5 - TEA-21 Denver Regional Council of Government's (DRCOG) 2003 - 2008 Transportation Improvements Program (TIP)
CITY OF BOULDER
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: January 14, 2002
SUBJECT:
Public hearing and consideration of a recommendation to City Council on proposed project
submittals for the Denver Regional Council of Government's 2003-2008 Transportation
Improvements Program
REQUESTING DEPARTMENT:
Public Works Department
Tracy Winfree, Acting Director of Public Works for Transportation
Mike Gardner-Sweeney, Transportation Operations and Planning Coordinator
Randall Rutsch, Transportation Planner
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Board review and recommendation on the proposed list of TIP project submittals
PURPOSE
The city of Boulder plans to submit transportation project recommendations to the DRCOG for
development of the 2003-2008 Transportation Improvements Program (TIP) for the Denver
region. Six new projects can be submitted by the city for the 2003-2008 TIP. In addition,
projects included in the 2001-2006 TIP need to be resubmitted for automatic inclusion in the
2003-2008 TIP. This list of projects represents the final step of the Board's process for
developing the city's TIP submittals. Given the limited nature of this TIP and the smaller number
of projects, the suggested projects and programs summarized later in this memo are presented for
the Board's review and recommendation.
BACKGROUND
The TIP is prepared every two years by the DRCOG in cooperation with the Colorado
Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Regional Transportation District (RTD). The TIP
identifies the projects that will receive federal funding for highway, transit, alternative
transportation improvements, and management actions expected to be completed by CDOT,
RTD, local governments and other project sponsors. All projects receiving TEA-21 funds must
be in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the TIP, and be consistent with the
requirements of the Clean Air Act.
AGENDA ITEM # V Page I
At its previous meetings, the TAB reviewed an initial list of potential TIP projects, added the
Pearl Parkway bike project as a potential TIP submittal, and recommended this list of ten
projects for further evaluation.
ANALYSIS
At the time of the previous TAB meeting, staff was responding to a DRCOG schedule that had
the TIP application packets and final criteria being distributed in December, with applications
possibly due in early February 2002. At this time, DRCOG has yet to distribute the application
packets so we do not have the final criteria or a submittal deadline. However, DRCOG is
holding a TIP workshop on January 11, 2002, and will likely consider the application materials
distributed at that point. Following past practices, TIP submittals would then be due about six
weeks following that date, which would suggest that applications would still be due in February.
Consequently, a TAB recommendation is still needed in January for Council to approve the
projects prior to the potential submittal date
The screening process recommended by TAB called for the evaluation of potential projects at a
policy level, on the basis of technical criteria and from a strategic perspective. Due to the delay
in the DRCOG process, staff does not have the criteria or data from DRCOG needed to
quantitatively score individual projects. However, based on the criteria that are known, estimates
of relative scores, and the strategic assessment of likely funding, staff is able to qualitatively
evaluate the projects. Given the small number of projects under consideration, staff believes the
needed decisions are few and can be made on the basis of existing information.
In the previous TIP process, , TAB provided the following guidance to the evaluation process:
Project solicitation should include projects beyond those in the Transportation Master Plan
(TMP), and all projects will be evaluated through the screening process;
The policy level screen should reflect the results of the TAB-TMP project prioritization
project as much as possible;
Projects should be solicited from across the spectrum of project categories, and the city
should submit as many projects as it can;
Staff should provide the Board with an updated strategic assessment of project categories that
would likely receive funding as this information becomes available, such as on the likelihood
of receiving additional transit funding;
Submitted projects should not be marginal projects; TIP funding should be used to advance
our list of desirable projects.
The qualitative evaluation of the proposed projects as well as status notes are included in the
following table. Projects shown in gray-scale are proposed for submittal.
AGENDA ITEM # V Page 2
s
Project Suitability
Key: O= consistent or high scoring; neutral or not high scoring; inconsistent or poor scoring
Table 1
eF~~r m _
MR. R
Bear Creek Bike/ $1.6 M/ O O This project continues the trail and flood control
bicycle/pedest pedestrian $.6M improvements for Bear Canyon Creek by
rian underpass federal providing a larger box culvert/underpass under
at Table Mesa $1M city the westbound lanes of Table Mesa and connect
the trail into a major destination of the Table
Mesa Shopping Center. These improvements
provide for safer pedestrian and bicycle
crossings of Table Mesa, and enhance the
existing trail system. This project scored well in
the last TIP and was next in line for funding in
this category.
