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

Neighborhood Greenways Bicycle Network and MacGregor Park Access Improvements

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

Various streets, MacGregor Park

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

MacGregor Park Trail Improvements from MacGregor Park, 5225 Calhoun Rd; Neighborhood Greenways: Calhoun Rd, from Old Spanish Trail to Griggs Rd; Albermarle Ln, from Beekman Rd to Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd; Browncroft St, from Beekman Rd to Milart St; Nassau Rd, from Newkirk Ln to Albermarle Ln; Newkirk Ln, from Nassau Rd to Beekman Rd; Ventura, from Milart St to Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd

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

The Greater Southeast Management District suffers from a lack of safe pedestrian and bicycle connectivity among the District’s many activity centers. The 2015 Strollin’ and Rollin’ (AKA Neighborhood Greenways) Plan completed by the Southeast Houston Transformation Alliance (SEHTA) found that 55% of the study area (which includes the proposed project areas) had no sidewalks at all, and less than 10% of street segments had a bicycle route designation (shared lane, bike designated lane, or bike signage, no lane). Almost two-thirds of survey respondents from the Neighborhood Greenways Plan indicate that they walk and/or bike every day, with access to transit and shopping being two of the main reasons cited. However, residents do not necessarily feel safe during this activity, due to the condition of the ped/bike environment, high volumes of fast-moving traffic on the area’s main corridors, and other factors. The lack of safe, high quality pedestrian and bicycle amenities that offer a high level of user comfort results in lower levels of health benefits when pedestrian and bicycle trips are avoided due to the undesirable conditions. However, in an area such as this where the number of households below poverty, the senior population, and the number of households without automobiles are all above the regional average, many pedestrian and bicycle trips are being taken out of necessity rather than by choice. Thus, these users are braving unsafe conditions because they have no alternative for accessing the destinations or transit connections they need to on a daily basis. The first phase of the Neighborhood Greenways Plan focuses on making connections between the Palm Center on Griggs Rd, where numerous community services are located, and MacGregor Park. Once within MacGregor Park, there are connectivity issues as well. Construction of improvements to the Bayou Greenway hike and bike trail on the northern border of MacGregor Park by the Harris County Flood Control District did not include connectivity between the Bayou Greenway trail and existing trails within the park. The lack of this final connection is problematic because access to the Bayou Greenway trail facilitates extended connectivity to a broader range of trail facilities and bayou greenways serving the City of Houston at large.

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

Neighborhood Greenways is a project in three phases. Phase 1 of the Neighborhood Greenways plan is underway and will provide pedestrian and bicycle connectivity from the Palm Center to MacGregor Park by way of the low-traffic neighborhood streets of Beekman Rd, Perry St, Milart St, and Marietta Ln. The final connection into MacGregor Park is made by way of Calhoun Rd. Phase 1 is currently in design. Construction funds for Phase 1 are allocated, with the exception of the Calhoun Rd segment. The proposed project will construct the Calhoun Rd segment (Old Spanish Trail to Griggs Rd) as well as design and construct Phases 2 and 3. The Calhoun Rd segment includes mill and overlay; new sidewalks, curbs, and ramps; remove and replace pavement markings; and signage. Phase 2 will add sharrow lane markings, crosswalks, and signage to the additional neighborhood streets of Albermarle Ln, Browncroft St, Nasssau Rd, Newkirk Ln, and Ventura Ln, as well as a pedestrian HAWK signal at Browncroft St and MLK Blvd which will facilitate the crossing of the major MLK corridor. Phase 3 includes the installation of a traffic signal at OST and Belvedere Dr, tied to future plans to add direct access into MacGregor Park from OST where there currently is none. A traffic signal at OST and Belvedere will allow for a more direct path into MacGregor Park from the Phase 1 Neighborhood Greenways alignment than traveling further west to Calhoun Rd and will vastly improve safety for users making the very hazardous crossing across the seven lanes of Old Spanish Trail. In MacGregor Park, the project will design and construct five accessible trail connectors that establish currently non-existent connectivity between the recently constructed Bayou Greenway hike & bike trail and existing trails, parking areas, and the community center in MacGregor Park. The trail connectors are 10-foot-wide, decomposed granite trails ranging in length from 100 feet to 425 feet. The trail connector that serves as the final connection between the MacGregor Park Community Center and the Bayou Greenway trail also includes a striped crosswalk to alert automobiles to the potential for trail crossings. Other amenities to be installed include accessible ramps, bike racks, benches, and signage, all intended to encourage use within and through MacGregor Park and maximize ease of use of the trails.

