Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124

01/23/2025 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

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Audio Topic
01:02:29 PM Start
01:07:13 PM Presentation: Overview of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Updates on Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
02:37:28 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Presentation: Overview of Metropolitan Planning TELECONFERENCED
Organizations and Updates on Statewide
Transportation Improvement Program by Jackson
Fox, Executive Director, Fairbanks Area Surface
Transportation Planning and Aaron Jongenelen,
Transportation Planning Manager and Metropolitan
Planning Organization Coordinator of Anchorage
Metropolitan Area Transportation Solution
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
             HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                          
                        January 23, 2025                                                                                        
                            1:02 p.m.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ashley Carrick, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Ted Eischeid, Co-Chair                                                                                           
Representative Genevieve Mina                                                                                                   
Representative Louise Stutes                                                                                                    
Representative Elexie Moore                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kevin McCabe                                                                                                     
Representative Cathy Tilton                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
PRESENTATION:   OVERVIEW  OF METROPOLITAN  PLANNING  ORGANIZATIONS                                                              
AND UPDATES ON STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
No previous action to record                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
JACKSON FOX, Executive Director                                                                                                 
Fairbanks Area Surface Transportation                                                                                           
Fairbanks, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:     During   the  Overview  of   Metropolitan                                                            
Planning  Organizations and  Updates  on Statewide  Transportation                                                              
Improvement  Program presentation,  offered  a PowerPoint,  titled                                                              
"STIP Perspective & 2025 Outlook."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
AARON    JONGENELEN,    Transportation     Planning    Manager/MPO                                                              
Coordinator                                                                                                                     
Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions                                                                            
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:     During   the  Overview  of   Metropolitan                                                            
Planning  Organizations and  Updates  on Statewide  Transportation                                                              
Improvement  Program presentation,  offered  a PowerPoint,  titled                                                              
"2024-2027 STIP."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:02:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR ASHLEY  CARRICK called the House Transportation  Standing                                                            
Committee meeting  to order  at 1:02  p.m.  Representatives  Mina,                                                              
Stutes, Moore, Eischeid,  and Carrick were present at  the call to                                                              
order.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
[In response  to an  invitation from  Co-Chair Carrick,  committee                                                              
member  introductions were  made,  including key  points of  focus                                                              
projected for the committee.]                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
^PRESENTATION:   Overview of  Metropolitan Planning  Organizations                                                              
and Updates on Statewide Transportation Improvement Program                                                                     
 PRESENTATION:  Overview of Metropolitan Planning Organizations                                                             
   and Updates on Statewide Transportation Improvement Program                                                              
                                                                                                                              
1:07:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  ASHLEY  CARRICK  announced   that  the  first  order  of                                                            
business   would  be   the  Overview   of  Metropolitan   Planning                                                              
Organizations    and   Updates    on   Statewide    Transportation                                                              
Improvement Program presentation.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:09:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 1:09 p.m. to 1:13 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:13:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JACKSON   FOX,   Executive  Director,   Fairbanks   Area   Surface                                                              
Transportation, as  part of the Overview of  Metropolitan Planning                                                              
Organizations    and   Updates    on   Statewide    Transportation                                                              
Improvement  Program presentation,  offered  a PowerPoint,  titled                                                              
"STIP  Perspective &  2025  Outlook" [hard  copy  included in  the                                                              
committee  packet.]   He preceded  the slides  by sharing that  he                                                              
had been invited  by Co-Chair Carrick to talk  about the Statewide                                                              
Transportation  Improvement Program  (STIP)  from the  perspective                                                              
of  a metropolitan  planning organization  (MPO)  and the  outlook                                                              
for 2025.   As  a disclaimer,  he specified  that the  information                                                              
presented  is  from  his  observations  from  working  daily  with                                                              
Department of Transportation  & Public Facilities  (DOT&PF) staff,                                                              
official written  correspondence, and  discussion and  dialogue in                                                              
meetings;  he is  not  a state  employee and  did  not working  on                                                              
STIP;  and  FAST planning,  an  independent  501(c)(3)  non-profit                                                              
organization, manages  its own transportation  improvement program                                                              
(TIP), which is part of STIP.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:16:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX directed  attention to slide 3, titled "MPOs  - Who we are                                                              
&  What  we  do," which  read  as  follows  [original  punctuation                                                              
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     MPO: Metropolitan Planning Organization                                                                                    
     Urbanized Areas with 50,000+ population                                                                                    
