Agenda Item:

 

            8         

 
 


                            COUNCIL COMMUNICATION

                                      City Manager’s Office

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Agenda Date:               10/24/05                                                                      Communication No.: 05-593

Agenda Item Type:       Resolution                                                                    Roll Call No.:  

 

Submitted by:               Jeb E. Brewer, P.E., City Engineer

 

 

SUBJECT—

Authorizing Submittal of STP and STP-TE Fund Applications to the Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Organization.

 

 

SYNOPSIS—

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is soliciting project applications for Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds and for Transportation Enhancement (TE) funds for the 2009 Fiscal Year.  It is recommended that the City submit applications for several projects, as listed below:

 

A.                 (STP) Major Construction Category: Indianola Avenue Widening – SE 14th Street to Army Post Road.

 

B.                 (STP)  Minor Construction Category:  Traffic Signal Upgrade – Crocker Street at 5th Avenue, 6th Avenue, and 7th Street.

 

C.                 (STP) Preservation Category:  Evergreen Drive Bridge over the Easter Lake Spillway.

 

D.                 (STP) Preservation Category:  Easter Lake Drive Bridge over a branch of Easter Lake.

 

E.                  (STP) Preservation Category:  SW 9th Street Viaduct over Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Railroad – Approach pavement replacement.

 

F.                  (STP) Preservation Category:  SW 8th Street Viaduct over Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Railroad – Approach pavement replacement.

 

G.                 (STP-TE) Bicycle/Pedestrian Trails:  SE Connector Trail – Des Moines River Bridge to SE 14th Street.

 

H.                 (STP-TE) Bicycle/Pedestrian Trails:  Easter Lake Trail System – Backbone Trail.

 

I.                    (STP-TE)  Scenic/Environmental:  Beaverdale Village Streetscape Project.

 

J.                   (STP-TE)  Scenic/Environmental:  Highland Park Streetscape Project – Phase 2.

 

K.                (STP-TE)  Scenic/Environmental:  Ingersoll Avenue Streetscape Project.

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT—

Local matching funds for these projects are either included in the 2005‑06/2010-11 CIP or will be included in future plans if the applications are successful.

 

 

RECOMMENDATION—

Authorize the City Manager to submit applications to the MPO for Federal STP and TE funds.

 

 

BACKGROUND—

The MPO is soliciting project applications for Federal STP and STP‑TE funds for FY 2009.  The applications must be submitted to the MPO by October 28, 2005.  Funding is divided into two major categories, as further identified below:

 

A.          STP Project Applications

 

STP project applications are requested for FY 2009, with a total of approximately $4.5 million available for the metro region.  The MPO has previously established four categories of STP projects:  Major Construction, Minor Construction, Preservation, and Alternative Transportation.  Staff has reviewed a number of potential projects and recommends the following projects be submitted for STP funding:

 

1.         Major Construction Category:

 

Indianola Avenue Widening – SE 14th Street to Army Post Road

 

This project consists of widening/paving of Indianola Avenue from SE 14th Street south to Army Post Road.  A four-lane, divided roadway is being considered.  A consultant study of this corridor is currently underway.  The estimated project cost is $12.5 million.  The City has received $500,000 of FY 2007 STP funding and $1,000,000 of FY 2008 STP funding for this project.  The City is requesting $3,000,000 of FY 2009 funds.

 

2.                  Minor Construction Category:

 

Traffic Signal Upgrade – Crocker Street at 5th Avenue, 6th Avenue, and 7th Street

 

This project would consist of installing permanent mast-arm mounted signals on Crocker Street at 5th Avenue, at 6th Avenue, and at 7th Street.  The new signals would replace the current temporary wood-pole signals that were installed due to increased traffic flows in the area related to the Iowa Events Center.  The estimated project cost is $345,000.  The City plans to submit a request for $150,000.  The City has also requested $150,000 from the Iowa Department of Transportation “Traffic Safety Funds” for this project.

 

3.                  Preservation:

 

Evergreen Drive Bridge over the Easter Lake Spillway

 

This project would consist of bridge repair and bridge deck overlay of this structure, which is located on Evergreen Drive west of SE 34th Street.  The estimated project cost is $365,000, of which the City will request $282,000 of MPO funds.

 

Easter Lake Drive Bridge over a branch of Easter Lake

 

This project would consist of bridge repair bridge deck overlay of this structure, which is located on Easter Lake Drive west of SE 34th Street.  The estimated project cost is $500,000, of which the City will request $265,000 of MPO funds.

 

SW 9th Street Viaduct over Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Railroad – Approach pavement replacement.

 

This project would consist of removal and replacement of the existing 40-year-old approach slab pavement for the north and south approaches to the SW 9th Street Viaduct.  The bridge itself has undergone major repairs in 2005, but due to funding limitations the work did not include reconstruction of the approaches.  The estimated cost is $200,000, of which the City will request $120,000 of MPO funds.

