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

Holman Street Reconstruction and Bike/Pedestrian Improvements

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

Holman Street

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

St Emanuel St to Scott St

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

The state of disrepair on Holman Street in the Third Ward area is a hindrance to the safe travel of automobiles, pedestrians, transit riders, and cyclists. The roadway is generally in poor condition as evidenced by recurring failing patches and longitudinal, transverse, block, and alligator cracks. Twenty-nine percent of the roadway is concrete, while 71% is asphalt overlay. Signs of the failure of previous repairs are starting to become evident throughout the corridor. Additionally, storm drainage inlets throughout the corridor are in need of replacement. The majority of the stormwater lines are from the 1950s and 1960s and are beyond their useful life. The sidewalks and curbs are in a similar state of disrepair throughout the corridor. Most sidewalks along Holman St are 4’ wide (with a few exceptions along areas of new development) and are not currently in compliance with the latest COH standards. ADA ramps are missing or non-compliant throughout the corridor. There are missing curbs and overgrown grass over sections of sidewalk. In certain locations, there are utility poles that impede the passage of pedestrians. Pedestrian lighting is missing throughout the corridor. The Holman St corridor in the Third Ward area is adjacent to numerous schools, churches, and businesses, and is within walking distance (0.5 miles) of the recently renovated showpiece of the Third Ward, Emancipation Park. The corridor provides direct connectivity to the University of Houston at the eastern end, and to several other community activity centers, educational institutions, and medical facilities, including the Third Ward Multi-Service Center, Project Row Houses, Riverside Dialysis Center, Holman Street Baptist Church, Greater Rose Hill Baptist Church, and Blackshear Elementary School, among others. The corridor is also within walking distance of Texas Southern University, Yates High School, and the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan Middle School. Nearly the entire corridor is served by METRO fixed route service. The inadequate roadway, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities result in unsafe conditions for users, hindered mobility and access, and excessive repair costs.

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

The project consists of the complete reconstruction of Holman St from St Emanuel St to Scott St. The project includes the upgrade of pedestrian amenities to COH/ADA/Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) standards, the rehabilitation of the existing pavement, and the installation and upsizing of additional storm sewer and sanitary sewer infrastructure. The project will also improve the turning radii at intersections throughout the corridor, providing for safer vehicle turn movements. Additionally, the project will incorporate a shared-use path from St. Emmanuel to Emancipation Ave, a 14-foot shared-lane (or sharrow) between Emancipation Ave and the Columbia Tap Trail, and a shared-use path from the Columbia Tap to Scott Street. Pedestrian improvements will consist of enhanced 6’ sidewalks on both sides of the street, pedestrian lighting, and streetscape improvements. The inclusion of bicycle facilities will require the total reconstruction of the back-of-curb throughout the project corridor to better accommodate pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle users. The existing roadway geometry will remain consistent with the current alignment, upgraded to the standards prescribed by the latest COH Infrastructure Design Manual (IDM). Low-Impact Development (LID) techniques will be incorporated as a component of this project to decrease non-point source pollutants, slow runoff, and otherwise mitigate flooding. Streetscape enhancements will also include public art, historical markers, and monuments.

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

The outcomes to be achieved by the project are multi-faceted: Increase safety: From 2015 to 2017 there were 42 roadway/intersection and 2 ped/bike crashes along the corridor. Improving the roadway condition, bikeability, and walkability of Holman St will increase safety and lead to a measurable reduction in crashes, in turn resulting in fewer injuries/deaths and reduced economic costs associated with the crashes. Maintain a state of good repair: This segment will require substantial maintenance throughout the 20-yr planning horizon. The reconstruction of this facility will avoid the need for concrete repair and travel time delay costs throughout the planning horizon. Improve connectivity, access, and mobility: Ped/bike improvements will facilitate connectivity among residences, businesses, churches, schools, and Emancipation Park, as well as facilitate access to transit in this “environmental justice” area. Holman features a METRO 30-minute headway fixed route line throughout most of the corridor. This fixed-route connects Elgin St and the METRORail Purple Line, making this corridor an extremely important connectivity component for students, faculty, and staff of UH. Transit ridership along this corridor is consistently about 2,000 trips/day during the school year. Current access to the corridor’s 23 bus stops is poor due to the existing back of curb conditions. Improve drainage: Reconstructing the corridor stormwater system to meet code requirements for the 2-yr and 100-yr frequency events will improve area drainage and reduce the risk of property damage and loss of life during catastrophic rainfall events. Facilitate economic development: Research has shown that improving walkability and bikeability can increase property values of residential and commercial properties. The resulting increase in property values yields an increase in tax revenue, which is considered a benefit. Facilitate biking: Research has shown that the installation of bike facilities encourages and increases bike usage in the community. Biking has health and recreational benefits for users, which can be considered an economic benefit. TIRZ #7 has been coordinating with the COH PW&E Dept to add this segment into the Bike Plan as a neighborhood bicycle route due to the low vehicle volumes. Bike routes along Holman will enhance access to transit and provide safer access to the existing B-Cycle station located at Project Row Houses on Holman near Live Oak St. The project will also provide multi-modal infrastructure to a corridor where 30.2% of households do not own an automobile, well above the H-GAC area regional avg of 15.53%.

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

(Manage) Access Management/Safety/Grade Separations

11. Please provide the federal funding amount requested.

6876150

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

1 Holman Ltr of Funding Commitment.pdf

Project Development/Readiness

1. Please select the level of engineering completed.

100% 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?

