments
Current Recipients request 50k
New Applicants request 100k
Commercial
Pilot 60k, 3k grants
Will request additional dollars in 2024 legislative sessions and grants
Lawn and Garden Equipment Control Vote for Ozone Nonattainment Area July 7th
Lawn and Garden equipment emit more emissions than all travel combined
Sale ban on small (handheld and push) gas powered equipment starting 2025
Gov usage ban June-August starting 2025 includes gov contractors
Commercial usage ban June-August starting 2026
Usage still allowed during emergencies
State can do restrictions based on State Climate Act
Focus will be on education not enforcement assume <50% Compliance initially
Chair Scott James had questions about chainsaws and batteries only lasting 44 minutes, speaker replied funding is available for extra batteries commercial chargers
NFRMPO Air Quality Program Updates
Public Comment Now
Public Hearing in September
Statewide travel surveys are starting
CDOT Transit Town Hall Presentation
121 Million local transit 10 Year Plan
120 Million regional transit
Mobility hubs
Bus purchases
Bustang Regional Bus Expansion Plan I-70 and I-25
Operator staffing issues
Ridership changes Pre and Post Covid
Electrification study
Commissioner Kathleen Bracke “Through the transportation commission we did approve funding to increase service on Bustang on North I-25. I think it is important to follow through on what we said we were going to deliver and then we are investing hundreds of millions of dollars on North I-25 improvements and the mobility hubs the local communities are investing money in the mobility hubs. I’m very interested in seeing not if but how that service is going to come to fruition that has been approved not only through legislation but through subsequent action by the transportation commission on funding. Wanting to make sure that as the segments of North I-25 open the transit service is there day one for people to ride. So that they go hand in and hand and there isn’t a lag between when the mobility hub opens or when the express lanes open. It really needs to be done together. “
Mobility hubs are scheduled to open in Jan 2024
No data on how additional stops will impact route times along I-25
Potential free or reduced fares through August senior mgmt will decide
Greeley is leading a multimodal study for 34, existing 10 year funds are available for launch funds but sustainable funding is another question
Colorado Wyoming Transit Feasibility Study
Fort Collins to Cheyenne transit hubs optimal route 12 roundtrips weekdays 8 trips on weekends
Future Plans
Intercity Regional Bus Plan Fall 2023
Long Range Transit Plan Spring 2024
Community Engagement Requested
More Regional Seasonal Routes out of Northern Colorado vs Denver
Maintenance fleet planned for the region
300+ Grant Processing
Staff has grown and some vacancies still exist. Some staff need to relearn coming from highways
2050 Fiscally Constrained Plan
13.3 Billion 2.3 Billion Gap
Cost to operate and maintain federal-aid highways and public transportation
All revenue by funding source year of expenditure
Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Cost $25,138 per lane mile to maintain current service level
Front Rail Passenger Rail removed still in unconstrained plan
Additional funding would go towards 2.3 Billion gap Regionally Significant Corridor (RSC) Capacity and Non-RSC Capacity Projects
Board Votes to Approve Fiscally Constrained Plan Direction
Greenhouse Gas Transportation Report
Strategies to meet Greenhouse Reduction Targets
Transit, Work From Home Increases, Signal Timing, Bike and Ped Network Expansion
Council Votes to Approve Greenhouse Gas Transportation Report
30 Day Public Comment
2030 Call for Projects
22.7 Million Available
Application Open August 4
Description Due August 25
Final Application Due October 6
Scoring Committee Meeting November 1
Scoring Criteria (Safety, Operations, Mobility, Multimodal, Regional Health/Emissions Reductions/Equity)
Applicant Presentation to Council December 7
Council Action on Recommended Projects January 4, 2024
2050 Regional Transportation Plan
July Draft for Public Comment
August Council Discussion
September Council Approval
Resiliency Question
Guidance on Grants
CDOT Region 4 Update
27 Projects $44 Million Requested. 10 Projects Funded 7 Fully $11.8 Million
8 Application from North Front Range, Fort Collins and Greely Project Funded
I-25 Project Progressing and on schedule
287 Safety Corridor Study in progress
Transportation Planning Region (TPR) Boundary Study
Survey being sent out
5 regional meetings scheduled
Best Practices for Bylaws
Front Range Passenger Rail District
Equity discussion and weld county
Potential options delay taxes if farther from route
Potential options higher taxes closer to route
Public meeting questions are being asked
August Meeting Discussion David Zinger, Andy Carson, HRC Consultant/Governors office
Follow up questions:
How will I-25 Openings and Transit be coordinated? Commissioner Kathleen Bracke “Through the transportation commission we did approve funding to increase service on Bustang on North I-25. I think it is important to follow through on what we said we were going to deliver and then we are investing hundreds of millions of dollars on North I-25 improvements and the mobility hubs the local communities are investing money in the mobility hubs. I’m very interested in seeing not if but how that service is going to come to fruition that has been approved not only through legislation but through subsequent action by the transportation commission on funding. Wanting to make sure that as the segments of North I-25 open the transit service is there day one for people to ride. So that they go hand in and hand and there isn’t a lag between when the mobility hub opens or when the express lanes open. It really needs to be done together. “
Who is making decisions with the Front Range Passenger Rail District?