Agenda - Council - 10/08/2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Phase 1 of the Ramsey Gateway plan, the planning phase, is nearing completion. Phase 2 of the Ramsey Gateway plan, the design phase, will develop the preliminary design and estimated construction costs. Staff is currently discussing the process for transitioning from Phase 1 to Phase 2 with the other agencies. To ensure the City of Ramsey is able to construct the Ramsey Gateway Highway 10 Improvements near the end of or immediately following the improvements to Highways 10 and 169 through the cities of Anoka and Elk River, applications for external funding should be submitted as soon as opportunities arise. These opportunities occur throughout the year so Staff feels it is important to apply early and often to ensure the Ramsey Gateway Highway 10 Improvements can be funded as quickly as possible. An opportunity currently exists to apply for federal grant funds through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Transportation Grant program. This program leverages private, state and local investments to support safety enhancements and general improvements to infrastructure for both intercity passenger and freight railroads. The U.S. rail network is central to the success of the American economy, carrying more than 1.8 billion tons of freight valued at nearly $800 billion annually, and over 31.7 million passengers on Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation services. Congress authorized the CRISI grant program to invest in a wide range of projects within the United States to improve railroad safety, efficiency, and reliability; mitigate congestion at both intercity passenger and freight rail chokepoints; enhance multi -modal connections; and lead to new or substantially improved Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation corridors. Rail safety projects include, but are not limited to, grade crossing enhancements, rail line relocations and improvements, and deployment of railroad safety technology. Eligible work also includes regional rail and corridor planning, environmental analyses and research, workforce development, and training The CRISI Program is authorized under Section 11301 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Public Law 114-94 (2015); 49 U.S.C. 22907 and funds are provided in the 2019 Appropriation. Available Funds The total funding available for awards is $244,621,500. There are no predetermined minimum or maximum dollar thresholds for awards. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) anticipates making multiple awards with the available funding. FRA strongly encourages applicants to identify and include other state, local, public, or private funding or financing to support the proposed project in order to maximize competitiveness. The application will request funding up to $25 million since a typical railway grade -separation project costs around $25 million. Cost Sharing The Federal share of total costs for projects funded under this notice will not exceed 80 percent, though FRA will provide selection preference to applications where the proposed Federal share of total project costs is 50 percent or less. The estimated total cost of a project must be based on the best available information, including engineering studies, studies of economic feasibility, environmental analyses, and information on the expected use of equipment and/or facilities. Application Deadline Applications for funding under the 2019 CRISI solicitation are due no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT, October 18, 2019. Notification: Notifications are not required for this case. Observations/Alternatives: