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

Meadowglen West Complete Street Project

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

Meadowglen

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

Woodland Park Drive to Rogerdale Road (~6,800 FT)

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

The Westchase District endeavors to implement complete streets throughout the District boundaries. This process, codified via several planning documents identified within this application, aims to work synergistically with the implementation of targeted shared use path improvements which connect to these complete streets. This project aims to repurpose Meadowglen Lane from Woodland Park Drive to Rogerdale Road (referred to hereafter as Meadowglen West) as a complete street. This corridor (of approximately 6,800 feet) currently has inconsistent and missing sidewalks, sidewalks of insufficient widths (3-FT), and lacks a bike facility. Meadowglen West is listed within the City of Houston bike plan as a future high comfort bike corridor. This corridor is a key piece in an integrated system of alternative mode connectivity, that, if not funded, cannot serve as a component piece of that system. Transit: Meadowglen West between Wilcrest and Walnut Bend is a transit route, which connects to other fixed route transit routes along Walnut Bend, Richmond, and Westheimer. Bike/Pedestrian Access: Meadowglen West will provide connectivity to Walnut Bend (funded and soon to be under construction), the Library Loop Trail/Bray’s Bayou Connector Trail (completed), Westheimer (funded and soon to be under construction), and potentially to Terry Hershey Park via the Deerwood Path project which is also submitted within this TIP Call for Projects. The Meadowglen West corridor is a critical connecting piece of the overall alternative mode transportation network within the Westchase District.

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

This project, in its entirety, is the complete reconstruction of Meadowglen from Woodland Park Drive to Rogerdale. The reconstruction includes upgrades to the storm water system to meet 100-year storm requirements, upgrades to the sanitary sewer system, and upgrades to existing water lines. The project will reconstruct the travel lanes to accommodate two (2) 11-FT through lanes, parallel parking lanes (in certain locations), and 11-FT turn lanes at intersection locations. The cross-section will include a combination of on and off- street bike facilities in order to accommodate parallel parking at certain locations. The project will also include pedestrian accommodations that range from 6-FT to 10-FT depending on the location and other components within the cross-section in a given location. This application is seeking funding only for the alternative mode project components eligible under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) program. These include the work associated with the bike lanes (on and off street), improvements to the curb, functional landscaping/lighting, pedestrian accommodations, ADA ramps, and limited stormwater improvements. This is being done for several reasons: 1. This project has an approved 30% preliminary engineering report by the City of Houston. This design includes bike lanes that vary from back of curb to on street. Our experience with the TxDOT process is that the Houston District office will not approve this design. This is consistent with what we experienced on Walnut Bend. We would like to retain this design option, which the City of Houston has approved. The FTA will defer to local approvals and standards. 2. Westchase views the most critical component of this project to be the complete streets aspect (pedestrian/bike lanes). In order to accommodate this complete street design, modifications to the existing cross-section has to occur. Due to this work, it is required that we also upgrade sub-surface utilities. In other words, the complete design is dependent on several components that we are funding locally. In short, we are only requesting H-GAC/FTA participation in pedestrian and bike components; not the other functionally related work.

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

Serve At-Risk Demographics This project will provide an integral piece of the alternative mode network for residents and visitors to the Westchase District. These residents are highly dependent on alternative mode options and are above the regional average in terms of population density, percent minority households, households below the poverty line, households without automobiles, and households with limited English proficiency. The outcomes of this project will improve transportation options for these environmental justice populations. Improve Safety Between the years of 2015 and 2017, there were 5 bike/ped related crashes within ¼ mile of the project, with 1 person sustaining serious injuries. In addition to corridor specific incidents, there were 32 pedestrian-related and 2 bike related crashes within ½ mile of the corridor, with 8 persons sustaining serious injuries. The improvements on Meadowglen will help to reduce crash rates on other, adjacent roads by providing an alternate safe route. This project will provide that safe route through the provision of 6 to 10-FT wide sidewalks and dedicated bike lanes. It is important to note that this project will also deliver the reconstruction of the roadway component of the corridor, even though the District is not seeking funding for that component. That reconstruction will provide a measurable safety benefit through improvements to traffic signals and modifications to turn lanes. These additional benefits have been provided with this application. Increase Alternative Mode Utilization, Reduce Congestion, and Improve Air Quality Using methodology described further in the benefits attachment for this application, the estimated new daily pedestrian users due to this project are approximately 262 and the estimated new daily bicycle users due to this project are approximately 330. Accommodate Future Land Use Land uses along the corridor are primarily multi-family and strip center retail at key nodes. At the Hayes Road intersection is the Alief Houston Community College Campus. Major large parcels along the corridor are aging and redevelopment as higher density residential and mixed use is anticipated in the future. The proposed complete streets design of the facility will accommodate this future higher density land use. Systems Integration The Meadowglen corridor is a key component of the alternative mode system of west Houston. Meadowglen West will provide connectivity to Walnut Bend, Westheimer, the Library Loop Trail, the Bray’s Bayou Trail, and the Deerwood Path (if funded.) When viewed holistically, these corridors work synergistically together to create a dedicated network of alternative mode corridors that provide a tremendous benefit to the west Houston community. This may be the only non-master planned community in Houston that will have such a robust network of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.

