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Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Infrastructure Planning Grant ApplicationCity of Dubuque City Council Meeting Action Items # 3. Copyrighted July 19, 2021 ITEM TITLE: Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Infrastructure Planning Grant Application SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval to submit a $2,112,000 application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Infrastructure Planning Grant to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge project. RESOLUTION Approving application for Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Funding for the planning and design of a Multimodal Transportation Corridor Project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street Corridor, 16th Street Corridor and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass Project SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Adopt Resolution(s) DISPOSITION: ATTACHMENTS: Description RAISE Grant Application- MVM Memo Staff Memo Resolution Type City Manager Memo Staff Memo Resolutions Grant Application Supporting Documentation THE C Dubuque DUUB_-_*._TE *Awiu Ciq ' iece on the Mississippi Masterpiece PP zoo�•zoi 2-2013 zoi7*2019oi9 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Infrastructure Planning Grant Application DATE: July 13, 2021 Director of Strategic Partnerships Teri Goodmann, City Engineer Gus Psihoyos and Economic Development Director Jill Connors recommend City Council approval to submit a $2,112,000 application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Infrastructure Planning Grant to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge project. The City's commitment for local match will be $1,408,000 supplied by DMATS STBG SWAP Funds. The City applied for USDOT TIGER Discretionary Grants in both 2014 and 2017, however our application requests were not selected. City staff was advised by grant review agency staff that our proposed infrastructure project grant applications were strong, however the projects were not advanced far enough in the planning, design, and environmental clearance development phases for selection consideration. As a result, in an effort to be better positioned for future Federal Discretionary Grant opportunities, the City has applied for a RAISE Infrastructure Planning Grant to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge project. The Planning Grant application proposes a project entitled "Building Bridges to Employment and Equity (KE2)". Through the grant, the City of Dubuque requests $2,112,000 in USDOT RAISE Planning funds to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridors which will connect low-income residents with economic opportunities and key community resources in the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, on Chaplain Schmitt Island, in downtown Dubuque and its Historic Millwork District, and on the west side of the city via the downtown Intermodal Transportation Center. In particular, the Planning Grant would be used for planning and design of physical connections among downtown neighborhoods and areas of economic opportunity such as the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and Chaplain Schmitt Island. The plans and designs would focus on projects such as a 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge (connecting downtown residents to job opportunities while avoiding train crossing delays) with "complete streets" and roundabout intersections along Elm Street and 16th Street corridors. The project would also include the design of an improved pedestrian/bike shared use path adjacent to the existing 16th Street Peosta Channel bridge to Chaplain Schmitt Island. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. Mic ael C. Van Milligen MCVM:jh Attachment cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann, Director of Strategic Partnerships Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer Jill M. Connors, Economic Development Director 2 THE CITY OF DUB El Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer Jill M. Connors, Economic Development Director Dubuque AII•Amariea City MM]ML' M- I I=-, 2007-2012-2013 2017*2019 SUBJECT: Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Infrastructure Planning Grant Application DATE: July 13, 2021 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memo is to request City Council approval to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Infrastructure Planning Grant to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge project. BACKGROUND The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE Discretionary Grant program, provides a unique opportunity for the DOT to invest in road, rail, transit, and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives. Previously known as the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants, Congress has dedicated nearly $8.9 billion for twelve rounds of National Infrastructure Investments to fund projects that have a significant local or regional impact. The City of Dubuque has already used funding from this program. A $5.7 million TIGER grant was received in 2010 to support the reconstruction of utilities and complete streets in the Historic Millwork District. Additionally, Dubuque County in partnership with the City received a $5.4 million BUILD grant in 2019 to support a series of roadway repairs, intersection capacity and safety improvements, and a trail extension in the vicinity of the John Deere Dubuque Works facility. DISCUSSION The City applied for USDOT TIGER Discretionary Grants in both 2014 and 2017, however our application requests were not selected. City staff was advised by grant review agency staff that our proposed infrastructure project grant applications were strong, however the projects were not advanced far enough in the planning, design, and environmental clearance development phases for selection consideration. As a result, in an effort to be better positioned for future Federal Discretionary Grant opportunities, the City has applied for a RAISE Infrastructure Planning Grant to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge project. City staff have worked with a consultant, Sustainable Strategies DC, to compile and submit the information needed for the Planning Grant application. Sustainable Strategies DC is a government affairs and strategic consulting firm helping communities obtain resources for revitalization and key priorities. The fee proposal from Sustainable Strategies DC to assist in preparing the grant application was $7,500 and will be paid through the Engineering Department Operating Budget. The Planning Grant application proposes a project entitled "Building Bridges to Employment and Equity (B=)". Through the grant, the City of Dubuque requests $2,112,000 in USDOT RAISE Planning funds to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridors which will connect low-income residents with economic opportunities and key community resources in the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, on Chaplain Schmitt Island, in downtown Dubuque and its Historic Millwork District, and on the west side of the city via the downtown Intermodal Transportation Center. In particular, the Planning Grant would be used for planning and design of physical connections among downtown neighborhoods and areas of economic opportunity such as the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and Chaplain Schmitt Island. The plans and designs would focus on projects such as a 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge (connecting downtown residents to job opportunities while avoiding train crossing delays) with "complete streets" and roundabout intersections along Elm Street and 16th Street corridors. The project would also include the design of an improved pedestrian/bike shared use path adjacent to the existing 16th Street Peosta Channel bridge to Chaplain Schmitt Island. A copy of the grant application is attached. The expected timeline for the USDOT agency review and announcement of selected award recipients is September — October 2021. BUDGETIMPACT The RAISE grant funding request is summarized as follows: Fund Description Percentage Fund Amount RAISE Infrastructure Planning Grant 60 % $ 2,112,000 Local - DMATS STBG SWAP Funds 40 % 1,408,000 Total Planning Grant Funding 100 % $ 3,520,000 At the July 8t", 2021 DMATS meeting, the Policy Boards approved $1,408,000 in DMATS STBG SWAP Funds for the project. I ACTION REQUESTED I respectfully request that the City Council adopt the attached resolution: 1. Approving the submittal of an application to the U.S. Department for $2,112,000 in RAISE Infrastructure Planning Grant funding to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass bridge project. 2. Approving the City's commitment to provide $1,408,000 in local funding to be used for the local match requirement of the RAISE Infrastructure Planning Grant application. 3. Establish the City's authorized representative for the grant as the City Manager regarding the grant application and grant administration. Prepared by Robert Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer cc: Jenny Larson, Director of Finance and Budget Chandra Ravada, ECIA 3 Pre;pared by Robert Schiesl City of Dubuque EngineeringErgineerIng 50 W. 13111 St. Dubuque, IA 52001 563 589-4270 Return to Adrienne N. Breitfelder City Clerk City of Dubuque, 50 W. 131h St. Dubuque, iA 52001 (563) 589-4100 RESOLUTION NO, 256-21 APPROVING APPLICATION FOR REBUILDING AMERICA'S INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY (RAISE) GRANT FUNDING FOR THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF A MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR PROJECT FOR PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ELM STREET CORRIDOR, 16TH STREET CORRIDOR AND THE PROPOSED 14TH STREET RAILROAD OVERPASS PROJECT WHEREAS, the City proposes a multimodal transportation corridor project that will improve safety, drive economic competitiveness, improve quality of life, address the negative impacts of climate change, and foster a more sustainable, equitable and resilient Dubuque; and WHEREAS, RAISE Planning funds will be used to plan and design Complete Street corridors and five roundabouts along the intersecting Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors, and WHEREAS, RAISE Planning funds will be used to plan and design a new pedestrian/bike shared use path adjacent to the existing 16th Street Peosta Channel bridge to Chaplain Schmitt Island, WHEREAS, the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railroad travels through the urban core of the City with numerous at -grade crossings on local city streets in the downtown area; and WHEREAS, approximately 8-10 trains passing through Dubuque on a daily basis severely impedes the ability for pedestrians, vehicles, commercial traffic and emergency responders to access the northeast segment of the City; and WHEREAS, RAISE Planning funds will be used to plan and design a new vehicular and pedestrian overpass at the 14th Street railroad tracks to reduce train -related delays that impair the safe and efficient movement of people and freight to the city's most promising areas of economic revitalization, and WHEREAS, the City's Long Range Transportation Plan includes the proposed multimodal transportation corridor projects; and WHEREAS, the City of Dubuque will submit a RAISE grant application for $2,112,000 to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project; and WHEREAS, the Application requires that the City Council agree to provide and make available up to $1,408,000 in local funding to be used for the local match requirement of the RAISE grant application; and WHEREAS, the City must establish an authorized representative able to execute on behalf of the City of Dubuque for the proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the 14th Street Railroad Overpass project-, and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA AS FOLLOWS - Section 1. Approving the City's application for $2,112,000 in Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant funding to assist with the planning and design of a multimodal transportation corridor project for proposed improvements to the Elm Street corridor, the 16th Street corridor, and the proposed 14th Street Railroad Overpass Projects. Section 2. Approving the City's commitment to provide $1,408,000 in local funding to be used for the local match requirement of the RAISE grant application. Section 3. Establishing the City Manager as the City's authorized representative regarding the grant. Passed, approved and adopted this 19th day of July 2021. Ar� /.L/ Roy D. YU01, Mayor Attest: Trish L. Gleason, Assistant City Clerk Building Bridges to Employment and Equity (B2E2) City of Dubuque Requests $2,112,000 in U.S. DOT RAISE Planning Resources to Connect Low -Income Residents with Economic Opportunities Chaplain Schmitt Island Applicant: City of Dubuque, Iowa Type of Applicant: City Government, Rural, Areas of Persistent Poverty Location: Dubuque, Iowa RAISE Planning Grant Request: $2,112,000 Local Match: $1,408,000 THE CITY OF Project Contact: Teri Goodman Director of Strategic Partnerships DUB E (563) 589-4110 Masterpiece on the Mississippi tgoodman&cityofdubuque.