Minutes of a Public Meeting

 

PROFESSIONALLY PREPARED SUMMARY

OF A PUBLIC INPUT MEETING,

HELD IN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, FOR THE

GOVERNOR’S TRANSPORTATION VISION 21 TASK FORCE

5:20 p.m., Thursday, July 1, 1999

City of Flagstaff Council Chambers
211 West Aspen Avenue
Flagstaff, Arizona

The Governor’s Transportation Vision 21 Task Force met in official session for a Public Meeting at 5:20 p.m., Thursday, July 1, 1999 with Sharon Megdal presiding. Other members in attendance were Lisa Atkins, Robert Bulla, Patrick Carline, Paulson Chaco, Kurt Davis, Joe Herrick, John Mawhinney, Kevin Olson, Raul Pina, Barbara Ralston, Rene Redondo, Joe Shipman and Frank Thorwald. Also present were Stephanie Bondeson, ADOT Project Manager for the task force, John Carlson, Governor’s Transportation Advisor and Alan Maguire, Consultant, Maguire Company.

Welcome, Introductions

Dr. Sharon Megdal called the meeting to order and reviewed the agenda for the evening. Dr. Megdal introduced all members in attendance, as well as additional staff present and presented a brief history of the task force and its responsibilities.

Comments from Local Elected Officials and from the Public

Mr. Richard Jentesch, assistant city manager for community development in Page, was introduced. He spoke of Page’s high unemployment rate, high level of poverty and its remote location from needed services and employment centers as reasons that multimodal transportation policies, plans and strategies need to be coordinated with the state’s strategic plan for economic development. He stated the long range vision needs to include more emphasis and implementation of NAFTA or CANAMEX corridors and to include U.S. 89 north of Flagstaff. He feels the task force needs to look at the corridor of the Mid America Highway and the rail system that was originally presented in the ISTEA legislation. He suggested that the vision also include a regional airport in areas such as Page or Kayenta and other areas to serve the grand circle of national parks and northeast parts of the state. He explained that the region’s economy would benefit substantially from the creation of north-south and east-west crossings between the two major corridors, as well as supporting air and public transportation services.

Mr. Phillip Zahni spoke on the dangers on Highway 89 including that it is in need of maintenance, narrow, provides no rest areas and, in some areas, does not have any shoulder. Recreational vehicles travel the highway creating more danger. He further states that the current ADOT five-year plan does not have any maintenance or highway improvement in the schedule. He recommended that additional task force meetings be held in this region and that the task force be committed to representing the communities in northeastern Arizona.

Dr. Megdal requested that Mr. Zahni prepare statistics regarding any reductions in accidents due to the improvements made on 89 closer to Flagstaff. Mr. Zahni agreed to provide this information to Dr. Megdal.

Dr. Megdal introduced Councilman Steven Winward from Fredonia. Councilman Winward requested that the highway north of Fredonia to Kanab, Utah be increased to four lanes which would entail widening the bridge just north of Fredonia. He also suggested widening S.R. 389 one mile west of town towards St. George which would include widening the bridge across Kanab Creek. Another issue of concern brought up by Councilman Winward is that of bicyclists going from the national parks in the area down to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. He asked that the safety issues involved be reviewed and suggested the possibility of a bicycle route from the Arizona border to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

Mr. Michael Bluff inquired as to the possibility of allowing decisions concerning transportation planning, as it relates to economic development and growth in the area, be made at local levels. He commented that the transportation planning organization in his area works pretty effectively. He asked that additional planning monies be given to the region to help coordinate land use with transportation needs. On the subject of governance, he recommended that the board not increase in size for fear there would be too many voices and opinions. Another area Mr. Bluff spoke on was the transfer of the flight property tax monies for use in another area. He states that those funds are there for a reason and should not have been taken away. Additionally, Mr. Bluff encouraged the task force to recommend the use of toll roads. In conclusion, Mr. Bluff requested that the process of how money is filtered down from the state to rural areas be simplified. He stated that it should not be a complicated process and that rural communities, being reasonably intelligent people, should be able to understand it.

Dr. Megdal stated that the Verde Valley transportation planning committee does seem to work well for the region and suggested additional information about it be obtained for the task force.

