Title
Greater Triangle Commuter Rail Project Management Structure
Bret Martin, MPO Staff
Body
In its preparation for entering into the next phase of pre-project development (i.e., 2011 alternatives analysis update) to study the commuter rail corridor identified in the Wake Transit Plan and the 2045 CAMPO and DCHC MPO Metropolitan Transportation Plans, GoTriangle, in consultation with CAMPO, North Carolina Railroad, Wake County, Durham County, Research Triangle Park Foundation, and the DCHC MPO, negotiated and prepared a draft project management structure to serve as a blueprint for implementing any future phases of commuter rail project implementation. The draft project management structure contains the following elements:
1) Defined members of a project management committee (PMC) that will provide technical and project management direction to the project sponsor;
2) Formation of a technical advisory group, comprised of representatives from local/municipal governments along the corridor, that will provide input at key milestones throughout the alternatives analysis update and future phases of implementation;
3) Defined relationships between the project sponsor and the PMC for interfacing with stakeholders, consultants, the Wake County Transit Planning Advisory Committee (TPAC), and cooperating and participating agencies involved in the Wake Transit Concurrence Process;
4) Defined relationships between the project sponsor and the PMC for developing and furthering project-level recommendations; and
5) Roles and responsibilities for communications related to commuter rail project development and design.
The draft document detailing these elements is provided as Attachment A. At the Executive Board’s June 19th meeting, in addition to presenting the draft Greater Triangle commuter rail project management structure, staff will also provide an overview of the scope elements of the commuter rail alternatives analysis update, the proposed schedule for working through those scope elements, proposed membership on the technical advisory group, and the key milestones proposed by GoTriangle to involve participation and input from the technical advisory group.
At the TCC’s June 6th regular meeting, CAMPO staff had not yet received information from GoTriangle, the commuter rail project sponsor, that details the proposed membership on the technical advisory group or that identifies the key milestones throughout the alternatives analysis update that would involve the technical advisory group. Consequently, the TCC recommended approval of the proposed project management structure with the following caveats:
1) That an explanation be provided for why certain agencies versus others were selected to be members of the PMC;
2) That the composition of the proposed technical advisory group and a plan for how it will be engaged throughout the AA update be provided; and
3) That this information be provided to the Executive Board in advance of its June 19th meeting such that TCC members can review and provide input to their respective board members before the Executive Board considers it.
Subsequent to the June 6th TCC meeting, GoTriangle has provided the following:
1) A commuter rail project management structure frequently asked questions document;
2) A schedule for tasks associated with the alternatives analysis update, as well as for the technical advisory group’s involvement in the study;
3) A list of local governments and other agencies from which representatives will be invited to participate on the technical advisory group; and
4) An explanation for why the agencies on the PMC were selected to serve on the PMC.
The follow-up information provided by GoTriangle is detailed in Attachment B.
Requested Action: Action Consider approval of the Greater Triangle Commuter Rail Project Management Structure