Monday, April 21
12:30 pm - Street Car Project Meeting, Rooms 270/271
3:30 pm - Transportation Committee, Room CH-14. AGENDA: New Bern Transit Station Plan; Urban Street Design Guidelines Six Month Report; Bicycle Plan Overview
5:00 pm - Council Dinner, Room 267
6:30 pm - Citizens' Forum, Chamber
7:00 pm - Council Meeting, Chamber
Wednesday, April 30
12:00 pm - Economic Development and Planning Committee, Room 280
AGENDA: First Ward Park and Parking; Revisions to ED Corridor Grant Program
Please note that your packet includes a Division Wrecker Services Recommendations and Supporting Documentation book. This book includes details regarding the procurement process and staff recommendations related to the dinner briefing item 3 and agenda item 14 for April 28.
Dinner Item #4: Blue Line Extension - Sugar Creek Road Alternative Alignment Update
Staff Resource:
Tom Warshauer, 704 336-4522, twarshauer@ci.charlotte.nc.us An update on the alternative alignment of the Blue Line Extension (Northeast Transit Line) along North Tryon from Sugar Creek to Old Concord Road is scheduled for the April 28 Council Dinner Meeting. City staff along with the consultant team met April 21-23 to examine the alignment alternatives. Based on this work, staff does not plan to ask Council to refer the item to the Economic Development & Planning Committee as described in the dinner briefing summary. Staff will provide an update of the preliminary findings at the April 28 Dinner Meeting, with plans to return to Council with more complete information in July.
On Council's agenda for Monday night is an amendment to a contract for surveying services. The references to the previously approved amount of Amendment #1 ($210,000) and total contract amount to date including Amendment #2 ($410,000) were incorrect. Attached is a revised agenda item that provides the correct amounts: Amendment #1 - $100,000 and total contract amount amendment #2 - $300,000.
Information Items:
Thursday, April 24, the 21st Century Transportation Committee received sub-committee reports and recommendations regarding transportation expansion and funding. The committee agreed to submit short-term suggestions to the legislature's "Short Session" and continue reviewing long-term issues for the 2009 regular legislative session.
Attached are a summary of the Committee's discussion and a copy of the Intermodal Committee report dealing primarily with transit and toll roads.
In March, CATS staff visited with the Deputy Secretary and staff at the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) in Raleigh. NCDOT staff provided positive feedback from the State on the successful implementation of the LYNX Blue Line and expressed their continued commitment to Charlotte's public transportation program.
We discussed the 33% increase in LYNX ridership over projections and the positive response of the Charlotte region to the new service. We then explored options for State funding assistance for CATS capital and operating programs. NCDOT staff advised us that there were funds available in their budget and CATS presented some options for using the funds. The options are currently being reviewed by NCDOT.
If we are successful in obtaining additional funding assistance from NCDOT, CATS will request action from the Metropolitan Transit Commission and City Council to accept the funds.
Attached is a legislative bulletin issued on Wednesday, April 23 by the NC League of Municipalities reporting on a NC House study committee's recommendation to enact a one-year moratorium on city-initiated and satellite annexations (including those that are pending). We are in the midst of Charlotte's two-year annexation cycle. Under that cycle, potential annexation areas are studied in even numbered years, with the effective date for areas that are approved by Council scheduled for June 30th of the immediately following odd numbered year. Currently, staff is examining potential annexation qualifying areas from within the annexation study areas adopted by City Council in June 2007, and has preliminarily identified six areas containing approximately 11 square miles with an estimated population of roughly 18,000 persons. Staff is scheduled to share refined information regarding annexation qualifying areas with Council in early July.
If the study committee's recommendation of a moratorium on annexation until June 30, 2009 is enacted by the NC General Assembly, the established 2009 annexation schedule (including the target effective date of June 30, 2009) would have to be abandoned. Any subsequent City-initiated annexation would be delayed by at least one to three years. Of course, that revised annexation schedule depends on the moratorium expiring and that it is not replaced with a repeal or substantial reduction in municipal annexation authority.
The league encourages all municipal officials to talk with their House members and express opposition to a moratorium.
On April 17, the Charlotte area was predicted to have a "Code Orange" day due to high 8-hour ozone. This is the earliest "Code Orange" day ever in this area. This unprecedented event occurred because:
1.) The State of North Carolina ozone forecasts previously started on May 1. This year the start date was moved up two weeks to April 17.
2.) On March 12, the EPA tightened the 8-hour ozone standard to a level of 75 parts per billion (ppb). The previous standard was effectively 84 ppb. With the more restrictive ozone standard came more restrictive levels for the Air Quality Index (AQI). For example, actual air quality recorded on April 17 and April 18 was "Code Orange". Using previous forecasting methods, both days would have been "Code Yellow."
Because of the newly tightened ozone standard, the Charlotte area should expect to hear more "Code Orange" and "Code Red" days than last year. This doesn't necessarily mean the air quality is worse, just that the definition of "dirty air" has changed.
This year's "Clean Air Works" initiative to encourage voluntary efforts to reduce emissions on high ozone days will kick-off on May 15. More information is forth coming.