AGENDA ITEM # V Page 3
i
Elmers Two Bike/ Has not ' O This project allows for the substantial
Mile pedestrian been completion of the 27`h corridor connection north
bicycle/pedest calculated, of Goose Creek and will link up with the funded
rian underpass but likely underpass at Iris allowing grade-separated
at Valmont about crossings of these two busy arterial streets.
$1.4M/ This project is not a priority for flood control, is
$.6M space constrained, requires moving a major
federal sewer line and is relatively expensive.
$.8M city
- mlS _
AGENDA ITEM # V Page 4
Near-term Bike/ Estimated O • • Pedestrian underpasses in the Crossroads area
Pedestrian pedestrian cost of have been identified in the 28th Street design
Crossing $1M each process and in community thinking about
Improvements Crossroads redevelopment. These improvements
in the 28`h will likely be needed in the next two years. High
Street cost and a low population density would reduce
Corridor the potential score of this project.
Pearl Parkway Bike/ $5-600K Staff has talked with Boulder County about this
Bike Facility pedestrian project and the county is not interested in
pursuing federal funds as the project can be built
sooner with local funds
+ -indicates a very strong score
'A-indicates a weaker score
AGENDA ITEM # V Page 5
Based on the latest estimates of population and employment, the city of Boulder can submit up to
six new project proposals. Carry-over projects (Projects funded in the third year of the TIP) are
assumed to continue in the TIP but do not count towards the limit of six proposals. Staff
recommends submittal of the following six new projects plus six resubmittal projects. This
recommended list depends on DRCOG criteria ruling all projects as eligible and on the expected
scores of projects under the DRCOG criteria. Once the bike/pedestrian projects are scored, staff
would recommend submitting the Broadway bike lanes and the two highest scoring projects from
the remainder of the bike/pedestrian projects. Staff will make this determination once data has
been received and the projects scored, however TAB can provide direction in this regard.
City of Boulder
2003-2008 Transportation Improvement Program(TIP)
Project Recommendations
Total Boulder's
Project Name TIP Project Matching
Project Funding* Funds
Resubmittal Broadway (SH 93), Pine to Iris Highway $5,400,000 $1,350,000
Reconstruct.
Resubmittal 28th/Boulder Creek Bridge Widening $800,000 $400,000
Resubmittal 28th/Canyon Intersection Operational $350,000 $175,000
Resubmittal 28th/Iris Intersection Operational $350,000 $175,000
Resubmittal Broadway/Baseline Intersection Operational $425,000 $212,500
Resubmittal South Boulder Intermodal Center Intermodal $8,950,000 $0
Resubmittal Iris Underpass Bicycle/ $1,232,000 $632,000
Pedestrian
Broadway (SH 93), University to Pine Reconstruction $7,000,000 $1,750,000
Intersection improvements at Foothills and Safety or $2,800,000 $400,000
Arapahoe Operational
Skunk Creek bicycletpedestrian underpass at 27` Bike/ $1,200,000 $600,000
Way pedestrian
Broadway bike lanes between Iris and Norwood Bike/ $1,000,000 $400,000
pedestrian
Community Transit Network (CTN) Operation Operational Under Under
Improvements Development Development
Far-term Pedestrian Crossing Improvements in the Bike/ $1,200,000 $600,000
28" Street Corridor pedestrian
NEW FUNDING REQUEST $13,200,000* $3,750,000*
TOTAL FUNDING REQUEST $30,707,000* $6,694,500*
*Totals do not include costs for CTN Operational Improvements
AGENDA ITEM # V Page 6
It should be noted that staff is refining cost estimates and will review the city's match
contribution based on expected project scores. If it appears that a project will score well without
maximizing the points for the city's overmatch, the match will be reduced. Consequently, the
match amount listed above is a worst case scenario. We also anticipate submitting a number of
TDM proposals if DRCOG funds this category, but none of these will involve capital
expenditures. The cost of these projects is relatively small, and any city contributions to these
proposals are expected to be small and covered by reprioritizing existing operational funds.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
This submittal represents an integrated and balanced program of roadway reconstruction,
roadway and transit operational improvements, and bicycle/pedestrian facilities. These projects
are consistent with the direction of the Prioritization process and will contribute to implementing
the city's Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The Broadway reconstruction and Broadway bike
lanes are contained in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) reviewed and recommended by
TAB, and any regional funding received for these projects will allow city funds to be reallocated
to additional projects. Staff recommends support for this list of submittals to DRCOG.
ACTION REQUESTED
Staff requests a recommendation to City Council on the proposed TIP submittal package.
AGENDA ITEM # V Page 7