Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205
02/08/2018 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
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| Start | |
| Overview: State Transportation Improvement Program (stip) | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 8, 2018
1:32 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bert Stedman, Chair
Senator Click Bishop
Senator David Wilson
Senator Dennis Egan
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Anna MacKinnon
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW: STATE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (STIP)
- HEARD
WITNESS REGISTER
MICHAEL VIGUE, Director
Division of Program Development and Statewide Planning
Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of the State
Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:32:20 PM
CHAIR BERT STEDMAN called the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:32 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Bishop, Egan, and Chair Stedman.
^OVERVIEW: State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
OVERVIEW: State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
1:32:45 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN announced that the committee will hear from the
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOT&PF) regarding the State Transportation Improvement Program
(STIP). He specified that STIP is a federally funded
transportation program for projects in Alaska.
1:33:45 PM
MICHAEL VIGUE, Director, Division of Program Development and
Statewide Planning, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public
Facilities, Juneau, Alaska, said he will provide a STIP overview
to the committee. He addressed slide 2: Outline, and referenced
as follows:
• What is the STIP?
• How is the STIP regulated?
• What is unique about transportation funding in Alaska?
• How are projects selected for the STIP?
• What programming considerations exist?
• What STIP tools are available?
He addressed slide 3: "What is the STIP? (1)" and referenced as
follows:
• Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
• Federally required in order to spend federal highway funds
and transit funds.
• Approved by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and
Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
• Must include all FHWA and FTA funded projects.
• May include non-federally funded projects if U.S.
Department of Transportation (USDOT) approved.
1:36:29 PM
He addressed slide 4: "What is the STIP? (2)" and referenced as
follows:
• Must be fiscally constrained:
o DOT&PF must program the STIP to the amount of federal
money the state believes it will receive.
o DOT&PF is not allowed to "over program" the STIP.
o Alaska receives $500 million annually in federal
highway funding.
• Public information document with defined involvement
process:
o Public comment runs 45 days on a new STIP.
• Covers a period of at least four years.
• Changes by amendment or administrative modification due to
give and take of project schedules and estimates:
o Amendments require additional public comments for 30
days.
o Administrative modifications are small changes that do
not require public comment.
• Each funding type has unique eligibility requirements:
o Requirements have been greatly reduced.
o Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21)
bill was signed into law in 2012 and streamlined
eligibility requirements and funding management.
1:39:02 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN asked Mr. Vigue to explain MAP-21.
MR. VIGUE explained that Congress passes an authorization bill
that is different from their annual appropriation bills. He
explained that multi-year program authorizations like MAP-21
determines how much each state receives and what the program
requirements are.
He addressed slide 5: "How is the STIP Regulated? (1)," Federal
Statute and Regulation, and referenced as follows:
• 23 U.S. Code (USC) Chapter 1, Sections: 101-190.
• Code of Federal Regulation (CFR); Title 23-Highways;
Chapter I-Federal Highway Administration, Department of
Transportation; Subchapter E-Planning and Research; Part
450-Planning Assistance and Standards:
o Subpart ATransportation Planning and Programming
Definitions.
o Subpart BStatewide Transportation Planning and
Programming.
o Subpart CMetropolitan Transportation Planning and
Programming.
He disclosed that committee members should reference the U.S.
Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration's
website and reference Fixing America's Surface Transportation
(FAST) Act to address the current authorizing legislation for
the state's federal aid money.
1:41:21 PM
He addressed slide 6: "How is the STIP Regulated? (2)" and
referenced Alaska's statutes and regulations as follows:
• Alaska Statutes (AS) Title 19: Highways and Ferries,
Chapter 15: Financial Provisions.
• 17 Alaska Administrative Code (AAC) 05.155-200:
o General requirements,
o Public participation,
o Project needs list and evaluation,
o Adoption,
o Amendment.
MR. VIGUE explained that DOT&PF must follow both state and
federal laws and regulations to comply with planning
requirements, programming requirements to use the federal money.
1:41:59 PM
He addressed slide 7: "What is Unique About Transportation
Funding in Alaska?" and referenced as follows:
• $1:$5 Highway Trust Fund return:
o For every dollar Alaska contributes to the Highway
Trust Fund, the majority from federal motor fuel
taxes, Alaska receives $5 back in federal
appropriations.
