Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future: The City of Russell s

Grant Application for USDOT 2017 TIGER Discretionary Grants Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future: The City of Russell s Transportation Reconstruction Plan Submitted by the City of Russell, Kansas

Table of Contents References... 3 Project Description... 4 Overview... 4 Lincoln Street... 5 15th Street... 6 Wisconsin Street... 6 Main Street... 7 Elm Street... 7 State Street (8th Street)... 8 Copeland Street... 8 7th Street... 9 Project Location... 9 Project Partners... 11 Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of Project Funds... 11 Merit Criteria... 13 Safety... 13 State of Good Repair... 13 Economic Competitiveness... 14 Environmental Sustainability... 14 Quality of Life... 14 Benefit Cost Analysis Results... 14 Project Readiness... 16 Project Schedule... 16 Required Approvals... 16 Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies... 16 2

References The following are references to the grant application: City of Russell general website: www.russellcity.org City of Russell TIGER Grant website: http://www.russellcity.org/260/tiger-grant-application City of Russell Master Transportation Plan: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/431 City of Russell Comprehensive Plan: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/303 City of Russell 2016 Audit: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/491 City of Russell 2017 Budget: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/489 City of Russell 2018 Budget: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/490 City of Russell Capital Improvement Plan: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/487 City of Russell Equipment Replacement Plan: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/488 US Congressman Roger Marshall M.D. Letter of Support: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/484 USD 407 Letter of Support: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/483 Kansas State Representative Troy Waymaster Letter of Support: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/486 BCA Summary: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/495 Tiger Grant Reconstruction Project Map: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/481 Project Projection: http://www.russellcity.org/documentcenter/view/494 3

Project Description Overview The City of Russell is requesting $18,821,742.12 in FY 2017 TIGER Discretionary Grant Program under Rural funds for the replacement of streets and sidewalks within the City s main corridor. The City has actively been replacing streets and sidewalks using funds from the City s capital improvement fund, grants from the Kansas State Department of Transportation (KDOT) and the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The transportation reconstruction plan will incorporate multiple modes of transportation creating access to businesses, government agencies, schools, medical services and parks. Safety is the top priority of this project. Many of the streets and sidewalks in the main corridor are over fifty years old, in disrepair and need replaced. The sidewalks do not connect or are in a non-walkable condition making it unsafe for pedestrians to walk on them. Many pedestrians walk in the streets making it unsafe for themselves and for vehicle operators. The streets are in a condition that it is not safe to travel at the normal rate of speed. Due to the condition of the streets and sidewalks it is dangerous to ride bicycles in the streets or on the sidewalks. The city has a sidewalk replacement cost sharing program, however many of the sidewalks are in low income neighborhoods and the citizens in these neighborhoods cannot afford the cost sharing. Recently, the Kansas Department of Commerce certified the City of Russell at 52.42% of our population as low-moderate income. According to 2015 U.S Census estimates, there are 2,077 occupied housing units in Russell with 231 households, or 11%, with no vehicle. With the continuing increase of low-to-moderate income citizens, it is probable that the number of households without vehicles has also increased. This grant incorporates new sidewalks through the main corridor and will ensure that citizens, without access to vehicles, will have a safe alternative to travel around our community by either foot or bicycle. The path to future sustainability is a community wide effort. Through several collaborations, the City of Russell is continually working with various entities and organizations to find innovative methods to revitalize our city. Currently, the City of Russell and Russell Main Street, Inc. are working together to pass a vacant building ordinance that would help revitalize our downtown district. The Russell County Area Community Foundation is also working on a strategic-doing project which incorporated a committee to put together a plan for a new street scape on Main Street and recruit new retail business to the area. Through several avenues of community input, it has been repeatedly expressed as very important to our community that all Main Street revitalization projects include the existing street material of brick on Main Street from 9th to Wichita Ave, in order to keep the current historical value and appearance of downtown Russell. 4

Lincoln Street Lincoln Street Lincoln Street is one of four collectors that connects north Russell to south Russell across the Union Pacific railroad tracks. It is classified as an emergency snow route and passes by Bickerdyke Elementary school. The downtown business district, parents of school age children, and a majority of the rest of the community utilizes Lincoln Street to access Business 40 Highway/Wichita Avenue. In fact, 100% of all the heavy trucks entering and exiting the Russell Ready Mix concrete plant use this road. The street currently consists of brick, asphalt and concrete. The proposed project would reconstruct Lincoln from Wichita Avenue to Wisconsin Street and 9th Street to 15th Street using concrete. The City is currently applying for a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce CDBG program to reconstruct Lincoln from Wisconsin to 9th Street south of the railroad tracks. This project would also reconstruct and add a sidewalk from Wichita to 15th Street to allow students safe travel to and from Bickerdyke Elementary School and senior citizens from the low income senior housing to the downtown district. Lincoln Street Sidewalk near Bickerdyke Elementary School 5

