Metropolitan Planning Organization - Regular Meeting

I will go ahead and call to order our Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board meeting on October 22nd of 2025. Um, first we will have our invocation and pledge led by our director of public works, Mr. Dwayne Archer. If you would please rise. Yeah, please join me in prayer. Father God, we thank you for this time that we have together. We thank you for these incredible communities that we are blessed to serve. We just ask that you continue to be with us, that you give us guidance as decisions are made. And we just praise you for it. In the holy name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Amen. Join me in the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Dwayne. Um, next on the agenda is citizen comment. I do not have any speaker cards. Are there any citizens here that would like to make a comment and fill out a card afterwards? Seeing none, I will move on to our consent agenda. Let's please consider the approval of our June 11th, 2025 meeting minutes. Do I have any questions, concerns, or a motion to approve the consent agenda? Make a motion that we approve the consent agenda. I have a motion. Do I have a second?

Second. All in favor, please say I. Any opposed. Consent agenda is approved. We'll move on to presentation and discussion on work to be done in fiscal year 2026. Mr. McBride.

Thank you, Mayor. So, I'd like to present to the slide our goals and uh initiatives for this year, what we'll be completing in fiscal year uh starting and hopefully completing some of the stuff in fiscal year 26. Uh first off, we are working uh to solicit for our complete street guidelines and recommendations document. Getting assistance from our consultant team to um assist in developing this document for the region looking at um all of our streets within our network to identify uh specifically what streets could be um complete streets and kind of give some guidance on how to um potentially get these to um come to fruition. provide also recommendations on area funding. Um, additionally, um, how it can play into our network to ensure that we're, um, providing a different mode of transportation or an alternative way within our area. And so, that will be completed this fiscal year. Uh, additionally, we're going to begin street area study. So, we are working on the scope of service right now for that. That one might blend into the fiscal year 27. Uh, like I've said, our we are a two-year work program. and so our twoear fis f two fiscal year work program. So uh that might blend depending on the consultant's timeline when we get them on board. Um but really excited to do the four street study area. It's always my cup of tea to uh facilitate public involvement. Um and I think this will be a necessary one for our region. I

think there will be a lot of public involvement.

There will be a lot of public involvement. Yes, ma'am. Um so additionally um we're going to do our transportation improvement program or our TIP. This outlines the four-year actual program projects. Uh so the uh the highways and roadways that are going to be under construction over the next four years um pending uh funding and all the necessary necessities in order to um get the projects up and running. Additionally, we'll be looking at our performance metrics. This our annual performance metric of safety. We'll be adopting that in February. And lastly, we'll be doing our normal closeout for fiscure 25. And with that, that's what we're kind of working on. It's very brief slide, but there's a lot of work behind the scenes to get this. It's just kind of a high level what we'll be doing. Just kind of let the board know exactly what we'll be doing in house. Um what's at the staff level. So if there's any questions, I'd be happy to answer any.

Any questions or discussion? Uh we'll move on to the next agenda item, discussion regarding rep prioritization of funding for uh state highway 149 and spur 63. So, uh, the next discussion or the next item on the agenda, I want to outline a couple projects that are within our long range plan. Uh, specifically this, uh, Spur 63 widening project. It's right outside here. Uh, some of you might have seen it on our way in from, uh, the Tyler area or crossed it over from the Gladewater White Oak or even potentially Hall used, uh, this kind of this area because this city hall sits right right east of it. Um so currently um under development is this project of uh widening this area and uh we've come looked at some preliminary haven't gone into uh any sort of dive into any sort of public uh involvement on it. Uh but just it's been identified as a need within our 25-y year uh transportation plan. And um just want to can show you when I'm talking about this, this is the area I'm specifically talking about. Um, if you need a point of reference, uh, city hall is just to the east. The green, uh, is to the south. You can kind of see. And if you go work your, uh, further north, you can see Highway 80 or what we call West Marshall, um, because it's in city limits. The next is State Highway 149. The section that I'm specifically talking about is um, right before that traffic signal or south of traffic signal on Estus Drive. Um, and just kind of it's not picture, but north of Cisco. Um, no, I'm not trying to, uh, advertise any sort of business. It's just for point of reference. Uh, it's right next to the Walmart off of Estus. Um, if you're familiar with this area, uh, Eastman's further to the east. Um, it's just kind of obviously for purpose. Uh, it's I have to zoom in. Um, and south of I20. And so these two projects have been

