Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Service, or a designee, to enter into a construction agreement or similar instrument, and any amendments or modifications thereto as may be necessary, with Norfolk Southern Railway Company (“Norfolk Southern”), and to encumber and expend funds to compensate the same for services rendered during the construction phase of the Bridge Rehabilitation - Front Street and Nationwide Boulevard over Railroad Tunnel project.
The aforementioned effort encompasses a major superstructure replacement of the bridge on Front Street, including conversion of the bridge abutments to semi-integral abutments, and replacement of the deck and approach slabs.
Norfolk Southern operates within the project limits, necessitating the execution of a construction agreements between the Department of Public Service and Norfolk Southern to facilitate the performance of certain services to identify and mitigate potential conflicts between rail operations and public infrastructure in proximity to railway corridors. These services include plan review, flagging, and inspection, which are necessary to the successful completion of the project, and must be performed by the railroad owner/operator in order to comply with current regulations.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
Funding in the amount of $208,561.00 is available for this project in the Streets and Highways Bond Fund, Fund 7704, within the Department of Public Service. A transfer of cash and appropriation is necessary to provide sufficient cash and budget authority for the requisite expenditure.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to enable the City to execute the requisite construction agreement with Norfolk Southern before September 3, 2025, so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the completion of the project.
Title
To authorize the transfer of cash and appropriation between projects within the Streets and Highways Bond Fund; to authorize the Director of Public Service, or a designee, to enter into agreements with Norfolk Southern Railway Company relative to the Bridge Rehabilitation - Front Street and Nationwide Boulevard over Railroad Tunnel project; to authorize the encumbrance and expenditure of up to $208,561.00 from the Streets and Highways Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($208,561.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service is administering the Bridge Rehabilitation - Front Street and Nationwide Boulevard over Railroad Tunnel project, which encompasses various improvements to the bridge on Front Street; and
WHEREAS, the aforementioned effort requires the consent and cooperation of Norfolk Southern Railway Company because a portion of the planned improvements are located in close proximity to or will cross existing railroad tracks owned or operated by that company; and
WHEREAS, this legislation seeks to authorize the execution of construction agreements, or similar instruments, and any amendments or modifications thereto as may be necessary, between the Department of Public Service and Norfolk Southern and the encumbrance and expenditure of up to $208,561.00 to compensate those entities for services rendered in connection with the construction of the Bridge Rehabilitation - Front Street and Nationwide Boulevard over Railroad Tunnel project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize a transfer of cash and appropriation within the Streets and Highways Bond Fund for the purposes of providing sufficient cash and budget authority for the aforementioned project expenditure; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the passage of this legislation to enable the City to execute the requisite construction agreement before September 3, 2025, so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the completion of the project, 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 transfer of $208,561.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 7704 (Streets and Highways Bond Fund), from Dept-Div 59-11 (Infrastructure Management), Project P530301-992023 (Bridge Rehabilitation - Annual Citywide Contract (2023)), Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay), to Dept-Div 59-11 (Infrastructure Management), Project P530301-260755 (Bridge Rehabilitation - Front Street and Nationwide Boulevard over Railroad Tunnel), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Public Service be and is hereby authorized to execute a construction agreement or a similar instrument, and any amendments or modifications thereto as may be necessary, with Norfolk Southern Railway Company relative to the Bridge Rehabilitation - Front Street and Nationwide Boulevard over Railroad Tunnel project.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $208,561.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7704 (Streets and Highways Bond Fund), Dept-Div 59-11 (Infrastructure Management), Project P530301-260755 (Bridge Rehabilitation - Front Street and Nationwide Boulevard over Railroad Tunnel), Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this Ordinance.
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 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.