Sponsor: Parks & Recreation
Title
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Phase 1 Bruce Vento Regional Trail Extension Local Match to State Bond Construction Funding
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Recommendation
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1. Accept and approve the Bruce Vento Phase 1 extension estimated construction budget and financing plan in the amount of $1 million.
2. Authorize the County Manager to allocate county funds in the amount of $496,071 from the Capital Project Fund balance for a local funding match for the Phase 1 Bruce Vento Regional Trail Extension construction project.
3. Authorize the County Manager to account for the Phase 1 Bruce Vento Regional Trail construction project as a budgeted project in Parks & Recreation.
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Background and Rationale
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The Bruce Vento Regional Trail corridor is 13 miles in length and extends from the east side of downtown Saint Paul to the north county line at County Road J in Ramsey County. The southern seven-mile segment of the regional trail was completed in 2005 from downtown Saint Paul to Buerkle Road in Ramsey County on former Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railway. The remaining six miles of the trail north of Buerkle Road to County Road J is still undeveloped due to active rail use.
Beginning in 2014, Parks & Recreation launched a series of projects to accommodate trail improvements for master plan adjustments, planning and design for sections of the trail north of Buerkle Road, and to integrate the Bruce Vento Regional Trail with Purple Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) improvements within the regional trail corridor. See below for a list of Bruce Vento Regional Trail projects completed since 2014.
• Phase 1 Section - Buerkle Road to Intersection of Hoffman Road/Highway 61Trail Extension.
o Phase 1 Preliminary Design Study: 2014 - 2016.
o Phase 1 Preliminary & final plan development: 2018 - 2021.
o Phase 1 Construction plans & specifications: 2023 - 2024.
• Phase 2 Section - Whitaker Street to County Road J Extension.
o Phase 2 Trail Feasibility Study: 2018-2019.
o Phase 2 Preliminary Design Study - Whitaker Street to County Road J: 2020-2022.
• Bruce Vento Regional Trail Long-range Plan amendment - Larpenteur Avenue to County Road J: 2018 - 2021.
During the Phase 1 preliminary & final plan development project, an estimate was developed to identify the total cost of construction. More recently, as part of the Phase 1 construction plans & specification project, an updated construction estimate identified the total cost of the Phase 1 construction project in the amount of $10 million.
In 2020, Parks & Recreation applied for federal transportation funds through a regional solicitation process through the Metropolitan Council Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) and was awarded federal funds in the amount of $4 million. Additionally, within the 2023 state legislative process, Ramsey County was awarded $5 million in state bonds for construction funding.
As a condition of state and federal funding, the county will need to provide a local match in an amount of $1 million. A financing plan has been developed to identify existing county funding sources and additional funding requests. Parks & Recreation attended the CIPAC committee on December 7, 2023, regarding reallocation of project funds listed below. The CIPAC committee was in agreement and recommends approval of the overall financing plan for the $1 million of local match funds.
Ramsey County Fund Source: $1 million
• Building 189 (Capital Project Fund re-allocation): $323,071
• County ADA (County CIP re-allocation request): $303,929
• Campus Master Plan (County CIP re-allocation request): $200,000
• Capital Project Fund: $173,000
Below is a project status summary of projects listed within the financing plan.
• Building 189 Demolition Project - This project is complete and has a remaining balance that can be applied toward the funding needed for the Vento Trail.
• County ADA CIP Funding- This funding is available to invest in projects that address or create compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The development of this trail section must comply with ADA standards and related funding will be used to ensure compliance with ADA standards. The remaining funding of $303,929 is comprised of $48,929 of remaining funds from 2018, $95,000 of remaining funds from 2019, and $160,000 of remaining funds from 2021.
• Campus Master Plan CIP Funding- Funding for this project was allocated in 2020. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent facility use changes on the Maplewood campus such as the sale of the Care Center caused the timing of this project to be delayed. A campus master plan could be beneficial in the future but is not a high priority at this time.
• Capital Project Fund request - On December 7, 2023, the county’s CIPAC committee voted to approve $173,000 of funds from the capital project fund for the Vento trail project.
