On July 14, 2006, the NOACA Governing Board approved the following regarding this project: Resolution No. 2006-029 Project Planning Review Resolution No. 2006-030 Plan and TIP Amendment. Title:  Trans-Erie Ferry Terminal in Cleveland Sponsor:  Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority PID No. 80987 Estimated Total Cost: $11,000,000 Preliminary Engineering (PE) and Construction (C) Proposed Source of Federal Funds: SAFETEA-LU History/Background: On September 13, 2002, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority adopted Resolution No 2002-29 authorizing and approving certain actions and accepting an $800,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration for a Ferry Feasibility Study Implementation Project that authorizes and approves the expenditure of funds ($200,000) to match the grant. The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority is the sponsor of two Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005 – a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) earmarks: Senate “Above the Line” Transportation Improvement Projects (SALTIP) Earmark No. 458 (Construction, including design and engineering, of an approximately 30,000 sq. ft. terminal building to accommodate the Trans-Erie ferry service which departs the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority; and Senate High Priority Projects No. 4666 (Establish a Trans-Erie Ferry line from Cleveland, Ohio to Port Stanley, Ontario). On March 24, 2006, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority Board of Directors approved Resolution No. 2006-13 authorizing and approving certain actions and accepting a grant from the Federal Highway Administration for the construction of a terminal building to accommodate the Trans-Erie Ferry Service; and Resolution No. 2006-14 authorizing and approving certain actions and accepting a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to aid in the establishment of a Trans-Erie Ferry Service. Current Conditions: As the contractor for The Cleveland-Trans-Erie Ferry Service Feasibility Study Executive Summary (May 26, 2004), Transystems Corporation (TranSystems), along with a team of key subconsultants, has concluded that a ferry service between Cleveland, Ohio and the Greater London Area, Ontario, Canada, under certain reasonably assumed circumstances is feasible and could be operated as a profitable venture. Proposed Project:  This project includes design and engineering, and construction of an approximately 30,000 square foot ferry terminal building, which will accommodate the Trans-Erie ferry service between the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, Cleveland Ohio and Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada. The ferry terminal will process passengers and cargo. The structure will include space for U.S. Customs, INS, U.S, Department of Agriculture, terminal manager, ferry operator, ticketing operation, public lounge areas for departing and arriving passengers and public restrooms. The project also includes the required staging areas for both inbound and outbound vehicles, meeting requirements of U.S. Customs. The Cleveland-Trans Erie Ferry, which will be serviced by this ferry terminal, develops a new transportation mode between northeast Ohio and Ontario, Canada, for passenger and commercial vehicles and cargo that would typically travel by interstate and cross at border crossings in Buffalo, New York/Niagara, Ontario, Detroit, Michigan/Windsor, Ontario. This project will create a new border crossing between the United State and Canada. The estimated total cost, provided by the sponsor, is $11,000,000. The architectural design and preliminary engineering is estimated to cost $1,000,000. The estimated cost of construction is $10,000,000. The sponsor estimates that the facility can be open for public use by April 2008. The combined total of the earmarks is $7,000,000 (i.e. No. 458 -$6,000,000; and No. 4666 - $1,000,000). An obligation limit of 91% has been applied to the earmarks. Therefore, a combined total of $6,370,000 (i.e. No. 458 -$5,460,000; and No. 4666 - $910,000) in earmark funding is available to the sponsor. Anything over $6,370,000 is the responsibility of the project sponsor. Staff Comment (Summary): Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Team: The sponsor must pay all costs over the obligation limit $6,370,000. Advance to committee and public review with the understanding that the sponsor will make a good-faith effort to address questions and comments. Regional Transportation System (RTS) Team: Recommend approval because it will take trucks off the road. Corridor Planning Team: Study the trucks and passenger vehicles access to the terminal area from SR-2 and the Cleveland Central Business District area. Plan/Forecast Team: This project needs some explanation by its sponsors. Perhaps a presentation is in order. Refer to Cuyahoga County Commissioners and Planning Commission for comment. Committee Review: Transportation Water Quality Council (TransWac): Request completion of questionnaire and return by May 5. How will storm water be addressed for the overall development project? Concern about redesign of drainage from existing storm water discharge points to direct lake discharges. Since the storm water runoff from both existing and proposed surfaces discharges directly to the lake, there is a concern about how storm water contamination will be managed. There is a concern about the large number of trucks idling while waiting to load or unload that will produce excessive diesel emissions. Comments following its May 16, 2006 meeting: A written response to preliminary comments was received. The questionnaire was not completed by the project sponsor. No additional comments are offered. Regional Transportation Investment Subcommittee (RTIS): The RTIS recommendation was to accept the PPR and amend the project to the Plan with the understanding that the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority and Grand River both make presentations at a future TAC meeting to clarify coordination issues. Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) On June 16, 2006: Recommended as an amendment to NOACA's Transportation Plan and TIP. 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. 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.