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Page 3 I. Project Description Page 6 II. Project Location Page 14 III. Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of all Project Funding Page 17 IV. Selection Criteria Page 18 A. Primary Selection Criteria Page 18 1. Safety Page 18 2. Environmental Sustainability Page 20 3. Quality of Life Page 21 4. Economic Competitiveness Page 22 5. State of Good Repair Page 24 B. Secondary Selection Criteria Page 26 1. Innovation Page 26 a. Innovative Technologies Page 26 b. Innovative Project Delivery Page 26 c. Innovative Financing Page 27 2. Partnership Page 27 V. Environmental Risk Review and Project Readiness Page 29 A. Project Schedule Page 29 B. Required Approvals Page 30 1. Environmental Permits and Review Page 30 2. State and Local Approvals Page 30 3. Federal Transportation Requirements Affecting State and Local Page 31 Planning C. Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies Page 31 D. Technical Capacity Page 31 E. Financial Capacity Page 32 VI. Benefit Cost Analysis Page 32 ATTACHMENTS • Excel Project Form • Letters of Support • Local Match Documentation • Areas of Persistent Poverty/Opportunity Zone Map • Project Area Detail Map • Crash Incidents • Federal Aid Projects History • Engineering Staff Bios 2 1 Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Dubuque, Iowa, requests $2,112,000 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Rebuilding America's Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Planning funds to plan, design and engineer an estimated $35.2 million multimodal transportation corridor project that will improve safety, drive economic competitiveness, improve quality of life, address the negative impacts of climate change, and foster a more sustainable, equitable and resilient Dubuque. The Building Bridges to Employment and Equity (B2E2) project will directly benefit low-income Dubuque residents in Areas of Persistent Poverty by connecting them to economic opportunities and key community resources in the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, on Chaplain Schmitt Island, in downtown Dubuque and its Historic Millwork District, and on the west side of the city via the downtown Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC). RAISE Planning funds will be used to plan and design Complete Street corridors and five roundabouts along the intersecting Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors, design a new pedestrian/bike shared use path adjacent to the existing 16th Street Peosta Channel bridge to Chaplain Schmitt Island, and to plan and design a new vehicular and pedestrian overpass at the 14th Street railroad tracks to reduce significant train -related delays that impair the efficient movement of people and freight to the City's most promising areas of economic revitalization. These improvements will create the physical infrastructure needed to support a safe, connected walking and biking network that serves the distressed North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods, providing enhanced multimodal transportation access to key community resources. The project area and all three distressed neighborhoods are located in census tracts designated as Areas of Persistent Poverty. Two of the census tracts in the project area are also designated as a federal Opportunity Zone. Reconstructing 16th Street as a Complete Street will improve safety and increase capacity for planned economic growth in the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and on Chaplain Schmitt Island, two key employment centers. Dubuque plans to reconstruct Elm Street as a Complete Street to establish a safe network connecting the City's most distressed residential neighborhoods to the project area's primary economic clusters, the downtown ITC, and other community services and amenities. Taken together, the B2E2 transportation enhancements will provide measurable and non -trivial outcomes that directly benefit residents of the City's Areas of Persistent Poverty. Dubuque's B2E2 project aligns with DOT's strategic goal to improve the efficient movement of people and goods, and supports the Biden Administration's priority to invest in national infrastructure projects that result in good -paying jobs, improve safety, apply transformative technology, and explicitly address climate change and advancing racial equity. For decades, Dubuque has engaged in long-term economic development efforts to boost manufacturing, promote commercial development and create jobs along its Mississippi River waterfront. In the 1950s, the City helped to develop the 229-acre Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park to concentrate light manufacturing and other business uses. Private sector companies have invested millions of dollars and expanded their operations within the park over the years. 3 1 Page Large vacant and underutilized buildings are currently being targeted for reuse within the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park. Across the Peosta Channel, a former landfill was reclaimed and renamed in memory of Chaplain Aloysius Schmitt in the 1980s. Current commercial and recreational venues on Chaplain Schmitt Island include the Q Casino & Resort, Mystique Community Ice Center, Iowa Greyhound Park, hotels, restaurants, and marinas. RAISE investment will help drive additional public and private investment on the island, including a long -planned hotel expansion at the Q Casino and redevelopment of the southern portion of the island as a destination and jobs center with new housing, retail, restaurants, entertainment facilities, and recreational amenities. Finally, the former Dubuque Packing Company (pork and cattle meat packing) plant property, a 40-acre site located on 16th Street near the island, is poised for redevelopment after sitting idle for more than a decade. Development on this key brownfield site will serve as a regional jobs magnet, expanding economic opportunity along the 16th Street Corridor. However, transportation access to the area is constrained. Poor intersections, unsafe conditions and limited pedestrian/bike accommodations separate the City's employment clusters from Dubuque's residents, particularly those with no vehicle. Specifically, RAISE grant dollars will help Dubuque plan, design and engineer a project that: • Better manages traffic on the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors by constructing five roundabouts (Admiral Sheehy Roundabout, Kerper Boulevard Roundabout, Sycamore Street Roundabout, Elm Street Roundabout, and Five Points Roundabout) and reconstructing the street pavement to improve vehicle flow and restore the corridors to a state of good repair; • Improves pedestrian and bicycle safety with Complete Streets on both corridors, as well as a separate pedestrian/bike shared use path adjacent to the existing 16th Street bridge across the Peosta Channel; • Reduces significant train delays and improve the efficient movement of people and goods by constructing a vehicular and pedestrian railroad overpass at 14th Street, including street reconstruction from the new overpass to the eastern terminus of 14th Street, then north from 14th Street to the planned Sycamore Street Roundabout; • Strengthen transit connectivity between the 16th Street commercial corridor and the downtown, Historic Millwork District, ITC and low-income households in the North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods; • Enhance streetscapes to encourage further job -creating development; • Mitigate climate change impacts through Complete Streets that encourage modal shifts, reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and lower vehicular emissions by providing safe, interconnected routes for walking and biking; • Address racial inequities by connecting minority residents who live in census tracts designated as Areas of Persistent Poverty with good -paying jobs and improved access to community services and critical amenities such as health care, food and recreation; • Boost bus transit ridership along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors for low-income residents, millennials, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities; and • Reduce stormwater runoff to minimize pollution impacts on the Mississippi River. 4 1 Page Revitalization of the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors meets all of DOT's RAISE criteria. The project will improve safety by reducing conflicts on both corridors with roundabouts and creating pedestrian and biking accommodations where they are insufficient or do not currently exist. Proposed improvements align with DOT "state of good repair" goals by prioritizing investment in existing infrastructure. Economic development in the promising 16th Street Corridor is dependent on the proposed transportation measures. Transportation enhancements along both corridors will promote environmental sustainability by encouraging alternative travel modes, reducing fuel consumption, curbing emissions, and decreasing stormwater runoff through green infrastructure. Upgrades on the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors and the construction of pedestrian/bike connectors will contribute to quality of life improvements in the distressed North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods. In Census Tracts 1 and 5, nearly one-third of residents are living in poverty, more than 20% of households have no access to a vehicle, 16% of persons are disabled, 30% of residents are millennials (age 20 to 34), and one-third are minority residents, compared to 12% of the city population as a whole. (see Figure 1. Demographic Profile) Both census tracts are designated as Areas of Persistent Poverty. Three additional census tracts adjacent to the project area also qualify for this designation (Census Tracts 3, 6 and 7.01). The B2E2 project demonstrates innovation through its sustainable design, integration with the City's Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies, and incorporation of green infrastructure techniques to protect the Mississippi River. The project will also leverage significant local and private sector support from Dubuque's partners, including the State of Iowa, East Central Intergovernmental Association, Jule transit system, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, and local developers, for whom the project area's designation as a federal Opportunity Zone is already driving significant interest. Dubuque submitted a 2017 application for DOT TIGER funding to support construction of the 16th Street Corridor project as it was conceived at that time. This RAISE Planning request includes changes in the proposed project scope that make it an even more compelling investment of federal transportation funds. The City also received a $5.6 million TIGER award in 2010, which it effectively used to construct Complete Streets in the nearby Historic Millwork District. That transformative work leveraged more than $150 million in local private investment and earned Dubuque a 2013 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Due to significant constraints on the City's ability to fully fund this planning project on its own, RAISE resources are needed to close the financing gap and move the B2E2 project forward. Nonetheless, to demonstrate its strong commitment to the project, the City pledges to provide an over -match equal to 40% of total planning project funding. Planning efforts will commence upon grant award, and design and engineering will be complete by September 2024. Limited property acquisition will be required as the project largely lies within the existing right-of-way. RAISE Planning funds will easily be obligated by the September 30, 2024 deadline and expended well in advance of the September 30, 2029 deadline. 