Public Works Committee

TUMWATER PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING July 6, 2023 Page 1 CONVENE: 8:03 a.m. PRESENT: Chair Eileen Swarthout and Councilmembers Michael Althauser and Charlie Schneider. Staff: City Administrator Lisa Parks, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Transportation and Engineering Director Brandon Hicks, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Water Resources and Sustainability Director Dan Smith, Assistant Transportation and Engineering Director Mary Heather Ames, Communications Manager Ann Cook, and Administrative Assistant Cathy Nielsen. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE, JUNE 8, 2023: MOTION: Councilmember Althauser moved, seconded by Councilmember Schneider, to approve the minutes of June 8, 2023 as published. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. LOCAL AGENCY Assistant Director Ames reported obligation process follows the successful AGREEMENT receipt of federal grant funds. Obligation conveys to the state and the federal SUPPLEMENT AND government that the City is ready to expend the grant funds. Obligation PROSPECTUS WITH requires the submission of paperwork to Washington State Department of WSDOT FOR THE Transportation Local Programs to include the local agency agreement or a ISRAEL ROAD AND supplemental agreement, and the Local Agency Federal Aid Project LINDERSON WAY Prospectus. Also submitted is the scope of work to ensure the project PEDESTRIAN AND complies with the requirements of the funding. The prospectus requires the BICYCLE Mayor’s signature. IMPROVEMENTS: The project, Israel Road and Linderson Way Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements, will widen sidewalks, enhance crosswalks, and upgrade pedestrian facilities at a signalized intersection. The project was previously awarded Surface Transportation Block Grant funding. In the latest round, the project received an additional award. The Local Agency Agreement and Prospectus signify the City’s acceptance of the funds and a pledge to complete the project. Staff requests the committee recommend the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Local Agency Prospectus for the Israel Road and Linderson Way Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements project. Councilmember Althauser inquired about the possibility of not completing the project and whether the City would need to reimburse the federal government the amount of the grant funds. Assistant Director Ames advised TUMWATER PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING July 6, 2023 Page 2 that the City is required to complete the project by a specific timeline. Staff moves forward cautiously to avoid federalizing any project that might not move forward. While all projects pose some risk of non-completion, the department selects projects where there is reasonable confidence the project can be completed within the timeframe MOTION: Councilmember Schneider moved, seconded by Councilmember Althauser, to recommend the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Local Agency Prospectus for the Israel Road and Linderson Way Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements. A voice vote unanimously approved the motion. LOCAL AGENCY Assistant Director Ames reported the culvert conveying Percival Creek AGREEMENT AND under Sapp Road was identified as a full fish passage barrier. A project was PROSPECTUS WITH developed to address the barrier by installing a 19-foot four-sided box WSDOT FOR THE culvert. Earlier in 2023, the project received PROTECT (Promoting PERCIVAL CREEK Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving FISH PASSAGE Transportation) funding to complete the right-of-way and construction BARRIER REMOVAL phases of the project. The Local Agency Agreement and Prospectus PROJECT: provides access to the funds to enable the project to move forward. Staff requests the committee recommend the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Local Agency Prospectus for the Percival Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal project. MOTION: Councilmember Althauser moved, seconded by Councilmember Schneider, to recommend the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Local Agency Prospectus for the Percival Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal project. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. LOCAL AGENCY Assistant Director Ames reported the project addresses older signal AGREEMENT AND equipment at various intersections throughout the City with the goal of PROSPECTUS WITH increasing efficiency of the transportation system for vehicles, cyclists, and WSDOT FOR THE pedestrians. The project updates detection methods and signal controllers TRAFFIC SIGNAL that enable the functioning of signals. In 2020, the City received an award of CONTROLLER AND $302,750.00 in Congestion, Mitigation, and Air Quality Improvement DETECTION Program funds. The award identified specific areas in the City for UPGRADE: improvements. Staff identified 11 intersections within the area with eight projects comprised of controller replacements and six projects comprised of detection replacement with three signals receiving both improvements. Staff requests the committee recommend the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Local Agency Prospectus for the Traffic Signal Controller and Detection Upgrade project. Chair Swarthout inquired about the location of the 11 intersections. TUMWATER PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING July 6, 2023 Page 3 Assistant Director Ames advised that the intersections are located on Littlerock Road, Trosper Road, Yelm Highway and Henderson Avenue, Cleveland Avenue/Custer Way, and Capitol Boulevard. The intersections are located within the air quality containment area. New detection equipment ensures pedestrian and bicycle movements. Good detection and controllers optimize the signals to enable better flow of traffic and contribute to the reduction in vehicle idling. MOTION: Councilmember Schneider moved, seconded by Councilmember Althauser, to recommend the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Local Agency Prospectus for the Traffic Signal Controller and Detection Upgrade project. