Title
Memorandum of Agreement - McDowell and Torrence Creek Greenway Connections
Action
ACTION:
Authorize the County Manager to negotiate and execute a Memorandum of Agreement between the County and the Town of Huntersville for the funding, construction, operation, and maintenance of greenway connections within the Town including a pedestrian bridge over Highway 73 (Sam Furr Road) for McDowell Creek Greenway and a pedestrian tunnel underneath Highway 21 (Statesville Road) for Torrence Creek Greenway
Staff Contact: Jacqueline McNeil, Real Estate Management Director
Joyce Figueroa, Park Planner
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
As part of transportation improvements in northern Mecklenburg County, the Town of Huntersville applied for and was awarded grants from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian users of greenway trails within proximity to planned NCDOT Highway Improvement Projects. NCDOT's Highway 73 (Sam Furr Road) Improvements Project is planned to widened the road from Highway 16 in Lincolnton County to Northcross Drive in Huntersville. The project is being done to increase the carrying capacity of the road and, secondarily, to accommodate multi-modal uses such as bicycle and pedestrian activities. To accommodate cyclists and pedestrians using McDowell Creek Greenway, a pedestrian bridge is being built across Hwy 73 near Lindholm Drive in Huntersville.
The Highway 21 project extends from Gilead Road in Huntersville to Westmoreland Road in Cornelius. The project includes widening Highway 21 and adding additional accommodations for cyclists and pedestrians. This includes adding a tunnel under Highway 21 to accommodate Torrence Creek Greenway. In the case of both the bridge and the tunnel, the planned infrastructure will provide important grade separation between vehicular traffic and the greenway trail at the two locations. The proposed grade separation aims to increase the safety of trail users by isolating motorized traffic from bicycle and foot traffic .
The County and Town of Huntersville proposes entering into a Memorandum of Agreement regarding funding and the ongoing maintenance and repair of the structures upon completion of installation by NCDOT. Below are the major conditions of the NCDOT grants received by the Town and the deal points of the MOA between the County and the Town:
Highway 73 Bridge (McDowell Creek Greenway) Construction Funding and Start Date:
- Cost of Project - $6.1 Million
- NCDOT Grant Awarded to Huntersville - $3.095 Million
- Town of Huntersville Local Match - $1.5 Million + Any Construction Cost Overage
- Mecklenburg County* - Up to $1.5 Million towards the grant's required Local Match (Funding to come from approved McDowell Creek Greenway CIP funds)
- Construction estimated to start Late Fall 2026
- Construction services to be procured and completed by NCDOT
*Note: The County is not party to the grant between the Town and NCDOT, but is contributing toward the grant's local match as the construction project benefits a funded County CIP project that off-sets the County's cost to deliver the project.
Highway 21 Tunnel (Torrence Creek Greenway) Construction Funding and Start Date:
- Cost of Project - $3.7 Million
- NCDOT Grant Awarded to Huntersville - $2.6 Million
- Town of Huntersville Local Match - $1.1 Million + Any Construction Cost Overage
- Mecklenburg County - No construction cost contribution
- Construction estimated to start Late Fall 2026
- Construction services to be procured and completed by NCDOT
Major repair, wayfinding, and maintenance conditions between County and Town of Huntersville for Highway 73 Bridge & Highway 21 Tunnel:
- Both County and Town responsible are for reviewing NCDOT design plans and attending NCDOT bidding, award, and construction meetings.
- Under the County Manager's authority, the County will convey a small amount (to be determined upon further surveying) of right-of-way on the northern side of Sam Furr Road to accommodate a box culvert under the road needed for roadway improvements.
- The Town is responsible for funding wayfinding signage for the bridge and tunnel.
- The Town is responsible for funding the wayfinding packages for the bridge and tunnel, and the County will procure the packages once funded by the Town.
- The County is responsible for reviewing and approving the wayfinding design packages and management of wayfinding signage installation.
- The Town is responsible for conducting periodic structural inspections of the bridge and tunnel.
- The County and Town to work collaboratively on the funding, design, and construction of future repairs and/or replacement of the bridge.
- NCDOT is responsible for future repair and replacement of the tunnel.
- The Town is responsible for providing routine maintenance and repair of the bridge's finishes, fence, and logo.
- The Town is responsible for providing lighting service and payment for both the bridge and tunnel.
- The County is responsible routine day-to-day janitorial service for the bridge and tunnel including debris and litter removal, graffiti removal, etc.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
The County's share of the Local Match for the Highway 73 Bridge will come from the already approved FY2025 Lower McDowell Creek Greenway Project (Beatties Ford Road to Pamela Street). No County funding is needed for the Highway 21 Tunnel project. Future routine maintenance (such as janitorial) for the bridge and tunnel will be covered by Park and Recreation's operational budget.