Dallas CountyPublic Works Quarterly Newsletter

Our mission...Improving the quality of life of our customers...the citizens, taxpayers, transportation users, communities and partners of Dallas County...by effectively planning and implementing regional public works transportation projects

Winter 2009Message from the Director

It’s a well-know truism that necessity is the mother of invention, or put another way, constraints can cause creativity. Both of these truths describe well Dallas County’s situation regarding our Transportation Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP). This ‘revival’ edition of our Public

Works Quarterly Newsletter features our MCIP; we hope you gain an understanding of its essential elements and why it has evolved to be an outstanding example of ‘good government’ for the citizens of Dallas County.

The necessity/constraint we faced in 1999 was the need to formulate the successor program to the highly ambitious 1991 Dallas County Bond Program. That complex set of transportation improvements involved committing over $175M of County Bond funds to accomplish an estimated $400M of total project value in vitally-needed thoroughfare and intersection improvements, signal and intelligent transportation projects, and Right of Way (ROW) & construction partnerships with TxDOT for their federal and state projects. The challenge we faced was that by late 1999, we were only about 30% fi nished with the Bond program projects. Complexity of federalizing many projects, including intersections and signals in a Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) federal program, as well as more challenging local thoroughfare widening projects due to population growth and higher densities of development, all led to slower project delivery than originally anticipated.

So with the very wise leadership of our Commissioners Court members, Public Works crafted a program that allowed for a planned phase-in of project selection, design, ROW & utility coordination activities before the 1st project construction of the new MCIP projects happened. This phase-in would allow the completion of all the Bond Projects, while at the same time building up the new program, this time with the same county tax receipts that paid down Bond fund borrowing, but on a pay-as-you-go basis. We prefer to call this a “Transportation Commitment Program,” since funds are budgeted on a year-to-year basis, but committed to over a longer period. Even fast-track transportation projects take 3-5 years to move into construction.

We are very fortunate that our County Commissioners Court has had the vision and courage to keep the commitments of our MCIP program for over 8 years, so that we have now committed or spent close to $400M of County funds for about $1B of vitally-needed transportation improvements. Even in tough budget years, our Court members have kept their commitments and we have moved projects along, without the restrictions and restraints of a Bond Program. At the same time, we are confi dent we are delivering projects that Dallas County voters have approved, since our cities nominate and participate in projects that have been approved in their own city bond elections.

We are proud of our MCIP and have shared the good news with others, most recently at the annual International Congress of the American Public Works Association in New Orleans, in August 2008.

IN THIS ISSUE:Message from the Director.....................................1MCIP Summary........................................................2 Singleton Blvd.: End of an Era...............................3What is MCIP and How is It Funded?.....................4

Dallas County Department of Public Works

411 Elm Street, 4th Floor Dallas , TX 75202

What is MCIP and How is it Funded?

The Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP) is a slice of a larger pie called CIP or Capital Improvement

Program.

The CIP is a fi ve-year plan to improve major capital facilities related to Dallas County’s mission. The plan is reviewed and extended each year during the County’s annual budget process.

The CIP is made up of three categories of projects: (a) transportation, (b) parks and open space, and (c) buildings. Transportation projects (the MCIP) are done in partnership with local cities, the state and federal partners. The ongoing maintenance of the completed project is the responsibility of the partnering entity.

The intent of the program is to phase in larger projects in such a way to minimize, if not eliminate, the need to issue additional long-term debt. Tax revenue that was previously used to pay down bond debt is being increasingly diverted into the Major Capital Development Fund (MCDF). The MCDF is used to pay for the CIP. In this way the County is

transitioning from debt-fi nanced infrastructure improvement to a “pay as you go” system.