     - In Alaska -> Anchorage, Fairbanks, & MatSu                                                                               
     Federally mandated and funded                                                                                              
     Carries  out Transportation  Planning  Process under  23                                                                   
     CFR 450,  Subpart C, to  develop the  region's Long- and                                                                   
     Short-Range Transportation Plans                                                                                           
     Empowers   local  governments   in  the   transportation                                                                   
     decision-making process                                                                                                    
     Continuously  engages   the  public  in   transportation                                                                   
     planning and projects                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX  moved to slide  4, which  is a map  of the Fairbanks  and                                                              
North Pole area  with an overlay of the boundary  of the Fairbanks                                                              
MPO, and explained the boundaries of the Fairbanks MPO.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:18:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX continued  to slide 5,  "The STIP," which read  as follows                                                              
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     STIP: Statewide Transportation Improvement Program                                                                         
     - Most important document that DOT produces                                                                                
     -  Reflects  the  funding  decisions  for  how  Alaska's                                                                   
     Federal  highway funding  apportionments ($700+  million                                                                   
     annually) will be spent throughout the State                                                                               
     - These  are our gas and  diesel taxes paid at  the pump                                                                   
     - general funds  coming back to the State  of Alaska for                                                                   
     investment in our transportation infrastructure                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX moved to slide  6, "STIP: 4-year Funding Plan," which read                                                              
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     The  last  STIP  (FFY  2020-23) was  set  to  expire  on                                                                   
     September 30, 2023 (4th year)                                                                                              
     Planning  for  this deadline,  work  should  begin 1-1/2                                                                   
     years prior (mid-2022)                                                                                                     
     - May  take staff  up to a  year to  develop a new  STIP                                                                   
     to:                                                                                                                        
     -  Consult  with  stakeholders  Statewide  to  identify,                                                                   
     evaluate, and prioritize project needs                                                                                     
     -  Carry  out  45-day  public  comment  period,  resolve                                                                   
     comments, and make corresponding revisions                                                                                 
     -  Submit  for  review  by   Federal  partners,  resolve                                                                   
     comments, and finalize STIP                                                                                                
     - Ideally  you want  to target  having an approved  STIP                                                                   
     six months  in advance  of your  deadline in case  there                                                                   
     are   any  unforeseen   issues/delays   or   significant                                                                   
     revision triggers  the need for a second  public comment                                                                   
     opportunity                                                                                                                
     Development  of the STIP  has historically been  managed                                                                   
     by DOT Planning & Program Development Division staff                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:21:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX,  in  response  to  a  question  from  Co-Chair  Carrick,                                                              
explained  it  was  normal  for   the  STIP  to  receive  multiple                                                              
amendments  through its  four-year  life alongside  administrative                                                              
modifications.   He stated  that the  original STIP was  partially                                                              
approved in March  2024, the first amendment was  released in July                                                              
2024,  and  the expected  release  for  the second  amendment  was                                                              
January  7,  2025, which  had  already  passed.   He  offered  his                                                              
understanding  that the  preliminary  review draft  of the  second                                                              
amendment has been provided to the federal review partners.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:24:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX  continued the  presentation on  slide 7, "Development  of                                                              
the  new  FFY2024-27  STIP,"  which  read   as  follows  [original                                                              
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Development  of  the new  STIP  by  DOT staff  began  on                                                                   
     schedule (mid-2022)                                                                                                        
     By spring 2023,  however, a Draft had not  been released                                                                   
     for the  45-day public comment  period? ideally,  should                                                                   
     have been at latest March                                                                                                  
     At   this   time,  Commissioner's   Office   took   over                                                                   
     development of the STIP                                                                                                    
     - Don't know  the status of completeness of  the STIP at                                                                   
     this time,  nor reasons  why the STIP  was moved  to the                                                                   
     Commissioner's Office                                                                                                      
     Draft  STIP  released at  the  end  of July?  making  it                                                                   
     challenging  to get  approved before  expiration of  the                                                                   
     FFY2020-23 STIP (September 30th)                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:26:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX,  in   response  to  questions  from   various  committee                                                              
