The Administration & Regulatory Affairs Department (ARA) recommends that City Council adopt an Ordinance approving and authorizing (1) an Advance Funding Agreement (AFA) between the City of Houston and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT); (2) an appropriation of funds ($9,600) for State Participation Costs, due immediately) to be used for the deployment of a dynamic parking guidance system in Houston's Central Business District; (3) authority for the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements, and documents in connection with the grant subject to the City Attorney’s review and approval of the documents to be executed; and, (4) designation of the Director of ARA or her designee to act as the City’s representative in the application process with the authority to apply for, accept, and expend the grant funds, as awarded, and to apply for, accept, and expend all subsequent awards, if any, pertaining to the grant.
In 2015, ARA sponsored an application for $4,181,000 in federal grant funding for an automated, dynamic parking guidance system pilot for downtown Houston. On August 25, 2016, the Texas Department of Transportation published the 2017 Unified Transportation Program, authorizing the State to undertake and complete a City of Houston Automated Parking Guidance System (APGS).
Description/Scope:
An APGS provides real-time parking availability data to the general public via a system of dynamic street signage, website and smartphone app integration. The system has been implemented in other cities such as Seattle and Charlotte with the goal of assisting drivers in finding available parking. Reducing vehicles circling for parking can mitigate traffic congestion and positively impact air quality. An APGS can also reduce parking availability uncertainty for those who do not frequently visit downtown, potentially dispelling the perception that there is a lack of parking downtown.
This project consists of deploying a dynamic parking guidance system in the Central Business District that will incorporate seven off-street facilities. The system will include dynamic signage that will provide real-time parking availability in the seven parking facilities. Also included is a mobile app and website that will communicate real-time parking availability to the public.
The attached AFA with TxDOT is necessary to secure the awarded funding for the pilot project. This phase of the project will encompass seven parking facilities in the CBD and also provide an app and online portal providing real-time parking data for customers. Once the technology is selected via RFP, the agreement will be brought before City Council for approval. ARA, along with the Strategic Procurement Division will manage the procurement contracts for the technology. ARA will manage the agreements with the private parking facility owners participating in the pilot.
The AFA commits the City to providing the 20% required local match, paying for any cost overruns, meeting all the required environmental requirements, and meeting federal and state laws relating to the management and administration of State and federal funds. As a reimbursement project, the City is required to front all costs before receiving reimbursement from TxDOT. The total cost of the project is estimated at $4,196,933. The total amount that must be fronted by the City is estimated at $956,200, including an in-kind match for $15,932 in Indirect State Costs Fees that have been waived, and $9,600 in State Participation Costs (see chart below) that is due upon approval of the AFA. The $956,200 in up-front costs to be paid by the City, as well as any cost overruns, will be paid through the Parking Management Special Revenue Fund (8700). The remainder of the cost of the project will be appropriated in Spring 2017 once the RFP for the technology has been conducted. The AFA becomes effective when signed by the last party whose signing makes the agreement fully executed and is valid for a period not to exceed 5 years from signing. The anticipated project end date is December 31, 2017.
A detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the project is provided below:
Departmental Approval Authority:
_______________________________________ __________________________________________
Tina Paez, Director Other Authorization
Administration & Regulatory
Affairs Department