August 25, 2022

            Present:          

            Guillermo Sillas                        City of Brawley

            Lily Falomir                             City of Calexico

            Jeorge Galvan                           City of Calipatria

            Abraham Campos                     City of El Centro

            Adriana Anguis                         City of Holtville

            Jesus Villegas                           City of Imperial

            Ramiro Barajas                         City of Westmorland

            Veronica Atondo                       County of Imperial

            Ismael Gomez                           Imperial Irrigation District

            Others:

            David Aguirre                           ICTC

            Virginia Mendoza                     ICTC   

            Marlene Flores                          ICTC

            Angela Delgadillo                     ICTC

            Phillip Ramirez                         City of Brawley

            Juan Manuel Cabrera                 City of Brawley

            Ana Gutierrez                           City of Brawley

            Livier Lau                                City of Calexico

            Felix De Leon                           City of El Centro

            Andres Miramontez                   City of El Centro

            Christian Rodriguez                   City of El Centro

            Alex Chavez                             City of Holtville

            Othon Mora                              City of Holtville

            Marco Coronel                          City of Imperial

            Jim Minnick                             County of Imperial

            Ismael Garcia                            County of Imperial

            Nicole Falvey                           Caltrans

            Alex Araiza                              Caltrans

            Rafael Reyes                            Caltrans

            Bryan Ott                                 Caltrans

            Nick Ventrilla                           Caltrans

            Anna Strahan                            Caltrans

            David Salgado                          SCAG

            Manuel Ortiz                            IID

            Yoli Viviana Sanchez                Health Program Coordinator

1.       The meeting was called to order at 10:04 a.m. A quorum was present, and introductions were made. There were no public comments made.

2.       Adopted resolution authorizing remote teleconference meeting in accordance with Assembly Bill 361. ICTC requested a motion to adopt. (Galvan/Campos). Motion Carried.

3.       A motion was made to adopt the minutes for June 23, 2022 (Atondo/Galvan) Motion Carried.

4.       2022 Walk to School Presentation:

(Presented by: Yoli Viviana Sanchez, Health Program Coordinator)

-          The benefits of children doing physical activity are building strong bones and muscles, reduces anxiety and depression, and reduces risk of diseases such as, cancer, heart disease, obesity, etc.

-          The benefits of walking to and from school are reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, contributes to their daily amount of exercise, and facilitates social bonds among peers and parents.

-          To implement Safe Routes to School: school districts faculty, law enforcement, city hall, students, parents, signs and banners, stickers, etc.

-          Walk Audits are a great tool in creating communities where residents can participate in making their vision of healthy, safe, walkable streets real.

-          Walk Audits on Streets Near the School: Identify school drop-off and pick-up areas, engage students in understanding their neighborhoods, lead to a reduction in traffic flow, and assist with attendance and tardiness issues.

-          Kit of Parts: The mission is to develop dynamic strategies to engage children in physical activity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

-          For more information on the Imperial County Safe Routes to School Project please contact Yoli Viviana Sanchez at Yoli Viviana Sanchez@co.imperial.ca.us

-          For more information, on the Kit of Parts please contact David Salgado at salgado@scag.ca.gov.

5.       2023 Active Transportation Program Regional Guidelines and 20 Point Scoring Methodology:

(Presented by: Virginia Mendoza & Marlene Flores)

-          ICTC staff forwards this item to the Technical Advisory Committee for discussion and recommendation to submit to the ICTC Management Committee and Commission after public comments, if any:

1.       Approve the following methodology for assigning points of the 2023 Active Transportation Program Regional Guidelines:

a.   20 points for projects that have been identified in an adopted local and/or regional plan; and

b.   Zero points for projects that have not been identified in an adopted local and/or regional plan.

-          A motion was made to approve the Active Transportation Program Regional Guidelines and 20 Point Scoring Methodology. (Falomir/Campos) Motion Carried.

6.       Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program 2022 Project Selection for Programming in – FFY 2025/2026:

(Presented by: Virginia Mendoza & Marlene Flores)

-          TAC members received a copy of both CMAQ and STBG Scoring and ranking of the projects in the last call for projects in addition to the highest-ranking list of projects not selected for funding. TAC members discussed and deliberated all possible ways of distributing the CMAQ and STBG funds in accordance with the CMAQ and STBG guidelines.

