HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-26-2013 (2) * �CITY OF � * CITY OF AUBURN
TRANSPORTATION;TRAN$IT
AND TRAILS COMMITTEE
* WASHINGTON dune26, 2013
MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Roger Thordarson called the meeting to,order at 9:00 a.m. in Conference Room #2,
located on the second floor ofAubum City Hall, One East Main Street, Aubum, Washington.
Committee memberspresentwere: Vice-Chair Nick,Perius, Lonnie Tealer, Michael Pratum, John
DanielsJr. and Jim Fletcher. Also present during the meeting were: Director Dennis Dowdy,
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Transportation Planner Joe Welsh, Office Assistant Molly Hoisington and citizen Scot Pondelick.
II. CONSENT AGENDA
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Committee approved the Transportation, Transit and Trails minutes for May 22, 2013. Minutes
were approved by consensus.
III. DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION ,
A. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE (Dowdy)
Director powdy was advised by Government Relations Manager Robertson that there isn't
much'happening currently except for the threat to close the state down and the fact that th"e
Legislature thinks they are close to solving the Operations Budget.
B. CITY SUMMER WORK PLAN (Dowdy)
Diredor:Dowdy distributed a handout which lists current and ongoing City projects. Director
Dowdy stated the.M Street Project is nearing completion and the City is in the process of
arranging a ribbon cutting ceremony roughly around mid July. The contractor will continue to
work on M Street after the ribbon cutting ceremony as 4he work under the oyerpass and within
the right of way are currently the main foduses in ortler to open M Street. This projed is on
schedule.
C. OTHER DISCUSSION
Member Daniels advised the Committee that the MIT survey is currently being conducted.
T�ansportation Planner Welsh stated Amtrak sent the City a draft of their final report. The final
report conclusions are not whatthe City would like to see specifically as it is not terribly
conclusive whetheran Amtrak station will be viable here in Auburn. One of thei�major findings
in the report is the fact that Aubum is so close to Tacoma and Tukwila and that it would actually
negatively impact the ridership of those two existing stations in the skip stop scenario (with
some trains stopping in Tukwila and some in Aubum). The City met with Amtrak last week and
asked them to consider it from a feasibility standpoint.
Transoortation. Transit. and Trails Committee June26. 2013
MINUTES
One interseting thing that was brought up by Amtrak was it looks like when every train stops
here in Aubum as well as Tukwila and Tacoma, there'is'abtuallya positive ridership gairtto the
system. However, Amtrak is working to reduce the travel time by ten minutes and in order to
stop in Auburn it would add five minutes to their schedule time between stopping, accelera4ion
and deceleration. If Amtrak is going to conducYa true feasibility study, the Ciry is asking
Amtrak to explain how to fix the time addition problem.
Director powdy stated the final meeting with Amtrak prior to publishing the version that goes
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back to the Legislature (which is due by the first of July) is tomorrow.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Transporta4ion, Transit, and Trails Gommittee,
the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
Approved this . �3 day of PG'r'O�� , 2013.
- �J7 I�W�4'�I I IU�� ti
Rog Thordarson Molly Ho ingtom
Chairman Public Works Department Office Assistant
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