SWRC Coalition Meeting
March 14, 2005
Minutes
Present: Smyth, Pearsall, Morris (for Schwartz), Bohannan, Lindley, Caywood, Haswell, Preising, and Friedson
Absent: Herr-Cardillo, Garey, Tevlin, Morse, Collins, and Gale
Remark: Remember Goodman-Schwartz is providing the Conference Room and Lunch. Thanks to those that RSVP’d that they would not be attending the meeting. In the future please RSVP to April Manchester (april@goodmanschwartz.com or (602)277-0911) so she can more accurately plan for the meeting room and lunch.
Calendar: April 11, 2005 – SWRC Coalition Core Team meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
April 12, 2005 – SWRC Coalition to participate in the Arizona Transit Association’s Annual Conference
May 9, 2005 – SWRC Coalition Core Team meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
June 13, 2005 – SWRC Coalition (Full Team) Meeting at Goodman-Schwartz
Action Items:
1) Coalition members to review the SWRC web site (www.southwestrail.org) and provide input to Bill Lindley
2) Smyth, Schwartz, Bohannan to develop a Power Point presentation for the AzTA Annual Conference
3) Pearsall to revise the “Corridor Passenger Rail Studies Summary” per input from March 13th meeting
4) Pearsall to revise the “State Funded Passenger Rail Systems, a 2005 summary per input from March 13th meeting
5) Schwartz to continue dialog with Harnish, Midwest High Speed Rail
6) Schwartz developing a financial plan for the SWRC Coalition to present to the Friends of Transit
7) Bohannan to contact Gene Skoropowski, CALTRAN relative to contacting the UP
Schwartz to set up a meeting with Clancy Jayne 9) Bohannan to contact Mack Luckie, Yuma MPO about joining the coalition
10) Schwartz/Morris to contact Valley Metro Rail about joining the coalition
11) Coalition members to provide Smyth a list of business leaders and others for the coalition to contact
12) Schwartz/Morris to contact John Anderson relative to Nogales
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 February 14th Project Core Team meeting.
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It was agreed to delay planning for web site back up to Lindley until the coalition has some funding.
- Pearsall presented the “Corridor Passenger Rail Studies Summary”. Pearsall and Lindley will revise the document per input from the meeting. The revision will include expanding the detail map to include more detail of the Tucson area and major highways.
- Pearsall presented the “State Funded Passenger Rail Systems, a 2005 summary”. Pearsall to revise per input from the meeting.
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Pearsall and Bohannan updated the team on the status of the Union Pacific Railroad’s Phoenix west line.
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Smyth reported a meeting with Jim Dickey, ADOT Public Transit Director . Dickey is supportive of passenger rail and the SWRC. Dickey plans to attend coalition meetings and provide input to the efforts.
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Smyth reported that he made a presentation on the SWRC to the Arizona Transit Association’s board of directors on March 13, 2005. AzTA was invited to join the SWRC Coalition. The AzTA board will discuss joining the SWRC Coalition and respond in April.
- Discussed who the coalition should be talking too. It was agreed that we should contact the Union Pacific Railroad. Bohannan took the action to contact Gene Skoropowski, CALTRAN for input of how best to approach the UP. It was agreed to meet with Clancy Jayne relative to his project near Florence. Schwartz is in the process of setting up a meeting with Jayne. Mack Luckie, Yuma MPO has indicated interest in the SWRC. Bohannan took the action to contact Luckie. All team member took the action item to identify business leaders and other to be contacted. The names will be provided to Jay Smyth for the Core Team to review, prioritize, and contact.
- The current members of the coalition are ARPA, NARP, RailPAC, FOT, Citizens for a Sensible Transportation Solution, HDR, Inc, Old Pueblo Trolley. It was agreed to ask Valley Metro Rail to join. Morris/Schwartz took the action item to contact Valley Metro Rail. Suggested that we contact Nogales. Morris/Schwartz to contact John Anderson AzTA as to a contact in Nogales.
- The need for an ADOT Major Investment Study for Rail was discussed. The coalition agrees this needs to be done but first we need to obtain political support and potential for funding to build and operate the rail line. At this time ADOT could not get authorization to contact the MIS.
Jay R. Smyth, PhD, PRP, PMP
Coordinator, SWRC Coalition