2018 Call for Projects Application List

Who is Completing the Application?

Please provide contact information for the person who will complete the online application for this project. The email address and password entered here will be used to complete and submit both Pre-Applications and Applications.

Primary Agency Information

Please provide contact information for the agency official who is representing the project sponsor. This individual will be considered the official applicant and must be authorized by their agency to submit this request for funding and make necessary assertations and representations on the agency’s behalf.

Additional Agency Information

1. Is this project being developed and/or implemented in partnership with another agency?

Project Information

1. Project Title

Little White Oak Bayou Regional Greenway

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

Little White Oak Bayou running generally along I-45 North

4. Project limits (from, to) or location (Address)

From Little White Oak Bayous confluence with White Oak Bayou in Woodland Park along the length of Little White Oak Bayou north to Halls Bayou.

5. Describe the primary problems to be addressed by the project (Project Need).

Through grants from the Houston Endowment, the Houston Parks Board (HPB), in coordination with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD), has conducted studies to expand the success of Bayou Greenways 2020 (BG2020) to further connect Houstonians to parks, schools, jobs and each other. Beyond the Bayous identifies a new Regional Connector Network of Greenways to link the Bayou Greenways. This broader system of greenways can serve as the framework for active transportation projects under H-GAC’s 2045 Regional Transportation Plan. The Little White Oak Regional Connector Greenway is part of this broader effort to improve regional connectivity by providing a system of connected greenways. On a regional scale, Little White Oak Regional Connector aims to address the lack of north-south pedestrian connections within this corridor of Houston. It represents a major opportunity to enhance regional connectivity and increase accessibility in the surrounding low-income neighborhoods. These neighborhoods lack the pedestrian infrastructure to reach transit, jobs, education and recreation. Two of these neighborhoods, Acres Home and Near Northside, were included in Mayor Sylvester Turner’s “Complete Communities” pilot program. Interstate 45 runs parallel with Little White Oak Bayou for much of its length through Near Northside and Independence Heights. The highway limits pedestrian and bicycle connectivity both locally and regionally. Access to key services such as grocery stores, schools, transit, and employment is unsafe and severely limited by at-grade highway infrastructure and large, often poorly marked, overpass intersections. Beyond connectivity impacts, the highway also contributes negative environmental impacts to the adjacent neighborhoods. These include flooding, air pollution and noise pollution. The proposed expansion of Interstate 45 will compound these existing problems. This Little White Oak Bayou Greenway Transportation Improvement Project application is for the trail system. However, it is part of a larger project that aims to provide linear parks and detention to mitigate the highway’s negative environmental impacts. In addressing ped-bike regional connectivity, the project also aims to improve safety and accessibility. With the success of BG2020, more Houstonians than ever are walking and biking throughout the region. In much of Houston, the appropriate safe pedestrian infrastructure is not available, and dangerous pedestrian and vehicle conflicts result. Providing separated, ADA compliant pathways address these safety and accessibility concerns. Additionally, Houstonians are still heavily reliant on cars for transportation. By improving the alternative transportation network, the project will also provide environmental and economic benefits.

6. Describe the proposed improvement/activity (Description).

The project will be coordinated with the proposed expansion of I-45 and Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) work along Little White Oak Bayou to create an off-street greenway. At a minimum, this greenway will have a 10’ wide shared-use concrete trail with wayfinding. Where the greenway cross roadways, signed and signalized crossings will be provided for safety. The project will start at the confluence of Little White Oak and White Oak Bayous near Downtown Houston. It will run north through Woodland Heights, Near Northside, Independence Heights, and Acres Homes to connect to Halls Bayou. The trail is proposed as part of a Little White Oak Bayou reconstruction project. This would return the bayou to a natural channel with a wider floodplain, thereby reducing flood risk to adjacent homes and businesses. This flood control corridor will partially use land acquired by TxDOT for the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP). HPB has urged that project to daylight the bayou and allow the greenway to cross under the highway. This project will add almost 12 miles of greenway to the Regional Connector Network.

7. Describe the primary outcomes to be achieved by the project (Project Purpose)

The proposed trail increases regional connectivity by linking to two existing Bayou Greenways (White Oak and Halls Bayou Greenways) and the two transit centers (Northline and North Shepherd). It provides pedestrian access across both natural and manmade barriers using existing underpasses and proposed bridges. Safety and connectivity are addressed by providing wayfinding, signage, lighting and design improvements to both existing and proposed intersections where the 10’ ADA trail crosses roadways. Although the proposed project includes only the trail and associated improvements, the larger project will help to offset the environmental impacts of the planned I-45 expansion. The project also realizes a portion of the Near Northside Open Space and Connectivity Study (2018), conducted by Houston Parks Board. The neighborhood-specific study demonstrated the impact of the I-45 expansion on the surrounding communities and provided an alternative vision for the highway corridor.

