HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 05/10/2011 - MASON CORRIDOR QUIET ZONE UPDATE DATE: May 10, 2011
STAFF: Helen Migchelbrink WORK SESSION ITEM
Marlys Sinner, Matthew Wempe FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
Pre-taped staff presentation: available
at fcgov.com/clerk/agendas.php
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Mason Corridor/Quiet Zone Update
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This work session will provide a project overview of the Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit(BRT)
project,as well as the Railroad Quiet Zone Study. Primary emphasis will concentrate on the history
of the Mason project, specific project elements, the pedestrian overpass structure, and a detailed
discussion of the projected Operations and Maintenance(O&M)activities and costs associated with
the project. Additional information regarding the Railroad Quiet Zone studies is presented as well.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
This work session is intended to update Council on the Mason Express BRT and provide information
regarding the pedestrian overpass, O&M costs, as well as the Railroad Quiet Zone Studies. This
work session is for information purposes upon request of City Council. No specific direction from
Council is being sought at this time.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
L MASON CORRIDOR
A. Overall Project Background and History
The Mason Express (MAX) BRT consists of a five-mile long corridor in which high frequency
Transfort buses will carry passengers to and from the Downtown Transit Center and a newly
constructed South Transit Center. Construction of the project will begin in late 2011 and be
complete in 2013. The new service will begin operations in December 2013. The entire project,
including construction of three miles of concrete dedicated bus-only roadway(guideway),the South
Transit Center, expanded transit maintenance facility, twelve transit stations, railroad safety
improvements and warning devices, fiber optic and telemetric enhancements, drainage
improvements, and the purchase of six new BRT buses will cost$81.97 million. Eighty percent of
the project is funded by a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant, while the remaining twenty
percent is covered by state and local funds. The specific breakdown of the project's funding is
included in Attachment 1.
May 10, 2011 Page 2
The Mason Express BRT vision began in 1997 and culminated in the adoption of the Mason
Corridor Master Plan by City Council in 2000. Since that time, key milestones included:
• Conceptual corridor planning was completed 2002-2005
• In 2006, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) SB-1 funds were approved to
construct downtown Mason improvements and the new South Transit Center.
• The Environmental Assessment(EA)and Preliminary Engineering were completed in 2009
• The Federal Transit Administration(FTA)gave Small Starts grant approval for 80%funding
in 2009
• Final design efforts, involving significant public input, resulted in 90% design completion
in early 2011
• The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad agreed to the use of its right-of-way
(ROW) for BRT use in March 2011.
• Anticipated future milestones include notice from the Federal Transit Administration of the
Project Construction Grant Agreement(PCGA) in fourth quarter of 2011
• Major construction of the Mason Corridor,including BRT guideway will begin in 2012 and
last into 2013
• BRT Service is scheduled to begin fourth quarter of 2013
Additional elements to be included with the construction of the Mason Express BRT project include
two bicycle and pedestrian structures. One of these structures, the Troutman Underpass, will link
west side bicyclists and pedestrians to the Troutman BRT station located on the east side of the
railroad tracks. The other structure is located behind Whole Foods on South College and connects
the corridor to a high employment area,the Natural Resources Research Center(NRRC),on the west
side of the tracks. A dual BRT station will be constructed on the east side and is designed to serve
both northbound and southbound transit riders.
B. NRRC/Whole Foods Bicycle/Pedestrian Overpass
The need for a safe, Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA)compliant pedestrian/bicycle crossing
of the BNSF railroad tracks behind Whole Foods on College Ave.became even more apparent when
the Mason Trail was constructed in 2006. One of the requirements of the trail agreement with BNSF
railroad was the construction of a fence to prevent pedestrian movement across the tracks. Prior to
the construction of the fence,pedestrians crossed the tracks freely at various locations. Shortly after
the fence was installed, a very precise hole was cut in the fence which resulted in a concentration
of pedestrians illegally crossing the tracks at a single location. A high employment center(NRRC)
is located on the west side of the tracks and a substantial number of people cross daily to patronize
businesses such as Whole Foods.
The fence was repaired several times by the City, but continues to be cut to allow the pedestrian
movement. The BNSF railroad has consistently insisted that the City rectify this situation. The need
for a grade separated crossing was first identified in the Mason Corridor Master Plan(2000)and was
a key element of the negotiations with BNSF railroad for the Mason Trail agreement. In 2006,the
City received federal funding to design a bicycle/pedestrian crossing at this location. An
engineering firm was hired to conduct extensive outreach, and completed an alternatives analysis.
