05-02-2002 Parks Commission Agenda

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6. Projects must have an estimated total cost of at least $125,000. There are significant federal project processing requirements that come with federal funds. These requirements translate into expenditures of time and money on the parts of both the agency proposing/developing the project and the state agency administering the federal funds for the project. Project applicants can "bundle" projects together to meet this minimum. (Example: bundled projects could consist of signing and lighting a number of bike trails in several counties.) Communities may want to consider using joint powers agreements far implementing bundled projects. 7. TAB will not provide more than $1,500,000 in TE funds to a specific project. Other federal funds may be combined with TE funds. 8. Projects must have an assured local (nonfederal funds) match of at least 20% of the estimated total cost of the proposed project. The applicant must assure this required local match is available at the time of application. If the applicant expects any other agency to provide part of the local match, the applicant must include a letter or resolution from the other agency agreeing to financially participate. TAB will not award additional points for providing a match in excess of 20%. Typically, the local match has been provided in the form of cash up front, or "hard dollars". Recent action by the FHWA under the umbrella of the Innovative Financing Rules have allowed for "soft matches" on Transportation Enhancement projects where allowed by the local authority. In this solicitation, the TAB will allow the use of a "soft match" provided that the applicant can provide adequate documentation of its equivalent dollar value and availability. "Soft match" includes donated construction materials (e.g. wooden timbers, asphalt etc.), furished project components (e.g. park benches, light posts, etc...), and labor. MnDOT will evaluate the soft match component to help determine its eligibility and value. 9. Generally, the TAB will provide TE funds for project construction and materials, right of way, land acquisition, program implementation and related materials. The TAB will not provide Transportation Enhancement funds for study completion, preliminary engineering, design, construction engineering, or other similar costs. 10. Proposed designs for bikeways and for combined bike/pedestrian facilities must meet MN/DOT State Aid standards and AASHTO guidelines, and take consideration of MnDOT Bicycle Transportation Planning and Design Guidelines (See MnDOT Technical Memo. No. 99-04-ES-01, "MnDOT Policy on Bikeway and Other Non-Motorized, Multi Use Trail Accommodation within Trunk Highway Right- of-Way"). Exceptions to the State Aid standards are granted during final design based on social, economic or environmental alternatives, not through this solicitation process. Failure to meet the standards or justify exemptions will result in the loss of federal funds. I1. Projects must be coordinated with all affected communities and other levels and units of government. Coordination is defined as written communication from the applicant to all affected communities informing them of the project. The applicant must provide a copy of the-written communication as proof of coordination. TE PROJECTS -PRIORITIZING CRITERIA A. Relationship to the intermodal or multimodal transportation system. 300 points 1. 0-100 points Describe how the project will function as a component or an enhancement of the transportation system. Draft 70 04/30/01