Title
A Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Agreement for Transportation Planning and Programming between the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, and the City of Colorado Springs
Presenter:
Brian Vitulli, Transit Planning Supervisor
Body
Summary:
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG), the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and the City of Colorado Springs by and through its transit operator Mountain Metropolitan Transit (CITY) regarding transportation planning and programming in the Pikes Peak Transportation Management Area is proposed to be approved.
Previous Council Action:
City Council last passed a resolution (155-10) approving the MOA between PPACG and CITY on September 14, 2010. This clarified the roles and responsibilities of the City by and through Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT) and the PPACG as they relate to transit planning as part of the comprehensive transportation planning process in the Colorado Springs area.
Background:
PPACG, in cooperation with CDOT and the operators of publicly owned transit services (in this case, MMT), is responsible for the metropolitan transportation planning and programming process within the boundaries of the PPACG Metropolitan Planning Organization. This responsibility includes preparing and adopting, in a manner consistent with this MOA, all required Regional Transportation Plans (RTPs), Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs), Unified Planning Work Programs (UPWPs) and documents of the metropolitan transportation planning and programming process.
With this MOA, the PPACG, CDOT, and CITY agree to participate in the continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive performance-based multimodal metropolitan transportation planning and programming process in accordance with applicable federal and state law and regulations. The parties to this MOA also agree to cooperate to establish effective mechanisms to meet the needs of the metropolitan transportation planning and programming process and to fulfill commitments established pursuant to this MOA. While it is recognized that the parties are ultimately bound by the actions of their respective agencies, they commit to present within their organizations the recommendations resulting from the metropolitan transportation planning and programming process.
The primary difference between the existing MOA and the proposed version presented to Council at their May 7, 2018 work session is the inclusion of CDOT as a party to the agreement. Additionally, new federal regulations identified in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act require joint agreements between each Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), public transit providers, and state DOTs. This new, three-party agreement will supersede the two separate, existing agreements between PPACG and CDOT; and PPACG and the City. The new agreement also specifies the responsibilities for cooperatively carrying out transportation planning and programming, including activities related to transportation system performance. Finally, the transit planning functions identified and practiced in the current MOA have been incorporated into the new MOA.
The PPACG, CDOT, and our federal transportation partners - Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration - support the proposed MOA. This MOA will replace the MOA approved by City Council in 2010.
This proposed MOA revision and extension is consistent with City Strategic Plan Initiative 2C-04: Improve and expand transit services.
Financial Implications:
N/A
Board/Commission Recommendation:
N/A
Stakeholder Process:
MMT staff has coordinated with the PPACG and CDOT to negotiate an agreement that specifies the responsibilities for cooperatively carrying out transportation planning and programming in the Pikes Peak Transportation Management Area.
Alternatives:
City Council does not approve the attached resolution, disallowing CITY to be a party to this joint MOA. This could result in the potential loss of transportation funding opportunities.
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
Move to approve the resolution as presented.
Summary of Ordinance Language
N/A