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

West Alabama Multimodal Enhancement Project

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

West Alabama Street

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

West Alabama Street

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

West Alabama Street is an east/west urban minor arterial street (federal functional classification) that traverses a mix of residential and commercial properties from Buffalo Speedway to Shepherd Drive. The corridor is classified as a major collector by the City of Houston. This proposed project is one of many projects along the entirety of the West Alabama corridor: it is a priority corridor in the Upper Kirby Pedestrian-Transit Master Plan and Updates, as well as in other Management Districts’ Community Plans and the City of Houston’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Alabama Street is prescribed as a bike corridor within the City of Houston Bike Plan. This project will add multimodal facilities to the corridor, through replacing and adding additional sidewalks, and installing a bike facility along the corridor. This is consistent with the scope of work being considered by the City of Houston to the east and west of this segment. The sidewalks along West Alabama Street are in poor to fair condition due to broken, uneven segments in the section of the project corridor west of Kirby Drive. There are sections of missing sidewalks on the north side of the street between Eastside Street & Bammel Lane, and on the south side of the street between Lake Street & Virginia Street and Buffalo Speedway & Audley Street. The corridor contains a mix of residential and commercial uses; there are many retail establishments, bars/restaurants, and multifamily housing facilities. The corridor contains two schools directly on it: St. John’s School and Lamar High School. Given the mix of land uses and the potential for connectivity to adjacent bicycle/pedestrian accommodations, this corridor has a need for bicycle and pedestrian accessibility. This project will create additional mode options that would increase the utility of the corridor and allow for additional non-motorized trips with the better amenities and facilities.

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

The Alabama Multimodal Enhancement project entails the (re)construction of sidewalks, the installation of pedestrian amenities such as lighting and benches, and a bike facility along a 1.17-mile stretch of West Alabama Street from Buffalo Speedway to Shepherd Drive. This project, in totality, is a property line to property line reconstruction of the entire facility between Buffalo Speedway to Shepherd Drive (approximately 6,150 FT). This will include the reconstruction of all pavement, sidewalks, and sub-surface utilities. The existing cross-section will be modified to include the addition of a bike facility. A report is attached (2017 Mobility Corridor Assessment) which describes several options for the introduction of this bike lane. However, the desired cross-section has evolved into one with two west-bound travel lanes, one east-bound travel lane, and the introduction of controlled access left turn bays where needed most. This will allow for the removal of the continuous left-hand turn lane and will facilitate the introduction of a bike facility. The bike facility under consideration consists of a two-way cycle track on the south side of the corridor. The cross-section will be finalized during PS&E favoring an option with the least amount of right-of-way acquisition. Additionally, further coordination with the City of Houston is anticipated to ensure a smooth transition between Upper Kirby’s and City of Houston’s Alabama Street segments. The grant request is for $1,400,000 federal dollars to be matched by $8,545,201 in local dollars. This represents a local commitment of 85%. This local participation is so large due to the Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority’s (UKRA) participation in this project to reconstruct the roadway, signalizing intersections and upgrade drainage capacity through upsizing storm sewer infrastructure along the corridor. In addition to this, the UKRA will also bury overhead utilities along this section of Alabama. The Management District is pursuing funding for the pedestrian-transit related improvements (sidewalks, functional landscaping, and bicycle lanes), to be implemented via the FTA program.

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

The proposed improvements will create safe, accessible sidewalks for pedestrians. Poor sidewalks will be reconstructed and the ramps along this corridor will be brought up to code. Pedestrian lighting will be installed along the corridor as consistent with Upper Kirby standards throughout other mobility corridors in the District. The proposed improvements will add a bicycle facility on the corridor. The project will provide an improved pedestrian environment for residents, visitors and shoppers. Back-of-curb improvements and the addition of a bicycle facility will further enhance the area and improve the link between residential neighborhoods, commercial uses and other destinations, including schools, within walking and biking distance. Through implementation of the proposed improvements, several societal benefits will be realized. There were 169 roadway and intersection crashes, and 2 pedestrian and bike crashes along the corridor between 2015 and 2017. This analysis has been submitted as an alternative safety benefit for consideration. Note that this estimate, based on HSIP criteria, is significantly higher than the methodology yielded via the H-GAC methodology. The property values in the area would increase due to the bicycle and pedestrian facilities along the corridor – Increased non-motorized amenities for bicyclists and pedestrians will result in property value increases for surrounding properties. The resultant increase in tax revenues is considered a benefit. Although there are no transit stops directly on the corridor, there are 12 bus stops along 2 METRO routes (Routes 27 and 41) within a quarter mile of the project corridor, and 71 bus stops along 6 METRO routes (Routes 25, 84, 283, 27, 41 and 82) within half a mile. The improved multimodal facilities along the corridor will facilitate connections to transit. Finally, these improvements will be completed with the reconstruction of the entire roadway as funded by the Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority. That component of the project will allow for the replacement of undersized storm water lines to meet code requirements for the 2-year and 100-year frequency events. Additionally, the reconstruction will improve the pavement conditions which are beginning to fail throughout the entire 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?

