City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

 

Meeting Date:  November 4, 2003

 

Item No.:5

 

Recommendation:  That the Council consider a motion to authorize the Mayor to execute a local/county agreement for preliminary engineering for the reconstruction of E. College Avenue from S. Howell Avenue to S. Pennsylvania Avenue (1st Aldermanic District).  If the decision is to approve the agreement, $40,500 should be transferred from Unspecified Streets.  

 

Background:  Discussions on this project have been ongoing for a number of years.  The City agreed to participate in a separation study in 1999 to determine how the railroad crossing through this stretch would be handled.   Would an overpass need to be constructed or would an at-grade crossing be acceptable?  The results of the study indicated an at-grade crossing.  The railroad commissioner overruled the findings, the County appealed and on June 9, 2003, a decision was received allowing the at-grade crossing.

 

The County is now requesting that the City agree to pay its share of the design costs ($40,500).  Since the last time this project was discussed, Federal funding has been reduced and the project cost estimate has decreased.  The net result of these two changes will result in an increase in City share from $500,000 to $884,250.  The County has indicated it is willing to use the City’s Surface Transportation Program (STP) state funds to finance the construction.  This would eliminate the need for local financing and would eliminate assessments.

 

Milwaukee, South Milwaukee, and Cudahy have signed the agreement to fund the design.

 

 

Oak Creek

So. Milw.

Milwaukee

Cudahy

Milw. Co.

Federal

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

% of Cost

4.5

0.08

4.23

1.19

10

80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$ Design

40,500

$720

38,070

10,710

90,000

720,000

900,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Construction

Old            $

 

Revised   %

 New         $

 

500,000

 

13.5

884,250

 

8,000

 

0.24

15,720

 

380,000

 

12.69

831,195

 

120,000

 

3.57

233,835

 

1,000,000

 

30

1,890,000

 

8,000,000

 

40

2,620,000

 

10,000,000

 

 

6,550,000

 

The CIP committee has reviewed this issue and has requested that Supervisor Endries attend the Council meeting prepared to answer questions (see attached letter).

 

 

 

 

Common Council Report – 11/4/03 Meeting

Reconstruction of E. College Avenue

Page 2

 

 

 

Additional Background:  At the August 4, 2003 meeting, the Common Council asked the representatives of Milwaukee County to seek Homeland Security funds to fund the improvements to E. College Avenue, and, if denied, clarify whether the City could use STP grants to fund its share of College Avenue.  The County has responded (see attached letter) that neither Homeland Security nor National Highway System funds are available.  The letter states, “The project is currently scheduled to be constructed with STP funds.”

 

A telephone call was placed to clarify the contractual arrangements available to the City.  The City is being asked to fund the design with a cash commitment of $40,500.  However, the County is now willing to enter into a construction agreement where the City could use STP funds.  The City has committed STP funds to improvements on S. Pennsylvania Avenue from E. Puetz Road to E. Ryan Road (ongoing), and has committed the remainder of STP funds and future allocations for S.13th Street from W. College Avenue to W. Rawson Avenue, and West and East Rawson Avenue from S. 27th Street to S. Pennsylvania Avenue.   It is impossible to accurately predict when the City would again have a positive balance in its STP account, but based on a discussion with the WDOT and using the County estimates, it appears some funds would be available in 2009 if this commitment were made.   

 

Fiscal Impact:  Funds were considered but not approved in the 2002 and 2003 budget for the design phase.  A transfer of funds is needed from Unspecified Streets if this item is approved.

 

Prepared by:

 

 

Wayne St. John, P.E.

Director of Public Works

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Robert L. Kufrin

City Administrator

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Review by:

 

 

Beverly A. Buretta, CMC

City Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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