The November 23, 2004 agenda materials include a cost estimate for the imrpovement of 19th and Louisiana of "$250,000, not inc

January 3, 2004

Comments regarding the need to re-consider the proposed 19th Street and Louisiana Street Roundabout approved by the City Commission at the end of 2004

Inconsistencies in capital planning process and/or capital planning documents:

1. The intersection of 19th and Louisiana Street was not included in the elaborate Intersection Improvement Priorities process that involved the Traffic Safety Commission review in 2004 followed by city commission action. Further, in discussing that process with one of the members of the current TSC, we both felt that staff had given the impression that the financial capacity did not exist for additional projects beyond those recommended in the Intersection Improvement Priority process. (See also Traffic Safety Commission Minutes, 13 September 2004)

2. This project is not in the 2002 CIP Budget (2002-2006),

3. This project is not in the 2003 CIP. The priority project from the Louisiana Street Traffic Calming Study that is identified is the roundabout near Checkers / Malls Driveways.

4. This project is not in the 2004 CIP. The priority project from the Louisiana Street Traffic Calming Study that is identified is the roundabout near Checkers / Malls Driveways.

Description: Construct a roundabout to ease traffic tensions at a spot where driveways into and out of Checkers grocery store (on the east) and the Malls Shopping Center (on the west) parking lots join Louisiana Street.

Justification: The congestion and confusing traffic pattern around these intersections have contributed to accidents and a generally dangerous situation. The roundabout has been proposed as a means of improving traffic safety and flow along this section of Louisiana.

Comments: This project is a recommendation of the Louisiana Street traffic calming study. Parkhill Neighborhood Association voted to strongly support the traffic roundabout being included in the Capital Improvements Plan. Land may need to be purchased to assure there is sufficient right-of-way for the roundabout.

5. The 2004 Lawrence City Budget 2004 Budget lists 19th Street and Louisiana Street as a Traffic Signal Renovation (page J-12).

6. The 2005 Budget calls the project a traffic signal renovation but describes it as an intersection geometric improvement. It goes on to state that this may be a multi-year funded project (page J-12).

I do not recall any staff review or discussion of any of these changes, and I believe this is a change. Various budgeting materials make a clear distinction between signal improvements and intersection improvements.

As far as I recall no memo provided notice or explanation to the city commission; no review was conducted by traffic safety commission; and no other established transportation planning body considered and reported on this.

Reliability of cost estimates:

The November 23, 2004 City Commission agenda materials include a cost estimate for the improvement of 19th and Louisiana of "$250,000, not including issuance and interest costs." This was presented to the public, and the city commission accepted this project, on the basis of that $250,000 estimate.

Contrast that estimate with the following:

• 2004 budget lists this project as a signal renovation at a cost of $250,000.

• 2005 budget lists this "signal renovation" project as an intersection geometric improvement with an increase in to $300,000. (Again, there was no memo from staff alerting the city commission that this project had been moved from the signal renovation list to the intersection improvement list.

• The Louisiana Street Traffic Calming Study projected the cost of the roundabout for 19th and Louisiana Street at $545,720 in the year 2000.

• The 19th and Barker roundabout was completed for $440,994.83

• The projected cost for the Checkers / Malls Louisiana Street Driveways roundabout was $450,000 in the CIP for both 2003 and 2004.

• The 2004 Intersection Improvement Priorities projects, with one exception (15th Street & Wakarusa), have projected costs of either $550,000 or $750,000. (The cost estimates provided for intersection improvement priority project lists since 1999 have been projected between $550,000 and $800,000. Again, according to my records exceptions are rare. And, even thought Clinton Parkway and Crossgate was projected at $340,000 in 1999 and 2000 it was completed for $420,129.)

2000 Traffic Calming Study cost projection	545,720

2004 City Commission Approved Project	250,000

Difference:	295,720
Percentage variance:	54%

I'm not sure that we can afford to get into projects and then double the costs, especially when we are talking about debt financing. Given that we have the ambition to pass a school bond election and figure out how to finance a library expansion, it seems that we need to provide some more professional resources in the area of capital budgeting.

Mike Rundle