• Can spend federal highway funds on any public road:
o Exemption in federal law that allows Alaska to spend
federal highway dollars on any public road.
o Public roads are "functionally" classed that includes:
interstate, arterial, and major collector.
o Functional classifications are eligible for federal
aid funds in the Lower 48.
o Alaska has an exemption to use federal aid funds on
minor collectors, local roads, transportation
facilities, and projects in villages such as
boardwalks.
• Alaska is reliant on federal funds:
o Not a lot of state funding available.
o DOT&PF gets enough state match to use up its federal
funds.
o Alaska's federal funds are 90 percent of projects as
opposed to the Lower 48 that is typically 80 percent.
o Federal law has a sliding scale that calculates the
square miles of federal land and Alaska has a lot of
federal land, so the state's sliding scale provides
for an additional 10 percent; i.e., 90 percent of
projects are from federal funds.
• Alaska has the lowest gas tax in the country:
o Alaska's gas tax is $0.08 per gallon.
o Alaska has an approximate $0.01 per gallon tax for
storage tanks.
1:43:50 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN asked if Alaska's exemption would include Juneau's
municipal roads.
MR. VIGUE answered that is correct.
SENATOR BISHOP addressed fuel storage tanks and noted that the
legislature increased the Spill Prevention and Response (SPAR)
Fund a few years ago.
MR. VIGUE answered that is correct.
He addressed slide 8: Alaska Federal-aid Eligibility, and
referenced as follows:
• Title 23, Section 118 (d) allows Alaska to use any funds
made available under Title 23 for construction of access
and development roads that will serve resource development,
recreational, residential, commercial, industrial, or other
like purposes.
• FHWA interprets this to be limited to "public roads;" this
is defined under Title 23 Section 101(a)(22) as any road
under the jurisdiction of and maintained by a public
authority and open to public travel.
He disclosed that Title 23, Section 118(d) was a broad exception
that was put into federal law for Alaska by Senator Stevens. He
added that federal funds must be for public roads and private
roads are not eligible.
1:46:43 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN asked him to verify that a road remains public for
its life if public funds are used.
MR. VIGUE opined that the public access is for the road's
"design life." He explained that the typical "design life" is 20
years. He said the length of time a road remains available to
the public that has been federally funded would require a
discussion with FHWA.
He addressed slide 9: Project Selection Factors and referenced
as follows:
• Significant eligibility rules in federal and state law:
o DOT&PF is constantly looking at the scope of work of
projects and the functional class of the road that the
department wants to do the work on.
o DOT&PF makes sure when programming the STIP that the
project is eligible for the fund source.
• National Highway System (NHS) routes are primarily state
owned and selected:
o System plans, performance data.
o Emphasis on safety, capacity, economy and continuity.
• Safety projects are required to be data driven focus:
o Reducing major injuries and fatalities using
proven solutions.
o Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
projects require a data-driven approach with a
cost-benefit analysis in improving the highway.
• Surface Transportation Program (STP) has high demand:
o Urban allocations scored by metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs), Fairbanks Metropolitan Area
Transportation System (FMATS), and Anchorage
Metropolitan Area Transportation (AMATS).
o Due to lower funding, statewide program has
backlog of projects waiting on funds.
MR. VIGUE noted that when MAP-21 was passed the funding for STP
was reduced; however, funding increased for the interstate
system and principal arterials, an act that asserted the federal
interest in the interstate system, national defense, and
interstate commerce. He disclosed that DOT&PF has a backlog of
projects for STP with no new design starts because ongoing
projects must be completed before starting new projects.
1:51:46 PM
He addressed slide 10: Surface Transportation Block Grant
Eligibility (STP)-Title 23 Section 133, and referenced as
follows:
• Construction of:
o Highways, bridges, tunnels.
o Ferry boats and terminals.
o Transit capital projects under Title 49.
o Infrastructure-based intelligent transportation
systems (ITS) improvements.
o Truck parking facilities.
• Operational improvements/capital and operating costs for
traffic monitoring, management, and control facilities.
• Environmental measures.
• Highway and transit safety infrastructure improvements.
• Protection for bridges: seismic, scour, security, etc.
• Surface transportation planning programs.
CHAIR STEDMAN asked Mr. Vigue to address in his presentation the
return of funds for projects that do not materialize as
expected; for example, ferry terminals in Southeast Alaska.
1:53:55 PM
SENATOR WILSON joined the committee meeting.
