Impact
WARD / COUNCILMEMBER: Ward 1 / Councilmember Pickens
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Approval of Resolution RES2022-09 in support of the Cumberland CID (CCID) and Cobb County’s submission of a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the construction of the Cumberland Sweep planning project and authorize the Mayor to sign and execute all related documents. Ward 1 / Councilmember Pickens
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ISSUE AND BACKGROUND:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced a Fiscal Year 2022 call for projects on January 28, 2022, for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Transportation Discretionary Grants program. Applications are due April 14, 2022, and will be competitively selected for award based on merit criteria that includes safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, mobility and community connectivity, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, partnership and collaboration, and innovation. Project selections will be announced no later than August 12, 2022.
The Cumberland Community Improvement District (CCID) seeks a RAISE “planning project” grant to advance innovative transportation initiatives in the Cumberland core area. The proposed “planning project” grant, also known as the Cumberland Sweep, is a consolidated initiative of enhancing various transportation modes and innovative technology that would advance preliminary engineering for the various segments of the Cumberland Sweep (Segments A, B, D, E & F) and for the Cobb Parkway (US41) Pedestrian Bridge North (a joint project with the City of Smyrna) as well as the Cobb Pkwy (US41) Pedestrian Bridge South.
This project will provide a seamless 3-mile plus multi-modal loop around the core of the Cumberland District and a two pedestrian bridges across Cobb Parkway/US 41, a high volume 6-lane state route corridor. The addition of the Cumberland Sweep project will also enhance safety and minimize traffic congestion for motorists, pedestrians, and visitors, such as game-day goers traveling to, from, and around the core of the Cumberland area on a daily basis.
The total cost for the Cumberland Sweep, RAISE planning project for engineering design grant is $8,815,000. Of this amount, federal monies requested in the RAISE Grant application will fund $7,052,000 of the total cost, or approximately 80 percent. The required estimated local match of $1,763,000 or approximately 20 percent, has been committed by the Cumberland CID.
Though not providing any funding, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners will serve as the project sponsor for the application.
The City of Smyrna has been coordinating with Cobb County and the CCID on planning for the Cobb Parkway/US 41 pedestrian bridge. When completed it will create a grade separated pedestrian crossing from the west side (the Smyrna side) of Cobb Parkway to the east side (The Battery side) of Cobb Parkway. The project was previously identified in the Spring Road Corridor Study adopted by Mayor and Council (2017). The 2022 SPLOST, which was approved by voters in November 2020, allocated $3,680,000.00 in City SPLOST funds for this project. It is a critical infrastructure project that will help stimulate future development and redevelopment of the block bounded by Cobb Parkway, Cumberland Boulevard and Spring Road.
RECOMMENDATION / REQUESTED ACTION: Approval of Resolution RES2022-09 in support of the Cumberland CID (CCID) and Cobb County’s submission of a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the construction of the Cumberland Sweep planning project and authorize the Mayor to sign and execute all related documents.