Volume 15, Issue 15 - Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Bus rapid transit system projects create high demand for goods and services from private sector partners

Bus rapid transit (BRT) system activities should not be overlooked if partnering with the government is of interest. This is a ‘hot’ marketplace for contracting and collaboration.

Opportunities will include, but not be limited to, initiatives that enhance and make route schedules more efficient, convenient and appealing. The construction of sheltered wait stations, real-time mapping and leading-edge technology will be required. BRT projects are becoming increasingly common in metropolitan areas due to traffic congestion. Rapid transit buses have become the go-to solution instead of old, inefficient bus systems and very costly light rail systems.

Some of the country’s largest municipalities have recently delivered BRT projects and their successes are now models for similar projects. Successful projects in San Francisco and New York included exclusive bus lanes that reduce travel time along busy corridors, and while other drivers hate the dedicated lanes, the time-saving factor is working to keep people off the street in individual vehicles.

BRT projects are also taking cues from cities like Denver and Boston about how to upgrade their bus systems to ensure more frequent service, easier transfers and broader coverage. Everything possible is being done to make public transportation more attractive and enticing for riders.

Technology firms should monitor upcoming projects because all transit projects now require an abundance of new technology. Data monitoring programs are being integrated into design concepts to minimize wait times and increase efficiency. Traffic signal priority systems, off-board fare payment equipment, automatic vehicle location systems and other technology assets are common in all recent BRT proposals.

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Capital Improvement Program proposes to spend $379M

Maryland — The Howard County Council will soon consider the 2024 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), a plan that seeks $379 million in funding for education, flood control and stormwater management, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, road maintenance, public safety and other needs of the city.

The CIP calls for capital projects to be funded through a combination of:

• $75.2 million in general obligation bonds which remain near a 10-year low.
• $79.3 million in one-time pay-as-you-go funding.
• State funding commitments.
• Other dedicated revenue sources. 

The CIP highlights various initiatives, including: 

Education: Fully funds the board of education’s capital funding request of $67.7 million, which includes county funding of $51.6 million and state aid of $16.1 million. Proposed improvements include:

• $35 million in pass-through funding to advance a new regional pre-kindergarten center.
• $26.3 million to support system renovations and address maintenance across the school system.
• $13 million for renovation and expansion of career and technology education. 
• $7 million to complete construction of Guilford Park High School. 
• $5.5 million for IT improvements.
• $4.5 million to expand Dunloggin Middle School.
• $4.4 million to renovate and add on to Oakland Mills Middle School.
• $3.9 million for various school needs, including roofing, relocatable classrooms, playground equipment and more.

Howard Community College will benefit from $13.3 million for construction of its new mathematics and athletics complex and $1 million for system renovations. 

Public Safety: The spending plan includes the acquisition and renovation of the State Armory in Ellicott City to increase storage capacity for the fire and rescue services. Also, the proposal includes $2.6 million for renovations to the detention center. 

Transportation: The proposal includes $12.8 million in funding for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. 

Recreation and Parks: Construction and renovation of additional parking lots, pathways, sports courts and historic sites are included at a cost of $18.8 million.

Infrastructure Revitalization: This budget addresses a backlog in maintenance for stormwater ponds, road resurfacing, water and sewer repair and replacement, systemic renovation and more. 

Community Services: The CIP includes funds to design to repurpose the existing 50+ facility into a new multi-service center, support for the new Family Support Center in Columbia, and safety and security enhancements to the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center. 

Technology Infrastructure and Enhancement: The proposed budget includes $7.5 million to upgrade and modernize technology and infrastructure. 

Illinois announces $127.9M for local transportation projects

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that $127.9 million has been awarded through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) to fund 72 projects across the state. These projects include biking and walking paths, trails, streetscape beautification, and other projects designed to encourage safe travel across various modes of transportation at the local level. More than 75% of the funding has been allocated to projects in communities that demonstrated a financial need.

The Chicago Department of Transportation is receiving $3 million for the Englewood Line Trail project, which will convert an abandoned rail corridor into a walking and biking path on the city's South Side.

More projects to be funded include:

• Forest Boulevard Shared-Use Trail improvements — $2.9 million to Park Forest.
• Randall Road Bike and Pedestrian Accommodations — $3 million to McHenry County Division of Transportation. 
• Patriot Path Stage 1 — $2.4 million to Lake County Division of Transportation.
• RIDES Transit Center and Veterans Hospital Connection — $2.4 million to Marion.
• Melas-Meadows Pedestrian Bridge — $3 million to Mount Prospect.

California is getting an infusion of $307 million to fix pipes, install new bypass channels, repair fish ladders, refurbish values, and improve pumps, turbines and motors. Funding will come from the Inflation Reduction Act and an infrastructure bill approved by the U.S. Congress.