MR. VIGUE explained that DOT&PF is working with the FWHA on the
ferry terminal issue where federal funds were used to build a
faciality where the "business need" went away and the facility
is not being used for its intended purpose.
CHAIR STEDMAN stated that the committee will bring the issue up
when more details are available.
SENATOR EGAN remarked that no ferry terminal is profitable. He
noted that a toll is paid to ride on the ferry system and no one
else pays a toll except for a few toll roads in northern Alaska.
MR. VIGUE replied that he did not say the ferry terminal had to
be profitable, he specified that the ferry terminal would have
to be an ongoing business enterprise. He said he understood that
the Alaska Marine Highway System as well as ferries in the Lower
48 must be subsidized.
1:55:48 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN clarified that he was referencing the Coffman Cove
ferry terminal that was constructed along with the South Mitkof
Highway. He specified that shuttle service was intended between
Coffman Cove on North Prince of Wales Island to Wrangle and
Petersburg, a "business model" that did not work out as expected
where the ferry terminals currently have very light use. He
explained that the state is trying to work through the issue of
the ferry terminals' construction cost and limited use.
SENATOR EGAN agreed with Chair Stedman but reiterated that no
ferry terminal is profitable in Alaska, even though the state
subsidizes the system.
MR. VIGUE addressed slide 11: "How are Projects Selected for the
STIP?" and referenced as follows:
• NHS projects scored for the first time:
o Data driven project selection is the goal to quantify
projects.
o Data analysis still in infancy data rich,
information poor.
o Scores guided discussion.
o Team effort.
• Considerations include:
o Safety,
o Pavement condition needs immediate treatment,
o Bridge condition,
o Traffic count,
o Unique benefits:
square4 On the interstate system.
square4 Environmental process for "shovel ready" project.
MR. VIGUE explained that the department's regional planning
officials and pre-construction engineers were brought together
to review each NHS performance program funded project and the
projects that rose to the top are believed to be the most
qualified.
1:59:46 PM
SENATOR EGAN asked if FHWA was included in the project scoping
process.
MR. VIGUE replied that FHWA was not present.
SENATOR EGAN asked if DOT&PF presented their findings to FHWA.
MR. VIGUE answered that is correct.
He addressed slide 12: "How are Projects Selected for the STIP
(2)?" and referenced as follows:
• Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) ranks projects
through benefit/cost analysis.
• Program must select projects where documented safety issues
exist.
• Safety issues must be remedied using solutions that have
been proven to alleviate such issues.
• FAST Act restricts funds to infrastructure improvements and
engineering solutions.
• HSIP no longer may be used for: education, enforcement, or
emergency response.
CHAIR STEDMAN referenced presentations in the past that
addressed safety corridors in the Anchorage and Mat-Su area
where a STIP buildout plan occurred. He asked Mr. Vigue to
review the safety buildout plan that he noted to update the
committee at an upcoming meeting. He emphasized that safety is
high on the list when allocating limited resources.
2:02:35 PM
MR. VIGUE agreed with Chair Stedman. He noted that some of the
projects that Chair Stedman referenced may be addressed in the
STIP due to the length of time to develop and complete a
project. He noted that the STIP contains several funded projects
on the Seward and Parks highway which are in the "safety
corridors."
He addressed slide 13: "How are Projects Selected for the STIP
(3)?" and referenced as follows:
• Community Transportation Program (CTP) projects are scored.
• Five sets of scoring criteria:
o Remote and Trail,
o Urban and Rural,
o Trails and Recreational Access for Alaska (TRAAK),
o Transit,
o Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
• STIP continues to fund backlog of past scored projects.
• Another round in 1-2 years for new projects.
He detailed that CTP is under state regulations but funded with
federal money. He noted that CTP was previously funded with STP
money. He disclosed that CTP projects are backlogged because
federally funded projects that are started are expected to be
brought to construction before a new project can be considered.
He reiterated that MAP-21 has made it difficult for the state to
bring additional projects on. He emphasized that Alaska will
always have more needs than resources, an issue where DOT&PF
must always work through by prioritizing and funding projects
with limited federal funds.
2:05:31 PM
He addressed slide 14: "How are Projects Selected for the STIP
(4)?" and referenced as follows:
• Allocations to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO):
o Anchorage,
o Fairbanks.
• Communities affected by air pollution:
o State Implementation Plan (SIP), Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC);
o Fairbanks;
o Anchorage/Eagle River;
o Juneau.
