TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dustin Anderson, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Agreement between Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Joliet for Sidewalk Circulation and Visitor Experience Enhancements at Route 66 Park at Broadway Street Greenway
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BACKGROUND:
The State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has made grant funds under the Route 66 Grant Program available to the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) for the purpose of celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Route 66. The centennial celebration activities include attraction development and enhancements along historic Route 66.
The City-owned Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway is a well-known Route 66 visitor destination for its 1950’s era ice cream stand (Rich & Creamy) that is open seasonally at 920 Broadway Street. The City made significant investments in this park under last year’s Route 66 Grant program, with new interpretative signs and installations that greatly enhanced the visual attraction of this tourist and local destination.
The sidewalk network - specifically the lack of a separated and ADA compliant path that leads from the parking lot to the ice cream stand - was not able to be addressed with last year’s grant funds. There is physical space to reconfigure pedestrian circulation to rectify these concerns.
Based on our engineer’s estimate, it will cost approximately $150,000 to make the necessary improvements, including the design work. City staff identified the Route 66 Grant program as one funding source to make these improvements. The City learned earlier this year that it was awarded up to $75,000 in funding through the Route 66 Grant Round 4 Program to enhance sidewalk circulation and ADA compliance at Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway. Costs up to $75,000 will be paid by the CVB on behalf of City.
Project costs that exceed $75,000 will be funded through a reprogramming of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in an amount not to exceed $100,000 for ADA accessibility at Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway. The reprogramming of CDBG funding for this project also requires Council approval, which is a separate agenda item for this evening’s Council meeting.
A third, separate agenda item at this Council meeting related to this overall project is an authorization to execute a contract with Geotech Inc. in the amount of $32,500.00 for the survey and design of improvements at the Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway. At the conclusion of the survey and design work, the City will go out to bid for the construction of this site and sidewalk circulation improvements.
This item was recommended for City Council approval by the Public Assets Committee at the February 25, 2025 meeting.
CONCLUSION:
recommendation
Approval of the attached Memorandum of Agreement will allow the City to move forward with safety improvements that will enhance visitor experience for residents and tourists alike. The attached Memorandum of Agreement formalizes the City’s partnership with the CVB in this economic development opportunity and outlines the commitments of the City and CVB regarding the procurement, design, and installation of these sidewalk and site enhancements. The project funds must be spent by May 31, 2025. There is no local match required for acceptance of these grant funds; however, approval of the Memorandum of Agreement with the CVB obligates the City to make a one-time payment of three thousand dollars ($3,000) to the CVB to cover project management costs for the project. The City has funding available to cover this fee through its Building and Grounds budget (Org: 01015000; Obj: 524300).
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Council approve the attached Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Agreement with the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to manage up to $75,000 in funding for sidewalk circulation and visitor experience site enhancements at Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway.
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