Title
A resolution authorizing the City of Colorado Springs to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation for operation and maintenance of traffic control devices on state highways within the City.
Presenter:
Gayle Sturdivant, PE, PMP, Acting Public Works Director/City Engineer
Todd Frisbie, PE, PTOE, City Traffic Engineer, Public Works
Body
Summary:
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will compensate the City of Colorado Springs to perform preventative and responsive maintenance on 78 CDOT-owned traffic signals identified in the contract Exhibit A. Under this Contract (“IGA”), the City will perform annual inspections, respond to emergency calls, and make repairs in response to signal damage or operational issues.
Background:
Powers Boulevard (SH 21), Fountain Boulevard/MLK Bypass (US 24) and on/off ramps along I-25 are roadways owned and maintained by CDOT. The state highways and the ramp terminal intersections along I-25 are integrated into the City’s transportation network and are used daily by thousands of City residents for commuting, shopping, recreational and other trips. Therefore, it is essential to have consistency in the operations and maintenance of traffic signals within the urban area to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the urban signal system. This operation and maintenance IGA will continue the City’s efforts to operate a safe and efficient urban signal system and will benefit city and county citizens who use these roadways daily and visitors using these state highways to travel through the City. It allows City staff to address service calls, emergency calls, and traffic signal timing changes regardless of ownership of the roadways. It allows for consistent signal timing and operations of signals on corridors region wide. It also provides one point of contact for citizens to report signal issues.
Per the IGA’s Exhibit A, the City shall furnish and have available tools, equipment, apparatus, facilities, labor, services, and materials to perform work in a good and workman like manner and in compliance with the current Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the CDOT standards. The City shall provide qualified personnel to perform its responsibilities under the contract to conduct routine maintenance, respond to emergency calls, revise signal timing in response to citizen requests and changing traffic patterns, regularly review and update corridor signal timing plans, and promptly complete temporary and/or permanent repairs.
This IGA to maintain CDOT traffic signals has been active since 1991. Since this initial agreement, the City has been responding to service calls, performing preventative maintenance, responding to emergency after hour calls, and implementing traffic signal timing changes to maintain efficient signal operations. Although CDOT could respond to signal needs within the City, the geographical area covered by CDOT Region 2 is generally considered one quarter of the state. CDOT signal personnel are not within the City on a regular basis to be responsive to issues, but City signal technicians are available 24 hours 7 days a week and therefore can respond to traffic signal issues significantly quicker than CDOT personnel. In addition, by maintaining the traffic signal timing of the intersections on state owned facilities, City staff is able to incorporate the I-25 ramp signal timing and SH 21 and US 24 signal timing to provide enhanced signal progression both on state and City owned roadways.
Previous Council Action:
The original agreement for the maintenance of traffic signals on the state highway system within the City limits was approved by City Council Resolution 136-91 in August of 1991. Thereafter, the on-going five-year agreements between the City and CDOT have been approved by Council Resolution. The current IGA for the years 2020-2024 was approved by City Council Resolution 92-19 on October 8, 2019.
Financial Implications:
The Local Agency will provide maintenance services as described in Exhibit A, for a total maximum amount of $341,640 per State fiscal year, and a maximum contract total shall not exceed the cumulative five-year total of $1,708,200.
City Council Appointed Board/Commission/Committee Recommendation:
N/A
Stakeholder Process:
N/A
Alternatives:
City Council has the following alternatives related to this issue:
1. Approve the resolution as submitted;
2. Modify the resolution; or
3. Decline to approve the resolution.
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
Move to approve the resolution authorizing the City of Colorado Springs to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation for operation and maintenance of traffic control devices in State highways within the City.
Summary of Ordinance Language
N/A