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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM TO BUILD SEGMENT III OF THE CROSS CITY TRAIL MULTI-USE PATH FROM IRVING PARK TO KEENE CREEK PARK NOT TO EXCEED $600,000
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CITY PROPOSAL:
THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS:
(a) That the City of Duluth is undertaking a project to provide a 10 ft.-wide multi-use path that fills a critical gap in the existing Cross City Trail (CCT) trail system, providing a connection between the soon to be completed Carlton Street to Irving Park segment and the already completed Green Street to Zoo segment (Exhibit A).
(b) The estimated cost for design and construction of this project is $847,550. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has grant monies available through its Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) for federal fiscal year 2022 for on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities and other alternative transportation projects; and
(c) To receive this money, the City submitted a Letter of Intent (Exhibit B) and were given notice to proceed with a full application to the Transportation Alternative Program through the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission by the January 12, 2018 deadline.
(d) The City of Duluth recognizes that Transportation Alternative Projects receive federal funding and as such would be required to operate and maintain any portion of the CCT constructed with federal transportation funds for the useful life of the improvement and not change the use of right of way or property ownership acquired without prior approval from the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA). Moreover, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has determined that for projects implemented with alternative funds, the requirement to operate and maintain should be applied to the project proposer.
RESOLVED, that the proper City officials are hereby authorized to submit an application to the Minnesota department of transportation for funding of the multi-use path as shown by Exhibit A.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth has the legal authority to apply for the money, and the financial, technical and managerial capacity to ensure proper construction, operation and maintenance of the project for no less than 20 years.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth is requesting $600,000 and available on a minimum 80/20 percent local matching basis, and has the required $120,000 cash match funds available from the following account: 450 (Capital Improvement Projects) - 030 (Finance) - 4210-01 (Pass-thru Federal Grants-Capital) - CP450-CCITY-0675 (Cross City Trail Phase III)
FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Duluth, pending receipt and acceptance of the grant, agrees to act as the sponsoring agency for the transportation alternatives project, which includes a willingness to secure and guarantee the local share of costs associated with this project and responsibility for seeing this project through to its completion, with compliance of all applicable laws, environmental requirements, rules and regulations.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Duluth, pending receipt and acceptance of the grant, hereby agrees to assume full responsibility for the operation and maintenance of property and facilities related to the aforementioned transportation alternatives project.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Duluth names the fiscal agent for the city of Duluth for this project as: Wayne Parson, City Auditor, City of Duluth, 411 West First Street, Duluth, MN 55802.
… Statement of Purpose
This resolution authorizes application for a grant for construction of Cross City Trail (CCT) Segment III from the federally funded, state-administered Transportation Alternatives Program. Segment III runs from the park at the heart of the Irving Park neighborhood to the north end of Keene Creek Park and closes the gap between the soon to be completed Heritage Center-to-Irving Park segment and the already completed Green Street to Zoo segment (see Exhibit A map). If approved, grant funds will be distributed to the city in 2022. The city will provide additional funding in excess of the $120,000 minimum match for the project by contributing an additional $127,500, for a combined City contribution of $247,500 from the Park Fund and the ½ and ½ tourism tax which, per state law, may only be used for recreation-related capital improvements to public property in the St. Louis River Corridor.
Completion of the CCT is a state and local transportation priority. Locally, the CCT will connect the Lakewalk to the Munger Trail to establish a paved, accessible bike/pedestrian pathway from one end of the city to the other. At the state level, the CCT will connect the Kitchi Gammi State Trail on the north shore to the Munger State Trail. Nationally, the CCT provides an off-road improvement to the US Bicycle Route 41 which travels 315 miles from Canada to St. Paul where it connects with the rest of the US Bicycle Route System.