15th Street Fifteenth Street is an emergency snow route that provides connectivity between Lincoln Street and Fossil Street. This street has been severely damaged over the years with the high volume of heavy truck traffic that it sees. This stretch currently only has sidewalk from Maple Street to Fossil Street and is in very poor condition. The street is currently concrete and badly cracked. The proposed 15th Street project will replace the current damaged roadway with new concrete and add or replace sidewalks to connect the sidewalk on Lincoln to 15th all the way to Fossil Street, allowing multimodal transportation through a particularly low-income neighborhood. Wisconsin Street Wisconsin Street is a major route that runs east to west in the center of town from Copeland to Van Houten. Wisconsin is also classified as an emergency snow route. The post office and public library reside on this street. Wisconsin also passes through the main downtown business district and ties into Lincoln and Main Street. The length of Wisconsin consists of asphalt, brick and concrete. The proposed project will convert Wisconsin into an all concrete roadway. The existing sidewalks are in poor condition will be replaced. Wisconsin Street 6

Main Street Business District the downtown business district, on the corners of 8th Street, 7th Street and 6th Street to make it safer for pedestrians to walk across the street and replace current outdated and nonpedestrian friendly stoplights. A committee formed by Make Russell County Great led by the Russell County Area Community Foundation is working on a new street scape for Main Street. Replacing this street will tie into this project. Main Street Main Street runs north to south and houses the main downtown business district and Simpson Elementary school. The proposed project would reconstruct Main Street from 15th Street to Wichita Avenue. The street currently consists of concrete, asphalt, and brick. The proposed project will reconstruct Main Street from 15th to 9th Street north of the railroad tracks with concrete and 9th Street south of the railroad tracks to Wichita Avenue with brick. It will also replace existing sidewalks to allow safe travel for students to Simpson Elementary School and pedestrians to downtown Russell. The project will also add sidewalk extenders, within Main Street Elm Street Elm Street Curb and Gutter Elm Street runs north to south and includes residential, business, and Ruppenthal Middle School. Most of Elm consists of brick streets that are in such poor condition that motorists cannot safely travel the speed limit. The proposed project would reconstruct Elm Street from 9th Street to Wichita Avenue with concrete. The project will also add or replace sidewalks all the way through to create a safe route for school children to Ruppenthal Middle School and other pedestrians to the downtown district. 7

State Street (8th Street) State Street runs east to west and includes business, government, residential and Russell High School. State Street from Fossil to Copeland is a snow route. The project would replace State Street and sidewalks from Lincoln to Copeland. State Street is made up of brick, concrete and asphalt and would be replaced with concrete. State Street State Street Curb/Drainage Outlet Sidewalk Copeland Street Copeland Street runs north to south and includes residential, parks, and industrial business. Copeland consists of concrete and asphalt streets which would be replaced from Wichita Avenue to 15th Street with concrete. Copeland from Wichita Avenue to State Street is a snow route. This section of Copland heavily traveled as it allows access to the city s Memorial Park Complex which includes; baseball and softball fields, newly constructed tennis courts, horse-shoe pits, Frisbee golf course, playground, skate park, and a newly constructed walking trail. This section of Copeland also allows access to the Municipal Golf Course, VFW, Municipal Swimming pool, and the County Fairgrounds. Copeland from State Street to 15th Street accesses the largest industrial business in town and is one of 4 accesses across the railroad tracks to the north side of town. Copeland Street & Industrial Park 8

7th Street 7th Street Seventh Street runs east to west, with the local cement factory at the far west point of 7th street. This project would replace 7th street from St. John to Fossil Street. The street consists of concrete and brick along the route which would be replaced with concrete. High heavy traffic on West 7th Street has left the existing street in extremely poor conditions creating unsafe travel conditions for both motorists and pedestrians. Currently, there are no existing sidewalks in this area, which leave the only avenue for travel in this area as the damaged street. This area of town also includes a high low-income population. Project Location The City of Russell is the County seat and economic engine of Russell County, Kansas. Russell is located on I-70 approx. 25 miles east of the City of Hays. Russell is known for being the home town of Senator Bob Dole. Russell has excellent transportation facilities provided by Highway 40, 281 and I-70. Rail service is provided by UPRR. In order to meet the demands of approximately 4,500 residents and several businesses, the city maintains a combination of concrete, asphalt, and brick local streets with most of them including concrete curb and gutter. The City maintains a modern airport with a 5,500 ft. concrete surfaced and lighted runway, taxiway and parking apron. 9

