Southwest Rail Corridor Coalition

Southwest Rail Corridor Coalition Meeting

January 25, 2007

Minutes

Present: Haswell (ARPA, OPT), Lindley (ARPA), Wallace (MAG), Leister (CAAG), Pearsall (ADOT), Gobelle (PB Americas), Dorwart (Stantec), Milroy (Gannett Fleming), Thomas (self), Preising (ARPA), Collins (HDR), Singelakis (Tucson DOT), Caywood (ARPA, OPT), and Smyth (Coordinator). Plus three special quests: Steve Farley, Rep Dist 28, Jackie Thrasher, Rep Dist 10, and Lena Saradnik, Rep Dist 26.

Calendar:

• February 21, 2007 - AzTA Legislative Conference
• March 9, 2007 - FOT Annual Conference
• March 22, 2007 - Core Project Team Meeting
• May TBD, 2007 - SWRC Coalition (Full Team) Meeting
• Fall 2007 - SWRC/ARPA/AzTA Passenger Rail Symposium

The following items were discussed during the meeting.

• Smyth introduce the following new Coalition members - Arizona Department of Transportation, Goodman-Schwartz, Pima Association of Governments, and Tucson Department of Transportation
• Smyth reported on several meetings the Coalition leadership participated in.
• Smyth lead a discussion on increasing the professional standing of the Coalition. Two options were discussed; 1) Working closer with AzTA or FOT, using their professional staff to assist in marketing the idea of passenger rail along the SWRC and meeting the right people to get support for the SWRC, or 2) Bringing on board an Executive Director with the ability to market the SWRC and has connection to people to support the SWRC. Eric Emmert, Dorn Policy Group, Inc. has shown some interest. Smyth and the Core Team will continue to work this issue.
• Smyth reported that planning for the Fall 2007 SWRC/ARPA/AzTA Passenger Rail Symposium will start soon. Smyth to meet with Jim Dickey, ADOT to develop theme and outline program.
• Smyth reported that the Rural Transportation Summit coordinated by Bill Leister, GAAG was very successful. The summit was very friendly to passenger rail. Jim Dickey unveiled ADOTs goal of developing passenger between Phoenix and Tucson by Febrary 14, 2012.
• Smyth provided a summary of rail planning/thinking for the four counties in the Coalition as provide by the COGs. Then each COG discussed passenger rail efforts in the area.
  1. YMPO - Mack Luckie was absent
  2. MAG Kevin Wallace discussed the status of the MAG Commuter Rail Strategic Plan. The effort covers most of Maricopa County and the north east portion of Pinal County down to Eloy. MAG and the consultants are finalizing the work statement and the effort should begin by the end of January. The first phase is one year. If phase one is positive they will proceed to phase two, developing the implementation plan for commuter rail along corridors identified in phase 1.
  3. CAAG - Bill Leister stated the Pinal is a bit behind MAG, but are an active part of MAG’s Commuter Rail Strategic Plan
  4. PAG - Tom Fisher was absent, and Gene Caywood reported for Fisher that PAG is serious about commuter rail in the Tucson area and are currently looking at this mode of transportation.
• Pearsall reported that the State of Arizona Railroad Inventory & Assessment is on schedule and a report on CD will be available March 1, 2007. He also reported on the Governor’s Executive Order, Expanding Arizona’s Transportation Options (all present were provided a copy) in which passenger rail is a key element. As part of the response to the Governor’s directive in the Executive Order ADOT will be developing a Phoenix to Tucson High Speed Strategic Plan. A request for bid to develop the Strategic Plan went out late January with a quick turn time. Consultants will be selected in February with initial input by early April. By October 2007 it will be determined if the Phoenix to Tucson passenger rail service is a go or no-go.
• Steve Farley lead the discussion as to the legislatures support of commuter rail and passenger rail between Phoenix and Tucson. The three legislators in attendance are very supportive of passenger rail and will be working with other legislators to support passenger rail. They will be following the Governor’s lead and bring the necessary bills to the legislators when it is appropriate. Two action items developed out of this discussion. 1) The coalition directed the Project Core team to call a meeting of FOT, AzTA, ARPA, and SWRC Coalition, and develop a common position on commuter and passenger rail between Tucson and Phoenix. Smyth and Schwartz will address this. 2) The legislators asked the SWRC Coalition to analysis the members of the House Transportation Committee in the area of who supports them. Then go talk to their supports about passenger rail. Smyth with discuss this with Schwartz
• Smyth reported that the Core Team is updating the Project Charter by first identifying the key issues.

Jay R. Smyth, PhD, PRP

Coordinator, SWRC Coalition