City Manager’s Office

Memorandum

City of Lawrence

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Michelle Stevens, Intern
CC:	Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager
DATE:	February 4, 2010
RE:	FY2011 Federal Appropriations Requests

Staff requests City Commission authorization to submit several federal appropriations requests. The requests are made to members of our Congressional delegation in the U.S. House and Senate, and are generally due in late February or early March. Federal funding sources are highly competitive and overall funding may decrease from previous levels, but federal financial assistance for local needs is vitally important to the Lawrence community.

Staff is recommending the submittal of two stormwater projects, one surface transportation project and one transit project. One of the Senator’s offices has indicated a need to place all projects in priority order. The projects are listed below in order of Staff recommended priority. The projects and priority order will require verification from the City Commission.

1) Stormwater - 5th and Maple Pump Station- $2 million

The project would include a lift/pump station and piping to discharge stormwater from North Lawrence to the Kansas River. This project would provide benefit to over 1,500 residences in North Lawrence, including commercial and industrial based companies of North Lawrence. This project is the most critical improvement for this area of Lawrence. Flooding occurs at every level of rain event and the area cannot drain to the Kansas River unless pumped over the levee. Significant impact to transportation, property and quality of life. Proposed industrial development at the Lawrence Municipal Airport cannot proceed due to potential downstream impacts/flooding issues of North Lawrence. $2 million is 36% of the $5.5 million total project cost.

2) Surface Transportation - 31st Street- Haskell Avenue to O’Connell Road: $2 million

This would enable the construction of 31^st Street from Haskell Avenue to O’Connell Road. The completion of this infrastructure would provide an east-west link and help curb congestion and improve safety on 23^rd Street. Truck traffic entering Lawrence from the south (US-59) and east must also use 23rd Street to get through the City. The construction of 31st Street is essential to distribute some of this traffic and allow through traffic and trucks to avoid this only access to the Kansas City area. The public would realize improved safety and efficiency of the City’s transportation system. $2 million is 26% of the $7.5 million total project cost.

A citizen survey of City services identified that the east/west transportation system needs additional connectivity. 31st Street has been a vision of the community (city and county) for several years. This project is the highest surface transportation priority.

3) Stormwater - 23^rd & Ousdahl – $1 million

This is a high priority project based on the 1996 stormwater study. The area floods significantly during normal/heavy rain events, making the intersection impassable during these rain events. This intersection is on a major arterial street which impacts transportation, commerce, and emergency services. This project is the second highest priority. $1 million is 50% of the $2 million total project cost.

4) Transit –Intelligent Transportation System – $1.8 million

Staff recommends submission of request of $1.8 million for the implementation of intelligent transportation system technologies that would be implemented around an automatic vehicle locating system. This $1.8 million request represents the 80% share of the funding for the project. The total project cost of $2.16 million. If a federal earmark is awarded for $1.8 million, a 20% local match of $360,000 would be required. This local amount would be cost allocated between the city and the university based on the number of vehicles that are equipped. The city’s local match would come from the proceeds from the 0.05% sales tax in City Budget Year 2011.

As part of our ongoing efforts to coordinate service with the University of Kansas this technology will be implemented on both the city and the university fleets. By doing so, passengers will be greatly aided in their ability to use and understand the service being provided within our community without unnecessary barriers. It will also greatly aid our ability to manage the service of both systems and eliminate communication barriers that currently exist through the use of cutting edge technologies.

The system would include automatic passenger counting; audio and electronic displays of next bus stops to aid passengers (especially those that are visually and hearing impaired) in using the system; real-time boarding information for service planning; email and blackberry-style information services for riders; computerized trip planning for riders; real-time bus arrival information at key stops; and communication devices for both vehicles and base stations.

The federal funding request to the Congressional Delegation would be formally made as “City of Lawrence, KS Transit System – Coordinated Service Technologies” to maximize flexibility and use of the funds. The priority for the use of funds would be to first address the communication and technology needs for the City’s transit fleet. Federal earmark funds can only be used for capital purposes.

ACTION: Authorize staff to submit federal funding requests to members of the City’s Congressional delegation and provide feedback on prioritization, if appropriate.