Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Department of Public Works

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

FROM:

Shoeb Uddin, City Engineer

CC:

Chuck Soules, Mark Thiel, David Woosley

Date:

March 03, 2010

RE:

March 09, 2010 Agenda Item

Iowa Street, from Yale Road to Irving Hill Overpass

Proposed Improvements – Options and Funding Scenarios

 

Introduction

The 2010 Pavement Maintenance Program presented to the City Commission on December 1, 2009 included the rehabilitation of Kasold from Trail to Peterson. The improvements were to include curb and gutter repair, adding sidewalks, significant base repair, underdrains where needed, rehabilation of the medians and pavement restoration / overlay. The estimated cost of the improvements was approximately $850,000 ($500,000 from sales tax and $350,000 from CIP Reserve Fund). Unfortunately, the excessively cold winter has caused a major arterial road, Iowa from Yale Road to Irving Hill Overpass, to experience significant pavement failures (Exhibit A, pictures), and the repairs to Iowa are a higher priority than Kasold. The original pavement of this section of Iowa street (Exhibit B, Yale Road to Irving Hill overpass) was built in 1952. This section of pavement has been milled and overlaid several times and is now beyond its expected service life. The last mill and overlay was done in 2006. The Street Maintenance Division continues to work diligently to improve the condition to the best extent possible. This memorandum provides a summary of various options, methods and funding scenarios, in order to improve the pavement and roadway condition along this critical arterial corridor.

 

Summary of Proposed Improvement Options

There are several options / alternatives as to the scope of the proposed improvements to address the deteriorating pavement condition on Iowa Street.

 

1(a)    Mill / Overlay and Widening: This option would include milling the existing asphalt (up to 4 inches) surface, reducing the crown slightly to provide a 4” to 6” asphalt overlay, widening of the existing pavement to add a continuous center turn lane from south of Harvard Road to south of University Drive. The work would also include full-depth patching, sub-grade treatment, manhole and valve adjustments, sidewalk replacement and curb and gutter replacement, where needed. Relocation of the power poles may be necessary. It appears that approximately 8 to 10 feet of widening will be necessary to add the center turn lane; all necessary widening can be accommodated on the west side within the existing right of way. The width of the travel lanes would be 11 feet. Estimated cost: $2.5 million.

 

1(b)    Mill and Overlay (No Widening):      In this option, the work would include all items as described in Option 1(a) except the widening of the pavement. Estimated cost: $2.0 million.

 

2(a)    Complete Reconstruction and Widening:    The original concrete pavement is at the end of its design life requiring more frequent maintenance measures. Although milled and overlaid as a KLINK project in the summer of 2006, maintenance of this section of Iowa continues on a regular basis (especially since the extreme winter weather over the past few months) to keep the road in an operating condition. In this option, the existing pavement would be entirely removed and replaced with new pavement structure. The new pavement structure would likely be 10 to 12 inches of concrete or asphalt. Depending on the existence of ground water in the sub-grade, an under-drain system may be installed. The existing footprint of the roadway will be widened to add the center-turn lane. Estimated construction cost: $5.0 million. 

 

2(b)    Complete Reconstruction (No Widening):   In this option, the work would include all items included in Option 2(a), but no pavement widening. Estimated cost: $4.5 million.

 

To Add or Not To Add – The Center Turn Lane

This debate can be traced back to the early 90’s.  Based on peak hour traffic volumes, left turn lanes are warranted at all intersections within this portion of Iowa. Analysis of the accident data (Exhibit C) indicates that a center-turn lane is needed to reduce accidents / crashes in this area. In the past, public opinion regarding the center-turn lane has been mixed, with relatively greater support in favor of the turn lane. One of the concerns expressed by the area residents (who opposed the center-turn lane) is the possibility of increased traffic on the side streets due to construction of a center-turn lane.

 

Funding Scenarios

Depending on the option chosen, the cost of this project can vary from 2.0 to 5.0 million dollars. Following are some potential sources of funding.

