To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Bryan Weimer, PWLF, Director, Public Works and Development
Prepared By:
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Cathleen Valencia, CIP Manager, Public Works and Development
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Subject:
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A resolution to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement between Arapahoe County and CDOT in the federal dollar amount of $2,665,000 for C20-005 Dry Creek Operational Improvements
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Purpose and Request:
Staff requests the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approve and adopt a resolution to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) regarding the federal funding share of the Dry Creek Operational Improvements Project, C20-005. Specifically, Staff requests the following actions:
1. Approval of the attached Intergovernmental Agreement between Arapahoe County and CDOT for Dry Creek Operational Improvements Project, committing CDOT to the project contribution in the amount of $2,665,000 of Federal funding.
2. Support of the BoCC for Bryan D. Weimer, Director, to sign the IGA pursuant to Resolution 200110.
3. Authorization to invoice and receive CDOT reimbursements in accordance with contractual obligations.
4. Authorization to budget CDOT fund of $2,665,000 into Cost Center 424520019-54896 (expense) and recognize the anticipated revenue of $2,665,000 into Cost Center 424520019-43127 (revenue) per the IGA in the quarterly supplemental process following the execution of the IGA.
Background and Discussion:
The Dry Creek Operational Improvements project includes extending the eastbound through/right lane from the northbound I-25 off-ramp to connect to the right turn lane at Inverness Drive East, shared path improvements along the south side of Dry Creek Road, signage and pavement markings on southbound Clinton Street for ease to southbound I-25, and a new left-turn lane providing direct access to the Dry Creek Light Rail Station for eastbound traffic.
Dry Creek Road is an important transportation corridor serving the growing business, commercial, and residential areas east and west of the I-25 corridor. Transportation improvements are needed along the corridor to address operations, safety, and local accessibility. Efficient access to/from I-25 is critical to the economic activity centers and residential areas surrounding the freeway in Arapahoe County and the City of Centennial. The I-25/Dry Creek Road interchange is an important connection to the regional transit links served by the Dry Creek LRT Station.
Traffic operations are congested along eastbound Dry Creek Road, particularly during the AM peak periods, with low average travel speeds, poor levels of service, and long vehicle queues approaching the signalized intersections east of I-25. INRIX speed data for the Dry Creek Road corridor east of I-25 shows that over the last four years speeds in both directions have fallen dramatically with average speeds below 20 mph spreading beyond the peak hours and occurring throughout the day.
Substantial eastbound traffic weaving maneuvers occur in the short segment of Dry Creek Road between the northbound I-25 off-ramp and the Clinton Street/ Inverness Drive West intersection. The eastbound lane drop at Inverness Drive West contributes to abrupt lane changes and weaving for drivers continuing east on Dry Creek Road.
The improvements identified above were part of the recommendations made in the I-25/ Dry Creek Road Interchange and Corridor Study completed and approved in January 2017. This project will improve operational performance, improve vehicular safety and reduce congestion with less weaving maneuvers along Dry Creek Road between I-25 and Inverness Drive West. This project will also be implemented in conjunction with another TIP project that will improve the operations of the Dry Creek Road southbound on-ramp to I-25, approved in a prior BoCC action.
The 2020-2023 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) identifies federal and state-funded transportation projects to be implemented in the Denver region from fiscal years 2020 through 2023. This project was submitted by the County for federal funding through the Arapahoe County Transportation Forum and ultimately was selected and approved by DRCOG to be included in the 2020-2023 TIP.
The County collaborated and coordinated with the City of Centennial, Inverness Metro District, and Southeast Public Improvements Metropolitan District for the local match required as part of the federal funding administered by CDOT to fully fund this project.
Fiscal Impact:
The County is working on completing separate IGAs with each contributing entity/jurisdiction. Once the CDOT IGA and the IGA’s with the other funding entities are executed, the County will submit a Request For Proposal to the 2020-2024 Consultant Shortlist for Division I - Major Roadways and Division III - Traffic and Transportation Engineering Services which were selected with SOQ 19-59.
The total project cost has been estimated at $4,520,000 as shown in the table below. After the design phase is completed, the project will be moved to the construction phase with the advertisement of the project for construction services in 2022. Transportation Division Staff will be managing the project through all phases.
The table below details the funding partners for this project.
There is no funding from the County required for this action. County funding for the project will be through a separate Cost Center. The County’s funding will be encumbered via award of the professional service agreement via a competitively selected RFP process.
The fiscal impact of this Design/Construction is estimated to be $4,520,000. Based on this amount the County’s share of the project will be $371,000. In addition, the County is providing project management on the project but is not applying those costs to the project.
For the purposes of tracking reimbursement of funds from CDOT associated with this IGA, Staff has created new Cost Centers and two accounts within the Cost Center which are as follows:
424520019-54896 Federal (expense) $2,665,000 CDOT Contribution
424520019-43127 Federal (revenue) $2,665,000 CDOT Contribution
WBS20019.1.1.4.1 Preliminary Design
The CDOT share of $2,665,000 will be recognized as revenue and appropriated into an expenditure cost center for the County to use on the project. The expenditures from this account will be reimbursed by CDOT.
Once consultant invoices are provided to the County, County Staff will review and forward to CDOT for verification of applicable costs with a check being written to the County by CDOT once verified. The check will be placed in the Cost Center referenced above. The County will pay invoices using a combination of County, Federal, Inverness, Centennial and SPIMD funds.
Alternatives: Staff recommends that the IGA be approved. The alternatives to approval of the IGA would be for the BoCC to not approve the IGA with CDOT, which would put the project in jeopardy because the federal funding for execution of the project would not be in place and finding additional local funding to make up for the lost federal funds would be difficult if not impossible
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☒Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends that the BoCC approve the authorization to enter into the IGA with CDOT
Concurrence: The Public Works and Development Department and CDOT have reviewed the project funding and are in agreement with this proposal and the IGA. The Arapahoe County Attorney’s office has reviewed the IGA and has no further comments.
Resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. XXXXXX. It was moved by Commissioner ___________ and duly seconded by Commissioner ___________ to approve of the Intergovernmental Agreement between Arapahoe County and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for cost sharing of the Dry Creek Operational Improvements Project; and to authorize expenditure of funds in the amount of $2,665,000 for completion of design, environmental clearances, right-of-way, and construction and support of Bryan Weimer, Public Works Director, to sign said IGA.
This action also authorizes the budgeting of the anticipated CDOT Funds of Cost Center 424520019-54896 (expense) and Cost Center 424520019-43127 (revenue).
The vote was:
Commissioner Baker, ___; Commissioner Sharpe, ___; Commissioner Holen, ___; Commissioner Jackson, ___; Commissioner Warren-Gully, ___.
The Chair declared the motion carried and so ordered.