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

The Neighborhood Greenways Plan identified a network of quiet, low-traffic neighborhood streets that are excellent candidates for small investments that transform the space into one that is shared equally and safely by cars, bikes, and pedestrians. Making these investments on these select streets will enable area residents to move on foot or bicycle among desirable locations without having to do so on the area’s high-volume corridors such as Griggs Rd, Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, and Old Spanish Trail. The plan’s first priorities are the neighborhoods between the Palm Center on Griggs Rd, where numerous community services are located, and MacGregor Park. Pedestrian and bicycle improvements, to include sharrow lane markings, signage, crosswalks, pedestrian crossing “HAWK” signals, sidewalks, ramps, and bike racks will be implemented in three phases. The outcome will be easy, safe street crossings and easy-to-follow bicycle routes along low volume streets that connect schools, parks, major transit stops, a YMCA, a public library, and social services. Within MacGregor Park, the proposed project will build accessible trail connectors between existing trails in the park and the regional Bayou Greenway network, provide connectivity between existing trails and an existing community center and parking areas, rehabilitate an existing trail, and provide amenities such as bicycle racks, benches, and signage. These improvements will serve to make the usage of park amenities easier and more enjoyable, as well as facilitate extended connectivity to a broader range of trail facilities and bayou greenways serving the City of Houston at large. The Houston Parks Board continues to implement the $220M Bayou Greenways 2020 plan, which aims to transform more than 3,000 acres along the city's bayous into linear parks with 150 miles of hike-and-bike trails. MacGregor Park is situated on Brays Bayou and is an important element of the bayou greenway. MacGregor Park's connectivity to other major regional parks, including Hermann Park, has been enhanced by the recent construction (by the Harris County Flood Control District) of the MacGregor Park segment of the Bayou Greenway hike and bike trail, along the park’s northern border (Brays Bayou). The proposed project will close the gap between internal trails, facilities, and parking areas within MacGregor Park and the newly constructed trail, establishing connectivity to the entire Brays Bayou Greenway. This greenway comprises approximately 30 miles of greenspace and uninterrupted hike-and-bike trails connecting nine parks, the University of Houston, the Texas Medical Center, and countless neighborhoods.

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?

No

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.

1536160

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

1 Greenways & MP Ltr of Funding Commitment.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?

Categorical Exclusion (CE)

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

09/30/2020

B. Type of Categorical Exclusion (CE)? (Optional)

(c)(22) – Projects that would take place entirely within the existing operational ROW

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

No

US Coast Guard Permits

No

Railroad Agreements

No

None of the Above

Yes

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

No

5. Has utility coordination been initiated for the project?

Yes

A. What level of utility coordination is the project currently at?

30%

B. Have utility agreements been completed for the project?

No

C. What was/is the estimated completion date for utility relocation?

09/30/2020

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).

14 COH Greenways.pdf

7. Please upload project development timeline. A sample of Best-Case Scenario project development timeline can be downloaded here for your review. (Optional)

4 Greenways & MacGregor Park Project Dev Timeline.xlsx

8. Please provide any additional project development/readiness information relevant to the proposed project. (6000 characters max) (Optional)

