On June 8, 2012, The NOACA Governing Board approved the following regarding this project: Resolution No. 2012-029 Project Planning Review and Resolution No. 2012-030 Plan and TIP Amendment. The Project Planning Review (PPR) and Intergovernmental Review & Consultation (IGRC) processes for this project are now complete. Title: RTA Clifton Boulevard Transit Enhancement Sponsor: RTA Name: CUY US 006 - 07.64 Estimated Total Cost: $9,457,500 (Preliminary Engineering/Design and Construction) Proposed Source of Federal Funds: NOACA & ODOT History/Background: RTA is the principal mass transportation carrier in the Cleveland Urbanized Area. RTA serves 1.3 million people in 59 municipalities in Cuyahoga County. On September 21, 2010, the RTA Board of Trustees adopted Resolution No. 2010-68, authorizing the filing of grant applications with NOACA for state fiscal years 2011, 2012 and 2013 for financial assistance and capital projects under all Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency funding programs. On December 10, 2010, NOACA awarded RTA $600,000 in Transportation Enhancement (TE) funding, via Resolution No. 2010-051, to cover the cost of 16 new transit stations and landscaping along Clifton Boulevard. This enhancement award is associated with a larger project involving the construction of 4.5 miles of curb-lane bus lanes from the east end of the Shoreway at Lake Avenue to the West End Loop at the Lakewood terminus. According to RTA, the Clifton Transit Enhancement Project incorporates intermodal connectivity benefits along the corridor, which are consistent with sustainable developmental patterns to encourage a balance between transit and bicycle/pedestrian transportation modes. The Clifton Boulevard Transit Enhancement project is included in RTA’s 2012 Capital Program, which was presented to the RTA Board of Trustees Planning and Development Committee on October 11, 2011. RTA has conducted significant public outreach throughout the history of this project beginning in the original planning studies and during the ongoing design effort. A Public Hearing on RTA’s 2012 Budget was held November 15, 2011 and also on December 6, 2011 prior to the. RTA Board of Trustees Meeting where public comment was made. This project is the first of 10 high priority corridors identified in the 2010 - 2020 RTA Strategic Plan (www.riderta.com/strategicplan/) to be ready for construction. The project sponsor, GCRTA, submitted an application to NOACA for the Clifton Boulevard Transit Enhancement project. RTA received a NOACA TE award and is now applying for CMAQ funds for the CBTE project to create exclusive peak hour bus lanes in each direction to enhance the reliability, capacity, speed and safety of RTA service on Clifton Boulevard. Current Conditions: C: RTA reports that this project is needed to improve transit service in the corridor and regional mobility, provide local access/bicycle mobility, enhance local roadway deficiencies, accommodate community values/land use planning goals and address pedestrian safety concerns along US-6/US-20/ SR-2's Clifton Boulevard. The project will also improve intermodal access and reverse commutes to the Cleveland Central Business District (CBD) and University Circle linking to more employment opportunities. The project area is part of a developing land use project called West 117th Improvement District, managed by Cudell Improvement, Inc., a Cleveland economic development corporation. According to RTA, in part, the city of Cleveland's redevelopment plan is also expected to include Clifton Boulevard and West 117th Street, which borders both Cleveland and Lakewood. RTA bus route # 55 operates along Clifton Boulevard from West Clifton to West 117th Street and also connects to Cleveland CBD, transit centers and rapid transit stations. The goals of the project are to increase public transit ridership, reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, increase the demand for residential and retail properties and enhance the pedestrian experience of the corridor. This program will improve the reliability, capacity, speed and safety of RTA service on Clifton Boulevard. According to the RTA, the Clifton Boulevard Transit Enhancement project will significantly upgrade its transit service through the cities of Cleveland and Lakewood in areas with high employment, commercial and residential density. Furthermore, the project will significantly improve the roadway and the peak-hour bus lanes will provide efficient alternative travel for commuters in Cleveland and the western part of Cuyahoga County during the reconstruction of the Innerbelt Bridge, now scheduled to continue to 2015. It will also link to the West 117th Street redevelopment district within the corridor, which serves the Westgate Transit Center and bus connection to the West 117th Street rapid transit station. Proposed Project: The Clifton Boulevard Transit Enhancement project is sponsored by RTA and co-sponsored by the cities of Lakewood and Cleveland. The project involves the construction of 4.5 miles of curb-lane bus lanes along Clifton Boulevard, from the east end of the Shoreway, at Lake Avenue to the West End Loop at the Lakewood terminus to improve bus service along Clifton Boulevard. In addition, the project includes: Replacing damaged roadway sections; Mill