This item is for formal Council adoption of a resolution approving the pursuit of the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program Grant funds in the amount of $150,000 for conducting a Project Assessment and Alternatives Feasibility Analysis for the Estrella Parkway/Cotton Lane Intersection.

ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2023-2351 RATIFYING THE CONDITIONAL APPROVAL AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR FY 2023-2024 RURAL AND TRIBAL ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM FUNDS TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (USDOT), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO SAID APPLICATION, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT (IF GRANT FUNDS ARE AWARDED), AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE THE REQUIRED BUDGET TRANSFER (IF GRANT FUNDS ARE AWARDED). (Chris Bridges, Deputy Director of Engineering)

The grant is a reimbursement program with zero matching funds required.

City staff became aware of a grant opportunity for technical assistance and did additional research during the recent Council break for the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program. This grant opportunity is to help communities with technical assistance funding to conduct predevelopment phase activities, including but not limited to feasibility studies, project planning, preliminary engineering and design work, environmental review, etc.

During the application guidance meeting the USDOT staff highly recommended turning in the grant on the first day available, which was August 14th. Since there were no Council meetings occurring before submitting a grant, staff received the conditional mayoral approval to submit with the understanding that the full resolution would be brought before Council prior to receiving a potential award.

The 2014 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) recommended a grade separated intersection at the intersection of Estrella Parkway and Cotton Lane to replace the existing roundabout, which is approaching capacity. Secondarily, the 2023 Transportation Master Plan preliminary data has identified this intersection as a high priority. The combination of development growth and the fact that this intersection is currently the single primary access with only severely limited alternative routes in and out of the Estrella community have made this a priority for safety and traffic capacity. Geographic and fiscal constraints are also a significant concern for providing this much needed roadway improvement, which will not only increase capacity, but will also increase the safety of the traveling public through this busy intersection.

The project is currently planned to convert the existing roundabout to a traditional traffic signal with design in FY2026 and construction in FY2028. However, given the previous recommendation of the 2014 TMP for a grade separated intersection, the City needs to complete a project assessment and alternatives analysis to determine the ultimate configuration of the intersection that includes all alternatives, such as a complete reconfiguration of the two roadways, over or under pass, signal, etc. This project assessment will help the city of Goodyear to determine the best option for moving traffic through this portion of the City and to guide what the final design will be in order to maximize the efficiency and safety of the corridor.