5 1 Page I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Dubuque (population 57,882) is currently underway with an ambitious effort to revitalize two major, interconnected corridors:' • The 16th Street Corridor represents Dubuque's economic future. Containing the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, Chaplain Schmitt Island and key parcels of vacant land available for economic development, the community expects the B2E2 project to drive new, job -creating investments that will expand economic opportunity, especially for residents of the distressed neighborhoods in census tracts that qualify as Areas of Persistent Poverty in and around the project area. • The Elm Street Corridor, which intersects the 16th Street Corridor, is a vital connector between the City's major economic clusters and distressed neighborhoods in census tracts that qualify as Areas of Persistent Poverty and are designated as a federal Opportunity Zone (see attachments forAPP/OZ map). • The project will connect Dubuque residents with the Historic Millwork District, a 43-acre, previously abandoned industrial area that contains over 1 million square feet of warehouse space. Once the nation's largest millwork district, the neighborhood had declined for decades. Dubuque has completed an ambitious effort (supported with 2010 TIGER funds) to reclaim the Historic Millwork District as a regional engine of growth. • The North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods contain the City's oldest housing stock, a higher concentration of minorities and households living in poverty than citywide, and rank above the 95th percentile statewide and nationally in several key environmental justice indicators (proximity to Superfund sites, lead paint). Dilapidated rental units, perceptions of high crime and repeated flooding events in sections of these neighborhoods have resulted in declining property values. The area, located in the center of Dubuque's urban core, is being revitalized with green infrastructure, brownfields remediation and mixed -use development. RAISE funding will support and accelerate these efforts. • The proposed RAISE improvements will improve pedestrian, bicycling and transit uses on the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors, and facilitate the movement of residents between downtown Dubuque, the Historic Millwork District, and the North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods to new commercial activity and job opportunities in the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, on Chaplain Schmitt Island, and on key brownfield sites in the project area. Dubuque's Transportation Challenges The Elm and 16th Street Corridors were not designed to support the expansive economic development envisioned by the City. Traffic will not be able to flow freely on the two thoroughfares with their multiple congested intersections. Both routes are particularly challenging for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as senior citizens and disabled residents, with inadequate/no sidewalks or bike lanes. Dubuque's key transportation challenges include: 1 U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 Population estimates 6 1 Page • • Congested Streets: Four intersections along the 16th Street Corridor impede the flow of traffic to the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, Chaplain Schmitt Island and areas of future economic development. This creates unnecessary delays, costs time and money, and reduces the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. Railroad Delays: Traffic to and from the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and Chaplain Schmitt Island is frequently delayed by trains for long periods of time. This also impairs the efficient movement of people and goods and imposes additional costs on businesses. • Insufficient/No Sidewalks: Pedestrians are unable to access existing and planned economic activity on both corridors due to insufficient or nonexistent sidewalks. This limits access to DUBURUE'S IGTH STREET CORRIDOR people who do not own a vehicle. • Poor/Limited Bicycling Accommodations: There are no dedicated bike lanes along either corridor, limiting bicycle circulation in the community. • ADANon-Compliance: Elderly and disabled residents traveling to the Crescent Community Health Center on Elm Street, Chaplain Schmitt Island and downtown Dubuque are hindered by poor pedestrian access. • Unappealing Streetscape: The Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors lack identity without uniform street lighting and landscaping. The existing streetscapes inhibit people from walking through the area and work against the community's goal of creating vital commercial corridors and transit connectors. • Polluted Stormwater Runoff. Discharges from rain events threaten the Mississippi River. Project History/Progress to Date Dubuque has achieved substantial progress on its community revitalization goals. In the Historic Millwork District, a $5.6 million TIGER grant was awarded in 2010 to construct Complete Streets. Those efforts led to the Historic Millwork District's rebirth. Virtually empty in 2008, the neighborhood is well on its way to attracting new residents and employing new workers. More than $150 million was leveraged locally in private sector investment based on the TIGER DOBOOOE'S HISTORIC MILLWORK DISTRICT funding. Dubuque was also recognized by the EPA in 2013 with a National Award for Smart Growth Achievement for the Historic Millwork District's turnaround. In the North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods (Census Tracts 1, 3 and 5), regular flooding has imperiled homes for decades, disproportionately impacting the City's minority and low-income residents. The City spent $219 million to resurrect a buried creek and install green 7 1 Page infrastructure features to reduce the risk of flood damage to 1,155 properties in the Bee Branch Watershed, where over 50% of Dubuque's residents either live or work. The City also created a linear park along the Bee Branch Creek, with amenities including an amphitheater, bike/hike trails, bridges, lighting, and landscaping. In 2016, Dubuque received a $31.5 million Natural Disaster Resilience Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for flood -proofing and additional stormwater infrastructure improvements in the Washington Neighborhood. In partnership with the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, the City launched an initiative to restore the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors and other areas on the north end of Dubuque, originally the heart of the City. The goals of this "True North" effort were to redevelop, reuse and repurpose commercial and/or industrial assets with the greatest opportunity for a transformative effect; and pursue infrastructure improvements capable of creating the physical, financial and cultural environment necessary to enable new businesses to develop, and existing businesses to reinvest. The proposed RAISE transportation improvements support the True North partnership objectives. Improved access to the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, Chaplain Schmitt Island and future development on vacant brownfield sites has been the focus of multiple planning efforts, including the Chaplain Schmitt Island Master Plan, the Chaplain Schmitt Placemaking and Implementation Plan, the Imagine Dubuque 2037 Comprehensive Plan, and the Tri-State Trail Vision. Chaplain Schmitt Island was also rezoned in 2017 to allow for planned unit development. Dubuque has planned for transportation infrastructure enhancements to the 16th Street Corridor for many years. The City's 2017 TIGER Construction grant application for the corridor included several components that are in progress or have since been completed. Dubuque has reconstructed the sanitary sewer from Fengler Street to Kerper Boulevard, and from Kerper Boulevard to Sycamore Street, including reconstruction of the south two lanes of Kerper Boulevard and capacity improvements to accommodate the future economic development planned for the industrial park and on Chaplain Schmitt Island. The City recently received a federal TAP grant to complete construction of a new multipurpose Bee Branch Creek trail segment from Sycamore Street, under the elevated U.S. Highway 151/61 overpass to 12th Street, and has applied for an Iowa DOT recreational trails grant to complete the segment from 12th Street to Kerper Boulevard and 16th Street. Dubuque's RAISE Solution Revitalization of a 3,044-foot section of the 16th Street Corridor and a 2,880-foot section of the Elm Street Corridor, construction of the pedestrianibike shared use path to Chaplain Schmitt Island, and a vehicular/pedestrian overpass at the 14th Street railroad grade are critical to Dubuque's future economic vitality and to reduce barriers to opportunity for the City's most impoverished residents. Complete Streets will connect downtown Dubuque, its Historic Millwork District, and the ITC with low-income households in the distressed North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods, providing improved access to good -paying jobs and other community resources and amenities. 8 1 Page Specific improvements include: 16th Street Corridor • Reconstruct 16th Street from Elm Street to Greyhound Park Road as a Complete Street, with sidewalks and bike lanes to improve safety and access for pedestrians and bicyclists; • Construct four roundabouts along the 16th Street Corridor (Admiral Sheehy Roundabout — intersection of 16th Street with Admiral Sheehy Drive/Greyhound Park Road; Kerper Boulevard Roundabout — intersection of 16th Street and Kerper Boulevard; Elm Street Roundabout — intersection of 16th Street and Elm Street; and Sycamore Street Roundabout — intersection of 16th Street and Sycamore Street) to improve the flow of traffic to the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and Chaplain Schmitt Island; • Boulevard and capacity improvements to accommodate the future economic development planned for the industrial park and on the island; • Streetscape enhancements and amenities to create a safe and inviting environment for mixed -use development; • Green infrastructure such as new street trees and rain gardens that capture rain where it falls, reducing runoff volume to the Mississippi River. Elm Street Corridor • Reconstruct Elm Street from 20th Street to 11th Street as a Complete Street, with sidewalks and bike lanes to improve safety and access for pedestrians and bicyclists; • Construct a roundabout at Five Points (intersection of Elm Street and 20th Street] to enhance safety and improve the flow of traffic to downtown Dubuque, the Historic Millwork District, and the ITC; 14th Street Railroad Overpass • Construct a vehicular and pedestrian overpass (and related street improvements) to reduce significant train -related delays that negatively impact the safe and efficient movement of people and goods to and from the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and Chaplain Schmitt Island. Pedestrian/Bike Access • Improve safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists to employment and recreational opportunities across the Peosta Channel to Chaplain Schmitt Island with construction of a grade -separated pedestrian/bike shared use path adjacent to the existing 16th Street bridge. UNSAFE FDR PEDESTRIANS/BIKES: IBTH STREET BRIDGE TD CHAPLAIN SCHMITT ISLAND 9 1 Page Expected Users The B2E2 project directly supports residents living downtown, in Dubuque's Historic Millwork District, and within Areas of Persistent Poverty in the North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods. The proposed RAISE improvements will benefit many populations, including: • Dubuque residents who are either unemployed or underemployed; • Minority residents who face multiple barriers to economic opportunity, particularly those who live in census tracts designated as Areas of Persistent Poverty; • Economically -distressed residents who do not own a vehicle and depend on safe streets, sidewalks and bike lanes to travel within the community; • Users of Dubuque's Jule transit system with poor access to bus facilities; • Millennials who opt to not own a car; • Senior citizens and disabled residents who cannot effectively access the 16th Street Corridor, critical services such as the Crescent Community Health Center on Elm Street, and Chaplain Schmitt Island; • Developers and business advocates who demand transportation improvements along 16th Street and at the 14th Street railroad grade; and • Tourists and other visitors who currently cannot easily access Chaplain Schmitt Island from mainland Dubuque. Project Outcomes DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg has placed an emphasis on using federal transportation investment as a tool to help communities "create high -quality jobs, improve safety, protect our environment, and generate equitable economic opportunity for all Americans." RAISE investment in Dubuque's proposed B2E2 project will repair broken corridors, stimulate economic development, help residents improve the quality of their lives, and create pathways to lift people out of poverty and expand the region's middle class, especially