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.

5750193

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

11_Meadowglen-Resolutionof Support & Local Funding Commitment.pdf

Project Development/Readiness

1. Please select the level of engineering completed.

30% PS&E

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)

Open-ended (d) CE as the project meets all the criteria in 23 CFR 771.117(a) and the definition of a CE in 40 CFR 1508.4

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?

12/31/2015

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?

09/30/2020

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

37 easements

E. How many parcels have been acquired to date?

0

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).

12_TIP-LOS-Westchase Management District-Meadowglen West Complete Streets.pdf

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

7_Meadowglen Schedule.xlsx

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

This project has been a component of the Westchase planning process since 2010. It is included within the Westchase Bike Plan, the City of Houston Bike Plan, the 2016 Westchase Mobility Plan, and the H-GAC funded West Houston planning process. This project is also been a component of the City of Houston CIP planning process. Bicycle, sidewalk improvements, and related amenities will facilitate connectivity between residential uses, nearby businesses (Kohl's Westchase, etc.), schools (Houston Community College Northwest), social organizations (West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM), medical facilities (Nexus Children's Hospital), and other services. Access to the 4 bus stops along the Meadowglen Line, serving Metro Routes 153 and 046 would be improved with the addition of this project. The project is anticipated to be a FTA transfer as it is within ½ mile of several fixed route transit stops, runs along a fixed route transit line, and is adjacent to several high frequency and high ridership lines (Westheimer/Richmond). Project submittals (30%) have begun with the City of Houston. Note that Westchase is a grantee of the FTA in good standing and that the District strongly believes that a FTA transfer will provide a more expeditious route to implementation than the standard TxDOT process. An additional 10-FT pedestrian access easement on each side of the road throughout the project limits will need to be obtained (total of-20 FT). This equates to 37 individual easements. Westchase will seek the donation of these easements as is consistent with Westchase policy/approach. This process has started (mapping, data gathering, survey, etc.) but no formal negotiations have begun as consistent with federal Uniform Act requirements. Outreach efforts completed as a component of the 2016 Westchase Mobility plan, in which this project is outlined. This process included a steering committee process which met three (3) times, attendance at community events, several community-driven (residents, employers, developers) focus group meetings, a project website, three Westchase Wire articles, a public meeting on October 17, 2016, a review process with partner agencies, and posting the final report on the website. This project is also a component of the West Houston Mobility study, which was an H-GAC funded effort. That study effort included several public meetings to discuss plan findings and recommendations. This project also underwent a public input process which ran from January through April 2015. This included a visioning workshop, an alternatives workshop, and an open house. This project is 30% designed and can be ushered into a final design process fairly quickly if funded via this grant opportunity. Transfer of the funding (if funded) to FTA would not require a re-design to TxDOT formats/standards and the project could proceed with standard City of Houston / AASHTO / Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) approvals. Design could be implemented in 2019, running through 2020. The project could let immediately thereafter. See attached project timeline. Note that this timeline assumes a FTA transfer to accommodate the accelerated schedule and that a standard AFA process and associated timelines will likely delay implementation to 2021/2022. TxDOT letting will also not allow for the project design which has been approved by the COH but will likely require revisions by the TxDOT Houston District do to their design guidelines/standards. This project will also create a new one-time property value increase within the project area due to the bicycle and pedestrian improvements being proposed. The value increase due to the pedestrian improvements is approximately $3.4M. The value increases due to the on-street bicycle improvements being proposed is approximately $250,000. This information is included with the BCA files submitted.

9. Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment (Optional)

WCH-Meadowglen 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)

WESTCH Meadowglen West.zip

Project Budget

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

8_Meadowglen West Budget Worksheet.xlsx

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

Meadowglen West-Safety-Benefits.zip

2. Delay Benefits

1030201845103PM.zip

3. Emissions Benefits

Meadowglen West_Emissions-Benefits.zip

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

MeadowglenWest_supporting files_altbenefits_suppbenefits.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.

1.02 tons/year

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

0.23 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 project is identified in the 2016 Westchase Mobility Plan, 2016 Westchase District Ped/Bike Plan, 2015 West Houston Mobility Study and 2017 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.

2016 Westchase Mobility Plan: https://www.westchasedistrict.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Westchase-Mobility-Report-Final-Report-Compressed.pdf 2016 Westchase District Ped/Bike Plan: https://e84ci13ay1w3s81q61ciglgt-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2016-12-01WestchasePed-BikeFinalReport.pdf 2015 West Houston Mobility Study: http://www.h-gac.com/taq/sub_regional/docs/DW-West-Houston-Mobility-Plan-reduced.pdf 2017 City of Houston Bike Plan: http://houstonbikeplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/HoustonBikePlan_Full.pdf