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RESOLUTION R-2021-55: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, PROGRAMMING FEDERAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM URBANIZED AREA (STBG-UZA) FUNDS FOR GRAY STREET TWO-WAY CONVERSION BETWEEN UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD AND PORTER AVENUE IN NORMAN.
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BACKGROUND: The 2016 - Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) federal transportation funding bill allocates approximately $22 Million in Federal funds per year for the implementation of eligible transportation improvements in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Ten percent of this appropriation is used to fund safety projects at 100% of their construction cost.
Every year, the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) coordinates a regional evaluation process that identifies transportation improvements eligible for federal funding. Individual projects are rated and compared to one another using a pre-established criterion. The process ends with the formulation of the region’s transportation improvement program and the decision to use federal funds to pay for a significant portion of the cost of the higher priority projects.
DISCUSSION: On October 23, 2020, staff will submit the twenty highest ranked projects for consideration in the formulation of ACOG’s Two-Year Transportation Improvement Program update. To be eligible, each submitted project must have had a programming resolution submitted for the project.
On August 25, 2020, during a Council Conference, staff presented an item whereby some of the projects in the 2019 Transportation Bond Election be considered for Federal funding rather than purely Local funds as was originally proposed. The suggestion was offered because of the potentially high scores that could be achieved from some of these 2019 Transportation Bond Election projects. Programming resolution R-2021-55 is for a 2019 Transportation Bond Election requesting $3,280,000 in Federal Funds. Other 2019 Transportation Bond Election projects have already had programming resolutions approved by Council,
The specific projects are:
Federal Fiscal Year 2020 (Total Federal Funds Requested - $42,294,520)
• Constitution Street, from Jenkins to Classen Boulevard (2019 Bond Project)
The project will widen Constitution Street for continuous two-way left-turn lane, between Jenkins Avenue and Ryan Avenue with curb and gutter roadway with a sidewalk on the south side of the roadway. Estimated federal funds - $3,887,539
• Traffic Management Center (2019 Bond Project)
The project will construct a new traffic management center complete with video wall, work stations, computer server, hardware, software, networking, communication equipment, and furniture. It will also include closed-circuit television for monitoring of signalized intersections and a redundant communication network. Estimated Federal Funds - $3,000,000
• 24th Avenue NE, from Rock Creek Road to Tecumseh Road (2019 Bond Project)
The project involves widening and reconstruction of 24th Avenue NE, between Rock Creek Road and Tecumseh Road, from 2 lanes to 4/5 lanes with bike lanes, a stormwater collection system, a new traffic signal at the intersection of 24th Avenue NE and Rock Creek Road, and sidewalk along the east and west sides of the roadway. Estimated Federal Funds - $6,517,615
• Lindsey Street Special Corridor, from Elm Avenue to Jenkins Avenue (2019 Bond Project)
The project involves widening to provide left-turn lanes at intersections and bicycle lanes, traffic signal modifications, a stormwater collection system and sidewalks. Estimated Federal Funds - $6,371,661
• Lindsey Street Special Corridor, from Pickard Avenue to Elm Avenue (2019 Bond Project)
The project involves widening to provide left-turn lanes at intersections and bicycle lanes, traffic signal modifications, a stormwater collection system, and sidewalks. Estimated Federal Funds - $2,789,062
• Rock Creek Road, from Queenston Avenue to 24th Avenue NE (2019 Bond Project)
The project provides widening and reconstruction of Rock Creek Road, between Queenston Avenue and 24th Avenue NE, from 2 lanes to 4/5 lanes with bicycle lanes, a stormwater collection system and sidewalk along the north and south sides of the roadway. Estimated Federal Funds - $4,228,643
• Jenkins Avenue, from Imhoff Road to Lindsey Street (2019 Bond Project)
The project provides widening and reconstruction of Jenkins, between Imhoff Road and Lindsey Street, from 2 lanes to 4 lanes with a median, a stormwater collection system, sidewalk along the west side of the street, and a multimodal path along the east side of the street. Estimated Federal Funds - $7,500,000
• Porter Streetscape, from Robinson Street to Alameda Street (2019 Bond Project)
The project provides a pavement overlay of Porter Avenue between Robinson Street and Alameda Street, a stormwater collection system, LED Decorative Roadway Lighting, Sidewalk Improvements, and Traffic Signal Upgrades. Estimated Federal Funds - $4,000,000
• James Garner Avenue, from Acres Street to Duffy Street (2019 Bond Project)
The project provides for the extension of James Garner Avenue from Acres Street to Duffy Street along with new traffic signals at the James Garner Avenue intersections with Gray Street and Main Street. Estimated Federal Funds - $4,000,000
In recent days, Staff has confirmed another 2019 Transportation Bond Project, Gray Street Two-Way Conversion, between University Boulevard and Porter Avenue, has the potential to receive a high score or ranking in the upcoming ACOG TIP. A programming resolution must be authorized by City Council in order for the project to be submitted to ACOG for inclusion in the upcoming TIP.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Resolution No. R-2021-55 (Gray Street Two-Way Conversion between University Boulevard and Porter Avenue) requesting Federal STBG/UZA funds for 80% of the construction cost.