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JWC U.S./Mexico Border Transportation Planning |  |
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U.S.-Mexico Joint Working Committee (JWC) Meeting MinutesTijuana, Baja California, Mexico For this meeting the delegations were as follows: U.S. Delegation Mexican Delegation Consultants and Others December 1, 2008 - afternoon - U.S. and Mexico Only Sessions December 2, 2008 - Joint Working Committee Meeting-Joint Session 1 Welcome, Meeting Purpose and Introductions - Oscar Escobedo, Gobierno del Estado de Baja California - Secretaría de Turismo, Juan José Erazo, SCT and Jill Hochman, FHWA Approval of minutes from Laredo, June 2008 meeting - All Update on Border Facilitation Working Group - Sean Cázares, SRE and Dan Darrach, DOS Sean provided background on the Border Facilitation Working Group (BFWG) established in Merida in the spring of 2007. The group was established by President Bush and President Calderon to facilitate flow of information between the two nations in pursuit of the action items/initiatives, and to bring high-level interest for certain Mexican/U.S. themes of importance. The principal federal agencies from each nation participate, and the meetings are chaired by the White House Council on Homeland Security. Since its establishment, the group has convened several binational meetings, and a few border tours, including a tour of Nogales, Laredo and San Diego, Detroit and El Paso. The group has established a matrix of projects and tackles an ambitious agenda. The most recent BFWG meeting focused on five major themes of importance submitted by the Mexican government: the Nogales/Mariposa Port of Entry (POE) expansion, construction of the Mesa de Otay II/Otay Mesa East POE, expansion of the Secure Electronic Network for Traveler's Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program, including working on SENTRI flexibility for bridges in the same regions, with meetings being held with SCT and CAPUFE in Texas, development of the Jerónimo/Santa Teresa rail crossing and an amendment of the Presidential permit for the Anzalduas crossing to include commercial vehicles prior to 2015 as specified in the current Presidential permit. In response to the Mexican government's top five priorities, Dan indicated that DOS is currently in talks with the Bridge Board (Cities of Hidalgo, Mission and McAllen, Texas) discussing what would be required to review restrictions on commercial vehicles at Anzalduas prior to 2015. Dan further highlighted some BFWG accomplishments. CBP developed a bilateral strategic plan with Mexico that was completed in August, 2008. The strategic plan covers issues such as expansion of hours of operation at commercial POEs (24 hrs at Ysleta/Zaragosa and World Trade Bridge (Laredo), and the addition of several hours at Otay Mesa and Nogales/Mariposa), development of secure and efficient trade for agricultural goods, including a review of Free and Secure Trade (FAST)/Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) requirements, principally to benefit trade at Nogales/Mariposa, and a business resumption plan for tabletop exercise in San Diego/Tijuana. Additional BFWG initiatives are on the agenda for the JWC meeting, including border wait times. Both nations are working to have more harmonization of efforts through the BFWG. Environmental Efforts at the Border - Armando Moreno, SEMARNAT Juan José Erazo, SCT, commented that SCT is using JWC tools to develop specific projects, and using environmental analysis to ensure that the projects can be built. Jill Hochman, FHWA, commented that in the United States, highway engineers are very familiar with the environmental process, and have strong environmental concerns. She expects that the group will see a stronger focus with the change of the U.S. government with respect especially to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. A suggestion was made that the JWC can facilitate more activities in the environmental area including possibly doing environmental assessments together to share experiences, since both nations are involved in similar processes, and indeed the Presidential permit process itself is essentially an environmental process. North American Development Bank (NADBank) Approval of San Luis II POE - Dr. Arkelao López, COCEF Arekalao presented certification criteria, and the types of projects that have been eligible for funding to date, mostly water/wastewater and solid waste projects. Recently criteria have been expanded to include air quality/transportation projects where an improvement in air quality can be achieved by the construction of a transportation project. Also discussed were the distribution of border funds by type and the geographic distribution of projects. To date $3.26 billion has been provided for 142 projects: $2.126 billion for 66 Mexican projects and $1.137 billion for 76 U.S. projects. In addition $35.69 million has been provided for technical assistance. Every project that receives funds must have a proven human