TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Keith Stahley, City Manager
FROM: Brian D. Martin, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Application for project funding under the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration
Ward(s): Wards 2 and 7
Councilor(s): Councilor Nordyke
Neighborhood(s): SCAN
Result Area(s): Natural Environment Stewardship; Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure
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SUMMARY:
summary
The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized Tribal governments, and local governments to address the climate crisis by improving the resilience of the surface transportation system. City staff have identified the River Road S Slide Mitigation project as a suitable fit for this grant funding.
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ISSUE:
Shall Council authorize the City Manager to apply for a planning grant to fund preliminary design of the River Road S Slide Mitigation project, through the PROTECT Grant Program and, if successful, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the DOT to accept these funds?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to apply for a planning grant to fund preliminary design of the River Road S Slide Mitigation project, through the PROTECT Grant Program and, if successful, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the DOT to accept these funds.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The solicitation for the initial round of this PROTECT Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was released on October 25, 2024, and final applications are due on February 24, 2025.
The River Road S Slide Mitigation project is a high priority project and a good candidate for the PROTECT grant program. The project will mitigate landslides on River Road S between Owens Street S and Minto Island Road S and rebuild River Road S to remediate the retaining wall that supports the roadway.
The City unsuccessfully applied for this same grant in Fiscal Year 2024 requesting design and construction funding. Staff attended a debrief meeting and the DOT review team indicated that the application was strong in several areas, but due to the cost of the project and limited design it did not score well. The team also stated the application would be more competitive if the City were to apply for a planning grant to get further along in the design process.
The PROTECT planning grant requires no City match and will provide funding for preliminary design (30-percent plans), robust public involvement work, geotechnical investigation and early structural analysis, railroad coordination, and the ability to develop innovative solutions. This work will provide a solid foundation for final design and construction and should help position the project to compete more effectively for future grant funding. The cost of preliminary design is estimated to be approximately $2.1 million.
BACKGROUND:
PROTECT awards under this NOFO will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL appropriates billions of dollars to the DOT to promote resilient infrastructure, respond to the impacts of climate change, and equip our nation with the resources to combat its most pressing threats.
Allen Dannen, PE
City Engineer
Attachments:
1. U.S. Department of Transportation Notice of Funding Opportunity FY2024-2026