Title
I-85 North Bridge Municipal Agreement
Action
Action:
A. Adopt a resolution to execute a municipal agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) accepting federal funding for the I-85 North Bridge Project in the amount of $9,150,000, and
B. Adopt a budget ordinance appropriating $9,150,000 in NCDOT funds.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Liz Babson, Transportation
Matt Magnasco, Transportation
Mike Davis, Engineering and Property Management
Dan Leaver, Engineering and Property Management
Explanation
§ The I-85 North Bridge Project is a City project that will construct a new street across I-85 between J.W. Clay Boulevard and Research Drive in the University City area of Charlotte, north of W.T. Harris Boulevard (Council District 4).
§ The I-85 North Bridge will be a lower-speed street that runs parallel to W.T. Harris Boulevard, connecting people to jobs, housing, education, retail, and the CATS Blue Line Extension. It is the companion project to the I-85 South Bridge (University Pointe Boulevard), which opened to traffic in May 2017 and is located south of W.T. Harris Boulevard.
§ The I-85 North Bridge project is currently in design, with construction expected to begin in 2020. The project scope includes the following primary components:
- Construction of a new two-lane street between J.W. Clay Boulevard and Research Drive (the “I-85 North Bridge Connector”), including bridges over I-85 and Doby Creek,
- Widening and realigning segments of Research Drive and David Taylor Drive,
- High-comfort bicycle facilities (separated bike lanes, shared-use paths, and protected intersections),
- Two new signalized intersections and one new roundabout, and
- Incorporating aesthetic elements on the bridge, creating a gateway into Charlotte. These elements complement the City’s investment in the adjacent J.W. Clay Boulevard Streetscape project by extending it across I-85 into the University Research Park.
§ The project will receive $9,150,000 from two federal funding programs, Surface Transportation Block Grant - Direct Attributable (STBG-DA) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ). NCDOT administers these funds on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration.
§ The total project cost is estimated at $34,330,000. The project funding breakdown is:
- STBG-DA: $7,400,000
- CMAQ: $1,750,000
- City bonds: $25,180,000
§ $3,000,000 received in 2014 transportation bond
§ $12,480,000 received in 2016 transportation bond
§ $9,700,000 needed in 2018 transportation bond
§ A municipal agreement between the City and NCDOT is necessary for the City to be reimbursed. This municipal agreement is consistent with past agreements.
Background
§ The City must approve this municipal agreement by mid-May in order to obligate the federal funds in this fiscal year as shown in the State Transportation Improvement Program.
§ STBG-DA funds are federal funds that Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) may allocate to projects at their discretion. The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) voted to allocate a portion of their STBG-DA funds to the North Bridge project in 2015.
§ CMAQ funds are distributed to metropolitan planning organizations (CRTPO in the Charlotte region) and provide a flexible funding source to state and local governments through a competitive process for transportation projects and programs to help meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act.
§ Funding is available to reduce congestion and improve air quality for areas that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone, carbon monoxide, or particulate matter (nonattainment areas) and for former nonattainment areas that are now in compliance (maintenance areas).
§ CRTPO allocated CMAQ funding for necessary intersection upgrades to include single and double turn lanes at the intersections of Research Drive/David Taylor Drive and Research Drive/I-85 North Bridge Connector in the University Research Park. This project qualifies for CMAQ funding because the intersection upgrades in the University Research Park decrease vehicular congestion and associated air pollutants.
Fiscal Note
Funding: Federal funding from STBG-DA and CMAQ, on behalf of North Carolina Department of Transportation and the General Community Investment Plan
Attachments
Attachment(s)
Map
Budget Ordinance
Resolution