Consideration and Approval of BNSF Railway Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement:  ADOT B40/Milton Underpass and BNSF Railway Bridge Reconstruction Document Review. 

1. Approve the Milton Bridge Reconstruction Project (Project) Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement (Agreement) with BNSF Railway (BNSF) in the amount of $96,973; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.

• The Milton Bridge/Rail reconstruction is required to provide an alternative track alignment in order to construct the City's Rio de Flag Flood Control Project and the Florence to Walnut Pedestrian Underpass.   
• The recommended approval of the Agreement with BNSF will authorize reimbursement for BNSF's contracted engineering services to review the project construction documents.

The Agreement will be funded by the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project FY2021-2022 budget of $2,354,208 (Account No. 206-08-385-3236-0-4433).

Safe and Healthy Community -

• Foster a safe, secure, and healthy community.
• Ensure the built environment is safe through the use of consistent standards, rules and regulations, and land use practices.

Inclusive and Engaged Community -

• Advance social equity and social justice in Flagstaff. 

Sustainable, Innovative Infrastructure -

• Deliver outstanding services to residents through a healthy, well maintained infrastructure system.
• Utilize existing long-range plans that identify the community's future infrastructure needs and all associated costs.
• Identify smart traffic management, multi modal transportation, and alternative energy opportunities.

Environmental Stewardship -

• Implement sustainable building practices and alternative energy and transportation options.
• Implement, maintain and further the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

Regional Plan – Goal T.2.  -

• Improve transportation safety and efficiency for all modes.

No.

1. Approve the Agreement as recommended. Approval will allow project coordination with BNSF to proceed; or
2. Reject the approval and provide additional direction to staff. This option would delay project development.

Early planning for the Rio de Flag Project rail undercrossing had included a temporary BNSF operations "track window" for trains to run on one main line track at a time while the other track could be taken out of service long enough to construct the box culvert. Over time, BNSF operations on their Southern Transcontinental Main have grown exponentially and the organization will not support outages because of nation-wide impacts. The alternative to track closures is to provide an additional off-set alignment (shoo-fly) so two tracks can be operational at all times. Due to the proximity of the Milton Bridge structure to the future Rio de Flag undercrossing, the bridge itself will need to accommodate the additional track.

In early 2021, the City contracted with WSP to conduct a feasibility and concept engineering analysis for the bridge reconstruction. Findings from the concept report, which was completed in January 2022, demonstrated viability for track relocation, bridge reconstruction, and ADOT Milton roadway reconstruction. BNSF staff has been reviewing the materials in-house to date. Moving forward, they require a Preliminary Engineering Agreement to fund external consultants to review and coordinate with the City on the full design. This agreement is standard to all BNSF public projects.

There are many key considerations for the Milton Bridge Reconstruction Project, Including:

• Provides a state-standard bridge clearance between Milton roadway and the bottom of the bridge deck. The clearance is currently 13' 9" and larger vehicles occasionally get caught by the constraint. The reconstructed clearance will be 16' 6" and will improve roadway safety.
• Provides rail mitigation operations to construct the Florence to Walnut Pedestrian Underpass.
• Provides rail mitigation operations to construct the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project and Pedestrian Underpass.
• Reconstruction and functional improvement of the ADOT Milton/Sitgreaves/Santa Fe intersection, which will improve safety.
• Reconstruction of the Milton Road consistent with ADOT's Corridor Master Plan, which will provide enhanced bike and pedestrian improvements.  
• Provide a pedestrian underpass to link north and south downtown and serve the future Mountain Line Downtown Connection Center.
• Additional grade-seperated pedestrian facilities increases safety, promotes ridership, and supports goals of the City's Carbon Neutrality Plan.
• Replaces a 1935-era bridge structure that will require future replacement.
• Provides BNSF a third main line track.  

The Agreement will be funded by the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project FY2021-2022 budget of $2,354,208 (Account No. 206-08-385-3236-0-4433).

Reconstruction of the Milton Bridge will provide many benefits to the community. Please reference the Key Considerations Section above for a discussion on those items.