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

Deerwood Shared-Use Path

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

(Various) Citywest Blvd, Briar Forest Dr., Walnut Bend Ln., Blue Willow, Deerwood, BW-8

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

From approximately Westheimer and Citywest Blvd. to the Terry Hershey Trail

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

The Terry Hershey Park and Trail System is a Harris County Park that runs along approximately six miles of Buffalo Bayou in western Houston roughly from George Bush Park (Barker Reservoir) to Beltway 8. It has long been a goal of the Westchase District to improve north/south connectivity to the Terry Hershey system via what has been termed the Deerwood Path. Currently, the Terry Hershey (TH) Trail is difficult to reach as a pedestrian or cyclist due to the major roads (without continuous sidewalks/bikeways) it is built along and adjacent to (Beltway 8, Wilcrest Drive, Kirkwood Road, Dairy Ashford, etc.) This has led to a reliance by TH users on driving to adjacent parking lots (public and private) to use the system. The proposed project (Deerwood Path) will create a comprehensive north/south connection to the TH Trail from Blue Willow Drive to Westheimer Road, just west of Beltway 8. This project was originally conceived in the late 2000s (and is now codified as a component of the Westchase District 2016 Mobility Plan and their 2016 Ped/Bike Plan); however, the proposed alignment of the Deerwood Trail was always envisioned to run along the banks of an existing Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) drainage corridor just east of Blue Willow Drive. In 2017, HCFCD formally determined that the placement of a trail along this corridor would require expensive bank remediation as well as long term maintenance by the District. The project presented in this grant proposal provides an alternative which is more cost effective and utilizes existing infrastructure to a great degree.

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

• Starting at Westheimer Road and Citywest Boulevard, head north on Citywest using existing path in place. • At approximately Cityplace Drive, begin replacing existing sidewalk on west side with an eight-foot shared use path. • Heading north, install a new eight-foot shared use path on the west side, continuing north past Del Monte Drive to Briar Forest Drive. • Cross to north side at existing signal at Briarforest and Citywest. • Repair existing sidewalk on Briarforest and reconstruct the eight-foot shared use path west to Walnut Bend Lane. • Head north on Walnut Bend Lane using existing on-street bike facility (signed bike route/sharrow) and sidewalk. Install supplemental bikeway/way-finding signage to demonstrate connection between Terry Hershey and Citywest Path. Continue east on Cedar Creek and north on Blue Willow. • Continue north along existing infrastructure until Deerwood Drive. Existing bridge to remain in place; pedestrians will utilize existing sidewalks and bicyclists will utilize on-street bike facility (signed bike route/sharrow). Construct a new eight-foot shared use path along Deerwood to connect to Beltway 8 frontage road. Reconstruct westbound travel lane to accommodate two-way cycle track (10-foot wide with three-foot striped buffer). • Existing sidewalk along Beltway 8 to be widened to eight feet and will connect to existing Terry Hershey shared-use path west of the toll road ramp.

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

• Provide a continuous bicycle/pedestrian connection to Terry Hershey Park and Trail. This project, in conjunction with the improvements (to be under construction soon) along Walnut Bend, will allow for bike/ped access to the TH Trail from east/west corridors to include Westpark, Richmond, Meadowglen, Westheimer, and Briar Forest. Logically, this area of access is approximately between Buffalo Bayou, Wilcrest, Beltway 8, and Westpark Drive. This area has a residential population of 20,486, and 9,516 households. When the pedestrian improvements along Westheimer are taken into consideration as another access corridor, the size of the “connectivity area” grows considerably. • To stimulate 475 new daily pedestrian users and 193 new daily cyclists (see methodology in BCA section). • To increase adjacent property values by an estimated $2.5M. This information is included as supplemental BCA information. • To provide a safe route to Paul Revere Middle School. • To upgrade Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant infrastructure within the area. • To allow for safe alternative access to and from the Terry Hershey Trail System/Park System.

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.

961572

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

13_Deerwood-Resolution of Support and Local Funding Commitment.pdf

Project Development/Readiness

1. Please select the level of engineering completed.

90% 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)

(C)2 - Acquisition, construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and improvement or limited expansion of 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?

No

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).

12_WCH-Deerwood_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)

7_Deerwood Schedule.xlsx

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

This project is 90 percent designed and can be implemented quickly if fully funded via this grant opportunity. Transfer of the funding (if funded) to FTA would not require a re-design to Texas Department of Transpiration (TxDOT) formats/standards and the project could proceed with standard City of Houston/American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)/Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) approvals. Project could be implemented in mid- to late-2019 depending on length of Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) selection process, length of TIP/Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) approval, and length of time to transfer funds and execute a grant with the FTA. Utility coordination will not be necessary for this project. The project is included in 2016 Westchase Mobility Plan, Westchase District Ped/Bike Plan, and City of Houston Bike Plan. Outreach efforts were 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 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.

9. Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment (Optional)

WCH-Deerwood 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 Deerwood.zip

Project Budget

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

8_Deerwood Budget Worksheet.xlsx

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

Deerwood_Safety_benefits.zip

2. Delay Benefits

1030201842219PM.zip

3. Emissions Benefits

Deerwood_Emissions benefits.zip

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

Deerwood_Supporting files.zip

5. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

Deerwood Bike Benefit - Supplemental Econ.xlsx

6. Please provide a brief narrative describing the methodology, input data and results. (Optional)

This project is a shared use path for 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.

0.82 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.

The project is identified in the 2016 Westchase Mobility Plan, 2016 Westchase District Ped/Bike Plan, 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 2017 City of Houston Bike Plan: http://houstonbikeplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/HoustonBikePlan_Full.pdf Additional coordination with City of Houston includes 90% plan set for project: https://www.dropbox.com/s/v64xfxe8bu9g3kl/5_90%25%20Submittal%20Deerwood%20Path.pdf?dl=0