EASTERN SHORE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS
THE EASTERN SHORE – July 24, 2014 – The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board held a meeting on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at the Gathering Place in Spanish Fort, Alabama. The Policy Board is the governing body of the MPO.
Mayor Timothy Kant of Fairhope chaired the meeting and welcomed the Policy Board’s newest member, Commissioner Chris Elliott, representing Commission District 2 in Baldwin County.
The Policy Board first considered a discussion item regarding the development of a timeline for the use of MPO project funds. The MPO will receive approximately $15.7 million dollars over the course of several years and is required to schedule or budget these funds through the year 2025. The Technical Advisory Committee asked the Policy Board to establish a policy and parameters within which potential projects can be evaluated. Questions presented by the Policy Board included: Should funds be dedicated exclusively for capacity projects? Should the MPO consider maintenance projects? Should some percentage of funds be set aside for sidewalks? After a brief discussion the Policy Board agreed to hold a special meeting on August 27, 2014, at 10:00 AM at Daphne City Hall. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss how MPO funds should be spent.
Next the Policy Board considered adding a project to the MPO visionary/needs list for the resurfacing of County Road 13 from US 90 to County Road 64 and from State Route 104 to County Road 48. There was discussion regarding whether the project should include sidewalks or wide shoulders. The Policy Board concluded that the entire project, including wide shoulders and sidewalks, should be added to the Visionary List. If funds are insufficient to construct the whole project, various portions can be removed at that time. The Policy Board agreed to defer discussions relating to funding the project until after the August special meeting. Projects can be viewed on the MPO interactive project map available on the MPO website (http://easternshorempo.org/interactive-map/).
The Policy Board also amended the MPO Visionary List to add a County Road 13 interchange project and to amend the Bayway widening project currently on the list. The decision to add the County Road 13 interchange project came following the recent passage of a resolution by the City of Daphne supporting further investigation into the construction of an interchange at County Road 13. The changes to the Bayway widening project came following new cost estimates from the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) for the portion of the Mobile River bridge project within the Easter Shore MPO Planning Area. The Policy Board unanimously approved both changes to the Visionary List.
The Policy Board reviewed and approved the Draft Fiscal Year 2015 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) which serves as the planning and administrative budget for the MPO. The document was published for public comment at nineteen different locations throughout the Planning Area. No public comments were received. The final version will be published for public comment in August and September. The Policy Board also authorized MPO staff to seek an opinion from the Attorney General’s office regarding the use of bicycles on sidewalks.
The meeting concluded with a report from MPO staff regarding the Draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan, developments of regional impact, a property tax flow chart showing the amount of property taxes that go to the roadways, MPO livability indicators, and the possibility of utilizing an Alabama Improvement District to help fund the County Road 13 interchange project.
The next meeting of the Eastern Shore MPO Policy Board is scheduled for Wednesday, August 27, 2014, at 10:00 AM at Daphne City Hall. For more information regarding the Eastern Shore MPO please visit www.easternshorempo.org or email coordinator@easternshorempo.org.