AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET
DEPARTMENT: Engineering
CM/ACM: Mario Canizares
DATE: July 10, 2017
SUBJECT
Title
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and provide a recommendation for a lighting maintenance agreement for the Texas Department of Transportation’s 35Express project.
Body
BACKGROUND
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is nearing completion of a portion of the 35Express project and has asked the City of Denton whether proposed highway lighting will be covered under a Safety Lighting Agreement or a Continuous Lighting Agreement. After consultation with City Engineering and Legal, Denton Municipal Electric calculated estimated electric costs for lighting included in TxDOT’s IH-35E widening project. The Denton City Council will have the choice of deciding what type of lighting will be installed on a stretch of IH-35E within the city limits.
All lighting on the interstate will be installed by TxDOT and then ownership will transfer to the City for maintenance. Safety lighting, as defined by the TxDOT Highway Illumination Manual requires lighting at interchanges, intersections and other points of nighttime hazard. Continuous lighting is defined as providing uniform illumination on all main lanes and direct connections and complete lighting for all interchanges. Many cities along IH-35E included in the project have elected to install continuous lighting in addition to the required safety lighting in order to create safer driving conditions.
Although both safety and continuous lighting are installed by TxDOT and maintained by the City, the monthly bill for electricity usage will vary by lighting type. Safety lighting monthly bills will be covered by TxDOT as this type of lighting is required. If the City Council elects to have TxDOT install continuous lighting, the monthly electricity bills for all lighting will be paid by the City. Safety lighting for this particular stretch of IH-35E will require 114 lamps and 56 wallpacks and the electricity is estimated to cost around $10,500 a year. The continuous lighting would add an additional 164 lamps and double the annual electricity cost to around $20,600.
OPTIONS
The Public Utilities Board can recommend the City Council approve either the safety lighting agreement or the continuous lighting agreement.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Public Utilities Board recommend approval of the continuous lighting agreement.
ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF PROJECT
The highway lighting is expected to be installed as a component of the 35Express project in August of 2017.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (Council, Boards, Commissions)
Staff will present these lighting options for Council consideration during the July 18th City Council meeting.
FISCAL INFORMATION
If City Council elects to have TxDOT install the continuous lighting, it will cost the City an estimated $20,600 a year total to operate the lamps and wallpacks along IH-35E.
BID INFORMATION
City staff calculated estimated electric costs for both the safety lighting agreement and the continuous lighting agreement. The safety lighting will require 114 lamps and 56 wallpacks which will cost an estimated $10,500 a year to operate. The continuous lighting will add an additional 164 lamps and bring the estimated electricity cost for operation up to around $20,600.
STRATEGIC PLAN RELATIONSHIP
The City of Denton’s Strategic Plan is an action-oriented road map that will help the City achieve its vision. The foundation for the plan is the five long-term Key Focus Areas (KFA): Organizational Excellence; Public Infrastructure; Economic Development; Safe, Livable, and Family-Friendly Community; and Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship. While individual items may support multiple KFAs, this specific City Council agenda item contributes most directly to the following KFA and goal:
Related Key Focus Area: Public Infrastructure
Related Goal: 2.2 Seek solutions to mobility demands and enhance connectivity
EXHIBITS
1. Presentation
Respectfully submitted:
Galen Gillum
Director of Capital Projects
And
Jerry Fielder
Engineering Division Manager- DME
Prepared by:
Lisa Collaud
Business Analyst - Energy Services