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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin and City Council
FROM: Timothy Weidner, P.E., Engineering Coordinator
DATE: April 10, 2025
SUBJECT:
A Resolution authorizing the execution of a Phase 2 Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc., maximum amount of $153,789.00 and appropriating Motor Fuel Tax Funds for City's Safe Routes to School Projects in SD129, SD131, & SD204.
PURPOSE:
To execute the Phase 2 Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc., and to Appropriate Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) Funds for MFT Section Number 22-00349-00-SW by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Resolution.
BACKGROUND:
Safe Routes To School (SRTS) is a federal grant funding program to improve conditions for students walking/biking to school. The grant program is a reimbursable program and serves three main goals:
1. To enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school;
2. To make biking and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age;
3.To facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety while reducing traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity (within 2 miles) of elementary and middle schools (grades K-8).
Previously, Council approved a resolution (R21-270) on September 28, 2021 to let City staff to apply for SRTS grant. City received SRTS grants for 3 projects for the school districts 129 (an amount of $249,928.00), 131 ($249,656.00) & 204 ($244,704.00). A collective total amount of $744,288.00.
Council also approved a resolution (R22-348) for HR Green to complete the Phase 1 Engineering for this project. HR Green is nearing completion of the Phase 1 preliminary engineering and has been selected to continue with the Phase 2 design engineering.
DISCUSSION:
City staff identified infrastructure improvements such as elimination of sidewalk gaps & enhancement of crossing facilities at intersections to provide safe and continuous routes for students to walk or bike to school in three school districts:
School district 129: Proposed improvements involve filling sidewalk gaps/adding new sidewalk to connect to existing infrastructure, updating ADA ramps and detectable warning surfaces, installing pedestrian/bike signage and new pavement markings such as crosswalks and stop bars, all per existing IDOT standards.
School District 131: Proposed Improvements involve extending curbs to shorten pedestrian roadway crossings at identified intersections near schools, filling sidewalk gaps, and updating ADA ramps with updated detectable warning surfaces.
School District 204: Installing solar powered speed radar signs & Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at identified locations, extending curbs, and improving overall safety by updating ADA ramps, pavement marking upgrades for crosswalks & stop bars, extending medians and installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons at certain intersections for safe vehicular/pedestrian movement.
The grant program is a reimbursable 80/20 split program and is eligible for construction and construction engineering only. Preliminary engineering, including this Phase 2 Agreement with HR Green, Inc. is not eligible for the grant and has to be 100% locally funded.
City staff conducted a qualification-based selection process to select a consultant. QBS was published on 5/18/2022 and 14 firms submitted their qualification by 6/10/2022. Staff reviewed the qualifications submitted and determined that HR Green, Inc. was the most qualified with the top 3 firm's scores attached as Exhibit 'C'. Exhibit 'C' also has a breakdown of the selection criteria and weighting and the score breakdowns in each category.
The QBS allowed for a city option to utilize the same consultant for Phase 2 Engineering. HR Green, Inc. has provided excellent services throughout the Phase 1 process, and City staff recommends continuing with their services through Phase 2. Their proposed phase 2 team has successfully completed Phase 2 design engineering services for many federally funded projects. The attached Phase 2 Engineering Agreement (BLR 05530) from HR Green, Inc. in the amount of $153,789 noted as Exhibit 'A' will provide complete design engineering services for this project including land acquisition services with plat of highways, legal descriptions, title commitments and negotiations.
There is minor right-of-way acquisition that will be necessary to complete some of the sidewalk improvements. A further resolution will be brought to the committee as right-of-way activities proceed. IDOT requires the execution of two forms prior to the commencement of right-of-way acquisition, and those forms are attached as Exhibit 'D'. The forms are the Standard Agreement Provisions Joint Improvement Projects Off the State Highway System (Federal Aid Projects) (LA 4193) and the Waiver Valuation Agreement. It is anticipated that the city can use waiver valuations on this project.
IDOT requires a Resolution to Appropriate the MFT Funds prior to their expenditure for approved projects. The Resolution for Improvement - BLR 09110 (Exhibit ‘B’) appropriating MFT Funds in the amount of $153,789.00 is attached.
The 2025 Fiscal Year budget provides funds through the following account. As this is a multi-year / multi-phase project, any additional funds will be budgeted in future years or an amendment will be processed.
GB138 Safe Routes to School Projects 203-4060-431-79-99 $152,700.00
IMPACT STATEMENT:
No impact anticipated.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approval of agreement and appropriation of MFT funds.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution authorizing the execution of a Phase 2 Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc., maximum amount of $153,789.00 and appropriating Motor Fuel Tax Funds for City's Safe Routes to School Projects in SD129, SD131, & SD204.
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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 existing infrastructure, fill sidewalk gaps and make necessary improvements and connections to enhance route safety for student bicyclists and pedestrians within school districts 129, 131 & 204 in the city limits; and
WHEREAS, the city applied for and has been awarded Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grants for three (3) projects from the program call for projects-Cycle 2021 in the total amount of $744,288.00 for Construction and Construction Engineering only - for School districts 129 (SRTS project no: CRTS-021-1035), 131 (SRTS project no: CRTS-021-1036) & 204 (SRTS project no: CRTS-021-1037) projects within City limits; and
WHEREAS, SRTS uses a multidisciplinary approach to improve conditions which enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bike to school. SRTS makes bicycling and walking to school a safer and a more appealing transportation alternative, encouraging healthy/active lifestyles and facilitates planning, development and implementation of projects and activities, to improve safety while reducing traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity (within 2 mile radius) of elementary and middle schools (Grades K-8); and
WHEREAS, the city is required to conduct Phase 1 Preliminary Engineering and Phase 2 Design Engineering (both phases not eligible for SRTS grant funds), to comply with IDOT standards and to be able to utilize the allotted SRTS federal funds for Phase 3 - Construction and Construction Engineering in order to complete said improvements; and
WHEREAS, the city conducted a Qualification Based Selection process and selected HR Green, Inc. to conduct Phase 1 Preliminary Engineering; and
WHEREAS, the Qualification Based Selection allows the city the option to utilize the same consultant for Phase 2 Design Engineering; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends utilizing the services of HR Green, Inc. for Phase 2 Design Engineering, the agreement for which is attached (Exhibit 'A'); and
WHEREAS, there is a need to appropriate Motor Fuel Tax (MFT # 22-00349-00-SW) funds for this project in the amount of $153,789.00, a copy of this resolution is attached (Exhibit 'B') for approval
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora 2025 Fiscal Year budget provides funds through the following account: GB138 - Safe Routes To School Projects - 203-4-6--431.79-99. As this is a multi-year / multi-phase project, any additional funds will be budgeted in future years or an amendment will be processed.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that Phase 2 Design Engineering Agreement with HR Green, Inc. in substantially the same form as attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 'A' in the amount of one hundred fifty-three thousand seven hundred eighty-nine dollars ($153,789.00) shall be and hereby is approved; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that one hundred fifty-three thousand seven hundred eighty-nine dollars ($153,789.00) of available MFT Funds, Motor Fuel Tax Section Number 22-00349-00-SW 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 'B' and the IDOT right-of-way Standard Agreement Provisions and Waiver Valuation Agreement attached as Exhibit 'D'.