SENATE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

January 23, 2003 Hearing Room C

8:00 AM Tapes 4 - 6

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Rick Metsger, Chair

Sen. Ryan Deckert

Sen. David Nelson

MEMBER EXCUSED: Sen. Bruce Starr, Vice-Chair

STAFF PRESENT: Amy Joyce, Committee Administrator

Annastasia Suess, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: Informational Meeting - Invited Testimony

Troy Costales, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)

Lorna Youngs, ODOT

Claudia Howells, ODOT

Ann Crook, Department of Aviation

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
Tape 4, A
050	Chair Metsger	Calls the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. and opens informational meeting.
INFORMATIONAL MEETING
020	Troy Costales	Safety Manager, ODOT. Presents testimony on the Transportation Safety Division. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT A).
070	Costales	Continues discussion of ODOT safety: · Grant Management · Media, Legislation and Federal Representation
120	Chair Metsger	Asks to clarify a percentage.
130	Costales	Clarifies. Continues presentation focusing on setting goals.
165	Sen. Nelson	Asks for specific examples.
170	Costales	Explains. Continues presentation of issues: · DUII in Oregon
185	Chair Metsger	Asks what role the state police play to reduce the numbers provided in the presentation.
190	Costales	Answers and explains.
220	Chair Metsger	Asks about substantially reduced numbers if there are fewer officers due to cuts.
230	Costales	States it is most probable. Continues presentation: · Impaired driving · Safety belt use · Speed related convictions and how it relates to SB183 · Addresses safety prevention examples · Booster seats
TAPE 5, A
010	Costales	Continues presentation focusing on ODOT safety: · Work zone fatalities in Oregon · Traffic Fatalities statistics · The Future Outlook · Specific needs for the future
170	Costales	Concludes presentation.
175	Sen. Nelson	Asks about the usage of trucks and asks what studies have been done regarding truck driver safety.
180	Costales	States that truck drivers have numerous hours of training to prevent accidents.
200	Sen. Deckert	Asks if there is a difference between European accidents versus U.S., because there is no speed limit in Europe.
210	Costales	Responds that Europe has a 97% safety belt usage rate. Also notes that the Autobahn has recently set a speed limit for certain vehicles.
225	Sen. Deckert	Asks if Europe statistically has better drivers.
230	Costales	States that the age limit for a driver’s license is 18. Provides comparable examples comparing Europe to the U.S.
260	Lorna Youngs	Manager, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Begins presentation on DMV programs. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT B).
330	Sen. Nelson	Asks how much of the fee is general funded.
335	Youngs	Answers that the agency has no general fund in the Governor’s budget.
360	Youngs	Continues discussing agency activities: · Offices and Employees · Performance Measures · Driver Safety
TAPE 4, B
020	Youngs	Continues discussing agency programs: · Driver Safety · Customer Focus · Accomplishments in Oregon
100	Sen. Deckert	Asks for clarification of time lines.
110	Youngs	Explains.
113	Sen. Nelson	Asks who is contracting for the service in presentation.
116	Youngs	Provides the name of the contractor.
120	Youngs	Continues presentation on What’s Next in Oregon.
140	Sen. Deckert	Asks if there is projected reduction of FTE or field offices as the future holds less field office interaction.
145	Youngs	States that there is not a huge foreseeable reduction from the use of Internet or mail.
150	Youngs	Continues discussion of programs: · Driver Safety · Fraud Prevention
230	Youngs	Concludes.
245	Claudia Howells	Manager of the Rails Division, ODOT. Begins presentation on the Overview of the Oregon Rail System. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT C).
300	Howells	Discusses rail issues: · Federal participation and compliance · Jurisdiction over public railroad crossings · Rail Retention and Development program
TAPE 5, B
020	Howells	Continues presentation focusing on rail construction.
045	Sen. Deckert	Asks about the high speed rail from Vancouver B.C. to Southern California. Asks if this is a federal issue to increase the speed lines.
050	Howells	Explains the long term possibility of a Vancouver, B.C. to Eugene, however not anytime in the near future.
065	Sen. Nelson	Asks how to define the rail speed.
070	Howells	Explains: · 125 mph and beyond is genuine high speed · High speed is 79 mph States the short term goal focuses on run time versus speed.
095	Howells	Concludes.
110	Sen. Nelson	Asks if there is concern with passenger trains, and negative outlook.
115	Howells	Discusses.
125	Sen. Nelson	Asks if the private railroads are charged a fee to use the tracks, and questions if it is a federal issue.
130	Howells	Answers.
140	Sen. Nelson	Asks about long term goals involved.
145	Howells	Discusses opportunity.
155	Sen. Deckert	Comments that if the high speeds were improved in Oregon and Washington, it could help the economy.
160	Sen. Nelson	Comments on rail restoration brought forward by a previous session committee.
170	Howells	Comments on rail restoration.
210	Ann Crook	Director of the Department of Aviation. Begins overview of the Department. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT D).
240	Sen. Nelson	Asks for the total budget of the biennium.
245	Crook	Provides answer. Continues discussing agency issues: · Commercial Airline Services
300	Sen. Nelson	Comments on the personal airlines from a personal experience.
310	Crook	Continues discussing agency issues: · General Aviation Transportation · Oregon’s Aviation Infrastructure · Aviation Security
TAPE 6, A
055	Sen. Deckert	Asks if there is a heightened self policing security at both larger and smaller airports.
060	Crook	Answers positively. States that pilots are taking a personal interest in policing their workplace.
065	Crook	Continues presentation focusing on Airport Ownership. Concludes.
090	Bill Wilkins	Chair of State Aviation Board. Describes members of the Board.
140	Wilkins	Discusses the Aviation Boards accomplishments.
190	Sen. Nelson	Asks what the state can do to assist the Board in the coming changes.
200	Wilkins	States that there are ways the Board will need to support smaller communities and entrepreneurs in Oregon.
245	Chair Metsger	Closes informational hearing and adjourns meeting at 10:06 a.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – Informational, written testimony, Troy Costales, 22 pp

B – Informational, written testimony, Lorna Youngs, 21 pp

C – Informational, written testimony, Claudia Howells, 6 pp

D – Informational, written testimony, Ann Crook, 15 pp