SUBJECT: Additional Appropriation to the Consent Agreement between the City of Houston and the Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) for the Betterment of the City Utility Facilities, WBS No. N-001205-0001-7 and R-000521-0060-7.
Approve an Ordinance appropriating additional funds to the Consent Agreement with METRO.
PROJECT NOTICE/JUSTIFICATION: Chapter 451 of the Texas Transportation Code specifically authorizes METRO to use a municipality's public right of way to design, construct, operate and maintain a public transit system. The project consists of the design, construction, operation and maintenance of METRO's transit system for the defined scope. This project is part of the METRO Solutions Plan, Phase 2.
DESCRIPTION/SCOPE: The desired betterment consists of upsizing a total of 356 linear feet of waste water line and an encasement of 256 linear feet of waste water line.
LOCATION: The north line is approximately 5.2 miles long and extends from the existing METRO Rail University of Houston-Downtown Station along Main, Boundary and Fulton Streets and terminates adjacent to the existing north line of the transit center. It is located in Key Map Grids 453P, 4530, 453U, 453Y, 493C, 493D, 493G, 493H and 493M.
SCOPE OF CONTRACT AND FEE: City Council approved the Consent Agreement with METRO on June 18, 2008, under Ordinance No. 2008-0567. In accordance with the agreement, METRO agreed to submit for the City's approval its design for the relocation of City and privately-owned utilities, as well as all other rearrangements and betterments to the facilities located within the public right-of-way or property to relocate City and privately-owned utilities within the route at METRO's expense, and to construct certain improvements (betterments) to City’s utility facilities as the project is being constructed. The betterments will increase the service capacity, capability, efficiency, and function of current City services.
During the development and construction of the project, the City requested the upsizing of water lines, drainage lines, the encasement of sewer lines and paving and sidewalk widening in various segments along the route of the project. A portion of the betterments was approved by Council on August 10, 2011 under Ordinance Number 2011-0685. Additional funding is needed to pay the remaining cost associated with these utility betterments. The final payment for the East End Corridor is $144,326.00. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriate funds in the amount of $155,872.08 which includes $11,546.08 for CIP Cost Recovery.
ACTION RECOMMENDED: It is recommended that the City Council adopt an ordinance approving and authorizing an additional appropriation to the Consent Agreement and appropriate funds.