The City Council is being asked to support staff's preparation and submittal of a 2020 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant to fund motorized and non-motorized transportation projects in the community. The grant is expected to be for about $23.8 million with a local match of about $7 million. The program of projects to be constructed under the grant would include: The Inner Belt Loop; Sky Line Trail; and Stage Coach Trail from the top of Zimmerman Trail to Rimrock Road. The City applied for a BUILD Grant in 2019 for almost the same program of projects, had a very competitive application according to the US Department of Transportation, but the grant was not successful. The City is making significant modifications to its application, modifying the ask in regard to several trail elements, and preparing the new application for submittal.

The grant application is due May 18, 2020. City staff from City Administration, Public Works, Planning Division, and PRPL, a community stakeholder group, and a consultant team are working to prepare the grant application. Resolutions or letters of support are being secured from the City Council, Yellowstone County Board of County Commissioners, Montana Department of Transportation, TrailNet, Billings Chamber of Commerce, the Montana Congressional Delegation, and many other community partners.

City Council may:

• Approve support for a 2020 BUILD Grant Application, or;
• Disapprove support for a 2020 BUILD Grant Application. The City is already invested in the feasibility and application of the BUILD Grant in 2019 based on past direction and support from the Council, so not approving support would create a significant lost opportunity for the City at this stage in the process.

The BUILD Grant application total is expected to be about $23.8 million. The City intends to provide about $7 million in match for the grant utilizing funding approved in the City's adopted CIP for the Inner Belt Loop project. The Inner Belt Loop is estimated to cost a total of $14 million. The Skyline Trail is estimated to cost about $4 million and the Stagecoach Trail (down Zimmerman Trail) is estimated to cost about $5 million. If this grant is successful, the Inner Belt Loop would be constructed for only $7 million in local funding, as well as the community building two other critical trail segments to help complete the Marathon Loop around Billings and make motorized and non-motorized travel much safer in several key corridors in or community.

Staff recommends the City Council approve the Resolution supporting the 2020 BUILD Grant Application.