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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/04/2003 - DISCUSSION OF A BALLOT MEASURE TO RELEASE FUNDS CO AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 35 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: February 4, 2003FROM Diane Jones SUBJECT: Discussion of a Ballot Measure to Release Funds Committed to the Prospect Road, River to Summitview Project in the Building Community Choices Package, and Make Those Funds Available for Other Transportation Capital Projects. RECOMMENDATION: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In 1996, voters approved a package of Building Community Choices capital improvement projects that included funding for improvements to Prospect Road from the Poudre River to Summitview Drive. The project was described as follows: Prospect Road Improvements, Poudre River to Summitview Drive $4,100,000 (1996 dollars) This project will widen Prospect Road from the Poudre River to Summitview Drive providing bicycle lanes, two travel lanes, a left turn lane, and a sidewalk to enhance the safety of bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists. Presently, the road is not protected from major floods. Portions of the roadway will be raised and a bridge will be constructed to protect the road from the 100-year flood. Planning, design, right-of-way acquisition and other project costs may be included. Since the ballot language was set in 1996 regarding this project, several circumstances have changed regarding the need for the project as described. Staff is currently undertaking engineering and design work on the Prospect Road project. Some issues which have been encountered include: • Flood plain issues have changed as new flood plain studies have been completed and detailed engineering work is being completed. • The option of using culverts instead of a bridge to protect the road through the floodplain is being explored. This could significantly change the previous cost estimates. • Flood control concerns must be addressed related to an existing dike in the area of Riverbend Ponds. • Long-term plans must be developed for completion of Prospect Road from the River to 1-25, including build-out to a full 4-lane arterial with bike and pedestrian facilities. e ruary , 2003 2 DATE: ITEM NUMBER: Currently staff is actively working to address these questions and develop the long-term plans for Prospect Road. Analysis and planning work is expected to be completed by summer, 2003. After the planning process is complete, staff expects approximately $4.4 million (2003 dollars) to be available for the construction phase of the project. The proposal to release the funds earmarked in BCC for the Prospect Road project was raised because of a concern as to whether it is prudent to spend the money allocated to the project in the way envisioned in the ballot language. Changing needs and circumstances may make other projects a higher priority than Prospect Road and concerns have been raised about making these improvement ahead (by several years) of adding additional travel lanes. Staff is concerned that this may no longer be the most cost effective solution to transportation needs in the area. By asking the voters to release the funds and make them available for other transportation capital projects, higher priority issues can be addressed sooner. The full Prospect Road, River to I-25 project could be completed with future funds that the voters are being asked to approve in April through the sales and use tax and construction tax ballot measures. Staff's analysis of the proposal to place this issue on the April ballot includes the following considerations: PROS: • Provides additional flexibility to use available funds for the highest priorities in the Transportation Master Plan. • Allows the full Prospect Road, River to I-25 project to be designed and constructed at the same time in the future. CONS: • Voters may be confused by placing an additional measure on the ballot that also relates to transportation capital. Confusion may lead people to vote against the proposed tax measures. • Analysis and plans for the project will not be completed until summer 2003, so the details of the City's plans for the area will not be available prior to the election. • Voters may distrust the City's commitment to build the projects listed in the proposed tax measures if the City is asking to be released from a previous commitment at the same election. • If release of the funds becomes clearly desirable once analysis and engineering work has been completed, this item could be placed on a future General Election or municipal ballot. There is currently no urgency to having the funds released. • It may be possible to keep these funds in the BCC project fund until such time as the BCC project can be enhanced to conform to the new design and completed using additional funds from the proposed new taxes for transportation capital improvements. This would alleviate the need to ask voters for a change to the ballot measure. Capital project funds do not lapse, so the money would be available even after the expiration of the BCC tax term in 2005.