09/30/2020

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?

90%

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).

11 Holman City of Houston LOS.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 Holman Project Dev Timeline.xlsx

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

The proposed project will greatly improve the roadway condition and pedestrian environment of an important COH corridor that is currently in disrepair. The project will also increase safety for bicyclists through the creation of sharrows and alerting drivers to the possible presence of bicyclists. City of Houston representatives have provided a letter of project support. The Holman St project has been previously 100% designed. The project was approved/permitted for construction in 2010. Construction drawings will need to be updated to current design standards and resubmitted for permit approval from the City of Houston. Additionally, it is anticipated that design updates will be necessary to conform to TxDOT design standards. Upon funding award, project can be quickly implemented following design updates. This is contingent upon the project being placed in the TIP, STIP, and an AFA being executed in a reasonable time frame. A Categorical Exclusion can be completed by FY20. No major impacts are expected. No ROW is necessary for this project. Utilities will be adjusted to mitigate potential conflicts prior to and/or during construction. The Holman Street reconstruction includes the consolidation and relocation of existing utilities. The standard utility coordination process with the City of Houston was previously followed when the project was brought to 100% design, and will be re-initiated upon project funding and design updates. Utility adjustments will be funded by the OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ #7). 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 reconstruction of Holman St (prioritized #2 out of 21 projects). 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.

9. Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment (Optional)

TIRZ 7-Holman 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)

TIRZ 7 Holman Steet MPK Map.zip

Project Budget

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

2 Holman H-GAC template budget.xlsx

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

Roadway-Safety-Benefits-gsmd_holman.xlsx

2. Delay Benefits

1030201892713PM.xlsx

3. Emissions Benefits

Roadway-Emissions-Benefits-gsmd_holman.xlsx

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

Holman Supporting Files.zip

Planning Factors - Connectivity to Employment/Eliminates At-Grade Railroad Crossings

1. Does the facility directly connect to or is located within 1/2 mile of employment?

Yes

A. If yes, please indicate number of jobs the facility directly connects to or is within a 1/2 mile?

901 - 1000

2. Does the proposed project eliminate or prevent at grade railroad crossing?

No

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 - Improves Corridor Level of Travel Time Reliability (LOTTR)

1. The proposed project will reduce Planning Time Index (PTI) by:

0.01 – 0.10

2. Please upload your completed LOTTR template.

lottr-estimation_holman.xlsx

Planning Factors - Improves Multimodal LOS

1. Does the proposed project improve highway/freight LOS?

Yes

2. Does the proposed project improve transit LOS?

Yes

3. Does the proposed project improve bike/pedestrian LOS?

Yes

4. Please provide a brief narrative explaining how proposed project improves multimodal LOS (Auto, Bike/Ped, and Transit).

Auto LOS – Improvements to the roadway condition of Holman St will result in congestion reduction by reducing roadway repair-related user delay (which is frequently experienced in the form of concrete panel replacements and asphalt patches) and reducing user costs associated with potholes and other road failures which create flat tires, damaged suspension, and cause other detrimental impacts. The improved State of Good Repair of the roadway will also result in smoother traffic flow and reduced crashes. Between 2015 and 2017, there were 42 roadway and intersection crashes along the corridor. Transit LOS - Transit LOS will experience the same improvements in travel time reliability and delay reduction as seen for auto LOS. Transit LOS also considers ridership and the entire spectrum of a transit trip. As such, other benefits are achieved: a. Transit ridership will increase as a direct result of the enhanced access to transit afforded by improved and ADA accessible pedestrian facilities, including a more comfortable and accommodating pedestrian realm with wide sidewalks and street trees to provide shade. b. Total transit travel times will decrease due to traversable sidewalks which may reduce the need for pedestrians to take indirect routes to reach bus stops or reach their end destination. c. Total transit travel times will decrease due to new bicycle accessibility which may convert the first/last mile portion of the trip to a bicycle trip from a pedestrian trip. This will reduce total travel time. Bike/Ped LOS – The improved pedestrian realm, including upgraded 6’ sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, and other streetscape enhancements will facilitate a safer, more comfortable walking experience on Holman, encouraging more users to engage in this form of active transportation. Achieving ADA compliance along the corridor will provide accessibility which is currently not possible for wheelchair and other, similar, users. Bicycle LOS will increase due to the introduction of high-comfort shared-use paths. Between 2015 and 2017 there were two ped/bike crashes along the corridor.

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). The Holman St project is prioritized #2 out of 21 projects recommended in the Joint Plan. Additionally, the 2017 Houston Southeast Community Plan highlights the importance of several commercial nodes along Holman St which play an important role in the economic vitality of the District.

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

The Joint Infrastructure Development Plan is included in the Readiness Documentation for this project application. The Executive Summary of the Houston Southeast Community Plan is available here: https://houstonse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/TruncatedHSE_Exec_Summary_for_Lynn-002.pdf

Planning Factors - Roadway Hierarchy/Freight System Priority/Evacuation Route

1. Please select the functional classification of the roadway on which the proposed project is located, based on the characteristics of the roadway after the project is implemented. The FHWA Highway Functional Classification Concepts, Criteria and Procedures is provided in the link below.

Collector

2. Is your project located on one of the following? Greater Houston Freight System

No

Locally Designated Freight Corridor

No

State Designated Evacuation Route

No

None of the Above

Yes