There are two major sources of funding for the MCDF: (a) revenue from the 4.5 cents of the County tax rate that is not required for debt service, (b) a portion of the $10 motor vehicle license fee surplus. The license fee funds the operations of the four Road and Bridge districts and reimburses the General Fund for transportation-related activities. After these needs are satisfi ed, any additional funds are transferred to the MCDF. All interest earned on monies in the MCDF is retained in the fund to be allocated to approved projects.

Transportation projects funded under the MCDF include thoroughfare projects, federal SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Effi cient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) projects, Land-Use/Transportation Initiatives (LUTI) projects and Major Impact Projects (MIP). Funding for thoroughfare, SAFETEA-LU, MIP and LUTI programs is allocated in equal amounts to each Road and Bridge district.

MCIP Summary

In fi scal year 2000, the Dallas County Commissioners Court replaced its traditional bond-fi nancing approach

to funding infrastructure improvements with a Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP). The essential difference between the two methods is that the MCIP is “pay-as-you-go” vs. the bond program’s “all-at-once” funding. However, the shift to MCIP was accompanied by a major strategic transformation that has revolutionized the way Dallas County Public Works delivers projects. Key characteristics include:

Trust, Commitment, and Shared Vision. Partnering principles guide the MCIP from beginning to end. The MCIP is a primary expression of the Dallas County Public Works vision to be a valued partner in the delivery of regional transportation projects. Efforts to maintain trust and sustain collaboration are evident at every phase.

Communication. The project manager initiates and maintains constant communication with customers and other project stakeholders. A key element of the communication plan is the Preliminary Design Charrette. Typically this is a stakeholder meeting held in the early stages of design. The objective is to achieve consensus or “buy-in” from all stakeholders. Additional communication efforts may include neighborhood meetings, newsletters, notices of key construction events or phasing and meetings with property owners, schools, churches, and businesses.

50/50 Cost Sharing. The County splits the cost of each project with the partnering city. This helps assure that both agencies are committed to the project and will work together to keep it on track.

Program Year. Instead of starting all of the projects in one batch as was done under the bond program, each project is assigned a program year. As a result, at any given time, different projects will be in different phases of the process. This makes for a more efficient utilization of resources and more manageable timelines.

Master Agreements. Each participating city has signed a “Master Agreement Governing Transportation Major Capital Improvement Projects” with Dallas County before project selection. The master agreement includes the general parameters and conditions of the partnership and creates a solid foundation for the agencies’ cooperation. A Project Specific Agreement will eventually be drafted to detail the specifics of each project, but, because of the pre-existing master agreement, this process is significantly streamlined.

5-Phase Project Delivery System. The Dallas County Public Works project delivery methodology has been organized into a five-phase system that establishes standards and benchmarks. The five-phase methodology clarifies expectations, enhances consistency and improves project efficiency.

More than “Just Roads.” The MCIP continues to focus on developing and improving automotive thoroughfares within Dallas County, but MCIP projects are increasingly multi-modal, including bikeways and pedestrian paths. These alternative modes of transportation provide recreational opportunities and improve the regional quality of life, but they also impact the transportation infrastructure by creating vital links to the public transit system.

Green. MCIP projects increase connectivity and capacity, reduce congestion and provide multi-modal access. Each of these elements

improves the environment in which we live, work and play. In addition, project engineers and design technicians strive for “context-sensitive” solutions that make each MCIP road or trail an integral and positive part of the community and environment.

The Singleton Boulevard project

was selected as part of the 1991 Bond Program approved by Dallas County voters on October 1, 1991. Dallas County completed the project in partnership with the City of Dallas. Singleton Boulevard was one of the last projects started under the old “bond” methodology. Though it was a major accomplishment and success, it taught the County diffi cult lessons that have contributed signifi cantly to the new and improved MCIP approach.

The purpose of the project was to widen the road from two to fi ve lanes. Project limits were from Hampton Road to Canada Drive. After the original contract for the design of the project had to be cancelled, a second fi rm, APM & Associates, under the direction of Afi su Olabimtan, P.E. began the design. Irv Griffi n, P.E., of Dallas County was project manager throughout the design phase, until his retirement from public service.

