Consent 1.D.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 11/13/2017
- TITLE
- Consulting Agreement with Kittelson & Associates - 2018 Long Range Transportation Plan Update
- PRESENTED BY:
- Wyeth Friday
- Department:
- Planning & Community Services
Presentation:
No
PROBLEM/ISSUE STATEMENT
The City Council is is being presented with a contract with Kittelsen & Associates to complete the 2018 Billings Urban Area Long Range Transportation Plan. The Yellowstone County Board of Planning (YCBP) is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Billings Urban Area. The YCBP is required to develop a Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) every four years to meet the requirements of the Federal Highway Administration. The previous transportation plan was updated in 2014 and due to a new Transportation Bill, the plan is now required to be updated to ensure the plan is in alignment with local, State, and Federal transportation planning efforts and requirements.
Through a competitive RFP and selection process conducted in September of 2017, Kittelsen & Associates was the recommended consultant to complete the 2018 Billings Urban Area Long Range Transportation Plan. The scope of work includes elements to bring the plan into compliance with all FAST-Act requirements. Some of the elements included within the plan development include: updating all required elements identified in the FAST-Act Transportation Bill, review and update the short and long range transportation projects and update and expand the freight, rail, and transit sections. To maintain the schedule for the Transportation Plan, the contract requires the Scope of Work and Document package to be completed in draft form by mid-summer 2018 within a not to exceed amount of $225,000. The City is also requesting that the consultant update the 2008 Public Participation Plan. The Public Participation Plan is a requirement of the federal registry to spend the federal PL funds. The Transportation Plan will be updated to meet all requirements of the new FAST-Act.The entire scope of work is outlined in detail within Exhibit A of the Consultant Agreement.
This project is identified in the recently adopted 2018 Billings Urban Area Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The UPWP is developed each year and identifies tasks to be completed through the use of Federal Planning dollars allocated to the Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Through a competitive RFP and selection process conducted in September of 2017, Kittelsen & Associates was the recommended consultant to complete the 2018 Billings Urban Area Long Range Transportation Plan. The scope of work includes elements to bring the plan into compliance with all FAST-Act requirements. Some of the elements included within the plan development include: updating all required elements identified in the FAST-Act Transportation Bill, review and update the short and long range transportation projects and update and expand the freight, rail, and transit sections. To maintain the schedule for the Transportation Plan, the contract requires the Scope of Work and Document package to be completed in draft form by mid-summer 2018 within a not to exceed amount of $225,000. The City is also requesting that the consultant update the 2008 Public Participation Plan. The Public Participation Plan is a requirement of the federal registry to spend the federal PL funds. The Transportation Plan will be updated to meet all requirements of the new FAST-Act.The entire scope of work is outlined in detail within Exhibit A of the Consultant Agreement.
This project is identified in the recently adopted 2018 Billings Urban Area Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The UPWP is developed each year and identifies tasks to be completed through the use of Federal Planning dollars allocated to the Metropolitan Planning Organization.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED
The City Council may:
- Approve the consultant contract as proposed, or
- Not approve the consultant contract. Not approving the agreement means the City Council is not approving completion of a funded project in the 2018 UPWP that was already approved by the Policy Coordinating Committee, or
- Direct staff to negotiate specific changes with Kittelson & Associates and return a revised contract
- Approve the consultant contract as proposed, or
- Not approve the consultant contract. Not approving the agreement means the City Council is not approving completion of a funded project in the 2018 UPWP that was already approved by the Policy Coordinating Committee, or
- Direct staff to negotiate specific changes with Kittelson & Associates and return a revised contract
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The cost of the LRTP and the update to the Public Participation Plan is in an amount not to exceed $225,000. The costs are detailed in Exhibit B of the consultant contract. The source of funding is through the Billings Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's Federal PL (planning) funds.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Consultant Agreement with Kittelson & Associates to complete the 2018 Long Range Transportation Plan and Public Participation Plan updates.