 

SW 8th Street Viaduct over Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Railroad – Approach pavement replacement.

 

This project would consist of removal and replacement of the existing 40-year-old approach slab pavement for the north and south approaches to the SW 8th Street Viaduct.  The bridge itself will undergo major repairs in 2006.  The estimated cost of this project is $165,000, of which the City will request $105,000 of MPO funds.

 

B.         STP-TE Project Applications

 

STP-TE project applications are requested for FY 2009.  The MPO has previously established three categories of TE projects: Scenic/Environmental, Bicycle/Pedestrian Facilities, and Historic Preservation.  Total funds available are rather limited, with approximately $450,000 per year for funding of all three categories.  Engineering, Community Development, and Parks and Recreation staff have reviewed a number of potential projects, and recommend the following projects for submittal to the MPO for TE funding.

 

1.                  Bicycle/Pedestrian Trails:

 

Southeast Connector Trail – Des Moines River Bridge to SE 14th Street

 

This project is the first portion of a connector trail from downtown Des Moines to the Four-Mile Creek Greenway Trail System.  This trail includes a bridge over the Des Moines River and a trail along the south side of the Southeast Connector.  This trail will be a part of the downtown Des Moines trail system and will have links to the regional trail system.  The trail will be 10 feet in width and be made of concrete.   The trail over the Des Moines River will be 14 feet wide and be constructed as part of the vehicular bridge over the river (similar to the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway Bridge over the Raccoon River).  Total costs for this trail project are anticipated to be $1,500,000, of which the City will request $300,000 of STP-TE funding.

 

Easter Lake Trail System – Backbone Trail

 

This project consists of a system of recreational trails being developed as part of the Easter Lake New Town Plan.  The system includes a 10-foot-wide backbone trail starting near Indianola Avenue and Highway 69 and working northeast to the southeast corner of Easter Lake at Easter Lake Drive.  A series of 8-foot-wide feeder trails will connect the developing neighborhoods to the backbone trail.  Developers are constructing a majority of the feeder trails as they build new housing developments.  The City of Des Moines is completing the backbone trail.  Estimated costs to complete this project are $600,000, of which the City will request $200,000 of STP-TE funding.

 

2.         Scenic/Environmental:

 

Beaverdale Village Streetscape Project

 

This project will focus on the Beaverdale Commercial District running along Beaver Avenue, bisected by the intersection of Beaver and Urbandale Avenues.  This project will consist of entrance markers denoting the commercial area, new sidewalks, curbs/gutters, new street and pedestrian lights, pedestrian amenities, crosswalk bump-outs to provide a safer crossing for pedestrians. This project would extend from Beaver Crest Drive on the south to Adams Avenue on the north and would encompass the intersection of Beaver and Urbandale Avenues as improvements would turn the corner and run east and west along Urbandale Avenue for a short distance.  The estimated cost of this project is $1.4 million, with STP-TE funding requested in the amount of $280,000.

 

Highland Park Streetscape Project – Phase 2

 

This project is a continuation of the Highland Park Streetscape Project that was previously funded by the MPO.  The original project, which focused on the intersection of 6th and Euclid Avenues, was completed in Fall 2004 and consisted of an historic entry arch, historical marker, new sidewalks, curbs, vintage style street and pedestrian lights, pedestrian amenities, trees, flower pots and street resurfacing, as well as other infrastructure improvements.  Phase 2 of this project would expand the project along Euclid Avenue (U.S. Highway 6) from the current terminus of the project eastward to 2nd Avenue.  It would include new sidewalks and curbs, vintage style street and pedestrian lights and flower pots.  The estimated cost of this phase is $1.9 million, with STP-TE funding requested in the amount of $380,000.

 

Ingersoll Avenue Streetscape Project

 

The City of Des Moines has partnered with the Ingersoll Avenue community to create the Ingersoll Avenue Improvement Plan.  This document includes recommendations for streetscape, parking, and traffic improvements, as well as recommendations for redevelopment projects and policy changes for the corridor from 17th Street to 42nd Street. Three initial phases have been identified:  from 28th Street to 31st Street (Phase 1); from 36th Street to 38th Street (Phase 2); and from 31st Street to 36th Street (Phase 3).  Later, unidentified phases would complete the improvements from 17th Street to 42nd Street. 

 

The City received $150,000 in FY 2008 STP-TE funds for Phase 1 of this project.  The City is requesting $200,000 in FY 2009 STP-TE funds for Phase 2 to implement the pedestrian safety, traffic calming, and streetlight components of the plan and the related streetscape improvements.  The total budget for this phase of the project is estimated to be $700,000.

 

Each MPO funding application (for STP or TE funds) must provide assurance that the sponsor will adequately maintain the completed project for its intended public use for a minimum of 20 years following completion.