MR. VIGUE reiterated that Anchorage and Fairbanks both get an
allocation of STP money based on population. He said both
Anchorage and Fairbanks have their own project selection process
called the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), a local
version of the STIP. He said TIPs come to DOT&PF for review and
approval.
He added that DOT&PF also funds projects through Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program. He disclosed that the
bulk of CMAQ money goes to the Fairbanks area due to their
Nonattainment Area Designation were projects are controlled by
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). He added
that Anchorage and Eagle River are in a "maintenance area" were
an allocation of CMAQ funds are allocated. He noted that
Juneau's Mendenhall Valley area in "nonattainment for PM10" due
mostly for wood smoke, like what is going on in Fairbanks.
2:07:23 PM
SENATOR WILSON addressed MPO allocations and asked how changes
are made when a third or fourth is added later.
MR. VIGUE answered that the money gets split into greater
portions. He disclosed that Alaska is a "minimum allocation
state" where the MPO money is split into two pots, one pot is
for metropolitan planning that Anchorage and Fairbanks receive.
He noted that Senator Wilson may be addressing the expected
census in 2020 that will create the opportunity for the
Wasilla/Palmer area to create an MPO that would result in a
split of the metropolitan planning money. He added that
Wasilla/Palmer would also receive an allocation from STP funds
as well.
He addressed slide 15: "How are Projects Selected for the STIP
(5)?" and referenced as follows:
1. Federal & State Laws:
o Alaska must comply with federal and state laws.
2. Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP):
o Everything done in the STIP must be consistent with
the LRTP.
3. STIP.
4. Capital Budget Legislative Authority
o DOT&PF presents the legislature with a capital budget
request.
o Authorized capital budget gives DOT&PF the authority
to spend federal money and provides the state match
necessary to obligate the federal funds.
5. Project Development.
o Regional design and construction teams develop
projects.
2:09:26 PM
MR. VIGUE addressed slide 16: STIP Programming Considerations,
and referenced as follows:
• STIP can only be programmed up to Alaska's expected funding
level.
• Most STIP funding is use-or-lose and cannot be carried over
from year to year:
o Funding for a project must be obligated to secure
funding.
o Obligation occurs when a project is certified as
meeting all federal requirements and a funding
agreement is signed by FHWA.
• In Alaska and nationwide, 30 percent of projects end up
delayed to a later year:
o Large, controversial projects are at a higher risk of
slipping.
o Funding tools such as Advanced Construction (AC) allow
some flexibility to pursue additional projects for
when projects slip.
He called attention to "August redistribution" that happens at
the end of federal fiscal year which is September. He explained
that "August redistribution" means that obligation authority
that was not used in other areas gets put into a pot and gets
redistributed. He disclosed that DOT&PF has been successful with
"August redistribution" the last couple of years. He revealed
that DOT&PF put in a request to FHWA and received $23 million
and $27 million in additional authority to spend the previous
two years from "August redistribution." He emphasized that
"August redistributions" allows for additional projects.
He added that advance-construction is another term for an
ability to move projects forward with approval from FHWA without
an actual obligation of federal funds. He detailed that DOT&PF
has managed advance-construction and doing obligations as it
sees expenditures to not impact the state treasury. He said as
soon as DOT&PF starts seeing expenditures of any significance,
DOT&PF can do a project modification with FHWA and ask for
reimbursement. He explained that advance-construction has
allowed DOT&PF to get more "work out on the street" at any given
time without impacting reimbursements from FHWA.
2:14:37 PM
MR. VIGUE addressed slide 17: 2018 FAST Act Funding for Alaska,
and detailed as follows:
• National Highway Performance Program (NHPP): $299.1
million:
o Alaska's main highways: Parks Highway, Glenn Highway,
Alaska Highway, Dalton Highway, Sterling Highway,
Seward Highway, University Avenue in Fairbanks,
Airport Way in Fairbanks, Egan Drive in Juneau, and
parts of South Tongass Highway in Ketchikan.
• Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STP): $149.9
million:
o Flexible funding.
• Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP): $31.6 million,
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ): $28.4
million,
• Metropolitan Planning Program: $2.3 million,
• National Highway Freight Program: $15.2 million:
o New program for any project on the National Highway
Freight Network that includes Alaska's interstate
system.
o DOT&PF can designate urban and rural critical freight
corridors:
square4 Dalton Highway is expected to be tagged as the
rural freight corridor.
square4 MPOs will be allowed to identify urban freight
corridors.