health and/or environmental benefit. The San Luis Rio Colorado/San Luis II project was presented as a project showing just such benefits, including different factors meeting BECC criteria such as reduction in emissions and dispersion of emissions, and improving human health and the environment. Project modeling showed the reductions and benefits. It is recommended that environmental analysis is incorporated as early as possible into the project development, including planning and design phases, in order to qualify for NADBank funds. Discussion: Pedro Orso-Delgado, Caltrans, asked a question about the incorporation of truck stop electrification in the San Luis Rio Colorado/San Luis II project in Mexico. It appears that the truck stop will work on a reservations basis. The first phase will provide spaces for 22 trucks, and the second phase will provide for spaces for 12 trucks, with a total daily capacity of 160 vehicles per day. Further information will need to be requested directly from the project developer, CUCAPA, as it is a proprietary concept. The trucks will pay CAPUFE to use the truck stop. Caltrans would like to know the expected rates being charged for the truck stop. Arkelao will provide information to Caltrans on who to contact at CUCAPA and at NADBank for further information. Q: What is the upper limit of a NADBank loan? There is no upper limit per se, instead the loan amount is based upon the ability of a creditor to repay the loan and on the total funding available at NADBank. Some grants of $100-120 million are available for projects, and grants of up to $200 million for studies. But most projects receive loans. After discussion the proposal was made and approved that the JWC will develop for its members and with its members a workshop/seminar/forum how to make planning and design at border more environmentally sensitive to develop best practices to help in obtaining financing and approval. An action item from Laredo (ongoing) was that guidelines for BECC/NADBank would be developed. This action item can now be incorporated in the proposed workshop to be held in the summer/fall of 2009 somewhere along the U.S.-Mexico border. Juan José expressed his interest in linkages between the previous action item and the new action item, indicating that SCT has eight projects that are working on that could touch on these themes. 2005-2007 Work Plan - Projects approved as part of the 2005-2007 Work Plan are discussed below. Bottlenecks Study - Phase II Nogales/Mariposa is the busiest POE in Arizona and is a major port for fruits and vegetables, with an especially heavy volume during the winter months. Nogales has also been a port with several innovative practices, such as the joint-inspection Superbooth, and with much growth. The bottleneck study studied existing access and egress points to the POE to investigate bottlenecks that impede flow, then proposed solutions that can be completed in the short term, for a low cost and a high impact to resolve issues. The study did not look at any aspect of the federal inspection process. Data was collected by students from both the University of Arizona and from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Sonora Campus. Data was collected via video cameras, tube counts, helicopter surveillance and personal observation. Interestingly, different days showed different results so the study focused on those days that had the most delay. Identified recommendations included: Signal re-timing and coordination - $150,000, improved storage capacity - $282,000, more flashing/warning lights - in excess of $900,000, more signal timing and another potential roadway connector - no cost estimate developed, and construction of an access road to provide access to identified warehouses - no cost estimate developed. Discussion: Q: Did the data collected include crash information? A: No, this particular study did not do that but it would be a good idea to include this kind of information in future study. Crash incidence could be used to rearrange project completion priorities by including an emphasis on safety. Q: Is there a lot of transfer of trucks in Nogales, e.g. drayage. A: Not necessarily a change in hauling equipment but it is more common that trucks stop prior to entering the United States and switch drivers. The Nogales Bottleneck Study was approved by the JWC. Border Wait-Times Studies2 - Elyse Golob - University of Arizona (U of A) Sylvia Grijalva, FHWA, recommended that U of A base their technology recommendation on work that has already been done by El Paso and San Diego. The purpose of the study is to work toward a permanent collection of data not just an analysis of technologies. Juan José Erazo, SCT, mentioned that SCT will be installing permanent traffic measurement systems as part of all new concessions. This effort will be discussed later in the agenda, under the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) item. The idea is to work toward exchanging information not only about border times but about entire travel corridors