Reagan Transit Corridor Project” Is a Proposed Surface Transportation Infrastructure Project in the City of Dixon of Lee REAGAN County, Illinois
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“The Reagan Transit Corridor Project” is a proposed surface transportation infrastructure project in the City of Dixon of Lee REAGAN County, Illinois. The $12,861,224.00 proposal will construct a new pedestrian multi- TRANSIT use bridge over the Rock River on abandoned railroad piers and track, develop 2.75 miles of multi-use pathways and reconstruct and CORRIDOR widen East River Street, a high volume arterial road. As a rural project not required to provide matching non-federal funds, project developers of this application nevertheless have PROJECT secured $2.896 million in local non-federal funds; representing 22.52% of the entire budget. 168 short-term construction jobs will be generated by the project, with the potential of adding 578 long-term positions through new commercial development. The benefit cost analysis overall for the “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” is 2.69 (3% discounted) and 1.96(7% discounted). The project has significant local support of the City of Dixon, Lee County, TIGER Fiscal Year 2013 Application local fire and law enforcement, healthcare and private industry. TABLE OF CONTENTS DESCRIPTION Page # Table of Contents 1 1. Executive Summary/Key Findings 2 2. Project Overview 2 3. Public Benefits 2-3 4. I. Project Description 3-4 5. - Transportation Challenges 4 6. - Transportation Strengths 4-5 7. - Components of the Reagan Transit Corridor Project 5 8. 1. East River Street project 5-6 9. 2. Eagle View Bridge project 6-8 10. II. Project Parties 8-9 11. III. Grant Funds and sources/Uses of Project Funds 9 12. - Committed Non-federal Funds 9-10 13. - Component Project Budgets 10 14. 1. East River Street Project budget 10-11 15. 2. Eagle View Bridge budget 11-12 16. IV. Selection Criteria 12 17. a. Long-term outcomes 12 18. i. State of Good Repair 12-13 19. ii. Economic Competitiveness 13-14 20. iii. Livability 14-15 21. iv. Sustainability 15-16 22. v. Safety 16 23. b. Job Creation and Near-Term Economic Activity 16-17 24. c. Innovation 17 25. d. Partnership 17-18 26. e. Results of Benefit-Cost Analysis 18-20 27. V. Project Readiness and NEPA 21 28. - Legislative approvals and state/local planning 21 29. - Technical Feasibility 21-22 30. - Financial Feasibility 22 31. VI. Federal Wage Rate Certification 22 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY/KEY FINDINGS The City of Dixon is proposing a multi-modal project (“Reagan Transit Corridor Project”) for consideration under the Fiscal Year 2013 TIGER Discretionary Grants program in the amount of $12,861,224. This project will include the construct a new pedestrian multi-use bridge over the “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” 2 | P a g e TIGER Fiscal Year 2013 Application Rock River on abandoned railroad piers and track, develop 2.75 miles of multi-use pathways and reconstruct and widen East River Street, a high volume arterial road. This project qualifies as a rural initiative and is located in an economically distressed county. While no match is required under the guidelines of the FY ’13 TIGER program, the City of Dixon and its partner organizations have been able to secure $2,896,920 in non-federal funds to offset 22.52% of the associated costs of this project. PROJECT OVERVIEW 1. FY ‘13 TIGER funds will enable developers of the Reagan Transit Corridor to make necessary and lasting upgrades to the surface transportation infrastructure that will support economically sustainable operations for at least the next 20 years. Funds received from FY ‘13 TIGER will re-construct and/or widen one high volume main arterial roads (East River Street) and develop 2.75 miles of bike and multi-use pathways. 2. The “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” meets all Primary Selection Criteria (State of Good Repair, Economic Competitiveness, Livability, Environmental Sustainability and Safety) and Secondary Selection Criteria (Innovation and Partnership) in the FY ‘13 TIGER application including Job Creation and Economic Stimulus. 3. This project will provide economic stimulus to the City of Dixon and Lee County. The county is an Economically Disadvantaged Area, with an unemployment rate of 8.0% (April, 2013). The area designated for the Reagan Transit Corridor is commercially viable. 4. The project will be ready to build, and has the firm and enthusiastic support of the City of Dixon, Lee County, local and state agencies, and elected officials at the federal, state and local level. 