R2002-112 AUTHORZING AGREEMENT - Laserfiche WebLink

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� � June 11, 2002 ENGINEERING & INFRASTRUCTURE MEMORANDUM NO. 2002 - 34 MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Mayor Howley and City Council FROM: Steve Garman, City Manager Stephen Swanson, P. E., Director of Engineering & Infrastructurd'�'_J SUBJECT: U.S. Route 51 and Hickory Point Road Feasibility Study SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by City staff that the City Council approve the attached resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement between the City, the Village of Forsyth and Homer L. Chastain & Associates for the U.S. Route 51 and Hickory Point Road Feasibility Study. BACKGROUND: The City of Decatur and the Village of Forsyth have in the past had interests in having Hickory Point Road intersect with U.S. Route 51 ("US 51"). Several factors have affected the pursuit of this project. The factors have included the concurrent interest or agreement by both entities to pursue the project; funding for a study; and indecision about the project's practicality whether functional, financial or approval by regulating entities. The City, in 1995, had a traffic study completed for the proposed modification to the US 51 and Interstate 72 interchange and the proposed t-intersection of Hickory Point Road and US 51. The study was done by the firm of Blank, Wesselink, Cook &Associates, Inc.. The conclusions and recommendations of this study were generally that a t-intersection could work subject to improvements being made. The study's recommendations were not pursued by the City or the Village generally for reasons relating to differing interests, objectives and priorities which could not be resolved at the time. Jim Stevens, former Village administrator, asked Stephen Swanson, the City's Director of Engineering & Infrastructure, about the possibility of the City and Village working together on a study to determine whether an intersection of Hickory Point Road with US 51 was feasible. The increasing traffic in this corridor and the corresponding traffic congestion continued to give need to determine if the opportunity for an intersection exists. In addition, the convenient and safe accessibility for motorists to area businesses has continually been an observed and expressed concern to the City and Village, although sometimes involving competing interests. It was agreed that it is important to have a study completed to evaluate the critical factors impacting this project. These factors included the existing physical constraints; technical and/or regulatory approvals; private property interests; and the economic benefits versus the estimated cost. The evaluation of these factors would provide a basis to make recommendations on how to best pursue this project presuming it is feasible. The preparation of such a study is more