for residents of distressed neighborhoods in and around the project area. RAISE funding will produce a variety of desired outcomes, including: • Increased Transportation Choices: RAISE funding will enable Dubuque to increase the number of residents who bike, walk or use transit to work and play. • Safer Streets and Sidewalks: Roundabouts, improved sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes, and a pedestrianibike shared use path to Chaplain Schmitt Island will help reduce vehicular and non -vehicular accidents, making Dubuque a safer place to live and visit. • Increased Density: Elm Street and 16th Street revitalization supports Dubuque's goal to build density in the Historic Millwork District and North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods, particularly for low-income residents who cannot afford to own a vehicle. • Economic Growth: RAISE investment will magnify the impact of the project area's Opportunity Zone designation, helping to unleash significant economic growth and job 10 1 Page creation along the 16th Street Corridor and connecting low-income residents to high -quality employment opportunities via the Elm Street Corridor. • Improved Environment: Investments in walkability, bikeability and green infrastructure will help improve air quality, decrease stormwater runoff, and generate other significant environmental benefits, helping Dubuque make progress toward the goals of its 2020 Climate Action Plan. • Healthier Community: Providing opportunities for increased walking and biking, safer access to community recreational amenities, and reducing environmental pollution will impact the health and well-being of Dubuque's citizens while addressing needs for improved physical activity identified in the City's 2019-2021 Community Health Needs Assessment Health Improvement Plan. • Improve Racial Equity: RAISE funding will improve access to living wage jobs and key community resources and amenities for the city's minority populations. • Mitigate Effects of Climate Change: The construction of Complete Streets along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors will help mitigate the negative effects of climate change by reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), fuel consumption, and vehicular emissions. Local and Regional Significance The B2E2 project is of local and regional importance. Locally, the project will help the City revitalize struggling neighborhoods by delivering direct benefits to residents who live in Areas of Persistent Poverty. The project complements efforts in Dubuque to focus investment in several key areas. RAISE investment will strengthen economic opportunity along the 16th Street Corridor and provide better transportation access for residents in the Historic Millwork District and low-income households in the project area. Developers are interested in reclaiming vacant buildings and brownfields along the 16th Street Corridor. Transportation investment in the corridor supports these efforts and will promote further revitalization in this part of the city. Regionally, Dubuque is an employment center for the tri-state region of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. Based on the City's experience in revitalizing the Historic Millwork District, RAISE funding is expected to spark significant new job -creating investments along the entire 16th Street Corridor. This boom in economic activity will benefit the whole rural region. However, poor access to Dubuque's key job centers will threaten planned development. RAISE investment will support the Dubuque region as it works to grow needed jobs. Racial Equity and Reducing Barriers to Opportunity RAISE investment in Dubuque's transportation infrastructure will build on the significant efforts already undertaken and now underway to improve equity and reduce barriers to opportunity for the city's minority residents, particularly those living in and adjacent to the B2E2 project area. Based on U.S. Census data, the 2021 Dubuque Equitable Poverty Reduction and Prevention Plan notes that a staggering 56.1 % of Black residents live in poverty, compared to 13.2% for white residents, and experience unemployment at a rate four times higher than whites. The highest median household income among Black Dubuquers is found in Census Tract 5 with a value of only $22,059, followed by Census Tract 1 with a value of $21,382. According to data from the Federal Reserve's 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances, median wealth for Black and Hispanic 111 Page families in America was $24,100 and $36,100, respectively, while for white families, median wealth was over five times that amount, at $188,200.2 A similar wealth gap is likely in Dubuque. Additional indicators that weigh against equitable outcomes for Dubuque's minority residents are found in limited access to health insurance and healthcare, where Black and Hispanic Dubuque residents are uninsured at more than three times the rate of white residents; in home ownership, where whites are eight times more likely to own their home than Black residents; and in educational attainment, where white residents are more than twice as likely to hold a bachelor's degree as Black residents.' Residents in Census Tracts 1 and 5 are also subject to food insecurity, with the nearest supermarket located one mile or more away.4 According to the Environmental Justice Mapping Tool, residents in these census tracts are also subject to numerous and significant environmental hazards, including proximity to Superfund sites and exposure to lead paints Taken together, these indicators establish the B2E2 project area's minority and low income population as an overburdened community that experiences disproportionate environmental harms and risks compared to Dubuque as a whole due to an accumulation of negative and lack of positive environmental, health, economic, and social conditions. For over a decade, Dubuque has made significant investments in the distressed Washington Neighborhood, where the city's minority population, poverty and old housing stock are concentrated. Low-income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), a local Housing Trust Fund, and numerous federal grants, including CDBG funds, have been used to try to meet the ever-increasing need for safer, more affordable housing that exceeds the existing supply. With RAISE INVESTMENT WILL STRENGTHEN DUBl1DIJE'S DISTRESSED support from federal grant funds, Dubuque has WASHINGTDN NEIGHBORHOOD also invested nearly a quarter -billion dollars to reduce flood hazards that impact residents in and around the B2E2 project area. RAISE investment will help ameliorate these inequities by reducing obstacles that systematically and structurally block individuals from equal access to the means from which to advance from poverty. The B2E2 project's interconnected Complete Streets components will enhance safe access to key employment centers and critical community resources, including the Crescent Community Health Center and the nearest grocery store on Elm Street, and reduce the negative ' The Federal Reserve, "2019 Survey of Consumer Finances", hW2s://www. federalreserve.,Qov/econres/notes/feds-notes/disparities-in-wealth-by-race-and-ethnicity-in-the-2019-sur vey-of-consumer-finances-20200928.htm s 2021 Dubuque Equitable Poverty Reduction and Prevention Plan 'USDA Food Access Research Atlas, 2019, https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas ' EPA's Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (Version 2020), htWs://www.el2a.gov/ejscreen 12 1 Page impacts of automobile dependency for minority residents living in and around the project area. Potential new development along 16th Street may provide a second grocery option for the neighborhood. Climate Change and Environmental Justice RAISE investment will help Dubuque make significant progress toward achieving its climate change mitigation goals as outlined in the city's 2020 Climate Action Plan (CAP). The B2E2 project aligns with the CAP goal to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 10% by 2030. To help achieve this goal, the plan calls for transforming 25% of the city's streets into Complete Streets and increasing public transit ridership. The 132E2 project also includes stormwater management features such as street trees and rain gardens that help reduce contaminated runoff from reaching the Mississippi River. Improving the equity of Dubuque's transportation systems requires a focus on developing systems and networks that allow for greater choice in where residents live and work as well as how they commute. Implementation of Complete Streets and a connected system of transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure will contribute to Dubuque's progress toward its goal of a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The project will advance environmental justice by delivering economic and social benefits to Dubuque residents who live in the city's most distressed neighborhoods and are subject to the greatest environmental hazards, including flooding, proximity to contaminated industrial sites, and lead paint in housing. Detailed Statement of Work 1. Project Preparation • Partnership Agreement: Confirm local and regional stakeholder support. • Funding Agreement: Upon notice of RAISE award, expeditiously coordinate with the DOT to process agreement and prepare for planning. 2. Procurement • Prepare bid solicitation and competitively solicit the bid for the design and engineering project. • Select the consultant and confirm the overall design team. 3. Planning & Design • Develop TDM strategy to reduce vehicle miles traveled on the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors. • Update corridor and intersection analyses to consider current and future stress factors, user conflicts, and mode switches. • Develop alternative options for the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors and design alternatives for effective intersection enhancements. 13 1 Page • Design and engineer key intersections, 14th Street railroad overpass, pedestrian/bike shared use path to Chaplain Schmitt Island, and Elm Street/ I6th Street Corridors to the 60% level. 4. Community Engagement • Communicate project intentions, impacts, and plans to residents and local businesses through community forums, public meetings, direct mail, social media, and other methods to seek feedback. • Share progress by posting project updates on the City website. 5. Shovel -Ready Project • Share design concepts with DOT, the community, and other project partners. • Complete final design. • Prepare for permitting and other approvals based upon designs. II. PROJECT LOCATION See attachments for full-scale Project Area Detail Map Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, Dubuque is Iowa's oldest city. Dubuque was established as a fur -trading post and mining community, and later flourished as a manufacturing hub. Manufacturing reigned in Dubuque until the mid- 1900s. As Dubuque's retail and industrial sectors moved to the western suburbs or fled completely, the downtown deteriorated and fell into disrepair. With the collapse of the farm economy in the 1980s, the community watched as the Dubuque Packing Company (located along the 16th Street Corridor) closed up shop, and then as John Deere — then the city's largest employer — reduced its workforce by three-quarters of its peak. Dubuque has reinvented itself. After decades of population and job loss, the city is rebounding. Over the last 100 years, Dubuque has seen its economy shift from chiefly manufacturing to the tourism, retail, health care, education, publishing, and financial service sectors. Dubuque now serves as the employment center for the tri-state region of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. In recent 14 1 Page years, Money magazine rated Dubuque as one of the best places to live in America and Forbes ranked the community as one of the best small cities for businesses and careers."' The city enjoys a business -friendly environment, skilled workforce and extraordinary quality of life. Dubuque is a compact, dense community with 23,620 households, 13,964 families and 1,923.3 people per square mile." The city is ethnically -diverse, with a minority population of 12.3%.10 Approximately 22.6% of Dubuque's population are millennials between the ages of 20 to 34, and 18% of residents are 65 years or over." A large proportion of the city's elderly population suffers with a disability (35.2%).12 Between 2015 and 2019, the median household income in Dubuque was $54,234 DDWNTOWN DUHUGUE (compared to $60,523 in Iowa and $62,843 nationally) and 15.9% of the city's residents lived below the poverty line (compared to 11.2% statewide and 10.5% across America).13 Nearly 36% of housing units in