leading to POEs. Measurement systems are expected in Nogales, Sonora once the concession has been awarded. Centros de Transferencia de Tecnologia (CETRATET)/Border Technology Exchange Program (BTEP) implementing JWC Tools - Nelda Bravo, FHWA and Manny Cuan, SCT Manny indicated that SCT has three topics of primary importance for the CETRATET/BETP program: ITS, Value Engineering, and the distribution of the SimFronteras microsimulation model. Presently SCT is working on developing agreements with individual CETRATETs for computers and software. A proposed joint CETRATET/BTEP meeting has been proposed for March/April 2009, perhaps in Nuevo León, to discuss these agreements and the programs in general. The JWC committed to a BTEP meeting in the April time frame to develop strategies necessary for a training needs assessment. Regional Border Master Plan (BMP) California /Baja California - Pedro Orso-Delgado - Caltrans and Elisa Arias - Sourcepoint (SANDAG) The BMP is unique in that it includes both transportation projects and POE projects in the same document with both qualitative and quantitative evaluation criteria outlined for both kinds of projects. POE criteria were locational: 15 separate elements covering demand and trade, congestion etc. and project specific: four separate elements covering cost effectiveness, environmental and economic benefits and impacts on transportation modes. Each project was evaluated only for those criteria that pertain to it, for example, non-commercial POEs did not include the criteria for commercial vehicles. Transportation criteria included criteria on capacity, cost and project readiness. Elisa showed an example of how the BMP is used to evaluate POE and transportation data together using the Otay Mesa POE as an example. The BMP is envisioned as an iterative document, with technical updates being conducted at regular intervals so that the background data can be updated and maintained. The BMP provides a region with binational evaluation criteria, agreed to in a collaborative process, and a prioritized list of POE and associated roadway projects. The BMP can be used by each member agency in their planning process setting regional priorities for funding. The BMP can be a way to institutionalizing a coordinated planning process. Recommendations to improve the BMP process were generated for study development and for data needs. For study development it is important that the process be revisited at any change of government to ensure that the governments remain committed to the effort. Executive level support and staff time are also important for study development. Finally, it is suggested that the consultant team include binational consultants to assist in gathering data in both nations. With regard to data needs, agencies must commit to collecting data required for the BMP analysis. This commitment could be solidified by participation of agencies in the Transportation Modeling Peer Exchange (on the agenda for later in this meeting). Discussion: Sergio Montes, SIDUE indicated that the BMP took a lot of work but produced excellent results. In Baja California, 80% of the population lives near the border, so the economic impact of the border trade affects that state directly. The BMP is a very important tool for project development and for both states (California and Baja California) to have the same focus on projects. Dan Darrach, DOS, and Sean Cazares, SRE, expressed support for the project. Q: Where is the database of information located? A: It is housed with SIDUE/Caltrans. Q: Is there any kind of criteria or quantification for other projects? A: There is an inventory of potential projects that don't yet have enough data to analyze the project using the criteria. As more data develops for these projects they can be incorporated into the BMP when updates occur. Updates are expected it is very important for that state what happens at the international border Caltrans is requesting approval for this document. The JWC approves the Regional Border Master plan for California-Baja California. Low Cost-High Impact Projects - Identification of Projects in Targeted Metro Areas - Juan José Joes Erazo, SCT SCT has been looking at projects holistically by evaluating a number of different projects in individual regions. This study began with the Reynosa/Hidalgo area and has now expanded to the Matamoros/Brownsville region. In addition, SCT is investigating the development of a Tecate-Tijuana rail project. The presentations that follow discuss projects of interest in these evaluated regions.
