Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to accept a grant from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and enter into contract with American Structurepoint to provide professional design services for the Olentangy Trail - Northmoor to Clinton Como Project.
The MORPC grant acceptance will be for the amount of $3,458,321.00. This ordinance will accept the grant and authorize the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into a grant agreement with MORPC. The grant funds and local match will be appropriated at a later date, in a separate ordinance, since the development and engineering phase for this project is expected to take approximately 2 years and the grant can be used for future construction only. Part of the grant acceptance requirements are that the Stage 1 plans contract be in place when the grant is accepted. The professional service fees for Stage 1 plans through American Structurepoint are not to exceed $271,252.00 and will come from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702.
The preliminary development and engineering phase includes alignment study, environmental inventory reports, public and stakeholder engagement, feasibility and permitting analysis, interaction with private owners, and state and local regulations. Preliminary engineering is estimated to be completed in early 2021. At that time, a second piece of legislation will be submitted to appropriate the grant and to modify the engineering contract to perform Final Detailed Plans. The project is set for construction in 2023.
The Olentangy Trail is Central Ohio’s most heavily used greenway trail. Recent trail count data shows over 4 million trail miles per year are traveled on this path. In 2018, Recreation and Parks applied for and received grant funding from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission to construct the final gap of the 14 mile Olentangy Trail, from Northmoor Park to Clinton Como Park. The central 0.6 mile segment of the trail between Northmoor Park and Clinton Como Park was never completed, and users must leave the trail and use a 1 mile signed on-street route which travels on 5 different streets. The route is widely recognized as difficult to navigate, congested, narrow, and unsafe. The route includes constricted sections where combined two-way car and trail traffic is on 11’-13’ wide pavement. It also includes a narrow crossing of North Broadway at Milton Avenue, documented as one of the region’s most dangerous intersections for bicycle/vehicular crashes. This project will complete this final trail gap by constructing a crossing of the Olentangy River at Northmoor Park and travel along the west bank of the river. At North Broadway the trail will use a fully functional bike/pedestrian crosswalk and signal to the new Ohio Health Campus on North Broadway. The trail is then planned to continue south and cross the river to Clinton Como Park, where it rejoins the existing trail. The project is being developed using Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and City of Columbus design standards.
Request for Proposals were advertised through Vendor Services, in accordance with City Code Section 329, on April 14, 2020, and received by the Recreation and Parks Department on May 6, 2020. Proposals were received from the following companies:
Company Status
Burgess and Niple (Columbus) (MAJ)
EL Robinson (Columbus) (MAJ)
Carpenter/Marty (Columbus) (MAJ)
JMT Company (Columbus) (MAJ)
American Structurepoint (Columbus) (MAJ)
ms Consultants (Columbus) (MAJ)
In accordance with City Code, a selection team evaluated the proposals and recommended American Structurepoint be selected to perform the work. The firm was chosen based on their reference projects, experience, qualifications, availability, timeline, and project approach. 95% of the work will be performed in their Columbus office.
Principal Parties:
American Structurepoint
2550 Corporate Exchange Drive
Columbus, OH 43231
Tom Hibbard, (614) 901-2235, thibbard@structurepoint.com
Contract Compliance Number: 007019, 35-1127317
Expiration: 7/16/21
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is being requested as the grant funding for this project requires that the design consultant be contracted by July 31, 2020, so that the project can be ready to construct in ODOT Fiscal Year 2023.
Benefits to the Public: Cycling, walking, running, and active trail uses provide highly recognized year-round benefits to urban lifestyles. Access to trails and to key destinations is one of the top rated active transportation priorities noted by Columbus residents. Over 30,000 residents, 100 businesses, 6 parks, and 15 schools are within the trailshed of this project.
Community Input/Issues: The department received letters of support from the community, the Clintonville Area Commission, Ohio Health, private developers, and from trail users city-wide. A public open house will be held in late 2020.
Area(s) Affected: 39 - Clintonville, 38 - Olentangy West, All Columbus and regional trail users.
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the mission of the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by improving access to trails and greenways corridors. It provides safe east/west connections for nearby neighborhoods to the regional trail network.
Fiscal Impact: $271,252.00 is budgeted and available from and within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of this contract for design services. This ordinance will authorize the acceptance of a MORPC grant in the amount of $3,458,321.00. Future legislation will be prepared to appropriate these grant funds and provide matching funds for construction since the development phase for this project is expected to take approximately 2 years.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into an agreement with MORPC and accept grant funds to construct the final gap of the Olentangy Trail from Northmoor Park to Clinton Como Park; to authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into contract with American Structurepoint to provide professional design services for the Olentangy Trail-Northmoor to Clinton Como Project; to authorize the transfer of $271,252.00 between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund; to amend the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019; to authorize the expenditure of $271,252.00 from the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($271,252.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into an agreement with MORPC and accept grant funds in the amount of $3,458,321.00 to construct the final gap of the Olentangy Trail, from Northmoor Park to Clinton Como Park; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into contract with American Structurepoint to provide professional design services for the Olentangy Trail-Northmoor to Clinton Como Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $271,252.00 from and within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $271,252.00 from the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into the agreement and contract noted herein as the grant funding for this project requires that the design consultant be contracted by July 31, 2020, so that the project can be ready to construct in ODOT Fiscal Year 2023, thereby preserving the public peace, property, health, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks is authorized to enter into an agreement with MORPC and accept grant funds in the amount of $3,458,321.00 to construct the final gap of the Olentangy Trail, from Northmoor Park to Clinton Como Park. Future legislation will be prepared to appropriate these funds and provide matching funds for construction since the development phase for this project is expected to take approximately 2 years.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Recreation and Parks is authorized to enter into contract with American Structurepoint to provide professional design services for the Olentangy Trail-Northmoor to Clinton Como Project.
SECTION 3. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 7. That the transfer of $271,252.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
Fund 7702; P512000-100000; New Development - Misc. (SIT Supported) / $567,224 / ($271,252) / $295,972
Fund 7702; P512018-100000; Olentangy Trail - Northmoor to Clinton Como (SIT Supported) / $0 / $271,252 / $271,252
SECTION 9. That the expenditure of $271,252.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 10. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.