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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-20-2001 Meeting RAILWAY TRAFFIC SUBCOMMITTEE COMJ\tlITTEE ROOM - June 20,2001 11 :30 a.m. I PRESENT: B. Young, Mayor, S. Shepard, Chairman, L. Beard, W. Mays, M. Williams members, G. Kolb, Administrator, V. Flournoy, Staff Attorney, M. Henry, Norfolk Southern, T. Smith, Director PW, J. Huffstetler, PW, G. Patty, P&Z, L. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, M. Gibbons, Mayors Office. MEDIA: H. Coryell, Augusta Chronicle, D. Benn, Channel 12,G. Eskola, Channel 6. Discuss payment of Hydra Switches. Mr. Mays: So move to receive as information the Railroad Hydra Switches- Post Improvement Analysis. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion carriies with Mr. Williams out Discuss 6th Street Safety Corridor Improvements. Mr. Shepard: I'll ask Mr. Huffstetler to talk to us about what we're planning on 6th Street. For the benefit of the Administrator and to remind the Committee members we were able to put some money in the SPLOST for improving 6th Street in addition to what we've already done. I Mr. Huffstetler presented the Committee with the Proj ect Concept Report on the 6th Street Corridor Improvements Report. After further discussion and review, Mr. Mays: So move to adopt and refer to the Engineering Services Committee. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion carries 3-0 with Mr. Williams out. Discuss AMTRAK Strategy. Mr. Young: This is what I know is under way. Senators Miller and Cleland have put in a request to the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee for that funding. And I have corresponded with Mayors Coble and Riley urging them to follow up with Senators Thurmond and Hollins to do the same thing. I'll be meeting with Bob Goble and Joe Riley later this week and discuss this more. I have a letter from Senator Miller with his involvement in that. It will be an uphill fight to get the money because we I I missed the April 30 deadline by which all these budget request were supposed to be in so they're trying to get it as an add on to the Transportation Appropriations Bill. The Intermodula Terminal Facility a place where a train could pickup people and integrate it with busses and what not. We looked at some sites when the AMTRAK people were here the only thing that I'm aware is that we have added Augusta Regional Transportation Improvement Program so it's in there as an item that at some point will be eligible for some funding. I think Heyward has done some things but I'm not sure what. Mr. Kolb: Heyward hasn't done any more than that. He is prepared to approach NTA, I believe to request the funding at the appropriate time. As it stands we have sat down and decided that we need to strategize and do some things to push this forward and move Augusta up on the list. I Mr. Young: Some of the sites we looked at might have potential for a Brownsfield Grant from EPA to do an assessment since it's over by the old rail yard. So as we narrow our choices for this terminal we might want to consider applying for a Brownsfield Grant for that. As far as AMTRAK service itself, I talked to Jay McArthur and he's working on the numbers for proving a dedicated bus from here to the terminal in Columbia we should have those figures fairly shortly. Heyward Johnson likewise is researching the cost to provide the service should we chose to do it through the Augusta Transit Department. They used a private contractor in South Carolina who has provided a subsidy and since the pickup will be going to the terminal in Columbia he thought it might we appropriate to approach them and have them do the service under their existing subsidy. So somebody else would be paying for the service. We'll wait to get those numbers back from Jay. I've had a preliminary discussion with the Aviation Commission Chairman about using the airport terminal as a point for the bus to pickup because the parking infrastructure is there, the security is there and all those other issues. These are things I know have happened, there maybe others subsequent to the AMTRAK visit that I'm not aware of. A couple of things that I think we need to work on and probably want to make some assignments with Commissioners, committees or staff people. We need to move forward with our congressional members on the funding for the funding for the Charleston-Atlanta corridor study, that's Norwood and Brown and those folk. Once we get the commitment from the federal government for funding then we can work with the representatives in the Georgia and South Carolina General Assemblies to get the local match because the federal government will pay 50% and they'll look for a local match of 50%. Certainly we'll look to the State government. I also want to work on the demonstration train that we talked about and AMTRAK is willing to do. And I think another thing that we should do to help ourselves politically is to build a corridor alliance with the Mayors and Commissioners and Council members of those other cities. I Mr. Shepard: The way we structured this is that we are a subcommittee of Engineering Services so I think that we'll make our recommendations to the Engineering Services Committee and move it on that way. Mr. Kolb: We have formed a project team at the staff level and we had our first meeting on June 15 and I would like to submit as information a suggested task list that we feel should be undertaken in order to get there. I think it correlates with what the Mayor said the work plan should be in the short term. I Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, I would like to make this observation, the Columbia- Atlanta Corridor Collation since the corridor that's designated in the federal is the Atlanta-Charleston would it not be appropriate to be the Atlanta-Augusta-Columbia- Charleston maybe to solicit a little more across the river support? I think they have taken up the part of the tracks. If they run it I think it would have to be part of that route through Columbia. Mr. Mayor: 'rVe certainly do. Mr. Shepard: Can we have a motion to recommend the Mayors course of action to the Engineering Services Committee which involves writing our Congressional delegation which I have done, seeking a local match for the planning grant, sponsoring a demonstration train and being the founder of the Atlanta-Augusta-Columbia-Charleston corridor alliance. Mr. Williams: So move Mr. Chairman. Motion carried unanimously. I Mr. Mays: Second. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission Ibb I