9.A.
City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 05/20/2014
- From:
- Bret Petersen, Project Manager
Information
TITLE:
Consideration and Approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement: Between the City of Flagstaff and State of Arizona, acting by and through its Department of Transportation (ADOT), for maintenance of a multi-use path and median landscaping to be constructed by ADOT on the east side of Country Club Drive over Interstate 40.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
- Approve the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the State of Arizona to accept the improvements and assume responsibility for the annual maintenance of the planned path and median landscaping upon completion of the project. Annual estimated cost for maintenance is $2,000.
Policy Decision or Reason for Action:
The City of Flagstaff and Arizona Department of Transportation was awarded a Round 18 Transportation Enhancement Grant by the State Transportation Board in November 2010. ADOT has retained the project administration authority for the design and construction of the project. The Initial Project Assessment (March 2014) estimates construction to cost $561,000. This project will use federal enhancement funds (94.3%) and State sponsor matching funds (5.7%) to construct the project. No City funds have been requested for construction. Acceptance of the IGA will provide ADOT the assurance that the City will assume responsibility for maintaining the improvements upon completion of the project.
Financial Impact:
Annual estimated cost for maintenance of the urban trail and median landscaping is $2,000. FUTS maintenance is approximately $800 (based upon an average annual estimate of $2,800 per mile of concrete path), and $1,200 for landscaping maintenance (based upon an average annual estimate of $10,000 per acre of landscaped area). It is anticipated that the BBB fund allocations for Beautification and Recreation will be the funding source for annual maintenance of the physical improvements.
Connection to Council Goal:
1) Repair Replace maintain infrastructure (streets & utilities)
2) Fund existing and consider expanded recreational services
2) Fund existing and consider expanded recreational services
Has There Been Previous Council Decision on This:
No
Options and Alternatives:
1) Approve the IGA between the City and ADOT to authorize the maintenance agreement.
2) Reject the IGA between the City and ADOT which would not authorize the maintenance agreement and jeopardize the grant funded improvement.
2) Reject the IGA between the City and ADOT which would not authorize the maintenance agreement and jeopardize the grant funded improvement.
Background/History:
A project prospectus document was initiated in April 2010 by City staff in anticipation of submitting a Transportation Enhancement (T.E.) Grant application in August 2010. Significant effort went into the development of this document through a collaborative effort between the City, ADOT and FMPO. The T.E. Grant application was submitted on August 11, 2010, and it was approved by the State Transportation Board on November 19th, 2010. ADOT will administer the Design and Construction contracts, and thus the State will be responsible for funding the Sponsor Matching Funds @ 5.7% (approximately $29,807). Federal T.E. dollars will fund the remaining 94.3% (approximately $493,121). ADOT conducted a kick-off meeting on November 5, 2013. An Initial Project Assessment was provided to the City for review and comment on March 11, 2014. City comments were compiled and conveyed to ADOT on April 1, 2014. Upon completion of the Final Project Assessment, ADOT will proceed with developing design documents for the public improvement. Construction will likely occur in late 2014 or early 2015.
Key Considerations:
The concept plan for these proposed improvements was presented to the City's Inter-Division Staff (IDS) for review and comment, followed by an internal staff scoping meeting to address specific concerns. City and ADOT staff worked closely together to develop the conceptual design in anticipation of submitting the Round 18 Grant Application. Letters of support for the project were received from Friends of Flagstaff's Future, Flagstaff Biking Organization, and the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee. The Round 18 Transportation Enhancement project was approved by the State Transportation Board on November 19, 2010.
Expanded Financial Considerations:
BBB Funds - A dedicated 2% Bed, Board and Beverage sales tax is collected and allocated each year into various funds including a Beautification Fund and Recreation Fund. A portion of each Fund is dedicated for maintenance of Streetscape and designated FUTS trail sections. Annual estimated cost to maintain both the median landscaping and concrete trail is $2,000/year.
Community Benefits and Considerations:
The Country Club FUTS Trail is shown in the Flagstaff Regional Land Use and Transportation Plan, FUTS Master Plan, and is listed high in the FUTS Priority Rankings document which is reviewed annually by a variety of City committees and commissions including the Bicycle Advisory Committee, Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Parks & Recreation Commission, and Open Space Commission.
- Replace existing sidewalk with multi-use trail to create a continuous trail of 1.3 miles in length along Country Club Drive.
- Connects to existing trails and improves an important link in the overall FUTS system. At the north end, this trail connects to the Route 66 FUTS Trail, and primary commuter trail that continues west to downtown Flagstaff and east to the mall commercial area. Several other trails and two bicycle/pedestrian tunnels at the north end create excellent access and high levels of service for bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Provides no-motorized connectivity for more than 5,000 residences in the Country Club neighborhood and improves a deficiency in pedestrian and bicycle travel.
- Aesthetic improvements include landscaping and safety fencing consistent with trail sections north and south of the project limits.
- 10' wide concrete trail sections will match existing FUTS sections north and south of the project limits.
- Includes new exterior barrier fencing to improve comfortable passage for bicycle and pedestrians over I-40 (similar to BNSF railroad tracks bridge) at the only grade-separated crossing in east Flagstaff; the next-nearest crossing is at Fourth Street, which is almost 2-miles to the west.
- Extends the landscape median along Country Club Drive from Mobil's driveway north to eastbound I-40 off/on ramps.
- ADOT will remain responsible for maintaining the new safety rail on existing interior barrier wall and new fencing on exterior barrier wall of the existing bridge over I-40.
FUTS trails are an important part of Flagstaff's transportation network. According to the City's Citizen Survey for 2009, 78% of residents used the FUTS system in the prior year; and a recent survey of bicycle commuters finds that more than 70% of bicycle commuters use the FUTS for some or part of their regular commute.
Community Involvement:
Inform and Involve - Staff values community input received through numerous board and commission meetings. Letters of support were also received from Friends of Flagstaff's Future, Flagstaff Biking Organization, and the Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Expanded Options and Alternatives:
1) Approve the IGA between the City and ADOT to authorize the maintenance agreement, which allows ADOT to proceed with the design and construction of the project.
2) Reject the IGA between the City and ADOT which would not authorize the maintenance agreement and jeopardize the grant funded improvement.
2) Reject the IGA between the City and ADOT which would not authorize the maintenance agreement and jeopardize the grant funded improvement.
Attachments
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| City Clerk | lburke | 05/02/2014 05:17 PM |
| Grants, Contracts & Emergency Mgmt. | Stacey Brechler-Knaggs | 05/05/2014 01:34 PM |
| Assistant Parks/Recreation Director | szimmerman | 05/05/2014 02:18 PM |
| Purchasing Director | rcompau | 05/06/2014 07:14 AM |
| City Engineer | rbarrett | 05/06/2014 03:22 PM |
| Legal Assistant | Vicki Baker | 05/06/2014 03:39 PM |
- Form Started By:
- bpetersen
- Started On:
- 04/07/2014 10:05 AM
- Final Approval Date:
- 05/07/2014