and fill roadway construction of six of seven existing lanes; Constructing landscaped medians in selected areas; A sustainable landscaped median appropriate to the cities; Constructing 16 curbside bus stations; Constructing transit waiting environment amenities such as benches, lighting, real time passenger information, signage and waste receptacles Installing a transit-priority based traffic signal system utilizing RTA's activation technology, a 3M GPS-based system; Installing ADA ramps at curb intersections; Installing concrete bus pads at station locations; Installing public art; Implementing parking, pedestrian and bicyclist elements throughout the corridor. New articulated buses in service on other routes will be placed in service for this corridor when the construction is completed. The estimated total cost of the project, provided by the sponsor, is $9,457,500. The estimated cost of preliminary engineering (PE)/design is $770,000, and estimated cost of construction is $8,687,500. RTA, in partnership with the cities of Cleveland and Lakewood, has been designing the project and pursuing various funding sources for the construction of the project. According to RTA, the project design began in January 2010 and is 30 percent complete. The design has been on hold for the last year as RTA is working to secure the remaining construction funding. RTA reports that to date they have secured $770,000 in ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) funding for the design; $3,000,000 FTA (Federal Transit Administration) Bus Livability funding, $960,000 Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Urban Paving funding,$600,000 NOACA Transportation Enhancement (TE) funding and $1,737,500 million of local match funding from RTA, Cleveland and Lakewood for construction. See the attached table of the various funding sources and commitments RTA has received to date. According to RTA, their last two applications for ODOT Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) Major Construction funding, submitted in 2010 and 2011, were denied, so they are seeking NOACA Congestion Mitigation/ Air Quality (CMAQ) funding in order to construct the project. RTA requests that $2,390,000 of the construction cost be funded with CMAQ funds. The non-federal matching funds will be provided through the RTA General Revenues, the city of Cleveland and city of Lakewood contributions toward the project. RTA anticipates completing the design in late 2012. Environmental documentation is underway and no right-of-way is required. RTA plans to bid the project in early 2013 with construction beginning in spring 2013 and continuing through summer 2014. Staff Comment (Summary): Short Range Planning: Project Development and Member Services Team This project is consistent with NOACA’s Connections 2030 Goals #3 (Preserve and Improve the Efficiency of the Transportation System), #4 (Establish a More Balanced Transportation System which Enhances Modal Choices) and #5 (Improve the Mobility of Transit Dependent and Low-Income Individuals) and ODOT’s Access Ohio 2004 - 2030 Goal #2 (Economic Development and the Quality of Life) and Goal #4 (System Preservation). Eligibility for CMAQ funding will require an analysis from the sponsor demonstrating pollutant emission reduction as a result of the project. This project will reduce fuel consumption and increase air quality and safety. Recommend committee and public review in order to obtain comments. Intergovernmental Review and Consultation (IGRC): If you are a representative of a governmental entity and would like to comment on this project, please email us. Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District: "The planned Clifton Blvd improvements provide a wonderful opportunity to reduce the impervious urban fabric and replace it with green infrastructure. All attempts should be made to address water quality and attenuate storm water during and after construction through the use of green infrastructure. Consideration should be given to the methods of planting trees that fit the urban landscape and they should be planted in such a way that promotes proper growth. Long term operations and maintenance of the streetscape improvements should also be incorporated in the plan." Public Involvement: NOACA encourages comments from the public on this proposed transportation improvement project. Please notify us if you would like to be added to our e-mail notification list for future updates. Committee Review: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council Clifton Blvd. is currently, and will continue to be, heavily used by pedestrians. The project sponsor should install countdown pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections, and also make sure that there are enough marked crossings to prevent jaywalking. The route is also currently used by commuter bicyclists. The project sponsor should consider marking the lanes as bike and bus lanes. If this is deemed not feasible, the project sponsor should make it clear that bicyclists are not allowed to use the lane during its restricted hours. Regional Transportation Investment Subcommittee (RTIS)/Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC): "No comments; recommended for amendment to NOACA's Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)."