Dr. Megdal introduced Yavapai County Board of Supervisors Chairman Chip Davis. Mr. Davis reiterated Mr. Bluff’s recommendation for local authority. He stated there have been instances where the regional transportation planners have approved a project only to have the planning division in Phoenix come up with ideas they are sure will work better. Mr. Davis feels the regional transportation planners know the local needs and traffic patterns and that their input should be considered. He also suggested that divisions within ADOT do not necessarily know what other divisions within ADOT are doing. Consequently, improvements or maintenance programs fail to materialize. In regards to funding, Mr. Davis suggested that regions as a whole raise part of the funds to help ADOT get area projects done. He stated if the cities in a region work together, they will presents a more unified voice and it will show the region’s commitment to the projects. He suggested that the state as a whole also adopt this philosophy. Another area Mr. Davis feels needs to be addressed is that of public transportation. In Yavapai County, he explained, they are adopting nonmotorized systems. They are trying to establish pedestrian, horseback and bicycle paths between communities.

Mr. Davis confirmed for Mr. Redondo that he would support decentralizing planning and putting it at the district level.

Mr. Carlin questioned whether Mr. Davis was satisfied with having one member on the State Transportation Board representing Mohave, La Paz, Yavapai and Yuma. Mr. Davis stated he feels every person on the board is fair, objective and open minded and that he is satisfied with their representation. Mr. Carlin further inquired as to whether Mr. Davis saw a benefit to each county having one member on the board. Mr. Davis said he could see merit in that and that it would be a good idea.

Mr. Herrick asked Mr. Davis where he envisioned funding coming from. Mr. Davis stated they have implemented a half cent sales tax, of which 80 percent has been allocated to go specifically for regional roads. Additionally, Yavapai County did impact fees of $1,100 per household in the Verde Valley and $1,200 in Prescott which are directed to the regional road program as well.

Ms. Judith Keane, Vice Mayor of Sedona, spoke on the special needs of areas of scenic beauty. She stated that preserving the scenic corridors requires some flexibility to highway standards whether it’s the width of lanes or medians or the rate of speed. Ms. Keane also discussed alternate forms of transportation. She expressed her hope that a real commitment be made to shuttle and transit systems. She said the idea has been presented to provide park and ride information centers to get visitors out of their cars and thereby lessening the burden on the roads. She also suggested a commuter service between communities. She states they are looking for private-public partnerships. Ms. Keane requested that in ADOT’s planning of highway improvements that it also look to enhance the roads in a community with trees, art and shuttle stops that invite people to stop, shop and enjoy the beauty.

Councilman Randy Lowe from Cottonwood reiterated the need for regional transit in the Verde Valley. He stated that a transit system along with bike lanes along the highways may avert some of the need for more and larger roadways. Councilman Lowe suggested the need for a quicker response from ADOT for signaling and signage. He cited an incident where a person died as a direct result of there not being a traffic signal at an intersection on Highway 89A in Cottonwood, even though the city had its portion of the funding for that signal available. He recommended more local autonomy on issues concerning traffic, signaling and signage.

Mr. Tom Chabin, Coconino County Board of Supervisors, stated he would like the issue of authority of counties to regulate minor land issues addressed. He also highlighted the fact that Coconino, while they have a sales tax authority, has to spend the money on operations. Coconino’s general fund is 15 million dollars less than Yavapai and Mohave Counties. He suggested serious consideration be given to giving counties fuel taxing authority.

Supervisor Elizabeth Archuleta provided a background of the Coconino County Board of Directors and its charge. She stated that in reference to governance, it is crucial that the State Board of Transportation continue to represent the interests of rural areas of the state with equanimity. In the area of planning and programming, she stated the Board of Supervisors supports coordinated planning efforts among all levels of government to create a consistent transportation system. The Board of Supervisors also encourages ADOT to fully support the implementation of the TEA-21 principles by encouraging not only new roadway construction projects, but also balancing this with pedestrian and bicycle facilities where appropriate. Supervisor Archuleta suggested that the cooperative efforts of the National Park Service U.S. Forest Service, ADOT and Coconino County in regards to the ongoing work at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Tusayan area within the S.R. 64 corridor serve as a model for other areas. Supervisor Archuleta encouraged the state to continue to provide and actively promote funding to correct substandard transportation facilities for the safety of all travelers. She stated, due to the decrease in the share of revenues from the U.S. Forest Service, Coconino County does not receive enough money to cover the cost of maintaining U.S. Forest Service roads that it maintains through cooperative agreements. She stated the Board of Supervisors requests new sources of revenue be identified to make up for this critical loss of funding. Supervisor Archuleta reiterated the point that the authority of the county to regulate land divisions must be strengthened so effective land use planning can be implemented. Supervisor Archuleta outlined a number of areas which the Board of Supervisors have identified as being priorities for improvement. She further highlighted a concern expressed to the Board of Supervisors from businesses and residents that every reasonable effort should be made to ensure that state and federal roadway facilities remain open and passable during the snow season. She encouraged the State, ADOT and the Department of Public Safety to review procedures and strategies utilized during these periods to see if improvements can be made to prevent extended closures.

