Cotton Belt-CS090123 AGENDA
Cotton Belt Corridor Strategy Meeting
Friday, January 23, 2009
North Central Texas Council of Governments
9:00 — 9:05 1. Welcome /Introductions
❑ Action ❑ Possible Action 0 Information Minutes: 5
Presenter: Michael Morris, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Welcome participants and self introductions.
Background: N/A
9:05 — 9:10 2. Meeting Purpose and Committee Structure
❑ Action ❑ Possible Action El Information Minutes: 5
Presenter: Michael Morris, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Overview of what is expected by the end of the meeting.
Background: N/A
9:10 — 9:15 3. December 12, 2008 Strategy Meeting Summary
❑ Action ❑ Possible Action 0 Information Minutes: 5
Presenter: Tom Shelton, NCTCOG
Item Summary: A review of the initial corridor strategy meeting including
identification of action items.
Background: December 12, 2008 Cotton Belt Corridor Strategy Meeting notes.
9:15 — 9:30 4. Corridor Overview
❑ Action ❑ Possible Action El Information Minutes: 15
Presenter: Chad Edwards, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Overview of Rail North Texas effort and corridor fact sheet
information.
Background: Cotton Belt Corridor Fact Sheet
9:30 — 5. Draft Work Program
10:30 ❑ Action ❑ Possible Action 0 Information Minutes: 60
Presenters: Tom Shelton, Kevin Feldt, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Staff will present the draft work program and facilitate a
discussion regarding the work program.
Background: Draft Cotton Belt Corridor Work Program and December 12, 2008
Cotton Belt Corridor Strategy Meeting notes.
10:30 — 6. Grade Crossing Banking Program
10:35 ❑ Action ❑ Possible Action 0 Information Minutes: 5
Presenter: William Jones, NCTCOG
Item Summary: The Grade Crossing Banking Program status and general
procedures will be presented.
Background: Handout.
10:35 — 7. TOD /Lessons Learned
10:45 ❑ Action ❑ Possible Action 0 Information Minutes: 10
Presenters: Kevin Feldt, NCTCOG
Item Summary: As discussed in the December 12, 2008 strategy meeting, a
group discussion regarding TOD and other lessons learned from
existing corridors is warranted. Information regarding NCTCOG
sustainable development efforts will be presented.
Background: Individual attendees discuss TOD and other lessons learned in
their communities.
10:45 — 8. Action Items and Task Assignments
10:55 ❑ Action ❑ Possible Action O Information Minutes: 10
Presenter: Tom Shelton, Kevin Feldt, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Review identified action items and assign tasks for completion.
Background: N /A.
10:55 — 9. Next Steps
11:00 ❑ Action ❑ Possible Action Q Information Minutes: 5
Presenter: Tom Shelton, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Identify next steps and select next meeting date.
Background: N/A
11:00 — 10. Adjourn
11:00 ❑ Action ❑ Possible Action 0 Information Minutes: 0
Presenter: Tom Shelton, NCTCOG
Item Summary: N/A
Background: N/A
'12101
Regional Transit Corridor Initiatives
Vision
Provide multiple transportation choices for the North Central Texas region.
Mission
The North Central Texas Council of Governments will provide assistance to the North
Central Texas region by preparing transportation projects for construction activities by
efficiently developing safe, fiscally sound, environmentally conscious and regionally
supported mobility improvement projects that support economic opportunities and
sustain or augment the quality of life for the citizens of North Central Texas.
Work Program
Executive Summary — A brief description detailing the project's important findings
and conclusions is provided in a stand alone document.
1.0 Introduction — The first document section will provide details of previous
work efforts for the corridor. This section will also identify the corridor both with
text and graphics. Guiding principles and the study process will be outlined.
1.1 Study Area
1.2 Corridor Description
1.3 Previous Work Efforts
1.4 Guiding Statements
1.4.1 Corridor Mission
1.4.2 Goals and Objectives
1.4.3 Need and Purpose
1.4.4 Local Partner Principles and Priorities
1.5 Feasibility Study Development Process
2.0 Existing Conditions — The existing conditions analysis will document the
status of many transportation conditions forming a baseline for a comparative
analysis. This analysis will be conducted at a cursory level. The existing
conditions analysis will serve as the foundation for the federally required
environmental analysis should one be needed.