The fi rst public meeting to discuss the plans for the project was held on October 21, 1999. A large turnout and good interaction gave the project a positive beginning. The biggest concern at the time was the coordination of Singleton construction with a newly-planned Calatrava Bridge and Trinity Boulevard and Woodall Rogers projects. As it turns out, Singleton is now completed and the others have only recently broken ground.

The project was beset with numerous challenges—or, as Irv referred to them, “opportunities.” One such “opportunity” was the discovery and subsequent, mandatory removal of petroleum-contaminated soils in the tree-lined boulevard.

A power transmission line runs the length of the project and was cause for great concern from the outset; transmission lines are dangerous, diffi cult and costly to relocate. Irv worked closely with the line’s owner, Oncor, to minimize

the transmission line relocation’s impact—both fi nancially and on construction. Oncor demonstrated an extraordinary spirit of cooperation and was able to coordinate the relocation with other work that they had been planning for the area. The transmission line was just one of several utilities issues that needed to be resolved to see the project to completion.

Original budget was set at $7.9M (in 1991 dollars). After a lengthy design process and utility relocations, the project opened bids on June 15, 2005 and was awarded to Tiseo Paving Company for a low bid price of $16,990,202. This price included $6,370,010 for items requested by the City of Dallas and Dallas Water Utilities, which were funded by the City. This still left a project budget defi cit. Dallas County authorized the use of unused funding ($4,826,603) from other 1991 Bond Projects and the City of Dallas contributed another $1,827,942 to make up the funding shortfall. Ground was fi nally broken for construction on December 16, 2005 under the direction of Antoinette Bacchus, P.E., Project Manager, just 14 years after approval by voters.

Now, the project is complete, including $1M in landscaping, and serves as a “gateway to downtown Dallas.”

Singleton Boulevard: the End of an Era

Total number of applications approved for 2008/5th Call Projects will be determined in 2009.

MCIP Summary

In fi scal year 2000, the Dallas County Commissioners Court replaced its traditional bond-fi nancing approach

to funding infrastructure improvements with a Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP). The essential difference between the two methods is that the MCIP is “pay-as-you-go” vs. the bond program’s “all-at-once” funding. However, the shift to MCIP was accompanied by a major strategic transformation that has revolutionized the way Dallas County Public Works delivers projects. Key characteristics include:

Trust, Commitment, and Shared Vision. Partnering principles guide the MCIP from beginning to end. The MCIP is a primary expression of the Dallas County Public Works vision to be a valued partner in the delivery of regional transportation projects. Efforts to maintain trust and sustain collaboration are evident at every phase.

Communication. The project manager initiates and maintains constant communication with customers and other project stakeholders. A key element of the communication plan is the Preliminary Design Charrette. Typically this is a stakeholder meeting held in the early stages of design. The objective is to achieve consensus or “buy-in” from all stakeholders. Additional communication efforts may include neighborhood meetings, newsletters, notices of key construction events or phasing and meetings with property owners, schools, churches, and businesses.

50/50 Cost Sharing. The County splits the cost of each project with the partnering city. This helps assure that both agencies are committed to the project and will work together to keep it on track.

Program Year. Instead of starting all of the projects in one batch as was done under the bond program, each project is assigned a program year. As a result, at any given time, different projects will be in different phases of the process. This makes for a more efficient utilization of resources and more manageable timelines.

Master Agreements. Each participating city has signed a “Master Agreement Governing Transportation Major Capital Improvement Projects” with Dallas County before project selection. The master agreement includes the general parameters and conditions of the partnership and creates a solid foundation for the agencies’ cooperation. A Project Specific Agreement will eventually be drafted to detail the specifics of each project, but, because of the pre-existing master agreement, this process is significantly streamlined.

