Greater Morgantown

Metropolitan Planning Organization

180 Hart Field Road

Morgantown, WV 26508

www.plantogether.org

 

 

Citizens Advisory Committee

July 18, 2006

Morgantown Municipal Airport

2nd  Floor Conference Room

1:30 – 3:00pm

 

MINUTES:

 

        I.      Attendance:

 

The meeting began at 1:35 in the second floor conference room of the Morgantown Municipal Airport.  Those in attendance were:  Bill Wyant, Jim Rye, Tom Cyphert, Chilton Wise,  Mike Kelly, Chet Parsons, Keith Johnson -  URS, Ann Ogoreuc - URS, Bill Rice, Jim Gaston, Dave Watson, Geri Dino, Don Reinke, Lyn Dotson, Don Spencer, Donald Williams and Russ Lorince.

 

      II.      General Announcements:

 

Lyn Dotson made a point to inform the group that the completion of this project is critical.  He encourages the group to be more vocal when dealing with the state.    Bill Rice agrees and also encourages the members to be more vocal at the appropriate time.

 

 

    III.      Regional Transportation Plan – Phase II:

 

     Keith Johnson, URS, informed the members that we have entered stage two of the Long Range Transportation Plan.  In this stage, the focus lies on the scoring of the matrix.  He also said that they are talking with the DOT and are trying to determine a financial award for the plan.  He believes that the projected amount the county will receive over the next 20 years is about 200 million dollars, plus or minus 20 million.  Chet states that there is a genuine concern in Charleston that we don’t have a plan that reflects previous year’s plans. He goes on to say that we want a commitment from the state and once we have the commitment from the state, we will then be able to look for additional revenue.

 

     The goals of this meeting were:  to provide a generalized priority list of the projects; narrow projects with multiple options, and initiate a process of system development.  Keith informs the group that this scoring is an exercise to try and get a general feel for rankings of the projects.  The final determinations can be based on the scoring criteria of the matrix or just in deciding how to set up the Long Range Transportation Plan.  He emphasizes that just because a certain project has the highest score it does not mean that is the top priority project.  Keith also tells the group that at this time all criteria presently carry the same weight. 

 

     Some of the discussion points that Keith wanted to review are:  narrowing multiple improvement corridors, generalized prioritization, and support of projects and changes to the scoring matrix.  Lyn Dotson suggested changing the score of the West Run project and make it higher.  He referenced the Suncrest Village fire which had the 705 Bypass blocked off.  His thoughts were that if another major fire or catastrophe happened during this time in the Cheat Lake area, rescue units had no alternate route of travel to either hospital.  Don Williams agrees with Lyn however he feels that that is not a unique situation in Morgantown.  He notes the Star City Bridge. 

 

      Members of the group continued to discuss the changes they wish to enact on the scoring matrix.    Several suggestions were made by various members of the Citizens Advisory Committee.  Ann from URS began highlighting the numerous suggestions that were given saying that each suggestion would be reviewed and further discussed.  The general thought is to give consideration to the suggested changes, but the group as a whole will make the final determination as to whether or not the scores ought to be changed.   Chet proposes that the group start with the first roadway improvement and work their way through the matrix.

 

      Bill Rice asks for the definition of TSM (transportation systems management).  It is answered that if a project is not noted as a TSM than it is a one project item and does not have other improvements needed.

 

      Keith states that over the course of the next few meetings, URS is going to start bringing in all the different components to come up with the system analysis.  Once that is done they will begin testing the system. 

 

    

 

   IV.       Next Meeting:

 

The next meeting of the Citizens Advisory Committee is

 

 

     V.      Adjournment:

 

The meeting adjourned at 3:15 pm.