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Authorize the Town Manager to Enter into a Supplemental Municipal Agreement with NCDOT to Proceed with Additional Design Services and Construction for Variable Message Signs Project.
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Staff: |
Department: |
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Christopher C. Blue, Chief |
Police |
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Lance Norris, Director |
Public Works |
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Kumar Neppalli, Traffic Engineering Manager |
Public Works |
Overview: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide an update on the Variable Message Sign project and request approval of next steps to proceed with the project.
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Recommendation(s): |
• That the Council receive the presentation and provide input on sign designs and locations.
• that the Council authorize the Town Manager to enter into the Supplemental Municipal Agreement with NC Department of Transportation for additional design services and project construction; and
• that the Council enact the attached project ordinance amendment and budget ordinance amendment to accept the federal funds and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill funds for the additional design services and project construction.
Key Issues:
• In June 2014, the Council authorized the Town Manager to enter into a Municipal Agreement with NCDOT <http://chapelhill.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=2118&meta_id=102597> to design a variable message sign system to install permanent mounted electronic traffic signs to display changeable messages at designated locations throughout Town.
• In September 2014, the Town appropriated $93,750 for the design <http://chapelhill.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=2136&meta_id=90446>. The funds were a combination of federal STP-DA funds ($75,000) and the Town’s local match ($18,750) from the General Fund.
• The Town hired Kimley-Horn and Associates to design the project. Kimley-Horn completed design plans at the 70% level, coordinating with a project team of stakeholders representing the following agencies:
o Town of Chapel Hill: Police, Fire, Planning and Sustainability, and Public Works Departments
o UNC: Parking, Public Safety, Health Care, Transportation and Facilities
o NCDOT: Division 7 and Congestion Management Divisions (ITS Section and Traffic Systems Operations Unit)
• The attached Technical Memorandum includes additional details on project progress to-date and descriptions of each priority sign location.
• Recently, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) approved the additional funds required to complete design as well as funding to begin the construction phase, per the attached Supplemental Municipal Agreement.
• We note that the Town, University, and NCDOT will have access to use these signs primarily to:
o Provide real-time traveler information
o Support traffic management during events around Town
o Eliminate the need for portable message signs that the Town and University currently use to communicate about special events and create a permanent solution that can be used throughout the year
o Support incident management
o Integrate with existing wayfinding and special event plans
• The signs are only for public agencies’ use and not for commercial purposes or advertising.
• Part of the next phase will include developing requirements and a process for use of the system. In addition, ’NCDOTs Policy on the Use of Variable Message Signs <https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Teppl/TEPPL%20All%20Documents%20Library/Policy%20Dynamic%20Message%20Signs.pdf> restricts the type of messages allowed on the signs. NCDOT must approve any uses that diverge from these guidelines.
• The project team has scheduled an information meeting prior to the Council meeting on February 21, 2018 at 6 pm in the first floor conference room at Town Hall. The team will display project details including schematic designs of variable message signs at this meeting. Town staff and the Design Consultant will be present to discuss project details.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: The Supplemental Municipal Agreement estimates the cost of the remaining design and construction to be $1,024,000. NCDOT will reimburse the Town for up to $819,200 for the additional work. As noted in the attached letter, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has committed to provide $194,500 towards the Town’s local match. The Town will provide the remaining $10,300 required for the local match from the Public Works FY18 operating budget.
The attached project ordinance amendment will allow the Town to accept the federal funds from NCDOT and contribution from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the attached budget ordinance amendment provides the local match for this project.
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Fund Source |
Federal Funds Amount |
Reimbursement Rate |
Non-Federal Match $ |
Non-Federal Match Rate |
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STBG-DA (New supplemental agreement) |
$819,200 |
80% |
$204,800 (University: $194,500 Town: $10,300) |
20% |
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Total Estimated Cost: $1,024,000 |
Once constructed, the Town will engage a contractor to maintain the signs. NCDOT will reimburse the Town 92% of the annual maintenance cost.