Brownsville-West Rail - Pete Sepulveda, Cameron County, Arturo de la Fuentes, Cruces y Puentes Internacionales SA de CV, and Javier Gomez, INECO Juan José Erazo, SCT, commented that the projects (rail bridge and roadways) need to work together as a system. The rail and highway will provide solutions for congestion in the region, and the vacated railroad right-of-way can be used for highway projects. A similar problem/solution could be implemented in Juarez, where not only could the existing railway right-of-way be converted to roadway, but they are also contemplating a public transportation component. Tijuana-Tecate Rail - Jorge Monraz - State of Baja California (ADMICARGA) ADMICARGA is coordinating with SANDAG on their San Ysidro Intermodal Yard project and on other rail improvement projects associated with California's Proposition 1B transportation funds. They are also interested in the possibility of incorporating passenger rail or public transportation in the San Ysidro portion of the line. They will be conducting studies during the next one-two years to determine if light-rail would be effective there. Discussion: The rail line is operational, but it is only being used to 50% of its capacity. By improving the line and connecting it to the Toyota plant or to other maquiladoras along its route will provide better utility for the existing line. Having an improved line will also provide incentive for other manufacturing plants to locate along it. Additionally the State of Baja California is putting forward a public transit proposal for the portion of the line at the San Ysidro POE. The JWC agreed that a meeting will be convened at SANDAG with Baja California, Caltrans, GSA, CBP, FHWA, the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), and the Metropolitan Transportation System (MTS) to discuss SIDUE's proposal for mass transit and pedestrian coordination at the San Ysidro/Puerta Mexico POE. Expected time frame for the meeting is middle to late January 2009. The JWC agreed that a similar meeting shall be conducted in El Paso, including Texas/New Mexico/Chihuahua. Border Infrastructure Needs Assessment (BINS II)/Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - Joseph de la Rosa, NMDOT, and Alfredo Granados, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez Joseph gave an overview of the project including discussion of data compilation to date and web-based training. Currently the effort is focusing on how to implement recommendations from BINS and then on how to link BINS and BGIS data together. Like all data-based efforts, the data needs to be updated and NMSU is working to develop a state pair system and then to put data for those pairs up in a web-based interface. Once these steps are completed a written report on the project will be written and translated into Spanish. NMSU, through Alfredo, has been working with SCT to get the required data from the Mexican states. NMSU is willing to work with each state individually to identify if there is a need for help, a need to collect new data, or a need to reformat data. The technical committee has discussed what data was required. A renewed effort will begin to collect the data from the states, including potential visits to the State DOTs. If data is not available, NMSU will work with the states to develop plans for future data collection. Alfredo indicated that the way people collect and store data has proven to be a challenge for incorporation into the GIS database, there is a lot of data available but it is all stored and documented differently. As mentioned Alfredo will be visiting different sites and states to assist in better data collection and storage. The team emphasized that they will take any available data as it is all getting incorporated no matter the quality, data gaps, or methodology of collections. Training was conducted on GIS using a web-based interface. Future training may be conducted in conjunction with BTEP and the CETRATET centers, including maybe sharing the web-based tool. Work on this project has highlighted some potential areas for future work. One possibility is to incorporate logistics - railroad spurs, industrial parks, manufacturing, intermodal facilities, airports, etc. Another idea would be to work with BECC and develop a way to incorporate unpaved transportation facilities into the database in order to identify funding to pave them, and reduce the negative environmental impacts caused by dust and particulates. The JWC approved a six-month no-cost extension to New Mexico/NMSU to complete the BINS/BGIS Project. Luis Carlos Maynez from the State of Chihuahua gave a brief presentation on his state's GIS database, showing a video presentation on what is available, including roadway/highway/unpaved roadway data. The current effort includes data collection throughout the entire state of Chihuahua. 