5-Phase Project Delivery System. The Dallas County Public Works project delivery methodology has been organized into a five-phase system that establishes standards and benchmarks. The five-phase methodology clarifies expectations, enhances consistency and improves project efficiency.

More than “Just Roads.” The MCIP continues to focus on developing and improving automotive thoroughfares within Dallas County, but MCIP projects are increasingly multi-modal, including bikeways and pedestrian paths. These alternative modes of transportation provide recreational opportunities and improve the regional quality of life, but they also impact the transportation infrastructure by creating vital links to the public transit system.

Green. MCIP projects increase connectivity and capacity, reduce congestion and provide multi-modal access. Each of these elements

improves the environment in which we live, work and play. In addition, project engineers and design technicians strive for “context-sensitive” solutions that make each MCIP road or trail an integral and positive part of the community and environment.

The Singleton Boulevard project

was selected as part of the 1991 Bond Program approved by Dallas County voters on October 1, 1991. Dallas County completed the project in partnership with the City of Dallas. Singleton Boulevard was one of the last projects started under the old “bond” methodology. Though it was a major accomplishment and success, it taught the County diffi cult lessons that have contributed signifi cantly to the new and improved MCIP approach.

The purpose of the project was to widen the road from two to fi ve lanes. Project limits were from Hampton Road to Canada Drive. After the original contract for the design of the project had to be cancelled, a second fi rm, APM & Associates, under the direction of Afi su Olabimtan, P.E. began the design. Irv Griffi n, P.E., of Dallas County was project manager throughout the design phase, until his retirement from public service.

The fi rst public meeting to discuss the plans for the project was held on October 21, 1999. A large turnout and good interaction gave the project a positive beginning. The biggest concern at the time was the coordination of Singleton construction with a newly-planned Calatrava Bridge and Trinity Boulevard and Woodall Rogers projects. As it turns out, Singleton is now completed and the others have only recently broken ground.

The project was beset with numerous challenges—or, as Irv referred to them, “opportunities.” One such “opportunity” was the discovery and subsequent, mandatory removal of petroleum-contaminated soils in the tree-lined boulevard.

A power transmission line runs the length of the project and was cause for great concern from the outset; transmission lines are dangerous, diffi cult and costly to relocate. Irv worked closely with the line’s owner, Oncor, to minimize

the transmission line relocation’s impact—both fi nancially and on construction. Oncor demonstrated an extraordinary spirit of cooperation and was able to coordinate the relocation with other work that they had been planning for the area. The transmission line was just one of several utilities issues that needed to be resolved to see the project to completion.

Original budget was set at $7.9M (in 1991 dollars). After a lengthy design process and utility relocations, the project opened bids on June 15, 2005 and was awarded to Tiseo Paving Company for a low bid price of $16,990,202. This price included $6,370,010 for items requested by the City of Dallas and Dallas Water Utilities, which were funded by the City. This still left a project budget defi cit. Dallas County authorized the use of unused funding ($4,826,603) from other 1991 Bond Projects and the City of Dallas contributed another $1,827,942 to make up the funding shortfall. Ground was fi nally broken for construction on December 16, 2005 under the direction of Antoinette Bacchus, P.E., Project Manager, just 14 years after approval by voters.

Now, the project is complete, including $1M in landscaping, and serves as a “gateway to downtown Dallas.”

Singleton Boulevard: the End of an Era

Total number of applications approved for 2008/5th Call Projects will be determined in 2009.

Dallas CountyPublic Works Quarterly Newsletter

Our mission...Improving the quality of life of our customers...the citizens, taxpayers, transportation users, communities and partners of Dallas County...by effectively planning and implementing regional public works transportation projects

Winter 2009Message from the Director

It’s a well-know truism that necessity is the mother of invention, or put another way, constraints can cause creativity. Both of these truths describe well Dallas County’s situation regarding our Transportation Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP). This ‘revival’ edition of our Public

Works Quarterly Newsletter features our MCIP; we hope you gain an understanding of its essential elements and why it has evolved to be an outstanding example of ‘good government’ for the citizens of Dallas County.

