City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 17, 2018
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to Support the FY 2020 to FY 2021 Virginia Highway Safety Program Project Funding Request.[ROLL-CALL VOTE]
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ISSUE: Consideration of a resolution to support the FY 2020 to FY 2021 Virginia Highway Safety Program (HSP) project funding request.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Approve the resolution (Attachment 1) to support the FY 2020 to FY 2021 grant application request for $2.5 million in HSP funds; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to apply for these grant funds and enter into any necessary agreements with the Commonwealth of Virginia to accept this grant.
BACKGROUND: The City’s funding request for FY 2020 to FY 2021 is for $2.5 million under the HSP for the Route 1 South Median Island. This project was identified in the South Patrick Street Housing Affordability Strategy, which was approved by Council on September 15, 2018. While conducting outreach for the South Patrick Street Housing Affordability Strategy, the team received numerous complaints regarding difficulty crossing this roadway. This project is consistent with goals outlined in the Vision Zero Action Plan, which aims to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2028 and identified South Patrick Street as a high-crash corridor. The project is also consistent with the goals outlined in the City’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan and the techniques included in the Alexandria Complete Streets Design Guidelines.
The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core program administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety. HSIP’s purpose is to make significant progress in reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries on all public roadways.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Traffic Engineering Division administers the Federal and State highway safety programs within the Commonwealth of Virginia. VDOT’s HSIP program consists of the following sub-programs:
• Highway Safety Program (HSP)
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program (BPSP)
• Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Program (H-RGCP)
• Local Agency Safety Program (LASP)
The City is requesting approximately $2.5 million for FY 2020 to FY 2021 under the HSP to implement a mid-term recommendation from the Route 1 South Housing Affordability Strategy.
DISCUSSION: The proposed project includes widening the existing four-foot-wide concrete median to a ten to twelve-foot-wide landscaped median island with pedestrian refuge areas on South Patrick Street (Route 1) from Wolfe Street to Jefferson Street, as recommended in the South Patrick Street Housing Affordability Strategy. The existing travel lanes will be narrowed to calm vehicular traffic and provide a shorter crossing distance for pedestrians. No travel lanes will be removed as part of this project. Future development will widen the sidewalks and improve the streetscape along this corridor. Together these projects will humanize this corridor and provide a gateway into the City that alerts motorists that they are entering a neighborhood and should reduce their speed.
The cost estimate of $2.5 million includes $1.65 million for construction and construction management as well as approximately $650,000 for design, staff costs and cost contingency for FY 2021 dollars. An additional $200,000 is included for VDOT oversight. The City of Alexandria must submit the funding request to the Virginia Department of Transportation by November 1, 2018.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Commonwealth of Virginia provides the local match required for HSIP funds; therefore, the City is not required to provide any local funds to receive the grant.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: City Council Resolution of Support
Attachment 2: Transportation Commission Endorsement Letter
Attachment 3: Presentation
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Yon Lambert, Director, T&ES
Mitch Bernstein, Director, Project Implementation
Hillary Orr, Deputy Director, T&ES
Chris Ziemann, Division Chief, Transportation Planning
Tarrence Moorer, Transportation Funding Manager, Transit Services Division