To: TID Board Members
Date
: December 3, 2002Re: Director’s Report
Current Projects
The study process is proceeding. Management of Resource International’s consulting contract continues. The Year 2030 Certified Traffic delivered by ODOT to Resource was predicated on an erroneous network assumption. Correction of the network coding is underway by ODOT's consultant at their expense. This has presented a 4-5 week delay. Resource is recompiling the project schedule to determine the impact. In September the OKI Executive Committee authorized the OKI staff to conduct the air quality analysis required for the advancement of the Liberty Interchange to the Recommendations Section of the OKI Long Range Plan and thence to the OKI Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The OKI Executive Committee met November14 and amended both the OKI Long Range Plan and the OKI TIP to include the Liberty Interchange. The contract amendment to allow Resource International to subcontract the environmental analysis to the firm CH2M-Hill and the necessary aerial surveying to the firm Aerial Technologies, Inc. is nearing execution following TID Board approval October 14. The working group to oversee this project met again November 22.
The final report from Jordan Jones & Goulding on the visioning process has been distributed to the TID Board and those interviewed. The Final payment on the consultant contract has been made and the project is complete.
At the June TID Board meeting, a resolution to refund to ODOT a portion of the project administration charges for the Fox Highway in order to conclude the final agreement with ODOT for the outstanding financial closeout was tabled. Staff was directed to meet with ODOT regarding the funding. It was hoped that an agreement could be reached to allow the funds in question to be applied to the SR 747 widening project. I continue to coordinate with ODOT’s Central Office staff to bring this matter to a close.
A portion of the SR 747 Widening Project (see Item #2 below) has become active due to development pressures at the SR 747/Princeton Road intersection. Based on TID Board action October 14, a contract has been executed with the selected consultant, LJB Inc. to conduct the necessary analysis to produce preliminary cross-section plans and preliminary right-of-way plans so that the parties involved can map a course of action. Letters notifying property owners of imminent surveying have been sent, and the consultant effort is underway.
Future Projects
Discussions continue with Ron Davis, Airport Director, regarding the timeframe for the process of releasing the excess airport acreage for development, which in turn will support the roadway construction. See also Item 3 below.
The application to OKI for the necessary federal STP funding for the SR747 Widening Project from Tylersville Road to Princeton Road is in preparation. Greg Wilkens’ staff is preparing the cost estimate. Applications for this biennial funding window are due to OKI by December 6, 2002. Selected projects will be presented to OKI’s Executive Committee February 13, 2002.
As with SR 747 above, the window for OKI funding applies to this project as well. The initial application will be for the section from Symmes Road to Tylersville Road. It is believed that widening this Phase I segment will provide the necessary additional capacity to permit an access point for the Bobmeyer Road Extension/Butler County Airport Access. The Phase II segment will continue from Tylersville Road to the Michael A. Fox Highway. Both OKI applications are in process. Bayer Becker Engineers has prepared cost estimates for both sections.
At the October TID Board meeting, this item remained on the table pending resolution of funding issues.
This project would extend existing Washington Boulevard eastward across the Great Miami River to a yet-to-be determined roadway connection. Discussions continue regarding how this project might be accomplished. Initial concepts regarding the necessary economic development to support the roadway are evolving.
The study group looking into development opportunities among the communities in the area of the northern section of Bypass 4 met for the second time November 22 and reviewed mapping and land use resources. Participants include representatives from Hamilton, Fairfield, Fairfield Township, St. Clair Township, New Miami, Butler County Planning, the Butler County Engineer’s Office, the Airport, and me.
Contacts
Since the last meeting, I have had the following contacts:
James Battin, Ohio Department of Development
Melissa Koehler, West Chester Township
Numerous OKI Executive Committee members