Dubuque are renter -occupied, compared to 28.5% in Iowa. No vehicles are available to 8.4% of Dubuque's population.14 Dubuque's northern neighborhoods located within the project area (Census Tracts 1 and 5) are significantly more diverse and low-income than the city as a whole. In Census Tract 1, 37.4% of residents belong to a minority group and 27.1% in Census Tract 5.15 About 30% of the population across both tracts is millennial and 9% of residents are 65 years and over.16 Nearly 14% of residents in Census Tract 1 and 18% in Census Tract 5 are disabled.17 The median household income in Census Tract 1 is $32,931 and $32,083 in Census Tract 5, significantly below national, state and local levels. Nearly 30% of residents in Census Tract 1 and 32.4% of Census Tract 5 residents live in poverty. Over 28% of the households in Census Tract 1 and nearly one-third of households in Census Tract 5 receive Food Stamps and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, compared to 12% citywide and 6 Money Magazine, "Best Places to Live in America", 2017 Forbes Magazine, "Best Small Cities for Businesses and Careers", 2014 8 U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 ACS 5-Year Estimates s U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census 10 U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 ACS 5-Year Estimates " U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey, "Age and Sex" 12 U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey, "Population 65 Years and Over" 13 U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey, "Selected Economic Characteristics" 1a U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey, "Selected Housing Characteristics" 15 U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey, "ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates" 16 U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey, "Age and Sex" 17 U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey, "Selected Social Characteristics" 15 1 Page 10.7% nationally." Approximately 24% of occupied housing units in Census Tract 1 and 20.5% in Census Tract 5 do not own a vehicle, compared to 8.4% citywide and 8.6% nationally.19 Table 1. Demographic Profile Median Household Income Minority Population Poverty Renters No Vehicle Millennials (20-34) Age 65 and over Persons with Disabilities Food Stamps/SNAP Census Tract 1 $32,931 37.4% 29.6% 81.5% 23.9% 36.3% 9.4% 13.8% 28.3% Source: US Census, 2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates Source: US Census, 2019 ACS 5-Year Estimates Designated Area of Persistent Poverty Census Dubuque Iowa Tract 5 $32,083 $54,234 $60,523 US $62,843 27.1% 12.3% 14.3% 39.3% 32.4% 15.9% 11.2% 10.5% 61.9% 35.8% 28.9% 36% 20.5% 8.4% 6.1% 8.6% 22.8% 22.5% 19.6% 20.4% 9.2% 18.0% 17.5% 16.5% 18.2% 13.6% 11.8% 12.7% 32.2% 12.0% 9.5% 10.7% Census Tract 1 individuals 16 years and over are nearly three times more likely to commute by walking than Dubuque residents overall (11.7% vs. 4.0%). This compares to 3.5% statewide and 2.8% nationally. In addition, Census Tract 1 commuters are five times more likely to bike to work than all city residents (1.5% vs 0.3%).20 Alternative transportation options are particularly important to millennials, low-income residents and people who do not own vehicles in Dubuque. Public transportation ridership consists of 29.5% of workers living at or below the poverty level, compared to 16.2% citywide and 12.5% in Iowa. Among transit system customers who live in an Area of Persistent Poverty, more than 40% in Census Tract 1 and over half in Census Tract 5 do not own a vehicle.21 Maintaining an efficient transportation system with reliable buses, safe streets, bike lanes, and sidewalks is imperative to reducing barriers to opportunity for these transit -dependent populations. 18 U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey, "Selected Economic Characteristics" 19 U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey, "Selected Housing Characteristics" 20 U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey, "Selected Economic Characteristics" 21 U.S. Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey, "Means of Transportation to Work by Selected Characteristics" 16 1 Page Connection to Existing Transportation Infrastructure Within the B2E2 project area, the eastern end of the 16th Street Corridor connects to Kerper Boulevard, a major north/south artery, which links the project area to US Highway 151, the freeway that connects Dubuque to Wisconsin on the east side of the Mississippi River, and to US Highway 61, which connects Dubuque to Illinois on the east side of the river via US Highway 20. Eastbound 16th Street continues past Kerper Boulevard to the transportation network on Chaplain Schmitt Island via a four -lane bridge. The Elm Street Corridor intersects with 14th Street/Loras Boulevard, a major east/west arterial, and to the Dubuque Intermodal Transportation Center at I Ith Street in downtown Dubuque, which provides transit connections to Dubuque's West End, as well as hospitals, universities and other destinations. The Elm Street Corridor is connected to Central/White Street, a major north/south thoroughfare, via 20th Street at the northern terminus of the project area (Five Points intersection). III. GRANT FUNDS AND SOURCES/USES OF PROJECT FUNDS Dubuque seeks $2,112,000 in RAISE funding to support a multimodal project that will help improve access to the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, Chaplain Schmitt Island, downtown Dubuque and its Historic Millwork District, the ITC transit hub, and future development on key vacant brownfields within the project area. The total cost of the planning project is $3,520,000. RAISE support represents 60% of the total project. Dubuque and its partners have committed to match RAISE funds with $1,408,000 in non-federal money from the City, which represents 40% of the total project. Table 2. Grant Fund Sources/Uses Other RAISE Federal Matching Match Project Component Cost Request Support Funds Source $810,000 $486.000 $0 $324,000 City of 16th Street (Elm to Kerper) (100.0%) (60.0%) (0.0%) (40.0%) Dubuque 16th Street Bridge Ped/Bike $100,000 $60,000 $0 $40,000 City of Shared Use Path (100.0%) (60.0%) (0.0%) (40.0%) Dubuque Admiral Sheehy Drive $170,000 $102,000 $0 $68,000 City of Roundabout (100.0%) (60.0%) (0.0%) (40.0%) Dubuque $890,000 $534,000 $0 $356,000 City of Elm Street (I Ith to 20th) (100.0%) (60.0%) (0.0%) (40.0%) Dubuque 14th Street Railroad $1,400,000 $840,000 $0 $560,000 City of Overpass (100.0%) (60.0%) (0.0%) (40.0%) Dubuque 14th Street (Cedar to $150,000 $90,000 $0 $60,000 City of Sycamore Bridge) (100.0%) (60.0%) (0.0%) (40.0%) Dubuque $3,520,000 $2,112,000 $0 $1,408,000 Design Subtotal Costs (100.0%) (60.0%) (0.0%) (40.0%) _ 17 1 Page Total Project Cost $3,520,000 Total Local Match $1,408,000 RAISE Funds Requested $2,112,000 Local Match in Project 40.0% RAISE Funds in Project 60.0% MATCH BREAKDOWN AMOUNT % OF TOTAL PROJECT City of Dubuque Local Funds $1,408,000 40.0% Total Local Match $1,408,000 40.0% All matching funds will be available for implementing this RAISE Planning project pending City Council and mayoral approval of the authorizing resolution, which is expected by July 19, 2021. There are no restrictions on local cost share dollars. IV SELECTION CRITERIA A. Primary Selection Criteria 1. Safety Improving safety for all users is a key goal of Dubuque's proposed RAISE Planning project. Once completed, the 132E2 project will improve safety by effectively managing and redirecting traffic flows with improved intersections, clear crosswalks, designated pedestrian and bicycle intersections, and improved signage. Dubuque intends to redesign and improve multiple intersections along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors to better support pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. There are currently several points of conflict between cars and people in the public realm of 16th Street and its intersecting streets. 16th Street includes four travel lanes, two in each TRAFFIC INCIDENT ON IETH STREET direction, and no sidewalks or marked bicycle lanes. There are also four intersections along 16th Street that slow traffic and contribute to a very challenging pedestrian and bicycle experience. Elm Street from the Five Points intersection to downtown Dubuque includes two travel lanes, one in each direction. Sidewalks are narrow and there are no marked bicycle lanes. Several intersections slow traffic and contribute to a challenging pedestrian and bicycle experience, especially at the Five Points and 16th Street intersections, where new roundabouts are planned. Over the past decade, 117 crashes with 45 injuries and no fatalities were reported along the 16th Street Corridor, including 34 crashes at the Elm and 16th Street intersection and 32 crashes at the 18 1 Page intersection of 16th and Kerper Boulevard. For the Elm Street Corridor (excluding the intersection of Elm and 16th), 144 crashes with 49 injuries were reported during the same time period. (see attachments for Crash Incident Reports) Although these are not the most dangerous intersections in Dubuque, expected increases in traffic volume along both corridors due to new economic development, as well as increased pedestrian and bicycle usage encouraged by Complete Streets enhancements make a proactive approach to improving safety along both corridors a smart investment of federal transportation resources that will directly benefit low-income residents, senior citizens and disabled residents in Areas of Persistent Poverty. The project will help the City avoid future surface transportation -related crashes, injuries and fatalities, and achieve significant safety benefits. Consistent with the goals of the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Traffic Study (DMATS) Long Range Transportation Plan 2045, the B2E2 project will implement alternative intersection designs that reduce conflict points and enhance safety and mobility. Studies have shown that roundabouts are safer than traditional stop signs or signal -controlled intersections. The tight circle of a roundabout forces drivers to slow down, and the most severe types of intersection crashes — right angle, left -turn and head-on collisions — are unlikely. Roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 75% at intersections where stop signs or signals were previously used for traffic control, according to studies reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.ZZ Roundabouts generally are also safer for pedestrians. Pedestrians walk on sidewalks around the perimeter and cross only one direction of traffic at a time. Crossing distances are relatively short and traffic speeds are lower than at traditional intersections. Through its participation in the East Central Intergovernmental Association's Smart Traffic Routing with Efficient and Effective Traffic Systems (STREETS) initiative, Dubuque will also leverage ITS technologies in the B2E2 project area to create a smart, next -generation, traffic management and control system that will enable dynamic traffic routing to maximize the use of existing roadway capacities and improve safety. The proposed improvements will help Dubuque shift traffic modes from personal vehicles to even greater walking, biking, and public transit activity. The existing conditions create unsafe conditions for bikers and pedestrians and the strong perception of an unsafe environment discourages residents from using these modes. Safe sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes and improved lighting will reduce areas of conflict. Essential street repairs on Elm and 16th Streets will also reduce damage to vehicles, including deployed airbags, popped tires, damage to vehicle struts, as well as people reporting pedestrian harms from trip hazards. NO DEDICATED BIKE LANES UN IGTH STREET 22 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, https://www.iihs.org/topics/roundabouts 19 I Page The vehicular and pedestrian overpass planned at the 14th Street railroad grade will also improve safety by reducing train -related delays experienced by the City's first responders and reducing the potential for vehicle -train incidents and the likelihood of a train -related discharge of hazardous materials. As economic development advances in the B2E2 project area, increasing traffic volumes along these key corridors, it will become even more important to redesign transportation infrastructure and deploy new technologies to ensure the safety of all users, especially for residents of the project area's distressed neighborhoods, who are nearly three times more likely to walk to work and five times more likely to bike to work than all commuters in Dubuque. 