HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/16/2013 - ITEMS RELATING TO THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OFDATE: April 16, 2013
STAFF: Ward Stanford
Joe Olson
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 11
SUBJECT
Items Relating to the Design and Implementation of a Traffic Responsive Traffic Signal System at Signals Adjacent
to the Railroad Tracks in the Vicinity of Lemay, Riverside and Mulberry.
A. Resolution 2013-032 Authorizing the Mayor to Execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Colorado
Department of Transportation to Use Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) Funds for the Design
and Implementation of a Traffic-Responsive Traffic Signal System at Signals Adjacent to the Railroad Tracks
in the Vicinity of College Avenue, Lemay Avenue, Riverside Avenue and Mulberry Street.
B. First Reading of Ordinance No. 059, 2013, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the Transportation
Services Fund for the Design, Equipment Procurement and Implementation of a Traffic-Responsive Traffic
Signal System.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City’s Traffic Operations Department was awarded a $248,370 Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ)
grant to design, procure equipment and implement a traffic responsive traffic signal system at select intersections that
are impacted by railroad and truck operations. The project will be implemented at intersections along North College
Avenue (U.S. 287), Riverside Avenue (SH 14), Mulberry Street (SH 14) and Lemay Avenue where trains and heavy
trucks impact traffic on those major streets. The project is intended to reduce traffic delays by more quickly dispersing
congestion at the intersections impacted by the passing trains.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The City of Fort Collins uses traffic signal timing plans that change automatically by time of day to account for the
normal, predictable variations in traffic that occur throughout a typical day. When unpredictable traffic
patterns/volumes occur, the signal timing plans that run by time of day may not provide optimal service to motorists.
Two primary causes of unpredictable traffic in Fort Collins are railroad activity and truck activity. Train tracks cross
major streets in Fort Collins, including College Avenue (US 287), Riverside Avenue (SH 14), Mulberry Street (SH 14)
and Lemay Avenue. Duration of blockages vary – occasionally exceeding twenty minutes. The time of day when
blockages occur are random, but they regularly occur during the morning, midday or evening peak hours. These
blockages create congestion that the normal signal plans do not optimally accommodate.
Truck traffic passing through Fort Collins on the US 287/State Highway 14 route is fairly steady throughout the course
of a normal weekday. However, weather-related closures on I-80 and/or I-25 in Wyoming or in Colorado north of Fort
Collins can result in a very heavy influx of truck traffic that is not accommodated by the existing time of day signal
plans.
This project provides for design and implementation of traffic responsive signal timing adjacent to critical railroad
crossings and along the US 287/SH 14 truck route. Traffic responsive timing is able to react to unusual changes in
traffic and automatically implement timings that would best serve the actual conditions in the field, regardless of time
of day. There is potential for reductions in delay, congestion and air pollution through the use of this signal timing
strategy in locations that have highly varied traffic such as those proposed.
FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS
The City was awarded a $248,370 Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant to design, procure
equipment and implement a Traffic Responsive Traffic Signal System project. The project is estimated to cost
$300,000 with the funding coming from a Federal CMAQ grant and City Local Overmatch funds. The Overmatch funds
are available in the current Traffic Operations budget.
April 16, 2013 -2- ITEM 11
The project fund breakdown is as follows:
Federal Funds: $248,370
City funds: $ 51,630
$300,000
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
The purpose of the project is to automate signal operational capabilities during train and heavy truck traffic periods,
reducing motorist delay and congestion. Reduced delay and quicker congestion dispersion results in reduced
emissions and reduced fuel consumption.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution and the Ordinance on First Reading.
