Fiscal Note
No appropriation is required.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk, as the operator of publicly owned transit services (Transit Operator), to enter into an agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the Madison Area Transportation Planning Board [A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)] for continuing transportation planning for the Madison Metropolitan Area.
Body
WHEREAS, various federal grants and aids are available to WisDOT and/or the MPO, and various state grants and aids are available to the MPO for carrying out urban transportation planning activities; and
WHEREAS, WisDOT is authorized by sec. 85.02, Wis. Stats. to direct, undertake and expend state and federal aid for planning, promotion and protection activities for all transportation modes; and
WHEREAS, the Governor of Wisconsin and local communities within the Madison Metropolitan Planning Area (hereinafter referred to as "Planning Area"), through their authorized representatives, have jointly designated the MPO to carry out urban transportation planning activities for the Planning Area; and
WHEREAS, the Transit Operator (Metro Transit) provides public transportation services within the Madison Urbanized Area; and
WHEREAS, the Transit Operator is the designated recipient in the Urbanized Area for federal transit operating aids under Section 5307 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended; and
WHEREAS, urban transportation planning activities come under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Transportation and are subject to the metropolitan planning requirements of 23 U.S.C. 134 and section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended; and
WHEREAS, metropolitan area boundaries for purposes of the federal planning provisions shall be determined by agreement between the MPO and the Governor; and
WHEREAS, the attached three-party agreement identifies the roles and responsibilities of each party (WisDOT, MPO, and Transit Operator) to carry out urban transportation planning activities for the Planning Area; and
WHEREAS, all MPOs in the State of Wisconsin have such an agreement with WisDOT and other Transit Operators; and
WHEREAS, the attached agreement has been in effect since April 28, 2000, and has now been updated with minor changes to reflect recently enacted federal transportation legislation, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for Users (SAFTEA-LU); and
WHEREAS, the Madison Area Transportation Planning Board approved the attached agreement on March 5, 2008;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council does hereby approve the agreement and authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the attached agreement to be forwarded to the Secretary of WisDOT for signing.