2. Environmental Sustainability Another important goal of the B2E2 initiative focuses on environmental protection and sustainability. The project will demonstrate how investing in pedestrian/biking improvements and green infrastructure can generate multiple environmental benefits, including reduced dependence on foreign oil, curbed emissions, improved air quality, decreased stormwater runoff, brownfields redevelopment, and smart growth. Each of these benefits will contribute significantly to the sustainability of the city and region. Making sidewalks and streets safer for biking and walking will increase the number of residents who use non -vehicular modes to commute to work. The Imagine Dubuque 2037 Comprehensive Plan notes that nearly one -quarter of Dubuque's greenhouse gas emissions are related to transportation. Shifting trips in the city from single occupancy vehicles to bus transit, walking and biking will significantly reduce fuel consumption and generate meaningful reductions of carbon and other air pollutants. Another important environmental benefit associated with this project is the reduction of hazardous pollutants resulting from reductions in vehicle miles traveled (VMT). In addition to encouraging mode shifts, the new 14th Street railroad overpass will create a more efficient access route to the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and Chaplain Schmitt Island by reducing train -related delays, enabling users to more easily travel to these key economic nodes from downtown Dubuque and other points south of the project area. Moreover, Complete Streets improvements to the Elm Street Corridor will increase multimodal access to local grocery stores for residents of the project area's distressed neighborhoods, reducing emissions from the vehicle miles traveled for food. Dubuque lies within the Mississippi River watershed. Reducing the volume and contaminant load of stormwater runoff is critical to mitigating health hazards and improving the river's water quality. Dubuque proposes to install green infrastructure along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors to capture rainwater where it falls. New street trees and rain gardens will reduce runoff volume and filter water as it percolates into the ground. The 16th Street Corridor also has several potential brownfield sites that are seriously threatening the health of residents and the general economic development of Dubuque. Bordering the Mississippi River, the area has been the home to shipbuilding and repair facilities, bulk 20 1 Page petroleum and coal storage operations, food processing plants, farm machinery manufacturers, and lead mining activity since the early 1800s. A legacy of riverftont activities has left the riverbanks marred with environmental contamination. Brownfields cleanup, supported with EPA grants, is already underway in the community. For example, the City will soon complete remediation of the Washington Neighborhood's Blum property, a former junkyard. RAISE investment will help to encourage additional remediation of contaminated sites and further concentrate infill development for more efficient land -use. Increased capacity of the transportation system will encourage private sector developers to site their projects on vacant parcels now available in the B2E2 project area.The project also includes energy efficient LED street lights, which will save electricity, reduce costs and curb emissions. 3. Quality of Life Dubuque's B2E2 project will improve quality of life in the project area and the region in several important ways: Providing More Transportation Choices for Expected Users. Dubuque's B2E2 Planning project will increase safe, reliable and economical transportation choices for a diverse group of expected users. The Elm and 16th Street Complete Streets components will directly support households in Areas of Persistent Poverty that do not own a vehicle. These residents depend on other modes of transportation to live, work, shop and play. The Planning project will help Dubuque advance its goals to improve vehicular access while enhancing the safe and accessible multimodal corridors that are vital to providing options to those without a private vehicle. According to AAA, the average annual cost of owning and operating a car rose to more than $9,500 in 2020.23 Providing transportation choices such as improved transit, better walkability, and bike lanes helps residents more easily forgo owning a personal vehicle or operate without one, increasing local purchasing power, reducing the cost of living, and increasing the resources available to low-income families to meet their basic needs. With median household income of just $32,000 -- only half of the national median household income -- many residents in the project area are dependent on non -private vehicle transportation. In addition, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition's "Out of Reach 2020," the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two -bedroom apartment was $760 in 2020. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $30,410 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a housing wage of $14.62. In order to afford the FMR for a two bedroom apartment, a household must include two minimum wage earners working 40 hours per week, year-round.za " AAA "Your Driving Costs 2020", https://newsroom. aaa. com/wp-content/uploads/2020/ 12/Your-Driving-Costs-2020-Fact-Sheet-FINAL-12-9-20-2.pdf 24 National Low Income Housing Coalition, "Out of Reach 2020", https://reports. nlihc. org/sites/default/files/oor/files/reports/state/IA-2020-OOR.12df 211 Page Expanding safe multi -modal access through the B2E2 project is critical to improving quality of life and affordability for these residents. Walking and biking should be commonplace, but the poorly functioning, unsafe, and unattractive Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors do not support walkability and livability for this community. Complete Streets and pedestrian improvements along both corridors will provide safe opportunities for walking and biking. In addition, ADA compliance measures will provide safer access opportunities for seniors and persons with disabilities to critical resources like the Crescent Community Health Center on Elm Street. Promoting Neighborhood Revitalization and Infill Development. The project has the potential to completely revitalize the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors, thereby improving quality of life in the distressed North End, Point and Washington Neighborhoods. Transportation improvements will promote infill development and drive the revitalization of brownfields like the former Dubuque Packing Company site, which has remained vacant for decades, leading to job creation that will directly benefit low-income residents in the project area. Improving Connectivity to Jobs and Community Amenities. RAISE investment is critical to helping connect people with employment and other key community amenities, such as health care, food and recreation. The economic prosperity of a community is dependent on its ability to move people and goods. However, that mobility is constrained in the project area by roadways that were not designed for the expansive economic development envisioned by the City. RAISE improvements will enable Dubuque residents to safely move about the community, and save time and money along busy streets. Travel time savings will also contribute to quality of life. Less time spent behind the wheel will provide residents with greater opportunities to enjoy leisure activities. The proposed 16th Street pedestrianibike shared use path will improve quality of life by creating a safer route to access healthy recreational opportunities, connecting walkers and bicyclists to the extensive trail system on Chaplain Schmitt Island. The proposed 14th Street railroad overpass will reduce significant train -related delays that prevent workers from reaching their places of employment. 4. Economic Competitiveness Infrastructure improvements to the interconnected Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors will drive Dubuque's economic future. The City has invested significant resources to grow businesses and jobs in this part of town. Three areas are key to Dubuque's future economic vitality — the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park, Chaplain Schmitt Island, and vacant brownfield parcels that are ripe for redevelopment. Operating since the 1950s, the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park is poised for expansion. The 229-acre site is home to a number of existing tenants, including Georgia Pacific, Hirschbach Transportation, Drive Line, Union-Hoermann Press, Rainbo Oil, HEAVY TRUCKS NEAR KERPER BOULEVARD INDUSTRIAL PARK Van Meter Inc., 22 1 Page Anderson/Eagle Window and Door Inc., Key City Plating, United Parcel Service, Rousselot, Black Rock Fabrication, Home Technology Systems, B&F Fastener Supply, Anova Pallet, Innocor Inc., Bradley Iron Works, Klauer Manufacturing Company, Dubuque Fire Equipment Inc., Flint Hills Resources, Quanex, Brightwood Corporation, Advantage Sheet Metal, Inc., Thompson Truck & Trailer, AG Trucking, Energetics, Automotive & Industrial Hardware, Weitz Sign Systems, Coca-Cola Bottling Inc., Bel -Aire Rental, Matthews Distributing, Drive Line of Dubuque, Hurst Logistics, Complete Off Road, Smart Retract -a -Gate, and Advance Designs. A number of vacant buildings and lots still exist within the industrial park. The True North campaign seeks to attract more light manufacturing and other business uses appropriate for the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and nearby brownfield sites. In combination with incentives available through Dubuque's Opportunity Zone (Census Tracts 1 and 5), Complete Streets improvements on Elm Street and 16th Street will help the City and Greater Dubuque Development Corporation attract new businesses. Transportation investment in the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors will support significant economic growth on Chaplain Schmitt Island. A former landfill, the island was redeveloped in the 1980s into major commercial and recreational venues. The current commercial and recreational venues include the Q Casino & Resort and its indoor restaurants and amenities, Dubuque Greyhound Park, Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, Houlihan's restaurant, Catfish Charlie's restaurant, American Marine, Mystique Community Ice Center, Dubuque Water Sports Club, Dubuque Yacht Basin Marina & RV Park, American Lady Yacht, MacAleece Sports Complex, Miller -Riverview Park, Schmitt Island boat ramp, and several Veterans Memorials. Community leaders seek to transform the island into a thriving jobs hub and a year-round destination. In 2017, Chaplain Schmitt Island was rezoned to allow for planned unit development. The Q Casino is currently planning a new hotel and the southern half of the area will be developed as a destination with new retail, restaurants, entertainment, and recreational amenities. Better vehicle and transit access, as well as more pedestrian and biking opportunities, is critical to this expansion. Complete Streets and pedestrian/bike accommodations are also essential to the redevelopment of area brownfields. A key site on the 16th Street Corridor is the former Dubuque Packing Company plant. This vacant building has sat idle for more than a decade and is ripe for redevelopment. Dubuque has also received EPA Brownfields Community -Wide Assessment and Cleanup funding to tackle additional brownfield challenges throughout the project area. For example, remediation efforts will soon be complete at the Washington Neighborhood's Blum property, a former junkyard. These cleanup activities will accelerate as transportation access improves and developers begin to reclaim more contaminated properties. In addition, two 2-acre parcels along the 16th Street Corridor are prime for immediate redevelopment with the proposed transportation enhancements. Besides jobs, RAISE Planning investment will lead to the creation of additional economic benefits. Land values will rise along the improved corridors. The surge of economic development that RAISE funding will help Dubuque to unleash will also create significant local fees and taxes. The proposed RAISE project will help connect unemployed and underemployed workers in low-income households within Areas of Persistent Poverty to job opportunities on the 16th 23 1 Page Street Corridor. Pedestrian and bike improvements across the Peosta Channel, as well as ADA compliance measures, will also help connect disadvantaged residents to employment. This is critical to an economically -distressed portion of the city. The proposed vehicular and pedestrian overpass at the 14th Street railroad grade also increases economic competitiveness by reducing frequent and lengthy train delays that impair the efficient movement of people and goods and increase the cost of doing business. As Dubuque developed, its residential population has located to the west of its downtown train tracks, and major economic development and job opportunities have been sited, and continue to grow, to the east along the Mississippi River. Commuting to these employment centers is difficult. Every day, eight to 10 trains travel north -south on Canadian Pacific Railroad's active line through downtown Dubuque. These roughly 8,000-foot trains (more than 1.5 miles of railcars) stop for approximately 20 to 30 minutes each at a railyard just north of downtown to switch cars, load and unload freight, receive orders, and pick up drivers. For up to five hours throughout the day (including during peak times), east -west connectivity is prohibited at five at -grade crossings. Visit Dubuque any day of the year, and one's journey will likely be delayed by trains bisecting the community. These choke points seriously impact the movement of commuters to employment centers, business shippers, visitors to waterfront recreational opportunities, and first responders to emergencies. Traffic delays caused by trains are often underreported in conventional traffic modeling. A recent study suggests that traffic delays may be 5-7 times longer than typically estimated due to the recovery period required to restore normal traffic flow after the train has passed.25 A new overpass at 14th Street will help minimize these delays. 