Southwest Arterial Project_North Cascade Road ReconstructionMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Southwest Arterial Project
North Cascade Road Reconstruction - Grading & Paving Project
Iowa DOT Project No. HDP -2100 (655)- -71 -31
DATE: July 28, 2010
Dubuque
All-America City
1
2007
The preliminary engineering design phase for the Southwest Arterial Project was
completed in March 2008, and the Southwest Arterial Project is now proceeding with the
final engineering design phase, right -of -way property acquisition and archaeological and
cultural resource phase 111 mitigation work.
Due to project funding constraints, the design team has been preparing cost scenarios
and evaluating construction alternatives for completing components of the project with
currently available federal, state and local funding. To maximize available funding, the
City is preparing to move forward with "fast track" phased project components that
would allow for Southwest Arterial improvements to be made that would provide
immediate public benefit and would provide significant efficiencies for the future grading
and paving of four -lanes between Highway 151/61 to Highway 20.
The North Cascade Road reconstruction project is the first project bid as part of the
Southwest Arterial Project. The project will provide for the reconstruction (grading &
paving) and realignment of North Cascade Road from about 0.6 miles south of the
Storybook Hill Children's Zoo to 0.1 miles north of the zoo. Since North Cascade Road
will be over the top of the future Southwest Arterial, excavation is needed for the future
bridge approach sections. The excavated material will be used to grade a portion of the
future Southwest Arterial Project to the east of North Cascade Road. The project will be
constructed while allowing through traffic at all times.
The next phase (Phase 11) of the North Cascade Road project will include a bridge over
the future Southwest Arterial which will be bid in December of this year.
Assistant City Engineer Bob Schiesl recommends that the City Council set August 16,
2010, as the date for a public hearing on the North Cascade Road Reconstruction
Project (Phase 1 of the Southwest Arterial Project).
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Bob Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
Michael C. Van Milligen
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
FROM: Robert Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
SUBJECT: Southwest Arterial Project
North Cascade Road Reconstruction - Grading & Paving Project
Iowa DOT Project No. HDP -2100 (655)- -71 -31
DATE: July 21, 2010
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
Dubuque
Ad- America City
1
2007
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the City Council with information related to
the North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project (Phase I of the Southwest Arterial project)
and request that a date for the public hearing be established.
The preliminary engineering design phase was completed in March, 2008 and the
Southwest Arterial project is now proceeding with the final engineering design phase, right -
of -way property acquisition and archaeological and cultural resource phase III mitigation
work.
Due to project funding constraints, the design team has been preparing cost scenarios and
evaluating construction alternatives for completing components of the project with currently
available federal, state and local funding. To maximize available funding, the City is
preparing to move forward with "fast track" phased project components that would allow for
Southwest Arterial improvements to be made that would provide immediate public benefit
and would provide significant efficiencies for the future grading and paving of four -lanes
between Highway 151/61 to Highway 20.
DISCUSSION
The North Cascade Road reconstruction project is the first project bid as part of the
Southwest Arterial project. The project will provide for the reconstruction (grading &
paving) and realignment of North Cascade Road from about 0.6 miles south of the
Storybook Hill Children's Zoo to 0.1 miles north of the zoo. Since North Cascade Road will
be over the top of the future Southwest Arterial, excavation is needed for the future bridge
approach sections. The excavated material will be used to grade a portion of the future
Southwest Arterial project to the east of North Cascade Road. The project will be
constructed while allowing through traffic at all times.
Roadway Classification
Sidewalk/Walkway
Future Phasing
Requirement
Rural Highway
400 -2000 ADT
5 ft shoulder preferred,
4 ft minimum shoulder
required
Secure /preserve right -of-
way for future sidewalks
Rural /Suburban Highway
ADT > 2000 and less
than 1 dwelling unit per
acre
Sidewalks or side paths
preferred. Minimum of 6 ft
shoulders required.