members, clarified  that the  FAST Planning's  TIP is a  four-year                                                              
plan  that is  in sync  with STIP  and was  completed March  2023,                                                              
which provided  adequate time  to be incorporated  into STIP.   He                                                              
stated that  FAST Planning had  a collaborative relationship  with                                                              
DOT&PF on the  previous STIP but had not received  any preliminary                                                              
drafts for  the most recent STIP.   He added that  projects within                                                              
FAST Planning's  boundary had been  well coordinated.  He  was not                                                              
aware  of  the  DOT&PF Office  of  the  Commissioner  taking  over                                                              
development  of  STIP  before,  which  caused  anxiety  with  FAST                                                              
Planning's  technical  board.   He  had  heard  that it  may  have                                                              
additionally  caused discord  in  DOT&PF which  saw  an exodus  of                                                              
staff at that time.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:31:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX continued  the presentation  on slide  8, "Public  Review                                                              
Draft?   Early  Concerns,"   which  read   as  follows   [original                                                              
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Lack  of  coordination  with   MPOs,  regional  planning                                                                   
     organizations,  local government  officials, and  tribal                                                                   
     entities as required by regulation                                                                                         
     Lack of  information provided  on how new projects  were                                                                   
     scored and selected for inclusion in the STIP                                                                              
     New  projects   were  added  to  the  STIP   inside  the                                                                   
     boundaries  of  the  MPOs  that   were  not  planned  or                                                                   
     included  in our  long- and  short- range transportation                                                                   
     plans as required by regulation                                                                                            
     -  For  Fairbanks,  these were  the  bridge  replacement                                                                   
     projects (controversial w/ community)                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX, in response  to a question from Co-Chair  Carrick, opined                                                              
that the bridge  replacement projects were within  the boundary of                                                              
the  MPO  and needed  to  have  been  in  the local  TIP  per  the                                                              
regulations.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:36:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX moved  to slide  9, "Early  Concerns (cont'd)?  Financial                                                              
Analysis,"   which   read   as   follows   [original   punctuation                                                              
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     The   funding  shown   in  the  STIP   appeared  to   be                                                                   
     overprogrammed    and   fiscal   constraint    was   not                                                                   
     demonstrated as required by regulation                                                                                     
     Payback  of  ACC balance  (funds  borrowed  from  future                                                                   
     years) was not shown                                                                                                       
     Projects  programmed with certain  types of Funding  not                                                                   
     eligible for that use                                                                                                      
     New  Programs   were  added   to  the  STIP   (Waysides,                                                                   
     Waterways, Rural  Community Connections,  Housing Roads,                                                                   
     Frontier  Roads,  Sustainable Transportation,  Light  Up                                                                   
     the  Highways, etc.),  but no  projects were  identified                                                                   
     and/or  if  there  was a  community  project  nomination                                                                   
     process                                                                                                                    
     Funding tables  in STIP not  consistent with  each other                                                                   
     and contained calculation errors                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:39:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX, in  response to questions from Co-Chair  Eischeid, agreed                                                              
that  the mistakes  in STIP  were  fundamental budgetary  mistakes                                                              
but did not  wish to speculate on  the causes.  He  clarified that                                                              
both  STIP  and  TIP must  demonstrate  fiscal  constraint,  which                                                              
requires tables to show spending not exceeding revenue.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:41:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX continued  to slide  10, "Early  Concerns (cont'd)?  Plan                                                              
Alignment,"   which   read  as   follows   [original   punctuation                                                              
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     National  Highway  Freight  Program  (NHFP)  funds  were                                                                   
     programmed  for projects that  were not included  in the                                                                   
     State's Freight  Investment Plan (adopted  January 2023)                                                                   
     as required by regulation                                                                                                  
     Project  priorities  in the  STIP  were supposed  to  be                                                                   
     linked  the  State's  adopted  Performance  Measures  as                                                                   
     required  by  regulation,  but   projects  were  instead                                                                   
     linked  to  the Commissioner  Office's  new  vision  for                                                                   
     'Strategic Investment Areas'                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:44:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX  transitioned  to  slide   11,  "Looming  Deadline  &  an                                                              
Extension,"  [which mentions  the  Federal Highway  Administration                                                              
(FHWA) and Federal  Transit Administration (FTA)].   Slide 11 read                                                              
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Based on  the review by  FHWA and FTA  the new STIP  was                                                                   