This site proved very problematic and was faced with several challenges, including constrained
right-of-way(ROW), high ground water,and numerous underground utilities. While an at-grade or
underpass solution would have been the preferred design option, the construction challenges and
May 10, 2011 Page 3
costs associated with mitigating these various factors determined that an overpass would work best
at this location. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) denied requests for an at-grade solution.
Final design was completed with substantial public input as well as input from boards,commissions
and the bicycle community. To meet ADA compliance,it was determined that the best solution was
to construct an enclosed overpass with elevators on each side to accommodate pedestrians,bicycles
with trailers, and physically disabled users. The total construction cost of the overpass is estimated
at$2,414,000. It is important to note that if an underpass could have been constructed,the cost for
such a structure would have been significantly more expensive,and would incur higher maintenance
costs. Several design alternatives were analyzed and compared before arriving at the preferred
design solution.
The Mason BRT will run on the east side of the railroad tracks, but the NRRC employment center
is located on the west side of the tracks. As the design of the BRT progressed, the overpass was
considered a key component to the overall system:
• High ridership is predicted at this location due to the concentration of employment.
• A dual BRT station was designed on the east side to allow people to safely access the
Corridor from either side of the tracks. Both northbound and southbound buses will access
this dual station.
• Acquisition of ROW was difficult in this area due to the close proximity of the rear of the
stores to the railroad tracks. Potentially affected property owners were resistant to part with
this potential ROW land that serves their stores' parking, loading and storage needs.
• The tight ROW constraints hindered the ability to design an overpass with long ramps to
accommodate physically disabled users. Therefore elevators were needed to achieve ADA
accessibility.
Site and Railroad Constraints and Challenges
The railroad tracks at this location sit much lower than the ground on either side. There are four
utilities in the area: a main electrical distribution line on the east and a 78-inch storm pipe,24-inch
water line, and 8-inch sanitary line on the west. The railroad requires the top of any underpass
structure to be at least five feet below the tracks. This minimum depth requirement would put the
underpass in conflict with the water and the sanitary lines. While the waterline could be relocated
fairly easily, the sanitary pipe is more problematic. The gravity flow grade of this sanitary pipe is
about 0.4%, which is essentially flat. The relocated sanitary pipe would also be below the
groundwater elevation, requiring installation of a lift station. This option is undesirable as lift
stations are costly, require additional maintenance,and pose an exception to standard policy. With
the underpass option, all four major utilities would have to be relocated at an estimated cost of
$500,000.
Underpass ADA Compliance Design Challenges
The main challenge to any grade separation is maintaining ADA accessibility. One way is to
provide an elevator, and the other is to provide a ramp. With the required maximum 5% grade, it
would take 421 feet of ramp to get up/down from the underpass to the BRT station. Additional
ROW purchase would be required to meet these extended ramp distances. ADA-compliant elevator
options for an underpass would be similar to that of the overpass. Instead of going up,the elevator
May 10, 2011 Page 4
would go down. The elevator pit would be below the groundwater elevation and would cost more
than the overpass elevators. This is because the structure would have to support more load and
require a more complex water quality treatment,separating groundwater from all the oils/chemicals
from the elevator.
Underpass Right of Way Challenges
With the BRT station in its current location,the project would have to acquire more ROW to place
the ramp. The ramp would have to be positioned between the BRT station and the Bank Center
building. The entire area between the Bank Center building and the railroad would need to be
acquired. Unless the property owner is a willing seller,this will likely result in an eminent domain
procedure taking of the Bank Center property's parking, and more importantly, a fire truck access
road will be eliminated. The compensation cost for the Bank Center property is estimated in the
range of$3.1 million.
Underpass Maintenance Challenges—Groundwater
The presence of relatively shallow groundwater and the anticipated depth of an underpass elevation
indicate that the finished floor surface would be at or below the groundwater elevation. A de-
watering system with back-up provisions would have to be designed for perpetual use. The de-
watering system would be able to control most of the ground water but would not be able to keep
the wall of the underpass completely dry. The smell of dampness would have to be addressed. The
underpass walls would also have water stains and organic matter growing on them that would
require continual maintenance. This cannot be avoided due to the construction method restrictions
placed by the BNSF railroad, such as depth of bury requirements for an underpass. With the
elevator option, the cost of maintaining the elevator for the underpass is more than the cost of
maintaining the elevator for the overpass as mentioned above.
