CC MEETING: September 10, 2019
DATE: September 3, 2019
TO: Erin Rinehart, City Manager
FROM: Cesar J. Molina, Jr., P.E., Director of Engineering
Title
Consider A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Commit $269,200 In Local Matching Funds For Segments 6A And 7 Of The Cotton Belt Regional Veloweb Trail.
Body
BACKGROUND:
On April 2, 2019 City Council approved Resolution No. 4288, which called for $132,831 in local funds for segment 7 of the Cotton Belt Trail (CBT 7). A condition for City funding was that an acceptable cost-sharing process be established to fund the trail bridge over the Trinity River between Coppell and Carrollton.
The funding scenario has since been modified by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). A new segment 6A has been created that includes only the Trinity River bridge, and the original segment 7 has been expanded to include a direct connection to McInnish Park.
The new segment 6A is within the cities of Coppell, Dallas and Carrollton with a revised total cost of $700,000. The portion within Carrollton has a total construction cost of $146,000. It requires a local match of $29,200. Segment 7 is now estimated to cost $1,200,000 to construct and would require a local match of $240,000. The combined total local funds needed to complete the construction of both trail segments in Carrollton is $269,200.
NCTCOG staff has been coordinating funding sources for the 26-mile regional trail for several years. At this time, the trail segments on either side of the Trinity River and the bridge itself are the only elements of the trail project that lack a funding commitment. The other project segments, including Segment 6 in Coppell and the balance of Segment 6A, are fully funded. This alleviates a concern that was expressed by several Councilmembers in April that the trail needs to be funded outside of Carrollton since it does not make sense to build the trail to the Trinity River bridge then terminate.
The commuter rail line was recently renamed the Silver Line by DART, but the trail is still referred to as the Cotton Belt Trail.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Initially, NCTCOG was hoping for a commitment of $416,000 from the City of Carrollton. Staff made a presentation at the March 19 City Council worksession. Council directed staff to only fund the trail portion up to the Trinity River bridge, which was estimated at $132,831. This funding commitment was memorialized by Resolution No. 4288. Given the recent funding modifications by NCTCOG, the total local match for Carrollton is now $269,200 for CBT 6A and CBT 7 (20 percent of the total, or an additional $136,369 over the previously approved amount). NCTCOG staff expects the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) to consider a vote on the funding to complete the trail segments in the near future.
Local match funding is available in the Parks Capital Improvement Budget.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY:
This project will support the City Council’s strategic objectives and vision of building a community that families and businesses want to call home by:
• The implementation through outside funding of CBT 6A and CBT 7 for use by Carrollton citizens with a direct connection to McInnish Park will provide another significant link in the City’s trail system and add a major regional trail connection to the City’s system.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION/ACTION DESIRED:
Staff recommends City Council approval of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to commit $269,200 in local matching funds for the construction of segments CBT 6A and CBT 7 of the regional Cotton Belt Trail.