Minutes 10-15-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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He said the second tier is the regional tier, which receives 30 percent of the funds ($4.5 billion). He noted that the selection of these projects is based 70 percent on quantitative data, using the state's scoring process. The other 30 percent is based on local input. He said everything eligible at the statewide tier is also available at the regional tier, as there is a cascading effect of projects down through the tiers. This means that Interstate 85, Interstate 40, and US 15-501 are eligible, along with the other US and NC routes. The last tier is for division needs, and it also receives 30 percent of the funds ($4.5 billion). He said this tier is based 50 percent on quantitative data and 50 percent on local input. This tier can include any of the projects from the previous tiers, as well as any other secondary highways or road routes. Brett Martin reviewed the regions and divisions on the map. He said Orange County is matched up with the Triad, and this is who the County is competing with at the regional level. He reviewed the Scoring Methodology charts from the PowerPoint, with a focus on the changes. He noted the increased emphasis on quantitative data. He said there were previously a highway mobility category and a highway modernization category, both with different scoring factors. He said the modernization projects would favor rural areas, and the mobility projects favored the urban areas. He said the new scoring method takes away the modernization category, so the projects that favored rural projects no longer exist. He said this is a big deal because Orange County had previously submitted several projects classified as modernization projects. These are no longer lucrative projects for submission. Brett Martin said an opportunity was provided for divisions and regions to get together and come up with their own scoring criteria at the regional/divisional level. He said some divisions were able to do this, and lane and shoulder width were included in their scoring factors; therefore the rural projects in those regions have a better chance to be funded. He said division 7 was not able to mobilize fast enough to make this change, but it is an option two years from now in the next phase of development. Brett Martin said all of the modes of transportation will be competing against one another, as there is no separate pot of money for each mode. However the state has set a minimum amount of 4 percent of funding that must go to non-highway modes, with a maximum allowable amount of 10 percent. He noted the list of projects outlined in the materials at the Commissioner's places, and he invited questions from the Board. Commissioner Gordon said it is important to consider the cascade effect and the fact that this only runs one way. She said the local input only takes effect at the regional and divisional level, and it has a low level of points. She said another important factor is the limitation in monies. She referred to a letter, sent out today from DCHC MPO, that expresses concern about the normalization process. She noted that the 4 -10 percent amount for non- highway means a minimum of 90 percent for highway. She said that for highway project submissions, there is a need to consider the relative importance to Orange County. She did ask transportation planner Andy Henry about this, and it was his opinion that the Board did not need to submit Interstate 40 and Interstate 85 since they are already on the list. She said those projects will be 100 percent data driven at the state level. She said the Board will need to think about whether some of the local projects are more important than the regional projects. She said the Board needs to think about how many points should be put on projects that are extremely data driven. She said the transit projects can have an unlimited number of submissions, so this is where the cascade effect is not as important tonight; however it will be very important on November 1 9tH