     not approvable, and  they asked DOT to request a 6-month                                                                   
     extension                                                                                                                  
     - Required concurrence of the MPOs                                                                                         
     New Drafts  of the STIP  were produced and  submitted to                                                                   
     FHWA  and  FTA  in  November   2023  and  January  2024,                                                                   
     however,   the  main   deficiencies  were   yet  to   be                                                                   
     addressed                                                                                                                  
     -  Commissioner   Office's  was  challenging   findings,                                                                   
     rather  than working  with Federal  funding partners  to                                                                   
     address the deficiencies                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX continued to slide 12, "Draft STIP Resubmittals," which                                                                 
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     In  February  FHWA  and  FTA  issued  a  26-page  letter                                                                   
     stating  the  STIP  cannot   be  approved  and  outlined                                                                   
     Planning  Findings and Corrective  Actions that  must be                                                                   
     addressed as conditions of approval                                                                                        
     A new  Draft of  the STIP was  submitted in March  2024,                                                                   
     addressing some but not all the deficiencies                                                                               
     In late  March FHWA and FTA issued  a new 30-page letter                                                                   
     of Planning  Findings and  Corrective Actions with  only                                                                   
     a partial approval of the STIP                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:46:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX moved to slide 13, "STIP Amendment 1," which read as                                                                    
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     FHWA   and  FTA   asked   the  Planning   Findings   and                                                                   
     Corrective  Actions be addressed  with STIP Amendment  1                                                                   
     to achieve full approval                                                                                                   
     STIP Amendment  1 released for  public comment  in early                                                                   
     July 2024                                                                                                                  
     - Some deficiencies addressed, some still not                                                                              
     - FHWA and  FTA again issued only a partial  approval in                                                                   
     a new 16-page letter with outstanding  Planning Findings                                                                   
     and Corrective Actions                                                                                                     
     - FHWA and  FTA requested monthly meetings  with DOT and                                                                   
     for them to develop a "STIP Action Plan"                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX continued  to  slide  14,  "STIP Amendment  1  (cont'd),"                                                              
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     In  October DOT  submitted  a letter  contesting  nearly                                                                   
     all the Planning Findings and Corrective Actions                                                                           
     DOT&PF  contests all  five findings,  six  of the  eight                                                                   
     corrective actions,  all ten recommendations,  and seven                                                                   
     narrative  statements.   In  general,  we   dispute  the                                                                   
     narrative   sections,  which   contain   unsubstantiated                                                                   
     claims that  are vague and  lack sufficient  evidence or                                                                   
     support.  Below is a  summary of  the specific  findings                                                                   
     being contested.                                                                                                           
     Commissioner  and  Deputy  Commissioner   then  flew  to                                                                   
     Washington DC  to meet with FHWA Headquarters  to try to                                                                   
     get them overturned                                                                                                        
     One  Corrective Action  was  overturned,  but all  other                                                                   
     Corrective   Actions  remain   unchanged  and  must   be                                                                   
     resolved with STIP Amendment 2                                                                                             
     - See December 5, 2024 joint letter from FHWA and FTA                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:49:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX  moved to  slide 15,  "How did  2024 go?,"  which read  as                                                              
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Experienced  less  construction  work in  Fairbanks  and                                                                   
     Anchorage compared to previous years                                                                                       
     Through   all  this,   not  all   FFY2024  funding   was                                                                   
     obligated                                                                                                                  
     - ~$170 million shortfall on FFY2024 obligations                                                                           
     -  Most/all of  this funding  can  hopefully be  carried                                                                   
     forward to FFY2025                                                                                                         
     - ~$100 million  used as ACC (payback of  funds borrowed                                                                   
     from future years)                                                                                                         
     -  This  information  is  from   November  5th  Roads  &                                                                   
     Highways Advisory Board meeting                                                                                            
     August Redistribution                                                                                                      
     - Of  $71.4 million  available to  Alaska, DOT was  only                                                                   
     able   to  secure   $19  million   for  obligation-ready                                                                   
     projects                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX,  in   response  to  questions  from   various  committee                                                              
members,  related that  Alaska  has received  up  to $100  million                                                              