2:16:48 PM
SENATOR BISHOP asked if Alaska is done with Shakwak funds.
MR. VIGUE answered yes. He explained that Shakwak funding was
put into federal authorizing legislation in the 1990s for
Canadian projects that connect the Haines Highway to the Alaska
Highway. He said MAP-21 eliminated the Shakwak program.
He addressed slide 18: FAST Act (1): Funding Certainty for Five
Years, and referenced as follows:
• Congress passed FAST Act in December 2015.
• Modest increase in total funding levels:
o Initial 5-percent FHWA increase and 16-percent FTA
increase from 2015 to 2016, then 2-percent annual
increases.
• $2.65 billion in FHWA apportionments to Alaska over five
years:
o Averages $531 million annually.
• $268 million in FTA apportionments to Alaska over five
years:
o Averages $53.6 million annually.
o Majority goes to Anchorage and Fairbanks transit
operators.
o DOT&PF gets $8 million that provides grants to small
transit operators in the state.
2:19:43 PM
MR. VIGUE addressed slide 19: FAST Act (2): Funding Certainty
for Five Years, and referenced as follows:
• Maintains Alaska's Ferry Boat Program at $18 million plus-
or-minus annually.
o Formula-driven process that is based on route miles,
vehicles carried, and passengers carried.
o Ketchikan received money for their airport ferry.
o Inter-Island Ferry Authority that runs between
Ketchikan and Hollis receives an annual appropriation.
• Increases Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) funds
nationally from $450 million in 2015 to $465 million in
2016 with $10 million annual increments.
o Alaska tribes get $60 million annually from The Office
of Federal Lands Highway (FLH) or the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA).
• Formula based National Freight Program to support highway
freight movement with some multimodal eligibility, Alaska
averages $16 million annually.
• Continuation of Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).
o Alaska receives $6 million per year.
o Alaska Department of Natural Resources is allocated
$1.5 million to manage recreational trails.
2:22:28 PM
SENATOR WILSON asked how TTP funds are allocated and does DOT&PF
coordinate with the tribes on projects.
MR. VIGUE answered that DOT&PF partners with the tribes and the
department tries hard to make their relationship better. He
pointed out that none of the funding comes through DOT&PF and
the tribes receive the funds from the federal agencies. He noted
that TTP offers unique features that allows more flexibility for
use in maintenance, transit, highways, and airports. He
disclosed that the tribes are required to put together a
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that DOT&PF receives a
copy and reciprocates communication. He added that tribes can
come to DOT&PF to use TTP funds as a match on a project to
leverage some STP money. He noted that the governor has created
his Tribal Advisory Council and DOT&PF is participating by
communicating with the tribes, FHWA, and BIA on a regular basis.
2:24:28 PM
He addressed slide 20: FAST Act (3): FAST Act Policy Priorities,
and referenced as follows:
• Generally, maintains MAP-21 programs and policy.
• As in MAP-21, streamlining project delivery to reduce time
and cost identified as priority.
• Freight policy and freight network under dedicated National
Freight Program.
• Continues Performance Based Program Management:
o Federal Highway Administration's National Proposed
Rule Making (NPRM) set goals for:
square4 Safety,
square4 Pavement,
square4 Bridges.
He addressed slide 21: Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP), and
referenced as follows:
• FLAP provides funds for projects on public roads or trails
that are located on or provide access to federal lands:
o Title or maintenance responsibility must be with the
state, municipal or tribal governments.
o Federal lands include those managed by National Park
Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers.
o Projects are limited to $2 million.
• Funding for Alaska averages $8 million annually, formula-
based distribution, and is administered by Western Federal
Lands Highway Division in Vancouver, Washington.
• Program Decision Committee (PDC) selects projects:
o The PDC must include a DOT&PF representative, a FHWA
representative and representative of a political
subdivision of the state; the Alaska Municipal League
(AML) Executive Director fills this last slot.
2:28:47 PM
MR. VIGUE addressed slide 22: Tribal Transportation Program, and
addressed as follows:
• TTP jointly administered by FHWA Federal Lands Highway and
BIA as a nationally based Federal program.
• FHWA/BIA develop a stand-alone TIP.
• Funding for Alaska tribes in 2018 is expected to be $49
million; none of this funding comes through DOT&PF.
