BROOK PARK, Ohio — A last-minute resolution added to Tuesday night's Brook Park City Council agenda shows the city could seek federal funding to help pay for transportation infrastructure projects stemming from the new Cleveland Browns stadium.
Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt proposed the idea of applying for the BUILD grant.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact.
"It's been work every single day, but it's been a lot of fun, and I think this is a good sign that shows that undeniably, you know, this is positive momentum for this project, and we're excited for that," Orcutt said before the city council meeting.
The resolution was declared an emergency and went through a first reading on Tuesday.
This legislation, if passed, would give Orcutt the support and authorization to apply for the federal grant and accept any money awarded.
No other information was provided during the council meeting, and Orcutt did not offer any specifics during an interview.
"There's certainly a lot more work that we have to do. We continually work behind the scenes on being able to work on a preliminary development plan and a final development plan. Our mindset is show up to work the next day and continue to keep grinding," Orcutt said.
The new legislation needs to go through two more readings before being voted on.
Orcutt said a special council meeting could be called Feb. 17 to speed up the process.
Council will need to make a decision quickly, since the deadline to submit an application for the BUILD grant is Feb. 24.
Brook Park already is seeking $70.3 million from the state to reconfigure freeway ramps, clean up a tangle of streets and build a pedestrian bridge near the stadium site.
RELATED: Brook Park, Browns make their pitch for $70.3 million in state transportation money
Ohio's Transportation Review Advisory Council, or TRAC, is weighing that request against applications from other transportation projects across the state. There's a limited pool of money - and lots of demand.
A final decision on that state funding is expected in April. A draft list of likely award recipients will be released in March, according to a schedule posted on the Ohio Department of Transportation's website.
From the outset, Haslam Sports Group and Brook Park have said they could pursue federal money to help fill funding gaps for public infrastructure work, including road changes.
In a letter attached to Brook Park's TRAC funding application last year, Haslam Sport Group President Dave Jenkins identified several possible sources of federal money for transportation projects, including the BUILD program. He also mentioned a state loan program and the possibility of tapping future property-tax revenues from the 180-acre stadium district site to pay for public infrastructure.
Separately, Haslam Sports Group hopes to include a Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Rapid train station at the western edge of the development site. Building a new station could cost $40 million, according to early estimates, and RTA officials have said they're not going to pick up the tab.
Brook Park's move to apply for BUILD funds comes as the Browns are preparing to start digging a deep hole on the stadium site. On Tuesday, Cleveland Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters the Browns will break ground for the stadium in early March.
RELATED: Jimmy Haslam says Browns will break ground on enclosed stadium in Brook Park on March 2
The BUILD program has had several names since it was created as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It was previously called the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.
