Title
Resolution to Approve an Agreement with the Board of Washtenaw County Road Commissioners for Improvements at the Intersection of State Road and Ellsworth Road
Memorandum
Attached for your review and consideration for approval is a resolution to authorize an Agreement between the City of Ann Arbor (the "City") and the Board of Washtenaw County Road Commissioners (the "Road Commission") to design and construct the proposed improvements at the intersection of State Rd and Ellsworth Rd (the "Project").
The intersection of State Rd and Ellsworth Rd is jointly controlled by the City and the Road Commission with the City having jurisdiction over the intersection proper, the north leg on State Rd and the east leg on Ellsworth Rd. Currently, there are capacity and traffic operational issues causing delays at the intersection related to high traffic volumes and development within the area. Recent traffic studies indicate that continued growth and development will further compound these issues and impede the functionality of the intersection and diminish its level of service. Recognizing this, we are in agreement with the Road Commission that the intersection should be improved to address the current and expected future capacity issues and also enhance safety not only for the motoring public, but all public right-of-way users. With Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco") proceeding to develop a site west of the intersection in the Charter Township of Pittsfield (the "Township") and open a new store in 2012, an opportunity arose to initiate the Project and improve the intersection through the Township's site development process. Consequently, the Road Commission moved the Project forward into design and also began the process to acquire the necessary right-of-way easements, and grading permits.
The Project commenced with the Road Commission contracting with DLZ Michigan, Inc. ("DLZ") to perform the design and prepare detailed construction drawings and specifications. Early analysis by DLZ compared a traditional signalized intersection improvement with a modern roundabout alternative, and revealed that the roundabout best achieved the Project goals. A more detailed examination with the development of various geometric iterations determined that a two-lane roundabout would best service the traffic projected at the intersection. Presently, the design includes a roundabout approximately 150 feet in diameter with all intersection approaches having at least two lanes to accommodate traffic entering the roundabout and also two lanes for traffic to exit. The northerly intersection approach on S. State Street includes a third lane that allows the anticipated high volumes of right turning traffic (southbound State Rd to westbound Ellsworth Rd) to bypass circulating traffic in the roundabout. Other Project features include non-motorized paths in all intersection quadrants that connect with the existing sidewalk system and new on-road bike lanes, underground electrical conduit for the future addition of HAWK or Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon ("RRFB") signals at the crosswalks should they be required, and street lighting. Items being considered which may be added to the Project are landscaping in the center island of the roundabout and decorative concrete. The design is currently in the preliminary engineering phase.
In addition to the above described intersection work, the City will be replacing a 20-inch water main within a portion of the project limits. This is a transmission main that transports untreated water from the Steere Farms wells on the Municipal Airport property to the Water Treatment Plant. This work was to have been part of a larger future capital project and has been accelerated and incorporated into the Project in order to avoid future disruption to the intersection. The City has contracted with DLZ to perform the design of water main.
On February 29, 2012 the Road Commission held an Informational Meeting in front of a capacity crowd at the Township Hall to present the proposed project to the public. After a 15-20 minute presentation, the Road Commission and the design team from DLZ spent the remaining 90 minutes answering numerous questions about the Project. These included concerns about whether or not a roundabout was the best way to handle the additional traffic and pedestrians/bicyclists expected to traverse the intersection, the size of the roundabout and the ability for large trucks to circumnavigate it with other vehicles present, and the ability for a roundabout to service large volumes of traffic on University of Michigan football Saturdays or when Ellsworth Rd and/or State Rd become the unofficial detour for motorists when I-94 becomes clogged due to a traffic crash or some other incident. Many expressed a desire to learn more about how to drive roundabouts and suggested an education campaign be initiated. Attached is an article from Ann Arbor.com summarizing the meeting. A second meeting is planned prior to the start of construction that will cover more of the project details.
Overall the project work impacts a total of seven properties. Five of these are located in the Township and the remaining two are in the City at the northeasterly quadrant of the intersection. Of the two properties within City jurisdiction, the one immediately adjacent to the intersection on the northeast corner requires acquisitions of both right-of-way and grading permits. The other, which wraps around the corner parcel and is the proposed location of a Tim Horton's development and has frontage on both State Rd and Ellsworth Rd, requires only the acquisition of a grading permit. The Road Commission has been in contact with these property owners and has initiated the acquisition process.