The area economy is primarily agriculture, oil production, education and health based. Russell is home to a wheat gluten and ethanol manufacturing facility that is housed in the city s Industrial Park. Russell County is one of the leading counties in the production of oil in the State of Kansas. These industries are highly dependent on the usage of heavy trucks, which take a heavy toll on the major roadways in town. In order for the community to thrive and sustain into the future, these roadways must be reconstructed. An income survey completed in 2015 documented 52.42% of the population in Russell is low-to-moderate income (LMI). The City maintains approximately 55 miles of paved streets. There are many street system improvements that need to be made. A major portion of the concrete arterial roadways are in need of major repair. All of the emergency snow routes need repaired. The combination of high traffic volumes, deteriorated pavement past its useful life, and structurally failing concrete drainage structures made this project one for immediate reconstruction. The City owns and operates an electric generating and distribution system for a 50 square mile area, serving customers within and outside of city limits. The City has 8 public parks encompassing 160 acres. Memorial Park is the largest, offering the municipal golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, frisbee golf course, horse shoe pits, baseball & softball fields, t-ball fields, skateboard park with lights & a play park. The City received CDBG special funds to replace the tennis courts at Memorial Park by constructing a concrete overlay cap placed over the existing 6 courts as well as other improvements. The City hopes that these improvements will make the courts safer, user friendly and attract new users. 10

Project Partners City of Russell Grant recipient http://www.russellcity.org USD 407 operates Simpson Elementary, Bickerdyke Elementary and Ruppenthal Middle School in which Main Street, Lincoln Street, and Elm Street and sidewalks will be replaced. http://www.usd407.org Russell Main Street Russell Main Street is an organization that supports local businesses on Main Street. The organization is actively involved in revitalization of Main Street. http://www.russellmainstreet.com Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of Project Funds The total cost of TIGER-funded project components is estimated at $21,920,749.91. The non- Federal match is $2,499,007.77. The local match is 11% of the total project cost. 11

Project Costs are as follows: Street Project City Funds GO Bonds TIGER Funds CDBG Funds Street Total Copeland Street - Wichita Ave to 15th $ - $ 217,806.11 $ 2,439,428.45 $ - $ 2,657,234.56 Elm Street - Wisconsin to 9th St. - 130,820.56 1,465,190.22-1,596,010.78 7th Street - Fossil to St. John - 146,636.11 1,642,324.45-1,788,960.56 15th Street - Lincoln to Fossil 325,025.00 39,650.00 429,055.00 300,000.00 1,093,730.00 Lincoln Street - Wichita Ave - 15th 492,200.00 152,806.11 1,712,228.45 300,000.00 2,657,234.56 Main Street - Wichita Ave - 9th St - 285,028.33 3,192,317.34-3,477,345.67 Main Street - 9th to 15th - 120,780.00 1,352,736.00-1,473,516.00 Main - 6th, 7th & 8th signalized Intersection Improvements - 57,750.00 646,800.00-704,550.00 State Street - Lincoln to Copeland - 205,944.44 2,306,577.78-2,512,522.22 Wisconsin - Van Houten to Copeland - 324,561.11 3,635,084.45-3,959,645.56 Totals $ 817,225.00 $ 1,681,782.77 $ 18,821,742.14 $ 600,000.00 $ 21,920,749.91 12