The 24 California projects will join a total of 83 projects in 11 states, all in support of river systems in the West. The combined projects will inject $585 million. 

Almost all California projects focus on water-stressed regions of the Central Valley, Yuma Valley, Imperial Valley, along the Klamath and Colorado rivers.

Among the projects on the list:

• $66 million modernization of the Trinity River Fish Hatchery Building, including updates to pipes, a filtration system and eroding support for 175 troughs and tanks. 
• $42.5 million refurbishment of a pump at the San Luis Unit of the Central Valley Project, which includes the San Luis Reservoir. 
• $25 million refurbishment of a pumping planet cabinet and control panel for the Central Valley Project near Tracy.
• $25 million to study problems in the Delta Mendota Canal.
• $22 million to study problems in the Friant Kern Canal. 
• $10 million upgrade to a hatchery near Nimbus Dam.
• $3 million for a feasibility study to consider a plan to replace Lake Tahoe Dam.

California and Arizona will also benefit from $7.5 million to improve the reliability of water sources in the Imperial Valley and eastern Coachella Valley. 

Colorado was recently awarded $68 million for aging water infrastructure projects, including $56 million for the construction of a mine drainage water treatment facility and chemical storage building at the Leadville Treatment Plant. The funds are coming from the Bureau of Reclamation.

This announcement also includes $10.8 million for design, construction and commissioning new alignments to mitigate risk of future slide damage at the Animas La-Plata Project on the Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline. The Azotea Tunnel outlet transition will receive $1.5 million for removal and replacement.

North Carolina — Carolina Beach Town Council recently unveiled its 20-year infrastructure funding plan for $70 million worth of projects. The plan includes projects such as improved water storage and capacity, a new water treatment facility and stormwater improvements. 

During the council’s regular meeting, a public financing firm hired by the town presented a financial plan for the project; the main funding source comes from revenue bonds initiated every three years from 2025 to 2033.

This year, project funding includes engineering and permitting for the first phase of a water system expansion at $250,000, north end sewer repairs totaling $20,000, a stormwater station installation on Alabama Avenue for $80,000, marina backflow improvements at $75,000 and Starfish Lane stormwater street end improvements that total $75,000.

In 2028, the town plans to focus revenue bonds on a 1-million-gallon tank for $4.7 million and repair and rebuilds to the wastewater treatment plant for more than $9 million. 

In 2031, revenue bonds will cover a new $4.8 million wastewater treatment plant, another 1-million-gallon tank for $5.7 million, Phase D of sewer replacements for $5.1 million and more water system upgrades.

In 2033, the city has plans for water, sewer and stormwater repairs in the north end for $6.5 million and the last phase of stormwater replacements for $4.4 million

While the plan was presented to council for information purposes, it will help inform Carolina Beach’s next budget cycle. 

Las Vegas street improvement project receives $23.9M grant

Nevada — The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $23.9 million grant to the city of Las Vegas as part of the Complete Streets project, a $50-60 million project to upgrade a stretch of Stewart Avenue between Sixth Street and Nellis Boulevard to make it safer for all modes of transportation. The federal grant will be matched by a $23.9 million grant from the city of Las Vegas.

The project will include protected two-way cycle paths, sidewalk widening, upgrades to make sidewalks meet ADA accessibility guidelines, upgrades to bus stops, improved lighting, and landscaping. The project aims to improve safety, particularly for the largely low-income communities along the route where about 35% of residents use alternative transportation such as walking and cycling.

Design work will begin later this year, and then an environmental study must be conducted before construction starts. A definite timeline for construction has not yet been set.

(Photo: Artist rendering of the Stewart Avenue improvements. Courtesy of the city of Las Vegas.)

New Mexico water infrastructure projects to receive more than $30M

New Mexico is poised to receive more than $30 million from the U.S. Department of the Interior to fund six different water infrastructure projects. The funds are a portion of $585 million from the Infrastructure and Investment Act, which will support 83 projects in 11 states. 

The projects in New Mexico are on the Rio Grande and include: 

• $9.6 million for water infrastructure rehabilitation at Elephant Butte Recreation Area.
• $7.1 million for upgrades to the Bonita lateral at Caballo Dam.
• $4.5 million for a study to analyze improvements in the Lower San Acacia Reach of the Rio Grande.
• $4 million to repair damaged concrete at the base of El Vado Dam.
• $3.39 million to rehabilitate roads and parking lots.
• $1.78 million to repair a restaurant patio at the Elephant Butte Historic District Recreation Area.

Several projects that will benefit New Mexico will also benefit Colorado, including $1.5 million to remove and replace the Azotea Tunnel outlet on the San Juan-Chama Project. The outlet of the Azotea Tunnel is on Jicarilla Apache land near Chama and provides access to Colorado River Basin water for municipalities like Albuquerque. 