 

KLINK Funding:  Maximum amount - $200,000.00.  In July 2009 city staff submitted the application to KDOT for KLINK funding (FY 2012) for mill and overlay of Iowa Street from Yale Road to Irving Hill overpass. Mill and overlay of this section of Iowa Street is currently scheduled to take place in 2011 as the KLINK funding will be available in July 2011, the beginning of State Fiscal Year 2012. Typically, KLINK projects include city matching funds ranging from $400,000 to $500,000, typically funded from the City’s CIP program.  (As a related matter, 23rd Street from Haskell to east city limit is scheduled for mill and overlay this summer under the 2010 KLINK program.)

 

Federal Aid Safety Funding:  KDOT is currently soliciting applications for Federal Aid Safety projects for the fiscal year 2012. The maximum available funding is $800,000.00 with a minimum 10% local match. If awarded, the earliest date that funds would be availability is October 01, 2011, beginning of Federal Fiscal Year 2012. In 2007, City received $800,000 of Federal Aid Safety funding for this project, but was unable to utilize the funding due to public opposition to widening of Iowa Street.

 

Sales Tax/ Street Maintenance Funds: The Sales Tax that was approved included $500,000 for street maintenance annually. Iowa is a major arterial road and is a priority over other streets and the Commission may want to reprioritize the streets proposed to be rebuilt with the sales tax funds.

 

Conclusions and Recommendations

Based on the age and the condition of the existing pavement, in combination with the frequent maintenance needs in the recent years, it is our conclusion that a conventional mill and overlay (1.5 to 2” in depth) will not be effective in addressing this problem. As a minimum, a more substantial overlay (4 to 6 inches in depth) will be necessary. It is estimated that this substantial / thicker mill and overlay could last for about 7+/- years before requiring any major maintenance work. In comparison, a complete reconstruction of the street pavement is expected to last about 40 years before requiring any major maintenance. We have discussed these options with KDOT engineers and are in agreement that complete reconstruction is needed and the most long term cost effective measure.

 

Because Iowa is part of the city connecting link (US 59), this project will have to be administered by KDOT. KDOT review of project scope, engineering design and construction plans usually takes up to two years. Due to the various complexities in this project (namely, analysis and design of pavement structure, sub-grade treatment options, turn lane or no turn lane, soil analysis, stakeholder participation, power pole relocation, presence of ground water in the sub-grade, intersection geometric improvements on the side streets, etc.), the City will need to hire a consultant to provide the Engineering Design services and preparation of construction plans. It is anticipated that this project can be ready for Bid Letting by December of 2011 with construction to begin in early spring of 2012 and anticipated completion by December 31, 2012. Traffic would be carried through the construction site. Complete reconstruction of Iowa, estimated construction cost at $5 million plus engineering, could be financed as summarized below.

         

$500,000 - from City Sales Tax for annual street maintenance projects.

$200,000 - from the State for KLINK Program in 2011.

$400,000 - from City CIP used annually as matching funds for KLINK program

$800,000 - Federal Aid Safety Funding.

$1 million-Surface Transportation Program (STP) (Federal funds that the City        receives annually for Transportation projects).

The remainder of approximately $2.1 million would need to be bonded.

Engineering design would need to begin this year to meet KDOT’s schedule.

 

As the center turn lane appears to be a matter of significant neighborhood interest, we request direction to hold public meetings if the Commission desires to explore the possibility of a center turn lane in the near future before submission of the Federal Aid Safety application.

 

Staff Would Recommend:

-       Make repairs to Iowa, as the first priority, as part of the 2010 comprehensive and major patching /repair project.

-       Schedule Iowa Street for complete reconstruction in 2012.

-       Hold public meetings to discuss the center turn lane and other important aspects of the Iowa Street project and report back to the Commission for a decision on whether to proceed with reconstruction based on a center turn lane

 

 

 

Attachments:  Exhibit A – Pictures

                   Exhibit B – Iowa Street, Project Location Map

                   Exhibit C – Iowa Street, Crash Diagram