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

Meadows Place-Stafford Shared-Use Path

2. Project County

Fort Bend County

3. Facility/Street Name

Centerpoint Easement/Fountain Lake Drive

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

Meadows Place north city limits to The Fountains retail center

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

The project would provide a convenient pedestrian and bicycle route from Meadows Place and Stafford to The Fountains retail center which contains a movie theater, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Along the route there are parks, schools, and recreational activities. The route would serve single family residential and multiple apartment complexes. Some segments of sidewalk are also proposed to fill gaps in the existing pedestrian network to complete connections to the proposed shared-use path. Meadows Place also has sharrow on Dorrance Lane from IH-69 to Dairy Ashford Road. The only current route for pedestrians and bicycles to travel from the area to be served by the proposed shared-use path would be Kirkwood Road, which has an average daily traffic volume of approximately 33,000 based on HGAC modeling for the project. Users would then need to use Sugar Grove Boulevard to Sugardale Drive as the IH-69 frontage road does not have sidewalks in this area.

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

Activity would begin with design and environmental clearance of the proposed shared-use path and associated activities. Upon completion of the design and environmental clearance, construction could begin as soon as Meadows Place modifies their existing permit with Centerpoint and Stafford negotiates their permit. Construction and Construction inspection are also requested for funding. The proposed project includes a shared-use path within the Centerpoint easement from the north Meadows Place city limit line to Fountain Lake Drive in Stafford. Two options are being considered for Fountain Lake Drive. Option 1 would require obtaining right-of-way or easements to construct a shared-use path alongside Fountain Lake Drive. Option 2 would be to re-stripe the roadway to provide bike lanes or wide sharrow lanes. The proposed project would also provide a shared-use path from the main proposed corridor to Kirkwood Road within an existing drainage easement. Kirkwood Road will be reconstructed in 2019 and the cross section will be changed from a boulevard section to a two lane roadway with roundabouts at each of the four residential street intersections. A eight foot to ten foot wide sidewalk will be constructed on the west side of Kirkwood Road with the roadway reconstruction project. Sidewalk extensions are proposed in several locations to connect existing sidewalks to the proposed shared-use path. These sidewalk connections will ensure continuity for pedestrians along the corridor. In addition, a existing section of Meadows Place south of West Airport Boulevard does not currently have good pedestrian access to the rest of Meadows Place, including the elementary school, parks, pool, and recreational center. The proposed shared use path will cross several streets at midblock locations. West Airport Boulevard is a major thoroughfare that carries more than 30,000 vehicles per day. A pedestrian hybrid signal is planned at this location due to the number of vehicles on the roadway. The rest of the roadways are collector or local streets and the crossings can be handled with static signs or possibly some form of flashing beacons (rapid reflecting flashing beacon or similar) which will be determined during design. There are two trailshead options with an existing gravel parking lot in Meadows place and a concrete parking lot in Stafford. Meadows Place would like to construct an additional parking lot or expand the existing parking lot to accommodate additional activity. Amenities are also planned along the corridor which include lighting, benches or other seating options, water fountains, and pedestrian bridges to the Meadows Place Discovery Center and North American University in Stafford. Bike racks are existing at several locations and would also be added at additional locations.

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

The primary outcome to be achieved by this project would be to provide a bicycle and pedestrian connections that serves two cities and provides connections to schools, parks, restaurants and entertainment areas. With several sidewalk extensions, incomplete pedestrian routes would also be completed and a section of Meadows Place that is separated from the rest of the City would have a new opportunity to walk or bike to school or park facilities. The project would support work opportunities for residents in Meadows Place, Stafford, and students staying at North American University to access jobs in The Fountains without the need to use a car. Meadows Place hosts Monarch Madness which brings visitors from the region to view migrating Monarch butterflies. Meadows Place has been working with CenterPoint to replace existing vegetation within the easement with plants that support the Monarch butterfly migration. Other activities with this event are the Home and Garden Craft Vendor show, instructions on how to create a butterfly garden, identifying native milkweed, make crafts, petting zoo, train ride, inflatables, games, and food trucks. The proposed trail will open up more areas for butterfly viewing and parking. Overall, this project will support bicycle and pedestrian access to schools, parks, recreational activities and jobs within the area.

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.

3450000

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

support letters.pdf

Project Development/Readiness

1. Please select the level of engineering completed.

Not Started

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?

12/31/2020

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

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?

07/31/2020

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

07/31/2020

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

12/31/2020

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

1 or 2 depending on the option selected

E. How many parcels have been acquired to date?

1 parcel (easement) for existing section of shared-use path in Meadows Place.

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?

No

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

Meadows Place Stafford bikeway Timeline.pdf

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

Initial coordination has occurred with the City of Stafford and the Houston Parks Board. Stafford is a co-sponsor for this proposed project and the Houston Parks Board has expressed interest in making a connection to the Keegans Bayou trail system (see letters of commitment). Both Meadows Place and Stafford are ready to move this project forward as soon as possible but ultimate schedule will be based on funding schedule from H-GAC.

Map/Location

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

bikeway_102118.pdf

Project Budget

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

Meadows Place Staffort bikeway project-budget-worksheet-template.pdf

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

Transit-Active-Transportation-Safety-Benefits-Template_MP.xlsx

2. Delay Benefits

1025201854107PM.xlsx

3. Emissions Benefits

Roadway-Emissions-Benefits-Template_MP.xlsx

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.

0.10

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

0.03

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?

No

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

No

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.

Fort Bend Subregional Plan - Page 170

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

http://www.h-gac.com/taq/sub_regional/docs/Fort%20Bend%20Subregional%20Plan%20-%20073013%20-%20High%20Quality.pdf