Design Option Comparison - Summary
It will take an additional $950,000 to$3.5 million to change the current overpass option and design
and construct an underpass. Additionally, maintenance of an underpass will cost more, especially
with the underpass elevator option. Given the costs as well as the importance of providing a safe
connection across the tracks to access the BRT station, plans to proceed with construction of the
overpass as part of the overall Mason BRT project are moving ahead, with construction of the
overpass scheduled to begin this fall. Completion of the overpass by summer of 2012 would allow
safe pedestrian movement across the tracks and keep pedestrians out of the construction area while
the rest of the Mason project is underway.
May 10, 2011 Page 5
Comparison of NRRC/Whole Foods Crossing Construction and O&M Costs
Overpass— Underpass— Underpass—
Items Elevator Ramp Elevator
Construction $2 414 000 $2 414 000 $2 714 000
Design Cost $352 672 $352 672 $352 672
ROW $1 260 $3 100 000 $1 260
Utilities $50 000 $500 000 $700 000
Total $2 817 932 $6 366 672 $3 767 932
Cost Difference $0 $3 548 740 $950 000
Annual O&M* $46 000 $20 000 $76 000
* Note: O& M is calculated as an average annual cost over of twenty years in 2011
dollars, including elevators and pump replacement costs. Elevator service life is
estimated to be twenty years. Pump service life is estimated to be five years.
C. Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Costs
History and Evolution
When the Mason Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor was in the early planning stages, operating
plans and the associated cost projections were conceptual. The early O&M cost projections were
built on a simple formula of projected cost per service hours for the opening year. At that time,
there were many unknowns, including the number of buses operating, hours of operation, specific
technology components, number of facilities to be maintained, and the date of operation.
Costs were based on current cost per service hour with inflation to the projected operation year
which at that time was 2008. These estimates included bus operator salary,support personnel,fuel,
vehicle maintenance, estimated hours of service and service frequency. Due to the number of
unknowns in the project's earlier years, staff communicated a range of O&M costs from $500,000
—$750,000, allowing some room for unidentified costs. Over the years, the design progressed and
staff became more knowledgeable about the types of facilities to be maintained and service hours.
The operating plans were continually modified to reflect the new information but the range remained
relatively accurate, however, it was apparent that the annual operating costs would be closer to the
top of this range.
As the design continued to be refined, other City departments identified expenses that were
indirectly related to the BRT corridor. Prior to this point, O&M costs estimates only related to
operating the BRT service. Costs such as sweeping, mowing, snow removal, and overpass
maintenance,for example,began to emerge as ongoing Mason Corridor O&M costs. These indirect
types of maintenance costs were not anticipated by staff when it made the early conceptual cost
projections, and, in typical roadway projects, are folded into ongoing City maintenance service
budgets. These indirect costs are estimated at $155,800 per year.
May 10, 2011 Page 6
BRT O&M Costs - Current Estimates
As the Mason BRT project design is completed and the project nears construction,a more complete,
specific, and accurate O&M cost estimate picture is emerging. The most recent costs added to the
Mason BRT O&M projections include a fare collection system, landscaping and irrigation at BRT
stations, and insurance, which was added as a result of the right-of-way agreement recently
negotiated with the BNSF railroad.
The additional fare collection costs are based on a related study, and are an item for future Council
discussion and decision. Due to the high number of Transfort passengers who use the discounted
bus passes, or ride "fare free" because of the Associated Students of Colorado State University
service agreement and/or the Bohemian Foundation grant agreement, staff anticipates that fare
collection and the associated system may actually cost more than it collects in revenue. At a future
date,Council will be asked to consider if the Mason BRT should implement a fare collection system.
Until that discussion and decision occurs, the associated fare collection costs were added to the
overall O&M estimates as a highest cost scenario.
Attachment 2 is the most current,comprehensive,and accurate projection of associated Mason BRT
costs. This table was attached to a memorandum to the Mayor and City Council dated April 6,2011.
