TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Keith Stahley, City Manager
FROM: Brian D. Martin, PE, Interim Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Application for project funding under the Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration grant program issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Ward(s): 2, 3, 5
Councilor(s): Nishioka, Phillips, Gonzalez
Neighborhood(s): Morningside, Northgate, SESNA, SCAN
Result Area(s): Natural Environment Stewardship; Safe, Reliable, and Efficient Infrastructure.
end
SUMMARY:
summary
The National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration grant program makes federal funds available to states, local governments, and Indian Tribes for the replacement, removal, repair, and improvement of culverts or weirs that would meaningfully improve or restore fish passage for anadromous fish. City staff have identified three suitable projects for this grant funding.
end
ISSUE:
Shall Council authorize the City Manager to apply for funding to design and construct the following three projects, through the U.S. Department of Transportation and, if successful, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration to accept these funds?
• Replacement of Railroad and McGilchrist Street SE Culverts on the West Fork Pringle Creek;
• Clark Creek at Ratcliff Drive SE Culvert Replacements; and
• Deerhaven Drive NE Culvert Replacement.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to apply for funding to design and construct the following three projects, through the U.S. Department of Transportation and, if successful, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration to accept these funds.
• Replacement of Railroad and McGilchrist Street SE Culverts on West Fork Pringle Creek;
• Clark Creek at Ratcliff Drive SE Culvert Replacements; and
• Deerhaven Drive NE Culvert Replacement.
body
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The U.S. Department of Transportation Notice of Funding Opportunity (Attachment 1) solicits applications for the National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program that will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL appropriated $200 million annually for Federal FY 2022 through 2026 to improve or restore fish passage for anadromous fish.
City staff, along with our Consultant of Record, HDR, Inc., reviewed the FY 2023-2027 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to determine candidate projects. Staff identified three high-priority projects within the adopted CIP that affect a large area in Salem and were competitive with the grant criteria as follows:
1. Replacement of Railroad and McGilchrist Street SE Culverts on the West Fork Pringle Creek (Attachment 2): The West Fork of Pringle Creek regularly overtops McGilchrist Street SE and floods undeveloped property located to the northeast, prompting road closures as often as four or five times a year. The proposed project includes design and replacement of the culverts at the railroad crossing on McGilchrist Street SE and the existing railroad spur downstream. The improvements will meet fish-passage requirements, add flow capacity, and provide flood mitigation. The total estimated project cost is $4 million.
2. Clark Creek at Ratcliff Drive SE Culvert Replacements (Attachment 3): The project consists of design and replacement of undersized culverts with new box culverts in three locations along Clark Creek upstream of Ratcliff Drive SE. The project will realign and reconstruct the creek channel, create floodplain benching, and provide habitat improvements for fish passage and flood mitigation. The total estimated project cost is $3.1 million.
3. Deerhaven Drive NE Culvert Replacement (Attachment 4): The Deerhaven Drive NE culvert is located near the main entrance to Hallman Elementary School at Claggett Creek. Over time the culvert has degraded to a point where the bottom has rusted and become porous, leaving the subgrade at risk for becoming further undermined. The inlet has begun to accumulate debris, which is impacting flows upstream. The project will replace the existing culvert with a precast reinforced concrete four-sided box structure and comply with fish passage requirements. The total estimated project cost is $3.5 million.
The grant applications require 20-percent City match funding. The three projects chosen are already in the adopted CIP, so the 20-percent match has already been programmed. If successful, the 80-percent grant award would equal approximately $8.48 million.
BACKGROUND:
Staff continues to seek grant funding opportunities from various federal and state programs. City Council recently approved the submission of three grant applications through the Department of Homeland Security Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program for hazard mitigation activities.
Allen Dannen, PE
Acting City Engineer
Attachments:
1. U.S. Department of Transportation Notice of Funding Opportunity FY 2022
2. Replacement of Railroad and McGilchrist Culverts on West Fork Pringle Creek Vicinity Map
3. Clark Creek at Ratcliff Drive SE Culvert Replacement Vicinity Map
4. Deerhaven Culvert Replacement Vicinity Map