City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 7, 2021
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
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Consideration and Approval to Reprogram Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Funds from the Backlick Run Trail project to the Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail project.
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ISSUE: Consideration and approval to reprogram $2.118 million in grant funds from the canceled Backlick Run trail project to the Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail project.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the transfer of federal CMAQ funds from the Backlick Run Trail project to the Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail project in accordance with the Supplemental Appropriations Ordinance approved on December 12, 2020.
BACKGROUND: As part of the Supplement Appropriations Ordinance for FY 2021 consideration at the December 2020 Public Hearing, Council approved rescinding the State SMART SCALE grant for the Backlick Run Trail project since the project will be constructed with future redevelopment. The Backlick Run project was partly funded by a federal CMAQ grant of $2.118 million, which could be reprogrammed to another eligible capital project. In a memo to Council (Attachment 1), staff suggested that the Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail project would be an appropriate recipient of the funds since it is eligible for CMAQ funds and is already a Council-approved project in the FY 2022 to FY 2031 CIP (p. 13.21).
DISCUSSION: The Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail project is a priority project identified in the City’s Transportation Master Plan. The project will design and construct a shared-use path on North Beauregard Street between King Street and Seminary Road (Attachment). The new facility will create a key connection to the regional trail network and provide a safer option for people walking and biking to Northern Virginia Community College, the Mark Center, and other destinations in Alexandria’s West End.
Currently, $1.46 million has been allocated to the Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail project based on preliminary cost estimates. However, as with many projects, engineering, construction management and inspection and material costs are escalating faster than anticipated, and the estimated total cost of the project is now $3.1 million. Based on this estimate, the project has a projected shortfall of approximately $1.6 million.
Consistent with the December 2020 memo (Attachment 1), staff is proposing to reprogram the $2.118 million in grant funds for Backlick Run Trail to the Beauregard Trail project to cover the $1.6 million funding gap. If all the CMAQ funds are not expended after construction is complete, they can be reprogrammed to another project, also subject to Council consideration.
Should Council approve the reprogramming of funds, staff will request approval from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority to finalize the transaction.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no current or future year fiscal impact, as this federal funding has already been appropriated to the City in prior years and will be reallocated to the Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail Project, which is currently in the CMAQ contingency fund. The FY22 Approved CIP notates old District Grant Program funds from the cancelled Smart Scale project that will not be utilized; this will be updated during the FY23 budget process.
ATTACHMENT: Council Memo with Location Map of Backlick Run Trail & Beauregard
Trail
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Terry Suehr, Director, Project Implementation
Yon Lambert, Director, T&ES
Hillary Orr, Deputy Director, T&ES
Tarrence Moorer, Division Chief, Strategic Management Services, T&ES
Christopher Ziemann, Division Chief, Transportation Planning, T&ES
Alexandria Carroll, Urban Planner III, Transportation Planning, T&ES