A second project, the Animas-La Plata Project, is also on the Colorado list and will receive $10.8 million to cover design, construction, compliance and commissioning costs for the Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline. 

Through fiscal year 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will make available $20 million annually from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to modernize air traffic control towers at many small town and municipal airports. 

Funds will allow airports to modernize non-approach control towers, acquire and install air traffic control, update communications and related tower equipment, and construct a remote tower certified by the FAA. 

Airports receiving grants in 2023 include: 

• $1.5 million to Columbus Municipal Airport in Indiana. 
• $1.1 million to Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Texas.
• $860,000 to Joplin Regional Airport in Missouri. 
• $786,000 to Jackson County Airport - Reynolds Field in Mississippi. 
• $600,000 to New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport in Florida.
• $250,000 to Nashua Airport in New Hampshire.
• $250,000 to Niagara Falls International Airport in New York. 

Citizens, city leaders come together to bring hotel to Dover-Foxcroft

Maine — With two active sports facilities in Dover-Foxcroft, city leaders and Piscataquis County residents are using part of a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to research options for constructing a hotel.

The Brownfields Assessment grants are intended to help clean up properties where redevelopment is complicated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. The sites are referred to as brownfields sites. Three of the five hotel sites being considered in Piscataquis County are brownfield sites. 

Piscataquis County’s economic group (PCEDC) will initially use $18,000 on a feasibility study. 

To begin actual cleanup, the PCEDC would need to tap into its Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund for grants to nonprofits and municipalities or low-interest loans to for-profit companies, according to county officials. The group was awarded $1.5 million in the revolving loan fund in 2012 and has about $600,000 remaining. 

The $500,000 assessment grant is also being used on two other projects:

• The Brown Mills Building, which county officials hope to refurbish for affordable housing.
• Abol Bridge Campground to remove an expired fuel tank.

MTSU aerospace program to move to Shelbyville Municipal Airport

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Aerospace program is moving from Murfreesboro Municipal Airport to Shelbyville Municipal Airport to accommodate the growing enrollment of the MTSU flight school and to lessen air traffic above Murfreesboro. 

Officials plan to break ground in the summer of 2023 for the all-new hangars, classrooms and offices that the flight school will inhabit down at Shelbyville Municipal. The move will offer more space and runway for the growing aerospace program, with more land and runway space for the fleet of 35 training aircraft. The official completion date of the move will be in late 2025, with most of the flight school operations continuing in Murfreesboro until the final completion time.

Tahoe City Downtown Access Improvement Project enters design phase

California — Placer County Board of Supervisors authorized the Department of Public Works to execute an agreement with a consulting firm for the Tahoe City Downtown Access Improvement Project. The project includes expanding the existing public parking facility, improving pedestrian and bicycle access, constructing a multi-use trail, and other features such as electric vehicle charging stations and landscaping. 

The total cost of the contract is $227,903 and will be funded through the North Lake Tahoe Business Improvement District’s grant funds in cooperation with the North Tahoe Community Alliance. The project aims to improve traffic circulation and pedestrian and bicycle access to Tahoe City’s commercial, business, and recreational amenities. 

City of Perrysburg develop $14.3M master plan for Orleans Park

Ohio — A $14.3 million master plan for the future improvements of Orleans Park was approved by council on March 7. This seven-phase development plan will expand the waterfront community over the next few years. The first of the upgrades is a multi-use path extension project that costs approximately $700,000. City leaders say the park is underutilized and this is an opportunity to create a direction for future development.

Phase one of the upgrades will be an asphalt multi-use path extension, including a boardwalk over a constructed wildlife and nesting area of wetlands with an observation deck. There are existing wetlands in that section of the park, but sections need various improvements. The path extends east of Green Lane to the trailhead on the north side of the parking lot. 

Building construction in the master plan includes a new 4,320 square foot pavilion at $2.1 million and a crew boathouse with storage area and office totaling 7,000 square feet for a combined cost of $1.6 million. Park improvements include $625,000 in playground equipment, a kayak launch for $30,000, parking lot and pedestrian lights for $315,000 and a $45,000 kiosk.

Hardscape improvements include paved walking paths, bike path, drives and curbs and parking for a combined cost of $423,600; a railed boardwalk for $1.7 million; an overlook pier for $960,000 and a $150,000 pump track. Landscaping would include an 8,477-square-foot floating garden for $720,545 and dog park fencing for $15,250.

The project has helped people recognize the need for a new public-private partnership in fundraising that has been in development since last summer. Currently, acceptance of donations to the park system requires approval by council, but officials hope to end that with the creation of a Perrysburg City Foundation. 