2008-2010 Work Plan - Projects approved as part of the 2008-2010 Work Plan are discussed below. Border Innovative Finance Activities - The FHWA Resource Center Innovative Finance Team provided a presentation to the several hundred attendees of the Border Finance Conference, in Ft Worth, TX in September, 2008. These attendees included representatives of GSA, CBP, and states along both the northern and southern borders. A variety of alternative or innovative financing techniques were discussed, including public-private partnerships; Private Activity Bonds; TIFIA federal credit assistance; State Infrastructure Bank lending; Section 129(a) lending; and Garvee bonds secured with future Federal-aid funds. A number of projects were targeted for follow-up technical assistance. The FHWA Resource Center Innovative Finance Team participated in a one-day meeting with GSA in Chicago in October 2008. The purpose of this meeting was to identify strategies for the alternative or innovative financing of GSA-provided customs and immigration facilities. One possible strategy was to include the cost of these facilities within the scope of work of public-private partnerships, often structured as long-term concession arrangements. Under this strategy, the private sector concessionaire, having financed and constructed the GSA facility to stringent federal standards, would then include GSA rental income as part of its projected revenue stream. The FHWA Office of Innovative Program Delivery conducted a four-hour workshop in McAllen, Texas, immediately prior to the annual Border to Border Conference in November 2008. Approximately 30 people attended, representing TxDOT district offices, border area Metropolitan Planning Organizations, border area Regional Mobility Authorities, Port Authorities and transportation planning consultants. A number of alternative or innovative finance concepts were discussed, including an introduction to bonding (general obligation, revenue and Garvee bonds); public- private partnerships; Private Activity Bonds; TIFIA credit assistance; RRIF credit assistance; State Infrastructure Bank lending; and Section 129(a) lending. In addition, the use of Texas' Regional Mobility Authority structure to accelerate project delivery was discussed in depth. Several critical projects were identified for possible follow-up technical assistance, including major projects in Cameron and Hidalgo counties. Finally, the FHWA Office of Innovative Program Delivery is continuing to work with NADBank in clarifying the internal guidelines for evaluating the eligibility of surface transportation projects for NADB credit assistance. The JWC will host a workshop for interested stakeholders on NADBank requirements for future infrastructure projects, once this effort is completed. SR11/Otay Mesa East - Pedro Orso-Delgado, Caltrans, gave a presentation on the Otay Mesa East POE and SR-11 project, a mixed-flow POE and freeway financed by tolls and constructed as a turn-key operation for CBP and GSA. Demonstration of the economics of border delay has helped market the project, and investors are still coming forward to get information about the project, and in fact consider the project undervalued as reported in the financial feasibility study, despite recent economic downturns. In an overview of the progress of the project, construction of the adjacent highway facility SR-905 was shown, and the following milestones were reported: the Otay Mesa East/SR-11 project has received $75 million for infrastructure from Proposition 1B transportation bonds from the State of California, in September 2009 the State passed legislation (SB 1486) that allows the project to be developed as a public-public partnership, with SANDAG the owner of the facility, the Tier 1/Phase 1 Environmental Document was approved in October 2008 and a Presidential permit was awarded from the DOS in November 2008. Next steps on the project include working on the Tier 2/Phase 2 Environmental document, work on the GSA Project Design Study (PDS), and going out for funding and financing. SB 1486 allows SANDAG to operate the project, and SANDAG will be the agency that issues bonds to construct the POE and the roadway. Additionally, some of the project revenue is envisioned to be shared with CBP for operations so that the POE will operate as a premium service (maximum wait time goal of 30 minutes for vehicles and 6 minutes for SENTRI). The facility will be deeded to GSA as a turn-key facility. A coordination meeting between Caltrans, SANDAG and SCT was held in Mexico City. Mexico's schedule is to be complete with construction by 2012. That schedule is probably not achievable for the U.S. agencies. Bonds are expected to be issued in FY2009/2010, funds available by 2010/2011 and an estimated project opening day is 2014. Caltrans, SANDAG and SCT will continue to meet regularly to discuss possibilities to advance the U.S. construction date. The project has been selected as one of three Transportation Congestion Relief Projects nationwide by the U.S. DOT. Although the program doesn't currently come with funding, the award will give high visibility to the project and team of FHWA experts will work with Caltrans and SANDAG on acquisition of right-of-way, a high-risk area for Caltrans, on permits, and on procurement of financing for the project. Mesa de Otay II/Tijuana - Sergio Montes, SIDUE, indicated that SIDUE and SCT have been working together on project development for the Mexican POE, specifically on developing roadway linkages from the Autopista Tecate-Tijuana. A 5-km roadway is planned directly parallel to the border which will then reach the autopista via a distributor/connector facility. The land for the roadway is expected to be