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FM 518 Shared Use Path Texas Department of Transportation 6/5/2015 5:40:57 PMProject Narrative
Farm to Market Road 518 (FM 518) is an east/west urban principal arterial roadway that traverses Galveston County. The need for the proposed project is demonstrated by the following conditions: • There is at least one reported accident in which a child was hit while crossing a street near to the school, and another reported accident in the vicinity. There are other non-reported near misses of children crossing the street in proximity to the schools. • Many children currently walk along FM 518, without any sidewalk to protect their safety. • The pedestrians and cyclists walk and ride alongside vehicular traffic with a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour. • There is no bicycle route connection to Ross Elementary School, League City School and Clear Springs High School The purpose of the proposed project is to provide an 8-feet wide shared use path for children and families that is separated from vehicular traffic, create safe and hospitable walking and bicycling conditions, improve connectivity to schools, and encourage mode shift from driving to walking and cycling in non-work trips (between home and school). This project will prevent future incidents of children being hit by vehicular traffic while walking or riding to school. The proposed shared use path is located on south side of FM 518 from James Ross Elementary School to Palomino Road and on the north side of FM 518 from Ross Elementary School to Magnolia Estates Drive. The project is approximately 2 miles in length. The project scope is to construct an 8-foot wide shared use path, intersection improvements and pedestrian crossings to provide a safe and convenient route to school for children and families, separated from vehicular traffic. This project does not require additional acquisition of right-of-way. This project will connect: -schools: Ross Elementary School, League City School, Clear Springs High School -residential communities No other alternatives have been considered or evaluated.Project Narrative
No Categorical Exclusion (CE) (c)(3) Construction of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, paths, and facilities No 01/02/2016 No No Privately owned utilities in conflict would be relocated by the respective owners at their expense. State-owned facilities would be relocated by TxDOT as part of the contract. Although a thorough utility evaluation has not yet been conducted, a preliminary evaluation indicates that there would be no relocations. Yes The League City Council Resolution commits funds to pay for part of the local match (resolution was emailed). FM 518 Shared Use Path is part of League City's Master Trails Plan. Four public meetings where held for League City Trails Master Plan on September 10, 2009 at 1pm and 6pm, September 14, 2009 at 6pm, September 17, 2009 at 6 pm. On December 14, 2009 the Planning and Zoning/Park Board Meeting at 6:00pm included a presentation of Trails Master Plan followed by comments. January 26, 2010 the City Council Meeting included a presentation of Trails Master Plan followed by comments. Attached are a detail construction estimate and a typical section.Map/Location
Screening Questions
Yes Per AASHTO, the width of a shared use path, in constrained situations, can be 8 feet if there is no constant heavy bicycle traffic, pedestrian traffic is expected to be occasional, maintenance vehicles will not use the share use path regularly, and there are resting and passing opportunities. (AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, Fourth Edition pg. 5-3).Evalutation Questions - Pedestrian/Bicycle Projects
Design Standards
Yes Per AASHTO, the width of a shared use path, in constrained situations, can be 8 feet if there is no constant heavy bicycle traffic, pedestrian traffic is expected to be occasional, maintenance vehicles will not use the share use path regularly, and there are resting and passing opportunities. (AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, Fourth Edition pg. 5-3).Connectivity
Barrier Elimination
No N/APedestrian/Bicycle Facility Connections
Yes The proposed facility directly connects to an 8’ existing trail on Palomino Ln and existing segment of sidwalk on FM 518 from Magnolia Estate Dr to Palomino Ln,Transit Connections
None of the Above N/AConnections to Regional Destinations
Located outside of an activity center, but directly connects to one or more points of interest?* Density thresholds for different types of activity centers are defined within the Livable Centers Benefits Calculator, which is available online at http://www.h-gac.com/livable-centers/tools.aspx. Project area is considered within a 1/2-mile radius of the project location.
The proposed facility directly connects to three schools: Ross Elementary School, League City School, Clear Springs High SchoolPilot Projects
No N/ASafety
Does proposed facility:
Yes Yes Yes No There were two pedestrian accidents in 2011, one incapacitating injury and another non-incapcitation injury by vehicles going straight on the roadway and vehicle turning left (crash number 12363164, 12277979). In at least one of the reported accidents, a child was hit while crossing a street near to the school. The proposed facility addresses the safety concern of the two pedestrian accidents by proposing a designated 8' wide shared use path to provide a safe and convenient route to school for children and families, separated from vehicular traffic.
Project will be awarded:
15 points if three or more of the aforementioned characteristics are met.
10 points if two of these characteristics are met.
5 points if one of these characteristics is met.
Existing Plans/Studies
Yes The proposed facility on FM 518 aligns perfectly with League City’s Trails Master Plan. In addition, H-GAC’s 2035 Regional Bikeway Plan identifies FM 518 as a bikeway need.Funding Leverage
Leverages funding through partnerships to meet or exceed the 20% match There is a funding partnership between TxDOT and League City. The League City Council Resolution commits funds to pay for $587,082 of the local match (see attached resolution). There will be a funding partnership between League City and TxDOT to meet the match requirement. TXDOT will pay for $70,450 of the local match, to fulfill the local match requirement.Underserved Population Access
Is all or part of the proposed facility located within a Census Tract that has a higher proportion of the following populations than the regional average:
H-GAC to conduct analysis based on the GIS/map project location provided above
Project will be awarded:
3 points if one of the aforementioned indicators is above the regional average
7 points if two of the aforementioned indicators is above the regional average
10 points if three of the aforementioned indicators is above the regional average