The top table shows that the Transfort bus-related expenditures categories (Items 1- 4) total
$548,135. This estimate is consistent with earlier projections. Adding the full cost of the
maintenance technician and the technology software maintenance, the O&M costs increased to
$748,135; which is the top end of the range staff has used since 2006. The fare collection system
costs referenced above, landscaping, and the insurance to meet BNSF requirements increases the
current cost estimates over the range identified in earlier projections. These additional maintenance
expenses were identified during final design in 2010/2011 and during the 2010/2011 BNSF
negotiations.
The current BRT O&M cost projection of$1,183,135 is $433,135 more than the top of the range
($500,000 - $750,000) projected in earlier years.
Mason Corridor O&M Costs - Summary
The Mason BRT operating and maintenance costs changed as the project's design and operating
details became clearer. Staff continues to provide City Management and City Council the most
current projections. There are numerous reasons for the O&M cost estimate changes, including
transitioning from conceptual to service hour based projections,design development and evolution,
incorporation of public comments, modified service commencement dates, and third-party
negotiated agreements. The direct bus operation costs are estimated at$1,183, 135 and the Mason
Corridor indirect costs are estimated at$155,800 for a total annual O&M cost of$1,338,935. Work
on the Mason Corridor has been ongoing since 1997, and the project has grown from a community
vision to operational reality, including more accurate costs to operate and maintain the CRT service
and its surrounding amenities. This"evolution"of cost estimates is a concern in all capital projects,
when early estimates are based on ideas and assumptions rather than detailed engineering analysis.
To mitigate this concern,current project planning procedures have been modified to include at least
a conceptual level engineering evaluation at the earliest stages of consideration.
May 10, 2011 Page 7
D. Economic Impact of Transit Oriented Development along the Mason Corridor
An economic analysis report prepared for the City of Fort Collins in 2007 showed the City's
potential investment of$2 million as local match funds could leverage$65 million in Federal transit
funding, as well as generate an estimated$6.1 million in property tax revenue and $14.4 million in
sales tax revenue over the next 25 years. Additionally, the project construction is estimated to
generate $108.3 million in one-time benefit.
II. QUIET ZONE STUDIES
The City and Downtown Development Authority(DDA)are cooperatively working on a Downtown
Railroad Quiet Zone Study (Phase I). This includes all Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and
Union Pacific (UP) railroad crossings located within the DDA boundaries, including the crossings
within the Downtown River District,North College Avenue crossing,and the crossings along Mason
Street through the Downtown to Mulberry.
The Downtown Railroad Quiet Zone Study is one of the recommendations from the Railroad Issues
Study Group report(January 2008). The DDA provided$100,000 in funding for the Phase I Study
and is the Project Manager for the Study. City staff is assisting the DDA with this project. Felsburg,
Holt, and Ullevig(FHU)was selected by the DDA to develop a conceptual plan and cost estimates
for the Phase I study area.
The Phase I Study was started in 2009, but was put on hold in 2010-11 to allow the City's
negotiations with the BNSF railroad to take place for the MAX BRT project. Now that the City's
agreement with the BNSF railroad is complete for the BRT project, staff and the DDA can resume
work to complete the Phase I Quiet Zone Study by the end of 2011. Staff will be requesting future
meetings with City boards and Council in 2011 to provide more detailed information regarding
Phase I Quiet Zone Study. ,
The second phase of the Quiet Zone Study (Phase II) has been funded in 2012 as part of the
Budgeting for Outcomes process using the Keep Fort Collins Great voter-approved funding. The
Phase II Study will focus on the ten BNSF crossings from Mulberry Street south to Trilby Road.
The City's Transportation Planning staff will be project manager for the Phase II Study scheduled
to begin January 2012 and be completed within the year. The goal of this Phase II Study is to
identify potential strategies and cost estimates to accomplish the railroad Quiet Zone requirements
along this segment of the BNSF corridor to enhance safety and the quality of life for existing
residents and businesses as well as support economic health along the Mason,Mid-town,and South
College corridors as well as through the Colorado State University campus.
The Phase II Study will include a public outreach process including residents,property and business
owners, and community stakeholders. Multiple City departments, boards, City Council, as well as
the BNSF, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and Colorado Public Utilities Commission
(PUC) would be involved in the Study to ensure a comprehensive approach.
Please see the attached memo and maps (Attachment 3) regarding more detailed information
regarding the Phase I and II Quiet Zone Studies.