2.1 Transportation System
2.1.1 Facilities and Services
2.1.1.1 Roadway
2.1.1.2 Transit
2.1.1.3 Bicycle and Pedestrian
2.1.1.4 Freight
2.1.2 Travel Demand and Ridership
2.1.3 Travel Patterns
2.2 Built Environment
2.2.1 Land Use and Zoning
2.2.2 Socio- Economic
2.2.3 Cultural Resources
2.2.3.1 Historic Resources
2.2.3.2 Archeological Resources
2.2.4 Parks and Recreation
2.3 Natural Environment
2.3.1 Air
2.3.2 Noise
2.3.3 Water
2.3.4 Biological
2.3.5 Wetlands
2.3.6 Soils and Geology
2.3.7 Energy
3.0 Projected Conditions — Using state of the practice as well as standard and
customary planning principles and practices, the anticipated future conditions will
be identified. The section's intent is to provide a comparative analysis for many
transportation conditions across several alignment and technology alternatives.
Future conditions will be determined at the same level of detail as the existing
conditions analysis for comparative purposes. The projected conditions analysis
will serve as the foundation for the comparison of alternatives leading to initial
corridor recommendations. These recommendations will follow federally
required environmental analysis guidelines and will serve as a reference document
should a federal environmental analysis be deemed appropriate.
3.1 Transportation System
3.1.1 Facilities and Services
3.1.1.1 Roadway
3.1.1.2 Transit
3.1.1.3 Bicycle and Pedestrian
3.1.1.4 Freight
3.1.2 Travel Demand and Ridership
3.1.3 Travel Patterns
3.2' Built Environment
3.2.1 Land Use and Zoning
3.2.2 Socio- Economic
3.2.3 Cultural Resources
3.2.3.1 Historic Resources
3.2.3.2 Archeological Resources
3.2.4 Parks and Recreation
3.3 Natural Environment
3.3.1 Air
3.3.2 Noise
3.3.3 Water
3.3.4 Biological
3.3.5 Wetlands
3.3.6 Soils and Geology
3.3.7 Energy
4.0 Initial Alternatives — Several individual alignment and technology
alternatives will be developed for a comparative analysis. In selected corridors
this may be a very straight forward process. In other corridors, this task may be
very detailed. The Several individual alignment and technology alternatives will
then be paired together to form several alternative "sets." Using best practice
principles and analysis tools, a recommendation for alternative sets to be analyzed
in greater detail will be documented.
4.1 Technology
4.2 New Alignments
4.2.1 Track Rights
4.2.2 Right -of -Way
4.2.3 Grade Separations
4.2.4 Station Locations
4.2.5 Logical Termini
4.3 No Build
4.4 Recommendation
5.0 Cost — The ,0rtancial analysis will first examine all associated costs for each
alternative set through a planning level analysis. The total estimated project costs
in year of expenditure dollars for each alternative set will be calculated for use in
the project decision matrix. An analysis focused on local jurisdictions
traditionally not included in a transit service provider service area will be
conducted. Options to reduce construction and operating costs will be developed.
A recommendation regarding expansion of transit service areas will be made for
the corridor.
5.1 Estimated Costs
5.1.1 Capital
5.1.2 Operating
5.2 Viability
5.2.1 Fare Box Recovery
5.2.2 Cost Effectiveness
5.3 Non - Transit Cities
5.4 Recommendation
6.0 Revenues — A series of funding alternatives will be documented and analyzed
for appropriate use in the corridor. Revenue options will be developed to weigh
advantages to early project implementation against traditional approaches that
often wait for years for adequate funding. Public - private, regional, state and
federal funding sources will be reviewed. A recommendation regarding
appropriate funding methods will be made for the corridor.
6.1 Revenue Projections
6.2 Potential Funding Methods
6.3 Recommendation
7.0 External Coordination — The efforts to gain valuable input for the project
will focus on three distinct stakeholder groups: elected and appointed officials;
transportation agency professional staff; and, the public. A plan will be
developed for each stakeholder group to include several opportunities and
methods for providing project input. A summary will be included in Task 1.4.4.
7.1 Policy Officials
7.2 Agency Staff
7.3 Public
8.0 Conclusion — The conclusions documented will focus on the planning level
analysis conducted during the study. Using best practices a feasibility analysis
matrix will be developed. The documented recommendations will form the basis
for future project efforts.
8.1 Project Feasibility Analysis
8.2 Recommendations