Parks, recreation areas to benefit; some local transit systems to expand

Millions of dollars in federal transit grants have been awarded for three different programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The projects include programs to evaluate and pick the best options to expand or put new transit systems in local communities, projects in national parks, forests and wildlife refuges to improve public and alternative transportation within their grounds and research projects to develop new technologies to let fuel cell buses operate in cold climates.

Forty-seven projects in national parks, forest and wildlife refuges will share $27 million from the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks program. In the Inyo National Forest and Devils Postpile National Monument, a $2.8 million grant will be use by the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority to purchase new buses for shuttle service. In the Gateway National Recreation Area in New York City, an award of $1.5 million will be used to replace the breakwater at Riis Landing on Jamaica Bay. Six awards were announced in Utah, including $1.120 million that the Utah Transit Authority will use to replace buses and repair a park-and-ride lot in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. To view the complete list of awards and projects, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

A total of $25.7 million was awarded to 16 states and the District of Columbia through the Alternative Analysis grant program for replacement or expansion of local transit systems. These communities will study costs and benefits, route options and other issues. Once a preferred alternative is chosen and adopted, the analysis is complete. "We depend on our regional and local partners to determine how transportation fits best within their communities," said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff (right). "These funds will move these communities forward."

There were 23 winning proposals named, with priority given to project sponsors coordinating transit development with public housing agencies or with energy or environmental public agencies. Among the winners was the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), which was granted $1.5 million to look at transit improvements in a North-South corridor that would support the CTA radial heavy-rail network. 

Three projects were funded in Florida, including $425,000 to the Gainesville Regional Transit System. The funds would be to study an alignment that would connect Santa Fe College and Gainesville Regional Airport via downtown Gainesville and University of Florida. The project would improve access for residents of some neighborhoods on the city's east side. To view the complete list of projects, a description of each and the amount of funding made available, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

The National Fuel Cell Bus Program has awarded $10.7 million to CALSTART in California and $6.42 million to Atlanta's Center for Transportation and the Environment to promote advanced fuel cell technologies to power cleaner, more environmentally friendly transit buses. The goal of the program is to facilitate the development of commercially viable fuel cell bus technologies and increase public acceptance of the fuel cell vehicles. The Chicago Transit Authority Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration will use its $2.97 million award to develop and conduct in-service testing for a next generation Buy America compliant fuel cell bus in Chicago's RTA fleet. This project will demonstrate a fuel cell bus in a large transit agency, with the potential for larger fleets of cell bus procurements. It will also have as a goal to develop and demonstrate new technology that enables operation of fuel cell buses in cold climates. To view a complete list of Fuel Cell Bus Program projects that were funded, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

Cash-strapped district seeking corporate naming sponsorships for facilities

Like many other public schools across the country facing budget deficits, the Los Angeles Unified School District is exploring all available options to find new revenue streams. Its most recent endeavor? Seeking corporate sponsors for athletic fields and other facilities.

Some of the high-level staff of outgoing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist are being asked by Gov.-elect Rick Scott to stay on the job - well, for a while anyway. As is customary with a new governor, the outgoing governor's top staff and agency officials generally resign so the new governor can appoint his or her own administration. But Scott is running a tad behind in making appointments.

Thus, he has asked George Sheldon, secretary of the State Department of Children and Families, to stay on for another 30-60 days. He has asked his staff to stay as well. Other Crist administration mainstays also have been asked to stay on temporarily, including Corrections Secretary Walt McNeil; Elizabeth Dudek, secretary of the Agency for Health Administration; Cynthia Lorenzo, director of the State Agency for Workforce Innovation; Jim DeBeaugrine, director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

Virginia school district unveils plans for $800 million in renovations
More than $800 million in renovations are being planned over the next 10 years for the Fairfax (Virginia) County schools. The plan recently unveiled will affect 27 schools in the district and will also provide for construction of one middle and one elementary school. "This comes as great news for us," said Sunrise Valley Elementary School Principal Elizabeth English (pictured), who will help plan the renovation at her school before it begins in 2013. Many of the schools are dealing with unexpected growth that is leading to the upgrades of the district's aging facilities. The renovations will be funded by $155 million annual installments from the Board of Supervisors, meaning the renovations will have to be spread out over the 10-year period.

