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Item 6.a. 19 <br /> Orange County & NCDOT Highway Luncheon <br /> Division 7 and District 1 <br /> August 18, 2021 12:00 p.m. <br /> ZOOM LINK <br /> I. INTRODUCTIONS <br /> Attendees: Renee Price, Jamezetta Bedford, Bonnie Hammersley, Travis Myren, Craig Benedict, Tom <br /> Altieri, Nish Trivedi, Tom Ten Eyck, Chuck Edwards, Pat Wilson, Wright Archer, Margaret Hauth, Jenn <br /> Weaver, Stephanie Trueblood, Pam Hemminger, Lydia Lavelle, Trish McGuire, Tina Moon, Dawn <br /> McPherson <br /> II. DISCUSSION TOPICS <br /> A. Updates on Strategic Prioritization of Transportation (SPOT) 6.0 process and the State <br /> Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) (OC Planning Staff and NCDOT) <br /> A year after the COVID pandemic caused shutdowns across the state, the timeline for SPOT 6 and <br /> STIP projects has been adjusted based on revenue streams and phasing back into pre-pandemic <br /> conditions. This is an update to the discussion at the March 2021 meeting; now, there are <br /> questions specifically regarding the widening of 1-40 (STIP 1-3306) and 1-85 (STIP 1-0305) through <br /> Orange County. <br /> Status: NCDOT to provide any updates. <br /> - Nish Trivedi: NCDOT is going to work on the new STIP after the cancellation of SPOT 6.0. <br /> - Wright Archer: We were overprogrammed by anywhere from $6 - $9 billion dollars because of <br /> construction costs, right of way costs, and inflated values that have grown based on original <br /> estimates. There is a large discrepancy, and we're seeing costs and ROW escalate. Probably <br /> over 1,000 estimates that have gone up. We need to see how we can optimize what funds that <br /> we have. The planning group is meeting every two weeks right now. <br /> - Pat Wilson: I think you covered it well, Wright. This status was given at the DCHC MPO <br /> meeting last week as well. <br /> - Nish: We also heard at the BG MPO level as well. Is the process moving forward to take the <br /> STIP and consider the new cost figures for the already existing projects? There are some <br /> questions about whether projects will stay committed that are already in the STIP. <br /> - Wright: My understanding is that that is the case, those that are committed will stay committed. <br /> Working together, when we move things, we can be sure that we move the right projects for the <br /> right reasons. I know as we move forward that it is a big topic, and we may want to get back <br /> together a little more frequently so that we can have some conversations and communication a <br /> bit more frequently. There is a commitment to come up with a resolution. <br /> - Jenn Weaver: At this time, I just wanted to say thank you for the need for good communication <br /> between NCDOT and the MPOs and how this moves forward. Looking forward to seeing what <br /> the next step is. <br /> - Craig Benedict: Nish, can you clarify what was anticipated to be in SPOT 6.0? What was the <br /> primary Orange County Project? <br /> - Nish: The North/South BRT, the 15/501 project, the 86 North of Hillsborough that was being <br /> rescored; those are the main ones that are coming to my head. There are also modernization <br /> projects (Orange Grove Road and Eubanks Road). <br /> - Renee Price: Will the BRT be eligible for the federal funding? <br /> - Nish: That's a New Starts program. <br /> - Pam Hemminger: We're still evaluating that right now. <br /> - Tom Altieri: NCDOT Division Engineers and NC Rail also have the ability to submit projects for <br /> scoring. <br /> 1 <br />