DATE: February 22, 2017
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
Paul Holzen, City Engineer/Director of Engineering
Jonathan Marston, Assistant Director of Engineering
SUBJECT:
title
Consideration of a Local Agency Project Agreement (COF Contract No. 2017-0034) with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for the East McEwen Drive Phase 4 Improvements Project (PIN 125418.00) (2/28/17 WS)
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Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) concerning the Local Agency Project Agreement (LAPA) with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for the East McEwen Drive Phase 4 Improvements Project (PIN 125418.00).
Background
In 2004, the City of Franklin entered into a professional services agreement (PSA) with Sullivan Engineering, Inc. (SEI) to provide the preliminary engineering design of [East] McEwen Drive, between Cool Springs Boulevard/Oxford Glen Drive and Wilson Pike (SR-252.) In 2015, the BOMA approved a new PSA with SEI to provide final right-of-way and construction documents for the project. The design for East McEwen Drive Phase 4 is nearing completion.
As a part of the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), developed by the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the City requested federal funding for the East McEwen Drive Phase 4 Improvements Project. From projects listed in the 2040 RTP, the MPO developed the fiscal year (FY) 2017-2020 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which allocates federal transportation dollars to the many MPO member agencies. The FY 2017-2020 TIP was adopted by the MPO in November 2016. That document was recently approved by the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA.) Included in this recently approved TIP is $10,000,000 in Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds for the East McEwen Drive project.
While the MPO prioritizes and allocates these federal funds to the projects within our region, the administration of funding is ultimately the responsibility of TDOT. Consequently, if the City wishes to utilize this $10,000,000 in Federal STP funds, then it must enter into a LAPA with TDOT. The acceptance of state or federal funds obligates the City to follow the latest TDOT procedures, guidelines, manuals, standards, and directives as described in TDOT’s Local Government Guideline and the LAPA. Ultimately, this means that the City must follow all state and federal guidelines in the development of the project. Even though the funding assistance is for the construction phase only, the City must still comply with all other phases of project development. If the City chooses to accept the federal funds and to enter in this LAPA with TDOT, the estimated project schedule is:
Phase Timeframe
Environmental 12 - 18 months
Design 6 - 12 months
Right-of-Way 12 - 18 months
Construction 24 - 30 months
If the City chooses to continue the project without federal funding, the estimated project schedule is:
Phase Timeframe
Design 3 months
Right-of-Way 12 months
Construction 24 - 30 months
Financial Impact
Per the FY 2017-2026 City of Franklin Capital Investment Program (CIP) documentation, remaining costs for the East McEwen Drive Phase 4 Improvements Project are estimated to be $26,428,000. The federal funding would reduce this cost by $10,000,000. However, the additional project requirements that accompany these funds would result in increased project costs of no less than $1,000,000.
Recommendation
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Staff recommends approval of the Local Agency Project Agreement (COF Contract No. 2017-0034/TDOT Agreement No. 170010) with TDOT for the East McEwen Drive Phase 4 Improvements Project.