Agenda Item # 7
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
April 26, 2016
Agenda Report # 117


TO: Mayor and Councilors

SUBJECT: Road Improvement, Safety and Alternative Transportation Projects

INITIATED BY: City Manager’s Office

Recommendation: Approval is requested to proceed with executing and funding the pre-construction requirements for Road Improvement, Safety, and Alternative Transportation Projects totaling $6,650,000 funded through the Other Local Option Sales Tax (OLOST), Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) Discretionary Funds and State of Georgia, Department of Transportation Local Maintenance and Improvement Grants (LMIG) to include right of way acquisition, permanent and temporary construction easements, utility relocation, environmental mitigation and other necessary agreements to prepare projects for construction and to provide local match support to a grant submission led by The Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc. (CFCV) with already funded projects in the amount of $3,000,000.

Background: The following list of road improvement, safety and alternative transportation projects have been identified, budget estimates provided, and funded through the OLOST, SPLOST, TSPLOST Discretionary or LMIG:

Psalmond Road Signal at US 80/Beaver Run Road (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $250,000
Linwood/6th Avenue Bridge (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $500,000
Ft. Benning Road Bridge (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $1,000,000
Double Churches Park Parking (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $200,000
Traffic Calming (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $100,000
Cooper Creek ADA Upgrades (OLOST) - $100,000
Fortson Road/Williams Road Roundabout (LMIG) - $1,500,000
10th Avenue Rails to Trail connection to the River Walk (SPLOST-Walking Trails) - $2,400,000
Liberty District Trail connection and Park n Ride (SPLOST-Liberty District) - $600,000

In an effort led by The CFCV. along with other community leaders, from both the public and private sectors, Columbus, Georgia, is one of only seven cities in the nation to have been invited by a prestigious group of national philanthropic foundations to submit a proposal to Reimagine Civic Commons in Columbus. Foundations participating in this groundbreaking initiative include the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation. The potential opportunity for this endeavor could result in a $5 million award. Two of the projects in the list above (10th Avenue Rails to Trail connection to the River Walk and the Liberty District Trail connection and Park n Ride), which are already funded, are city projects which demonstrate the connection of civic assets and provides for support for the funding opportunity for the community.

The local match requirement for this $5 million grant opportunity requires a $5 million cash or in-kind match. The projects already funded (10th Avenue Rails to Trail connection to the River Walk and Liberty District Trail connection and Park n Ride) will fulfill a match of $3 million and the CFCV will derive the remaining local match requirement through other local/private partnerships.

Analysis: The completion of the pre-construction activities for road improvements, safety, and alternative transportation projects is required prior to the project being authorized for competitive bids.

Financial Considerations: Funding for said projects will be funded with the OLSOT, SPLOST, TSPLOST Discretionary, or LMIG.

Legal Considerations: The City Attorney approves this resolution.

Recommendations/Actions: Approval is requested to proceed with executing and funding the pre-construction requirements for Road Improvement, Safety, and Alternative Transportation Projects totaling $6,650,000 funded through the Other Local Option Sales Tax (OLOST), Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) Discretionary Funds and State of Georgia, Department of Transportation Local Maintenance and Improvement Grants (LMIG) to include right of way acquisition, permanent and temporary construction easements, utility relocation, environmental mitigation and other necessary agreements to prepare projects for construction and to provide local match support to a grant submission led by The Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc. (CFCV) with already funded projects in the amount of $3,000,000.

A RESOLUTION
No. _____

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED WITH EXECUTING AND FUNDING THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT, SAFETY, AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS TOTALING $6,650,000 FUNDED THROUGH THE OTHER LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX (OLOST), SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX (SPLOST), TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX (TSPLOST) DISCRETIONARY FUNDS, OR STATE OF GEORGIA, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LOCAL MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT GRANTS (LMIG) TO INCLUDE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS, UTILITY RELOCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND OTHER NECESSARY AGREEMENTS TO PREPARE THE PROJECTS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND TO PROVIDE LOCAL MATCH SUPPORT TO A GRANT SUBMISSION LED BY THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY, ICN. WITH ALREADY FUNDED PROJECTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000,000.

WHEREAS, the completion of pre-construction activities for road improvement projects is required prior to the project being authorized for competitive bid; and,

WHEREAS, these activities include buy not limited to right of way acquisition, permanent and temporary construction easements, utility relocation, and environmental mitigation; and,

WHEREAS, the following list of road improvement, safety and alternative transportation projects have been identified, budget estimates provided, and funded through OLOST, SPLOST, TSPLOST Discretionary and LMIG,

Psalmond Road Signal at US 80/Beaver Run Road (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $250,000
Linwood/6th Avenue Bridge (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $500,000
Ft. Benning Road Bridge (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $1,000,000
Double Churches Park Parking (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $200,000
Traffic Calming (TSPLOST Discretionary) - $100,000
Cooper Creek ADA Upgrades (OLOST) - $100,000
Fortson Road/Williams Road Roundabout (LMIG) - $1,500,000
10th Avenue Rails to Trail connection to the River Walk (SPLOST-Walking Trails) - $2,400,000
Liberty District Trail connection and Park n Ride (SPLOST-Liberty District) - $600,000; and,

WHEREAS, funding for pre-construction and construction services for the above projects is available through the OLOST, SPLOST, TSPLOST Discretionary, and LMIG; and,

WHEREAS, the Council of Columbus, Georgia supports the efforts of The Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc. and others in the Reimagining the Civic Commons in Columbus, Georgia.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES:

The City Manager is hereby authorized to proceed with the executing and funding the pre-construction requirements for the road improvement, safety and alternative transportation projects totaling $6,650,000 funded through OLOST, SPLOST, TSPLOST Discretionary, and LMIG as identified above to include right of way acquisition, permanent and temporary construction easements, utility relocation, environmental mitigation and other necessary agreements to prepare the projects for construction and to provide local match support to a grant submission led by The Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc. (CFCV) with already funded projects in the amount of $3,000,000.
______________________

Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held the _________ day of _____________, 2016 and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote of _____________ members of said Council.


Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Buck voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.

______________________________ _________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor