Campo Policy Board Meeting - February 9, 2026
Campo Policy Board Meeting - February 9, 2026
The Campo (Columbus Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) Policy Board met on February 9, 2026, to elect officers, approve the 2026 meeting schedule and safety targets, receive updates on various transportation projects, and review the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) update, including public survey results. The meeting was chaired by Tom Pinky (newly elected) and Vice Chair Dem Scouty.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes from the September 8, 2025 meeting were approved unanimously.
- The 2026 meeting schedule (February 9, May 11, July special, September, November) was approved unanimously, with anticipated topics outlined for each quarter.
Discussion Items
- Project Updates (Dan/Andrew):
- Low Bridge and 325 West Intersection Project: All appraisals complete; offer letters for right-of-way (3 parcels plus one DNR parcel) expected soon. Coordination of construction phases to minimize closures.
- Bridge inspections to begin in May.
- Tanney Hill project: Four years out, early development stages.
- Canada 900 North historic bridge: Historic bridge evaluation due mid-month; likely lengthy closure and need for federal dollars due to extensive deterioration of two steel trusses.
- Tally Road: 38 of 47 parcels secured; on track for January 2027 letting.
- Hot signal at 19th and Central: Environmental review delay (Section 106) would cost $60,000 and cause a one-year delay; project will proceed with local dollars instead of federal.
- Emergency vehicle preemption project: Letting Wednesday; will cover 62 intersections and 30 vehicles, allowing fire trucks/EMS to get green lights.
- Congressional Outreach: Andrew reported a virtual meeting with Congressman Shreve regarding the Back to Basics Bridge and Safety Infrastructure and Community Success Act. In the 6th district, 451 bridges need repairs, 99 on rural/collector roads. Discussion included increasing the Surface Transportation Fund and letting locals make decisions.
- Manager's Report (Ashley):
- UPWP (work plan) minor edits approved in October; document processed and approved in November.
- Annual completion report in progress.
- NDOT certification review passed (received final report January 2026).
- Safety Targets (Resolution 2026-01): Review and adoption of INDOT's 2026 safety targets. Targets aim to reduce fatalities and serious injuries (five-year averages). Discussion noted that 2025 target for serious injury rate (3.402) was unusually low but increased in 2026. The board adopted the resolution unanimously.
- Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Update (Ashley):
- Consultant Kimley Horn is conducting analysis, public engagement, and project list development.
- Public engagement: Open house (12 attendees), survey with 572 responses, and map with 138 comments. Demographics generally matched census data.
- Key survey findings: Most people drive; safety concerns outweigh congestion; conditions rated favorably for roads/streets, mixed for bike lanes/sidewalks, favorable for trails, split for buses/stops, favorable for intersections.
- Prioritization preferences: Leaned toward more small projects vs. few big, near residential neighborhoods, filling network gaps, maintaining existing infrastructure, and using data analysis over public opinion.
- Hot spots for comments: 25th Street, Golar, 31st & Taylor, Central & Rocky Ford, South Side Elementary.
- Next steps: Finalize project list, March public engagement, draft MTP for review in May, public comment in May, final adoption in July.
- Transit Updates (Mary/Andrew/Ashley):
- Starting changes: from 5 routes to 4, with a loop service; expanding to Walesborough and Edinburgh (initially to retail center, possibly employer connections). Will use local dollars for outside city limits.
- Real-time data collection now available for stops to inform future improvements (shelters, route tweaks).
- Citizens Advisory Committee (7 members) meeting regularly to assist with prioritization.
- Mayor's Safety Comments: Mary Ferdon reported 842 total deaths in Indiana in 2025, 54% on local roads (59% rural, 41% urban). She expressed concern about disregard for signs and worker safety on city/county roads; discussed potential enforcement or ordinances.
- Alternate State Road 11: Andrew announced a BUILD grant application (up to $25 million, no required match, but will add match to improve scoring) for a side path from State Road 46 to 450 South, connecting neighborhoods to Walmart and employment in Walesborough. Decision expected in June. The MPO issued a letter of recommendation since the project is already in the current MTP.
Key Outcomes
- Election of Officers: Tom Pinky as Chair and Dem Scouty as Vice Chair (motion approved unanimously).
- Approval of Minutes from September 8, 2025 (unanimous).
- Adoption of 2026 Meeting Schedule (unanimous).
- Adoption of Resolution 2026-01: Safety Targets for Performance Measures (INDOT 2026 targets) (unanimous).
- Direction to proceed with MTP update as outlined.
- Submission of BUILD grant application for Alternate State Road 11 side path, with MPO letter of recommendation.
- Ongoing coordination with Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and other partners.
Meeting Transcript
You're next to me, sir. Great. I don't want to go too far. It's kind of hard if you look at touch. It's too obvious. Yep, so we're so good. Excuse me. Oh sure. We are officially recording, just heads up. Tomorrow. Is it tomorrow then? You showed up tonight. Easy all alone. But you could do a dry room. Well, we'll go ahead and get started. Um may be joining us here shortly. Uh welcome everyone to the uh Campo Policy Board meeting on uh this the February ninth, uh 2026. We'll begin with roll calling. Austin, you want to begin? City attorney with legal Becky Packer with in dot Kim Bennett with County Council. Tennessee Bowdy from the City Plan Commission. Mary Ferdon, Calmus Mayor. Tom Dell with City Council. Um and Ashley Becker at Keen from the measure. Very good, thank you. Uh we do have a quorum. Um leading election number twenty twenty-six officers. We need a chairman and the vice chairman. Correct. Yes. The current chair is uh Tom Pinky and the current vice chair is Dem Scouty. Um so you guys will officially need to approve a new slate of officers for the year. Can I make a motion that we approve Tom's thinking's sharing as chair of this president? Motion by second by Tom Dell. All those in favor of the motion say aye. I had a feeling that left. Okay. We did the same thing in the same thing. Yeah, pretty much. Okay, next up would be the minutes from our last meeting on uh September eighth, twenty twenty-five. Any additions or corrections? Second by Tony to the prove the minutes of our last meeting. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Motion carry Texas Triple Ports. Project updates. Um start. The Low Bridge and the 325 West Intersection Project. All the appraisals have been done, and they're gonna be sending out offer letters for the right-of-way. Uh this week or some pretty soon anyhow.
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