Mr. Thorwald questioned Supervisor Archuleta as to the sources of funding she might suggest. She suggested looking at the authority to have a gas tax. She stated she would be willing to investigate other options and provide feedback at a later date.

Mr. Davis asked Supervisor Archuleta if she was at all concerned over the annual attempts by the legislature to alter the board. She stated they do feel adequately represented and are concerned over legislative attempts to alter that representation.

Mr. Shipman asked whether Coconino county would favor a local election for the gas tax in each county and also if they would like to see the state collect that tax and turn it back rather than each county doing the collection independently. Supervisor Archuleta referred these questions to Mr. Chabin who stated that putting the issue to the vote is fine, although he didn’t see the real need. He went on to say that he would definitely want the State to collect the tax as they are already set up to do so.

Mr. Thorwald questioned Mr. Chabin as to his opinion of the possibility of having a representative from each county on the Transportation Board. Mr. Chabin restated his fear that too many representatives could make decisions of the board far more political then they are now.

Dr. Rita Johnson, Vice Mayor, City of Flagstaff highlighted a few points from a summary of concerns which the task force will be receiving. She began by urging the task force to support equal regional representation on the Transportation Board. Second, she stressed their belief in and commitment to multimodal transportation. She stated the need for state roads to participate in their multimodal policy and for state resources to help with the implementation of their long-range regional land use and transportation plan, one of which they fully expect to be multimodal.

Mr. Libby Silva spoke in regards to aviation transportation. He stated that the Flagstaff airport does not currently meet FAA standards and strongly recommended the restoration of the State Aviation Fund to what it used to be.

Mr. Silva confirmed for Mr. Redondo that it is specifically the restoration of the flight property tax.

Mr. Ambrose Shepherd, Mayor of Ganado, suggested a study be done on the northeastern county to determine the percentage of HURF money generated on the Navajo Nation. He also asked that the task force support four lane improvements along S.R. 264 beginning at Saint Michaels and extending to the county line. Mayor Sheperd also asked for support in building another overpass and for resurfacing the Ganado bus loop.

Mr. Kee T. Yazzie spoke regarding bike paths, multipurpose paths, landscaping, rest areas, streetlights and signal lights. He stated they are looking for other sources of funding including through NACOG. He explained that the proposal which traded federal Highway Trust Funds allocated to local governments for Highway User Revenue Funds caused the Indian tribes to become ineligible for HURF funds. He stated the Navajo Nation has requested, but has not been provided guidelines on the swap. He recommended that ADOT’s response that the tribes may apply through the federal aid process is not acceptable. The restrictions involving functional classifications automatically disqualify Indian reservation roads. He suggested another solution be found to improve the Indian reservation roads. He further suggested a closer working relationship between ADOT and the Navajo Nation be established. Mr. Yazzie provided a brief background on the 1.5 million dollars of highway trust funds for maintenance of county school bus roads. He stated the Navajo Nation local chapters are continually questioning methods used by the State and the counties for the use of these funds. The Navajo Nation has expressed dissatisfaction with the TEA-21 language which requires equal distribution of the funds to three states. They state the inequity is that Arizona has three counties to allocate to, where as New Mexico has two and Utah has one.

Mr. Chaco commented that there are very complex issues facing the Navajo Department of Transportation including an arbitration provision if the Navajo Nation enters into an agreement with the State of Arizona, and the willingness of the Navajo Nation to give up its right of way so that the state can maintain roads on the Navajo Nation.