Secure /preserve right -of-
way for future sidewalks
The next phase (Phase II) of the North Cascade Road project will include a bridge over the
future Southwest Arterial which will be bid in December of this year.
SIDEWALK & PUBLIC ACCESS
The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
guidelines and priorities for new sidewalks and walkways was reviewed prior to making
this recommendation. The guidelines were commissioned by the FHWA using the input
and expertise of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) and the Institute for Traffic Engineers (ITE). The FHWA, AASHTO, and ITE
created a chart for determining when new sidewalks /walkways should be installed. The
considerations for new sidewalk/walkway installation include the type of roadway, the
location, traffic levels, density, connectivity, and accessibility. North Cascade Road is a
rural and /or suburban roadway. A traffic count taken last year resulted in 1,840 average
daily trips (ADT). The area has less than one dwelling unit per acre and the nearest
sidewalk is in excess of 1.5 miles from this project. Based on the FHWA, AASHTO, and
ITE chart North Cascade Road would be classified as either:
1) A Rural Highway with 400 -2000 ADT, or
2) A Rural /Suburban Highway with more than 2000 ADT and Tess than 1 dwelling unit
per acre.
The guidelines for sidewalks /walkways which fall within these classifications are as follows:
In addition to the FHWA guidelines, the Iowa DOT design standards were reviewed. The
Iowa DOT Design Manual addresses sidewalks on rural roadway cross section as follows:
"Sidewalks generally should not be constructed in areas with rural cross sections, that
is, cross sections without curbs. In rare instances when sidewalks are constructed in
these areas, the sidewalk will be constructed at the top of the foreslope, as close to the
right -of -way line as practical."
The realigned section of North Cascade Road, which will cross over the future Southwest
Arterial will be constructed to Iowa DOT rural roadway design standards which will include:
24 -foot roadway; 6 -foot paved shoulders with 4 -foot granular stone shoulders; and 3:1
graded roadside foreslopes. Additional right -of -way outside of the roadway has been
retained.
Any future development and annexation of property into the City of Dubuque along North
Cascade Road which results in a transition of the roadway from rural and /or suburban to
urban would be considered at such time as North Cascade Road is upgraded to meet city
standards and specifications. Federal and state guidelines would be revisited at that time
for the placement of sidewalks.
The design team systematically reviewed each bridge structure on the Southwest Arterial
Project and those on crossing side roads. Each bridge location was evaluated for present
and the potential for future bicycle and pedestrian use.
It was concluded that the future North Cascade Road bridge (over the Southwest Arterial)
would include a 10 -foot wide paved shoulder which would accommodate bicycle and
pedestrian use. Other bridges will include a dedicated separated sidewalk due to the
location of the future bicycle and pedestrian trail that will be constructed as part of the four -
lane phase of the Southwest Arterial.
PROJECT SCHEDULE
The project development schedule for the North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project
(Phase I) is as follows:
Iowa DOT Advertisement for Bids
Notice of Hearing on Plans & Specifications
City Public Hearing on Plans & Specifications
Iowa DOT Receipt of Bids
City Award of Contract (Subject to Iowa DOT Approval)
Iowa DOT Start Date
Contract Completion Date
RECOMMENDATION
June 15, 2010
August 6, 2010
August 16, 2010
July 20, 2010
August 16, 2010
August 30, 2010
170 Working Days
Completed Spring 2011
Historically in the past, with projects that have been bid through the Iowa DOT in Ames, it
has been the standard practice of the Engineering Department to coordinate the local
public bidding process through City Council which would mirror the Iowa DOT bidding
schedule. Typically, the standard practice would allow for a project to be brought before
City Council for concurrence to initiate the bidding process through the Iowa DOT in Ames
and a public hearing would be held prior to the State bid letting. Unfortunately, due to an
inadvertent staff oversight, the North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project was not
included as a Council Agenda item prior to the Iowa DOT receipt of bids on July 20
In consulting with City Attorney, Barry Lindahl, it is acceptable for the City to hold a public
hearing on the North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project following the receipt of bids. At
the August 16 meeting, following the public hearing, the City Council will be requested to
concur in the award of the Improvement Contract, subject to Iowa DOT approval. Although
this process is not the standard practice of the Engineering Department, it is in full
compliance with the Iowa Code public bidding requirements.
