TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Missie Barletto, Assistant Public Works Director
THROUGH: George Gretsas, City Manager
DATE: March 3, 2020
Title
APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NO. 52-20 APPROVING THE LOCAL AGENCY PROGRAM AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REGARDING RECEIPT OF GRANT FUNDS FOR THE LOWSON BOULEVARD PROJECT FROM DOVER ROAD TO US-1/SE 5TH AVENUE; AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT AND DIRECTING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO EFFECTUATE SAME; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to approve Resolution No. 52-20 to approve the Local Agency Program agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation regarding receipt of grant funds for the Lowson Boulevard Project from Dover Road to US-1/SE 5th Avenue in the amount of $4,463,000.
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Background:
The Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (TPA) administers competitive grant application processes annually for the funding of projects located within Palm Beach County. The grant application process typically commences in January, when the Transportation Planning Agency (TPA) posts online application materials. The Long-Range Transportation Plan Directions 2040 carved out future allocations of TPA Surface Transportation funds to be used at the TPA's discretion. As a result, the Local Initiatives (LI) program was created as an annual application process to identify and evaluate potential funding for lower-cost, non-regionally significant transportation projects identified by local communities. Approximately $18 million was then allocated annually to fund projects under the Local Initiatives (LI) Program. This is a cost reimbursement program where projects are selected by the TPA but administered by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
The program funds on and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities; infrastructure for improving non-driver access to public transportation for enhanced mobility; community improvement activities; environmental mitigation; recreational trail projects; safe routes to school projects; and projects for planning, designing, or constructing boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former divided highways. Approximately $5 million has been allocated annually in recent years to fund the Local Initiatives Program.
The City identified a need to improve Lowson Boulevard between Military Trail and US-1/SE 6th Avenue and submitted a Local Initiatives grant application to the TPA in 2014 for its Fiscal Year 2016 to 2020 priorities list. The project proposed bicycle lanes, shared use paths, sidewalk and roadway milling and resurfacing improvements along the 3.5 miles of roadway. Subsequent to a grant award from the TPA, through the public involvement process and coordination with the FDOT, the project limits were subsequently reduced to Dover Road to US-1/SE 5th Street. The project is partially funded through federal funds administered by the FDOT under the Local Agency Program (LAP), as well as local agency funds provided by the city.
This motion is in accordance with Code of Ordinances Section 36.02 Commission Approval Required.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 52-20
2. Legal Review Checklist
City Attorney Review:
Approved as to form and legal sufficiency.
Funding Source:
Funding is available from 334-41-340-541.68-39 (Capital Outlay, Local Initiative, Lowson Blvd. between Military Trail and 6th Avenue).