ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager with a Request to APPROVE a SOLE SOURCE Engagement with PATRICK ENGINEERING, in an Amount not to exceed $250,000.00, for Grant Applications to the FEDERAL RAIL ADMINISTRATION.
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BACKGROUND: Mayor Ali formed a Passenger Rail working group that included public and private sector leaders, including representatives in the north central Illinois River Valley to partner with the Illinois Department of Transportation to prepare the Peoria-Chicago Passenger Rail Feasibility Study. The study determined a cost estimate of $2.54 billion to provide service for 5 round trips daily to serve Peoria, Peru/LaSalle, Ottawa, Morris, Joliet and Chicago Union Station, with a flag stop at Utica for Starved Rock State Park. The ridership potential of a range from 440 to 820 daily riders was determined using three different methods, which results in 600 riders on the average daily.
Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, $66 billion will be available for passenger rail service nationwide. The Federal Rail Administration has issued a notice of funding opportunity for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program and will be issuing applications for the Corridor Identification and Improvement program with the explicit goal of adding new service routes into the passenger rail pipeline. The City, County, Commission, and COG have determined the most effective way to apply for these potential federal funding opportunities is to apply jointly and collaboratively.
The North Central Illinois Council of Governments has secured the support of LaSalle, Peru, Ottawa, Utica and Morris, showing strong regional support for the effort ($60,000). Peoria has agreed to fund $100,000 for the applications, Peoria County $50,000, and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission $50,000.
IDOT utilized Patrick Engineering for the preparation of the Feasibility Study. The City of Peoria utilized Hanson Professional Services for the preparation of the Rail Station location study. Both firms have agreed to team on this project along with SB Friedman, Fish Transportation Group and Images, Inc. to prepare the grant applications. The attached engagement letter outlines the scope of work. This team is best suited to provide competitive applications for both funding opportunities.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Patrick Engineering has proposed a scope of work not to exceed $250,000. The communities that would be served by the passenger rail initiative have raised $260,000.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Passenger rail has been positively supported by the community.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The engineering team will be engaged to perform the technical work on the grant applications.
IMPACT IF DENIED: Professional staff from the participating communities would have to prepare the application.
ALTERNATIVES: Council could direct the staff to seek a different selection method.
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: Pending
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Grow Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Invest in our infrastructure and transportation.
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office