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.

1400000

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

05_HCID3FundingCommitment2018.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?

09/30/2019

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

(c)(2) Projects that acquire, construct, maintain, rehabilitate, and improve or expand stand-alone recreation, pedestrian, or bicycle facilities, such as: a multiuse pathway, lane, trail, or pedestrian bridge; and transit plaza amenities.

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?

Yes

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

10/01/2019

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

10/01/2019

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

09/30/2021

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

8

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).

16_Upper Kirby-TIRZ 19.pdf

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

02_West Alabama Multimodal Enhancement Project Schedule.xlsx

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

Several cross-section options have been evaluated for this project. The selected cross-section was identified as optimal due to impacts on traffic as well as safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. The Upper Kirby District will coordinate the final cross-section with the City through a PER/TRC/RDAI process. The only alternative to this project is the no-build alternative. The no build alternative will result in no improvements and continued degradation of infrastructure along the corridor. The continued degradation will result in a decreased pedestrian level of service (PLOS) resulting in an eventual level of “F.” This will result in decreased transit ridership, decreased pedestrian activity, a decrease in property values along the corridor and the eventual decrease in sales tax revenue. The no-build alternative will eventually result in a blighted corridor. This project has been included in the 2014 Mobility Improvement Plan update which was sent to FTA for review as part of a categorical exclusion (CE) for the program of projects listed within the planning documentation. That CE was approved. The CE can be made current with a minor update. It is the intent of the District to transfer this project to the FTA for administration as has been completed for previously H-GAC funded improvements such as Kirby Drive, Bissonnet, and Westheimer. An FTA transfer is the optimal way to implement this project due to major challenges in implementing the desired cross-section in relation to TxDOT design requirements. The project will interface with the City of Houston’s east and west reconstruction projects of Alabama Street from Weslayan Street to Buffalo Speedway and from Shepherd Drive to Spur 527. To avoid consistency in vehicle flow and bicycle flow, it is recommended that cross sections remain similar, to avoid disruption. 30% design would be completed approximately 18 months prior to the project letting for construction. A project cost estimate and schematic have been developed. A Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) could be completed expeditiously. Utility relocation/burial coordination will be done prior to the letting of the roadway project as consistent with the Upper Kirby approach. Right-of-way in the form of corner clip acquisitions will be required to deliver the project. These acquisitions will not negatively impact project implementation timelines.

9. Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment (Optional)

UK-W Alabama 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)

UPK Alabama MPK map.zip

Project Budget

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

03_West Alabama Multimodal Enhancement Project Budget.xlsx

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

UPK Alabama_Transit-Active-Transportation-Safety-Benefits.zip

2. Delay Benefits

1030201880336PM.zip

3. Emissions Benefits

UPK Alabama_Active-Transportation-Emissions-Benefits.zip

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

UPK_Alabama_Supporting files.zip

5. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

UPK_Alabama_Alternative Safety Benefit.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?

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.

0.74 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.

Upper Kirby has a partnership with Midtown and the City of Houston related to the holistic completion of the Alabama corridor. The project is recommended in the Upper Kirby Mobility Improvement Plan Update 2009 and is prescribed as a bike corridor within the City of Houston Bike Plan.

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

Upper Kirby Livable Center Study: http://videos.h-gac.com/ce/livablecenters/upper_kirby_final_report.pdf Upper Kirby Mobility Improvement Plan Update 2009: http://videos.h-gac.com/ce/livablecenters/upper_kirby_management_district_mobility_improvement_plan.pdf AND http://www.upperkirbydistrict.org/index.php/the-district-at-work/district-projects/coming-soon Houston Bike Plan: http://houstonbikeplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/HoustonBikePlan_Full.pdf