Greater Morgantown

Metropolitan Planning Organization

180 Hart Field Road

Morgantown, WV 26508

www.plantogether.org

Citizens Advisory Committee

September 19, 2006

Morgantown Municipal Airport

2^nd Floor Conference Room

1:30 – 3:00pm

MINUTES:

I. Attendance:

The meeting began at 1:30 in the second floor conference room of the Morgantown Municipal Airport. Those in attendance were Chet Parsons, Mike Kelly, Chip Wamsley, Tom Cyphert, Dave Watson, Don Williams, Ann Ogoreuc, Keith Johnson, Peggy Pings, Jim Kotcon, Don Spencer, Bill Wyant, Jim Rye, Bill Rice, Tom O’Neill, Jim Gaston, Bill Reger-Nash, Donald Dickerson, Cindy Frich, and Lyn Dotson.

II. Public Announcements:

Don Spencer provided the group with a statement from the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board which recommended projects that encouraged non-motorized transportation. The statement also strongly recommended the use of public transit. Greg Good wanted to make sure that the bike/ped alternative was being considered equally among each of the highway projects that are being proposed.

III. Housekeeping:

There were no housekeeping issues presented at this time.

IV. Long Range Transportation Plan:

Keith Johnson, URS consultant, started the meeting by informing the group of what the Technical Advisory Committee has done. The Preliminary Recommended System Improvement which consists of two plans: The Cost Constrained Plan which is limited to the 233 million dollar funding allotment and the Illustrative Plan which identifies needs within the region but is outside of the funding constraints. The items in the Illustrative Plan are alternatives that need to be moved into the next transportation plan or find additional funding for.

Out of the eight transportation concepts that were generated by URS, the Technical Advisory Committee is currently considering concepts 8A and 8B.

The first, Concept 8A includes the expansion of the Beechurst Corridor to a five lane. The second, Concept 8B removes the expansion of Beechurst which allows a positive funding balance of approximately 37 million dollars which already assumes approximately 10 million dollars in Transportation System Management (TSM) projects along Beechurst Avenue. Elimination of the Beechurst Expansion Project would allow improvements in Transit Expansion as well as Non-Motorized Transportation Projects. URS suggests taking out 6.5 million dollars for additional transit projects within the region and also 2.5 million dollars for bike/ped projects within the region. That leaves a balance of around 27 million dollars. It is then up to the members to take some of the projects out of the Illustrative Listed and put them into the Cost Constrained (Funded) List.

As for the Non-Motorized System Funding, a handout was given that separated the Project Improvement List into tiers. The Project Improvement List totals about 41.5 million dollars. Divided out over the next 25 years, that equals about 1.7 million dollars per year for the Non-Motorized Funding. The current annual allocation averages about $350,000 per year. In the Regional Plan, URS would like to increase the annual allocation by $100,000 totaling $450,000 per year for the Non-Motorized System Funding. The idea is that when funding comes along, tier 1 projects will be completed followed by tiers 2 and 3.

Improvements to the Transit System will consist of an additional $300,000 per year over the next 20 years. Dave Bruffy provided the group with a spreadsheet consisting of types of system improvements based on additional funding. He developed six different levels that spanned from a “Rural Service” which is the current service all the way to a “Good Service” which provides 15 minute headways as needed plus full service – 7 days per week from 6:00am to 11:00pm.

V. Next Meeting:

The next meeting of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee will be held on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 1:30 in the second floor conference room in the Morgantown Municipal Airport.

VI. Conclusion:

The meeting adjourned at 3:10 pm