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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12646RESOLUTION NO. 12646 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL TO SIGN A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF PUEBLO RELATED TO THE SUBMITTAL OF COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RESPONSIBLE ACCELERATION OF MAINTENANCE AND PARTNERSHIPS PUBLIC-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP PRE- APPLICATION PROPOSALS BY THE PUEBLO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS WHEREAS, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in an effort to change how it budgets and expends funds for transportation projects is implementing a new program known as Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships (RAMP); and WHEREAS, pre-application proposals are being accepted by CDOT for RAMP projects that incorporate Public-Public Partnerships with local governments which provide opportunities for qualifying federal highway projects to be completed at an accelerated schedule that would not be possible with CDOT funding alone; and WHEREAS, the City of Pueblo, Pueblo County, and Pueblo West Metropolitan District have worked cooperatively with CDOT Region 2 to develop projects within the Interstate 25 (I-25) Corridor and the U.S. Highway 50 West (US50W) Corridor that will be submitted by the Pueblo Area Council of Governments (PACOG) as pre-application projects to CDOT; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUEBLO, that: SECTION 1. City Council supports the submittal of PACOG’s RAMP program pre-applications th for projects within the I-25 corridor between the Ilex Interchange and north of 29 Street as identified in the Modified I-25 Alternative for the New Pueblo Freeway Environmental Impact Statement endorsed and supported in City Council Resolution No.12626 approved on March 25, 2013. SECTION 2. City Council supports the submittal of PACOG’s RAMP program pre-applications for projects within the US50W corridor between Wills Boulevard and McCulloch Boulevard as identified in the Preferred Alternative for the US50W Pueblo Planning and Environmental Linkage Study approved by City Council Resolution No. 12286 on December 27, 2011. SECTION 3. The pre-applications provide a collaborative approach between the City, County, and PACOG members working cooperatively with CDOT that provides a significant over-match of local funding that exceeds the RAMP Public-Public (devolution) program requirements and the overall intent and strategy of the RAMP program polices and guidelines. SECTION 4. The President of City Council is hereby authorized to sign the letter of support from the City for the CDOT Public-Public Partnerships RAMP pre-application projects related to the I-25 and US50W corridors. SECTION 5. This Resolution shall become effective upon passage and approval. INTRODUCED: April 22, 2013 BY: Sandy Daff Background Paper for Proposed RESOLUTION DATE: APRIL 22, 2013 AGENDA ITEM # M-2 DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR – EARL WILKINSON, P.E. TITLE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL TO SIGN A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF PUEBLO RELATED TO THE SUBMITTAL OF COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RESPONSIBLE ACCELERATION OF MAINTENANCE AND PARTNERSHIPS PUBLIC-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP PRE-APPLICATION PROPOSALS BY THE PUEBLO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS ISSUE Should City Council approve a Resolution authorizing the President of City Council to sign a letter of support from the City related to the submittal of Colorado Department of Transportation Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships Public- Public Partnership pre-application proposals by the Pueblo Area Council of Governments? RECOMMENDATION Approval of the Resolution. BACKGROUND The City of Pueblo, Pueblo County, and Pueblo West Metropolitan District are working in cooperation with the staff of CDOT Region 2 to prepare a series of RAMP pre- applications that will be submitted to CDOT by the Pueblo Area Council of Governments (PACOG). The pre-applications will propose accelerating Federal Highway Administration and possibly other state transportation funds to complete work within the th Interstate 25 corridor between the Ilex Interchange and North of 29 Street, and projects within the U.S. Highway 50 West corridor between Wills Boulevard and McCulloch Boulevard. The project partners are working cooperatively with CDOT Region 2 staff to propose pre-application projects within the two federal highway corridors that are identified in the Modified I-25 Alternative for the New Pueblo Freeway as set forth in the New Pueblo Freeway Environmental Impact Statement endorsed and supported in City Council Resolution No.12626 approved on March 25, 2013, and