8. Have any MPOID numbers been assigned to this project?

No

9. Have any TxDOT Control-Section-Job (CSJ) numbers been assigned to this project?

I Don't Know

10. What is the estimated total capital investment required for the project?

Less than $100 million

A. Investment Category & Strategy

Active Transportation

11. Please provide the federal funding amount requested.

51338196

12. Please upload the funding commitment letter or letters of support from the local government.

_Little White Oak Support Letters Binder.pdf

Project Development/Readiness

1. Please select the level of engineering completed.

Schematic

2. What is the completed or anticipated level of environmental documentation required for the proposed project?

Environmental Assessment (EA)

A. What was/is the anticipated completion date of the environmental clearance?

01/01/2021

3. Will any of the following be required to implement the project? US Army Corps of Engineers Permits

Yes

US Coast Guard Permits

No

Railroad Agreements

No

None of the Above

No

4. Will the acquisition of Right of Way or an easement be required to implement the project?

Yes

A. What was/is the estimated completion date for Right of Way/easement mapping?

01/31/2019

B. What was/is the estimated start date for Right of Way/easement acquisition?

03/01/2019

C. What was/is the estimated completion date for Right of Way/easement acquisition?

01/01/2022

D. How many parcels must be acquired to implement the project?

TBD

E. How many parcels have been acquired to date?

0

5. Has utility coordination been initiated for the project?

No

6. Will the project improve or significantly affect infrastructure owned or operated by another agency?

Yes

A. If Yes, please provide appropriate documentation showing interagency consultation (e.g, interagency agreements, coordination documentation).

Final executed HCFCD-HPB Maintenace Agreement 12-18-13.pdf

Map/Location

1. Please provide a clear and concise GIS coverage or PDF map for the proposed project. (MPK ESRI Map Package file preferred)

LWO Shape Files and Maps.zip

Project Budget

1. Please attach a completed project budget worksheet. Templates are available on the 2018 Call for projects website.

LWOB Regional Greenway-project-budget-worksheet.xlsx

2. Are Transportation Development Credits (TDCs) being requested?

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

LWOB Greenway - Safety.zip

2. Delay Benefits

1031201810434PM.zip

3. Emissions Benefits

LWOB Greenway - Emissions.zip

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

HPB-HPARD ALT CBA calculations.zip

5. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

LWOB Regional Greenway - Planning Factors.pdf

Planning Factors - Barrier Elimination (Active Transportation)

1. Does the proposed facility provide safe and convenient routes across barriers such as freeways, railroads, and waterways?

Yes

2. Does the proposed bicycle/pedestrian facility close a gap in the existing bicycle network that aligns with a regional bikeway?

Yes

Planning Factors - Emissions Reductions

1. Please provide the air quality improvements (estimated NOX tons/year) the proposed facility provides.

The project is estimated to provide air quality improvements of 15.13 NOx tons/year

2. Please provide the air quality improvements (estimated VOCs tons/year) the proposed facility provides.

The project is estimated to provide air quality improvements of 3.7 VOC tons/year

Planning Factors - Environmental Justice

1. Is the proposed project located in or is adjoining an environmental justice sensitive area (census block groups) identified by HGAC?

Yes

A. If Yes, Will the project incorporate measures that reduce, minimize or avoid adverse effects environmental justice sensitive areas (census block groups) identified by HGAC?

Yes

Planning Factors - Expands or Improves Bicycle & Pedestrian Connectivity to Employment/Schools/Medical Facilities/Transit Stops/Other Points of Interest

Does the facility directly connect to or within 1/4 mile of employment?

Yes

A. If yes, please indicate number of jobs the facility directly connects to or is within a 1/4 mile.

901 - 1000

2. Does the facility directly connect to or within 1/4 mile of a school or university?

Yes

3. Does the facility directly connect to or within 1/4 mile of medical facility?

Yes

4. Does the facility directly connect to or within 1/4 mile of Transit Center or Transit Stop?

Yes

5. Does the facility directly connect to or within 1/4 mile of other points of interest?

Yes

Planning Factors - Planning Coordination

1. Is the proposed project recommended in a regional/sub regional/or locally adopted plan including regional thoroughfare plans? Or Has the sponsor conducted interagency coordination with other local or state agency affected by the proposed project?

Yes

A. If yes, please provide the title of the regional/sub regional or local plan in which the proposed project is recommended.

The Houston Bike Plan, HPB Beyond the Bayous, HPB Acres Home and Near Northside Open Space and Connectivity Studies, Complete Communities Acres Home and Near Northside Action Plans

B. If yes, please provide a link to the regional/sub regional or local plan in which the proposed project is recommended.

http://houstonbikeplan.org/documents/; https://houstonparksboard.box.com/s/2pbf5fxnpro5uivlabxdzn6044ekrx0d; https://houstonparksboard.box.com/s/yi6o10qtsusao2lujt86vbkosqcsb9hn; https://houstonparksboard.box.com/s/5s3zy7cnl9t9robbluw42cp2k5ir13od; https://www.houstontx.gov/completecommunities/docs_pdfs/AH/acres-home-cc-action-plan.pdf; https://www.houstontx.gov/completecommunities/docs_pdfs/NN/near-northside-cc-action-plan.pdf