Merit Criteria Safety The reconstruction of the streets and sidewalks will make it safer for all modes of transportation. The sidewalks in the main corridor are either uneven, have missing sections or do not exist. This causes pedestrians to walk in the streets, putting themselves and drivers at risk. The streets in the main corridor are cracked and uneven, which makes it difficult for bicyclists to ride on the streets and motorists to travel at the actual speed limit. By replacing the streets and sidewalks it would provide for safe travel for all forms of transportation. A majority of the 231 households that have no vehicles are in the main corridor of the city. Students from these households must walk to school every day. The sidewalks in this corridor are so poor that these children either walk in the street or through yards. When the weather is rainy or snowing, these children walk through the mud or snow in the yards to get to school leaving them with wet and muddy shoes all day long. State of Good Repair In the fall of 2016, the City of Russell hired Bartlett & West to investigate the City s roadways and develop a transportation Master Plan. Bartlett & West compared the pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic volumes on the various City streets. They also did a conditional assessment of the pavement on each of the roadways and sidewalks and classified them based upon the different roadway pavement types. This was all included in the Transportation Master Plan and presented to the City Council and adopted by them in the spring of 2017. Out of that Master Plan this project was created to replace the deteriorated multimode of transportation to make it safe for all types of travelers and return the streets and sidewalks to a state of good repair. The new streets and sidewalks will require less maintenance costs and allow for the City to put more into reserves for future street repairs and replacements. The City of Russell does an excellent job of maintaining their existing streets; however, the high truck volumes within the City limits have severely deteriorated some of the roadways and are requiring their reconstruction. This Deterioration is worsened by the overall age of the system. 13

Economic Competitiveness The project will decrease transportation costs and provide reliable accessible and efficient connections to residences, employment, shopping, health and employment opportunities. For the length of the project the project will bring in a construction company that will create jobs to locals and bring in outsiders that will purchase goods and rooms boosting the local economy. By improving the infrastructure within the community it revitalizes the city s core structure making it more attractive to potential businesses. This will provide an economic boost to the community putting more tax dollars into the city and more disposable income into people s pockets. Environmental Sustainability This project will allow for alternative modes of travel that will cut down on fuel usage and emissions from vehicles. Quality of Life The main corridor connects schools, businesses, healthcare and parks to neighborhoods, by completing this project it will provide multimodal transportation choices to these different services. It opens up opportunities to the disadvantaged groups within the area, such as seniors and low income residents. This project gives the ability to persons of all ages to choose a safer and healthier mode of transportation by promoting an active lifestyle. Benefit Cost Analysis Results For the purpose of this BCA, a 20-year time period that starts from the beginning of construction was used to total benefits and costs associated with Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future: The City of Russell s Transportation Reconstruction Plan. This represents a period in time during which the long-term impacts can be confidently forecasted. The initial costs of construction are applied over the years construction will take place. Construction is assumed to take up to five years and start in 2018. Project benefits are assumed to take place in 2023 when the project has been completed. All costs and benefits were estimated in year 2016 dollars and are based on the recommended values provided in the Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for TIGER and INFRA applications. A discount rate of 7 percent was applied to the calculated values. As shown in the summary table the alternative construction costs of $21,920,750 discounted at 7 percent to $16,050,822 far out way the costs of the base case scenario. The table shows that the present value of net annual costs in a negative $26,496,160 which shows that the costs of the base case scenario are far more than the alternative construction costs. 14