the US50W Pueblo Planning and Environmental Linkage Study approved by City Council Resolution No. 12286 on December 27, 2011. The conceptual plans for the RAMP project pre-applications are focusing on two projects being submitted within each of the I-25 and US50W corridors. The pre- applications will propose a collaborative approach between the City, County, and PACOG members working cooperatively with CDOT that would provide a significant over-match of local funding for each project that exceeds the RAMP Public-Public (devolution) program requirements and the overall intent and strategy of the RAMP program polices and guidelines. More detailed applications will be prepared by the PACOG project partners, for those projects that are chosen by CDOT, to be submitted as final RAMP project applications. At that time detailed project descriptions, budgets including local matching fund commitments, and project timelines will be provided for City Council review and approval. FINANCIAL IMPACT None. Stephen G. Nawrocki , Y t: , ) President { ' a.� Edward Brown t Sandy Daff Chris K. Kaufman Chris Nicoll Eva E. Montoya Vice- President Ami Nawrocki OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL April 22, 2013 Mr. Tim Harris CDOT Chief Engineer 4201 E Arkansas Ave Denver CO 80222 Mr. Tom Wrona CDOT Region 2 Director 905 Eric Avenue Pueblo, CO 81002 RE: Letter of Support - PACOG's RAMP Applications Dear Mr. Harris and Mr. Wrona: The Pueblo City Council is an active and committed project partner in cooperation with Pueblo County, Pueblo West Metropolitan District, and staff from the CDOT Region 2 in the preparation of a series of RAMP pre - applications that are being submitted to CDOT by the Pueblo Area Council of Governments (PACOG). The RAMP Public - Public Partnership Program provides a unique opportunity for qualifying federal highway projects to be completed at an accelerated schedule that would not be possible with CDOT funding alone. The timing of the RAMP program directly coincides with the completion of the Modified 1 -25 Alternative for the New Pueblo Freeway Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) endorsed and supported in City Council Resolution No.12626 approved on March 25, 2013. In addition, this program also coincides with the recently completed Preferred Alternative for the US5OW Pueblo Planning and Environmental Linkage Study approved by City Council Resolution No. 12286 on December 27, 2011. Both of these corridors are critical transportation facilities and are now positioned to move into the RAMP program's designated five -year (2013 -2017) construction and implementation timeline. The PACOG public partners have developed a collaborative approach between the City, Pueblo County, and Pueblo West Metropolitan District working cooperatively and in consultation with CDOT that provides a significant over -match of local funding that far exceeds the RAMP Public - Public (devolution) program requirements. The Modified 1 -25 Alternative for the New Pueblo Freeway Environmental Impact Statement, completed by CDOT and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommended the need for significant safety and capacity improvements designed to current federal highway standards through the City of Pueblo. The seven mile section of 1 -25 through Pueblo built between 1949 and 1955 is the oldest remaining section of Interstate within the state that has not been redesigned and reconstructed. This interstate facility is continuing to show ongoing signs of deterioration and severe traffic safety issues which impacts the economic and aesthetic viability of the Pueblo community. The City worked closely with CDOT in the completion of the PEL study on US -50 West that identifies, recommends, and prioritizes a number of safety and congestion relief improvement projects for the corridor. US -50 West is a transcontinental, east - west highway route that serves both inner -state and intra -state trips, work commute trips, and freight travel vital to local and statewide economic development and commerce. The City would like to thank the Region 2 CDOT staff for their work with the PACOG partnership in the development of the proposed RAMP projects and their assistance in providing technical data for the completion of the pre - application proposals. Please accept this letter of support for PACOG's RAMP program applications. We feel these applications fit very well with the overall intent and strategy of the RAMP program policies and guidelines that will result in the completion of projects that greatly improve the two significant statewide National Highway System corridors through Pueblo by building a strong Public - Public partnership between the Pueblo region and CDOT. Sincerely, . Nawrocki City Council President 200 South Main Street Pueblo, Colorado 81003 (719) 553 -2655 FAX (719) 553 -2698 www.pueblo.us