Title
Transportation 2050 New and Expanded Major Streets Program Update (Ordinance S-47283)
Description
Request City Council approval of the $57.6 million, five-year Transportation 2050 (T2050) New and Expanded Major Streets Program for Fiscal Years (FY) 2021-25.
Report
Summary
On Aug. 25, 2015, Phoenix voters approved Proposition 104, T2050, showing a strong commitment and desire to expand investments in Phoenix for major improvements in bus service, light rail and roadway infrastructure. This plan allocates a total of 13.8 percent of local sales tax revenues (or approximately $2.3 billion over 35 years) to the Street Transportation Department (Streets) for the construction and maintenance of City roadways. Of these T2050 Streets revenues, the New and Expanded Major Streets Program is allocated 30 percent.
The New and Expanded Major Streets Program is one of four investment categories that also include Pavement Maintenance, Mobility Improvements, and Technology Enhancements. Streets has been working to deliver roadway improvements as quickly and efficiently as possible utilizing T2050 funds since 2016. Under the New and Expanded Major Streets Program investment category, T2050 will provide an estimated $240 million over the life of the program for new and expanded major streets as well as bridge projects.
Program Update
Streets has developed an Updated T2050 New and Expanded Major Streets Program for FY 2021-25 (Attachment A).
The updated $57.6 million, five-year program includes both previously approved projects and three new projects, and funding allocations for FY 2024 and FY 2025. The updated program includes project budget adjustments reflecting better, more refined cost estimates from previous planning level estimates. Other project budget adjustments reflect adjustments based on actual costs, scope modifications, and/or construction phasing. Key updates for current and anticipated project activity through FY 2022 are described below:
Pinnacle Peak Road: 45th to 43rd Avenues (A) - NEW Project
Currently under construction with adjustments and relocation of existing waterline. Roadway construction is planned for FY 2021.
43rd Avenue: Virginia Avenue to Grand Canal (B)
Project costs were refined, and project phasing was adjusted to break out this longer corridor into more manageable phases. Utility designs and relocations, and right-of-way acquisitions are currently being coordinated. The project is approaching 100 percent design completion with construction planned for FY 2022.
Buckeye Road: 67th to 59th Avenues (C)
Currently working on right-of-way acquisitions and utility relocations. Design is 100 percent complete with construction planned for FY 2021.
43rd Avenue: McDowell Road to Virginia Avenue (D)
Project costs were refined, and project phasing was adjusted to break out this longer corridor into more manageable phases. Utility designs and relocations, and right-of-way acquisitions are currently being coordinated. This project is approaching 100 percent design completion with construction planned for FY 2021.
Lower Buckeye Road: 27th to 19th Avenues (E)
Currently conducting utility review meetings. Design is 70 percent complete with construction planned for FY 2022.
35th Avenue: Camelback to Bethany Home Roads (I)
Currently coordinating utility reviews. Design is 60 percent complete with construction planned for FY 2022.
43rd Avenue: Glendale Avenue to Greenway Road (J)
Design is planned for FY 2022 with construction planned for FY 2023.
43rd Avenue: Grand Canal to Glendale Avenue (K)
Design is planned for FY 2022 with construction planned for FY 2023.
Southern Avenue: 51st to 37th Avenues (S) - NEW Project
This project is approaching 60 percent design completion. Construction is expected to start in FY 2022. Streets is working in partnership with Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) on this project, with a five-year repayment plan from the Phoenix to MCDOT beginning in FY 2022.
Lower Buckeye Road: 71st to 67th Avenues (T)
This project is approaching 100 percent design completion. Construction is expected to start in FY 2022. Streets is working in partnership with MCDOT on this project. Funding commitments for this project were made in FY 2020.
BUILD Grant - 35th Avenue: Interstate 10 to Camelback Road (V) - NEW Project
The City was recently awarded a Better Utilizing Investments Leveraging Development (BUILD) 2020 Grant for a safety corridor project along 35th Avenue from Interstate 10 to Camelback Road with a focus on improving safety, mobility and economic development. The $7.5 million local match will be funded utilizing T2050 funds from the New and Expanded Major Streets Program in order to leverage the $17.4 million in federal transportation dollars. Design is planned for FY 2021, with construction planned for FY 2022.
Program Accomplishments
This past summer, the City successfully completed a public private partnership that was included in the previously approved five-year New and Expanded Major Streets Program. The completion of the Baseline Road: Loop 202/59th to 55th Avenues project provides roadway users on Baseline Road traveling west from 55th Avenue or east from the new Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway (South Mountain Freeway/Loop 202) can now seamlessly access Baseline Road with minimal traffic delay. This innovative project delivery model represented a positive outcome for adjacent private developers, the City of Phoenix, and the traveling public.
Major new or expanded roadway projects typically take five years from project initiation to project completion. Various components impact project schedules and costs, including right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, drainage requirements, roadway structures, and public involvement. More specifically, initial project development and design phases require up to two years to complete, while right-of-way acquisition efforts run approximately one year. The construction process, from contract procurement to completion, is approximately two years. Streets staff continue to work diligently to deliver the T2050 New and Expanded Major Streets projects as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to provide Phoenix residents with improved roadways and infrastructure.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
- The Citizens Transportation Commission recommended approval of this item on Dec. 17, 2020, by a vote of 10-0.
- The Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee recommended approval of this item on Jan. 6, 2021, by a vote of 4-0.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Street Transportation Department.