SWRC Coalition Core Project Team Meeting
June 30, 2005
Minutes
Present: Smyth, Schwartz, Bohannan, Herr-Cardillo (by phone), Pearsall, and Gondron (for Milroy)
Absent: Tevlin and Gary
Calendar: July 7, 2005, Meeting with Thayer Verschoor ; Bohannan, Schwartz, and Goodman to represent SWRC.
Late August, 2005 (TBD, April Manchester to set up) - SWRC Coalition Core Team meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
Sept, 2005 (date TBD, April Manchester reschedule) - SWRC Coalition (Full Team) Meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
Action Items: 1) Bohannan to contact Gene Skoropowski, CALTRAN relative to contacting the UP and extension of passenger rail to India.
2)Schwartz working with Valley Metro Rail to join the coalition.
3) Bohannan to contact Bill Lester (sp?) Central Arizona Association of Governments (Pinal and Gila counties) about joining the coalition.
4) Herr-Cardillo, Farley and Caywood continue to develop/identify a “champion” in the Tucson area.
5) Smyth to contact Mack Luckie, YMPO and invite to join coalition.
6) Smyth and Jeff Cooley to meet with Gilbert officials in August.
7) Schwartz to set up a meeting with Rock Arnett and Ken Driggs relative to east valley interest in passenger rail.
Smyth to contact Jake Jacobson relative to passenger rail on the Copper Basin Railway. 9) Schwartz to follow up on Kimley-Horn meeting.
10) Schwarz to contact other consultants/engineering firms about interest in the coalition
The following items were discussed during the meeting. Action items are listed above.
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Smyth reviewed the status of action items from the May 9, 2005 Core Team meeting.
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The Arizona Transit Association (AzTA) has joined the SWRC Coalition and will be a member of the core team. Roger Milroy will be their representative.
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AzTA will host a session on passenger rail at their April 2006 Annual meeting in Tempe. SWRC will work with them to bring in speaker from other states.
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Smyth presentated an update on the New Mexico Commuter Rail project. They are currently negotiating with an operator, letting construction bids for the stations, and initial passenger cars were rolled out at Bombardier.
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Bohannan reported that Amtrak is status quo. The house approved ~$1.2M.
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Smyth reported that the ADOT Public Transportation Division has a new web site (www.azdot.gov/ptd) and all should check this reqularly. It was also reported that Marc Pearsall is now a Senior Transportation Planner/Rail for the ADOT PTD.
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Smyth reported on the Front Range (Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico) passenger rail efforts. The SWRC needs to stay up with this effort.
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The team discussed the Southeast Valley growth, rail interest, and the Copper Basin Railway. Several meetings with key people in the Southest Valley are being planned.
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Smyth reported that contacts in California stated that little is being done on the extention of passenger rail to Indio. The state is too busy with the increase in passenger on the currently corridors. We will be contacting Gene Skoropowski, CALTRAN (see action items) to get more information on this topic.
Jay R. Smyth, PhD, PRP, PMP
Coordinator, SWRC Coalition