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5.3. SR 04-05-1993 ITEM 5.3. TO: MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL FROM: PAT KLAERS, CITY ADMINISTRATOR DATE: APRIL 2, 1993 SUBJECT: ISTEA GRANT/PARK TRAIL Attached for your review is the draft ISTEA Grant proposal from Phil Hals. This Grant proposal discusses improvements to the railroad trail from the Community Education site to County Road 33. The proposal calls for bituminous and crushed rock trails side by side. Staff is still evaluating the 20% match requirement. The Grant application shows a larger match based on using City manpower and equipment. This larger match should increase our odds of receiving approval. However, if the ISTEA 20% match requirement must be in cash, then our match requirement will be adjusted. More information on the City match requirement should be available by the 4/12 joint meeting. The application must be received in St. Paul on or before 4/15/93. . . 720 Dodge Avenue N.W., Elk River, Minnesota 55330 (612) 441-7420 DRAFT Project Description ~ The City of Elk River owns an abandon north/south railway corridor in the central park of the City, and wishes to develop it into a pedestrian/bicycle trail that would connect two Junior High School campuses, an elementary school, an athletic complex, a City park, and several residential areas. On February 18, 1993, from the Department develop an entrance hiking/biking trails railroad trail. the City received a $50,000 grant award of Trade and Economic Development to road, parking area, and hard surfaced within the park that borders the abandon The connection of these two recreation areas will usage of each by providing a route to the destination for the railroad trail. Qualifyinq Criteria multiply the park and a 1. Projects which are defined in 1991 Efficiency Act. eligible for enhancements funds as Intermodal Surface Transportation Minnesota Group Number 3: ~ Preservation of an conversion and use trails. abandon railway corridor and these for pedestrian and bicycle 2. Projects with an assured local match of percent of the estimated total costs of project. at least 20 the proposed The proposed development of the railway corridor into a pedestrian/bicycle pathway includes 17,000 lineal feet of a 12 foot wide bituminous paved biking trail and 14,000 lineal feet of a paralleling trail, also 12 feet wide, made of Class 2 crushed rock, for use by hikers and horseback riders in the summer and cross-country skiers in the winter. The total development costs include: ~ Cleaning and grubbing of trees and brush Rough Grading Fine Grading $.25/Square Yard Class Five Gravel Base 4" thick 5,000 ton @ $6.00/ton Bituminous Paving 2" Thick 2,500 ton @ $27.50/ton Class Two Crushed Rock 4" Thick 4,100 ton @ $14.00/ton Total Cost $ 2,500 10,000 5,675 30,000 68,750 57,400 $174,325 . Of this total cost, the city of Elk River would contribute labor, equipment and money in the following amounts: Cleaning and grubbing $ 2,500 Fine Grading 5,675 Install Class 5 20,000 Install Bituminous 15,000 Install Class-2 16,400 Total $ 59,575 The City requests a grant of $114,750 or 66 percent of the project cost, and agrees to furnish 34% of the project cost by doing a major portion of the construction with City labor and equipment. The railway corridor is currently owned by the City and the City staff is certain that the trail construction could be completed by the fall of 1994. 3. Projects for which the proposer assures it will operate and maintain the property and facility for the useful life of the improvement. . Maintenance for this trail system include costs for sweeping, trail side mowing, herbicides, sign repairs, and an asphalt sealcoat every seven years. The inclusion of the seal coat costs on an annual basis would amount to an annual expense of $4,500. The 1993 park budget is $74,300 so this increase would amount to about six percent. The City of Elk River has experienced a five percent per year populations growth and a five percent per year increase in the park budget. The City's commitment to parks is evident in the maintenance of our present park system. 4. Project submitted by cities over 5,000 population. The City of Elk River has a population of 11,000 and has worked with MnDOT division of state aid on many projects. 5. Projects with an estimated cost of at least $50,000. The proposed improvement of a railway corridor to a pedestrian/bike pathway would cost an estimated $174,325 with the City providing $59,575 so the requested grant amount would be $114,750. 6. Projects with transportation. a demonstrated relationship to . In 1991, the City of Elk River completed a Master Park Plan that envisions a community wide trail system that could link up to neighboring communities in the future. . . . The railway corridor provides the western side of the primary trail loop as well as the future connection to our neighbors to the north. serve as the and would allow the remainder The proposed trail improvement will cornerstone of the community trail system for an interesting form of recreation while of the trail system develops. 