This funding request will fulfill the estimated overall project total budget and the local match to state and federal funds. This project will provide several benefits to Ramsey County residents and aligns with county strategic priorities for Residents First, Climate Mitigation and Resiliency, Intergenerational Prosperity, and Racial and Economic Inclusion.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
An equity analysis was completed as part of the Bruce Vento Regional Trail Long-range Plan amendment. Engagement activities were developed and prioritized for equity, inclusivity, maximizing voices heard, and geographic representation. Equity analysis outcomes provided a direct benefit to significant populations for people of color in Saint Paul south of Larpenteur Avenue, connects two communities with diverse demographics and income between Maplewood and White Bear Lake, in addition to substantial concentrations of youth, elderly, and residents with disabilities.
In addition, the trail will connect populations south of the trail project for the southern Saint Paul segment of the existing Bruce Vento Trail which extends through highly urban and concentrated areas of poverty making it a regionally important connection that will directly benefit diverse populations more distant than those directly adjacent to the corridor area.
The following engagements listed below were completed in 2019 in coordination with the Purple Line Bus Rapid Transit project. Specific engagement activities designed to reach underrepresented communities included:
• Tuesdays on the Trail pop-up informational meetings targeting trail users.
• Four pop-up meetings were held at four locations in Saint Paul and Maplewood including Hmong Village Area, Larpenteur Avenue, Frost Avenue, Harvest Park.
• Pop-up meetings at Hmong Village Shopping Center targeting the Hmong community.
• Input from the Rush Line Community Advisory Committee whose members reflect the diverse communities along the corridor.
• Participation at the Dragon Festival at Phalen Regional Park.
• Participation at the Fiesta Latina hosted by Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES).
• Directed informational and invitational mailings to property owners with Hmong surnames.
• Information provided in multiple languages.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Although community engagement was not conducted regarding securing local matching funds, engagement was completed through a multi-year effort by the Parks department and Purple Line BRT activities. Public engagement activities were completed at different intervals dependent on project location throughout the regional trail corridor. Master planning engagement completed by the Parks department primarily focus on areas north of Buerkle Road while the Purple Line BRT Group focused primarily between Larpenteur Avenue and Buerkle Road.
To achieve the public engagement goals, diverse communities were identified including people of color, Hmong people living in Saint Paul and Maplewood, Latino people living in Saint Paul, Public Housing residents, trail users, and residents and business throughout the project corridor. Input received as a part of the engagement activities is reflected throughout the long-range plan amendment.
• Parks department engagement - Five public engagement meetings were conducted through 2014 to 2020 consisting of two public meetings in 2016, two in 2018, and one meeting in 2019 totaling approximately 185 people, 200 plus comments, approximately 50 surveys, over 3000 flyers/direct mailings, and multiple website/social media postings. Additionally, there was a 30-day public review of the master plan in September 2020.
• Purple Line Engagement - During the summer of 2019, the Rush Line BRT Group and the Parks department completed engagement activities for the development of the Ramsey County Rail Right-of-way Design Guide. A total of ten dedicated events were held throughout 2019 totaling approximately 730 people, and 75 plus survey responses. Outcomes provided feedback for site and infrastructure design elements, and site amenities for the regional trail within the Rush Line BRT corridor.
Engagement activities and notifications were completed through various methods consisting of website updates, public open houses, pop-up events, direct mailings, direct meetings with homeowners and business, flyers and social media. The Parks department received letters of support for the master plan amendment from the cities of Gem Lake, Maplewood, Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake, White Bear Township Hills, and the Ramsey County Park and Recreation Commission.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
The overall project budget for the Phase 1 construction project is estimated at $10 million. Parks & Recreation attended the CIPAC meeting on December 7, 2023, to present the recommended financing plan of $1 million for local matching funds and request that the committee recommend an allocation of $496,071 from the capital improvement fund balance as part of the local match. Overall, 90% of the estimated construction funding needed is being provided with federal and state funds. Ramsey County local match funding in the amount of $1 million comprises 10% of the estimated funding that is needed to complete this phase of the project. A portion of the local match in the amount of $496,071 from the Capital Project Fund balance is requested to be allocated towards a local funding match for the Phase 1 Bruce Vento Regional Trail Extension construction project.
A financing plan has been provided to outline funding and match requirements.
Last Previous Action
On December 12, 2023, the Board of Commissioners approved permanent and temporary easements for 1755 Buerkle Road, White Bear Lake (Resolution B2023-232).
On May 18, 2021, the Ramsey Board of Commissioners approved the Bruce Vento Regional Trail Long-Range Plan Amendment (Resolution B2021-112).
Attachments
1. Finance Plan