5. As the administrator of this project, the City of Dixon has a proven record of successfully administering federal- and state-funded transportation projects. PUBLIC BENEFITS As a rural project and even though not required to provide matching non-federal funds, project developers of this application nevertheless have secured $2.896 million in local non-federal funds; representing 22.52% of the entire budget. Quantifiable, conservatively estimated public benefits of the Reagan Transit Corridor are: • The “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” during the first 20 years will generate total benefits of $11,211,118, for a benefit/cost ratio of 1.96 at a 7% discount rate. The public benefits at a 3% discount rate during the same time period will be an estimated $20,383,132 for a 2.69 benefit/cost ratio. PROJECT DESCRIPTION TIGER NON- BCA BCA FUNDS FEDERAL (disc. 7%) (disc. 3%) East Reconstruction/widening of East $3,309,304 $ 846,920 2.79 3.95 River River Street; addition of bike/multi- Street use path; replace sanitary/storm lines “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” 3 | P a g e TIGER Fiscal Year 2013 Application Eagle Construction of bike/ multi-use $6,655,000 $2,050,000 1.59 2.15 View pathway • Create 164,625 recreational user trips of the two (2) multi-use bike pathways. Health benefits are over $699,949 per year for the region with the expansion of the bike paths. • Create 168 new construction jobs that will last 1.5 years, in an Economically Distressed Area – Lee County. Conservatively, an additional 578 jobs could be created as a result of the “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” through new commercial developments. • Reduction of traffic having to be diverted from East River Street during annual flooding of the Rock River. I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” will be located in rural Dixon, Illinois, in Lee County, Illinois and encompasses the City of Dixon, the county seat. Lee County is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a rural/non-urbanized area and a Micropolitan Statistical Area. Located 100 miles west of Chicago, Lee County has a population base of 36,031 (U.S. Census, 2010), while Dixon has 15,733 residents, 43.6% of the county’s population. Lee County is aging, with a median age of 42 years. The 2010 Census showed that the county’s population was spread out with 21.50% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 24.90% from 25 to 44, 30.00% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in the county was $40,967, and the median income for a family was $48,730. The per capita income for the county was $18,650. About 4.90% of families and 7.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those 65 and over. Interstate 88 bisects Lee County, while Illinois Route 26 and U.S. Route 52 also run through this section of north central Illinois. Interstate 39 and the Union Pacific intermodal facility in nearby Rochelle, Illinois, are also strong assets as the population moves west from Chicago and its suburban collar counties. The City of Rockford sits 50 minutes to the northeast of Dixon; Peoria is an hour and a half drive to the south; while the Quad-Cities area of Illinois and Iowa is an hour’s drive to the southwest. The City of Dixon, Lee County and other Government entities have initiated collaborative studies to develop a Dixon Presidential Parkway Master Plan (June, 2005) for attracting additional economic development along the Interstate 88 corridor and assessing the potential surface transportation infrastructure needs through 2030. This Master Plan and the Traffic Impact Analysis for the I-88 and Galena Avenue Planned Development District (March,2008) are also planning for the eventual population spread westward from Chicago, its collar counties and western suburbs as urban dwellers look for more affordable housing and good school districts. The “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” is a multimodal expansion project of the surface transportation infrastructure in Dixon, Illinois. The “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” will construct a new pedestrian multi-use bridge over the Rock River on abandoned railroad piers and track, develop 2.75 miles of multi-use pathways and reconstruct and widen East River Street, a high volume arterial road. The construction phase of this project will stimulate economic recovery and create jobs in that sector. The long-term impact will witness the creation of a more desirable climate for business and industry, facilitate a greener climate for the transportation sector and spur additional opportunities for accessing employment. “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” 4 | P a g e TIGER Fiscal Year 2013 Application This project is estimated to cost $12.06 million with $9.737 million in FY’13 Tiger funds being requested while project developers have secured $2.323 million in local non-Federal being committed for this rural initiative. The “Reagan Transit Corridor Project” is designed to mitigate current challenges the area faces, as well as enhance its many strengths, as outlined below and found on the City of Dixon website – www.discoverdixon.org TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES Antiquated infrastructure.