On September 11, 2009 the NOACA Governing Board approved the following regarding this project: Resolution No. 2009-026 Project Planning Review Resolution No. 2009-026 Plan and TIP Amendment Title: Reconstruct Bennett Road in North Royalton Sponsor: City of North Royalton Estimated Total Cost: $2,307,746 (Preliminary Engineering and Construction) Proposed Source of Federal Funds: NOACA History/Background: On April 21, 2009, the City of North Royalton passed Ordinance No. 09-53, authorizing the City of North Royalton to prepare and submit an application to participate in NOACA, State Capital Improvement and/or local transportation improvement programs, to execute contracts as required, and declaring an emergency. Current Conditions: Bennett Road is functionally classified as an urban minor arterial. The sponsor reports that the average daily traffic is 7,749 vehicles per day (2000 count). Bennett Road is a two-lane facility with lanes 11 feet wide. The pavement width is 22 feet and the width of the existing right-of-way (RW) is 60 feet. The posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour. According to the sponsor, Bennett Road is a vital transportation link from the center of North Royalton into Brunswick, and is commonly referred to as the “Brunswick Highway.” The large volume of traffic that utilizes Bennett Road on a daily basis, coupled with an aging roadway and infrastructure, has caused the roadway to deteriorate to a condition that has become quite costly to upkeep to make it safe. The sponsor states that some alternatives that were looked at in the preliminary stages of the project were to resurface the roadway. Upon further examination of the roadway, as well as obtaining repair history from the City of North Royalton's Service Department, the City determined that this alternative would be a “band-aid” on the underlying roadway problem. According to the sponsor, a new cross-section will allow the City to repair the underlying failures and place a new roadway that will last for 50 years or more. Furthermore, the sponsor contends the project will increase the connectivity of residents to the center of town, improve on long standing life/safety concerns from flooding and poor drivability of pavement, and help reduce overall maintenance costs to the City and its taxpaying public. Proposed Project: This project involves reconstructing 0.72 mile of Bennett Road, from South Akins Road to Royalton Road (SR-82), in North Royalton (location map). The sponsor reports that the overall scope of the project will be to replace the road cross-section with a new section. The old sandstone curbs will be removed and replaced with new integral concrete curb and gutter sections. The undersized and outdated storm sewer and accompanying culvert will be replaced with upsized and properly designed storm systems that can effectively divert the water from the roadway and surrounding properties to designated outfall points. The sponsor reports that the sanitary sewer, while still considered to be within its useful life, is close enough to the end of its life span that replacement with a watertight system makes economical sense and will reduce maintenance costs incurred by the City. The addition of a sidewalk along one side of the roadway will be an added benefit as it will allow pedestrians to safely travel to the center of North Royalton. The City’s master plan for this area at the center of town calls for a Town Center, and the sidewalk addition makes sense to be installed at the time of replacement of the roadway cross-section. The estimated total cost, provided by the sponsor, is $2,307,746. The estimated cost of preliminary engineering (PE) is $130,100. The PE cost will be borne by the sponsor. The estimated construction cost, provided by the sponsor, is $2,177,646. The sponsor requests that eighty percent ($1,742,116) of the construction cost be funded with NOACA-administered Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds. The sponsor will provide the non-federal share of construction ($435,530). The sponsor estimates construction can begin May 2010. Staff Comment (Summary): Plan and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Team: This project is consistent with NOACA’s Connections 2030 Goal # 3 (Preserve and Improve the Efficiency of the Transportation System) and ODOT’s Access Ohio 2004 - 2030 Goal # 4 (System Preservation). The sponsor should review the cost estimate at significant review stages of project design development. Recommend committee and public review in order to obtain comments. Regional Transportation System (RTS) Team: 2008 pavement condition ratings (PCR) on Bennett Road range between 54 - 70 (poor to fair condition). In May 2010, when construction is scheduled, the deteriorated PCR will range between 50 - 63 (poor to fair/poor condition). NOACA's Regional Pavement Management System (RPMS) recommends major rehabilitation on this segment of Bennett Road. While widening lanes to 12.5 feet will improve safety for cyclists (it is currently very unsafe), it would need another foot on each side to make it reasonably safe. According to a 2006 plan the City commissioned to study transportation issues in their Town Center, the City desires to improve transportation access for pedestrian, cyclist, and public transit users. There are several reasons to widen the existing pavement as part of this project: o It provides access to the future Town Center o It provides access to a Metroparks path o It is a reconstruction project and it is much cheaper to provide improved cyclist accommodation now than to retrofit in the future 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. "Bennett Rd. is classified as an urban minor arterial which requires a minimum of 11' effective lanes ( 12' total width). With the extent of work, a May 2010 start date would seem very optimistic. Also, sanitary sewer betterments are not eligible for Federal Highway funds. The only sanitary sewer work that can be eligible for federal reimbursement are adjustments or relocations that are necessary because of the highway project. This also applies to watermain work on a highway project." - Ohio Department of Transportation, District 12 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: Regional Transportation Investment Subcommittee (RTIS)/Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC): No comments; recommended for amendment to NOACA's Transportation Plan. Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC): This part of Bennett Road is a hill; bicyclists going uphill require more space to be safe. The BAC recommends that an 8 to 10-foot sidepath be installed instead of the proposed five foot sidewalk. Asset Management Council: This section of Bennett Road should be replaced. ODOT District 12 should be consulted to see if (fiscal year) 2010 is possible for construction and if the sanitary sewer is eligible for STP funding.