Mayor Bob Halliday urged the task force, when considering advancing highway systems, new roads and making roads wider, to consider the aspect of traffic management and traffic enforcement.

Dr. Megdal asked that Mayor Halliday provide specific recommendations to help integrate safety enforcement aspects into the recommendations made by the task force.

Mr. David Maurer spoke regarding multimodal transportation. He stated air service is important to rural areas and suggested the Department of Commerce play a proactive role in assisting cities in recruiting new airlines. He further mentioned the use of passenger rail service and asked that the importance of Amtrak and its service be noted.

(Recess from 7:28 p.m. to 7:51 p.m.)

Mr. Dale Robertson talked about the importance of mass transit as an integral part of the overall transportation system in towns like Sedona. He briefly described the serious traffic problems in Sedona and suggested ways in which the State can help. Mr. Robertson suggests that the State act as venture capitalists to provide seed money for cities to initiate a mass transit system.

Mr. Mawhinney questioned whether Sedona can have an election to have a sales tax for mass transit. Mr. Shipman confirmed that they can. Mr. Robertson stated they currently have a city sales tax, but it is being used to solve other problems.

Mr. Thorwald suggested looking to Colorado’s ski areas as models for mass transit.

Mr. Shipman explained that in 1998 the legislature passed a bill which provided a share of the vehicle license tax to all cities and counties in the state. Additionally, the ADOT Board has authorized five million dollars which is coming out of STP flex funds. In regards to this, Mr. Shipman stated that the State may already be moving in the direction of mass transit and that the task force may be able to encourage them to move more aggressively.

Ms. Chatherine Moore submitted a copy of a study done for Sedona by the Action Coalition for Transportation Solutions (ACTS). She stated they are hiring a consultant to help issue an RFP to the public to help design a self-sustaining shuttle system.

Dr. Megdal asked that the task force be kept abreast of the developments of ACTS and its progress.

Ms. Mae Franklin expressed her concerns about the impacts of Grand Canyon’s implementation of its general management plan on the county and specifically on Cameron. She asked that the task force support the Williams to Cameron corridor study being conducted by ADOT.

Mr. Jeff Swan touched on the problem of storms in rural areas where states of emergency are declared and where people are having to wait until roads are frozen so they can get to where they are going. Mr. Sanders urged a continuing outreach program with the tribes that recognizes cultural and political differences. He also suggested telecommunications as an alternative form of transportation as a means of getting school busses of the road.

Mr. Swan briefly described for Mr. Thorwald the BIA funding the tribes get.

Mr. Don Dorman explained some of the problems faced by ADOT, including limitations placed on them and inadequate funding.

Mr. Dorman explained for Mr. Thorwald the innovative ideas being tried in California to generate funding.

Mr. Chris Fetzer from NACOG stated that the regional council took action on the VLT reduction and adamantly opposed it. He noted that the Grand Canyon is moving forward with the implementation of a light rail system with the intent to essentially eliminate private autos for all day visitors.

Mr. Olson commented that the votes needed to provide additional resources have to come from the urban areas and that the perception of the urban areas is that inadequate resources are the result of the structure of the State Transportation Board. He recommended that rural areas need to carefully think about the reality of inadequate resources and the need for a perception of fairness, not only among the rural areas, but also in the urban areas in order to provide resources.

Mr. Davis stated that there also has to be acknowledgement in the urban areas of the fear of the legislature coming in and wanting to modify a structure that is supposed to consider the state as a whole.

Mr. Ron Spinar provided attendees with two issue papers from the MPO and briefly discussed the contents of each. The first was the regional transportation issues paper listing issues facing the Flagstaff region pertinent to each subject. The second paper was a multimodal issue paper which provided a more detailed explanation of issues that have been discussed as part of the Flagstaff area regional land use and transportation plan.

Mr. Thorwald presented a document from the City of Show Low regarding the census and DES formulas and what they feel their needs are going to be over the next 20 years. He also cites the Pinetop Crossing project as an example of how ADOT falls short of and actually hurts the economic growth of a community. Lastly, Mr. Thorwald requested that task force members have input in the selection of where hearings are held in the future, input in how evaluation plans are developed and the structure of reports, as well as other people they would like to see present at different meetings around the state.

Closing comments and adjournment.

The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

SHARON MEDGAL, Co-Chairperson

A complete transcript of this meeting is available for review, upon request.