acquired within the next 6 months. In addition to direct connectors, a superhighway and drainage channel are proposed along the Alamar River in that section of Tijuana, and will provide enhanced access to the POE. Small projects providing better connections to parcels immediately adjacent to the POE are also being worked on. SIDUE will be working with Caltrans and GSA to ensure that the interface between the two POE parcels and roadways will be smooth. Mexican Aduana will pay for the POE construction itself and SIDUE will pay for the roadway connections. The JWC agreed that SIDUE and Caltrans will continue to work together to ensure that the border to border interface at Otay Mesa East/Mesa de Otay II is designed well. Francisco Calvario, SCT gave an overview of the project milestones to date. These include Master Plan Conceptual Studies on the Cost-Benefits and Financial Feasibility of the Project, as well as traffic and market studies, financial and economic feasibility, conceptual layout of the port of entry, urban master plan and roadway connections, etc. SCT will be working with SIDUE to decide who will purchase the land for the POE. Land may need to be expropriated. Currently they are working on a Proyecto Ejecutivo. Mexico will be sending a diplomatic note to the United States requesting that the project schedule be accelerated to completion by 2012. The concession length for the roadways has not yet been determined, but it may be awarded in perpetuity. Public-Private Partnership Potential for Arizona - Rudy Pérez, ADOT ADOT has put a Request for Proposals (RFP) out with the objective of determining the feasibility of using Public-Private Partnerships in Arizona and Sonora for both POEs and related connectivity. The SOW of the RFP was included with the binder of meeting materials. Consultants are expected to be selected by late December 2008, with completion of the study by summer 2009. The study could help in achieving legislative support for this type of POE financing, as public-private partnerships are not currently authorized in the State of Arizona. Traffic Studies and Transportation Modeling Peer Exchange Traffic Studies - Rudy Pérez, ADOT Border Wait Time Studies - Crystal Jones, FHWA The first phase of measuring border wait times on the U.S./Mexico border was to do a comprehensive analysis of various technologies that are available and evaluate their potential for the El Paso and San Diego areas. The evaluation studies yielded three viable technologies: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) and Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS). The second phase of measuring border wait times involves selecting a technology and implementing that technology as a test for measuring commercial vehicle wait times. The El Paso/Juarez project will be using RFID, mainly because the technology was sufficiently advantageous for the required purpose, a large investment had already been made by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for their own uses and it made sense to build upon that effort. RFID is also currently being used by CBP in the FAST program. At least two locations using this technology will be measured, with readers located before the northbound queue in Mexico and at the exit of the State Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility, at each location. The first bridge to be measured will be the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA), and then the project will expand to other locations. In San Diego, GPS was selected because the carriers supported use of GPS, the use of GPS is non-invasive and does not require infrastructure to be placed on ground- or pole-mounted locations, and GPS can provide multiple measurement points, something that was important to the stakeholders involved, and something important for the Otay Mesa deployment site, which has many different lanes. Carriers have been contacted to participate in the program and some data points have already been gathered. Stakeholder meetings for both the El Paso and San Diego efforts are expected in the February/March 2009 time frame. There will be a project web site for each project that will assist in marketing the products and solutions as tested. After discussion the JWC agreed that the group will look into a way of implementing border wait time measurements into new POE/transportation projects. Further, it was agreed that a consultant from the Texas Transportation Institute should be invited to the next JWC meeting to discuss their work on measuring wait times for passenger vehicles. Esther Hitzfelder, TxDOT, gave a presentation on the Reynosa/Pharr border wait time study. In June 2008 there was a meeting to establish the scope of the project. The team will use RFID and will have a minimum of two measurement points: the beginning of the queue in Mexico and at the exit of the state enforcement facility exit location into Texas, Pharr. They will be hosting a stakeholder meeting on the same February/March timetable and may include additional data