Special Meeting on Transportation Alternatives Program Grant. 1:45 PM October 14, 2015
Special grant program from State of Texas to encourage pedestrian, cycling and non motorized vehicle transportation.
Presenter: Ramon Carrasco, engineer, Kleinman Consultants.
TXDOT reps Blanca Serrano and Becky Reyes present.
Marco Baeza, city manager of Presidio invited by Judge to sit at table to hear better.
Ramon says that TXDOT is requesting revisions to project. TXDOT reps here for guidance on revisions.
26 million dollars available, only 32 million received before deadline, so funding is likely.
TXDOT wants county and city to front money if use own contractors, if TXDOT builds, then no money has to be fronted. 20% match . City of Presidio gets larger subsidy.
Approx 77% plus 5%.
County projects amount to $250,000 match. County responsible for all engineering costs. Grant only for construction.
Match on Silver St project is $14,000. Talk of spacing payments to TXDOT if TXDOT builds for county.
Talk of trying to figure out how to pay for engineering, possibly reduce project scopes.
TXDOT really liked the proposed Presidio city middle school sidewalk project.
Revised applications are due Oct 26. For Presidio County projects budgets need to be revised, one large project probably should be dropped.
Ramon wants to focus on 2 top projects of four for County.
City of Marfa has a good project with different engineer.
Match for County on project 1 is $21,500 for engineering, $7200 for build match. Project total is $276,000. "Track field" project. Silver St at Wilson sidewalks and lighting in Presidio on streets around football field. Some grading, drainage help.
2nd priority project is rebuild bridge to school in Marfa on Columbia St.
County only has $30,000 budgeted total for projects (based on estimates for engineering provided by Ramon several months ago)
County basically pays 8 cents on the dollar for construction.
Engineering extra.
Federally backed funding. Lots of paperwork. If TXDOT does the construction they take care of paperwork and inspection.
County and city can combine projects to save a bit of money.
More money for same projects will be available in 2016 and 2017 for more projects, or projects that we may not do right now.
White asks about timing of construction. It is determined that construction would not start until September. Budget for 2017.
Judge Guevara says that priority for Marfa is school bridges. TXDOT says that those school bridges don't qualify as bridges, they are more like sidewalks. If the were bridges TXDOT would likely fix them for free.
TXDOT says that projects on their roads can be done for a small administration fee with no construction fee.
Hernandez wants to look at a bike route down FM 170 to Candelaria for next year.
TXDOT is going to look at sidewalk project from Cordero's to El Cosmico since it is on 67 and 67 is a TXDOT road. Possible just a small admin fee to build that sidewalk.
(County Priority #4)
Bridge project is $220,000 total cost- rebuild Columbia, add handicap ramps to Lincoln St bridge in Marfa where there are now stairs on pedestrian bridge. New Columbia bridge will be a pre-fab bridge. Steel and plastic, mostly.
Presidio track/field project is $276,000
TXDOT questioning price of bridge replacement. Ramon says he used TXDOT average and added 20%- Plus mobilization and 10% contingencies.
Now commissioners are saying that they may not do the track/field project but instead do Priority #3 in Presidio. That is walkway between Elementary School and Hurd St.
Can combine forces on that one with City of Presidio project on engineering since City project is adjacent. Discussion. Possible savings on mobilization and environmental costs; combine into one joint project. Aranda, Hernandez and Baeza discuss, seem to be in favor. Some question by TXDOT reps as to savings and using two entities. Agreement to go with Priority 3. City of Presidio Bledsoe Blvd connector project would be in conjunction, to connect school pedestrian loop between campuses.
Priority 3 cost match is a bit less than Priority 1. $235,000 total construction cost. $7000 match plus engineering plus savings on environmental.
County asking about money payments. Three years from selection to complete project. Money can come back to TXDOT slowly. TXDOT can bid project materials for multiple projects all at once to be money on mobilization, competitive bidding, etc.
Discussion about putting on court agenda for revisions. Apparently not totally necessary. Ramon recommends, TXDOT doesn't have concern.
Confirmed Priority 2 and 3, TXDOT will look into doing priority 4 (sidewalk to Cosmico) on their own.
Cities of Marfa and Presidio have their own projects, Presidio will have two.
TXDOT says City of Presidio and Marfa projects have good chances, good qualifications for approval.
Ramon will revised and get to Judge to sign. Commissioners Court will re-approve at next meeting. Adjourn at 3:08 PM
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