Agenda Date: 06/16/2020
Subject:
Title
Resolution 52-2020: Authorizing a grant application to the Denver Regional Council of Governments for the Broadway Fiberoptic Communications for Regional Traffic Operations project
Body
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Prepared by: |
Brent Thompson, City Engineer |
PURPOSE:
To authorize a grant application to the Denver Regional Council of Governments for the Broadway Fiberoptics Communication for Regional Traffic Operations project.
PRESENTATIONS:
Staff Presenter(s): N/A
Additional Presenter(s): N/A
SUMMARY:
In recent years, the rapid advancement of transportation related technologies has provided unprecedented opportunities to improve the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of transportation systems. The use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) has emerged as an increasingly effective means of providing value to citizens and maximizing the potential of available transportation assets. Recognizing this trend and understanding that access to a robust municipal fiberoptic communications network is an important enabler of ITS technologies, now and in the future, it is important to take advantage of financial opportunities to install fiberoptic communications.
With rapid population growth in urban areas, ITS and related technologies are increasingly being recognized as an efficient and cost-effective means to overcome space and budgetary challenges within the constraints of existing infrastructure. To be effective, these technologies require a robust, reliable, and scalable communications network - which is often most effectively achieved through the deployment of fiberoptic infrastructure.
Staff commissioned the Transportation Fiberoptic Communications Master Plan (Fiber Master Plan) in 2019 to ensure that the needs of the transportation communications network are clearly defined, to establish goals and objectives for system expansion, and to identify opportunities to collaborate with other City divisions and regional agencies to expand services, functionality, and stability of transportation infrastructure.
The purpose of the Fiber Master Plan is to identify the existing conditions, gaps in services, system needs, and future opportunities to provide effective and safe transportation technology services to the citizens of Littleton. Additionally, the Plan identifies collaboration opportunities between agencies to create cost efficiencies and improve regional transportation operations. This document serves as the first step in the planning, design, and implementation of a fiberoptic communications network capable of meeting the current and future demands of Littleton’s evolving transportation system.
The City of Littleton also adopted its first Transportation Master Plan (TMP) in October 2019. The TMP outlines goals for the ongoing development of Littleton’s transportation system. The Fiber Master Plan and this proposed grant opportunity align with the TMP objectives to Provide a resilient and responsive traffic operations system and Prepare for a range of new technologies.
The grant opportunity staff is proposing to pursue through the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) is the Regional Transportation Operations & Technology (RTO&T) program. This program allocates funding specifically for transportation technology and systems improvements that contribute to the implementation of key outcomes within the Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan. The primary objectives of this set-aside are to:
§ Improve transportation system performance and reliability
§ Improve transportation safety and security
§ Improve bicycle and pedestrian accessibility
§ Improve interconnections of the multimodal transportation system within and beyond the region for people and freight
The proposed Broadway Fiberoptic Communications for Regional Traffic Operations project would install fiberoptic cable (fiber) on Broadway from Powers Avenue to Arapahoe Road and on Arapahoe Road from Broadway to Pennsylvania Street. The project would establish a fiberoptic connection between the City of Littleton, the City of Centennial and Arapahoe County to accommodate future shared traffic operations and traffic management information. The propsosed route would connect eight signalized intersections on this one and a half mile segment of Broadway to the new fiber, including six traffic signals, one pedestrian signal, and one emergency signal. See accompanying map for details.
The proposed project would improve transportaion system performance and reliability through better signal communications and is being submitted inconjunction with an application to provide the necessary tools for improved vehicle detection, and incident management capability. The fiber installation and deployment of live video would allow for improved transportation safety and security by providing proactive incident monitoring and responsive signal phasing, with reliable transmittal back to the Littleton Center.
This fiber is a necessary step in the future creation of a regional Transportation Management Center (TMC) for Arapahoe County, which is in ongoing discussions with regional partner agencies. Additional planning and coordination for a regional TMC will take place after the installation of this fiber. Additionally, this fiber better facilitates the ability for a future corridor-wide multi-jurisdiction adaptive signal control system along Broadway. Adaptive signal control technology dynamically adjusts the timing of red, yellow and green lights to accommodate changing traffic patterns and ease traffic congestion.
PRIOR ACTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS:
This project has not previously been discussed with city council.
ANALYSIS:
Staff Analysis
Traffic safety through the city is critical and is highlighted in the city’s Transportation Master Plan. Traffic congestion and traffic signal operational efficiency are issues which routinely adversely affect citizens and rank high on topics of concern in community surveys.
The proposed fiberoptic installation project on Broadway from Powers Avenue to Arapahoe Road and on Arapahoe Road from Broadway to Pennsylvania Street serves as the start to the backbone system for Transportation Master Plan project #A39 which identifies the need for Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies along the Broadway corridor. The project is also identified as a Tier 1 project in the city’s Fiber Master Plan. The DRCOG grant program provides the city with the opportunity to undertake this project where city funds alone may otherwise have not been available.
Public Works staff have engaged in productive conversations with the City of Centennial and Arapahoe County regarding the proposed fiberoptic project and both agencies are supportive of the project. The City of Centennial has existing conduit along Arapahoe Road, and they are allowing the proposed fiber to be installed in the empty conduit, thereby saving money in reducing the amount of conduit to install. Broadway is generally the municipal boundary between Littleton and Centennial, and improved traffic operations will benefit Centennial citizens. Arapahoe County is interested in this project because it could provide an opportunity for completing another segment of fiber and achieving the goal of connecting their Administration Building on Prince Street in Littleton to their Sheriff’s Office, Public Works Department, and other facilities in the Dove Valley area. Potential financial contributions in the project from these two agencies are still in discussion.
This fiberoptic project will allow staff to start traffic signal equipment upgrades along Broadway, further our inter-agency collaboration, and advance the regional TMC conversation. The next critical fiberoptic installation will be on Littleton Boulevard from Broadway back to Littleton Center. Installation of fiber on Littleton Boulevard will eliminate the need for the currently utilized leased Comcast fiber connection to Fire Station 12. Unfortunately, that segment does not qualify for this grant opportunity because Littleton Boulevard is not classified as a “regionally significant roadway” in the DRCOG Metro Vision Plan.
If the grant is awarded for this project, the city would sign an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and enter into a contract with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to implement the project. CDOT is the ultimate steward of these federal funds. After entering into the IGA staff would proceed with hiring a consultant to prepare a final design. If awarded, construction of the project would be planned for 2021.
The grant application is due on July 8.
Council Goal, Objective, and/or Guiding Principle
This project aligns with numerous goals and objectives outlined in the Transportation Master Plan, and in particular Objective 6: Minimize transportation-related air quality degradation and Objective 23: Provide a resilient and responsive traffic operations system. This project also meets Council Goal 2: Financial Sustainability/Objective 4: Identifying, assessing and prioritizing long-term capital needs through its inclusion in the 5-Year Capital Improvement Program. This project further meets Goal 2: Financial Sustainability/Objective 5: Identifying, assessing and prioritizing funding for capital needs by leveraging grant funds through CDOT.
Fiscal Impacts
The cost estimate for this project is $556,000. If awarded, the grant would provide for 80% federal funding ($444,800) and requires 20% local agency match ($111,200). If awarded, the project would be programmed in the Capital Improvement Plan for 2021 with the local match being funded from the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) Fund. Staff anticipates the award of the grant being announced around September 1. This would allow staff to present an updated 5-year TIF Plan to council as part of the 2021 Budget process in September. Assuming the grant is awarded, council would then be asked to consider approving the grant during this same 2021 budget process.
Staff is also looking into other possible grants to reduce the actual city match requirement. One such example is the federal Economic Development Administration. Staff anticipates bringing such information to the 2021 budget process. Should the DRCOG grant not be awarded, staff would continue to pursue other funding opportunities.
Alternatives
If Council does not approve submitting the grant application to DRCOG, the design and construction of this project will not be completed until funds are available. The 5-year Capital Improvement Program currently has a $10M shortfall, so it is unclear when this project could otherwise be prioritized with the significant funding limitation. Leveraging grant funds for projects such as this is critical to complete projects the city would unlikely be able to afford on its own.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the grant application. Fiberoptic projects linking our traffic signal system are typically considered a high priority and a basic installation to maximize this critical asset. These types of improvements do not just add to reliability but optimize the movement of traffic (i.e. traffic progression) and thereby reduce congestion.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve the resolution authorizing a grant application to the Denver Regional Council of Governments for the Broadway Fiberoptics Communication for Regional Traffic Operations project.