The South Billings Urban Renewal Association (SBURA) Board and City staff recommend the City Council amend the FY23-FY27 CIP to move the Riverfront Park Trail project from FY24 to FY23 to take advantage of awarded grant funding as well as coordination with construction going on now along the trail alignment.

The City has an opportunity to move forward with design and construction of a major segment of the Riverfront Park Trail in FY23 and continue to close the remaining gaps in the Marathon Loop Trail around Billings. A series of events has necessitated staff asking the City Council to approve an amendment to the current adopted FY23-FY27 CIP to move the Riverfront Park Trail project from FY24 to FY23 so that design may begin immediately, and construction may begin in FY23. The events that have brought this to Council for action include:

• Recent TIF awards and development plans along the South Frontage Road, including the Torgerson, TPA and Compton properties
• The Billings Logistics Center One (TPA Group TIF application) warehouse project is under construction now
• The City was awarded a Recreational Trails Grant to help with construction of a trail connector from South Frontage Road to the Riverfront Park Trail corridor
• The City Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Department recently received bids to construct a trail segment from the improved portion of Riverfront Park to the Washington Street/Riverfront Park Trail intersection, a bridge over the City/County Drain, and trail head improvements at the Washington Street terminus
• Overall, there is a significant need to coordinate trail construction, grant timing and current the TPA construction to get the best project coordination and investment

The SBURA Board at its August meeting received a presentation from City staff on the opportunity to move the Riverfront Park Trail project up in the adopted CIP from FY24 to FY23. The SBURA Board voted to recommend to City Council that the CIP amendment be made to take advantage of the timing and construction coordination for this trail segment.

 

City Council may:

• Approve amending the FY23-FY27 CIP to move the Riverfront Park Trail project from FY24 to FY23; or,
• Not Approve amending the FY23-FY27 CIP to move the Riverfront Park Trail project from FY24 to FY23. Not approving this change in fiscal years will prevent City staff from taking advantage of awarded grant funding and the synergy of active construction in the area of the trail corridor, and delay the project, potentially increasing costs and not utilizing grant funds in a timely manner.

The Riverfront Park Trail Project is already in the City Council approved FY23-FY27 CIP. The Council approved the CIP on December 13, 2021. The proposed funding for the trail segment includes SBURA TIF funds, Recreational Trail Program (RTP) Grant funds, and Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) funding. While TAP funding has not been secured for this project at this time, the SBURA TIF funds and RTP funds will cover the cost of the trail segment design and construction to complete a significant amount of this project in one effort. If necessary, a budget amendment to the FY23 SBBURD Budget will be brought to Council at the time the contract for the trail project is finalized and the exact cost is determined.