Title
A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Approving And Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Execute The Grant Participation And Reimbursement Agreement With Brightline Trains Florida LLC For The Implementation Of The Railroad Crossing Elimination Program Grant, With An Estimated City Contribution Of $330,811.00 And A Maximum Not To Exceed Amount Of $533,628.00.
Strategic Plan Focus
Infrastructure & Facilities
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the attached Resolution.
Explanation:
On June 23, 2022, the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (“MPO”) hosted a town hall meeting with the Federal Railroad Administration (“FRA”), local governments, and transportation partners to discuss railroad safety. FRA raised concerns regarding the County's Quiet Zone due to multiple fatalities along the Florida East Coast (“FEC”) railway corridor. At the town hall meeting, the FRA announced it would review the FEC corridor, emphasizing the need for local and regional partners to collaborate on interventions and improvements to prevent further fatalities while maintaining the Quiet Zone. FRA’s suggested strategies included:
• Trespassing mitigation
• Elimination of grade crossings
• Installation of safety equipment (e.g., quad gates, hardened medians)
• Enhanced public safety campaigns
• Stricter enforcement of traffic laws
The MPO coordinated with the FRA, Broward County, and municipalities, reviewed data, and developed a preliminary action plan. A joint workshop was held to finalize short- and long-term improvements. On October 10, 2022, on behalf of Broward County, the cities of Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, and Wilton Manors, the MPO applied for the FRA Railroad Crossing Elimination Program (“RCEP”) Grant to fund the Broward County Sealed Corridor project for safety improvements at 21 crossings over 26 miles of FEC railway. The RCEP Grant application outlined a total project cost of $19,300,000 for the safety improvements. The local governments committed $3,860,000 to meet the required 20% non-federal match, with the remaining $15,440,000 funded by the federal share.
On June 5, 2023, the MPO received a Notice of Award of $15,440,000 in RCEP Grant funds from the FRA for the Broward County Sealed Corridor project. Over the past year, the MPO and Brightline have prepared preliminary plans for the 26 crossing improvements at 21 FEC at-grade crossings identified in the Grant application, prepared the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) requirements, and addressed project-specific terms and conditions with the FRA for the RCEP Grant. In August 2024, FRA notified the MPO that all NEPA documentation requirements were satisfied, and the FRA RCEP Grant Agreement for the Broward County Sealed Corridor project is under final review.
MPO is requiring the Cities and the County to enter into the agreement with Brightline Trains Florida LLC, attached as Exhibit A. Following the approval of this Agreement, the MPO will be positioned to proceed with executing the Subrecipient Agreement with Brightline Trains Florida LLC and the Grant Agreement with the FRA. Upon execution of the FRA Grant Agreement, the project’s final design phase is anticipated to take approximately six months, followed by an estimated 20-month period for the completion of the safety improvements.
Broward County is planning to contribute approximately $2,365,000 from currently budgeted resources toward the local match requirement for the project out of which $966,114 will fund the 20% match of the County Improvements and $1,398,886 to fund a portion of the municipal local matches as shown in Exhibit B. The City of Hollywood’s portion to contribute is expected to be $330,811.00 with a maximum not to exceed amount of $533,628.00.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding for the City’s contribution was included in the amended FY 2025 Capital Improvement Plan and is available in account number 336.149901.54100.560003.001123.000.000.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Azita Behmardi, PE, Deputy Director of Development Services
Andria Wingett, Director of Development Services
Raelin Storey, Assistant City Manager
Adam Reichbach, Assistant City Manager/Finance and Administration