Submitted Public Comments - Hampton Roads Transportation ...
Submitted Public Comments - Hampton Roads Transportation ...
Submitted Public Comments - Hampton Roads Transportation ...
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Virginia language does not sufficiently recognize or support the state’s MPO<br />
organizations (this is especially unfortunate for the HRTPO, the largest MPO wholly in<br />
Virginia); (2) the state’s maintenance of two statewide <strong>Transportation</strong> Programs (STIP<br />
and SYIP) is confusing; it diminishes the role of regional MPOs in the programming<br />
process; it diminishes the value of the HRTPO’s TIP development efforts; it appears to<br />
be over costly to maintain two separate Programming documents; and is not adequately<br />
adherent to the intent of federal regulations. As supporting information, four<br />
documents are attached:<br />
a. JLARC Final Audit Report, <strong>Transportation</strong> Planning and Programming<br />
b. JLARC Audit, Agency Responses<br />
c. Overall JLARC Recommendations‐1<br />
d. MPO Point Paper 2009‐14, The STIP and the SYIP<br />
2. The Governor’s Letter of Designation of the HRTPO. The Governor’s letter of<br />
designation of the HRTPO needs to be updated (U.S.C. 23 CFR 450.310 refers). As<br />
supporting information, two documents are attached:<br />
a. Past history and continued need to issue updated Governor letters of<br />
Designation for HRTPO<br />
b. Currently effective HRTPO Designation letters<br />
3. The federally required Annual Obligations Report (AOR). Recommend new<br />
attention be paid to the statewide and the regional procedures being used to develop<br />
the Annual Obligations Report (23CFR450.332 Annual listing of obligated projects<br />
refers). This is the ultimate performance measure – did you effectively spend obligated<br />
dollars provided, or do you need to improve your sequencing of projects, find better<br />
ways to fill the project pipeline, introduce increased discipline to avoid parking funds<br />
on projects that are not or cannot advance, etc.? Because of unintelligible VDOT<br />
information provided by the state, some MPOs in Virginia have refused to post their<br />
AOR in the past. At present, the HRTPO’s AOR is posted for public review, but it<br />
contains so many unanswered questions, that it is useless. I believe that this is a major<br />
issue, one that if corrected, however, would bring great visibility, integrity and<br />
efficiency to the statewide and regional programming process, and it would be a<br />
corrective action that could finally enable all MPOs in Virginia to not be afraid of this<br />
AOR document and to begin to use it as the ultimate self‐measurement of programming<br />
efficiency. And, a new process could be developed that would be adherent to federal<br />
regulations as concerns the AOR. The text that is currently posted before the HRTPO<br />
AOR document makes the point—that text follows in italics below.<br />
HRTPO staff received the Virginia Department of Rail and <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Transportation</strong><br />
(DRPT) portion of the Annual Obligation Report on October 12, 2011. HRTPO staff<br />
reviewed the information submitted by DRPT and found no issues.<br />
HRTPO staff received the Virginia Department of <strong>Transportation</strong> (VDOT) portion of<br />
the Annual Obligation Report on November 29, 2011. HRTPO staff reviewed the<br />
information submitted by VDOT and compiled a list of issues that have been forwarded<br />
to VDOT for comment/resolution. In the interim, HRTPO staff posted the Annual<br />
Obligation Report on the HRTPO website on December 21, 2011, using the information<br />
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