I recommend that the City Council set August 16, 2010, as the date for a public hearing on
the North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project (Phase I of the Southwest Arterial
project).
BUDGET IMPACT
The estimate of probable cost for the North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project is as
follows:
Description Amount
Construction Contract $ 2,028,062
Contingency 202,806
Contract Administration / Construction Engineering 352,600
Total Project Cost $ 2,583,468
The project funding summary is as follows:
CIP Funding Source Amount
3001287 Federal SAFETEA -LU Funding (80 %) $2,066,775
3001287 City - Local Funding (10 %) 258,347
County - Local Funding (10 %) 258,347
Total Project Funding $ 2,583,468
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
The City Council is requested to set the date for a public hearing on the North Cascade
Road Reconstruction Project (Phase I of the Southwest Arterial project) through adoption
of the enclosed resolution.
cc: Jenny Larson, Budget Director
RESOLUTION NO. 289-10
SOUTHWEST ARTERIAL PROJECT
NORTH CASCADE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION — GRADING & PAVING
IOWA DOT PROJECT NO. HDP -2100 (655)- -71 -31
SETTING DATE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF
CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
The proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the
North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project (Phase I of the Southwest Arterial Project),
Iowa DOT Project No. HDP -2100 (655)-- 71 -31, in the estimated amount $2,230,868,
are hereby preliminarily approved and ordered filed in the office of the City Clerk for
public inspection.
A public hearing will be held on the 16th day of August, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. in the
Historic Federal Building Council Chambers (second floor), 350 West 6 Street,
Dubuque, Iowa, at which time interested persons may appear and be heard for or
against the proposed plans and specifications, form of contract and estimated cost of
said Project, and the City Clerk be and is hereby directed to cause the attached notice
of the time and place of such hearing to be published in a newspaper having general
circulation in the City of Dubuque, Iowa, which notice shall be published not less than
four days nor more than twenty days prior to the date of such hearing. At the hearing,
any interested person may appear and file objections to the proposed plans,
specifications, form of contract, or estimated cost of the Project.
Passed, adopted and approved this 2nd day of August
Attest: Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC, City Clerk
2010.
Li
Roy D. Buol, Mayor
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF
CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE NORTH CASCADE ROAD
RECONSTRUCTION — GRADING & PAVING PROJECT, IOWA DOT PROJECT NO.
HDP -2100 (655)- -71 -31
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: The City Council of the City of Dubuque, Iowa will
hold a public hearing on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and
estimated cost for the North Cascade Road Reconstruction Project (Phase I of the
Southwest Arterial Project), Iowa DOT Project No. HDP -2100 (655)-- 71 -31, in
accordance with the provisions of Chapter 26, Code of Iowa, at 6:30 p.m., on the 16
day of August, 2010, in the Historic Federal Building Council Chambers (second floor),
350 West 6 Street, Dubuque, Iowa. Said proposed plans, specifications, form of
contract and estimated cost are now on file in the office of the City Clerk. At said
hearing any interested person may appear and file objections thereto.
The scope of the Project is as follows:
• The project will provide for the reconstruction (grading & paving) and
realignment of North Cascade Road from about 0.6 miles south of the
Storybook Hill Children's Zoo to 0.1 miles north of the zoo.
Any visual or hearing- impaired persons needing special assistance or persons
with special accessibility needs should contact the City Clerk's office at (563) 589 -4120
or TDD at (563) 690 -6678 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Published by order of the City Council given on the day of , 2010.
Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC, City Clerk