Minutes | Regular Meeting
August 25, 2022
Present:
Guillermo Sillas City of Brawley
Lily Falomir City of Calexico
Jeorge Galvan City of Calipatria
Abraham Campos City of El Centro
Adriana Anguis City of Holtville
Jesus Villegas City of Imperial
Ramiro Barajas City of Westmorland
Veronica Atondo County of Imperial
Ismael Gomez Imperial Irrigation District
Others:
David Aguirre ICTC
Virginia Mendoza ICTC
Marlene Flores ICTC
Angela Delgadillo ICTC
Phillip Ramirez City of Brawley
Juan Manuel Cabrera City of Brawley
Ana Gutierrez City of Brawley
Livier Lau City of Calexico
Felix De Leon City of El Centro
Andres Miramontez City of El Centro
Christian Rodriguez City of El Centro
Alex Chavez City of Holtville
Othon Mora City of Holtville
Marco Coronel City of Imperial
Jim Minnick County of Imperial
Ismael Garcia County of Imperial
Nicole Falvey Caltrans
Alex Araiza Caltrans
Rafael Reyes Caltrans
Bryan Ott Caltrans
Nick Ventrilla Caltrans
Anna Strahan Caltrans
David Salgado SCAG
Manuel Ortiz IID
Yoli Viviana Sanchez Health Program Coordinator
1. The meeting was called to order at 10:04 a.m. A quorum was present, and introductions were made. There were no public comments made.
2. Adopted resolution authorizing remote teleconference meeting in accordance with Assembly Bill 361. ICTC requested a motion to adopt. (Galvan/Campos). Motion Carried.
3. A motion was made to adopt the minutes for June 23, 2022 (Atondo/Galvan) Motion Carried.
4. 2022 Walk to School Presentation:
(Presented by: Yoli Viviana Sanchez, Health Program Coordinator)
- The benefits of children doing physical activity are building strong bones and muscles, reduces anxiety and depression, and reduces risk of diseases such as, cancer, heart disease, obesity, etc.
- The benefits of walking to and from school are reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, contributes to their daily amount of exercise, and facilitates social bonds among peers and parents.
- To implement Safe Routes to School: school districts faculty, law enforcement, city hall, students, parents, signs and banners, stickers, etc.
- Walk Audits are a great tool in creating communities where residents can participate in making their vision of healthy, safe, walkable streets real.
- Walk Audits on Streets Near the School: Identify school drop-off and pick-up areas, engage students in understanding their neighborhoods, lead to a reduction in traffic flow, and assist with attendance and tardiness issues.
- Kit of Parts: The mission is to develop dynamic strategies to engage children in physical activity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- For more information on the Imperial County Safe Routes to School Project please contact Yoli Viviana Sanchez at Yoli Viviana Sanchez@co.imperial.ca.us
- For more information, on the Kit of Parts please contact David Salgado at salgado@scag.ca.gov.
5. 2023 Active Transportation Program Regional Guidelines and 20 Point Scoring Methodology:
(Presented by: Virginia Mendoza & Marlene Flores)
- ICTC staff forwards this item to the Technical Advisory Committee for discussion and recommendation to submit to the ICTC Management Committee and Commission after public comments, if any:
1. Approve the following methodology for assigning points of the 2023 Active Transportation Program Regional Guidelines:
a. 20 points for projects that have been identified in an adopted local and/or regional plan; and
b. Zero points for projects that have not been identified in an adopted local and/or regional plan.
- A motion was made to approve the Active Transportation Program Regional Guidelines and 20 Point Scoring Methodology. (Falomir/Campos) Motion Carried.
6. Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program 2022 Project Selection for Programming in – FFY 2025/2026:
(Presented by: Virginia Mendoza & Marlene Flores)
- TAC members received a copy of both CMAQ and STBG Scoring and ranking of the projects in the last call for projects in addition to the highest-ranking list of projects not selected for funding. TAC members discussed and deliberated all possible ways of distributing the CMAQ and STBG funds in accordance with the CMAQ and STBG guidelines.