Feasibility study approved for Kenton County parking structure

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has given Kenton County funds to conduct a feasibility study for a new parking structure.

Current parking for county employees will be displaced by construction of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project. The county is hoping to consolidate onsite parking.

The pre-development proposal includes parking for up to 250 vehicles and a weather-protected connector between the parking structure and the government center. There is not currently a completed design for the parking structure. 

New Jersey — The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has named Edelana Van Marter, A.A.E., IAP, as deputy general manager for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). She began her new position on April 1. Most recently she was commercial development manager for an oil and natural gas company. She has also worked for the Houston Airport System as Director of Transportation and prior to that as Operations Lead. She has held the position of Assistant General Manager at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P Hobby Airport. 

California — Sacramento County has a new Economic Development Director. Crystal Bethke, who has worked for Sacramento County’s Office of Economic Development since 2007, was officially appointed in her new role on March 26. In her former role as a Senior Economic Development Specialist, Bethke developed and led a wide range of initiatives in business attraction, retention and expansion, small business and nonprofit support programs and neighborhood revitalization. 

California — Dr. Martha Garcia has been selected as the new president of Mt. San Antonio College (SAC). She will assume her new position July 1. Garcia is currently president/superintendent of College of the Desert, a post she has held since August 2021. Prior to joining College of the Desert, she served as superintendent/president of Imperial Valley College. She will replace Dr. Bill Scroggins, who is retiring in June after leading Mt. SAC for 12 years. 

Missouri — The city of Kirksville announced the appointment of Jeff LaFountain as director of Kirksville Regional Airport. He steps in following the retirement of Glenn Balliew. LaFountain has been an airport operator at the Kirksville Regional Airport since 2015. He has also served as fuel supervisor and an aircraft rescue and firefighting on-the-job trainer. Prior to Kirksville, LaFountain worked for a construction company in his hometown of South Hadley, Mass.  

Georgia — Dr. Devon Horton was named the sole finalist following a year-long search to fill the DeKalb County School District superintendent post. Horton currently serves as the superintendent of Evanston / Skokie Community Consolidated School District 65 in Evanston, Illinois. Dr. Vasanne Tinsley has been serving as the interim superintendent over the last year. Tinsley will remain until June 30 to offer a smooth transition for Horton. 

Arizona — After serving for more than two years as GateWay Community College’s (GWCC) interim president, Amy Diaz has been given the permanent job. She will take office on April 15. Diaz is the school’s first permanent president in three years. She stepped into the interim role on the first day of 2021, when she took over for Maria Wise, who retired while also serving as interim president. Before Wise, GWCC’s president for seven years was Steven Gonzales, who was named chancellor of Maricopa County College District last year after serving as interim chancellor since January 2020. 

California — It was announced April 7 that Marshall T. Fulbright III is set to become the new superintendent/president for the Monterey Peninsula Community College District. His start date is July 1. He currently serves as the vice president of academic affairs at Grossmont College in El Cajon. The board is expected to approve an employment agreement at its next regular meeting on April 26. 

Iowa — Dr. Stephanie Anderson, director of elementary education and student services for the Fort Dodge Community School District, has been named superintendent of the Riverside Community School District in southwest Iowa. She will assume the new role July 1. Current superintendent Dr. Timothy Mitchell announced his retirement in January and will be leaving the district at the end of this academic year. 

Florida — Jonathan Fozard started his new role April 5 as Florida State University’s chief information officer (CIO) and associate vice president for Information Technology Services (ITS). He has served as deputy CIO at Florida State University since November 2020. Rick Burnette has served as interim CIO since May 2021 while continuing in his role as associate provost for Strategy and Analytics.  

Louisiana — The Ascension Parish School Board announced it selected Edith Walker to serve as the district's new superintendent of schools, replacing the retiring David Alexander after nearly seven years on the job. Walker has served as chief instructional director for the district since 2020. Walker's contract is expected to be approved at the board's April 18 meeting. Her term will begin July 1. Alexander will be retiring at the end of June. 

Virginia — The town of Dumfries has selected Tangela Innis as the Petersburg town manager. Innis has over 18 years of experience in local government management. Innis was promoted to deputy city manager in September 2021 and previously served as Petersburg's director of public works and utilities. She was also an operations manager and purchasing agent for Petersburg in the preceding five years. 

Tennessee — Athens City Council has hired Deb Wallace as the replacement for former City Manager C. Seth Sumner. Wallace is currently the director of the Professional Leadership in Criminal Justice program at Tennessee Wesleyan University. Prior to that, she was the inspector general for the state of Georgia. Wallace’s agreement will come before the Council at its regular session on April 18 for final approval. 

Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

Publisher: Mary Scott Nabers

Editors: Kristin Gordon

             Claire Robertson      

www.spartnerships.com