If the project is not approved, the Town will not receive reimbursement for the design funds spent ($75,000). Federal construction funds received ($819,200) can be reprogrammed to other projects in Chapel Hill subject to approval by Durham-Chapel Hill MPO and NCDOT.
Next Step: Kimley-Horn will complete the 100% level design plans by May 2018. Construction is tentatively planned to begin in late Fall 2018 and be completed in December 2019.
Council Goals:
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Create a Place for Everyone |
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Develop Good Places, New Spaces |
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Support Community Prosperity |
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Nurture Our Community |
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Facilitate Getting Around |
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Grow Town and Gown Collaboration |
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Attachments: |
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• Project Ordinance |
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• Budget Ordinance |
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• Resolution |
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• Draft Staff Presentation |
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• NCDOT Supplemental Municipal Agreement |
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• Technical Memorandum on Variable Message Sign Project Progress |
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• Letter of Commitment from UNC |
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2017” (2018-02-21/O-1)
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, 2017” as duly adopted on June 12, 2017, be and the same is hereby amended as follows:
This the 21st day of February, 2018.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS ORDINANCE FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS (2018-02-21/O-2)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that pursuant to Section 13.2 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, the capital project ordinance for various capital projects funded from a variety of sources is hereby amended to read as follows:
“SECTION I
The capital projects as authorized by the Town Council include various capital projects funded from grants, the Capital Improvements Program funds, and other miscellaneous sources of revenues for a variety of projects extending beyond one year.
SECTION II
The Manager of the Town of Chapel Hill is hereby directed to proceed with implementation of these projects within terms of funds appropriated here.
SECTION III
Revenues anticipated to be available to the Town to complete the project are hereby amended as follows:
SECTION IV
Amounts appropriated for capital projects are as follows:
SECTION V
The Town Manager is directed to report annually on the financial status of the project in an informational section to be included in the Annual Budget, and shall keep the council informed of any unusual occurrences.
SECTION VI
Copies of this amended projects ordinance shall be entered into the minutes of the Council and copies shall be filed within five days of adoption with the Manager, Business Management Director and Town Clerk.”
This the 21st day of February, 2018.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A SUPPLEMENTAL MUNICIPAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL AND THE North Carolina DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ADDITIONAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF the vARIABLE mESSAGE sIGN PROJECT and to authorize acceptance of federal and university of north carolina-chapel hill funds for this project (2018-02-21/R-3)
WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina Department of Transportation would like to use permanently installed variable message signs to:
• Provide real-time traveler information
• Support traffic management during events around Town
• Eliminate the need for portable message signs and create a permanent solution that can be used throughout the year
• Support incident management
• Integrate with existing wayfinding and special event plans; and
WHEREAS, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization and North Carolina Department of Transportation have allocated funding for design and construction of the improvements in the State Transportation Improvement Program, TIP Project: U-5543; and
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation agreed to reimburse the Town up to $819,200 for design and construction of the subject project; and
WHEREAS, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill agreed to reimburse the Town up to $194,500 for construction of the subject project; and
WHEREAS, in order to receive the reimbursement, the Town of Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Department of Transportation must enter into a Supplemental Municipal Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council authorizes the Town Manager to enter into a Supplemental Municipal Agreement between the Town of Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Department of Transportation for Design and Construction of the Variable Message Sign Project.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Town Manager to accept the North Carolina Department of Transportation funds and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill funds for this project.
This the 21st day of February, 2018.
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The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting. |
presenter
PRESENTER: Kumar Neppalli, Traffic Engineering Manager
Kevin Smith, Project Design Engineer, Kimley-Horn and Associates
RECOMMENDATION: That the Council receive the presentation; authorize the Town Manager to enter into the Supplemental Municipal Agreement with NC Department of Transportation for additional design services and project construction; and enact the attached project ordinance amendment and budget ordinance amendment to accept the federal funds and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill funds for the additional design services and project construction.