Maintenance Cost VTTS Savings Accidents Remaining Capital Value Calendar Project Alternative Discounted Base Construction Discounted Construction Discounted Base Discounted Alternative Value of Travel Time Savings Discounted Base Case at Present Value of Year Year Base Case Case at 7% Costs costs at 7% Base Case Case at 7% Alternative at 7% Discounted 7% 7% Base Case Alternative Net Annual Costs 2017 1 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 4,039 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ (4,039) 2018 2 $ - $ - $ 1,417,225 $ 1,237,859 $ 2,100,000 $ 1,834,221 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ (596,362) 2019 3 $ - $ - $ 1,681,783 $ 1,372,836 $ 4,039 $ 3,297 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 1,369,539 2020 4 $ - $ - $ 6,273,914 $ 4,786,339 $ 4,039 $ 3,081 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,783,258 2021 5 $ - $ - $ 6,273,914 $ 4,473,214 $ 4,039 $ 2,880 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,470,334 2022 6 $ - $ - $ 6,273,914 $ 4,180,574 $ 4,039 $ 2,691 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,177,882 2023 7 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 2,515 $ - $ - $ 3,618,902 $ 79,337 $ - $ - $ (3,700,754) 2024 8 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 2,100,000 $ 1,222,219 $ - $ - $ 3,385,664 $ 74,147 $ - $ - $ (4,682,030) 2025 9 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 2,197 $ - $ - $ 3,167,456 $ 69,296 $ - $ - $ (3,238,949) 2026 10 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 2,053 $ - $ - $ 2,963,308 $ 64,763 $ - $ - $ (3,030,124) 2027 11 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 1,919 $ - $ - $ 2,772,315 $ 60,526 $ - $ - $ (2,834,760) 2028 12 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 1,793 $ - $ - $ 2,593,629 $ 56,566 $ - $ - $ (2,651,988) 2029 13 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 1,676 $ - $ - $ 2,426,457 $ 52,866 $ - $ - $ (2,480,999) 2030 14 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 2,100,000 $ 814,416 $ - $ - $ 2,270,058 $ 49,407 $ - $ - $ (3,133,882) 2031 15 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 1,464 $ - $ - $ 2,123,738 $ 46,175 $ - $ - $ (2,171,377) 2032 16 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 1,368 $ - $ - $ 1,986,847 $ 43,154 $ - $ - $ (2,031,369) 2033 17 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 1,279 $ - $ - $ 1,858,777 $ 40,331 $ - $ - $ (1,900,387) 2034 18 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,039 $ 1,195 $ - $ - $ 1,738,961 $ 37,692 $ - $ - $ (1,777,848) 2035 19 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,309 $ 1,191 $ - $ - $ 1,626,866 $ 35,227 $ - $ - $ (1,663,284) 2036 20 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 2,100,000 $ 542,680 $ - $ - $ 1,521,996 $ 32,922 $ 542,680 $ 3,844,104 $ (5,399,022) Totals $ - $ - $ 21,920,750 $ 16,050,822 $ 8,464,894 $ 4,448,176 $ - $ - $ 34,054,975 $ 742,407 $ 542,680 $ 3,844,104 $ (26,496,160) The benefits that are not able to be shown as a quantitative figure include: safer travel of pedestrians, alternative modes of transportation for citizens with no vehicles, safer travel for bicycles, and the cost of maintenance on vehicles due to the road condition. Constructing new sidewalks will provide safer travel to pedestrians. The base case scenario provides no maintenance of sidewalks. It is up to the parcel owners to provide sidewalks in the City right of way. The City of Russell has a cost sharing program for sidewalk replacement program for existing sidewalks only. The proposed project area is in a low income area where many of the residents cannot afford the cost sharing program. The new sidewalks will provide a means of transportation for the low income individuals whom cannot afford other means of transportation. It will connect them to local businesses schools and health care. The base case scenario in its current state does not allow for safe travel for all modes of transportation. The sidewalks are uneven, disconnected or do not exist leaving pedestrians to walk in the streets. The streets are cracked or uneven which does not allow for safe travel by bicycle. Connecting the sidewalks in the main corridor will allow citizens with no vehicles a safe way to travel to school, employment, recreation, and health care. With the base case scenario there is no easy way to travel throughout the main corridor of the city without walking in the streets or through yards. Children who walk to school have no connecting sidewalks and therefore find themselves walking in the streets. Walking has health benefits that are not quantifiable. By connecting the sidewalks throughout the corridor it will give citizens an alternative to driving to and from work, school and other 15

activities. By walking citizens will gain a healthier life style that will increase their life expectancy. The condition of the streets causes many alignment and maintenance problems for vehicles. This costs consumers more money for repairs. By doing nothing in the base case scenario causes vehicle owners a lot of money. It is rough travel for Bicyclists with in the main corridor. The city is not bicycle friendly due to the condition of the streets. Bicycling is an alternative mode of transportation that focuses on a healthier life style increasing a longer life. Without safe travel for bicyclists throughout the streets many citizens do not travel by bicycle. Project Readiness Project Schedule The project is ready to proceed with design for the proposed project immediately upon receipt of a grant award. Bartlett & West is currently doing the design and engineering work for Lincoln Street from Wisconsin to the south side of the railroad tracks and 15 th Street from Kansas to Fossil Street. The design for the rest of the project will take place in 2019 and go out for bid in March of 2020 and the project would be completed by 2022. Required Approvals Based on the review of the project scope and limits, the proposed project does not involve the need for additional right of way and therefore meets the criteria for a Categorical Exclusion (CE), and no unusual circumstances have been identified that would alter this finding. Therefore the NEPA process should not interfere with the project s ability to meet the September 30, 2020 deadline for obligating the grant funds. There are no state or county approvals required for this project, all streets are city owned, however, we have received letters of support from a few of our state and federal legislators. Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies The primary risk to the project is the ability to meet the September 30, 2020 deadline for obligating the grant funds. The engineering phase must be completed before the City will be able to obligate funding for the construction. To mitigate this problem, the City has Bartlett & West on board as the engineers for the project. They will begin the environmental review and engineering as soon as grant funds are awarded and go out for bid in March of 2020 to obligate funding before the deadline. 16