RESOLUTION 2013-032
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL
AGREEMENT WITH THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
TO USE FEDERAL CONGESTION MITIGATION AIR QUALITY (CMAQ) FUNDS
FOR THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A TRAFFIC-RESPONSIVE
TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM AT SIGNALS ADJACENT TO THE RAILROAD
TRACKS IN THE VICINITY OF COLLEGE AVENUE, LEMAY AVENUE,
RIVERSIDE AVENUE, AND MULBERRY STREET
WHEREAS, in regulating the flow of traffic on City streets, the City uses traffic signal timing
plans which change automatically by the time of day to account for the normal, predictable variations
in traffic that occur throughout a typical day; and
WHEREAS, the traffic signal timing plans of the City can be disrupted by unpredictable
traffic patterns which are caused primarily by railroad activity and truck activity; and
WHEREAS, the impact of truck activity is most notably found along North College Avenue
(US Highway 287) and Riverside Avenue (State Highway 14), while the disruption caused by train
activity occurs not only in those locations but also along Lemay Avenue and Mulberry Street (State
Highway 14); and
WHEREAS, City staff has recommended to the City Council that a project be undertaken for
the design and implementation of traffic responsive signal timing adjacent to critical railroad
crossings and along the US Highway 287/State Highway 14 truck route, and at railroad intersections
at those locations, as well as Lemay Avenue and Mulberry Street; and
WHEREAS, City staff believes that the project would be beneficial to the City because such
a system has the potential for reductions in traffic delay, congestion, and air pollution in locations
that have highly variable traffic patterns; and
WHEREAS, the City has been awarded a Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality
(CMAQ) grant in the amount of $248,370 to design, procure equipment, and implement a traffic
responsive traffic signal system; and
WHEREAS, the City has sufficient local matching funds in the amount of $51,630 to
complete the project, which is estimated to cost $300,000; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the design, purchase and implementation
of a traffic responsive traffic signal system at the foregoing locations is in the best interests of the
City.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS that the Mayor is hereby authorized to execute an intergovernmental agreement between
the City and the Colorado Department of Transportation to use Federal Congestion Mitigation Air
Quality (CMAQ) funds in the amount of $248,370, in combination with local matching funds in the
amount of $51,630, to design and implement a traffic responsive traffic signal system at signals
adjacent to the railroad tracks and along the truck route in the vicinity of College Avenue, Lemay
Avenue, Riverside Avenue, and Mulberry Street.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 16th
day of April A.D. 2013.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
ORDINANCE NO. 059, 2013
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE IN THE TRANSPORTATION
SERVICES FUND FOR THE DESIGN, EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF A TRAFFIC-RESPONSIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM
WHEREAS, the City Council has adopted Resolution 2013-032 authorizing the City to enter
into a contract with the Colorado Department of Transportation to obtain and use CMAQ funds to
design and implement a traffic responsive signal system at signals adjacent to the railroad tracks in
the vicinity of Lemay, Riverside, and Mulberry; and
WHEREAS, a traffic responsive traffic signal system is able to react to unusual changes in
traffic and automatically implement timings that best serve the actual conditions in the field at that
time; and
WHEREAS, the City’s Traffic Operations Department has been awarded a $248,370 Federal
Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant to design, procure equipment, and implement a
traffic responsive traffic signal system at select intersections that are impacted by railroad and truck
operations in the City (the “Project”); and
WHEREAS, the Project will be implemented at intersections along North College Avenue,
Riverside Avenue, Mulberry Street, and Lemay Avenue where trains and heavy trucks impact traffic
on those major streets; and
WHEREAS, the CMAQ grant also requires that the City provide matching funds for the
Project in the amount of $51,630, which funds are available in the current Traffic Operations budget;
and
WHEREAS, the Project is estimated to cost $300,000 with the funding coming from the
Federal CMAQ grant and City local overmatch funds; and
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the City Charter permits the City Council to make
supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total
amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for that
fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received
during the fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, City staff has determined that the appropriation of the Grant revenue as
described herein will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Transportation Services Fund
to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues during fiscal year 2013.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS that there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from unanticipated revenue in the
Transportation Services Fund the sum of TWO HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT THOUSAND THREE
HUNDRED SEVENTY DOLLARS ($248,370) for the design, equipment procurement, and
implementation of a Traffic Responsive Traffic Signal System.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 16th day of
April, A.D. 2013, and to be presented for final passage on the 7th day of May, A.D. 2013.
_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 7th day of May, A.D. 2013.
_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk