Agenda - 05-05-2009 - Information Item

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22 July 25, 2008, October 30, 2008, November 30, 2008, December 12, 2008, January 12, 2007, January 25, 2007, March 2, 2007 and March 6, 2009. A summary of the topics discussed at each of these meetings is included in Appendix C. The date of February 19, 2009, was the date that the conformity analysis began. That date was defined through interagency consultation and included in the conformity process schedule provided in Appendix C. 3.2 Financial Constraint Assumptions The Transportation Plans are fiscally constrained as discussed in 40 CFR 93.108. The DCHC MPO, Capital Area MPO and Burlington-Graham Long Range Transportation Plans aze fiscally constrained to the yeaz 2035. All projects included in the current 2009-2015 TIP are fiscally constrained, and funding sources have been identified for construction and operation. The estimates of available funds are based on historic funding availability and include federal, state, private, and local funding sources. Additional detail on fiscal constraint is included in each MPO long range transportation plan. It is assumed that the projects listed for each horizon yeaz will be completed and providing service by the end of the indicated calendaz year (December 31). These transportation networks are described in the respective 2035 Long-Range Transportation Plans. 3.3 Latest Planning Assumptions The 2035 Transportation Plans use the latest adopted planning assumptions as discussed in 40 CFR 93.110, and are adopted as part of the Plans. A single travel demand model was developed for the urbanized portion of the Triangle non-attainment area. A single set of population, housing and employment projections was developed. In addition, a set of highway and transit projects that was consistent across jurisdictional boundaries was developed and refined through MPO cooperation. This collection of socioeconomic data, highway and transit networks and travel forecast tools, representing the latest planning assumptions, was finalized through the adoption of the draft Long Range Transportation Plans by the Capital Area MPO and Durham- Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO in February 2009. Additional detail on these planning assumptions is provided below. Land use and demographic data were collected by regional planning agencies and staff members of DCHC MPO and CAMPO. A regional methodology was agreed upon that included updating residential and employment data to a 2005 base year, and preparing growth forecasts to 2035. Residential data included population, dwelling units, households, median income and university- related group quarters population (dormitories, fraternities and sororities). Residential data were based on Census 2000 data from Summary File 1, except that mean income data were based on the Census Transportation Planning Package part 1. Housing and Population data were updated to 2005 by collecting new certificates of occupancy from local jurisdictions and applying household size and occupancy rates. from Census 2000 to new housing units. University-related population was updated to 2005 with information supplied by area universities. Mean income was interpolated for missing zones based on nearby zones with similaz residential development patterns. Residential data were checked for consistency and reviewed by local planning department staff. Employment data were collected from Employment Security Commission records and data maintained by InfoUSA. These lists were merged, and lazge employers were contacted directly to verify work location and number of employees. Zonal employment data were checked for 14