Michigan school district to seek approval for $82 million for schools
The Hudsonville, Michigan, school district will ask voters to approve $82 million in bond funding to build a new elementary school, a new ninth- and 10th-grade building and to make needed upgrades to other facilities. An existing bond is expected to expire soon, and officials hope that with state approval, they can take the bond proposal to voters in May. The school district has grown by almost 600 students in the last five years, according to Superintendent Nicholas Ceglarek and most of the bond money would be used to for a new elementary school and to build the new facility for ninth and 10th graders. It would be built on the grounds of the current high school. If voters approve, a new bus garage would be built and an existing freshman campus would be made into an early childhood center. That alone would free up 16 classrooms for student growth.

Improvements planned for New Mexico schools from bond sales
The Clovis, New Mexico, Municipal School Board will sell $8 million in municipal bonds to upgrade existing schools and help defray some of the cost of a new school. Both construction and purchase of technology will be part of the bond issue, with $1.7 million of the total to be used for design of a proposed $30 million middle school. The bond proceeds are expected to be available to the district in early March.

University of Chicago planning to construct new $215 million science building
Work is expected to begin in 2011 on a new $215 million science building (pictured) on the campus of the University of Chicago. The building will be named the William Eckhardt Research Center to honor its largest donor. Eckhardt is a Chicago futures trader and University of Chicago alumnus. The facility will house parts of the Physical Sciences Division and its new Institute for Molecular Engineering. The building will feature serrated glass facades on one side and a louvered glass ceiling over the north lobby. It will also feature an atrium spanning the top three floors, allowing light to cross from east to west. The new facility will be located on the west side of Ellis Avenue, where the university's Research Institute Building resides now. That structure will be razed to make room for the new building.  

Oklahoma school bond issues pass in Marietta, Healdton
A recently passed $1.75 million bond issue in Marietta, Oklahoma, will allow for the construction of a new middle school computer lab, renovate the local high school, auditorium and high school gym. In Healdton, Oklahoma, voters passed a $1.55 million bond referendum. The funding will be used for improvements to a number of Healdton Public Schools, including renovation of the gym and additions to the cafeteria.

New $152 million criminal courthouse planned for Santa Barbara
The California State Court System is looking for a location to build a new $152 million criminal courthouse. The facility will be a 97,000-square-foot, eight-story courtroom building. Construction is expected to begin in 2014, with a late 2015 completion date. Steve Cushman (pictured), president of the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce, called the project "good news" that would spark a retail and residential boom in the area. The judicial branch picked a site, which allows moving forward with purchase negotiations and environmental impact studies. Funding for the courthouse is part of $5 billion from legislation approved to renovate and build 41 California courthouses. The Santa Barbara project ranked at the top of the list.

Oklahoma fire department planning to build new fire training academy
After a deal was struck on a location, the Tulsa Fire Department now will move forward on building a new fire training academy approved by voters in 2005. The facility will be built on the Tulsa Community College campus. The first phase of the project will cost $12.5 million and is expected to take two years to complete. The new academy will begin with a six-story training tower and mock fire station. Future plans include construction of a $5 million classroom building and installation of training props for aircraft and water rescue. 

Variety of contracting opportunities available in El Paso area
A number of contracting opportunities are currently available in the El Paso (Texas) area. Among them are the following:

• City of El Paso is seeking bids for bus tire mileage rent;
• Region 19 Education Service Center is seeking bids for retail food, small appliances and related instructional classroom supplies;
• The El Paso Independent School District is seeking bids for El Paso High School running track surface drainage improvements;
• El Paso Water Utilities is seeking bids for Northeast Channel No. 2 Improvements, Phase II;
• El Paso Water Utilities is seeking bids for Chihuahuita storm sewer stations and system improvements;
• El Paso Community College is seeking bids for renovation services; and
• The University of Texas at El Paso is seeking bids for RTV 1140 CPX golf carts.