5. State of Good Repair RAISE investment supports existing infrastructure on the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors, which have not been modified in decades. That disinvestment threatens Dubuque's aspirational economic development efforts in the B2E2 project area. Revitalization will improve the conditions of existing transportation facilities and infrastructure. With multiple congested intersections, traffic is unable to flow freely on either thoroughfare. The route is particularly challenging and hazardous to pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as senior citizens and disabled residents, with limited or no sidewalks and bike accommodations. These components of the proposed project are in complete alignment with DOT'S "fix it first" approach. Even the new infrastructure proposed for the B2E2 project area, particularly the 14th Street railroad overpass, will contribute to a state of good repair by creating an alternate route to the Kerper Boulevard Industrial Park and Chaplain Schmitt Island, thereby reducing pressure on 16th Street to carry the bulk of traffic to and from these areas. Integration with the city's ITS infrastructure will also contribute to reducing wear and tear on roads in the project area by distributing traffic more evenly along these key access routes. " G. Rempel, "Using ITS to Measure and Mitigate Traffic Congestion at Railroad Crossings," in ITS America, Detroit, MI, 2018. 24 1 Page Dubuque seeks to develop Complete Streets on the interconnected Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors, both of which currently serve pedestrian, bike, transit, commercial and personal vehicle traffic. However, neither corridor was designed for these mixed uses. Project elements include reconstruction of the roadway, five roundabouts, sidewalks and bike lanes, and appropriate pedestrian -scale street lighting. Complete Street improvements will provide better functionality on Elm Street and 16th Street, improve mobility along these thoroughfares and help the City save money by matching the needs of the roadways with their actual design. Proposed upgrades in existing infrastructure help to minimize deterioration of the roadways and extend the life cycle of the Jule transit system's rolling stock investments. Improved pedestrian and bike access also supports Dubuque's investment in existing multi -use trails. The new pedestrian/bike shared use path adjacent to the 16th Street Bridge will improve safe access to job opportunities, recreation and other community amenities on Chaplain Schmitt Island. The project will also provide pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to the Bee Branch Trail, Mississippi River Trail system and the National Scenic Byway system. The B2E2 project is consistent with existing local and regional plans to maintain transportation facilities and systems in a state of good repair. RAISE Planning funds will complement robust planning efforts, including: • Chaplain Schmitt Island Master Plan (2017� — Roundabouts are proposed to help improve traffic flow and serve as a gateway to the island. • Chaplain Schmitt Island Placemakin and nd Implementation Plan (2017) — The plan calls for better pedestrian/bike access across the 16th Street Bridge. These improvements will enhance the visitor experience and connect back to the Bee Branch trail system and other basin improvements. • Imagine Dubuque 2037 Comprehensive Plan (2017) - The plan calls for implementing Complete Streets and the addition of roundabouts and technology enhancements to existing roadways. • True North (2017� — The City and Greater Dubuque Development Corporation recommend the proposed RAISE transportation improvements to help attract businesses to the region. • Tri-State Area Integrated Walking Bicycling and Hiking Network Plan - The plan calls for the adoption of Complete Streets to support sustainable community development and addressing constraints and gaps in transportation networks to ensure continuity and safety. • Dubuque Metropolitan Area Traffic Study (DMATS) Long Range Transportation Plan 2045 - The plan calls for implementing innovative intersection designs and traffic signal modifications that reduce conflict points and enhance safety and mobility. • Dubuque Climate Action Plan (2020) -- The plan calls for the conversion of 25% of Dubuque streets to Complete Streets by 2030 to help meet the city's greenhouse gas reduction goals. • Dubuque Equitable Poverty Reduction and Prevention Plan (2021) -- The plan calls for reducing obstacles that systematically and structurally block individuals from equal access to the means from which to advance from poverty, including through transportation enhancements. 25 1 Page Without strategic transportation investments, Dubuque will have difficulty spurring new economic development in the area and leveraging the full potential of its Opportunity Zone designation. The City is remediating key brownfield sites and developers have begun to reclaim empty buildings, vacant storefronts and idle lots. However, this revitalization will not be fully realized if the community's multimodal transportation network does not work. Mode shifts are key to Dubuque's economic future. Dubuque has considered how the project's long-term operations and maintenance costs will be met. Economic growth along the corridors will create significant additional fees and tax revenues that can offset costs associated with maintaining the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridor infrastructure. Transit improvements will also increase Jule bus ridership and associated fares, and create efficiencies that will save money. B. Secondary Selection Criteria 1. Innovation Dubuque's B2E2 project incorporates innovative technologies, project delivery and financing to improve its transportation system. Specifically: a. Innovative Technologies The project will include the installation of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors to enhance safety and mobility. The system will integrate with the City's existing ITS infrastructure and enable future functionality, such as Vehicle -to -Infrastructure (V2I), Vehicle -to -Vehicle (V2V), and Vehicle -to -Everything (V2X) technologies that will support autonomous vehicles. The 132E2 project will also be paired with on -going broadband and digital equity efforts in and around the project area. The City has been installing multi -duct conduit, allowing up to seven internet carriers to provide fiber services throughout the area. In addition, the City will shortly be completing the second major internet crossing of the Mississippi on the Hwy 151/61 transiting 16th Street from downtown Dubuque to Wisconsin. Universal, redundant, high-speed broadband access will support the next -generation connectivity that drives further innovation and enhance equitable access to the Internet for city residents who live in distressed neighborhoods in and around the project area -- a critical need in today's digital economy. The City will use innovative Complete Streets design elements to transform poorly functioning streets and implement streetscape improvements along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors. Sidewalks, bike lanes and other streetscape improvements will support transit, walking and biking. The project also includes the replacement of existing incandescent street lights on the rebuilt Complete Streets with energy efficient LEDs, which will save electricity, reduce costs and curb emissions. In addition, innovative green infrastructure approaches such as planting trees and infiltration basins to help with uptake will be used to improve water quality and manage the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff from road surfaces into the Mississippi River. 26 1 Page Based on previous experience with the $5.6 million TIGER -funded Historic Millwork District Complete Streets project, City staff and partners have the technical capability to install and operate these innovative technologies and approaches. No extraordinary permitting, approvals, exemptions, waivers, or other procedural actions will be required since the installations will fall within existing rights -of -way. Dubuque anticipates no effects on the project delivery timeline. b. Innovative Project Delivery As part of this RAISE Planning project, Dubuque will explore innovative project delivery options for planning, design, permitting, and review. Dubuque will engage with Iowa DOT and regional Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to discuss innovative strategies to expedite project delivery using mobile survey and mapping applications such as LIDAR data and digital imagery and pavement condition scanning using drone UAV technology. The three dimensional scanning technology will allow for real-time 3D BIM modeling and the use of virtual reality visualization technology during both the design and public informational meetings to convey and display the proposed corridor improvements. Dubuque will also evaluate alternative methods for Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) for both the 16th Street Peosta Channel bridge shared use path and the 14th Street railroad overpass bridge. c. Innovative Financing The B2E2 project is located entirely within Dubuque's federally -designated Opportunity Zone, where the City will intentionally seek to leverage the program's tax incentives, passed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The potential for driving significant private sector investment along the 16th Street Corridor and on Chaplain Schmitt Island is great, and Dubuque is ready to combine local and federal dollars to leverage private redevelopment through Opportunity Funds over the next decade. The area is ripe for redevelopment, but transportation challenges inhibit these new opportunities and diminish the economic potential of the area. While this was by no means the only reason to invest in the 16th Street Corridor, Opportunity Funds now offer both the City and DOT the ability to channel public dollars more effectively and the City is planning accordingly. New development will increase local tax revenues to support additional transportation infrastructure improvements. Dubuque also intends to pursue private funds to support specific elements of the B2E2 project. As part of its previous TIGER construction application, Dubuque secured a $500,000 cash commitment from the Dubuque Racing Association (DRA) to support the construction of Complete Streets along the 16th Street Corridor and a pedestrian/bike shared use path to Chaplain Schmitt Island. Although DRA has since spent those funds on a different project, they have expressed interest in renewing discussions with the City regarding financial support for a future construction project that facilitates access to the island. 