DEPARTMENT: Parks, Facilities, and Fleet Management
FILE TYPE: Regular Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Accept Grant Funds From Rebuilding American Infrastructure With Sustainability And Equity Program Grant And Infrastructure And Investment Jobs Act Matching Funds Grant For Completing Mississippi River Greenway Projects And Amend 2024 Capital Improvement Program Budgets
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize the acceptance of Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program grant funds and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) state matching funds required for the local cost share of the federal discretionary RAISE grant associated with completing the Mississippi River Greenway Projects. Amend the 2024 Capital Improvement Program Budgets.
SUMMARY
To provide a safe and efficient greenway system, Dakota County is proceeding with completing the Mississippi River Greenway (MRG) projects which include the following (Attachment: Project Location):
• Regional Trail Gap (P00109): complete 2.4-mile trail gap to complete the last remaining segment of the MRG.
• Wayfinding, Signage, and Interpretation (2000232): provide consistent orientation and user support signage for the full 27-mile corridor, including interpretation.
• Trail Support and Safety (County Project 56-14): Add ten rest areas/overlooks and improve the safety of 23 road crossings along the 27-mile corridor.
• Unity Trail Gap/County State Aid Highway 28 (County Project 28-69): complete one-mile gap from school area to Mississippi River Greenway as part of a larger interpretive loop trail system.
• Natural Resource Restoration and Plantings (2000232): restore 60 acres along the corridor and add natural resource signature plantings along seven miles of the corridor.
By Resolution No. 23-066 (February 7, 2023), the County Board approved to submit a RAISE grant application with the U.S. Department of Transportation, and was awarded $8,800,000 in June of 2023 (Attachment: RAISE Award Letter). Staff also applied for and received an IIJA Match Grant with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) in November and December of 2023 to help provide state matching costs required for the federal discretionary RAISE grant program that was awarded. The grant award is up to $2,439,999.90 and will be finalized during negotiations and execution of project specific grant agreements.
County Project P00109, Mississippi River Greenway Rosemount East in the city of Rosemount, was advertised, bid, and awarded in November of 2023 for construction. The funding letter (Attachment: IIJA Match Fund Letter) identified $1,878,912.27 in state IIJA match funds for P00109 construction, which leaves $561,078.63 in local match funds for the construction of the remaining projects listed above.
County Projects 56-14 and 28-69 are currently planned for 2025 construction and 2025 Transportation CIP should be amended to include these grant funds in the project budgets and will follow the cost participation policy.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff requests authorization to accept the RAISE Grant funds in the amount of $8,800,00 and the newly awarded IIJA Match Grant funds in the amount of $2,439,999.90, and enter into subsequent state grant agreements, including (Attachment: Grant Agreement) with MnDOT to make the funds available to Dakota County.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
An amendment to the 2024 Parks Capital Improvement Program Budget is necessary for the projects included in the Completing the Mississippi River Greenway that were awarded funding. Some of the RAISE funds were allocated to projects in the 2024 CIP and a budget amendment is included for those projects that didn’t have previous RAISE or IIJA funds accounted for. The acceptance of these funds does not require any additional County match for any of the projects and will subsequently decrease the amount of County funds being used for the Mississippi River Greenway projects. Final grant funding allocation won’t be known until construction and subsequent agreements for each separate project.
☐ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☒ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Dakota County applied for and was awarded a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant in the amount of $8,800,000 to complete an approximately 2.4-mile gap of trail along the 27-mile Mississippi River Greenway, including safety improvements at road and rail crossings, wayfinding, natural resource restoration, and completion of a gap that connects a local trail to the Mississippi River Greenway; and
WHEREAS, the US Department of Transportation expects all RAISE grant funding to be obligated no later than September 30, 2027, and expended by September 30, 2032, and includes requirements for non-federal local match funding; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi River Greenway (MRG) Rosemount East segment is the last remaining segment of the regional trail to be secured, designed, and constructed in order to connect the national MRG from Hastings to South St. Paul; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County is the lead agency for completing the Mississippi River Greenway projects, including the MRG Rosemount East, P00109, with construction scheduled to begin at the start of the 2024 construction season; and
WHEREAS, the 2024-2028 Parks Capital Improvement Program Budget includes sufficient funding for construction; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County applied for and was awarded $8,800,000 in RAISE grant funding; and
WHEREAS, the amount of the RAISE grant has been determined to be $4,700,000 for P00109; and
WHEREAS, the remaining $4,100,000 can be allocated between the remaining projects included in the Completing the Mississippi River Greenway RAISE grant; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County has applied to the Commissioner of Transportation for a grant from the State Program for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Assistance; and
WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Transportation has given notice that funding for this project is available; and
WHEREAS, the total amount of the IIJA grant award is $2,439,999.90; and
WHEREAS, the amount of the grant has been determined to be $1,878,912.27 by reason of the lowest responsible bid for P00109; and
WHEREAS, the remaining $561,078.63 can be allocated between the remaining projects included in the Completing the Mississippi River Greenway RAISE grant.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That Dakota County does hereby agree to the terms and conditions of the grant consistent with Minnesota Laws 2023, Chapter 68, Article 1, Section 2, Subdivision 5(a), will pay any additional amount by which the cost exceeds the estimate, and will return any amount appropriated for the project but not required; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the proper county officers are authorized to execute a grant agreement and any amendments thereto with the Commissioner of Transportation concerning the above-referenced grant, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the 2024 Parks Capital Improvement Program is hereby amended as follows:
Expense
MRG East P00109 $1,878,912.27
MRG East P00109 $4,700,000.00
MRG Wayfinding 200232 $280,539.32
Total Expense $6,859,451.59
Revenue
MRG East P00109 (Federal IIJA) $1,878,912.27
MRG East P00109 (Federal RAISE) $4,700,000.00
MRG Wayfinding 200232 (Federal IIJA) $280,539.32
Total Revenue $6,859,451.59
; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the 2025 Transportation Capital Improvement Program is hereby amended as follows:
Expense
CP 56-14 $140,269.66
CP 56-14 $1,150,000.00
CP 28-69 $140,269.66
CP 28-69 $1,150,000.00
Total Expense $2,580,539.32
Revenue
CP 56-14 (Federal IIJA) $140,269.66
CP 56-14 (Federal RAISE) $1,150,000.00
CP 28-69 (Federal IIJA) $140,269.66
CP 28-69 (Federal RAISE) $1,150,000.00
Total Revenue $2,580,539.32
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
23-066; 2/7/23
23-485; 10/24/23
23-596; 12/19/23
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Project Location
Attachment: RAISE Award Letter
Attachment: IIJA Match Fund Letter
Attachment: Grant Agreement
BOARD GOALS
☒ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Taud Hoopingarner
Author: Tony Wotzka