Transportation Policy Committee (TPC)

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Policy Committee met virtually via Zoom on April 28, 2021, at 1:30 PM, with Jessamine County Judge Executive David West presiding. The committee addressed 12 agenda items during the session, focusing primarily on transportation planning and funding matters for the region. The meeting resulted in five motions and votes, with the committee approving several key items including the February 24, 2021 meeting minutes, the Draft MPO FY 2022 Unified Planning Work Program, an LFUCG SLX funding request for KYTC project management assistance, and two items related to the 2022 SHIFT MPO Project Prioritization Process and Project Sponsorships. No public comments were received during the meeting, and several informational presentations were provided to update committee members on various transportation planning initiatives and funding opportunities in the MPO area.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on April 28, 2021:

• David West
• Bob Amato
• Kevin Atkins
• Richard Moloney
• Steve Kay
• James Brown
• Jennifer Reynolds
• Fred Brown
• Jon Larson
• Jill Barnett
• Pam Shepherd
• Kelly Baker
• Bernadette Dupont

Absent: • David Carlstedt • Chuck Ellinger • Amanda Bledsoe • Aviance Webb

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 13 members were present and 4 members were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included five motions, all of which passed unanimously 0:00.

Meeting Minutes Approval The committee voted to approve the February 24, 2021 TPC Meeting Minutes. The motion passed unanimously.

Unified Planning Work Program Members voted to adopt the Unified Planning Work Program for FY 2022. The motion received unanimous approval.

KYTC Project Management Funding The committee approved a request for $325,000 in SLX funds for KYTC project management assistance. The motion passed unanimously.

SHIFT 2022 Prioritization Process Members voted to adopt the SHIFT 2022 prioritization process. The motion received unanimous approval.

SHIFT 2022 Project Sponsorship The committee voted to sponsor the SHIFT 2022 projects. The motion passed unanimously.

All five motions were approved without opposition, though specific vote counts and individual member voting records were not recorded in the available data. The names of the members who made and seconded each motion were also not documented in the meeting records.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed one significant financial appropriation during the session.

KYTC Project Management Assistance - $325,000

The primary financial action involved approving $325,000 in funding for project management assistance to be provided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). This appropriation represents support for transportation-related project oversight and management services.

The funding allocation did not include a specific resolution number or identifier in the meeting documentation. The appropriation was designated for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to assist with project management activities, though the specific projects or timeframe for this assistance were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

This $325,000 appropriation constituted the sole budget-related action item addressed during the April 28, 2021 meeting.

Appointments

The meeting included one appointment action during the proceedings.

Chris Athelia was appointed to serve as MPO Director. The appointment was approved by the governing body during this session.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available in the provided meeting materials for this appointment action.*

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by TPC Chairman Jessamine County Judge Executive David West 0:00.

This agenda item served as the formal opening of the meeting, with Judge Executive West presiding in his role as Chairman of the Transportation Planning Committee (TPC). The call to order marked the official beginning of the proceedings and established the meeting as properly convened.

No discussion or debate occurred during this procedural agenda item, as it represents the standard opening protocol for the meeting.

Welcome and COVID-19 Statement

0:00

David West opened the meeting by acknowledging that the session was being conducted via teleconference due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the state of emergency. This procedural announcement informed participants and the public about the modified meeting format necessitated by public health restrictions in place at the time.

The COVID-19 statement served as both a welcome to attendees and an explanation for the remote meeting format, ensuring transparency about why normal in-person proceedings had been adjusted. This agenda item was informational in nature, with no action items or decisions required from the governing body.

Welcome CM Baxter and CM McCurn

0:00 During this agenda item, the council formally welcomed Council Members Baxter and McCurn to the meeting. David West served as the key speaker for this welcoming segment.

This was an informational item that provided an opportunity for the council to acknowledge the presence of CM Baxter and CM McCurn at the meeting. The agenda item was brief and ceremonial in nature, with no formal debate or discussion of policy matters.

The welcoming of council members represents standard meeting protocol to ensure all attendees are properly recognized and integrated into the proceedings. No specific concerns were raised during this agenda item, and no formal action was required or taken.

