HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated May 13, 2025ITEM #:22
DATE:05-13-25
DEPT:PW
SUBJECT:EAST LINCOLN WAY CORRIDOR STUDY AMENDMENT
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
The Ames Area MPO's (AAMPO's) 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Forward 2045,
identified the E Lincoln Way corridor from Duff Avenue to the South Skunk River bridge (see
Attachment A for study area map) as a potential location for a lane reconfiguration to three
lanes. Additionally, the City of Ames' Bicycle-Pedestrian Master Plan, Walk Bike Roll Ames ,
identified high priority pedestrian crossing locations along this corridor.
Because of the poor pavement condition along this corridor, a roadway reconstruction project in the
amount of $3,600,000 was programmed in the City's Capital Improvements Program as an FY
2026/27 Arterial Street Pavement Improvements Program project. In March 2023, the City submitted a
project application to the AAMPO and was awarded a federal Surface Transportation Block Grant
(STBG) for the project. Of the $3,600,000 total construction budget, $2,880,000 would be from the
STBG grant and $720,000 would be from General Obligation Bonds (local match).
Because the location of this reconstruction project overlaps with the potential roadway reconfiguration
identified in Forward 2045 and the high priority pedestrian crossing locations identified in Walk Bike
Roll Ames, the AAMPO programmed a corridor study to determine the best roadway cross section
(including lane configuration and multi-modal improvements) for the corridor. The results of this
corridor study would then identify the appropriate cross-section to move forward with for design and
reconstruction. This study also includes assessing the intersection of S Duff Ave and E Lincoln Way,
although that intersection is not a part of the reconstruction project that is currently programmed.
At its October 8, 2024, meeting, City Council approved the professional services agreement (see
Attachment A) for this study with Strand Associates, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin, in an amount not to
exceed $30,000.
AMENDMENT:
The AAMPO recently completed an update to its travel demand model, which forecasts regional travel
patterns and behavior, as a part of its 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan update. This update to
the model includes new forecasts for 2050 traffic along this study corridor. Because the updated
regional travel demand model reflects more up-to-date base conditions and expected future
development, staff believes the traffic modeling efforts in this corridor study should utilize the new
traffic forecasts. However, the effort required to update the traffic models that have already been
completed in this study falls outside the study's original scope.
As such, an amendment to the original professional services agreement has been proposed (see
Attachment B). The amendment is in the amount of $14,000, bringing the total study budget to
$44,000. It contains the following scope adjustments:
Develop new traffic models that reflect the updated 2050 corridor traffic forecasts.
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Reevaluate potential alternatives for the E Lincoln Way study corridor and intersection of Duff
Ave & Lincoln Way based on results from the updated traffic models.
Using already performed analyses from a prior Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) done for potential
development south of E Lincoln Way (which included proposed roadway extensions of SE 3rd St
and SE 5th St into a new north-south roadway that would connect northward to E Lincoln Way),
perform an evaluation of the E Lincoln Way corridor with and without this potential development
scenario. This includes developing a preliminary layout of the intersection of E Lincoln Way and
the new north-south roadway.
$11,200 of the $14,000 amendment would be funded using AAMPO Federal Planning Funds with
the remaining $2,800 coming from the City of Ames Local Road Use Tax Fund as local match.
Because this proposed amendment is more than 20% of the initial project cost, Council action is
required to approve the change. If this amendment is approved, staff anticipates the study's
preliminary findings would be presented to City Council in late summer or early fall 2025.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to the professional services agreement with Strand Associations, Inc.
for the East Lincoln Way Corridor Study in the amount of $14,000.
2. Do not approve the amendment and direct staff to complete the study per the original professional
services agreement.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
By approving this amendment, the study can move forward utilizing the most up-to-date traffic
forecasts along the E Lincoln Way Corridor. The study can also better consider potential
development scenarios south of E Lincoln Way. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City
Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1 as described above.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment A - Study PSA w Strand.pdf
Attachment B - Proposed Amendment 1 to PSA.docx
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