Title
Resolution to Approve an Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant Agreement for the Allen Creek Railroad Berm Opening Project and Accept and Appropriate up to $300,000.00 in Grant Funds (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Attached for your review and consideration for approval is a resolution approving a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Development Project Agreement for the Allen Creek Railroad Berm Opening Project and accept and appropriate up to $300,000.00 in grant funding.
In December of 2013, the City and its consultant, OHM Advisors, completed a feasibility study to determine if it was possible to create openings in the railroad berm near Allen Creek to accommodate passage of floodwaters, as well as to allow pedestrians to cross safely under the railroad to get to the park facilities to the north. The feasibility study indicated that it would be possible to lower the floodplain elevation in the area by as much as 6.5 feet as well as accommodate non-motorized access under the railroad.
The project aims at creating a new pedestrian connection linking downtown Ann Arbor and its neighborhoods with the Border to Border (B2B)/Iron Belle Trail through the railroad berm in the vicinity of Allen Creek. Pedestrian access is acceptable to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), who is the owner of the railroad.
On June 27, 2016, the Michigan State Police-Emergency Management Division (MSP-EM) provided City Staff with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant agreement for the first phase of a two-phase project to construct stormwater culverts in the railroad berm. Phase one consisted of the engineering design, development of construction plans, and preparation of the phase two hazard mitigation grant application.
On January 3, 2017, City Council authorized a Professional Services Agreement with Bergmann Associates, Architects, Engineers, Landscape Architects & Surveyors, D.P.C. (Bergmann) to ass...
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