As Council may recall from previous communications, most of the pedestrian lighting that was installed when the City and CATS first upgraded the trolley corridor was by necessity disturbed by the construction of the LYNX Blue Line. CATS has been working diligently to restore that lighting in the South End and Uptown areas along what is now the LYNX Blue Line. Fortunately, many of the affected lights were merely disconnected and may be restored by simply reconnecting power to them.
In early December 2007, CATS developed a plan to relight the corridor. The plan included three primary steps - assess, plan, and construct. An electrical contractor assessed the entire lighting infrastructure to determine what was required to relight the affected lighting. The assessment, which was completed in March, identified locations where lights could be turned on with minimal construction (phase 1) and, locations where the original trolley lighting infrastructure needed total replacement (phase 2).
CATS is moving forward with phase 1 at a cost 'not to exceed' $85,000. Completing phase 1 will enhance the lighting along the South End and Uptown portions of the LYNX Blue Line and will help address the safety concerns that some communities adjacent to the corridor have voiced. This work is expected to be completed by the end of May.
Phase 2 is expected to cost in excess of $100,000 and will be presented to Council for action at a future meeting after the requisite bidding process has been completed.
Phase 1
- Tremont Trolley Stop to south end of East/West Station platform
- East Blvd to Park Ave
- Bland to Carson
- 7th Street to 9th Street
Phase 2
- Park to Bland
- North side of Carson Station to the Morehead Trolley Stop
- MLK to south end of 3rd Street Station
- North side of 3rd Street Station to 4th Street
- 5th to 6th streets
On Wednesday, April 23, 2008, the MTC unanimously voted to adopt Resolution No. 2008-01, which approves the FY2009 Transit Operating Program and the FY2009-13 Transit Capital Improvement Plan. A summary of the two budgets are as follows:
| Revised 4/23/08 |
FY 2009 |
FY 2009-13 |
| Operating Income |
$133,607,444 |
|
| Operating Expense |
$112,621,307 |
|
| Capital Income |
$59,959,260 |
$794,358,505 |
| Capital Expense |
$143,591,058 |
$667,179,263 |
Key elements of the FY2009 Transit Program are:
- Sales Tax Increase of 4 percent for FY2009
- Increased fuel cost from $2.30/gallon to $3.50/gallon
- Full year operation of the LYNX Blue Line light rail service
- Advancement of the 2030 Transit Corridor System Plan
The revised Transit Operating Program of $112,621,307 reflects a significant increase in fuel cost which is partially offset by a reduction in additional bus service hours from 50,000 down to 29,000. Other reductions resulted from coordination with the City's budget process.
The Transit Capital Program focuses on Advancement of the 2030 Transit Corridor System Plan; Replacement/Expansion of Revenue Vehicles; Design/construction of transit centers and park and ride facilities; and asset maintenance and expansion.
Also, the MTC unanimously voted to adopt Resolution No. 2008-02, which calls for a public hearing on a proposed fare increase due to rising fuel prices. CATS is proposing a fare increase of $0.20 to the base fare because of the increase in fuel prices. Express, regional express and paratransit fares will increase as prescribed in CATS' Fare Policy. Since 2004, diesel fuel prices regionally and nationally have increased by more than 56 percent. CATS budgeted fuel at $2.25 a gallon in FY2008, but is currently paying $3.37 per gallon. The FY2009 operating budget originally included fuel at an average price of $2.30 per gallon. However, after careful review of pricing trends, CATS revised the FY2009 operating budget by increasing the estimated average price per gallon of fuel to $3.50.
CATS is projecting increased expenses of $4,033,048 in the FY2009 operating budget due to rising fuel prices. The revenue impact of increasing the base fare by $0.20, starting October 1, 2008, will result in $2,099,450 in additional revenue.
In addition, the MTC received the following information under the CEO's Report:
1. LYNX Update: The LYNX Blue Line continues to operate better than expected with trains and the overall system performing well. Average weekday ridership is more than 13,000, which exceeds first year projections of 9,100 daily weekday riders by 45 percent. The safety and security of the line remains "very good" with no preventable accidents. On Friday, April 18, LYNX service was impacted after an 80-foot silo, which was being demolished by a subcontractor for developer Citiline, tumbled and crashed onto the railroad tracks near Remount Road. Thankfully, there were no injuries. However, the tracks were damaged and significant debris cluttered both the northbound and southbound tracks. Staff responded quickly to the incident and was able to open the line up within a matter of hours. CATS will seek to recoup expenses from responsible parties.
2. Trolley Service: The Charlotte Trolley reopened on Sunday, April 20. Currently the trolley operates on weekends, but it will eventually operate on weekdays during off-peak midday hours. It will run from Ninth Street to Tremont.
3. Vision Awards: CATS received a Vision Award for the LYNX Blue Line on Thursday, April 10, from the Charlotte Center City Partners. The award honored people, projects and entities that make a significant contribution to the vision and vibrancy of Center City and South End and create a more energetic urban core. Keith Parker and Ron Tober accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
4. CATS Quarterly Update to City Council: Keith Parker briefed the MTC on CATS Quarterly Update to City Council, which included an update on the LYNX Blue Line and the 2030 Plan.