The project will improve infrastructure owned by the City of Houston, to include the neighborhood streets on which the pedestrian and bicycle improvements will be constructed, and the trail system within MacGregor Park. COH streets and the trail system within MacGregor Park will be made safer and more usable for active modes of transportation. The 30% design for this project can be completed approximately 3 months after a grant is executed. 90% PS&E can be completed by FY20 in order to meet the year of implementation (FY2021). The entirety of the Neighborhood Greenways Plan was granted a C-List (2) Categorical Exclusion by the FTA on October 26, 2016. The MacGregor Park trail improvements will qualify for a C-List (2) CE as well. A desktop environmental review has been completed for the MacGregor Park trail improvements as part of the GSMD/TIRZ #7 Joint Infrastructure Plan, which includes the trail improvements. Scoping meetings have been held with the City of Houston regarding the Neighborhood Greenways in which the City was given the opportunity to review the Greenways plan. This culminated in COH concurrence to proceed with the pursuit of a CE from the FTA. A meeting with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) director was held in January 2017 to review the MacGregor Park Trail Improvements and secure HPARD support for a grant application for the proposed improvements. This support was received, and subsequently reaffirmed by the new HPARD director in January 2018. The proposed project would be transferred to FTA for administration if funded. Standard COH permits will be required for this project, with an additional standard permit from TxDOT required for the traffic signal to be installed on Old Spanish Trail during Phase 3 of the Neighborhood Greenways construction. These permits will be applied for at the appropriate time in the phasing of the project. Electrical utility work will be required at the location of the pedestrian HAWK signal to be installed at Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd and Browncroft St, and the traffic signal to be installed at OST and Belvedere Dr. Utility coordination will occur per the standard COH and TxDOT processes. The Greater Southeast Management District is the entity responsible, financially and otherwise, for the work. No ROW is necessary for this project. Public involvement activities: The 2017 Joint Infrastructure Plan, jointly developed between the Greater Southeast Management District and the OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ #7), delineated 21 priority projects that the two entities desire to pursue funding for and implement, including the Neighborhood Greenways and the MacGregor Park trail improvements. Extensive public outreach was undertaken as part of the development of the plan, including two public meetings in March 2016 and direct contact with more than 45 individual stakeholders representing approximately 40 community organizations and other entities. Details regarding the public outreach efforts for the Joint Infrastructure Plan are included in an attachment to this application. Additionally, the Neighborhood Greenways project was originally conceived of in the Southeast Houston Transformation Alliance’s (SEHTA) 2015 Strollin’ and Rollin’ Plan. The public outreach for the development of this plan included three community surveys and a series of meetings with the community and more than 20 stakeholder groups, to include COH, H-GAC, Bike Houston, area universities, Super Neighborhood 68 civic clubs, and others. The 2016 MacGregor Park Master Plan, which details approximately $550M in proposed improvements to the park, also supports the implementation of the trail improvements. Development of the plan relied on an extensive community outreach effort, and the vision for MacGregor Park is heavily shaped by the community's stated desires and needs.

9. Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment (Optional)

Greenways & MP TIP Readiness Materials.zip

Map/Location

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

GSMD Greenways and Parks mxd.zip

Project Budget

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

2 Greenways & MacGregor Park H-GAC template budget.xlsx

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

Transit-Active-Transportation-Safety-Benefits-gsmd_parks.zip

2. Delay Benefits

10302018113014PM.zip

3. Emissions Benefits

Active-Transportation-Emissions-Benefits-gsmd_parks.zip

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

GSMD Greenways Parks Supporting files.zip

6. Please provide a brief narrative describing the methodology, input data and results. (Optional)

This project contains facilities for both bicyclists and pedestrians. There are different users and trip lengths for bicyclists and pedestrians; thus 2 sets of sheets are submitted for each category.

Planning Factors - Barrier Elimination (Active Transportation)

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

No

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.

0.81 tons/year

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

0.18 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 proposed project is recommended in the 2017 Joint Infrastructure Development Plan, developed by the Greater Southeast Management District and the OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ #7). Additionally, the Neighborhood Greenways project was originally conceived of in the Southeast Houston Transformation Alliance’s (SEHTA) 2015 Strollin’ and Rollin’ Plan. The 2016 MacGregor Park Master Plan, which details approximately $550M in proposed improvements to the park, also supports the implementation of the trail improvements.

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

Joint Infrastructure Development Plan and SEHTA Strollin’ and Rollin’ Plan included in Readiness folder https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y57p23navplf7gx/AACyWDPPdIs230u1SGgrPPgda?dl=0