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Item 1.F.
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| City Council Regular | |
| Date: | 02/26/2024 |
| Title: | Funding, Maintenance, Construction and Local Agency Guidelines Agreement - Stagecoach Trail: MDT and City of Billings |
| Presented by: | Lora Mattox |
| Department: | Planning & Community Services |
| Presentation: | No |
| Legal Review: | Yes |
| Project Number: | N/A |
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Funding, Maintenance, Construction and Local Agency Guidelines (LAG) Agreement with the Montana Department of Transportation and authorize the Mayor to sign the agreement. Signing this document will enable the release and allocation of Transportation Alternative funding to finalize the construction of the Stagecoach Trail.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
The Transportation Alternatives Program (TA) is a set-aside program from the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program. Eligible uses of the funds include projects and activities that were previously eligible under the Transportation Alternatives Program under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). This includes a variety of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, recreational trails, safe routes to school projects and other community improvement projects.
In 2023, the MPO received an allocation of approximately $6.38 million of TA funds. The MPO received two projects, one being submitted by the City of Billings for the construction of the Stagecoach Trail. This project will construct a minimum of a 10’ wide shared use path from the Skyline Trail on the east side of Zimmerman Trail to Rimrock Road below the Rims. This project was ultimately approved by the Policy Coordinating Committee and the Montana Transportation Commission for funding. The City Council also approved the required local match funds for the project in its 2025-2029 CIP in December 2023.
The LAG Agreement serves as the formal document that governs the collaboration between MDT and the City to plan, fund, construct, and maintain the Stagecoach Trail. Upon approval of the agreement by the City Council, MDT will send this agreement through DocuSign for the Mayor's signature.
In 2023, the MPO received an allocation of approximately $6.38 million of TA funds. The MPO received two projects, one being submitted by the City of Billings for the construction of the Stagecoach Trail. This project will construct a minimum of a 10’ wide shared use path from the Skyline Trail on the east side of Zimmerman Trail to Rimrock Road below the Rims. This project was ultimately approved by the Policy Coordinating Committee and the Montana Transportation Commission for funding. The City Council also approved the required local match funds for the project in its 2025-2029 CIP in December 2023.
The LAG Agreement serves as the formal document that governs the collaboration between MDT and the City to plan, fund, construct, and maintain the Stagecoach Trail. Upon approval of the agreement by the City Council, MDT will send this agreement through DocuSign for the Mayor's signature.
STAKEHOLDERS
The Stagecoach Trail project has been identified in local planning efforts that included robust public participation. This project was extensively reviewed in the development of the 2015 Rimrocks to Valley Bike & Pedestrian Study, has been a community priority as a critical safety project to enable pedestrians and cyclists safe access up and down the rimrocks along Zimmerman Trail, and as a connection for the completion of the Marathon Loop around Billings.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
· Approve the LAG Agreement and authorize the mayor’s signature, allowing the Stagecoach Trail project to begin preliminary engineering and construction activities; or,
· Not approve the LAG Agreement. Not approving the LAG Agreement leaves in limbo $4.79 million in Transportation Alternative funding and the future of the Stagecoach Trail, and is in direct conflict with past actions of the City Council to both approve the project for the TA program and receive MDT approval, and include it with approval of local match in the adopted FY25-FY29 CIP.
· Approve the LAG Agreement and authorize the mayor’s signature, allowing the Stagecoach Trail project to begin preliminary engineering and construction activities; or,
· Not approve the LAG Agreement. Not approving the LAG Agreement leaves in limbo $4.79 million in Transportation Alternative funding and the future of the Stagecoach Trail, and is in direct conflict with past actions of the City Council to both approve the project for the TA program and receive MDT approval, and include it with approval of local match in the adopted FY25-FY29 CIP.
FISCAL EFFECTS
In addition to the $4.79 million in TA funds, the City of Billings has committed up to $743,879 in local match funding for this project. This includes a $100,000 donation from Billings TrailNet. This project is approved within the City’s FY25-FY29 Capital Improvement Plan adopted in December.
SUMMARY
The Transportation Alternatives Program is an opportunity for the Billings Urban Area to complete larger, complex non-motorized projects since there continues to be a lack of consistent City funding to build trail and pathway projects outside of the City ROW. The Stagecoach Trail is a large and challenging project. Without the TA funds, this project could be delayed for years if not decades. This project will provide an important piece of transportation infrastructure to safely allow pedestrians and cyclists an alternative way to traverse up and down the Rimrocks adjacent to Zimmerman Trail.