points, including the entrances to the federal compounds. RFID readers will need to be placed for various lanes at each location, and TxDOT will be installing the readers on CAPUFE owned structures. They may be using solar power for the readers to eliminate the need for external power. Currently the consultant is finalizing reader and installation costs, determining the final number of readers based on those costs, determining where the data will be stored, and developing a process of disseminating the data, e.g. web-based information. Esther emphasized that it doesn't matter what system gathers the data, but that collection, storage and dissemination, based on the agreed to standards, will provide the required base-line. Of importance over the long-term is how the equipment will be maintained. (ADOT proposal on wait times was presented earlier in meeting. Summarized in previous section of minutes.) Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Pilot Project at Northern Mexican Border - Juan José Erazo - SCT and Matt Schiemer - Gannet Fleming Matt outlined the study's goals: to improve safety, improve traffic flow and mobility, and improve traveler comfort and satisfaction, and then to select an ITS system that could achieve these goals. Currently, the consultant is developing a concept of operations and some functional requirements for the system. Information on the system, including route speed and travel time information will be available via the internet and also at traveler kiosks along the routes. The system will be divided into sections and individual concessionaires will bid on the sections and then be responsible for central monitoring and maintenance of the section. A master software system will be developed for all sections. The concessions will be 30-yr concessions and will include the ITS system along with construction and maintenance of the roadways. If the facilities aren't maintained to agreed upon standards, the concessionaires will be subject to penalties. Deployment will begin in Tamaulipas and Nuevo León with implementation of ITS on the toll roads (Autopistas de Cuota) in Nuevo León - Monterrey to Nuevo León, Monterrey to Reynosa and Monterrey to Matamoros. Then deployment is expected to expand to Nogales and later Tijuana, when all the other projects are completed. Discussion: How will the different systems along the Mexican corridors and in the United States communicate with each other? The Border Information Flow Architecture project originally was intended to develop an architecture that all systems could utilize to communicate. It would be useful to gather the ITS stakeholders together again to see how to move the concept of an architecture forward, perhaps by providing funding for a certain region to show conceptually how that might work. In the United States, ITS in general is state driven, but FHWA could support a consultant to look at an individual region to gather or examine certain transferrable aspects of the program such as Travel Management Center to Travel Management Center communications. It would be useful to select a pilot location that aligns with the ITS program already underway by SCT from Monterrey to Reynosa-Matamoros. TxDOT or the Texas Division office of FHWA could be a champion for the pilot. The SCT project will involve two TxDOT Districts, and should involve regional stakeholders with federal support from FHWA including both the office of Freight Operations and the Division office. Pedro Orso-Delgado, Caltrans, indicated that California will also be implementing ITS as part of its Otay Mesa East project and would like to work with SCT and the group so that the information from SCT's future system in Tijuana and can be reported in a binational way, and work with ITS planned as part of the Otay Mesa East project. The JWC committed to re-invigorate the ITS subcommittee, beginning with a teleconference (mid to late January) to discuss a plan of action to move forward on work already completed for BIFA, SCT's ITS project and a way to branch the systems possibly selecting one of the 3 evaluated corridors in the SCT study. Efforts on Regional Border Master Plans - Esther Hitzfelder, TxDOT Binational Transportation Planning Study - Esther Hitzfelder, TxDOT After discussion, the JWC agreed that logistics commodities by sector will be considered for inclusion in the TxDOT Binational Transportation Planning Study. Highway Safety Initiatives - Alberto Vaca, SCT Border Governors' Conference - Border Crossings Worktable - Pedro Pablo Treviño - CODEFRONT Nuevo León and Arizona were selected as the Border Crossing Work Table co-chairs at the last Border Governors' Conference (BGC) meeting in Hollywood, CA in August 2008. The BCG has met since 1980, with participation by State DOTs since 1996. The BGC is divided into different work tables. The Border Crossing Work Table (including logistics) develops recommendations on border crossings that are then included in a Joint Declaration that is signed by all 10 governors. The most recent Joint