SWRC Coalition Meeting
September 13, 2005 Minutes
Present: Smyth, Leister, Bohannan, Lindley,Milroy, Luckie, Preising, Morse, Pearsall, Schwartz, Caywood, Haswell
Absent: Garey, Herr-Cardillo, Tevlin, Collins
Calendar: October 19, 2005 - SWRC Coalition Core Team meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
December TBD, 2005 - SWRC Coalition Core Team meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
January TBD, 2006 - SWRC Coalition (Full Team) meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
April 2006 - Arizona Transit Association Annual Meeting - Commuter/Intercity Passenger Rail in Arizona
The following items were discussed during the meeting. Action items are included below.
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Smyth reviewed the action items from the August 30, 2005 Project Core Team meeting.
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Smyth reviewed the status of the Coalition’s efforts relative to the Project Charter. As of this date the Coalition is on plan.
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Smyth welcomed three new members of the Coalition:
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Arizona Transit Association (Roger Milroy)
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Yuma Metropolitan Planning Organization (Mack Luckie)
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Central Arizona Association of Governments (Bill Leister)
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Smyth reminded the Coalition the we have a web site (www.southwestrail.org) and suggested that all review the information available.
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Pearsall will be providing the Coalition members with a map of the key points within the Southwest Rail Corridor. (ACTION ITEM)
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Pearsall reported on the progress the new Public Transit Division (www.azdot.gov/ptd) has made in embracing passenger rail. Pearsall was brought into ADOT as a Senior Transportation Planner/Rail. ADOT has joined other state departments of transportation in the “States for Passenger Rail Coalition” This coalition will assist Arizona in getting Federal designated High-Speed Rail Corridor(s) in the state.
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Caywood reported on activities relative to passenger rail in the Tucson area.
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Pearsall provided an update on Amtrak.
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Smyth reported that the SWRC presented a workshop at the April 2005 AzTA Annual Meeting. The workshop was identified the best of the workshops presented. The 35-40 attended provided very positive feedback. AzTA has invited the Coalition to organize and moderate a symposium, “Commuter/Intercity Passenger Rail in Arizona” at the 2006 AzTA Annual Meeting. We plan to invite speakers from CA, NM, UT and CO to participate in the symposium. Roger Milroy reported that AzTA is planning a full day for the symposium. To support the symposium AzTA with the SWRC Coalition have applied for a $5000 grant from the American Public Transportation Association. We will know by the end of September if we will receive a grant.
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Bill Leister recommend that we explore presenting a workshop at the “Rural Transportation Summit at Rio Rico in January 2006. This will be considered by the Core Project Team. (ACTION ITEM)
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Bohannan reported on a meeting with Senator Thayer Verschoor, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. The Senator is supportive of commuter/intercity rail and requested information from the Coalition. Bohannan and Schwartz will be developing the required information the week of September 19th to forward to the Senator. (ACTION ITEM)
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Smyth reported that the Copper Basin Railway is in discussions with several people about running some passenger rail on its track. Currently excursion train are being considered. The management of Copper Basin Railway stated they would be interested in developing passenger rail over their tracks.
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Smyth reported that the New Mexico Rail Runner commuter train received its first cars on August 30th and are on track to be running by the end of the year.
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Bohannan reported that the City of Surprise passed a resolution that directed the City staff to begin working with State and County agencies, and other cities to encourage and support the develop of a statewide rail system. Bohannan has had a brief discussion with a member of the Surprise City Council and will be meeting with them in the near future. (ACTION ITEM)
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Morse presented a draft “white paper” as talking points in support of commuter rail in Maricopa County. After much discussion and input. Morse and Lindley to the action to revise the document based on this input. The next draft of this document will be presented to the Core Project Team at the October 19th meeting. (ACTION ITEM)
Jay OR. Smyth, PhD, PREP, POMP
Coordinator, SWRC Coalition