identified as the first one being a widening. The second one, uh, state highway 149 has been, uh, discussed specifically at the policy board level. I've gotten a direction from the policy board level to look at how to advance, um, a potential overpass over the railroad. Um, specifically, uh, cutting right and center of where this line's drawing. um from a safety uh perspective as well as um future development happening in that area. Uh I've mentioned uh when Eastman was potentially developing their recycling facility. I haven't heard um any future movement on that. Uh but it's always a project that was identified potentially happening out there. Uh also custom commodity that was a groundbreaking out there. Um, so those are two of the some major things and I'm going point out custom commodity because that's kind of that they uh that's the balls a little bit further going down on that one. they are um use the rail a lot more and so the the the hesitation or the aspect from the the citizens is that they are concerned about the the train being blocked um and so or blocking the road because it's an adgrade crossing and so from our approach looking at staff and our TAC level or technical advisory committee level we were looking how that causing a huge safety issue for our um constituents in the south uh specifically Lakeport as well as anyone traveling from um you know Tatum or Henderson um it's a welltraveled route um through freight and all the all the sorts and having that at great crossing is very concerning to me um just thinking about there's two major hospitals in Long View that a lot of that community go to for service and so um thinking it's a great opportunity to

kind of discuss that um currently we are we have uh spur 63 as um working on developing, but we want to shift that funding that was that we did use for that. We want to move that to state highway 149 because we see that as more as a current pressing issue. Yes, spur 63 still needs to be widened. However, with this safety issue, we feel like it's more pressing and we think it would be a better use of our dollars to start getting this up and running uh so we can start getting it to construction a lot quicker than uh the Spur 63. Um like I mentioned before, um you got the growth going in in the south. Um we're looking at we're not getting rid of the Spur 63 project. We're just going to shift it down the list a little bit. um actually a little bit meaning number two and then state highway 149 will move up and we would rep prioritize the uh develop authority funds to start working on schematics and getting this to further to construction. Um so next steps would this be? Um we do a public involvement but there's no action item today. I just want to have an open discussion with our board to ensure that's the direction we want to go before I engage the public and soliciting public comment of switching these two projects. Um, so I'd be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Will you talk I know um it certainly makes sense to me everything that you've just said and I know Judge is gonna support moving those things around. Will you talk about the reason for the widening on Spur 63 a little bit like how that originally ended up being the number one priority? Congestion. It's just traffic. It's just traffic. There's a lot of people trying to turn right onto Highway 31. So we I don't say there's a minor safety but there is but our model doesn't count for uh traffic signals. Um, so we we do evaluate crash data and stuff uh internally outside of our model, but our model talks about uh specifically traffic count, traffic volumes, and speed limits and all that data stuff. Um, but it's primarily congestion. Yeah.

And um it's just we're our model is a 25-y year model and so we look at interim years. It is this and actually 149 are both uh areas that need to be looked at. Um 149 was actually an old project that happened years ago, which there's some board members that remember that um being talked about being widened. And so it's it's these two are like some major issues that we have with congestion. We're throwing in a now safety because of the development that's happening there.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me. I've done both of these and this is just in inconvenient, right, that I'm slowed down a little bit, but I'm not going very fast on 149. I'm going fast and I'm hitting a railroad and then getting rerouted with a lot of traffic. So that certainly makes sense to me. So I would be supportive. Well, the the reason I'm so supportive of it is because of the logistics company that's going in next door. And I talked to them last week and there's they're they're coming. Yes, sir. And according to them, they're going to have 14 rail lines off of that one line. 14 rail lines. So we're increasing rail traffic there. Got it.

Yes. Right. Right there on that one line. Um, if you think you you've been waiting 15 or 20 minutes now, it's going to be an hour and a half before you get past it. If you if you if that all happens, u I've been in contact with some leadership in Austin. Yes. Uh, on funding and um the sooner that we make make these type of um commitments, the sooner we can um and and the people I'm talking to are they're ready to move on it. Yes, sir. So that's why I would ask the board to support it. It's it's it's going to be needed. Eastman is going to is going to do some things out there. Even though that grant didn't come through, they've got they've got a plan B for that

that's going to take place. Yes, judge. That's your your part of the world.

We'll take it. Sorry y'all. Sorry y'all are having traffic troubles. But it it is interesting to note that probably seven years ago, maybe eight years ago, in my prior role, the Eastman was and the railroad was wanting to do maintenance on those tracks. And the city at the time said, "You can't shut off traffic for emergency traffic and for people coming from the south side of Greg County to get to the hospitals, get to the that was actually they said, "We're just going to shut it down for two days." and we said you can't shut that down for two days and so Vernon you remember those discussions I'm sure but that they need to do maintenance and when they add those add those lines on it it's going to be even more critical to do that maintenance that they've been unable to perform

and you're talking about truck traffic as well it's not just rail cars that's it's 40 foot sure a lot of text supports a decision as well I mean with with that expansion coming I mean I think It it it needs to happen before 63. So okay, sounds good. Other discussion, questions? Okay, I think we're supportive. Okay, I'll move forward with that. Um like I said, the next steps would be uh public comment period, which is typical. Uh we rep prioritize our um project list uh for our MTP. So we will have a December 10th meeting um uh to make this actually go into effect of rep prioritizing those two. Okay. So cool.

