Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) · Feb. 12, 2026
Meeting date: Feb. 12, 2026Summarized 2026-09-01 17:19
# Polk County TPO Board — February 12, 2026 Regular Meeting Summary
**Meeting:** 9:00 a.m., BoCC Boardroom, Bartow. Called to order by Chairwoman Trish Pfeiffer; adjourned 11:13 a.m. Quorum confirmed by staff, though the minutes note that Commissioner Dawn McDonald represented the South County Bloc and **no representatives were present for the Central County or Ridge Blocs.**
## Votes Taken (all carried without dissent / unanimously)
**Consent agenda (Items 5–7)** — moved by Commissioner Wilson, seconded by Commissioner Santiago. Included approval of the 12/09/25 minutes, the Executive Director's quarterly timesheets and expense reimbursements, and **Resolution 2026-01** recommending the Lakeland Area Mass Transit District (LAMTD) as the designated Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) for Polk County.
**Item 8a — Officer elections:**
- Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley elected Chair (nominated/moved by Commissioner Brasswell, seconded by Commissioner Wilson). She presided over the remainder of the meeting.
- Council Member Greenway elected Vice Chair (moved by Commissioner McDonald, seconded by Commissioner Wilson).
**Item 8b — Appointments:**
- Vice Mayor Jeremy Clark retained as Chair of the Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board (moved by Brasswell, seconded by Arroyo).
- Existing Suncoast Transportation Planning Alliance representatives retained — Commissioner Trish Pfeiffer, Commissioner Mike Musick, Mayor Pro Tem Guy LaLonde (moved by Brasswell, seconded by McDonald).
**Item 9 — Public hearing, TIP amendment (FY 2025/26–2029/30):** Amendment covers LAMTD funding for rehabilitation of a maintenance building. No public comment received. Moved by Commissioner Wilson, seconded by Commissioner Musick; roll call vote approved without dissent. *No dollar figure for the amendment is stated in the minutes.*
**Item 10a — Resolution 2026-02** adopting FDOT Safety Performance Targets. Moved by Council Member Greenway, seconded by Commissioner McDonald. Staff (Tracy Mullins) cited FDOT's goal of zero fatalities/serious injuries by 2026 and expressed concern over rising fatalities and increasing bicycle and pedestrian injury rates. Minutes note "a lengthy and substantive discussion" followed the vote.
**Item 11 — RFP No. 25-686, I-4 Intermodal Passenger Rail Station Planning and Feasibility Study:** Board approved the selection committee's ranking, with **HDR Engineering Inc. ranked first**, and authorized staff to negotiate/enter an agreement. Moved by Commissioner Musick, seconded by Commissioner Scott; carried unanimously. Contract negotiations were reported as already underway. **No contract value is disclosed in the minutes.** Commissioner Troutman noted that if negotiations with HDR fail, the process proceeds to the second-ranked firm.
**Item 12 — FY 2026/27–2027/28 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) draft planning tasks:** Moved by Council Member Greenway, seconded by Commissioner Troutman; carried unanimously. Funding allocations cited: **$4.4 million for FY 2024/25–2025/26** and **$2.9 million for FY 2026/27–2027/28**. Commissioner Troutman questioned the decrease in federal funding; Executive Director Ryan Kordek attributed it to completion of several large projects reducing need in the next cycle.
**Adjournment** — moved by Wilson, seconded by Santiago.
## Non-Vote Items of Note
- **Item 8c — Meeting time/location:** Kordek reported poll results favoring the 9:00 a.m. start over 1:00 p.m. and reviewed a five-year cost comparison for relocating to the FDOT Conference Center. He confirmed meetings will continue in the BoCC Board Room; potential Board Room renovations are under discussion. No vote recorded.
- **Public comment:** Sharon Garrett expressed concerns about the potential loss of her family land in connection with the planned Central Polk Parkway. No other public comment at either opportunity.
- **Vision Zero/SS4A update (AECOM):** 465 survey responses received; distracted driving and lane discipline top concerns. Three corridor workshops planned (Lake Ariana Civic Center, Wahneta Elementary, Sleepy Hill Elementary). Commissioner Troutman raised concerns that school-based workshop times may not accommodate working families and referenced proposed "road diets" in Lakeland; Commissioner Scott suggested two meetings in the Kathleen Corridor.
- **Presentations (no action):** Lakeland Linder International Airport (Terminal Area Master Plan, proposed consolidated fuel farm, Port of Tampa–Orlando pipeline connection, Northeast Quadrant MRO facility); Central Polk Parkway East ACE/PD&E study by Florida's Turnpike — a new four-segment toll facility, with travel times from US 27/I-4 to SR 429 projected to drop from 50–70 minutes to 23–28 minutes. Twelve alternate routes were evaluated; the Cypress Park Route was deemed less suitable due to multiple constraints.
- **Executive Director's report:** 2025 Year in Review; a letter of support for the Statewide Advancement of Enhancements at Intercity Passenger Rail Crossings Program.
- **FDOT report:** Draft 2025 Joint Certification underway; deadlines noted — UPWP submission in GAP by March 15, PL Agreement due May 15, TA and Congestion Management applications due in GAP by March 31.
## Assessment
No contested votes, split votes, failed motions, or item withdrawals occurred; every recorded motion passed without dissent. The two most financially significant actions were the UPWP approval ($2.9M for the upcoming two-year cycle, down from $4.4M) and the authorization to negotiate with HDR Engineering on the I-4 rail station study, for which no dollar amount appears in the record.