Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works

 

TO:

Chuck Soules, Public Works Director

FROM:

Shoeb Uddin, City Engineer

CC:

James Risner, David Woosley, James Wisdom, John Williams

Date:

February 15, 2011

Re:

Application for KDOT ITS Set Aside Funds

February 22, 2011 City Commission Agenda Item

             

Introduction

Attached is an application for the 2013 (fiscal year) Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Set Aside Funds. The 2013 ITS Set Aside Program, recently announced by KDOT, is part of the T-WORKS, the new statewide 10 year comprehensive transportation program passed by the 2010 Kansas Legislature.

 

The main focus of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is to improve safety and efficiency of the transportation system. More specifically, benefits of ITS include the following.

 

•        Improved traffic flow, reduced congestion, reduced travel time and delays - resulting from a synchronized and closed-loop traffic signal system.

•        Immediate and automatic notification of traffic signal malfunctions.

•        Unlimited Signal Timing plan to ensure efficient traffic flow during special events, weather conditions, social or sporting events.

•        Assist and improve emergency response by Police and Fire.

•        Environmental benefits – reduced travel time and reduced delays at the intersections would reduce fuel consumption, gas emission and thereby would contribute to better air quality.

 

History / Background

Under the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21) (signed into law by Congress in 1998), each Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) or region is required by federal law to develop and maintain a regional ITS architecture in order to receive federal funding for transportation projects. In 2008, Lawrence-Douglas County MPO reached a milestone by completing the “Regional Architecture and Deployment Plan” for this region.

 

Following the completion of the Regional Architecture, we embarked on implementing the first ITS project in Lawrence - funding for this project is based on a 50/50 cost sharing between the City and KDOT ($250,000.00 from KDOT’s 2009 ITS Set Aside Funds and $250,000.00 from city sources). This project is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2011 – with completion of this project we will have Fiber Optic based closed-loop traffic signal system in the following areas of the city.

 

  1. 6th Street, from City Hall to Iowa, with connection to the Traffic Building at 5th and Mississippi
  1. North 2nd Street from 6th to the KTA Entrance.
  1. Iowa from 6th to 23rd.

 

To continue our current effort to improve and upgrade the traffic signal operations in Lawrence, we are recommending 23rd Street (from Iowa to the East City Limit) as our next ITS project. We firmly believe that 23rd Street ITS project would be a very strong and worthy candidate for the 2013 ITS Set Aside Funding program.

 

Project Details

The main objective of this project is to install fiber optic cables in the existing conduits along 23rd Street, from Iowa to East Hills Business Park. The existing conduits along 23rd (as well as along 6th, Iowa and North 2nd) were installed about 10 years ago by Light Core (a telecommunication company headquartered in St. Louis, MO) under a right of way agreement with the City.

 

This project would also include installation of video detection and monitoring systems at selected intersections, modifications at the signal cabinets, repair of existing conduit where necessary and installation of new conduits to close gaps, where exist.

 

Building on the experience gained during the current ITS project, Engineering Staff at the Public Works Department will perform engineering design, and prepare construction plans and other contract documents for the proposed 23rd Street ITS project. Construction Management will be provided by City Staff as well. Based on our conversations with KDOT, staff time and other city resources needed for the engineering design and construction management will be considered eligible costs towards city’s matching share for this project.

 

Project Cost/ Funding

Total estimated Project cost is $250,000.00 (see Exhibit for details) and will be financed as outlined below. Engineering Design (to be performed in-house) cost is included in the total project cost and is eligible as city’s matching funds.

         

2013 KDOT ITS Set Aside funding (80%)  

$200,000.00

City Matching Funds ($25,000 for Design plus $25,000 for construction, 20%)

  $50,000.00

 

Project Schedule

Award of ITS Set Aside funding by KDOT

April, 2011

Engineering Design and Construction Documents (Completion)

March, 2012

Construction

June - August, 2012

 

Conclusion and Recommendation

With the current ITS project nearing completion, this is a very opportune time to begin the ground work for the next ITS project. After 6th, Iowa and North 2nd, 23rd street would be the most logical place to extend the ITS network. Staff would strongly recommend the proposed 23rd Street ITS project for the following reasons.

 

  1. Like 6th, Iowa and North 2nd, there are conduits already in the ground along 23rd street between Iowa and the east City Limit - as a result, cost of extending the ITS network along this road would be significantly less.

 
  1. As outlined in the previous section (Project Cost/Funding), direct city cost for this project would be $25,000.00. This is a relatively small but worthwhile expenditure. It is important to note that the benefits of a closed loop traffic signal system along this busy and important corridor would far outweigh city’s cost for this project.

 
  1. This is an excellent opportunity for the City to take advantage of the existing conduits and the State funding for ITS projects.

 
  1. In addition to being the busiest street in Lawrence, 23rd street also has a relatively greater concentration of traffic signals along with high percentage of truck traffic. Improved traffic flow and reduced delays on 23rd Street will be appreciated by the community at large.

 
  1. There are no other continuous and long road segments in Lawrence with conduits already in place.

 

 

Action Request

Authorize Staff to submit Application for the 2013 (fiscal year) ITS Set Aside Funding Program (recently announced by KDOT) for 23rd Street ITS project.

 

Exhibits

Project Cost Estimate

Project Location Map

ITS Set Aside Funding Application Form

Exhibit A

Cost Estimates for 23rd Street ITS Project

 

 

Item                                           Quantity                   Unit Price                 Extension

 

Mobilization                                L.S.                        L.S.                        $5,000.00

 

Fiber Optic Cable Installation                   22,000 L.F.              $5.00                      $110,000.00

 

Fiber Optic Pull Boxes                   6                           $1,500.00                $9,000.00

 

Ethernet Switch                            8                           $6,500.00                $52,000.00

 

Intersection Video Assembly          7                           $5,000.00                $35,000.00

 

Misc. items                                 L.S.                        L.S.                        $14,000.00

 

Total Construction Cost                                                                                        $225,000.00

 

Engineering Design, Construction Plans & Construction Management              $25,000.00

 

 

Total Project Cost                                                                                                   $250,000.00

 

 

 

Project Financing

 

2013 ITS Set Aside Funding (80%)                                                            $200,000.00

 

City Match (20%) ***                                                                                      $50,000.00

 

 

 

*** $25,000.00 for engineering design and construction management related services (to be provided by city staff) plus $25,000.00 for construction cost.