Title
Resolution to Request the Virginia Department of Transportation Program the Citywide Emergency Vehicle Preemption Project into Its Six-Year Improvement Plan, to Amend the City Manager's Council Approved Budget to Incorporate that Project, to Appropriate $178,788 in CMAQ Funds for the Project, and to Authorize the City Manager or Her Designee to Execute any Necessary Agreements
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The Hampton Roads Transportation Operations Subcommittee (“HRTO”) endorsed a project titled “Hampton Roads Regional Opticom Preemption Strategic Plan and Deployment” in 2008. This project would create a blueprint for regional Emergency Vehicle Preemption (“EVP”) standards and provide funding for installing preemption on priority corridors. An application for regional Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (“CMAQ”) funding was approved, and a total of $1.6 million was allocated to that project.
The HRTO has discussed the EVP project over the last few years, including a meeting where the Virginia Department of Transportation (“VDOT”) stated that they would not be able to manage the project on a regional level. At its June, 2017 HRTO Subcommittee meeting, the committee voted to split evenly the money allocated to the EVP project among the cities that can handle the project and still want to receive their respective share of the funds. This had the effect of transitioning what would have been a VDOT administered, region-wide project to a locally administered project.
The HRTO also voted to set-aside an allocation for Poquoson and then split the remaining funds equally between each participating locality. Based on that action, the split is: $18,000 for Poquoson and $204,000 each for Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and VDOT. Those new individual local projects will receive funding from the existing Regional project on the condition that each Locality chooses to accept these funds. Once the allocations are accepted by the locality, they are available immediately upon transfer since the funding is available from an existing project. VDOT has already assigned a project number in anticipation of the City's approval of this request.
Discussion:
This project will be fully funded with federal and state funds, to be paid on a reimbursement basis to the City following the expenditure of City funds. This resolution requests VDOT to program $204,000 for the City’s project into its Six-Year Improvement Plan, to amend the City Manager's Council Approved Budget to incorporate that Project, and to appropriate $178,788 in CMAQ funds for the Project, and to authorize the City Manager or her designee to execute the project agreement and other project-related documents as needed.
Impact:
Project improves City emergency response times.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve Resolution
Body
WHEREAS, in accordance with the Virginia Department of Transportation (“VDOT”) project funding allocation procedures, the City Council, by resolution, must request VDOT to program a highway project in the City of Hampton;
WHEREAS, VDOT dedicated funding to a regional effort to improve emergency vehicle response time by installing preemption on priority corridors;
WHEREAS, federal and state funds have previously been allocated for that effort at 100% of cost and are available for disbursement;
WHEREAS, the Hampton Roads Transportation Operations Subcommittee has determined that effort is better managed and performed at the local level;
WHEREAS, VDOT has indicated it is prepared to program $204,000 of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality ("CMAQ") funds to be used by the City for a city-wide emergency preemption upgrade, and has assigned UPC 113752 to identify this commitment (the "Project");
WHEREAS, after the deduction of VDOT costs, the City is eligible for reimbursement in the amount of $178,788 upon expending those funds for the Project;
WHEREAS, a project administration agreement with VDOT is necessary for securing VDOT commitment on those funds for the Project; and
WHEREAS, the Project was not previously included in the Capital Budget of the City Manager's City Council approved budget for fiscal year 2019 ("FY19 Capital Budget").
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HAMPTON, VIRGINIA that for the purposes of the Project:
1. Virginia Department of Transportation is requested to program $204,000 of CMAQ funds into the Six-Year Improvement Plan;
2. The FY19 Capital Budget is amended to include the Project;
3. The total sum of $178,788 CMAQ funds shall be appropriated to EVP project in the Capital Projects Fund; and
4. The City Manager or her authorized designee is authorized to execute a project administration agreement and any additional contracts,agreements, or other documents necessary to implement the purposes of this resolution.