May 10, 2011 Page 8
ATTACHMENTS
1. Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit Costs: Memo to Council dated April 6, 2011 with Table
2. Mason Corridor 2014 Operating and Maintenance Costs Spreadsheet
3. Memo and maps regarding Phase I and Phase II Quiet Zone Studies
4. Powerpoint presentation
ATTACHMENT 1
City OD Planning, Development & Transportation
Executive Offices
281 North College Avenue
Fort Collins P.Ort Collins,CO 80522.0580
970.221.6601
970.416.2081 -fax
fcgov.com/pdt
MEMORANDUM
DATE: April 6, 2011
TO: Mayor and City Council Members
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Diane Jones, Deputy City Manager—Community Services
FROM: Karen Cumbo, Planning, Development & Transportation Director
Helen Migchelbrink, City Engineer
Marlys Sittner, Transfort General Manager
RE: Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit Costs
The Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) project continues to move forward with final
design, rights of way negotiations and preparatory corridor improvements. Work is progressing
with finalization of agreements with the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railroad, to be
followed by final review by the Federal Transit Administration. The eighteen month construction
period will begin in January 2012. Following six months of testing and start up tasks, full
operation is anticipated to begin in December of 2013. The Mason Corridor BRT project will be
the largest capital construction project ever undertaken in Fort Collins. This memo provides the
latest construction, operating and maintenance cost estimates for the Mason BRT project.
Construction Costs:
Total project construction costs for the Mason Corridor BRT are estimated at $81.97 million.
Eighty percent of these costs ($65.58 million) will be paid by Federal Transit Administration
Small Starts Program funding. Twenty percent ($16.39 million) of the costs will be paid by local
and State funding. These non-federal "Local Match " funds include contributions by the City,
Building Community Choices and Building On Basics taxes, Downtown Development
Authority, and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Table 1 below delineates
the most recent estimates of federal and "local" funding sources.
Table 1.
Mason Corridor BRT Funding Detail
Total Project Cost $81,970,000
FTA Small Starts Funding(80%) $65,680,000
Local Matching Funding(20%) $16,390,000
CDOT SB-1 Grant Funding(Downtown) $4,560,000
CDOT SB-1 South Transit Center $4,000,000
Downtown Development Authority $600,000
Remaining BCC/410 Funds $82,136
292 Funds(Transportation Planning) $35,000
General Fund Sales & Use Tax 2008 $2,300,000
BOB Intersection Matching Funds $1,200,000
BOB Transit Vehicle Replacement $350,000
CSU/CSURF Land (pending final appraisals) $1,221,000
South Transit Center Land Value $1,105,000
CDOT FASTER(South Transit Center PnR) $820,000
404 Funding(Transfort) $116,525
Operations and Maintenance Costs:
The Mason Corridor BRT will incur significant operating and maintenance (O&M) expense, but
some of these O&M costs will be offset by funds currently assigned to Transfort Routes 1 and 15
which will be replaced by the Mason BRT. The Mason BRT will operate at greater frequencies,
and service hours will increase 44 percent and service miles 35 percent over the routes it
replaces.
What accounts for the differential in Mason Corridor O&M costs? The Mason BRT operates
both on-street and within a dedicated guideway requiring maintenance, snow removal and
sweeping. There are several passenger stations dedicated specifically to the BRT route that
require regular cleaning and maintenance. Specialized traveler information services require
technical service. The BRT service runs on a higher frequency and duration than regular routes,
resulting in higher fleet maintenance costs. Finally, the bus rapid transit vehicles cannot operate
without fuel and drivers. This is a large part of the operating costs of the Mason BRT. Even after
assimilating Routes 1 and 15, the Mason BRT still represents an additional 8,220 service hours
and 75,000 service miles to Transfort's operating and maintenance costs.
Transfort Direct O&M Costs
Transfort will incur direct O&M costs of approximately $2.5 million per year specifically for the
Mason BRT. This includes bus operator pay and benefits, fuel costs, fleet maintenance costs and
personnel, fare collection system, landscaping and irrigation at stations, and hardware/software
maintenance. Included in these costs is approximately $200,000 in annual insurance, required by
Page 2 of 3
the BNSF railroad and negotiated in return for rights to use their property within the corridor. As
mentioned above, $1.34 million of these costs will be offset by funds currently used for Routes 1
&15. There will also be some very slight offset of costs from fares and advertising. This leaves
approximately $1.18 million dollars per year in O&M costs to be accounted for in future
Transfort budgets.