2. Partnership Dubuque will continue to work with many key partners to develop the project that is the subject of this planning effort. Partners crucial to the implementation of the project include: 27 1 Page • City of Dubuque — will administer the RAISE planning project and has committed $1,408,000 in local match. • State of Iowa — will work with the City to expeditiously complete NEPA and other regulatory requirements at the appropriate time. • Jule Transit System — RAISE funds will leverage Elm Street and 16th Street transit investment. • East Central Intergovernmental Association — will work with Dubuque to complete a BCA and help implement the project. • Greater Dubuque Development Corporation — will work to grow jobs along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors through its True North business recruitment efforts. • Dubuque Racing Association (DRA) - the City and DRA will continue to discuss a public -private partnership to assist with financing key components of the project. • Local Developers — RAISE investment along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors will be leveraged with revitalization efforts of private developers. Current conversations with a landowner and developer propose the creation of over 100 well -paid jobs in the area. The developer has commissioned a traffic study to fully understand the improvements needed to support their plans. To ensure that the B2E2 planning process explicitly addresses climate change and environmental justice impacts, as well as racial equity and reducing barriers to opportunity, Dubuque will engage key community stakeholders who partnered in the development of the City's 2020 Climate Action Plan and the 2021 Equitable Poverty Reduction and Prevention Plan, including Dubuque's Resilient Community Advisory Commission, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Green Dubuque, Inclusive Dubuque, Government Alliance on Race and Equity, faith -based organizations, and neighborhood organizations in and around the project area. The B2E2 project enjoys strong intergovernmental support from Dubuque Mayor Roy Buol, the Dubuque City Council, the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors, the Iowa Department of Transportation, Governor Kim Reynolds, State Representatives Lindsay James and Charles Isenhart, State Senator Pam Jochum, U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson, and U.S. Senators Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst. Having applied for a DOT TIGER construction grant in 2017, the City has already coordinated closely with its federal partners to plan for and develop the B2E2 project. That interagency collaboration has long been a hallmark of Dubuque's federally -supported transportation, disaster resilience and environmental remediation efforts. In 2010, Dubuque received a $5.6 million DOT TIGER grant to develop Complete Streets in the Historic Millwork District. In 2012, the FTA awarded the City a $8 million State of Good Repair grant to construct a new intermodal facility near the Historic Millwork District. In 2015, Dubuque won a $31.5 million HUD Natural Disaster Resilience Grant for flood -proofing and stormwater infrastructure improvements in the Washington Neighborhood. The City has also received $1 million in EPA Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and Area -Wide Planning dollars to remediate contaminated sites in the B2E2 project area. Dubuque was honored in 2013 with an EPA National Award for Smart Growth Achievement for its downtown revitalization efforts. RAISE investment will immediately leverage this federal support. 28 1 Page V. ENVIRONMENTAL RISK REVIEW AND PROJECT READINESS A. Project Schedule Dubuque can begin the proposed planning project quickly upon award of a RAISE grant and all funds will be spent expeditiously. Table 3. Project Schedule 2022 2023 2024 QI Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Project Phase Funding Agreement with DOT Planning & Design Request for Proposal (RFP) Preparation and Consultant Solicitation Select Consultant & Confirm Design Team Develop Design Scope of Services & Consultant Contract Complete Preliminary Engineering Host Community Forums to Share Proposed Improvements Complete Environmental Review NEPA /106 Clearance Complete Final Engineering Host Community Forums to Share Proposed Final Improvements Seek Local Approvals on Completed Plan Public Engagement 29 1 Page Dubuque has incorporated community and stakeholder engagement into its project schedule to ensure that there is robust public input, including through public workshops and public meetings that can produce a strong community consensus on the ultimate plans. The City will also use social media, online surveys, postcard mailers, and utility billing newsletters to solicit feedback and engage residents, as well as the City Life and City Expo programs that allow residents to interact with City Staff and learn more about services and projects. The B2E2 planning process will explicitly include consideration of climate change impacts, racial equity and environmental justice. As evidenced by the attached letters of support, there has already been a strong effort to engage with local and regional stakeholders well in advance of the start of planning. The federal Opportunity Zone designation for Census Tracts 1 and 5 further cemented the interest that the community has in seeing redevelopment and infrastructure improvements along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors. B. Required Approvals 1. Environmental Permits and Review Based on the city's prior TIGER construction grant application, Dubuque has worked closely with Stuart Anderson at the Iowa Department of Transportation to advance the proposed project's readiness. The City has consulted with the state on NEPA, although NEPA discussions are not needed at this stage for a RAISE Planning project. Dubuque anticipates that the future construction project will be classified as a Categorical Exclusion, pending documentation from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) that historic resources will not be affected and from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to confirm that no rare/endangered species will be affected. Dubuque fully expects the construction project to be compliant with all regulatory requirements and to pose no adverse impacts on historic resources. As part of the City's previous project development efforts, Dubuque has already engaged in extensive public outreach. The community hosted numerous public meetings gathering input on ways to improve pedestrian, bicycling and transit uses on 16th Street. Local leaders, businesses and residents attended planning workshops and provided feedback on proposed transportation solutions. Additional public outreach and community engagement, especially with respect to redesign of the Elm Street Corridor, climate change impacts, racial equity and environmental justice, will be an important part of this RAISE -funded planning effort for the retooled B2E2 project. 2. State and Local Approvals The B2E2 project is consistent with existing local and regional plans to maintain transportation facilities and systems in a state of good repair. RAISE Planning funds will complement other smart growth efforts in Dubuque to focus investment downtown. Minor permits to conduct work in the right-of-way will easily be secured from the Iowa Department of Transportation. A Corps of Engineers permit will be required to construct the pedestrian/bike shared use path to Chaplain Schmitt Island. Representatives from the state and federal agencies have indicated that they will support this work and will move expeditiously to complete regulatory requirements at the appropriate time. Other project components —ADA sidewalk improvements, benches and street 30 1 Page lighting — will take place on land owned or controlled by the City. Dubuque will issue a building permit upon completion of environmental and site plan review. 3. Federal Transportation Requirements Affecting State and Local Planning The Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study, administered by the East Central Intergovernmental Association, is supportive of the project and has pledged to amend its TIP to include the B2E2 project elements immediately upon RAISE award. C. Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies Dubuque's RAISE Planning project is both timely and low -risk. The City is prepared for additional planning. The funding gap between available local resources and the planning project cost remains its primary concern. RAISE funds would alleviate that gap and allow the planning to proceed to evaluate the 132E2 initiative's challenges, opportunities, and alternative options. Long-term, the project poses few construction barriers. Most of the proposed improvements are located within the existing right-of-way. Only minor temporary and permanent easement acquisition is anticipated. Potential construction risk mitigation strategies might include: • NEPA delays: The City will consult with Iowa DOT, which administers NEPA reviews on behalf of DOT for federal aid projects. The future construction project is expected to receive a Categorical Exclusion, pending SHPO documentation that historic resources will not be affected and notice from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirming that no rare/endangered species will be harmed. • Cost overruns: Contingency costs will be built into a future construction budget. D. Technical Capacity The sponsor of this project is the City of Dubuque, Iowa. The City has demonstrated its ability to hire professional firms and contractors, acquire property and otherwise advance projects in compliance with federal and state laws through various projects included on the Transportation Improvement Program in the past ten years or more, be they bridge, highway, or road infrastructure enhancement projects. In the past ten years, the current City engineering staff has successfully managed over $66 million of federal -aid transportation projects, including right-of-way acquisition, railroad negotiation, and all aspects of planning such as scoping, preliminary design, detailed design, construction and inspection (see attachments for Federal Aid Project History). Dubuque has an exemplary record of managing federal grants, having received numerous DOT, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other federal grants over the years. Key to this effort is the development of a detailed work plan with clear milestones and responsibilities. Performance measures will be established in order to track progress. 311 Page The City employs five engineers experienced with administering grant funds and managing federal aid transportation projects. Key City staff to be involved in administering this project are: City Engineer Gus Psihoyos, Assistant City Engineer Bob Schiesl, Civil Engineer Jon Dienst, Land Surveyor Nate Kieffer, and Civil Engineer Nate Steffen (see attachments for Engineering Staff Bios). The city's team is familiar with typical cost estimates for the major components of the B2E2 project, including Complete Streets, the 14th Street railroad overpass, and the pedestrianibike shared use path to Chaplain Schmitt Island. Ultimately, as this is a planning project, these estimates and features will serve as a guide for the selected consultant and the City's engineering team to develop a robust plan for the B2E2 project. E. Financial Capacity Dubuque is fully prepared to manage the costs of the B2E2 planning project and to support the project budget submitted with this application. Dubuque is committed to providing an over -match of 40% for the RAISE Planning application, and the city has a solid track record of delivering on its commitments. In combination with Opportunity Zone designation in Census Tracts 1 and 5, RAISE funding will spur significant private investment. This economic growth will create additional fees and tax revenues that can offset additional costs associated with maintaining the proposed infrastructure. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City's overall financial condition is in very good shape. Dubuque has an Aa3 credit rating. Furthermore, planned and proposed development in the community is expected to strengthen the City's local revenues. Dubuque has an exemplary record of managing federal grants, having received numerous DOT, EPA, HUD, and other federal grants over the years. The City has never been cited for an adverse OMB Circular A-133 audit finding and has never been required to comply with "high risk" terms or conditions under OMB Circular A-102. VI. Benefit -Cost Analysis A BCA consistent with DOT guidelines is not required for a RAISE planning project, although the Dubuque team expects significant economic, safety, environmental, and quality of life benefits once construction is ultimately complete. The B2E2 project is expected to reduce travel time and improve mobility for all users, enhance safety along the Elm Street and 16th Street Corridors, reduce emissions as a result of decreased idling and mode switching, increase property values, and encourage new residential and commercial development. 32 1 Page