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Windsor Heights pledges 20% local match for RAISE application for 73rd Street
Summary
City staff told the council the RAISE grant application for 73rd Street South now includes a pedestrian bridge and additional environmental elements to boost scoring; council approved a resolution committing a minimum 20% local match (about $4.0 million) if the grant is awarded.
City staff presented Resolution 20256 on Jan. 23, asking the Windsor Heights City Council to commit at least 20% of project costs as the local match for a RAISE grant application to reconstruct 73rd Street South. The council approved the resolution by roll call.
Staff said the application was updated to add a pedestrian bridge over Walnut Creek and other environmental and signal‑synchronization elements intended to increase the project's score in the RAISE review categories. “The addition of the pedestrian bridge over Walnut Creek increases our score in two of the five categories that they look at for RAISE applications,” a staff presenter said. The resolution indicates the city will fund a minimum 20% share of the defined project — staff estimated that match at just over $4 million if the grant is awarded.
Staff described a planning timeline that assumes construction could occur in 2030–31 if federal or other grant funding is not secured sooner. They also said the city already holds prior STBG awards and that awarded federal funds can be carried forward and coordinated with future local grant submissions. One council member asked whether awarded funds would need to be spent by 2029; staff explained that in practice the city can phase and retain allocated funds and continue to pursue additional grants the following year.
The presentation noted an external scoring factor the city cannot control: the RAISE scoring framework currently treats historically disadvantaged areas as a scoring category; staff said future federal scoring criteria could change with administrative policy, which could affect competitiveness. City staff said they had contacted the DOT feedback committee and had confirmation that reuse of prior letters of support was acceptable for this year’s application.
The council approved the resolution on a unanimous roll call vote. Staff said they would continue work on the application and return to the council as necessary.
The council did not set a construction date; staff emphasized timelines depend on grant awards and other funding sources.