Indirect Mason Corridor O&M Costs
In addition to those O&M costs directly attributable to the Mason BRT service, there are other
indirect maintenance costs that will occur within the Mason Corridor. Similar to any street
addition or similar road infrastructure capital project, there will be related costs for snow
removal, street sweeping, road shoulder maintenance, signs, road markings, and signal
maintenance. Rather than assign these costs directly to the project, the City of Fort Collins
assumes those indirect maintenance costs into the operating budgets of the Streets, Parks, and
Utilities departments. These indirect costs are estimated to be $155,800 in operating year 2014.
Table 2 (attached) delineates the most recent estimates of both direct and indirect operating and
maintenance costs in greater detail.
*Please note that all funding and cost numbers shown in this memo are conservative estimates
based on best information available at the current time. Staff has attempted to identify all
possible costs and funding sources, but actual numbers may change as the project nears operation
in 2014.
Page 3 of 3
ATTACHMENT
MASON CORRIDOR-2014 OPENING-OPERATING&MAINTENANCE COSTS
TRANSPORT RELATED EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES ROUTES I& MAX MAX15 SERVICE SERVICE
COSTS COSTS-NET
SERVICE HOURS 18,517 26,737 8,220
SERVICE MILES 209,000 284,000 75,000
1. Bus Operators Pay S 792,120 S 1,143,755 S 351,635
Projected Average Hourly Operator Cast in 2014-S42.78
2. Fuel Costs-Biodiesel&Clean Natural Gas(CNG) S 196,460 $ 266,960 $ 70,500
Projected Cost of Fuel per Mile(2.5%Annual Increase over 2012 BFO
Projections)-S.94
3. Fleet Maintenance Costs-Preventive Maintenance,Parts&Labor S 323,950 $ 440,200 S 116,250
Projected Cost of Vehicle Maintenance per Mile-S1.55
4. Misc. -Insurance&Uniforms-S.13 Per Mile $ 27,170 S 36,920 S 99750
5. Maintenance Technician-Platform Maintenance-1.0 FTE S 50,000 $ 50,000
6. Estimated Hardware/Software Annual Maintenance Fees $ 150,000 S 150,000
Interactive Voice Response-S15,000
Web Trip Planner-S15,000
CAD Automatic Vehicle Locator-S120,000
7. Fare Collection Costs* $ 220,000 S 220,000
8. Landscaping/Irrigation at Stations S 15,000 $ 15,000
9. Additional Insurance Required b BNSF** $ 200,000 $ 200,000
TOTAL-TRANSFORT SERVICE COSTS S 1,339,700 S 2,522,839 $ 1,183,135
*Note:Fare Collection Cost estimate based on current-day fare policy.Offset of
costs from fares received dependent on actual ridership.Initially,costs may exceed
fares until forecast ridership is realized.Fare revenue shortfall in initial years
estimated at$0 to$100,000 per year.
**Note:Insurance cost shown is an estimate pending final determination.
OTHER DEPARTMENT RELATED(INDIRECT)EXPENDITURE
CATEGORIES 2014
assumes 2%annual increase
Concrete/Aspholt Repair on Guideway $ 3,000
Sweeping $ 9,900
Mowing $ 10,000
Snow Removal $ 67,900
Guideway-S55,400
Shared Parking Areas-S7,500
Platforms-S5,000
Maintenance&Replacement of External Lighting $ 10,000
Overpass/Underpass Expenses $ 15,000
Flevaior Maintenance-SI1,000
Trash Removal/Cleanup-S2,000
Graffiti Removal-S2,000
Signs,Signals&Paint $ 40,000
OTHER DEPARTMENT(INDIRECT)COSTS $ 155,800
TRANSFORT SERVICE(DIRECT)COSTS S 2,522,835
**Net Route 1&15 cost offset S (1,339,700)
TOTAL(NET)MASON CORRIDOR BRT ANNUAL O&M COSTS S 1,183,135
HAWS 2011105101Mason-RR.att 2.xlsMason Expenses(Intl.) 5/2/2011
ATTACHMENT 3
Planning, Development Sr Transportation .
