Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2018-15:  A resolution of the Flagstaff City Council authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation for 100% Design of the Fourth Street /I-40 Bridge Replacement Project.

ADOT planned rehabilitation/maintenance of the existing Fourth Street bridges over I-40 and City staff recognized this as an opportunity to evaluate the possibility of replacing and widening these bridges to meet the City's Regional Plan Goals. A previous IGA was approved to conduct a project assessment for (1) a bridge deck widening and (2) a total structure replacement.  The final recommendation was for total structure replacement with an estimated construction cost around $10,000,000.  This IGA, which will need Council consideration and approval, presents the next step in the development of the final bridge design and construction bid documents.  A future IGA is anticipated for construction.  Please see the attached context/vicinity map.

The City of Flagstaff is responsible for half of the costs to provide 100% design plans for this project, currently estimated at $1,000,000.  These costs will be covered by an FY18 budgeted item within the Transportation Tax labeled Fourth Street Bridge / I-40 Design.  The current budget for design is $290,000 with the balance of $210,000 coming from the current budget for Fourth Street improvements of $4,710,000.

COUNCIL GOALS:

TRANSPORTATION & OTHER PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE - Deliver quality community assets and continue to advocate and implement a highly performing multi-modal transportation system.

REGIONAL PLAN:

Goal T.1 - Improve mobility and access throughout the region.
Goal T.2 - Improve transportation safety and efficiency for all modes.
Goal T.4 - Promote transportation infrastructure and services that enhance the quality of life of the communities within the region.
Goal T.5 - Increase the availability and use of pedestrian infrastructure, including FUTS, as a critical element of a safe and livable community.
Goal T.6 - Provide for bicycling as a safe and efficient means of transportation and recreation.
Goal CD.1 Improve the City and County financial systems to provide for needed infrastructure development and rehabilitation, including enhancement of existing infrastructure.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY  #3:

FOSTER A RESILIENT AND ECONOMICALLY PROSPEROUS CITY

• Enhance the organization's fiscal stability and resourcefulness.

The Council approved an IGA between the City of Flagstaff and ADOT for a project assessment addendum for the Fourth Street / I-40 Bridge Widening and Replacement Project in March of 2017.  The City bore the entire cost of the project assessment addendum, $60,000, which was administered by ADOT.

1.  Approve the proposed IGA with ADOT to design the replacement and widening of the bridges in question.  This option shares design costs for the bridges with ADOT and keeps open the future possibility of ADOT financially participating in the construction of the new bridges.

2.  Deny the proposed IGA with ADOT.  ADOT will likely revert the project scope back to the originally proposed maintenance of the bridges and rehabilitate the bridge decks to satisfy life/safety concerns.  The Fourth Street corridor will continue to experience congestion and vehicle and pedestrian safety issues related to the bridge bottleneck. It is unknown when in the future ADOT may re-consider widening and replacement of the current bridges.

The Fourth Street bridges over I-40 are ADOT structures.

Fourth Street is one of only three north-south arterials and one of only three locations with a grade-separated crossing of the BNSF railroad.

Fourth Street is identified as a minor arterial in the regional plan. The typical cross section for a minor arterial is four lanes with a shared center lane or raised median.

The FMPO prepared a Fourth Street Traffic Interchange feasibility study in 2007 that found an interchange was not necessary, but that widening and lengthening the bridge is needed.

The City’s Fourth Street Corridor Study from March 2010 recommends widening and lengthening the bridges.

ADOT drafted an initial design concept report for I-40 in 2011 that concluded the Fourth Street bridges need to be lengthened in order to widen I-40 to the recommended 6-lane section.

An IGA was signed in 2017 to conduct a project assessment addendum for the widening of the existing bridges at Fourth Street and I-40. The project assessment was completed by ADOT and included analysis for (1) a bridge deck widening and (2) a total structure replacement.  The final recommendation of the project assessment was for total structure replacement with an estimated construction cost around $10,000,000. 

• 100% design plans will be produced for the bridge replacement project.
• Costs for bridge design, overages, utility relocations, and acquisition of right-of-way or easements associated with the bridge reconstruction will be shared equally between ADOT and the City of Flagstaff.
• ADOT will administer the design project and act as the City's authorized agent if federal funds are available for the project.
• ADOT is not obligated to construct the project if funding is not available.

Should this design lead to construction, the benefits include congestion relief, safe pedestrian and bicycle passage across I-40, and potential financial partnering with ADOT/FHWA.