Perfect. Awesome. Uh move on to next agenda item presentation on East Texas Hourglass. Yes. So today I asked um NET RMA or Norththeast Texas Regional Mobility Authority uh to discuss 1249 as well as just uh what Net RMA is about. Um additionally just to kind of have an opportunity I like bringing in presenters. I haven't done it in a while. Um just to kind of show other transportation um authorities out there that uh provide to our region. Uh so I'm going to introduce Glenn Green. I'm gonna hand them the clicker. So, just give me a minute. Um, but this is Glenn Green with that RMA. Thanks for being here today.

Thank you for having me. Thank you, Brian. Um, actually, he asked Deianne Simmons of my office to come do this, but uh, she couldn't be here today, so I I'm the substitute. I'm the second choice. And, um, I know most everyone on the policy board. Um, Glenn Green, I'm the executive director. Um I previously served just a little bit about me for those who don't know as district engineer in both um Tyler district and Atlanta district working closely with colleagues on the board up there Vernon Web and Katie. Um I recently hired Deian Simmons who retired from Tex. She used to be in Katie spot.

So um some people have dubbed us the text graveyard but I try not to look at it that way. Anyway, thank y'all um for having me. I'll give y'all just a brief overview for any of those that might not be familiar with who who we are. I'll step through this pretty quick and get to the to the hourglass. But for those who are not familiar with the Northeast Texas Regional Mability Authority, RMAs were created in 2002, the net RMA in 2004. And I think it's important to note that Smith and Greg County were the founding members of our organization. They came together and made us what we are today. We've since grown to 14 counties including Harrison County and I have a map that shows where we are or where our area is. Um we have 21 members on our board of directors. I'd need several of your tables to present to our board. Um one of our main uh source of revenue is Toll 49. We own and operate Toll 49. We do not receive any kind of state subsidy, state tax, federal tax. It's all revenue from 1249. We do try to we have a program in which we give back to our member counties by doing uh we try to do one project a year, small project anywhere from 300 to 700,000 uh each year in one of our member counties. Um, we've recently done a couple of partner pro uh projects in Harrison County with Judge Sims on a couple of county roads. One of them led to a school. So, we're proud of that and we're proud of Harrison County's uh membership and cooperation with us as well as Craig County. Um, one of the big one of the advantages that's talked about for the RMA is we

represent a large voice since we do have 14 counties. We have um multiple Congress districts and uh state senate districts that we represent. So, uh, we we like to think that we represent our 14 counties and have help from, um, these local electeds that are more than just a single or or what you get with a single county. Uh, something to note for those of you who don't know, we have a partnership with North Texas Tollowway Authority, NTA. Um, that's good for us. It's probably good for our customers. They run all our back our back office. All our trans transactions go through there whether it's a toll tag or a pay by mail from their plate. So what you get you get one on onetop shopping to handle a bill whether it's video or toll tag. They're in the business of tollways so it's not like a third party provider. They're in the business so their customer service is really generally pretty good. And of course, we pay them per transaction for those that that run. Would like to also note they do pay us every other day. Not many people do that, right? U the dark gray is our member counties. Um 14. Uh some of them are represented by one board member, some two. Greg and Smith are both represented by three. I think it's important to note um the Greg County uh board members are Dan Droi, Dave Spurer, and Keith Honey. Um so they they are all longtime members of our board of directors. And in Harrison County, we have Rush Harris. And I didn't write his name down because I can't remember.

Matt Gabney.

Thank you. Matt Gabney. He's fairly new la a year and a half, two years, but we certainly appreciate him. He's a great great supportive board member and appreciate about you letting us have them both. A little bit about the different things we can do. Um, this is a chart that shows not just highways, but infrastructure type projects that we have the authority through legislation to work on. So, we can work in rail, transit, airports. We've done some airport apron extensions or we've not actually done the construction, but we contributed to the funding. Um, we we've also have the authority to be involved in utilities, not none of which we've done yet, and other parking facilities and a wide range of things we have authority to work on. Of course, our funds and our revenue are limited. That limited that, but that just gives you a snapshot of the different things that we can do. East Texas Hourglass. So, this was envisioned by our founding members. I believe Judge Bill Stout was one of them, right, Judge?

Yes, sir.

Um, so it started with 1249 around the south side of Tyler. Um, the dash lines between the number six and seven are actually US 271, which will remain a text owned and maintained highway, but that's that's the established link between the two pieces of the hourglass. So the hourglass is is known as kind of sitting on its side and south of Tyler north of Long View. Um segment seven and eight um we currently have not begun any feasibility studies on. Um segment six is the one we are currently preparing an environmental assessment. Um actually an EIS, our environmental impact statement. We're going through the public involvement. We had a meeting over here in Long View. Did I see Katie at that meeting?

