RESOLUTION No. 36388

Direct Portland Office of Transportation to begin preliminary engineering on the East Burnside/Couch Couplet (Resolution)

WHEREAS, the Burnside Transportation and Urban Design Plan was adopted by City Council in December 2002. The Plan includes couplet improvements for east and west Burnside and Couch Streets from E 14^th Avenue to W 16^th Avenue; and

WHEREAS, the Burnside/Couch Transportation and Urban Design Plan Technical Refinements document was completed in June 2005. The technical refinements document further develops the couplet design and prepares the project to begin preliminary engineering; and

WHEREAS, the east and west segments of the Burnside/Couch Couplet project can be engineered and constructed independently of each other; and

WHEREAS, completion of the east segment of the Burnside/Couch couplet is important to the economic development goals of the Central Eastside and to the Burnside Bridgehead development, a project of the Portland Development Commission; and

WHEREAS, the preliminary funding strategy for the eastside, included in the technical refinements document, involves using 90 percent federal funds and a 10 percent local match. The project currently has $5.2 million in federal funds. The Portland Development Commission has $300,000 in the Central Eastside Urban Renewal Area FY 2005-06 Revised Budget as a local match. Federal funds, along with the local match, is enough to fully fund the preliminary engineering; and

WHEREAS, the current estimated cost of the eastside couplet is $16.2 million. It is anticipated that this number will increase as a result of escalating construction costs. Additional funds to construct the project are expected to come from future federal allocations; and

WHEREAS, the availability of future federal funds can not be guaranteed and this creates risk to project completion and/or delay.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that City Council direct the Portland Office of Transportation to begin preliminary engineering on the East Burnside/Couch Couplet; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Council direct staff from the Portland Office of Transportation and request assistance from the Portland Development Commission to refine the funding strategy to more quickly secure the funds necessary to construct the project.

Adopted by the Council, March 08, 2006

 GARY BLACKMER

 AUDITOR OF THE CITY OF PORTLAND

Commissioner Sam Adams  BY /S/ Colleen Phillips

Bill Hoffman:slg                      DEPUTY

February 23, 2006

BACKING SHEET INFORMATION

AGENDA NO. 305-2006

ORDINANCE/RESOLUTION/COUNCIL DOCUMENT NO. 36388