Mobility Bond Items on May 04 Council Agenda

On May 4, the Council will be able to take several big steps forward on implementing the mobility bond approved last November. Of note are three interlocal agreements with TxDOT for Loop 360, 620 & 2222, and Parmer Lane in which Austin’s putting up a total of $70.5 million and TxDOT will contribute an estimated $227.9 million.

We’re also getting started right away on sidewalks, urban trails, bike paths, and safety improvements at dangerous intersections and near schools, and we’re hiring the team that will plan and implement the rest of the bond.

  1. Interlocal Agreements (Advance Funding Agreements with TxDOT)
  1. Budget Amendment Requests$39 million total
  • $9 million for Regional Mobility – Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for Spicewood Springs, full funding for City’s share of the FM 620 at FM 2222 project
  • $12 million for Corridor Mobility – Corridor consultant and PERs for the remaining future Mobility Corridors
  • Local Mobility:
    • $3 million for Bikeways – construction contracts, consultant
    • $2.5 million for Safety/Vision Zero – construction contracts, consultant
    • $4 million for Substandard Streets – PERs for all Substandard Streets
    • $2 million for sidewalks – Field Engineer Consultant, construction/inspection
    • $1.5 million for Safe Routes to School – Traffic signal construction, consultant
    • $5 million for Urban Trails – Design for various trails
  1. Staffing for 2016 Bond Program Implementation and Future Bond Planning:
  • Asking Council to authorize 21 employees in 5 separate departments
  • Funding comes from mix of Bond Funds, Transportation User Fee (TUF), Capital Program Management Fund (CPMF), and Support Services Funds
  • Austin Transportation Department (7 Total)
    • 4 positions (Engineers, technical leads) – Bond funded for FY 17-18
    • 1 positition (Permitting) – Funded via Right-of-Way Permitting fees
    • 2 positions (Public Information, Financial Analyst) – TUF funded for FY 17-18
  • Public Works (5 Total)
    • 5 positions (Project Managers/Assistants, Inspectors) – CPMF
  • Corridor program Implementation Office (5 Total)
    • 3 positions (Project Managers/Assistants) – Bond Funded
    • 2 positions (Public Information, Support) – Financial Services Dept (FSD) savings for FY 16-17; TUF funded for FY 17-18
  • Small and Minority Business Resources (2 total)
    • 2 positions (Procurement, Contracts) – FSD Savings for FY 16-17; FSD funded for FY 17-18