Dear District 4 Citizens,
The Fort Worth City Council and city staff are close to completing a list of proposed projects for the upcoming May 10, 2008 bond election when voters in FW will vote on a proposed $150M package.
Many of you have submitted road projects for careful consideration by city staff and council. Thank you for your valuable input. As you know, since first elected in May 2006, solving some of our traffic congestion problems has been a priority for me. Unfortunately, the City of Fort Worth has a road infrastructure gap of $1B.
By way of history FW voters approved a $120M bond package in 1998, a $272M bond package in 2004, and the FW City Council approved a $150M critical capital needs package in 2007. Still, all this funding has not been enough.
Here are the general parameters of what city staff has proposed for the $150M bond package:
Neighborhood streets $33M (need $335M)
Arterial streets $81M (need $636M)
Traffic signals $5M (need $30M)
Intersection improvements $2.5M (need 30M)
Bridges $22.2M (need $35M)
Matching funds for grants $3.3 (need $5M)
2% for public art - $3M
District 4 has $96.6 Million in arterial street needs and $15.4 Million in neighborhood street needs.
As you can see, we cannot fund improvements for all of the District 4 road priorities.
In the City Manager?’s recommended Bond Package, each Council District will receive a pro rata share of Bond money based on the need. District 4 ranks 3rd in need for arterials and will receive $13.1 million for arterials which is targeted to construct bridges for N. Riverside Dr. over Loop 820 and Fossil Creek. The design only of Randol Mill Rd. from E. Loop 820 to Precinct Line Rd. is also funded.
The neighborhood streets of District 4 are in better shape relative to other districts ranking 7th in order of poor streets. The proposed package would provide $1.5 million for street reconstruction.
I am joining Council Member Espino in advocating for bond programs and/or debt issuances like certificates of obligation every two to three years as opposed to the four/six year bond cycles we have seen. This would be contingent on the City of FW being able to afford the debt service without hurting its debt ratio or adversely impacting the tax rate. The city must find ways to shorten the cycle of Bond-Bid-Build in order to lessen the effects of inflation on project costs.
The City Manager is also organizing an Infrastructure Study Group to develop a short-term and long-term plan on funding our infrastructure needs.
Some of you may be frustrated if the road project you supported is not on this bond program. Please know that there was key criteria utilized to rank projects and that this bond program is an important first step of what I hope will be a more detailed program for funding our street projects.
The public will still weigh-in after the release of the proposed street projects with another public input hearing at City Hall on January 29th. TPW will also take input online.
Thank you for your continued interest.
Sincerely,
Danny Scarth
Council Member District 4
The Fort Worth City Council and city staff are close to completing a list of proposed projects for the upcoming May 10, 2008 bond election when voters in FW will vote on a proposed $150M package.
Many of you have submitted road projects for careful consideration by city staff and council. Thank you for your valuable input. As you know, since first elected in May 2006, solving some of our traffic congestion problems has been a priority for me. Unfortunately, the City of Fort Worth has a road infrastructure gap of $1B.
By way of history FW voters approved a $120M bond package in 1998, a $272M bond package in 2004, and the FW City Council approved a $150M critical capital needs package in 2007. Still, all this funding has not been enough.
Here are the general parameters of what city staff has proposed for the $150M bond package:
Neighborhood streets $33M (need $335M)
Arterial streets $81M (need $636M)
Traffic signals $5M (need $30M)
Intersection improvements $2.5M (need 30M)
Bridges $22.2M (need $35M)
Matching funds for grants $3.3 (need $5M)
2% for public art - $3M
District 4 has $96.6 Million in arterial street needs and $15.4 Million in neighborhood street needs.
As you can see, we cannot fund improvements for all of the District 4 road priorities.
In the City Manager?’s recommended Bond Package, each Council District will receive a pro rata share of Bond money based on the need. District 4 ranks 3rd in need for arterials and will receive $13.1 million for arterials which is targeted to construct bridges for N. Riverside Dr. over Loop 820 and Fossil Creek. The design only of Randol Mill Rd. from E. Loop 820 to Precinct Line Rd. is also funded.
The neighborhood streets of District 4 are in better shape relative to other districts ranking 7th in order of poor streets. The proposed package would provide $1.5 million for street reconstruction.
I am joining Council Member Espino in advocating for bond programs and/or debt issuances like certificates of obligation every two to three years as opposed to the four/six year bond cycles we have seen. This would be contingent on the City of FW being able to afford the debt service without hurting its debt ratio or adversely impacting the tax rate. The city must find ways to shorten the cycle of Bond-Bid-Build in order to lessen the effects of inflation on project costs.
The City Manager is also organizing an Infrastructure Study Group to develop a short-term and long-term plan on funding our infrastructure needs.
Some of you may be frustrated if the road project you supported is not on this bond program. Please know that there was key criteria utilized to rank projects and that this bond program is an important first step of what I hope will be a more detailed program for funding our street projects.
The public will still weigh-in after the release of the proposed street projects with another public input hearing at City Hall on January 29th. TPW will also take input online.
Thank you for your continued interest.
Sincerely,
Danny Scarth
Council Member District 4