The total project cost is estimated to be $2,520,000.00. The Road Commission has secured a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality ("CMAQ") grant from the Federal Highway Administration in the amount of $1,400,000. In addition, Costco has entered into a Road Improvement Agreement with the Road Commission which stipulates they agree to contribute $500,000.00 toward the Project costs. Any/all Project costs exceeding the CMAQ and Costco contributions will be the responsibility of the Road Commission and the City under the terms of the proposed Agreement.
Estimated Project Expenses
Description Construction 1PE 2CE Total
Intersection $1,600,000 $250,000 $320,000 $2,170,000
Improvements
City Water Main $300,000 $25,000 $25,000 $350,000
Total $1,900,000 $275,000 $345,000 $2,520,000
1. Preliminary Engineering (PE) includes design, right-of-way/easement/grading permit acquisition and other miscellaneous expenses.
2. Construction Engineering (CE) includes construction management, inspection, material testing, and other miscellaneous expenses
Estimated Project Revenues
Description CMAQ Costco WCRC City Total
Intersection $1,400,000 $500,000 $135,000 $135,000 $2,170,000
Improvements
City Water Main $0 $0 $0 $350,000 $350,000
Total $1,400,000 $500,000 $135,000 $485,000 $2,520,000
The City's share of any construction, PE and/or CE costs related to the intersection improvements will be financed from the approved Street Reconstruction Millage Fund capital budget. Construction, PE and CE costs related to the City's transmission water main will be financed from the approved Water Distribution System capital budget and will be advanced pending the sale of water revenue bonds.
The receipt of federal CMAQ funds requires that the Project be administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation ("MDOT") through their Local Agency Programs ("LAP") Office. The Project will be bid through MDOT, they will award the contract and the Road Commission will act as the project engineer. The current schedule is to advertise the Project in the Summer 2012 for the Fall 2012 MDOT bid opening. It is anticipated that MDOT will award the contract in late 2012, and construction will start in the Spring of 2013. The project is anticipated to be complete before Labor Day of 2013.
The draft Agreement submitted with this resolution has been reviewed and approved by the Road Commission staff.
Staff
Prepared by: Homayoon Pirooz, P.E., Project Management Manager
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, P.E., Interim Public Services Administrator
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, the intersection of State Rd and Ellsworth Rd is jointly controlled by the City of Ann Arbor (the "City") and the Board of Washtenaw County Road Commissioners (the "Road Commission") with the City having jurisdiction over the intersection proper and the north leg on State Rd and the east leg on Ellsworth Rd; and
Whereas, there are capacity and traffic operational issues causing delays at the intersection related to high traffic volumes and ongoing development within the area; and
Whereas, recent traffic studies indicate that continued growth and development will further compound these issues and impede the functionality of the intersection and diminish its level of service; and
Whereas, staff is in agreement with the Road Commission that the intersection should be improved to address the current and expected future capacity issues and also enhance safety for all modes of traffic; and
Whereas, with Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco") proposing to develop a site west of the intersection in the Charter Township of Pittsfield (the "Township") and open a new store in 2012, an opportunity arose to initiate the Project and improve the intersection through the Township's site development process; and
Whereas, the Road Commission moved the Project forward and contracted with DLZ Michigan, Inc ("DLZ") to design the Project; and
Whereas, analysis by DLZ comparing a traditional signalized intersection improvement with a modern roundabout alternative revealed that the roundabout best achieved the Project goals; and
Whereas, the Road Commission has secured federal CMAQ funds, and funds from Costco to design and construct the Project; and
Whereas, the City and Road Commission agree that each party has a vested interest in contributing funds toward the Project should the overall Project costs exceed the revenues obtained from the CMAQ grant and Costco; and
Whereas, the City has sufficient funds in the approved Street Reconstruction Millage and the Water Distribution System capital budgets to finance its share of the Project costs.
RESOLVED, that the City enter into an agreement with the Road Commission for the design and construction of the State Rd and Ellsworth Rd Intersection Improvement Project;
RESOLVED, That the City make the following declaration for the purpose of complying with the reimbursement rules of Treasury Regulations 1.150-2 pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, that the City reasonably expects to reimburse itself for expenditures for the costs of the Project with proceeds of Bonds;
RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute said agreement, after approval as to form by the City Attorney and approval as to substance by the City Administrator; and
RESOLVED, that the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.