TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Tim Weidner, P.E., Engineering Coordinator
DATE: February 27, 2020
SUBJECT:title
Provide information to the Finance Committee about the upcoming Kane-Kendall Council of Mayors (KKCOM) Call for Projects.
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PURPOSE:
Applications are due for the Call for Projects on March 15, 2020. We are discussing the program and potential applications to the Committee before the applications are prepared and submitted.
BACKGROUND:
The Surface Transportation Program (STP) is a federal funding source administered in the region through the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the regional Council of Mayors (KKCOM for the City). In recent years the City has received funding through this source on larger scale projects such as the Eola Road (87th Street to 83rd Street) Reconstruction and East New York Street Reconstruction (various sections). The City has also received funding for resurfacing projects on Indian Trail (Orchard Road to Edgelawn Drive) and East New York Street (Commons Drive to IL Route 59).
In 2017 the STP funding source was “frozen” while CMAP and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) determined changes in the distribution of funding and programming procedures. As a part of those changes, the new STP-Shared Fund was created. This fund is administered by CMAP and all communities in Northeastern Illinois are eligible to submit. A call for projects took place in early 2019 with the East New York Street - Segment III project receiving additional STP funds. The STP funds administered through each of the regional Council of Mayors is now called STP-Local (STP-L). Each council can determine its own methodology for ranking and selecting projects. All Council of Mayors will now have their STP-L Call for Projects at the same time, happening every 2 years starting in 2020. The STP-Shared Fund will also happen every 2 years in the odd-numbered years opposite STP-L.
In order to be eligible for this program, the roadway must be on the Federal-Aid Highway System. In KKCOM there are two main project categories which are scored differently. The types of projects are:
A) Roadways and Intersections
B) Asset Management Projects
The “Roadways and Intersections” category are the larger scale STP projects (typically just called “STP”). Types of eligible projects include new traffic signals, improving existing traffic signals, roundabouts, adding through lanes or turn lanes, bottleneck elimination, realignment of offset intersections, pavement reconstruction, and drainage improvements. The “Asset Management Projects” are the resurfacing projects. These can be LAFO (Local Agency Functional Overlay) projects and 3R (rehabilitation, restoration, and/or resurfacing) projects.
The KKCOM Call for Projects memo and tentative project selection timeline is included as 'Exhibit A'. Applications are due March 15, 2020. The draft program will be published in June 2020, but projects won’t be able to officially move forward until Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021. Due to the STP freeze, KKCOM is looking to fill a 5 year program starting in FFY 2021. Some of the existing projects in the program will be grandfathered into FFY 2021 and take up some of KKCOM’s anticipated programming mark. KKCOM is expected to receive $8M to $9M per year in federal funding.
Both Construction and Construction Engineering are eligible for federal funds on all types of projects. The funding ratio is 75/25 (75% federal / 25% local) for Construction and Construction Engineering. Federal funding is available for Design Engineering and ROW at a 50/50 funding ratio for STP projects only (not LAFO or 3R). However, if federal funds are used for those phases, the funding ratio for Construction and Construction Engineering drops from 75/25 to 70/30.
DISCUSSION:
Engineering staff has reviewed the Federal-Aid Highway System for potential projects. Staff has identified 4 “Roadways and Intersections” projects and 7 “Asset Management Projects” (1 3R and 6 LAFOs) to apply for in this Call for Projects. They are:
1) STP - Indian Trail (Mitchell Road to Church Road) Reconstruction
2) STP - Sullivan Road (Edgelawn Drive to Golden Oaks Parkway) Widening/Resurfacing and Traffic Signal Modernization
3) STP - Indian Trail (Edgelawn Drive to Highland Avenue) Traffic Signal Modernization / Resurfacing
4) STP - Galena Boulevard (Constitution Drive to Locust Street) Traffic Signal Modernization
5) 3R - East New York Street (Ohio Street to Farnsworth Avenue)
6) LAFO - Eola Road (US Route 34 to Oakhurst Drive)
7) LAFO - Montgomery Road (Frontenac Road to IL Route 59)
8) LAFO - Liberty Street (Commons Drive to IL Route 59)
9) LAFO - Indian Trail (Farnsworth Avenue to Stonebridge Boulevard)
10) LAFO - Indian Trail (Stonebridge Boulevard to Eola Road)
11) LAFO - Illinois Avenue (Highland Avenue to the Bridge over the Fox River)
The Indian Trail (Mitchell Road to Church Road) STP project is included in the CIP (GB099: E. Indian Trail - Mitchell Rd. to Farnsworth Ave. #2). A Phase I Study was previously completed for Indian Trail from Mitchell Road to Farnsworth Avenue. The City already constructed the section of Indian Trail from east of Church Road to Farnsworth Avenue. This project would complete the section not constructed from Mitchell Road to Church Road. Additionally the City has been approved for Highway Safety Improvement Project (HSIP) money for the Indian Trail and High Street intersection, which is located within this project segment.
The Sullivan Road (Edgelawn Drive to Golden Oaks Parkway) STP project is partially included in the CIP (GB052: Sullivan Road - Randall Rd. to Edgelawn Dr.). The project would include widening the road to three (3) lanes and installing curbs, gutters and storm sewers. The CIP does not include traffic signal modernization at Sullivan/Randall, but we would include it in the STP application, as well as improvements from Randall Road to Golden Oaks Parkway.
The Indian Trail (Edgelawn Drive to Highland Avenue) STP project would be a traffic signal modernization and resurfacing project. The traffic signal modernization would consist of constructing flashing yellow arrows at 5 intersections, including replacement of most of the signal equipment at each intersection. The project would also have radius improvements at various intersections and resurface the entire corridor.
The Galena Boulevard (Constitution Drive to Locust Street) STP project would be a traffic signal modernization project. The traffic signal modernization would consist of constructing flashing yellow arrows at 12 intersections, including replacement of most of the signal equipment at each intersection. The project may also include bicycle accommodations from Constitution Drive to Edgelawn Drive.
The 3R project and 6 LAFO projects are not explicitly listed in the CIP, but eventually would need to be resurfaced as part of ongoing maintenance. If these projects are selected for funding by KKCOM, they will help reduce the burden of funding the City’s yearly resurfacing program with local and MFT funding sources. The two Indian Trail LAFO projects (Farnsworth Avenue to Stonebridge Boulevard & Stonebridge Boulevard to Eola Road) may be combined into a single project.
Details such as the cost estimate and requested programming year are still being determined. The maximum amount of federal funding available per STP project is $2,500,000. The maximum amount of federal funding available per LAFO or 3R project is $750,000.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
No impact.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
No official action is required. This item is for information/discussion only.
cc: Finance Committee