The necessity/constraint we faced in 1999 was the need to formulate the successor program to the highly ambitious 1991 Dallas County Bond Program. That complex set of transportation improvements involved committing over $175M of County Bond funds to accomplish an estimated $400M of total project value in vitally-needed thoroughfare and intersection improvements, signal and intelligent transportation projects, and Right of Way (ROW) & construction partnerships with TxDOT for their federal and state projects. The challenge we faced was that by late 1999, we were only about 30% fi nished with the Bond program projects. Complexity of federalizing many projects, including intersections and signals in a Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) federal program, as well as more challenging local thoroughfare widening projects due to population growth and higher densities of development, all led to slower project delivery than originally anticipated.

So with the very wise leadership of our Commissioners Court members, Public Works crafted a program that allowed for a planned phase-in of project selection, design, ROW & utility coordination activities before the 1st project construction of the new MCIP projects happened. This phase-in would allow the completion of all the Bond Projects, while at the same time building up the new program, this time with the same county tax receipts that paid down Bond fund borrowing, but on a pay-as-you-go basis. We prefer to call this a “Transportation Commitment Program,” since funds are budgeted on a year-to-year basis, but committed to over a longer period. Even fast-track transportation projects take 3-5 years to move into construction.

We are very fortunate that our County Commissioners Court has had the vision and courage to keep the commitments of our MCIP program for over 8 years, so that we have now committed or spent close to $400M of County funds for about $1B of vitally-needed transportation improvements. Even in tough budget years, our Court members have kept their commitments and we have moved projects along, without the restrictions and restraints of a Bond Program. At the same time, we are confi dent we are delivering projects that Dallas County voters have approved, since our cities nominate and participate in projects that have been approved in their own city bond elections.

We are proud of our MCIP and have shared the good news with others, most recently at the annual International Congress of the American Public Works Association in New Orleans, in August 2008.

IN THIS ISSUE:Message from the Director.....................................1MCIP Summary........................................................2 Singleton Blvd.: End of an Era...............................3What is MCIP and How is It Funded?.....................4

Dallas County Department of Public Works

411 Elm Street, 4th Floor Dallas , TX 75202

What is MCIP and How is it Funded?

The Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP) is a slice of a larger pie called CIP or Capital Improvement

Program.

The CIP is a fi ve-year plan to improve major capital facilities related to Dallas County’s mission. The plan is reviewed and extended each year during the County’s annual budget process.

The CIP is made up of three categories of projects: (a) transportation, (b) parks and open space, and (c) buildings. Transportation projects (the MCIP) are done in partnership with local cities, the state and federal partners. The ongoing maintenance of the completed project is the responsibility of the partnering entity.

The intent of the program is to phase in larger projects in such a way to minimize, if not eliminate, the need to issue additional long-term debt. Tax revenue that was previously used to pay down bond debt is being increasingly diverted into the Major Capital Development Fund (MCDF). The MCDF is used to pay for the CIP. In this way the County is

transitioning from debt-fi nanced infrastructure improvement to a “pay as you go” system.

There are two major sources of funding for the MCDF: (a) revenue from the 4.5 cents of the County tax rate that is not required for debt service, (b) a portion of the $10 motor vehicle license fee surplus. The license fee funds the operations of the four Road and Bridge districts and reimburses the General Fund for transportation-related activities. After these needs are satisfi ed, any additional funds are transferred to the MCDF. All interest earned on monies in the MCDF is retained in the fund to be allocated to approved projects.

Transportation projects funded under the MCDF include thoroughfare projects, federal SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Effi cient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) projects, Land-Use/Transportation Initiatives (LUTI) projects and Major Impact Projects (MIP). Funding for thoroughfare, SAFETEA-LU, MIP and LUTI programs is allocated in equal amounts to each Road and Bridge district.