Background:
History: In January 2017, staff solicited Hennepin County cities, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and Three Rivers Regional Park District for grant applications for priority sidewalk projects. The county received five applications in March 2017. Four of these applications are recommended for funding from the Sidewalk Participation Program. Goals of the Sidewalk Participation Program were described in the solicitation guidelines:
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Improve safety for pedestrians to support the Hennepin County Transportation Systems Plan goal of a 50% reduction in year 2000 pedestrian crashes by 2030.
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Serve a transportation purpose, increase opportunities for active living, and support the county's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Contribute to a denser and better connected network of sidewalks and complete streets within Hennepin County.
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Provide access to transit service and community destinations.
The applications were evaluated based on priorities established in the Hennepin County Pedestrian Plan:
High priority:
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Potential to improve safety/reduce crashes.
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Project readiness for construction, with priority to projects that are ready for construction in the 2017-2018 construction seasons.
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Cost effectiveness, as determined by evaluation of the project cost compared to project length and connections to the Hennepin County sidewalk network.
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Transportation purpose and connection to pedestrian trip generators, indicated by ½ mile proximity to origins and destinations
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Priority level as identified in the plan.
Medium priority:
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The project provides access across existing barriers for walking (such as freeways, water bodies, etc.).
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The project leverages Safe Routes to School or other grant funds.
Also considered:
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Community Support: synergy with city, advisory groups, other agencies, etc. for reasonable assurance that the project has support to be constructed.
Attached is a summary of the applications deemed to be eligible for funding and recommended for consideration.
Current Request: This request is for authorization to negotiate the following agreements with the agencies for cost participation in three sidewalk construction projects and one feasibility study with a total combined not to exceed amount of $170,225.
PW 16-11-17 with the cities of Edina and St. Louis Park – $75,600 – CP 2170800
PW 17-23-17 with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board – $20,875 – CP 2170900
PW 18-43-17 with the City of Rogers – $61,250 – CP 2171000
PW 19-20-17 with the City of Minneapolis – $12,500 – CP 2171100
The cities will provide contract administration for the projects and upon completion of the construction projects will assume maintenance responsibilities of the improvements at no cost to the county. To finance the county’s financial participation, it is recommended that the listed projects be identified as projects in the 2017 Capital Budget with budgets established at the listed amounts and that these amounts be transferred to the projects from the Capital Budget line item Sidewalk Participation Program. The cost participation for this project is in accordance with the county’s approved Cost Participation Policy (Resolution 12-0058, adopted February 7, 2012).
Impact/Outcomes: Approval of these actions will assist in developing and implementing three sidewalk projects that will extend and replace 0.66 miles of the Hennepin County sidewalk system and prioritize pedestrian crossings throughout the City of Minneapolis while supporting local transportation needs, and alignment with the implementation of the Hennepin County Transportation Systems Plan, including the Hennepin County Complete Streets Policy and the Hennepin County Pedestrian Plan.
APEX contract description: PW Community Works: sidewalk participation