Consent 1.E.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 08/28/2017
- TITLE
- 2018 Unifed Planning Work Program (UPWP)
- PRESENTED BY:
- Scott Walker
- Department:
- Planning & Community Services
Presentation:
No
PROBLEM/ISSUE STATEMENT
The City-County Planning Division is presenting the 2018 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for the Billings Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for City Council review and recommendation to the Billings Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC). The UPWP is primarily for the purpose of programming the federal dollars that Billings receives from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for transportation planning and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for transit (MET) planning. These funds are passed through the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). All transportation planning activities are included in the UPWP so that it represents a comprehensive document for the urban transportation planning program. This UPWP proposes planning activities for Federal Fiscal Year 2018, which runs from October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018.
This UPWP corresponds directly with the Planning Division’s annual work plan. The significant changes in this year’s program include completing the update of the 2014 Transportation Plan, completing the Billings Traffic Model, updating the Billings MPO's Public Participation Plan, and completing the Downtown Area Traffic Circulation and Safety Study. The Transit section is Chapter II of the UPWP. The document is consistent with past programs in its content and format.
This UPWP corresponds directly with the Planning Division’s annual work plan. The significant changes in this year’s program include completing the update of the 2014 Transportation Plan, completing the Billings Traffic Model, updating the Billings MPO's Public Participation Plan, and completing the Downtown Area Traffic Circulation and Safety Study. The Transit section is Chapter II of the UPWP. The document is consistent with past programs in its content and format.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED
The City Council may:
- Accept the program (recommended) and instruct PCC Designee Council Member Brewster to give a positive recommendation to PCC; or
- Make amendments to the program document and instruct Council Member Brewster to give a positive recommendation with amendments to PCC; or
- Reject the plan and instruct Council Member Brewster to give a negative recommendation to PCC. Rejection of the UPWP would mean a significant reduction in funding to complete planning activities in Billings and Yellowstone County, and would affect staff, resources, future transportation planning processes and programs.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the 2018 UPWP allows the City to access Federal funds for transportation planning in the community. Federal and local funds are combined to provide most of the planning work done by the Planning Division for the City and the County. If the UPWP is not approved there would be a significant loss of resources for community planning and the community's ability to manage transportation planning projects and programs would be severely limited. The breakdown of funding sources for the FY2018 UPWP is estimated below:
- $230,000 Planning Dept. Fee Revenue (City of Billings)
- $44,000 Planning Dept. Fee Revenue (Yellowstone County)
- $470,000 Yellowstone County Planning Levy
- $1,340,500 Federal Planning (PL) Allocation
RECOMMENDATION
The Technical Advisory Committee recommends that the City Council approve the 2018 UPWP and instruct Council Member Brewster to carry the recommendation to the PCC meeting on September 12th.