from  August  redistributions   and  Alaska  only   receiving  $19                                                              
million  out  of the  requested  $71.4  million  is unusual.    He                                                              
clarified  that the $170  million shortfall  on obligations  could                                                              
possibly be carried forward due to the period of availability of                                                                
the funds.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:54:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX returned to the presentation on slide 16, "STIP                                                                         
Amendment 2," which read as follows [original punctuation                                                                       
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Commissioner's   Office  has   indicated   it  will   be                                                                   
     released this month (January)                                                                                              
     FHWA  has  asked  for a  preliminary  review  Draft  two                                                                   
     weeks prior to release                                                                                                     
     MPOs  have asked  to preview  a summary  of changes  for                                                                   
     the Amendment                                                                                                              
     Unclear  if  Planning Findings  and  Corrective  Actions                                                                   
     will be addressed                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX continued on slide 17, "What's the outlook for 2025?,"                                                                  
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Conformity  Freeze  for  Fairbanks   may  be  lifted  in                                                                   
     coming  months,  which  could  get  some  large  highway                                                                   
     projects previously paused back on track                                                                                   
     Looking  at  current  DOT bid  calendar,  however,  less                                                                   
     construction  work   again  in  Fairbanks   compared  to                                                                   
     previous years                                                                                                             
     - Estimated $25-30 million in 2025                                                                                         
     - Historical average has been $50 million annually                                                                         
     Some  projects in  Fairbanks  have slipped  construction                                                                   
     year from 2025 to 2026 or 2027                                                                                             
     Some  2025 projects  may be  cancelled due  to a  school                                                                   
     closure  and   the  new  Presidential   Executive  Order                                                                   
     signed (i.e. electric vehicle charging stations)                                                                           
     Largest  construction project  in State (Cooper  Landing                                                                   
     Bypass, $1 billion)  has half of its funding  pushed out                                                                   
     to Post-2027 in STIP                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:58:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FOX moved to slide 18, "Things to Watch for?," which read as                                                                
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     How  will the  new Presidential  Executive Order,  which                                                                   
     eliminates  the "electric vehicle  mandate," affect  the                                                                   
     State's NEVI funds ($52 million)?                                                                                          
       Will the State's NHFP funds ($90 million) be fully                                                                       
     programmed in the STIP in                                                                                                  
     coordination with the State's Freight Investment Plan?                                                                     
      Will the State's PROTECT funds ($93 million) be fully                                                                     
     programmed in the STIP?                                                                                                    
       Will the ~$170 million carryforward in unobligated                                                                       
     FFY2024 funds be programmed in Amendment 2 to be fully                                                                     
     obligated in addition to the FFY2025 funds?                                                                                
          How is DOT positioning itself to maximize the                                                                         
     opportunity for August Redistribution this year?                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:00:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX,  in  response to  a  question  from  Co-Chair  Eischeid,                                                              
opined  that the  lack of  organization  will reduce  construction                                                              
and possibly  cause workers  to leave the  community from  lack of                                                              
employment.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:02:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 2:02 p.m. to 2:07 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:07:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AARON    JONGENELEN,    Transportation     Planning    Manager/MPO                                                              
Coordinator,    Anchorage   Metropolitan    Area    Transportation                                                              
Solutions,  as  part  of the  Overview  of  Metropolitan  Planning                                                              
Organizations    and   Updates    on   Statewide    Transportation                                                              
Improvement  Program presentation,  offered  a PowerPoint,  titled                                                              
"2024-2027  STIP" [hard copy  included in  the committee  packet.]                                                              
He began  the presentation  on slide 2  and outlined  the boundary                                                              
of Anchorage  Metropolitan Area Transportation  Solutions (AMATS).                                                              
Referring to slide  3, he described the responsibilities  of AMATS                                                              
and  clarified  that   it  is  both  an  MPO   and  transportation                                                              
management  area (TMA)  due  to having  a  population larger  than                                                              
200,000.   To  slide 4,  he stated  that AMATS  had submitted  two                                                              
letters to  DOT&PF on  the original STIP  and first amendment,  as                                                              
well as  a letter in  support for  an extension.   To slide  5, he                                                              
stated  the   biggest  concern   from  AMATS   was  the   lack  of                                                              
