Fourth Street Bridge Future Intergovernmental Agreement Direction

Provide direction to staff regarding Council's desire to negotiate an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)

Over the past several months, the City Council and Staff have been working closely with the Arizona State Transportation Board (ASTB) and its members on a partnership to reconstruct the I-40 / Fourth Street Bridges.

On April 21, 2017, ASTB held their annual hearing in Flagstaff.  Attachment number 1, is a letter City Manager Copley sent to ASTB Chair Deanna Beaver indicating the City's willingness to partner on the Fourth Street Bridges replacement, in conjunction with that hearing.

Attachment number 2, is Mr. Copley's letter to ASTB which proposes, in greater detail, sharing in the cost of replacing the bridges.  This letter and subsequent conversations with ASTB and ADOT District Engineer, Audra Merrick, have lead to the development of the following Proposed Deal Points:
 

1. Total project cost:  $9M  ($1M design - $8M construction)
2. Cost share:  $4M State / $5M City - up to $9M (Approximately 45% / 55% shares)
3. Project overruns: 50%/50% State/City
4. Design Funding:  City provide 55% of design costs in FY18 OR City fund total design in FY18 and get "credit"
5. Construction Funding:  City provide balance of the $5M in FY20     
6. ADOT Programming: $1M in FY18 Design and $8M in FY20 construction
7. ADOT Performance:  Design and construction
8. City Right-of-Way: Provide rights of entry at no cost

 
Over the past several months, City Staff and Council have spoken at numerous ASTB meeting around the State.  The following is the message we have delivered to ASTB:

1. The City requests that the Board place the Fourth Street Bridges at I-40 replacement and widening project in the ADOT 2018-2022 Five-year construction program.
2. We understand an intergovernmental agreement must be in place in order to make this happen.
3. The City has reached out to District Engineer Audra Merrick to begin these discussions.
4. On June 20, the City Council adopted a budget committing $5,000,000 to this project.
5. We will work hard to complete the agreement quickly to assure ADOT avoids nearly $2,000,000 in imminent repairs for those bridges.
6. We hope to see design in fiscal year 2018 or 2019 and construction in 2020.