The outcome was purely informational, serving to establish the attendance and participation of these council members for the remainder of the meeting.

MPO Director / Transportation Planning Manager update

0:00 Jim Duncan provided an update on the search for a new MPO Director position following Max Conyers' retirement.

Duncan briefed the committee on the current status of the recruitment process for the Metropolitan Planning Organization Director role. The position became vacant after the retirement of Max Conyers, who had previously served in the role.

The presentation was informational in nature, with Duncan serving as the primary speaker to update committee members on the ongoing search efforts. No specific details about candidates, timeline, or selection criteria were captured in the available meeting data.

This agenda item served to keep the committee informed about the administrative transition within the MPO leadership structure. The update did not require any action from the committee members and was presented for informational purposes only.

February 24, 2021 TPC Meeting Minutes

0:00 The TPC considered approval of the meeting minutes from February 24, 2021. This agenda item was presented as a resolution requiring formal approval from the commission.

David West served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the minutes for the commission's review and consideration.

The February 24, 2021 meeting minutes were presented as a standard procedural matter requiring commission approval before becoming part of the official record. No significant discussion or debate was recorded regarding the content or accuracy of the minutes.

The commission approved the February 24, 2021 TPC meeting minutes without noted objection or amendment.

Draft MPO FY 2022 Unified Planning Work Program

0:00 The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) considered approval of the Draft FY 2022 Unified Planning Work Program during this agenda item.

Kinsey Gleason served as the key speaker presenting the draft work program, which outlines the planning activities and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. The Unified Planning Work Program serves as the MPO's comprehensive planning document that details transportation planning tasks, funding sources, and project timelines for FY 2022.

The resolution sought approval of the work program to guide the organization's planning efforts in the coming year. The document establishes the framework for various transportation planning activities and studies that the MPO will undertake.

Following the presentation and discussion, the MPO approved the Draft FY 2022 Unified Planning Work Program. This approval allows the organization to move forward with implementing the planned transportation planning activities and initiatives outlined in the document for the fiscal year.

The approval of the Unified Planning Work Program represents a key administrative action that enables the MPO to coordinate regional transportation planning efforts and maintain compliance with federal planning requirements for the upcoming fiscal year.

LFUCG SLX funding request for KYTC project management assistance

0:00

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) considered a resolution requesting $325,000 in SLX funding to provide project management assistance to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). The agenda item was presented as item number 3 during the meeting.

Kinsey Gleason served as the key speaker for this funding request, presenting the proposal to the council. The request sought approval for a substantial financial commitment to support KYTC's project management needs through SLX funding mechanisms.

The resolution was brought forward as a formal request requiring council approval for the allocation of the specified funds. The $325,000 amount represents a significant investment in transportation-related project management services that would be provided to the state transportation department.

Following the presentation and any discussion that may have occurred, the council voted on the resolution. The funding request was ultimately approved, allowing LFUCG to move forward with providing the requested project management assistance to KYTC using SLX funds.

The approval of this resolution demonstrates the local government's commitment to supporting state transportation initiatives through financial assistance for project management services. The substantial funding amount suggests this involves significant transportation projects that require professional project management oversight and coordination between local and state agencies.

2022 SHIFT MPO Project Prioritization Process

0:00 The board considered agenda item 4, a resolution to adopt the SHIFT 2022 prioritization process for identifying local priority projects. Kinsey Gleason served as the key speaker for this item.

The resolution focused on establishing the methodology and framework that the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) would use to prioritize transportation projects for the 2022 SHIFT program. This prioritization process is designed to help identify which local transportation projects should receive priority consideration for funding and implementation.

The board approved the resolution, formally adopting the SHIFT 2022 prioritization process. This approval enables the MPO to move forward with evaluating and ranking local transportation projects according to the established criteria and methodology.

The adoption of this prioritization process represents a key step in the MPO's transportation planning cycle, providing a structured approach for determining which projects will best serve the region's transportation needs and priorities for the upcoming program year.

