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TO: Mayor John Laesch and City Council
FROM: Tim Weidner, P.E., Engineering Coordinator
DATE: May 14, 2026
SUBJECT:
A Resolution authorizing the execution of a Joint Funding Agreement with the State of Illinois, the execution of a Phase 2 Design Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $283,729.00, and the appropriation of $283,729.00 of MFT Funds for the Montgomery Road Multi-Use Path Extension-Middlebury Drive to IL Route 59 Project.
PURPOSE:
To execute the Joint Funding Agreement PE/ROW for State-Let Construction Projects, thereby reserving sufficient funds to cover the local agency share of the project cost by resolution, to approve the Phase 2 Local Public Agency Engineering Services Agreement with HR Green, Inc. and to Appropriate Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) Funds by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Resolution.
BACKGROUND:
The City has been actively working on improving the bicycle and pedestrian facilities for its residents, commuters, visitors and recreational trail users. As part of this improvement, Montgomery Road has been enhanced with off-street multi-use path between Waubonsie Creek Trail and Middlebury Drive, this portion of the path was built through a previously awarded CMAQ grant program and the project is complete. In order to further the bike-ped connectivity, the City has been working on expanding the multi-use path from Middlebury Drive to IL Route 59 on Montgomery Road.
The City applied for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) funding for extending the multi-use path on Montgomery Road between Middlebury Drive and IL Route 59. The ITEP award was granted to City, in the not to exceed amount of $1,608,525.00. All phases of engineering (Phase 1, 2, 3 including construction) are eligible for both federal and state funding and was a 80 (federal fund)/ 10 (state) / 10 (local share) split. Since the original award some of the federal funding has technically changed to state funding.
The proposed improvements include constructing an 8 foot wide off-street multi-use path on Montgomery Road between Middlebury Drive to the west and IL Route 59 to the east. Other improvements will involve striping, signage, drainage and restoration. Phase 1 Engineering has been completed by HR Green, Inc. with Design Approval received from IDOT on October 15, 2025.
Technically, the above mentioned ITEP project had an omission through the Canadian National Railway (CN) right-of-way (ROW). The railroad crossing project received a separate federal funding source (Local Rail-Highway Crossing Safety Program (RRP)) and the Phase 1 Engineering was a separate project processed by V3 Companies, Inc The proposed improvements include building an 8 feet wide asphalt bike path on the north side of Montgomery Road across the Railroad tracks, in the CN ROW. Additional improvements include installing Pedestrian RR Gates & Circuitry and Constant Warning Time (CWT) track sensors. Phase 1 Engineering for the railroad project has been completed with Design Approval received from IDOT on May 29, 2024.
During the Phase 1 process for both projects, IDOT recommended that the smaller railroad project be added into the larger path project for the remaining phases of the project, including the Phase 2 Engineering.
DISCUSSION:
The City published a Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) for these Phase 1 Engineering services for the larger path project on July 6, 2021. Sixteen (16) firms submitted their qualifications and experience. Staff reviewed the qualifications and determined that HR Green, Inc. of Aurora IL was the most qualified with the top 3 firm's scores attached as Exhibit D. Exhibit D also has a breakdown of the selection criteria and weighting. The QBS allows the City to utilize the same consultant for Phase 2 Design Engineering. Additionally, City QBS policies indicate that adjacent projects, or projects within the same termini, can be move forward under one of the previous QBSs as is the case with this project. HR Green is using V3 Companies as a sub-consultant for some of the major railroad tasks that would have taken place if the projects were still separate. V3 is also completing other non-railroad work associated with the larger project. Staff is recommending continuing work with HR Green, Inc. for the Phase 2 Design Engineering.
The attached Phase 2 Design Engineering Agreement (BLR 05530) from HR Green, Inc. in the amount of $289,729.00 noted as Exhibit B will provide Phase 2 Design Engineering Services.
This followed the Request for Qualifications process and is not subject to the Local Preference Policy. The funding source, federal, state, and MFT funds, is not subject to the Local Preference Policy.
The total construction cost of this project is anticipated to be close to $2M. The total federal funds and state funds allocated to this project between the different sources for future phases is up to $1,767,443 (Construction and Phase 3 Engineering). Both funding sources for the future phases will be a 90/10 split, but will be subject to the maximum funding amounts per each source of funding. We are anticipating that the Construction phase will be approximately 80% to 85% covered by outside funding sources.
For the Phase 2 Engineering portion of the project, both federal and state funding sources are a 90/10 split and is a reimbursable program. The attached Joint Funding Agreement PE/ROW for State-Let Construction Projects (BLR 05310PE) is shown as Exhibit A and will need to be executed to utilize those funds. The City will front fund engineering costs and will be reimbursed 90% of the costs up to the maximum amounts in the particular funding source. Due to the maximum amounts established by the ITEP funding and the inability to move funding around between sources, the outside funding sources are only covered approximately 61% of the Phase 2 costs. The City’s final share of the Phase 2 Engineering costs is anticipated to be $110,933.00.
