Agenda - Council - 06/09/2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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" 4. A CMAQ construction or reconstruction project must be a permanent improvement having independent utility. The term "independent utility" means the project provides benefits described in the application by itself and does not depend on any construction elements of the project be.ing funded from other sources outside the regional solicitation, excluding the required non.federal match. must be a permanent improvement. Temporary construction is defined as work that must be essentially replaced in the immediate future (within 5 years). Staged construction is considered permanent rather than temporary so long as future stages build on, rather than' replace, previous work. A project required for traffic management during construction is excluded frorry this provision. 5. Studies, preliminary engineering, design, construction engineering, etc... are not eligible for CMAQ funding. Noise barriers, drainage projects, fences, landscaping, etc., are not eligible for CMAQ funding unless included as part of a larger project which is otherwise eligible or specifically defined as eligible under an individual funding category. Right-of-way cost is not eligible as a stand-alone proposal, but are eligible when included in a proposal to build or expand transit hubs, transit terminals, park-and-ride or pool-and-ride lots, and to build system management projects and bicycle and walkway projects. The cost of reconstructing or constructing a replacement bridge deck is eligible but the remainder of the superstructure and all elements of the substructure are not eligible. Projects to improve or replace bridges are solicited separately. 6. The CMAQ program may be used to fund projects/programs that are owned, operated or under the primary control of the public sector, including public/private joint ventures. A state may use CMAQ funds for initiatives that are privately owned and/or operated, including efforts developed and implemented by transportation management associations I as long as the activity is one which: a) normally is a public sector responsibility (such as facility development for enhanced l/M programs in test"only networks); b) private ownership or operation is shown to be cost-effective; and c) the state is responsible for protecting the public interest and public investment inherent in the use of federal funds. 7. Roadway improvement projects, including staged projects, must be structurally capable of handling all applicable legal load limits. Roadway projects must meet statutory load limits. 8. In the 2009 Solicitation, the TAB wiII not fund more than one transit capital project in each of the following Tier 1 Transitway Corridors: . LRT in Hiawatha and Central Corridors, . BRT in Cedar, 35W or Bottineau Corridors, or . commuter rail in the Northstar Corridor. 9. Projects will be added to the TIP only as a result of the TAB approval in response to this and subsequent solicitations. 10. Projects with independent utility'" (see Appendix A for definition) at separate locations cannot be combined into a single application. This policy does not apply to bus shoulder lane corridors. 11. The construction cost of proj ects listed in the region's draft or adopted TIP is assumed to be fully- funded and to have independent utility from other projects. TAB wiII not consider projects already listed in the draft or adopted TIP, nor the payback of Advanced Construction funds for those projects, far funding through the solicitation process. Projects submitted that are related to projects listed in the draft or adopted TIP but that have independent utility from those projects are eligible for consideration. 12. The fundable amount of a project is based on the original submittal. An approved project may not be changed significantly in scope without approval of the TAB and may be subject toa re-analysis of the >I< a project with independent utility is defined in FHW A guidance as one that is usable and would be a reasonable expenditure even if no additional transportation improvements in the area are made. 4