Baltimore studying new convention center, adjacent arena
Billed as one of the most expensive construction projects in Baltimore history, officials are studying the possibilities of expanding the Baltimore Convention Center and building an arena next to it. The project price is close to $1 billion. Richard Clinch (pictured), director of economic research at the University of Baltimore's Jacob France Institute, said the project could revitalize the downtown Baltimore area. Officials say the expansion of the convention center and adjacent arena could cost anywhere from $750 million to $930 million, funded by both the private and public sector. Because it would have both a convention center and arena, that would set it apart from others facilities. The project has three major elements: a four-level, 400,000-square-foot expansion of the Convention Center; an 18,500-seat arena with a two-level, 500-space parking facility; and a 500-room hotel up to 25 stories tall. The project could take six to seven years to complete.

Funding allocated to replace Michigan's Black River Bridge
An agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Michigan Department of Transportation opens the door for construction of a replacement for the Black River Bridge in Port Huron. A $30 million grant has been awarded that will help offset the cost to replace the nearly 50-year-old bridge with a modern structure to separate international and local traffic and improve the I-94/I-69 corridors and interchanges. Total cost of the project is $78.6 million. In addition to being used by the local community, the bridge also carries 14 percent of the international trade between the United States and Canada. The new bridge will include three dedicated lanes for eastbound traffic headed to the Blue Water Bridge and Canada and three westbound lanes to increase capacity and improve traffic operations. It will also include a 14-foot-wide bicycle/pedestrian crossing. The $30 million grant is part of the USDOT and Recovery Act's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.

Ohio police department to get new fleet of vehicles in 2011
The Elyria (Ohio) police department will spend nearly $300,000 in 2011 for a new fleet of vehicles. Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely (pictured) said he expects the vehicles to be on the road by February. The budget includes funding for six cruisers and four, four-wheel-drive vehicles. After two police officers retired and another two were deployed for military duty, Whitely said the department will also have $150,000 that can be used for other equipment needs, such as new radios and lights, sirens and rifle racks for the new patrol vehicles.

Iowa city officials approve three projects to close out year
Members of the Sioux City, Iowa, City Council recently approved three projects for construction. Among them are a West 23rd Street bridge over Perry Creek, extension of Wesley Way to Hamilton Boulevard to connect the west side of downtown and construction of the Kings Highway Bridge. The bridge is expected to be completed by September of next year.

New Jersey county planning first public golf course near Lincoln Park
A nine-hole, 60-acre, $12.7 million golf course will be built in Hudson County, New Jersey, following action of the County Board of Freeholders. The project will be paid for with capital bonds. The site is currently being cleaned up thanks to a $10.6 million federal Environmental Protection Agency grant. Included in the project is restoration of 35 acres of wetlands. State and local government entities ponied up $4 million to the cleanup of the brownfield, which was formerly a landfill for the federal government. Construction will include landscaping, fairway and green construction, lighting and security and a temporary clubhouse that will eventually be replaced by a new one. Construction is expected to begin next summer, with a fall 2012 completion date.

Texas city buys land, moves closer to building new center for indoor events
The Round Rock (Texas) City Council recently approved the purchase of more than 22 acres of land on which it plans to build an indoor event center. The city is hoping to take advantage of current lower construction costs and the price for the land being below the appraised value of $3.427 million to get things moving on the project. Mayor Alan McGraw (pictured) said the city is seeking to build a center that can be used for indoor sporting events and conventions. Preliminary plans, according to McGraw, are for a 60,000-square-foot facility. McGraw said he hopes the city will be able to have the new facility up and running within 18 months. A study conducted in 2006 put the approximate cost of the facility at $12 million to $18 million.

Escondido commitment to ballpark lures minor league baseball club to city
The Escondido (California) City Council has agreed to tentatively fund a $50 million ballpark through the sale of redevelopment bonds, ensuring that the San Diego Padres Triple A minor league club will play there for the next 30 years. Further votes to seal the deal are schedule in February of next year and for next summer, but for now the city and the Padres are partially committed financially to building the park. The ballpark would have 7,500 permanent seats and would be located just east of I-15 and south of Route 78 along North Spruce Street south of West Washington Avenue. The owners of the team would assume responsibility for all operating and maintenance costs year-round, and will pay the city $200,000 annually in rent on the ballpark. The city has committed $40 million for construction and the owners have agreed to cover any cost overruns above that amount. They also will guarantee and additional $5 million for infrastructure.