1A, Safe Routes to School Project Update

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Safe Routes to School Project Review - 03/16/09 other funding possibilities to bring forward to the City Council. The motion carried unanimously (9-0). FUNDING IMPLICATIONS Staff has been working to identify various funding sources that could be used for this project. The following items were discussed/ considered: 1. Ramsey County Parks and Recreation agreed to provide a crosswalk signal for this project, estimated at $15,000 at the Venus Pathway/ County Road E2 Crossing. The City Engineer identified a crosswalk signal design that would be closer to $8,000 and therefore, the remaining $7,000 could be used to fund other parts of the project. Staff spoke to Jody Yungers of Ramsey County and she confirmed that Ramsey County will donate $15,000 to the project and if the signal comes in at a lower price, the remaining funds can be put toward other proj ect costs. 2. Utilize the surface water management fund for the drainage improvements, estimated at $94,855. Staff spoke with Sue Iverson regarding the balance of this fund. Her memo is included for your information (attachment 1 c). 3. Delay the Perry Park DNR Local Trail Connection Grant Construction until 2010: We budgeted $56,075.00 in expenditures for this project in 2009 with $24,000 revenue awarded from the grant. This is a potential '$32,075.00 that could be transferred to this project. The DNR Grant Funds must be utilized by June 30, 2010 and cannot be extended. All requests for reimbursements must be received by that time. 4. Seek a grant from Rice Creek Watershed District for the drainage/creek improvements. Staff discussed possible grants with Rice Creek and determined that there was not one that would provide significant ,funding assistance. The only one that fit our application was their erosion and stream bank restoration grant; however, it has a cap of $5,000, and would require the City to add additional construction items to the project, adding to the cost of the project. 5. Staff spoke with Mn/DOT about the possibility of doing the project in two phases. The first phase would be the County Road E2 pathway, constructed in 2009 and phase two would be the Ramsey County Open Space (RCOS) pathway, constructed in 2010. Mn/DOT is open to the phasing idea. However, the City would need to revise th.e project memorandum and resubmit. This would delay the review process with Mn/DOT, however, we feel confident that the project could still be completed within the summer of 2009. The City could readjust the plans and utilize the $175,000 for phase one. Phase two yould be budgeted for in 2010. In delaying the RCOS pathway a year, staff could explore other possible funding assistance programs. One important factor in this option is that Mn/DOT will require that the phase two be completed in 2010. If the City were to NOT complete phase two as agreed, the funding received for phase one could be billed back to the City. 6. Staff approached Ramsey County Parks and Recreation regarding the creek crossing to inquire about the possibility of additional cost sharing. This crossing is part of Ramsey County's proposed trail connecting to Mounds View High School, which is included in their master plan. However, no funding has been identified at this time for that segment and there is no timetable. J()dy Yungers of Ramsey County Parks 5