Due to the extensive agreement processing time by IDOT, staff has opted to go for a Section 1440 processing to start the project as soon as possible. A traditional agreement approval process by IDOT takes 6 months to over a year to get the notice to proceed to kick start Phase 1 or 2 engineering services. Section 1440 allows the local agency to get started with preliminary engineering services prior to Federal/State authorization of the Phase 2 engineering funds. However, the City needs to wait to ask for reimbursement until the agreements are reviewed & executed by IDOT. Currently, both Exhibit A and Exhibit B are drafts that are under review by IDOT. Since City has opted for Section 1440 processing, these attachments will need to be executed by City to start the Phase 2 engineering services. If the forms are amended by IDOT or CBLRS (Central Office), the Mayor and City Clerk will execute the most current forms.
IDOT requires a Resolution to Appropriate the MFT Funds prior to their expenditure for approved projects. The Resolution for Improvement - BLR 09110 (Exhibit C) appropriating MFT Funds in the amount of $283,792.00 is attached. The resolution amount is higher than the anticipated City’s share in order to cover front-funding the Design Engineering cost.
HR Green is in Good Standing with the City with verification attached as Exhibit E.
The project is targeting the January 2027 IDOT letting date, which is the last letting date before the sunset clause of the construction funding.
The 2026 Fiscal Year budget provides the funds through the following accounts. As this is a multi-year multi-phase project, any additional funds will be budgeted in future years or covered by a budget transfer:
GB135 Montgomery Rd. at Wisconsin Central RR 203-4060-431.79-99 $55,000.00
GB140 Montgomery Rd. MUP Extension to Route 59 203-4060-431.79-99 $225,000.00.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
No impacts are anticipated from the engineering work. During construction, traffic lanes may be reduced or closed under traffic.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Please forward this to Finance Committee for approval.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution authorizing the execution of a Joint Funding Agreement with the State of Illinois, the execution of a Phase 2 Design Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $283,729.00, and the appropriation of $283,729.00 of MFT Funds for the Montgomery Road Multi-Use Path Extension-Middlebury Drive to IL Route 59 Project.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City intends to improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities for better connectivity and accessibility to regional and local trails and this project looks at improving a segment of Montgomery Road between Middlebury Drive and IL Route 59, project is approximately 1.75 miles in length, with the proposed 8 foot wide off-street asphalt path on Montgomery Road between the project limits. The project has a State Job No: D-91-137-22; Project No: T93K(058) and MFT Section No: 21-00342-00-BT; and
WHEREAS, the City intends to add the previously approved railroad crossing Phase 1 project, which was completed as MFT Section 20-00332-00-FL, to the Section No: 21-00342-00-BT project.
WHEREAS, the combined project has been awarded Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) funding and Local Rail-Highway Crossing Safety Program (RRP) funding for all phases of the project including this Phase 2 Engineering phase; and
WHEREAS, the use of federal and state funds requires the City to execute the Joint Funding Agreement PE/ROW for State-Let Construction Projects with the State of Illinois (IDOT), a copy of which draft agreement is attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the City has performed a Qualification Based Selection (QBS) to select the most qualified consultant to perform Phase 2 Design Engineering services for this project. There is a need to execute a Phase 2 Design Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc., 2363 Sequoia Drive, Suite 101, Aurora, IL 60506 in the amount of $283,729.00, a copy of which draft agreement is attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit B; and
WHEREAS pursuant to Section 1440 of the Fast Act, the City must wait to ask for federal reimbursement of engineering services until Exhibit A and Exhibit B are reviewed & executed by IDOT; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to appropriate Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) Funds (MFT Section # 21-00342-00-BT) funds for this project in the amount of $283,729.00, a copy of which resolution is attached for approval as Exhibit C; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora fiscal year 2026 Budget provides the funds through the following accounts. As this is a multi-year multi-phase project, any additional funds will be budgeted in future years or covered by a budget transfer:
GB135 Montgomery Rd. at Wisconsin Central RR 203-4060-431.79-99 $55,000.00
GB140 Montgomery Rd. MUP Extension to Route 59 203-4060-431.79-99 $225,000.00
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that the Joint Funding Agreement PE/ROW for State-Let Construction Projects with the State of Illinois in substantially the same form as attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A shall be and hereby is approved; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Phase 2 Design Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc. in substantially the same form as attached to this Resolution as Exhibit B in the not to exceed amount of two hundred eighty-three thousand seven hundred twenty-nine and 00/100 dollars ($283,729.00), subject to modification by IDOT review, shall be and hereby is approved; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that two hundred eighty-three thousand seven hundred twenty-nine and 00/100 dollars ($283,729.00) of available MFT Funds, Motor Fuel Tax Section Number 21-00342-00-BT shall be and hereby is appropriated for the purposes set forth in this resolution; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and the Clerk respectively, shall be and hereby are directed to execute all the aforementioned documents on behalf of the City and any other documents required to carry the purposes of this resolution into execution, including, but not limited to the document entitled “Resolution for Improvement Under the Illinois Highway Code, Form (BLR 09110)” attached to this Resolution as Exhibit C.