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

Wheeler Transit Center Pedestrian Bicycle Connection

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

US 59/ I 69

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

Graustark St to Main St

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

There is no high comfort off-street pedestrian/bike facility to access the Wheeler Station from Montrose. The Wheeler Station is a transit and rail hub that connects to Downtown Houston. The need for the proposed project is demonstrated by the following conditions: • Many cyclists currently ride and walk to the Wheeler Station, without any designated bicycle and pedestrian route • There is no pedestrian/bicycle access for residents living east of I 45, and south of I 69. • I 45 and I 69 are two barriers; there is no east-west bicycle and pedestrian route that connects Montrose to the Wheeler Transit Center.

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

The off-street facility will construct a 10 ft wide shared use path, which will begin at Graustark St and travel west along South I 69 to Main Street. The project will include 10 feet wide shared-use path facility grade-separated from I 69 mainlines, striping, bridge railing, pavement markings, and signage as well as associated intersection improvements. This project does not require additional acquisition of right-of-way.

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

The purpose of the proposed project is to provide first-and-last mile convenient access for residents from increasing high density development in the Montrose Neighborhood improving connectivity and access for alternative modes of transportation, and encourage mode shifts from driving to cycling in both person work and non-work trips. This project would provide a safe off-street high comfort transit connector.

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.

1424974

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

HOU_104_Wheeler - Letter of Commitment.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?

02/01/2020

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

(c)(3) Construction of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, paths, and facilities

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).

HOU_104_Wheeler - Interagency Consultation.docx

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

HOU_104_Wheeler - Timeline.pdf

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

Wheeler Transit – First/Last Mile Connection Project Readiness No Advanced Funding Agreement (AFA) will be needed for this project since TxDOT will provide the 20% match, which reduces the project timeline by 6-12 months for the AFA process. No permits from the Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, and railroad are expected to be required before the project can be constructed. No documentation is needed from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). TxDOT’s Houston District Environmental Section has reviewed the project and indicated that the criteria for FHWA Categorical Exclusion Action (c)(3) Construction of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, paths, and facilities would be appropriate for this project. This project does not require additional acquisition of right-of-way (ROW). Survey of the area for the proposed project has been completed.

9. Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment (Optional)

HOU_104_Wheeler - Project Readiness.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)

HOU_104_Wheeler - Location Map Final.pdf

Project Budget

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

HOU_104_HGAC_Template.xlsx

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

TxDOT - Bike Ped Safety Benefit - Montrose Park & Ride.zip

2. Delay Benefits

10302018115208PM.zip

3. Emissions Benefits

TxDOT - Bike Ped Emissions Benefits - Montrose Park & Ride.zip

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

HOU_104_Wheeler_Additional Information.zip

5. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

HOU_104_Wheeler_Additional Information.zip

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

Wheeler Transit Center Daily User Methodology Generation Methodology A Bicycle and Pedestrian Demand Sketch methodology (Greg Griffin) was utilized to generate daily bicycle and pedestrian volumes for the Post Oak Transit Center Facility. This methodology utilizes American Community Survey commuting mode share data (Subject Table “S0801 Commuting Characteristics by Sex”) to estimate mode shares along the facility for both bicycle and pedestrians. A multiplier was generated to account for additional bike and pedestrian travel outside of the commuting periods. To develop the most accurate estimate of mode share for each project, buffers were utilized to account for surrounding land uses and area types. A 1.5-mile buffer was utilized for pedestrian projects and a 5-mile buffer for bike projects. ACS data within these buffers was averaged to generate a likely mode share for both bike and pedestrian modes. This data was then applied to traffic volumes generated from the regional travel demand model to estimate daily user bike and pedestrian trips. The specific process utilized to develop daily user estimates is outlined below: Assemble mode share and roadway network data • ACS data collection for city/county/MPO bike and pedestrian commute share • Pull ADT information from regional model for appropriate network links parallel or nearby project facilities • Load data into GIS • Identify ACS Block Groups within buffer range to generate ACS mode share estimates Estimate total bike trips (multiplier) • Calculate total bike mode share using the following formula: total bike mode share = 0.3% + (1.5 x bicycle commute share) Apply bicycle and pedestrian rates to roadway segments • The direct ACS pedestrian mode share was applied to the Wheeler Transit Center project as a proportion of current and/or projected vehicular volumes along specific roadway segment to develop estimated daily users. Transit ridership estimates were utilized to determine that this method was more feasible than applying the sketch planning multiplier. • Apply bike rate as proportion of current and/or projected vehicular volumes along specific roadway segment to develop estimated daily users. Interpolate to Estimate Build Year Daily Users • The HGAC Model Years are 2018, 2025, and 2045. To estimate the “build year” daily users, an interpolation was applied to develop estimates for 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Reasonableness Check • A reasonable check was conducted by reviewing local information and transit ridership information to assess the reasonableness of user estimates generated in the previous steps. This methodology resulted in reasonable estimates of potential bicycle and pedestrian users in the year open to traffic.

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.

Total NOx Reduction: 2.55 tons/year For Bike: Estimated Daily Volume Reduced in Year Open to Traffic 342 Estimated Daily VMT Reduced in Year Open to traffic 3,424 Estimated NOx Reductions In Year Open to Traffic (in gms/day) 174.8135636 For Ped: Estimated Daily Volume Reduced in Year Open to Traffic 668 Estimated Daily VMT Reduced in Year Open to traffic 2,005 Estimated NOx Reductions In Year Open to Traffic (in gms/day) 102.354076

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

Total VOCs Reduction: 0.68 tons/year For Bike: Estimated Daily Volume Reduced in Year Open to Traffic 342 Estimated Daily VMT Reduced in Year Open to traffic 3,424 Estimated VOC Reductions In Year Open to Traffic (in Gms/day) 46.77504765 For Ped: Estimated Daily Volume Reduced in Year Open to Traffic 668 Estimated Daily VMT Reduced in Year Open to traffic 2,005 Estimated VOC Reductions In Year Open to Traffic (in Gms/day) 27.38698693

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.

H-GAC's Montrose Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan Special District Study

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/community/qualityplaces/pedbike/special-districts/documents/montrose_study.pdf