Explanation
1. Background
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Service ("DPS") to enter into a master agreement and subsequent contribution agreements with the Ohio Rail Development Commission ("ORDC") for signal preemption projects.
Through substitute House Bill Number 250, the Ohio General Assembly created the Ohio Rail Development Commission as an independent agency of the State of Ohio within the Department of Transportation ("ODOT"). The ORDC administers federal funds for railroad grade crossing safety programs on behalf of ODOT.
ORDC and ODOT have jointly undertaken a project that reviewed Ohio's current traffic signal specifications and developed new standards for Ohio Traffic Engineering Manual and traffic signal procurement specifications relating to the preemption of grade crossing warning devices.
ORDC and ODOT intend to work with Local Highway Authorities ("LHA") to incorporate the elements of preemption outlined in Ohio's standard and the City of Columbus ("City") is a LHA located in the State of Ohio.
There are eleven (11) known railroad grade crossings in the City that are currently equipped with traffic signal preemption or should be evaluated for possible preemption. Preemption is, for example, the coordination between a traffic signal that is within 300 feet of a railroad gate. The two traffic control devices would be coordinated so as to reduce traffic back ups at the intersection while the train crossing gates are down and a train is passing by.
DPS and ORDC would enter into a master agreement for the purpose of identifying, evaluating, and/or planning the safety enhancement of railway-highway crossings and also enter into future, project specific, subsequent contributions agreements identifying the scope and amount due to the City from ORDC for each signal preemption project. Jointly, ORDC and the City would confirm the need for signal preemption and the City would perform the work either with its own forces or as part of a larger construction project.
2. Fiscal Impact
ORDC shall provide funds to the City for individual projects. No funds shall be provided by the City to ORDC.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to allow for immediate execution of the pending master agreement and a pending subsequent contribution agreement so as not to delay the agreements and preemption at the first location on Waggoner Road.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Service to enter into a master agreement and subsequent contribution agreements with the Ohio Rail Development Commission for signal preemption projects; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, through substitute House Bill Number 250 the Ohio General Assembly created the Ohio Rail Development Commission as an independent agency of the State of Ohio within the Department of Transportation ("ODOT"). The ORDC administers federal funds for grade crossing safety programs on behalf of ODOT; and
WHEREAS, ORDC and ODOT have jointly undertaken a project that reviewed Ohio's current traffic signal specifications and developed new standards for Ohio Traffic Engineering Manual and traffic signal procurement specifications relating to the preemption of grade crossing warning devices; and
WHERAS, ORDC and ODOT intend to work with Local Highway Authorities ("LHA") to incorporate the elements of preemption outlined in Ohio's standard and the City of Columbus ("City") is a LHA located in the State of Ohio; and
WHERAS, there are eleven (11) known railroad grade crossings in the CITY that are currently equipped with traffic signal preemption or should be evaluated for possible preemption; and
WHEREAS, DPS and ORDC would enter into a master agreement for the purpose of identifying, evaluating, and/or planning the safety enhancement of railway-highway crossings and enter into future, project specific, subsequent contributions agreements identifying the scope and amount due to the City for each signal preemption project. Jointly, ORDC and the City would confirm the need for signal preemption and the City would perform the work either with its own forces or as part of a larger construction project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Service the ability to execute a master agreement and subsequent contribution agreements with ORDC for the purpose of signal preemption projects; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service, in that this legislation should go forth immediately to provide for execution of the pending master agreement and first subsequent agreement so as not to delay preemption at the first location, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Public Service be and is hereby authorized to execute a master agreement and subsequent contribution agreements with the Ohio Rail Development Commission ("ORDC") for signal preemption projects.
SECTION 2. 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.