Governing Board Action: December 10, 2004

At today’s Governing Board meeting, members presented three colleagues with resolutions of appreciation for their long-time service and participation on the NOACA Board. Board members honored Geauga County Commissioner Neil C. Hofstetter (12 years of service), Cuyahoga County Commissioner J. Timothy McCormack (8 years of service) and Lorain County Commissioner David Moore (4 years of service), who conclude their public service at the end of 2004. In addition to participating as an active Governing Board member, Hofstetter also served twice as Board President (1997 and 2002), and currently represents NOACA as a Board member on the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC). McCormack has ably served NOACA as the Board’s Assistant Secretary for the past four years.

Board members amended the regional Transportation Plan, Framework for Action 2025, to include 10 new projects from throughout the five-county area, and amended the State Fiscal Years 2004 – 2007 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to include 16 projects.

Board members amended the Regional Transportation Investment Policy (RTIP) to include a traffic signal pre-emption policy. Signal pre-emption systems give police, fire and emergency vehicles priority at intersections by over-riding normal signal timing and keeping traffic stopped in the opposite direction. The RTIP amendment also requires that new traffic signaling systems be coordinated with the public transit agency operating in the project area to ensure that the new system allows signal priority for transit vehicles.

The Board amended the Agency’s Overall Work Program with a project to conduct planning for attaining new air quality standards for ozone and particulate matter. The NOACA region has been declared a “nonattainment area” for ozone, meaning that ozone levels are higher than what is acceptable under the new 8-hour U.S Environmental Protection Agency air quality standard, and may be harmful to human health. The amendment provides NOACA with the funding for engaging local officials, local air agencies, the transportation community and public in the planning effort. The project would be funded with $300,000 in transportation planning funds and $75,000 in local funds. This will support the project for two years beginning in January 2005.