City`y of Transportation Planning&Special Projects
281 N.College
Fort Collins P.Ort Cox 58 CO 80522.0580
970.224.6058
970.221.6239-fax
fcgov.com/transpottationp/anning
DATE: May 10, 2011
TO: Mayor& City Councilmembers
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Diane Jones, Deputy City Manager, Policy, Planning & Transportation Services
Karen Cumbo, Planning, Development, and Transportation Director
Joe Frank, Advance Planning Director
Kathleen Bracke, Transportation Planning & Special Projects Director
FROM: Matt Wempe, Transportation Planner
RE: Railroad Quiet Zone Study Update
Phase I Downtown Railroad Quiet Zone Study
The City and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are cooperatively working on a
Downtown Railroad Quiet Zone Study (Phase I). This includes all Burlington Northern Santa Fe
(BNSF) and Union Pacific (UP) railroad crossings located within the DDA boundaries, including
the crossings within the Downtown River District,North College Avenue crossing, and crossings
along Mason Street through Downtown.
The completed Phase I Study will include a number of options for each crossing, associated
costs, and a checklist of necessary improvements in order to comply with the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) and Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) quiet zone
requirements.
The Downtown Railroad Quiet Zone Study is one of the recommendations from the Railroad
Issues Study Group report (January 2008). The DDA provided $100,000 in funding for the
Phase I study and is the Project Manager for the study. City staff from Transportation Planning
is assisting the DDA with this project. Felsburg, Holt, and Ullevig (FHU) is the consultant firm
for the Phase I study.
The Phase I Quiet Zone Study report is planned to be completed by the end of 2011. It is
important to note that while the Phase I study originally began in 2009, it was put on hold in
2010 through I" quarter 2011 to allow time for the City and BNSF railroad to negotiate the
agreement for the Mason Corridor/MAX Bus Rapid Transit system improvements. Staff can now
resume the Phase I Quiet Zone Study now that the BNSF agreement has been secured for the
MAX project.
F�`o`�rt Collins
In terms of progress to-date for the Phase I study, the project team held in-field diagnostics as
part of the Downtown Railroad Quiet Zone Study in Summer 2010. This field review was an
opportunity for the project team to meet at each railroad crossing and gather input from the
BNSF and UP railroads, FRA, and PUC. Based on this input, crossing options and other
improvements outlined in the initial draft report prepared by Felsburg, Holt & Ullevig (FHU) in
March 2009, were reviewed based upon the state and federal quiet zone requirements. Now that
the Phase I project is resuming, FHU will be updating their report based upon the information
discussed during the in-field diagnostic review and will revise options, cost estimates, and
removed unsupported options.
Additionally, the project team hosted a wayside horn demonstration and open house on April 14,
2010 at the BNSF railroad crossing of Linden Street, north of the Traffic Operations building and
south of Vine Drive. The open house was attended by approximately 20 residents from Fort
Collins and Loveland as well as various City staff members and City Council. FHU provided a
technical demonstration of a wayside horn and measured decibel readings. Based on the
community feedback, the project team will continue to consider wayside horns as potential future
options for appropriate crossings in the Downtown Railroad Quiet Zone Study and/or other
railroad crossings in the community. Wayside horns are not appropriate in all locations, but
could be considered in some locations.
City and DDA staff will review the revised draft Phase I study to ensure all of the options are
still viable and meet local objectives for the Downtown environment. The project team wants to
ensure that the options presented to the public are viable to the railroads, federal and state
agencies, City Council, and DDA Board. This ensures that the community does not select an
option that is later determined infeasible•or undesirable. This also prevents staff from presenting
any potential options to the public that are "non-starters" based on City Council and DDA Board
feedback.
Based on the draft analysis to-date, the cost estimates for installation of safety equipment
necessary to meet the quiet zone requirements vary depending on the type of crossing and
surrounding area/context. For example, the cost estimate for installing improvements throughout
the Downtown River District where the streets and railroad tracks are perpendicular is
approximately $141.5 million for the area-wide improvements. In comparison, the quiet zone
requirements along Mason Street through the Downtown are much more complicated and more
costly because the railroad tracks are running parallel within the street. These initial draft
estimates could be $344 million and could potentially require barriers that would be too
impactful to the Downtown business environment.
It is important for the Phase I Quiet Zone Study report to acknowledge that some of the costs
(financial, social, and environmental) of establishing a Quiet Zone may be greater than the
benefits. If that is the case, then staff would not recommend moving forward with the Quiet
Zone improvements for all or portions of the Phase I area. Ultimately, this decision will need to
be based on input from downtown businesses, residents, and property owners, Downtown
Business Association, DDA Board of Directors, City Council, and the community at-large.
