DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council District 2 and Council District 10
SUBJECT:
Funding Agreement Amendment for the Harry Wurzbach at Austin Highway Intersection Improvements Project
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing an amendment to an Advanced Funding Agreement (AFA) between the City of San Antonio and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to accept an additional $9,542,584.00 from federal funds and an additional $1,025,827.00 from State funds for a total not to exceed amount of $18,262,586.00 for project costs related to the construction of the Harry Wurzbach at Austin Highway Intersection Improvements Project, located in Council Districts 2 and 10, and authorizing payment in the amount of $23,667.00 to TxDOT for the increase in state oversight due to an increase in scope.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Harry Wurzbach at Austin Highway Project is a Local Agency Management (LAM) project funded through TxDOT, City of San Antonio Certificates of Obligation and Tax Notes, and was selected for construction by the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
In 2013 a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) and schematic were prepared for the Harry Wurzbach TAPS Memorial Boulevard that presented a plan to improve mobility along the Harry Wurzbach corridor from Fort Sam Houston to Loop 410, which has no connectivity between Harry Wurzbach and Austin Highway.
Previous Council Action
Ordinance 2015-05-07-0367 authorized an Advanced Funding Agreement (AFA) with TxDOT in an amount not to exceed $6,947,336.00 to improve mobility along the Harry Wurzbach corridor from Fort Sam Houston to Loop 410, including design of entrance and exit ramps, retaining walls, sidewalks, signage and drainage enhancements. The Ordinance also authorized payment of $76,131.00 in state oversight costs to TxDOT for the project.
In 2015, State funds of $746,839.00 were made available through the Economically Disadvantaged County Program (EDCP) and were administratively approved for the Project, reducing the City’s match requirement from 20% down to 11.4%.
During the design process, a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) with four ramps from Harry Wurzbach to Austin Highway was proposed along with curbs, driveways, sidewalks on both sides of Harry Wurzbach, a 10-foot shared-use path, roadway illumination, traffic signal improvements, bridge widening, retaining walls, utility adjustments/relocations, and striping. The Project’s scope increased was brought to the MPO for additional funds and was approved at the end of 2016.
Project design began in November 2015 and is anticipated to be completed in November 2017. Construction is anticipated to begin in mid-2018, pending TxDOT approvals and right-of-way acquisitions.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes an amendment to an Advanced Funding Agreement (AFA) between the City of San Antonio and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the City to accept an additional $9,542,584.00 from federal funds and an additional $1,025,827.00 from State funds for a total not to exceed amount of $18,262,586.00 for project costs related to the construction of the Harry Wurzbach at Austin Highway Intersection Improvements Project and authorizing payment in the amount of $23,667.00 to TxDOT for the increase in state oversight.
The funding adjustments are due to an increase in scope with the overall Project including a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) with four ramps from Harry Wurzbach to Austin Highway, curbs, driveways, sidewalks on both sides of Harry Wurzbach, a 10-foot shared-use path, roadway illumination, traffic signal improvements, bridge widening, retaining walls, utility adjustments/relocations, and striping which will alleviate a high volume of traffic and enhance connectivity between Harry Wurzbach and Austin Highway.
This is a Local Agency Management (LAM) Project, which allows for City of San Antonio TxDOT-trained employees to manage a construction project with federal and state funding administered by TxDOT. The Project is located in Council District 2 and Council District 10, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, state EDCP funds, Tax Notes and Certificates of Obligation.
ALTERNATIVES:
As an alternative, City Council could choose not to approve the Advanced Funding Agreement Amendment 2; however by not approving these items, the City will lose the opportunity of receiving additional funding from TxDOT for the rehabilitation of Harry Wurzbach and Austin Highway into a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) intended to enhance the connectivity between Harry Wurzbach and Austin Highway and continue to affect businesses and daily transportation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance accepts an additional $9,542,584.00 in federal funds allocated to the City from the Federal Highway Administration for a total of $16,489,920.00 in federal funds, which is administered through TxDOT as a federal pass through, and an additional $1,025,827.00 from State funds, for a total of $1,772,666.00 in State funds, which is administered through TxDOT and reported on the Schedule of Expenditures of State Awards, for a Project total not to exceed $18,262,586.00 for the Harry Wurzbach at Austin Highway Intersection Improvements Project, located in Council Districts 2 and 10, and authorizes payment in the amount of $23,667.00 to TxDOT for the increase in state oversight due to the increase in scope, payable with existing Project funding. The City’s match requirement will be 11.4%, in the amount of $2,349,814.00, which will come from Tax Notes and the 2017 General Obligation Bond Program. This ordinance amends the FY 2017 Capital Improvement Program.
|
|
Federal Funds |
State Funds |
Total Federal & State Funding (not to exceed) |
|
Original Ordinance 2015 |
$6,947,336.00 |
|
$6,947,336.00 |
|
Amendment in 2015 |
|
$746,839.00 |
$746,839.00 |
|
Proposed Amendment #2 |
$9,542,584.00 |
$1,025,827.00 |
$10,568,411.00 |
|
Total |
$16,489,920.00 |
$1,772,666.00 |
$18,262,586.00 |
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance authorizing execution of Advanced Funding Agreement Amendment 2 with the Texas Department of Transportation for the construction of Harry Wurzbach at Austin Highway Intersection Improvements Project.