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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/06/2001 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 28, 2001, APPROPRI AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 8 DATE: March 6, 2001 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Eric Bracke Ron Phillips SUBJECT: Second Reading of Ordinance No. 28, 2001, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the Sales and Use Tax Fund for Transfer to the Capital Projects Fund to be Used for Design, Acquisition and Installation for the City's Traffic Signal System Replacement Project. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City's current Traffic Signal System is outdated and declining in performance and usefulness. The City proposes to replace the existing system with a modern Traffic Management System, a new Traffic Management Center to house the system and department, and a fiber optic communication network. This Ordinance,which was unanimously adopted on First Reading on February 20,2001, appropriates $4.0 million dollars from the Use Tax Carryover reserve to this project. A future appropriation will be necessary for the$994,205 in federal funds when the grant paperwork is final. AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 24 DATE: February 20, 2001 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Eric Bracke Ron Phillips SUBJECT: First Reading of Ordinance No. 28, 2001,Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the Sales and Use Tax Fund for Transfer to the Capital Projects Fund to be Used for Design, Acquisition and Installation for the City's Traffic Signal System Replacement Project. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption o e Ordi ce o i t Reading FINANCIAL IMPACT: The total of unprogrammed reserve balances available for general use are $10.2 million, including $7.7 million available in the U is finance will appropriate $4.0 million from the $7.7 million U(IP s e EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City's current Traffic Signal System is outdated and declining in performance and usefulness. The City proposes to replace the existing system with a modem Traffic Management System,a new Traffic Management Center,to use Pgn n de t, d a fiber optic communication network. Total cost of des g, acqu' n g/co cting the system is estimated to be$5,994,205. Currently,the ' h a 1.0 milli dollars which has been utilized to complete a replacement assessmen , begi o t e system, underground approximately 10.5 miles of fiber optic conduit and purchase 100,000 feet of fiber optic cable. The City has also been initially awarded a Federal Highways Administration Intelligent Transportation System(ITS)grant for $994,205. This Ordinance will appropriate $4.0 million dollars from the Use Tax Carryover reserve to this project. A future appropriation will be necessary for the $994,205 in federal funds when the grant paperwork is final. BACKGROUND: The City of Fort Collins has been operating the existing traffic signal system since 1979. In recent years the system performance has degraded considerably. On any given day as much as 30% of the system may be out of coordination due to communication or equipment failures. Upgrading the DATE: February 20, 2001 2 24 ITEM NUMBER: existing system is not feasible due to reliance on proprietary parts and financial instability of the vendor. The existing system must be replaced. Staff and the engineering consultant envision replacing the system with a modern Traffic Management System(TMS). The core of the TMS is a modern traffic signal control system, which will reliably maintain coordination and synchronization of the traffic signal system while allowing enhanced service possibilities to transit vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles. This system has been designed to be consistent with the U.S.Department of Transportation's National ITS Architecture. Consistency with the Architecture will provide the City with an open, non-proprietary system. The current system communic rP ' 1 `leased" telephone lines from Qwest Communications. Ove Zpa's a to e he ility of the service has degraded to the point that on any given 0 of ted i rsections are not communicating adequately with the system ms, s a coordination of signals along sections of most of the City's arterials. Repair of those communications problems has been temporary at best. The City envisions moving away from the leased phone lines to its own fiber optic communication system. By installing and maintaining its own communications network, the City can have full access to troubleshoot problems and not rely on service from others. Additionally, fiber optic cable has inherent qualities that, if managed well, eliminates some of the problems common to "copper wire"communication lines. The final piece of the system is th a fic age Ce T ' will be the home of the system and will ultimately be expan for raf ra n e rtmen . It will house the main computing hardware, the traf manag ent c , ideo eens, the test and repair facilities, offices,conference room and t ra c er n taff. It is a location from which the day-to- day traffic activity will be monitored and managed. The City has hired a private consultant team led by the URS ITS Group to assist in the design, acquisition and installation of the new system. The initial design process was recently completed and the Request for Proposals ("RFP") for acquisition of the first part of the system, the system software and related hardware has been finalized. The City held a discussion with a representative from Qwest Communications about the reliability of its lines and the needs of thCdso ys g w as tried to provide consistent service, it has not been abl Th d e lieves the City needs its own communications system to pr rt th a TMS sys reliably. The City contracted with McLeod Communications Company to purchase and install approximately 10.5 miles of fiber optic conduit. McLeod was under-grounding its own conduit through the city and the City took advantage of considerable cost savings by going "in-trench" with its conduit installation. The City also recently issued an RFP for fiber optic cable and has awarded the bid and is proceeding with delivery of the cable. This initial fiber will serve the College Avenue signals from Harmony Road to the Poudre River. Additional fiber optic cable will be installed as the project progresses.