• Coordination and communication between tribes, federal
agencies, state, and local agencies is critical to success:
o Governor's Tribal Advisory Council (GTAC)
Transportation Subcommittee.
o DOT&PF has created a tribal liaison position.
o Looking for ways to leverage TTP funding towards
larger budget projects.
2:30:21 PM
He addressed slides 23-27 regarding online STIP project search
tools found on the DOT&PF website.
2:34:43 PM
He addressed slide 28: Notable STIP Projects, and referenced as
follows:
• Seward Highway 74-90 Ingram Creek to Girdwood Road:
o $89.5 million,
o Construction and utilities,
o Advertised: 1/19/2018.
• Glenn Highway South Inner Springer Loop to Old Glenn:
o $49 million,
o Construction and utilities,
o Tentative advertise: April 2018.
• Parks Highway 13-18 Pittman Road to Big Lake Road:
o $45 million,
o Construction and utilities,
o Tentative advertise: late 2018.
• Dalton Highway 223-238 Reconstruction:
o $26 million,
o Construction,
o Tentative advertise: early 2019.
• Richardson Highway 354-359 (Fairbanks area):
o $25.6 million,
o Construction,
o Tentative advertise: late 2018.
• Skagway State Street Rehabilitation:
o $10.6 million,
o Construction and utilities,
o Tentative advertise: August 2018.
• Egan Drive Main Street to 10th Street:
o $10.5 million,
o Construction and utilities,
o Tentative advertise: May 2018.
• Ketchikan North Tongass Bridges, Waterfall Creeks:
o $10 million,
o Construction,
o Tentative advertise: March 2018.
2:37:17 PM
SENATOR EGAN noted his concern for pedestrian safety, especially
on state highways. He pointed out that a lot of Juneau's
sidewalks are on municipal land and referenced a sidewalk
project on Douglas Highway that will connect Gastineau School
with nearby housing developments. He asked if there was federal
money available for sidewalk construction or pedestrian safety.
MR. VIGUE replied yes. He noted that the Gastineau project was
funded through the Safe Routes to School Program.
SENATOR EGAN asked him to verify that the Safe Routes to School
Program no longer exists.
MR. VIGUE answered correct, from the previous funding source. He
disclosed that eligibility for the Safe Routes to School Program
is currently funded under STP. He addressed multiple funding
sources for sidewalks and crossings to consider.
SENATOR WILSON asked if there are federal or state permitting
issues that could hold up STIP programs. He referenced the
possible impact from a proposed initiative being considered in
the legislature.
MR. VIGUE answered that there are always permitting and process
issues with construction projects. He said he was not aware of
the initiative that Senator Wilson referenced.
2:40:15 PM
SENATOR WILSON specified that the legislation relates to the
"clean water initiative" or "save the salmon initiative,"
something that would impact the STIP's "use it or lose it" rule.
He opined that not being able to carry over STIP funds from
year-to-year may impact projects that are delayed by litigation
or additional processes that could stop permitting.
MR. VIGUE replied as follows:
That's always an issue. I don't know what the impacts
of that particular bill will be; but, as far as
dealing with the "use it or lose it" issue, that's the
flexibility that I was talking about where if we have
a project that is scheduled to go to construction in
2018 and that project gets hung up because of a permit
need or something like that, we have built-in
flexibility in the STIP that we will be able to pull a
project forward. We do not lose federal money and I
can say that unequivocally that we are not going to go
there, we will always figure that out.
CHAIR STEDMAN opined that Senator Wilson's question related to
issues that can "gum up" the entire system where projects cannot
be moved forward. He said the committee will bring up Senator
Wilson's question as a separate subject at a future committee
meeting.
SENATOR EGAN asked if DOT&PF will be back to address the
committee.
2:43:02 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN explained that the committee will have DOT&PF back
to address statewide transportation projects on a regional
basis: South Coast, Central, and Northern. He added that DOT&PF
can also touch base on safety projects and safety corridors so
that the committee can get a broader feel across the state where
the needs are as well as where the funds are going. He
reiterated his desire to address the potential transportation
impact from the proposed gas-line project. He added that his
intent is to address transportation issues to lay the groundwork
for the Senate Finance Committee when dealing with the capital
budget.
2:43:13 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Stedman adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee at 2:43 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| STIP Presentation Senate Transportation 2-8-2018.pdf |
STRA 2/8/2018 1:30:00 PM |