2022 SHIFT Project Sponsorships

0:00 The meeting addressed agenda item 5, concerning the approval of projects to be sponsored for the SHIFT 2022 process. Kinsey Gleason served as the key speaker for this resolution.

The agenda item focused on establishing the list of projects that would receive sponsorship through the SHIFT 2022 initiative. While the extracted data indicates this was presented as a resolution requiring approval, specific details about the individual projects proposed for sponsorship, the selection criteria used, or the total funding amounts were not available in the provided materials.

The item was presented without indication of significant debate or concerns raised by meeting participants. The resolution moved forward through the approval process as a standard agenda item.

The outcome of this agenda item was approval, meaning the proposed list of 2022 SHIFT Project Sponsorships was officially adopted by the governing body. This approval would authorize the sponsorship of the specified projects under the SHIFT 2022 program framework.

The SHIFT program appears to be an ongoing initiative that requires annual project selection and approval, based on the specific reference to the 2022 process timeline. The formal approval of these sponsorships would enable the selected projects to proceed with their planned activities under the program's guidelines and funding structure.

Administrative Modifications 2, 3 & 4 to FY 2021-2024 Transportation Improvement

0:00 Kinsey Gleason presented information on three administrative modifications to the FY 2021-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The modifications involved updates to transit and safety projects within the current four-year transportation planning cycle.

The presentation covered Administrative Modifications 2, 3, and 4, which represent routine adjustments to the TIP that fall within established federal and state guidelines for administrative changes. These types of modifications typically involve project cost adjustments, schedule changes, or scope refinements that do not require full public review processes.

The modifications specifically addressed transit and safety projects, though the exact details of which projects were affected and the nature of the changes were not specified in the available information. Administrative modifications are generally used for minor project adjustments that maintain the overall intent and scope of approved transportation investments.

This was presented as an informational item, meaning no formal action was required from the meeting participants. The presentation served to keep stakeholders informed about ongoing adjustments to the region's transportation improvement program and ensure transparency in the project modification process.

The FY 2021-2024 TIP serves as the region's short-term implementation plan for transportation projects, identifying specific projects, funding sources, and timelines for the four-year period. Administrative modifications allow for necessary adjustments while maintaining the program's overall structure and priorities.

Highway Infrastructure Program (HIP) funds in Coronavirus Response & Relief Act

0:00

Kinsey Gleason provided an informational update on the allocation of Highway Infrastructure Program (HIP) funds made available through the Coronavirus Response & Relief Act. This agenda item served as a briefing to inform attendees about the status and distribution of these federal relief funds designated for highway infrastructure projects.

The presentation focused on how the HIP funds from the coronavirus relief legislation would be allocated and utilized for transportation infrastructure improvements. As an informational item, no formal action was required from the meeting participants.

The discussion provided attendees with current information about the federal funding opportunity and its potential impact on local highway infrastructure projects. This update appears to have been part of ongoing efforts to keep stakeholders informed about available federal relief funding for transportation-related initiatives.

No specific concerns were raised during this informational presentation, and the outcome was purely educational, ensuring that meeting participants were aware of the HIP fund allocation process and timeline under the Coronavirus Response & Relief Act.

MPO Area Transportation Studies

During agenda item 3, Kinsey Gleason provided updates on various transportation studies currently underway in the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) area 0:00.

The discussion focused on multiple ongoing transportation studies, with particular attention given to the Imagine Nicholasville Road study among other regional transportation planning initiatives. Gleason presented information about the current status and progress of these studies, which are designed to assess and improve transportation infrastructure and planning within the MPO's jurisdiction.

The presentation served as an informational update to keep MPO members informed about the various transportation planning efforts taking place across the region. These studies are part of the MPO's ongoing work to evaluate transportation needs, identify potential improvements, and develop long-term planning strategies for the area's transportation network.

The agenda item was structured as a discussion item, allowing for questions and dialogue about the various studies' progress and implications. The updates provided by Gleason helped ensure that all MPO participants remained current on the status of these important regional transportation planning initiatives.

This was an informational presentation with no formal action required from the MPO board. The discussion allowed members to stay informed about ongoing transportation planning efforts that will help guide future infrastructure decisions and investments in the region.