- Based on the recommendation of the TAC members on August 25, 2022, the following recommendations were proposed:
- Based on the recently completed Call for projects in 2022, and the selection of the next priority projects being minimal; the collective group opted to conduct a Mini Call for projects for CMAQ and STBG for FFY 2025-2026.
- Every local agency will submit a project, whether it is an existing project, additional funds for existing projects or a new project; and
- Taking into consideration all agencies and the amounts available for each program, TAC members recommended to keep project request amounts between $500 to $800 (federal request) and remind all local agencies of the minimum local match requirement of 11.47% for both CMAQ and STBG program funds.
- Local agencies please note that the request to use the “Expedited Project Selection Procedures” (EPSP) process will be an option if you have a project that needs to move forward.
- A timeline was also created and distributed to all TAC Members.
7. Proposed Distribution plan for the 2020 Cycles 3 & 2022 Cycle 4 Local Partnership Formulaic Program (LPP):
(Presented by: Virginia Mendoza & Marlene Flores)
- ICTC staff forwards this item to the Technical Advisory Committee for discussion and recommendation to submit to the ICTC Management Committee and Commission after public comments, if any:
1. Approve a Proposed Distribution Plan for the Local Partnership Formulaic Program funds.
a. Cycle 3 Option #1 Population and Maintained Mileage Distribution Plan or
b. Cycle 3 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan
c. Cycle 4 Option #1 Population and Maintained Mileage Distribution Plan or;
d. Cycle 4 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan
e. Authorize staff to open Call for Projects for the Local Partnership Formulaic Program Cycle 3 and Cycle 4
2. Authorize staff to submit the recommended projects to the California Transportation Commission (CTC).
- A motion was made to approve Cycle 3 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan and Cycle 4 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan. (Campos/Villegas) Motion Carried.
8. Caltrans Updates / Announcements:
(Presented by: Rafael Reyes)
- As part of the Calexico West POE Expansion project, SR-98 and Cesar Chavez Blvd were widened and improved to serve the expansion to the west
- The project is expected to be “Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment” substantially completed and open to traffic in late 2022. The total project cost is estimated at $8.2 million.
- SR-98 Widening Project: Constriction has restarted. A part of their executive team went out and met with Local Officials in the business community there to take in their suggestions.
- The Stage 1 of the project completion date is by mid-November. The intent is to avoid further impacts on the holiday season. The subsequence stages are also planned to start to avoid the holiday season.
- The construction team has had close coordination/communication with the business community to make sure that those start dates are done to minimize any future impacts.
9. SCAG Updates / Announcements:
(Presented by: David Salgado)
- 2022 SCAG Regional Conference and General Assembly May 5-6, 2022: On May 5-6, local leaders from throughout Southern California will convene for SCAG’s 57th annual Regional Conference and General Assembly at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. This two-day conference will bring together state and local elected officials, CEOs, business and civic leaders, transportation and environmental stakeholders, local government staff, and others.
- SCAG Regional Data Platform (RDP): The Regional Data Platform will standardize regionally significant datasets, provide opportunities for local partners to update their data in real-time, and draw insights from local trends. More specifically, it will be an online tool for SCAG and local jurisdictions to access data necessary.
- Go Human Update Call for Application Released for Community Engagements Mini-Grants: On March 28, with support from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), SCAG released its Call for Applications for the Go Human Community Engagement Mini-Grants Program to support creative, community-driven traffic safety and engagement projects. SCAG will award up to $15,000 to 25 selected projects. To access the application or to learn more about the upcoming information sessions and eligibility, please visit the Go Human webpage. Applications are due Friday, April 29.
10. Cities and County Planning / Public Works Updates:
- No updates were given during the meeting.
11. ICTC Updates / Announcements
(Presented by ICTC Staff)
a. Transit Planning Updates
- In the process of pursing Federal Transit Funding to reinstate the free fare program that was ongoing during the pandemic.
b. Transportation Planning Updates
12. General Discussion / New Business
Next TAC meeting will be September 22, 2022 via Zoom at ICTC offices
13. Meeting adjourned at 12:02 p.m.