-          Based on the recommendation of the TAC members on August 25, 2022, the following recommendations were proposed:

-          Based on the recently completed Call for projects in 2022, and the selection of the next priority projects being minimal; the collective group opted to conduct a Mini Call for projects for CMAQ and STBG for FFY 2025-2026.

-          Every local agency will submit a project, whether it is an existing project, additional funds for existing projects or a new project; and

-          Taking into consideration all agencies and the amounts available for each program, TAC members recommended to keep project request amounts between $500 to $800 (federal request) and remind all local agencies of the minimum local match requirement of 11.47% for both CMAQ and STBG program funds. 

-          Local agencies please note that the request to use the “Expedited Project Selection Procedures” (EPSP) process will be an option if you have a project that needs to move forward.

-          A timeline was also created and distributed to all TAC Members.

7.       Proposed Distribution plan for the 2020 Cycles 3 & 2022 Cycle 4 Local Partnership Formulaic Program (LPP):

(Presented by: Virginia Mendoza & Marlene Flores)

-          ICTC staff forwards this item to the Technical Advisory Committee for discussion and recommendation to submit to the ICTC Management Committee and Commission after public comments, if any:

1.       Approve a Proposed Distribution Plan for the Local Partnership Formulaic Program funds.

a.    Cycle 3 Option #1 Population and Maintained Mileage Distribution Plan or

b.   Cycle 3 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan

c.    Cycle 4 Option #1 Population and Maintained Mileage Distribution Plan or;

d.   Cycle 4 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan

e.    Authorize staff to open Call for Projects for the Local Partnership Formulaic Program Cycle 3 and Cycle 4

2.       Authorize staff to submit the recommended projects to the California Transportation Commission (CTC).

-          A motion was made to approve Cycle 3 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan and Cycle 4 Option #2 Flat Distribution Plan. (Campos/Villegas) Motion Carried.

8.       Caltrans Updates / Announcements:

(Presented by: Rafael Reyes)

-          As part of the Calexico West POE Expansion project, SR-98 and Cesar Chavez Blvd were widened and improved to serve the expansion to the west

-          The project is expected to be “Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment” substantially completed and open to traffic in late 2022. The total project cost is estimated at $8.2 million.

-          SR-98 Widening Project: Constriction has restarted. A part of their executive team went out and met with Local Officials in the business community there to take in their suggestions.

-          The Stage 1 of the project completion date is by mid-November. The intent is to avoid further impacts on the holiday season. The subsequence stages are also planned to start to avoid the holiday season.

-          The construction team has had close coordination/communication with the business community to make sure that those start dates are done to minimize any future impacts.

9.       SCAG Updates / Announcements:

(Presented by: David Salgado)

-          2022 SCAG Regional Conference and General Assembly May 5-6, 2022: On May 5-6, local leaders from throughout Southern California will convene for SCAG’s 57th annual Regional Conference and General Assembly at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. This two-day conference will bring together state and local elected officials, CEOs, business and civic leaders, transportation and environmental stakeholders, local government staff, and others.

-          SCAG Regional Data Platform (RDP): The Regional Data Platform will standardize regionally significant datasets, provide opportunities for local partners to update their data in real-time, and draw insights from local trends. More specifically, it will be an online tool for SCAG and local jurisdictions to access data necessary.

-          Go Human Update Call for Application Released for Community Engagements Mini-Grants: On March 28, with support from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), SCAG released its Call for Applications for the Go Human Community Engagement Mini-Grants Program to support creative, community-driven traffic safety and engagement projects. SCAG will award up to $15,000 to 25 selected projects. To access the application or to learn more about the upcoming information sessions and eligibility, please visit the Go Human webpage. Applications are due Friday, April 29.

10.   Cities and County Planning / Public Works Updates:

-          No updates were given during the meeting.

11.   ICTC Updates / Announcements                                                                                               

  (Presented by ICTC Staff)

a.       Transit Planning Updates

- In the process of pursing Federal Transit Funding to reinstate the free fare program that was ongoing during the pandemic.

b.    Transportation Planning Updates 

12.   General Discussion / New Business

Next TAC meeting will be September 22, 2022 via Zoom at ICTC offices

13.   Meeting adjourned at 12:02 p.m.