Commission hears MPO update: smart‑scale scoring, Ravenna bike‑ped bridge resubmission, 2050 projections
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Summary
A commissioner reported on the MPO technical committee: smart‑scale applications favor roadway capacity metrics, sending mixed signals for bike/ped projects; MPO will resubmit a federal BUILD grant for the Ravenna River bike‑ped bridge; 2050 Weldon Cooper projections show ~13% growth to 57,000 residents.
Commissioners received an update from a Planning Commission representative who attended the MPO technical committee meeting. Staff and the representative described how the MPO and state processes prioritize smart‑scale funding applications through a performance‑based formula that currently emphasizes congestion mitigation and roadway capacity, making it harder for bike‑and‑pedestrian‑only projects to score well unless paired with capacity improvements.
Staff said the MPO will resubmit a BUILD (federal) grant application for the Ravenna River bike‑pedestrian bridge, a project that has been submitted in prior rounds and deemed worthy of resubmission by federal reviewers. Commissioners discussed how to identify projects that score both on multimodal benefits and on the state’s capacity metrics.
The MPO’s consultant presented a travel‑demand model and demographic estimates for 2050 based on Weldon Cooper projections; the city’s projection cited at the meeting shows roughly 13% population growth to about 57,000 by 2050. Commissioners flagged the projection as context for long‑range transportation planning and for identifying projects that could be competitive for smart‑scale funding.
Commissioners asked staff to coordinate with Public Works, utilities, Ben Chambers (a new cross‑departmental position noted in the meeting), and other stakeholders before convening a joint planning session or a public work session on the citywide mobility plan scope.
