Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) accepts applications twice a year to fund projects using Highway Safety Improvement Program funds. The Safety Program Committee currently is accepting applications until April 30, 2020. All project costs are eligible for safety funding except for construction inspection costs. These grants require a 10% local match.
The Department of Public Service is preparing applications seeking funds to construct various roadway and pedestrian safety improvements in the Northland and Greater Hilltop neighborhoods. This legislation will authorize the Director of Public Service to submit said applications, to execute project agreements for approved projects, to accept and expend grant funds, and to issue refunds, if necessary, after final accounting is performed. Separate legislation authorizing the encumbrance and expenditure of capital funds to support the local share of anticipated project costs will be put forth at a later date as needed.
2. EXPECTED PROJECTS
The Department of Public Service plans to submit applications for the following projects:
Operations Sidewalks - School Sidewalk - Olive Street - Floral Avenue: The purpose of this project is to add sidewalks to Olive Street and Floral Avenue from South Powell Avenue to South Highland Avenue, completing gaps in sidewalks between Highland Elementary School and West High School. A need for sidewalks along this corridor was identified in the School Travel Plan for Columbus City Schools report and in a safety study completed by the Division of Traffic Management in February 2020.
State Route 161 (Dublin Granville Road) - Shared Use Path: The purpose of this project is to construct a shared use path on the north and south sides of State Route 161 (Dublin Granville Road) from Huntley Road/Sinclair Road to Cleveland Avenue. The need for a shared use path to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety along the State Route 161 corridor was identified in the State Route 161 Corridor Study, also known as FRA-161-11.48, PID 97169. The Division of Traffic Management completed a review of pedestrian and bicycle crash data within the project area, which also showed a need for a shared use path. There currently are two funded Ohio Department of Transportation Governor’s List Safety Intersections within the project area: State Route 161 at Karl Road and State Route 161 at Maple Canyon Avenue and Parkville Street/Spring Run Drive. These projects are being designed to accommodate the construction of shared use path along the State Route 161 corridor.
State Route 161 (Dublin Granville Road) at Busch Boulevard: The purpose of this project is to improve safety at State Route 161 and Busch Boulevard and the south service road intersection. The proposed improvements include rebuilding the traffic signal to install backplates, constructing a raised median through the south service road intersection, and constructing a roundabout for access in and out of the service road approaches. This intersection was ranked number 28 on the MORPC Top 100 Regional High-Crash Intersections (2015-2017) list, and a safety study completed by the Division of Traffic Management identified crash patterns at this location consistent with crash patterns observed at other service road intersections along the State Route 161 corridor. There are two funded Ohio Department of Transportation Governor’s List Safety Intersections east of this location: State Route 161 at Karl Road and State Route 161 at Maple Canyon Avenue and Parkville Street/Spring Run Drive. Both of those projects will culminate in the installation of similar countermeasures to address the same cash patterns at service road intersections.
The above list represents the anticipated applications. The Director of Public Service may add or delete project applications if it is considered to be in the best interest of the City of Columbus to do so.
3. FISCAL IMPACT
No financial participation is required at this time. Separate legislation authorizing the encumbrance and expenditure of capital funds to support the local share of anticipated project costs will be put forth at a later date as needed.
4. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to facilitate the preparation, submission, and receipt of the aforesaid grant applications by the stated deadline.
Due to the critical nature of these applications, the Department of Public Service requested emergency approval from the Director of the Division of Finance and Management following the procedures set forth under the Mayor's Executive Order 2020-01 "Declaration of State of Emergency" to apply for the ODOT grants before receiving Council approval to do so. That waiver was approved so applications could be submitted before the ODOT deadline with the provision that this ordinance would be drafted for the next council meeting.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Service to submit applications to, and to execute grant agreements with, the Ohio Department of Transportation relative to the Highway Safety Improvement Program; to accept and expend awarded grant funds; to issue refunds, if necessary, after final accounting for approved projects; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is accepting applications for Highway Safety Improvement Program funds until April 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service is preparing applications seeking funds to construct various roadway and pedestrian safety improvements in the Northland and Greater Hilltop neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Public Service to submit applications to and to execute grant agreements with ODOT, to accept and expend awarded grant funds, and to issue refunds, if necessary, after final accounting for approved projects has been completed; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service sought and received approval under the Mayor's Executive Order 2020-01 "Declaration of State of Emergency" to submit grant applications to ODOT before receiving Council approval to do so; 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 Director to submit the grant applications by the stated deadline, for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Service be and is hereby authorized to submit applications to, and to execute grant agreements with, the Ohio Department of Transportation relative to the Highway Safety Improvement Program; and to accept and expend awarded grant funds.
Section 2. That Council understands the projects described in this legislation are the projects the Department of Public Service anticipates to submit for the Highway Safety Improvement Program, and the Director of Public Service may add or delete project applications if it is considered to be in the best interest of the City of Columbus to do so.
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 those funds originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 4. 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.