coordination from DOT&PF.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:11:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JONGENELEN,   in  response   to  a  question   from  Co-Chair                                                              
Eischeid,  clarified  that  the  coordination  between  AMATS  and                                                              
DOT&PF  is usually  sparse  but the  lack  of  outreach about  the                                                              
development of STIP was unusual.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:14:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JONGENELEN  continued the  presentation  on  slide 6,  titled                                                              
"Projects in  the STIP not  in the MTP  and TIP," and  stated that                                                              
there were  multiple  projects in  the STIP that  were missing  in                                                              
the  Metropolitan Transportation  Plan (MTP)  and TIP  due to  the                                                              
lack of  coordination.   To slide  7, he  discussed the  technical                                                              
errors in the STIP  and emphasized the issue of  the total project                                                              
costs not  matching the amounts  provided in tables,  which caused                                                              
confusion about which total was used for fiscal constraint.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:17:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JONGENELEN,   in  response   to  a  question   from  Co-Chair                                                              
Eischeid,  opined   that  if  DOT&PF  had  coordinated   with  the                                                              
different  MPOs,  the issues  with  fiscal constraint  would  have                                                              
been caught prior to public review.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:17:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JONGENELEN, referring  to slide  8,  discussed the  technical                                                              
errors  in  the  first amendment  to  STIP,  which  more  directly                                                              
affected AMATS  and did not  correct the inconsistency  in project                                                              
cost  totals.   To slide  9, he  stated that  AMATS was  concerned                                                              
about the amount  of advanced construction funds used  in the STIP                                                              
and  the lack  of coding  for  conversions in  future  years.   He                                                              
moved to slide 10  and stated that there was no  information being                                                              
provided  to the  MPOs about  several Tier  II corrective  actions                                                              
that need  to be  addressed.  To  slide 11,  he asserted  that the                                                              
six corrective actions  provided to AMATS were  all addressed with                                                              
the help  of regional  DOT&PF.  He  moved to  slide 12  and stated                                                              
that the in the  response from DOT&PF to the comment  on the first                                                              
STIP  amendment  from  AMATS,  it   did  not  address  the  raised                                                              
concerns and  instead raised  novel concerns  on the second  AMATS                                                              
TIP  amendment.    To  slide  13,  he  commended  DOT&PF  for  its                                                              
drafting of  a "3C Process Document,"  setting up a  peer exchange                                                              
to discuss  corrective action toward  concerns, and  the increased                                                              
coordination between  DOT&PF and MPO staff.  Following  with slide                                                              
14, he  expressed concern about  the lack of formal  communication                                                              
on  the continuing  development  of  STIP  and the  perception  of                                                              
AMATS being a hinderance instead of a benefit.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:27:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. JONGENELEN,  in response to  questions from various  committee                                                              
members, stated that  past STIP development was  managed by DOT&PF                                                              
Planning &  Programming Development but  changed to the  Office of                                                              
the  Commissioner,  and  that AMATS  had  received  comments  from                                                              
DOT&PF  during meetings  about the  length  of time  it takes  for                                                              
public   testimony  and   incorporation  of   TIP  hindering   the                                                              
development of  STIP.  He  stated that the  match rate  varies but                                                              
Alaska  typically receives  a 90.97  percent match  rate from  the                                                              
Federal  Government, where  Alaska  only pays  9.03  percent of  a                                                              
project's cost.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:31:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX,  in   response  to  questions  from   various  committee                                                              
members,  stated   that  there   is  an   example  of   the  Idaho                                                              
Transportation  Department  having its  special  match rate  being                                                              
threatened when  it didn't  align with its  federal partners.   He                                                              
expressed concern  that the state's  share of project  costs would                                                              
increase  if the  federal  partners  decreased the  federal  match                                                              
rate.   He opined  that the root  cause for  the issues  with STIP                                                              
development stemmed  from moving the project to  the DOT&PF Office                                                              
of the Commissioner.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:32:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JONGENELEN,   in  response   to  a  question   from  Co-Chair                                                              
Eischeid,  offered his  understanding that  DOT&PF disagreed  with                                                              
the process of STIP development.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:34:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FOX,  in  response  to  a  question  from  Co-Chair  Carrick,                                                              
provided  his understanding  that  between the  original STIP  and                                                              
the first  amendment, more  outreach had  occurred between  DOT&PF                                                              
and tribal entities.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:37:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being  no further business  before the committee,  the House                                                              
Transportation  Standing Committee meeting  was adjourned  at 2:37                                                              
p.m.                                                                                                                            

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
FAST Planning Presentation 01.23.25.pdf HTRA 1/23/2025 1:00:00 PM
AMATS Presentation 01.23.25.pdf HTRA 1/23/2025 1:00:00 PM