Declaration signed in Hollywood included recommendations on border wait times, border master planning, innovative financing, and expedited presidential permit processing. Full text of the Joint Declaration is available at http://gobernadoresfronterizos.org/declaraciones-conjuntas The next meeting will be held in Monterrey, Nuevo León during the first week of September 2009. Intermediary meetings will be held to discuss recommendations for the next Joint Declaration. Customs and Border Protection's Land Port of Entry Modernization Program - Dennis Counihan Dennis gave an overview of CBP's Land Port of Entry (LPOE) modernization program. LPOEs are old (avg. age 40+years) and inadequate to serve CBPs mission. A survey of CBP needs identified more than $5 billion dollars in capital improvements to upgrade the existing system, not including any funding for new POEs. Now the $5 billion amount has increased to $6 billion, or $600 million a year for the next ten years just to meet expected need for existing facilities. Cost increases are mostly due to individual project escalation costs. Between 2007 and 2008, CBP completed the first round of Strategic Resource Assessments (SRA) which identified and prioritized facility requirements. A new three-year round of SRAs has begun for the LPOEs that will focus on recommendations that can be executed in short-, mid- and long-time frames. The SRA process will also expand to air and sea ports. The SRAs will help CBP plan, budget, and execute facility investments objectively and fairly. The modernization program will include recommendations from the SRA process as well as expediting project delivery, and improving quality and performance allow CBP to be more flexible. Q: Does the Modernization program include requests for more staff? A: the Modernization program focuses specifically on POE infrastructure, but Dennis is aware of initiatives to increase CBP staff. It would be useful to include a presentation from CBP Operations at the next JWC meeting. GSA/INDAABIN Projects Requiring Transportation Infrastructure - Ramon Riesgo and Jim King - GSA, Santiago García - INDAABIN Planning Subcommittee of the Intersecretarial Group for Bridges and Border Crossings - Sean Cazares - SRE The Intersecretarial Group meets on an as-needed basis as many times per year as required to address specific issues. Agreements reached at the national level are then disseminated via regional meetings to discuss specific border projects. Significant recent advances, since June 2008, from this group have been the following.
Santa Teresa Railroad POE - Joseph de la Rosa, NMDOT and Bill Hume, State of New Mexico This is a high priority project with a long history that has recently resurfaced as a priority. The state of New Mexico is in the process of hiring a consultant team, with the expectation that the consultant will be under contract by the end of the calendar year. The project looks at 3 railroads. Summary of Commitments and Agreements Sylvia Grijalva, FHWA, asked the group if they were interested in revising the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the JWC so that it can be recognized by the new elected administrations, and to perhaps codify involvement by other federal agencies into the group. The JWC agreed to begin to revise the JWC MOU to formally include other federal agencies and to better emphasize JWC priorities. All PowerPoint files presented at the JWC meeting will be posted to http://www.borderplanning.fhwa.dot.gov/filemanager/ Location and Date Next Meeting Concluding Remarks Jill Hochman, FHWA, concluded the meeting by noting that this meeting generated 16 commitments and agreements, signifying the desire and need to continue to work together. The JWC is doing a lot of work presently and she expects the work to continue in the future, both with the new U.S. government and also with any potential economic stimulus program, searching out innovations and developing a programmatic transportation view. Then José and Jill thanked the attendees and indicated that the level of participation in the JWC shows to them that there is sustained and continuing interest in the work of the group. They thanked the State of Baja California for being their hosts and for the coordination and staff support that they provided for the meeting. References
1Because presentations from the meeting are now available in real-time from the JWC Webpage http://www.borderplanning.fhwa.dot.gov/filemanager (password: jwcmeeting) the minutes do not reiterate the presentations, only provide a brief summary of the presentation topic and any discussion made on that topic at the meeting. (back) 2The Border Wait Time Studies are actually part of the 2008-2010 Work Plan and more information on this topic, including its background, can be found on page 10-11 of these minutes. However, discussion of Arizona's proposal was held here at the request of the presenter, whose schedule precluded her from participating in the later discussion.(back) |
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