AGENDA #2
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Supplemental Agreement, Phase II of the U.S. 15-501 Major Investment Study
DATE: June 26, 2000
RESUBMITTED: September 27, 2000
The attached resolution would approve a Supplemental Agreement (Attachment 1) with the North Carolina Department of Transportation for Chapel Hill’s participation in Phase II of the U.S. 15-501 Major Investment Study. The Phase II Study is designed to provide policymakers with all necessary information to approve a fixed guideway transit alignment and technology between Durham and Chapel Hill.
The attached budget ordinance would allocate $16,250 for the Town’s share of this Study from accumulated interest earnings in the Capital Reserve Fund.
In November 1999, the Council reviewed and approved the scope for Phase II of the U.S. 15-501 Major Investment Study (Attachment 2). The Phase II Study will evaluate several fixed guideway technologies, including, regional rail, lighter rail, busway and bus-rapid transit between 9th Street in Durham and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Last summer the Major Investment Study Policy Committee began discussions with Duke University and the University of North Carolina about the Phase II project. The Policy Committee, which oversees the Major Investment Study process, is composed of representatives of Chapel Hill, Durham, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Triangle Transit Authority.
Because of the need to coordinate the development of a fixed guideway alignment through the campuses of both the University of North Carolina and Duke University, the universities have been included in the development of the scope of work and funding for the Phase II project. In the Phase II scope of work a Station Area work task was included in the project. This worktask will focus on evaluating options for incorporating a fixed guideway corridor on the Duke University and University of North Carolina campus.
Over the last several months staff from Chapel Hill, Durham, the Triangle Transit Authority and the North Carolina Department of Transportation have negotiated with the firm of HNTB, Inc. over a final budget for the U.S. 15-501 Major Investment Study Phase II Study. The final budget for the Phase II Study is $850,000. The proposed funding allocation for the Phase II Study is:
NCDOT $400,000
Triangle Transit Authority $187,500
Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Urban Area Direct Allocation
Funds $130,000
Durham $66,250
Chapel Hill $66,250
Subtotal $262,500
Total $850,000
The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee approved an allocation of $130,000 in Surface Transportation Program Direct Allocation funds on June 14, 2000. The Direct Allocation funds are part of an annual allocation of federal transportation funds to the Transportation Advisory Committee. These funds are available for transportation planning and construction projects. The Direct Allocation funds are allocated by the Transportation Advisory Committee and require a 20% local match.
The proposed Supplemental Agreement requires that the Town agree to provide $66,250 towards the Phase II project. As part of the discussions of the Major Investment Study Policy Committee, the University of North Carolina has been asked to provide $50,000.
The University of North Carolina is anticipated to provide $50,000 towards the Chapel Hill contribution of $66,250, resulting in a final Town contribution of $16,250. It is expected that Duke University will make a similar contribution to the City of Durham. It should be noted that if the University does not provide the $50,000 contribution the Town would be required to provide the entire $66,250.
The total local contribution, including the Surface Transportation Program Direct Allocation funds allocated by Chapel Hill and Durham through the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Urban Area, totals $262,500.
Attachment 1 includes the revised scope of work for the Phase II project. The scope includes the following tasks:
· Task 1: Evaluation Methodology
· Task 2: Travel Demand Forecasting
· Task 3: Transit Operating Plans
· Task 4: Bus Rapid Transit, Busway, Non-Phase 1 Rail Technology Maintenance and Storage Facility
· Task 5: Station Area Planning
· Task 6: Functional Design
· Task 7: Committee/Public Function
· Task 8: Alternative Evaluation
· Task 9: Project Management
While the main tasks included in the November, 1999 scope of work remain in the current scope of work, more detail has been provided in Task 5, Station Area Planning, including the addition of analysis on the University of North Carolina campus.
The scope of work has also been structured so that after the initial analysis on the campuses of the University of North Carolina and Duke University, which will include a preliminary evaluation of all four transit technologies, only one or at the most two transit technologies will be carried into detailed functional design. We anticipate that the total cost of the project will be reduced by the elimination of several of the transit technologies, reducing the anticipated contribution from all parties.
We believe that the completion of the Phase II Study is critical in order to proceed with the implementation of fixed guideway transit between Chapel Hill and Durham. The Phase II Study will evaluate those transit technologies that have been proposed for possible implementation in the corridor and will integrate the fixed guideway corridor into the University of North Carolina and Duke University campuses.
With the completion of the Phase II Study the region should have all the information necessary to approve a final alignment and transit technology. At that point the Urban Area could choose to initiate the federal “New Starts” process to fund preliminary engineering and construction of the fixed guideway system. The federal “New Starts” process includes requirements for planning and engineering studies necessary to qualify for federal transportation funding.
We recommend the Council adopt the attached budget amendment allocating $16,250 for the Town’s share of the project expenses. These funds are available from the final accumulated interest earnings in the Capital Reserve Fund.
The North Carolina Board of Transportation is anticipated to give final approval to initiating work on the Phase II Study at its July meeting. We anticipate that the Phase II Study will begin in July and is expected to take 11 months to complete.
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution and budget ordinance approving the Supplemental Agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to participate in Phase II of the U.S. 15-501 Major Investment Study and reserving funds for the Town’s share of the project cost.
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE U.S. 15-501 MAJOR INVESTMENT STUDY, PHASE II SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT (2000-06-26/R-13)
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has plans to make certain street and highway improvements within Chapel Hill under Project U-2807 A, Orange/Durham Counties, said plans consist of the preparation of a Major Investments Study to examine alternative modes of transportation along US 15/501 from SR 1010 (Franklin Street) in Chapel Hill to US 15/501 Bypass in Durham under Project U-2807 A; and
WHEREAS, the Department and Chapel Hill now wish to amend the Agreement to add provisions for the Department to proceed with Phase II of the Study, at the request of Chapel Hill, the City of Durham and Triangle Transit Authority; and
WHEREAS, the Department has agreed to participate in the cost of Phase II of the Study up to a maximum of $400,000; and
WHEREAS, Chapel Hill agrees to reimburse the Department $66,250 toward the cost of the Phase II Study, and bear all costs, which exceed the Department’s participation, with the Triangle Transit Authority and City of Durham.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Project U-2807 A, Orange/Durham Counties, is hereby, formally approved by the Town Council of the Town of Chapel Hill and that the Town Manager of Chapel Hill is hereby empowered to sign and execute the Agreement with the Department of Transportation.
This the 26th day of June, 2000
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 1999 (2000-06-26/O-12)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 1999” as duly adopted on June 14, 1999 be and the same is hereby amended as follows:
Current Revised
APPROPRIATIONS Budget Increase Decrease Budget
CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS FUND 1,977,596 16,250 1,993,846
CAPITAL RESERVE
FUND
Transfer to Capital
Improvements Fund 300,000 16,250 316,250
Current Revised
REVENUES Budget Increase Decrease Budget
CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS FUND 1,977,596 16,250 1,993,846
CAPITAL RESERVE
FUND
Fund Balance 300,000 16,250 316,250
This the 26thh day of June, 2000.