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. CAPITAL Director Hicks reported the Capital Facilities Plan is a six-year plan of FACILITIES PLAN capital projects comprised of five categories of projects for General (CFP) 2024-2029 – Governmental, Transportation, Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Storm Drain. GENERAL Projects included in the CFP are for the purchase, construction, replacement, GOVERNMENTAL addition, or major repair of public facilities and major equipment. The AND projects differ from routine maintenance projects because the cost is greater TRANSPORTATION: than $25,000 for each project and each project has a useful life exceeding one year. The CFP is a plan and not a financial commitment that informs the budget. Non-utility projects in the Transportation and General Government CFPs are funded from a variety of sources to include general fund dollars, grants, utility taxes, real estate excise taxes, impact fees, Metropolitan Park District, Transportation Benefit District, and several other funding sources. Utility projects are funded through rates and development. Stormwater projects also receive some grant funding. The projects included in the CFP are derived from plans the Council adopted. Several projects were included in the Metropolitan Park District and the Transportation Benefit District. Some projects are in response or in preparation of development activities. Other projects are included when grant are awarded or for major facility or equipment needs, such as building renovation or fire engine purchases. Other CFP projects are moved forward from the Council or staff and are not necessarily included in City plans. The Transportation and General Governmental CFPs total $160 million. Major projects are the new Operations and Maintenance Facility and the Tumwater Boulevard Interchange project. Director Hicks reviewed the 36 projects included in the General Governmental CFP. The projects support programs and activities provided by the City. Major funding sources include utility tax, grants, parks impact fees, bonds, debt, levies, and other miscellaneous sources. Five of the TUMWATER PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING July 6, 2023 Page 4 projects to be removed include Fire Station T1 Improvements (completed), Deschutes River Flood and Erosion Study (completed), Craft Beverage Startup Facility (no funding source identified), and the Arts Project (replaced with Arts Program and not included in the CFP). In the future, 1% of construction costs will be earmarked for arts. The last project to be removed is participation in the Regional Housing Project, which should not have been included in the CFP; however the City continues to participate in the program. New projects include:  Prairie Mitigation Land Acquisition (City will pursue grants. Acquisitions will be dependent upon availability of grants over the six-year CFP)  Golf Course projects related to the NPDES Permit for stormwater management:  Golf Course Maintenance Shop Stormwater Improvements to treat water discharged directly to the Deschutes River  Golf Course Fueling Station Renovation will likely require replacement to satisfy requirements of hard cover over fueling station and concrete surface (staff is seeking grants)  Golf Course Stockpile Covers to cover soil and other materials to avoid degradation of materials  City Hall Parking Lot Expansion to be expanded at the current public works yard following relocation to the new Operations & Maintenance Facility Councilmember Althauser inquired as to whether the City sponsors any transit incentive programs to reduce employee single vehicle commuting to City Hall. Director Hicks said the City offers the Commute Trip Reduction Program with financial incentives to employees for using other modes of travel. Councilmember Schneider asked about the number of parking spaces to become available at City Hall when the Water Resources and Sustainability Department moves to South Puget Sound Community College. Director Hicks said the administrative functions are relocating and should free up eight parking spaces.  Fire Station T2 Improvements – full kitchen remodel  City participation in a regional animal control facility (placeholder). Project costs and the City’s contribution have not been determined. Councilmember Althauser commented on the need for a new animal shelter because of the condition of the existing facility. The facility was not originally constructed as an animal shelter and does not provide any noise reduction capabilities for animals creating echoes TUMWATER PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING July 6, 2023 Page 5 throughout the building that upset and agitates the animals. The sewer system continually fails with the shelter spending funds each year repairing pipes. The facility is inadequate to provide any veterinary services. The needs and size of the facility likely speaks to seeking voter approval of a countywide bond. In the next several years, he is hopeful the region can develop a comprehensive plan to construct a sustainable facility that meets the needs of the region and has a dedicated revenue source rather than relying on funding from each jurisdiction. Director Hicks reviewed the Transportation CFP. Projects support multimodal programs, preserve and improve function and safety of the existing transportation infrastructure, and provide capacity necessary to accommodate growth related to planned land use. Major funding sources include utility tax, real estate excise tax, arterial street gas tax, grants, transportation impact fees, mitigation fees, and the Transportation Benefit District. Of the 26 projects in the CFP, five of the projects are considered reserve projects to take advantage of potential grant opportunities. New projects include:  Percival Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal Project – the project is the transportation portion of the entire project. The City was able to obtain a substantial grant of approximately $2 million to include some transportation improvements  Dennis Street Roundabout – listed as reserve project in the last CFP and advanced to the planned list to pursue Safe Routes to School funding  Trosper Road Capacity Study – only for the short segment between Littlerock Road and Interstate 5. The project is dependent upon the change in traffic patterns from improvements by the Capitol Boulevard/Trosper Road Improvement project. Staff anticipates some improvement in the road segment because of fewer cars anticipated along the segment. Staff anticipates the extension of Tyee Drive further to the south prior to pursuing a construction project. Director Hicks outlined the future review process of the CFPs with briefings and a public hearing scheduled by the Planning Commission. Director Smith is scheduled to review the Utility CFPs at the committee’s next meeting. The City Council will review the CFPs during a worksession followed by action by the Council later in the year. OTHER BUSINESS: Director Hicks updated members on the progress of the Capitol Boulevard/Trosper Road Interchange Improvements project. The project is on schedule with utility work nearly completed. Director Hicks responded to questions as to how the project affected the 4th TUMWATER PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING July 6, 2023 Page 6 of July parade. The contract with the project contractor includes specifications requiring the contractor to ensure the construction sites are able to accommodate events, such as the parade. Next year, Israel Road will be repaved with narrow sections of existing sidewalk widened and driveways replaced. He is working on efforts to complete the project before the 4th of July parade next year. Work has begun on repaving and restriping projects in various areas of the City. ADJOURNMENT: With there being no further business, Chair Swarthout adjourned the meeting at 8:47 a.m. Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net