COUNCIL ACTION FORM

LINCOLN WAY (GRAND AVE TO UNIVERSITY BLVD) CORRIDOR STUDY - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

On September 22, 2026, City Council directed staff to immediately begin a study of the Lincoln Way corridor from Grand Avenue to University Boulevard concurrently with the ongoing study of Lincoln Way from Duff Avenue to Grand Avenue. The staff report from that meeting, which includes additional background on both studies, is available here. 

On June 23, 2026, City Council approved a professional services agreement with Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC, for the ongoing study of Lincoln Way from Duff Avenue to Grand Avenue in the amount of $125,000. The Council Action Form from that action is available here.

Since the ongoing study uses federal funding through the Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO), a qualifications-based selection process consistent with federal, state, and local procurement requirements was used to select the consultant. Six consultants submitted proposals, and Foth was ranked first and selected.

Because the ongoing study was identified in the AAMPO Ames Connect 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and is programmed in the AAMPO FY 2027 Transportation Planning Work Program for the use of federal funds, the study limits are fixed. Changing them would require approval from the AAMPO Policy Committee and the Iowa DOT, with no guarantee of approval.

To begin the new study quickly and maximize coordination with the ongoing study, staff believes that a separate, locally funded agreement with Foth would be the most effective approach. Using the same firm allows shared tasks to be performed once and avoids the time and cost of a new selection process. This approach requires Council to waive the City’s Purchasing Policy requirement for competitive proposals. The City's Purchasing staff has confirmed that this approach is appropriate.

PROJECT SCOPE AND BUDGET:

Staff worked with Foth to develop a scope and professional services agreement for the new study. The agreement is attached, and key elements of the scope are summarized below:

• Study area: Approximately 0.7 miles of Lincoln Way from Grand Avenue to University Boulevard, including seven intersections: University Boulevard, Riverside Drive, Russell Avenue, Hazel Avenue, Maple Avenue, Oak Avenue, and Elm Avenue.
• Data collection: Existing City, AAMPO, and Iowa DOT data, plus new video counts of vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists at Riverside Drive, Russell Avenue, Maple Avenue, and Oak Avenue.
• Safety analysis: Review of five years of crash data, including a detailed review of crashes involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users, and an evaluation of proven federal safety countermeasures.
• Speed study: Determination of the appropriate speed limit using national guidance, and exploration of speed control measures, if needed.
• Lighting analysis: Evaluation of existing street lighting against current standards, with potential upgrades developed in coordination with the Public Works and Electric Services Departments. This task responds directly to the City Council's June 23, 2026, motion requesting that staff investigate lighting improvements along this portion of the corridor.
• Traffic modeling and forecasting: Analysis of traffic operations for existing (2026) and future (2035 and 2050) conditions, along with a simulation of travel times from University Boulevard to Grand Avenue.
• Alternatives evaluation: Comparison of the existing roadway layout with potential options.
• Walking, biking, and transit review: Review of all pedestrian crossings for safety and accessibility, sidewalk and bicycle connections guided by Walk Bike Roll Ames, and coordination with CyRide on transit stops and ridership.
• Public engagement: A project website shared with the ongoing study, one online survey on the design alternatives, and one presentation of the study results to the Mayor and City Council.
• Conceptual design and deliverables: Conceptual design of three alternatives, including potential right-of-way needs and planning-level cost estimates, documented in a study report document and concept plans.
• Coordination with the adjacent study: The agreement requires that shared tasks be performed once, with costs split between the two projects, and that recommendations for both studies be reconciled so that the preferred alternatives could be constructed as one continuous corridor.

Foth's proposed fee for this scope is $116,500. Staff finds this fee reasonable and consistent with the $125,000 fee for the ongoing study. Although funding for this study is not currently programmed in the Capital Improvements Plan, staff has identified $116,500 in available Road Use Tax revenue from the Accessibility Enhancements Program, which currently has an unobligated balance of $216,385. This would leave $99,885 for other accessibility improvements.

The table below summarizes the revenues and expenses proposed for the project:

If the agreement is approved, work would begin immediately, with completion anticipated in fall 2027. Staff will align the schedules of the two studies so that recommendations for the full corridor can be presented to Council together.

1. Waive the City's Purchasing Policy requirement for competitive proposals and approve a Professional Services Agreement with Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the Lincoln Way (Grand Avenue to University Boulevard) Corridor Study in an amount not to exceed $116,500.
2. Request modifications to the professional services agreement and direct staff to bring an updated agreement back to Council for consideration at a future date.
3. Direct staff to select a consultant for this study through the City's competitive proposal process. This would delay the start of the study by approximately three months and significantly reduce coordination with the ongoing study.

On September 22, 2026, City Council directed staff to immediately begin a study of Lincoln Way from Grand Avenue to University Boulevard concurrently with the ongoing Duff Avenue to Grand Avenue study. The proposed agreement utilizes the same consultant conducting the adjacent study along Lincoln Way. The use of shared tasks and recommendations across both studies will allow for a more coordinated recommendations so that any improvements could be constructed as a continuous corridor.  Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1.