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HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-075 - Rapid Transit Engineering Update REPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: September 9, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Pauline Houston, DCAO, Infrastructure Services PREPARED BY: Barbara Robinson, Director of Engineering (519-741-2200 x 7410) WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: August 30, 2013 REPORT NO.: INS-13-075 SUBJECT: Rapid Transit Engineering Costs Update RECOMMENDATION: For Information BACKGROUND: ReportINS 12-007, City and Region Cost Sharing Agreement – Infrastructure Relocation related to Region Rapid Transit Project, was presented to Community and Infrastructure Services Committee on April 16, 2012, by Grant Murphy. This report outlined and recommended endorsement of the proposed cost sharing arrangement as defined in a memorandum of understanding between the City and Region (based on age of infrastructure) for the relocation of the City’swatermains, sanitary and storm sewers to be affected by the RT project. The report identified that $18.7 million (Class C estimate) would be required to relocate this infrastructure, with costs shared between the Region and City. For City’s portion, sources of this funding were previously identified in the then-current 10 year forecast, along with some newly identified deferrals to the financing/timing of some plannedCity/Regional reconstruction projects to accommodate the RT needs. In the latter case the Region agreed to either front end finance the City’s portion of the cost of these City/Region projects, or defer them beyond the 10- year window of the capital forecast,so as to not adversely affect the City’s cash flow or force the City to defer its own previously identified infrastructure projects scheduled in the 2014 – 2019 time frame. Since the report, a third option to have the Region simply front end finance the City’s unallocated portion of the RT relocation work has been identified and is being discussed with Regional staff. The timing of payment for the City’s portion will be determined in the upcoming formal cost sharing agreement. Adequate funding to accommodate all of these options has been identified in the 2020 – 2022 time frame of the City’s capital forecast since 2012. In summary, INS 12-007 concluded that the funding requirements for infrastructure replacement as part of the rapid transit projects, placed no additional financial burden on Kitchener, and did not adversely impact other reconstruction priorities in the near to mid-term. Reallocation of existing funding in the then-current approved capital forecast was adequate for all RT costs. IF 1 - 1 REPORT: Region of Waterloo staff has now provided the City of Kitchener with Class C+/B- cost estimates of the City share of RT costs associated with relocation of this infrastructure. These updated unit costs and cost estimates are considered to be very thorough by engineering staff. Based on the information available to us now, it appears that our original allocations in the capital budget forecast are appropriate to complete this work. In the next several months, City and Region staff will be meeting to develop a formal cost sharing agreement for the relocation of the City’s watermains, sanitary, and storm sewers affected by the rapid transit project. The basis of those negotiations will be the cost sharing formula as outlined in the MOU, and the financing options both as outlined above. Once complete, staff will bring this agreement to council for consideration. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: City of Kitchener’s work on the Regional Rapid Transit Project aligns with, and contributes to, all of the “Community Priorities” in the City’s Strategic Plan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no financial implications at this time, as all costs associated with RT projects are already accounted for in capital forecasts. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: This information report regarding the City of Kitchener Rapid Transit initiatives is intended to inform the public. CONCLUSION: The engineering costs associated with the RT project are currently on budget and accounted for in our 10 year capital forecast. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department IF 1 - 2