City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 18, 2014
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER/s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution for a Competitive Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Transportation for Primary Extension Improvement Program Funding. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
ISSUE: City Council consideration of a Resolution for a competitive grant application to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for funding in the amount of $940,000 for the resurfacing of primary route extensions.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
- Adopt the attached resolution (Attachment 1) to apply for a Primary Extension Improvement Program funding allocation for $940,000 from the Virginia Department of Transportation for the resurfacing of City-maintained primary route extensions; and
- Authorize the City Manager to submit this resolution and enter into any agreements with the state that may be required to receive these funds should the requested allocation be approved.
BACKGROUND: The 2014 General Assembly modified Section 33.1-23.1 of the Code of Virginia so that Primary Extensions maintained by municipalities could receive a portion of maintenance funds previously available only to Interstates and Primary Roads. Primary Extensions are routes maintained by municipalities that carry a primary route number for continuity; in Alexandria, examples include Duke Street (Route 236) and Van Dorn (Route 401).
Because VDOT estimates that approximately 55% of primary roads in Northern Virginia localities are deficient, the new funds have been made available to such routes with a critical condition index (CCI) of less than 60. This VDOT-specific score is consistent with the City's Pavement Condition Index which was developed as part of a citywide survey in 2013. The new funding is also intended to supplement (not replace) the current level of funding by localities. No match is required.
Final details on the application process were not available for inclusion in this memo as it is contingent upon pending action by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) at their June 18 meeting. (Staff is available to provide oral updates to City Council if requested.) However, it is likely this program will require a new process with an application window opening in late June and closing on August 15.
Primary Extension Improvement Program funding is intended to provide funds for immediately needed improvements or to supplement funding for existing projects. The maximum award per locality for this program is $1 million and the amount available statewide in FY2015 is $4.8 million. Because VDOT expects to receive more applications than available funding, the agency will likely use a formula to determine award amounts resulting in awards of less than $1 million per applicant. Additionally, VDOT has indicated it plans to rate applications giving the most weight to the critical condition index (CCI) of each street followed by traffic volume. Streets currently proposed by the City which meet VDOT requirements are all major arterials/primaries which require significant investment (more than $100,000 each) to resurface.
Primary Extension Improvement Program funding would be in addition to the VDOT Revenue Sharing Program to which the City submitted an application earlier this year.
DISCUSSION: In FY2012, VDOT completed a pavement management inventory in which a condition assessment was performed on primary extension routes statewide, including those in Alexandria. This system, much like the citywide pavement condition index (PCI) performed by T&ES in 2013, resulted in a condition index score assigned to each route.
T&ES staff compared the VDOT CCI scores with the City's proposed three-year paving schedule from the FY2015-2024 approved Capital Improvement Program and which are based on PCI scoring. Because VDOT requires Primary Extension Improvement Program funding be advertised within six months of allocation, Alexandria primary extensions already on the City's FY2016 list with a CCI of less than 60 are the best candidates for these funds. (The timing of the funding availability for Primary Extension Improvement Program funding is currently unknown, however final approval by the CTB is scheduled for November with State funding allocation likely to follow by spring 2015.)
Staff has therefore identified the following streets in the proposed FY2016 paving schedule as candidates for potential VDOT Primary Extension Improvement Program funding:
· Duke St. from N. Quaker L. to S. Jordan St. (VDOT CCI of 44, City PCI of 40, Estimated resurfacing cost of $520,000)
· N. Van Dorn St. from Seminary Rd. to Menokin Dr. (VDOT CCI of 38, City PCI of 41, Estimated resurfacing cost of $250,000)
· S. Van Dorn St. from S. Pickett St. to Edsall Rd. (VDOT CCI of 34, City PCI of 45, Estimated resurfacing cost $170,000)
· Total funds: $940,000
FISCAL IMPACT: Due to the unknown timing of the funding availability, staff is proposing the use of these funds for streets identified in the proposed FY2016 paving schedule. The application reflects a request for $940,000 in State revenues to supplement the City's CIP funding for major street resurfacing. The existing FY2015-2024 Capital Improvement Program includes a planned amount of $3,975,000 in FY2016 which would be dedicated to this project. Receiving this additional $940,000 in VDOT funding would allow the acceleration of other streets within the proposed 3 year paving schedule. A City match is not required for this grant application.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution
STAFF:
Mark Jinks, Deputy City Manager
Richard J. Baier, P.E., LEED AP, Director, Transportation and Environmental Services
Yon Lambert, AICP, Deputy Director, T&ES
Antonio Baxter, Division Chief, T&ES
Jeffrey DuVal, Division Chief, T&ES
Christopher Bever, Analyst, Office of Management and Budget