I thought so. And um we're going through the public involvement process and we're developing the project. We probably got to got three more years of environmental. Um it runs from the current end of 1249 to 271 near interstate. And there are the four proposed route alternatives at this time. They're different colors for legibility. And uh those are the ones we're working through public comment and scoping meetings to finalize a final preferred route. I would it's going to be probably two and a half years at least before we'll be to a preferred route. I'll go back to the hourglass real quick. Um at this time the traffic uh the traffic demand um isn't there to support those any project like this that we take on we will fund with our toll revenue and we have things called to um TNR studies traffic and revenue studies by experts in the field that can somehow figure out where traffic's going to go and uh the demand is just not there yet I would think as as uh the I69 corridor develops further that the demand will start increasing um significantly. So, we're watching that and as soon as we are able um we would probably begin feasibility studies on those two segments. Um that's really all I had other than that. That's segment six. probably won't start construction till 2033 to 2035 with the environmental left to go, the rideway, the utilities, and the final record of decision from the Federal Highway Administration. I did want to make one more point. Um,

the ultimate cross-section of our entire facility is a divided four-lane sir

with a grass median separating it. And that will be also what we're proposing as the ultimate for segment six. But we'll start off we'll only build two lane. But on segment six is going to be different or at least at this point we're proposing a different design than existing toll 49. We're going to split the lanes one in each direction with that 76 ft median grass median and then we'll widen on each side of the roaded um for the ultimate section. If you go to our website, you can get updates to any of these projects. Um, you can leave comments for segment six and get to a lot of information. So, do I have any questions? Do you all have any questions?

Questions, comments, discussion? I have one. Um, as we move forward with this 149 this and this freight issue, I noticed you had freight on all the things y'all get involved in. Is there a an area where you all could be a partner in some of this? Yeah. Yes, sir. Please. So, of course, that'll be up to our board of directors, but yeah. Um, uh, you know, highways and freight um, both fit us. We hadn't done something like that before, but it doesn't mean we can't.

Well, I think there's a lot of interest in it. The more people that we bring bring together for the people in Austin to write the check, I think the better it could be. So, we would I would suspect our board would welcome the opportunity to help represent y'all and uh especially if it's a partner project to be a piece in it. Y um generally the direction of our board is is being limited funds as everyone else is. Um we we look towards projects that we can share in partnering with where everybody has some skin in the game.

Well, my my shot is to try and get about 90% from the state and I think we that we can do that if not better. And then you're just talking 10%. Just a few million then you know. So yeah, that sounds like a a a great spot for us. Real money. I'll take uh you and I can take Vernon Vernon out and get it out of him after the meeting. Yeah. I was going to say take out. [Laughter] So judge, every time I came over here in the past and sat up there or out here, whatever, you always had a time. So I dressed up just for you, Judge. today. Sorry. I see you're headed towards your retirement. Would that be accurate?

I'm headed that way sometime. All right. Thank you'all very much. Thank you. Before you go, I just want to thank you and just tell you how grateful I am for your support in Harrison County time and again. You've supported some of our more congested uh county roads and helped us upgrade and improve them. And man, you've just been a great partner and and I'm I'm very appreciative. So, thank you. Thank y'all. Thank you. And uh Harrison County has been a great partner, contributing heavily in both of those projects. I think it was a great win-win for a partnered project. Yes, sir. Thank y'all. Thank you. Uh next on our agenda is no staff updates.

Um thank you. So staff updates. Uh we recently in the past few months have been doing the function classification review with the Atlanta district. Uh we went through the final u verge of that sitting to FHWA. So just waiting for them to provide comments uh regarding that and then we'll move on to Tyler District and we'll work with y'all's team uh to go through those same similar motions uh in the springtime. So just looking at our roadways, making sure they're functionally class they're classified correctly. I just say they're classified correctly. Um ensuring that they meet um the demand for our area. Additionally, our planning agreement, we are still in an extension for that. It should expire in fiscal year um the ending of the fiscal year 26. We're hoping that texttop provides uh not their texttop, but the text and Austin provide um the revised version of that document so we can uh go through the motions of reviewing that with y'all. um as y'all um are the uh it's an agreement between y'all, our fiscal agent um and the state. So, we'll go through those motions uh once we get that back. And I've already mentioned that we're going through this the scopes of services for the two projects that I mentioned earlier. So, with that, I'm here to answer any questions. Sorry about that.

Any questions, discussion? Just a comment. I think that the rep prioritization and the focus on on what the message has been I I appreciate the responsiveness. So sounds good. If we have nothing further, we will adjourn the meeting. Thank you. See y'all in December.