2
Frt Collins
It is also a potential option to pursue a legislative remedy. For example, the City and other
impacted municipalities could pursue federal legislation to change the FRA Final Rule requiring
louder and longer train horns at crossings.
The final deliverable from the Phase I Quiet Zone Study will be a report that will capture all of
the staff work and public input completed to date for review and use by policy makers. This
report will be completed by the end of 2011. As the Downtown River District and Mason
Corridor redevelop, the City and DDA can review if/when the appropriate time would be for
pursuing implementation of any quiet zone improvements.
For more detailed information, please visit the Phase I Quiet Zone Study website:
wwxv.fcgov.com/quietzone
Phase II Quiet Zone Study— South of Downtown to Trilby Road
The Phase 11 Quiet Zone Study, focusing on the ten BNSF crossings south of Downtown to
Trilby Road, was funded in 2012 as part of Budgeting for Outcomes. Transportation Planning
staff will be project manager for the Phase II study scheduled to begin January 2012.
The Phase II Study will identify the needed improvements at ten railroad crossings to establish a
Quiet Zone per federal regulations. The goal of these improvements is to enhance safety and the
quality of life for existing residents and businesses as well as support economic health along the
Mason, Mid-town, and South College corridors, and through Colorado State University.
The alternatives analyzed as part of the Phase II Study will need to address the unique aesthetic,
safety, and financial challenges faced in implementing a Quiet Zone, including innovative
context sensitive safety measures that are applicable to the different areas included in the Phase
II Study boundaries:
• Mulberry to Laurel
• CSU Main Campus (Laurel to Prospect)
• Midtown (Prospect to Harmony)
• Existing neighborhoods (Harmony to Trilby)
The Phase II Study will include an extensive public outreach process including residents, and
property and business owners. There are likely to be pros and cons for each type of crossing
improvement and those living and working nearby need to understand the options and their
impacts and benefits. Multiple City departments, Boards, City Council, as well as the BNSF,
Federal Railroad Administration, and Colorado Public Utilities Commission will be involved in
the Study to ensure a comprehensive approach.
3
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City Council Update
May 10 , 2011 _ _ -
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ATTACHMENT 4
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• Five mile long corridor from Maple St. to South of Harmony
• BNSF freight railroad line
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• Link to CSU , high employment areas , �� '
• Infill , redevelopment corridor �� , � s . _ __
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• 2002 - 2005 Corridor planning/design
• 2006 CDOT agrees to fund portions of
project
• 2006 - 2009 Environmental Assessment &
Preliminary Engineering
• 2009 FTA agrees to fund majority of _
project
• 2011 BNSF agrees to use of its ROW
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• Federal Transit
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• Mason MAX BRT represents an increase in transit
service
• Some O& M costs offset by savings from
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• More operating and maintenance will be required
• As Final Design completed , actual costs clearer
• Funding options/opportunities
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Early O & M Cost Projections
• Bus operating costs only
• Costs did not include maintenance of
various facilities and systems that had
not yet been designed or included
• Original Bus Operating cost estimate :
$ 500K - $ 750K
24
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• Additional maintenance costs identified
through Final Design :
— Software maintenance
— Fare collection services
— Landscaping costs
— Guideway maintenance
— BNSF required insurance
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Next Steps
2011 Complete BRT final design
Obtain FTA Grant Agreement
2011 = 13 Mason Street conversion , STC
construction , and BRT construction
( includes Troutman and NRRC )
2013 Begin MAX service
29 Forte �ols
MASON CORRIDOR
linking community, lifestyle , and business
Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit
City Council Update
May 10 , 2011
Fo�t� 11
30 _ -
Railroad Quiet Zone Studies
Phase I - Downtown Quiet Zone Study
• DDA funded project
• City is partnering with DDA
• Area includes :
— Downtown River District Crossings
— North College Crossing
— Mason Street Crossings ( Downtown )
• Timeline : 2009 — 2011
• Study report will include options , cost estimates
for Downtown Areas
C o
��t
31
Railroad Quiet Zone Studies
Phase 11 - Quiet Zone Study
• City project
• Funding from " Keep Fort Collins Great"
• Phase II Crossings include :
— Mulberry Street to Trilby Road
• Timeline : January — December 2012
• Public Outreach Process
• Agency & Stakeholder Coordination
• Study report will include options , cost estimates
32
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