7. Projects which are normally part of the mitigation of a transportation project are not eligible. The proposed trail development would be a stand alone project, that is it while it connects to other park areas, it is not mitigating any other project. There will be very limited environmental impact because the proposed grading will not alter any drainage patterns and due to the relatively level terrain, erosion will be easily controlled. Construction will be controlled and every effort made to preserve the stands of native prairie grasses that now exist along the railway corridor. . . . PRIORITY CRITERIA 1. The degree to which the proposed project fulfills the intent of ISTEA. The development of a pedestrian and biking trail will provide a very interesting recreation facility while preserving the abandoned railway corridor. The purchase of the railway right-of-way by the City of Elk River showed a great amount of foresight. As plans move forward to develop a pedestrian and biking trail, there is an ever increasing local interest in this type of recreation as well as concern for preserving this historic transportation route. 2. Projects with components which have already been funded or implemented from other sources. The City has purchased the property and has funded the planning and engineering costs to develop a trail on the railroad right-of-way. This project would not be a completing link, but a first step in a City wide pedestrian and biking trail system. 3. Projects which qualify in two or more categories. The proposed project falls under category numbers 1, "Provision of Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles", and 7, "Preservation of Abandoned Railway Corridors". The Minnesota grouping would be Number 3, "Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities and Preservation of Abandoned Railway Corridors". 4. Projects which have already gone through a statewide or regional project priority setting process. The City has submitted a grant application to the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development for improvements to a hiking/biking trail on the abandoned railway corridor and an application for park improvements to Woodland Trails Park which borders the railway trail. The City was awarded %50,000 in grant monies to be matched with City equipment, labor, materials, and cash to build an entrance road, parking lot, bituminous trail, crushed rock trail, and street lighting. Securing grant monies for development of the pedestrian and bicycle trails on the railway corridor will expand the usage of the park trails by offering another access point as well as creating an interesting side trip for hikers or bikers using the railway trail. The two projects compliment each other nicely. . 5. Projects which demonstrate more than local impact or benefit. Development of the railway corridor as herein proposed is the first phase of a three phase trail development that will run from the core City of Elk River to the north City limits with the possibility of future connections to Zimmerman and Princeton. The City of Elk River Park and Recreation Commission is encouraging Sherburne County to become involved with this railway corridor development north of the City of Elk River. 6. Projects which can be completed and open to the public for the use intended by the end of the calendar year 1994. The City of Elk specifications construction by grading would surfacing to be River is prepared to have plans and available by 8/1/93 and start actual 9/3/93. Clearing, rough grading, and fine be completed in 1993, with the actual trail completed in 1994. . The City would provide the engineering required and the Street and Park Department has the necessary equipment and expertise to do the entire project. By keeping the entire project "in house", the City will be able to eliminate delays in preparing plans and specs, bid letting, and contractor schedules and keep a construction supervisor on the project. The City of Elk River Street/Park Department has completed at least seven various park developments in the last nine years, with the largest being Lion's Park; totaling $246,258. Lion's Park was funded by a 50% LAWCON Grant in 1985 and was a very successful project so we feel confident that we could complete the railroad trail system. 7. Projects with an assured local match in excess of 20%. The City of Elk River Street and Park Department has all of the major equipment required to construct and pave a pedestrian/bicycle pathway except a dozer, but that is available to lease with a City operator. The City would do the survey, plans and specs, the clearing of brush and small trees, the rough grading with a leased dozer and City operator, the fine grading with a City grader, hauling and laying the Class 5 base with City dump trucks and grader, hauling and laying bituminous paving with City trucks and paver, and laying Class 2 aggregate surface with the City paver. . The total City contribution will be $59,575 in equipment and labor, or about 34%. . . . The Grant monies of $114,750 will be used to purchase the Class 5 base, Class 2 surface material, bituminous paving materials and the dozer lease. As City staff, we feel that we have a project that is ready, accomplishable, competitive, and would like the opportunity to build it.