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

Lakes of Champions Boulevard Widening and Multiuse Path Project

2. Project County

Chambers County

3. Facility/Street Name

Lakes of Champions Boulevard

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

Cotton Bayou to Perry Avenue

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

Lakes of Champions Boulevard Widening project will widen 5,000 linear feet of concrete roadway from two lanes to four lanes divided with a raised median including a mutli-use path and associated drainage. Short Term Problems Lakes of Champions Boulevard acts as the southern boundary of the major site of the Barbers Hill Independent School District (BHISD) land use. Currently, Lakes of Champions is experiencing congestion during the parent pick-up and drop off times, and congestion at the intersection of Eagle Drive. Currently, Eagle Drive, a Major Arterial in the City of Mont Belvieu, is operating under saturated conditions. Lakes of Champions Boulevard is experiencing vehicular backups and stacking along the westbound approach to the intersection due to the school traffic in the peak hour periods. This stacking adversely affects parent pickup and drop off for the school. To alleviate the existing congestion, widening the roadway section from two lanes to four lanes would provide added capacity for school circulation and would ease the congestion along the roadway. Long Term Problems Lakes of Champions Boulevard currently loops around BISD and avoids school traffic that is related to the BHISD sites. Specifically, Lakes of Champions Boulevard acts as the southern boundary of the major BHISD complex, and also connects to two subdivisions. Currently, according to a recent traffic study by Stevens Technical, Barbers Hill Independent School District (BHISD) is constructing Early Childhood Center (ECC) in the southeast quadrant of the intersection of Lakes of Champion Boulevard and the existing Barber’s Hill Elementary School North Bus Loop to be opened in 2019. In addition, commercial and residential developments are scheduled to be built along the south side of Lakes of Champions Boulevard between Eagle Drive and Churchill Downs Blvd. These developments are anticipated to include a 7,500 sq. ft. office building, a 120-lot subdivision, a 56,000 sq. ft. nursing home with 124 beds, as well as five additional commercial buildings (each assumed to be 7,500 sq. ft.). The nursing home is currently underway while the remaining buildings are scheduled to be built-out by 2020. The proposed construction of BHISD ECC and other developments along Lakes of Champions Blvd result in change of traffic patterns and increased traffic volumes along Lakes of Champions Blvd.

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

The proposed Lakes of Champions Boulevard widening will begin at the Cotton Bayou Bridge and continue eastbound on Lakes of Champions Boulevard. Curving to the north and intersecting with Perry Avenue, the 5,000 linear feet of roadway will be widened from two lanes to four lanes, divided with a raised median including a multiuse path and associated drainage. Right of Way (ROW) will not be required for the project; however, utility coordination and possible utility relocation will be required along the roadway. A new bridge will need to be built to span Cotton Bayou. There is already a small sidewalk on the NW side of Lakes of Champions Boulevard; therefore, the multi-use path will need be to on the SE side of Lakes of Champions Boulevard and will connect to the proposed Cotton Bayou Trail. The design speed is 30 mph.

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

The project's proximity to existing neighborhood centers will make this a key multimodal connection for the families and people that take residence in the City of Mont Belvieu. The widening will create a complete street, and will improve mobility for all modes including biking, walking, and driving. The added capacity of this widening project will aid the City of Mont Belvieu to mitigate the impending traffic and ease congestion, while also providing the schools and neighborhoods with a multi-use path that would connect the neighborhoods and schools to each other, and to the planned Cotton Bayou Trail. This connection will also create more direct vehicular access to IH 10 and will benefit the mobility of the community. Currently, the Barbers Hill Independent School District (BHISD) has two middle schools, an elementary school, a kindergarten center and a prepatory schools built on a large parcel bounded by Perry Avenue to the north, Cotton Bayou to the east, Lakes of Champions Boulevard to the south and Eagle Drive to the west. Directly north of this site, is a BHISD High School with access to Perry Avenue. Additionally, Barber Hills Elementary School North is built along Lakes of Champions Boulevard, with direct access to Perry Avenue. The widening of Lakes of Champions Boulevard will improve school operations and connectivity between these BHISD sites and will greatly improve school traffic circulation overall. Finally, the completion of Lakes of Champions Boulevard to a full Minor Arterial in accordance to the adopted Mont Belvieu 2035 Comprehensive Plan will complete the need for an alternate route to the future Perry Road extension. This connection, when finalized in conjunction with the Langston Blvd extension, will alleviate the concentration of traffic volumes on Eagle Drive, and provide a much needed east to west connection from FM 146 to FM 565, as an alternate route for the City of Mont Belvieu.

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

(Expand) Roadway Added Capacity/New Construction/Complete Streets

11. Please provide the federal funding amount requested.

2304672

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

12. Project Information--Mayor Funding Commitment Letter.pdf

Project Development/Readiness

1. Please select the level of engineering completed.

30% 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?

05/15/2020

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?

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?

No

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

7. Project Development-Readiness--Project Schedule10.31.2018.pdf

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

ROW has already been donated for this project.

Map/Location

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

1. Map Location--Lakes of Champions.pdf

Project Budget

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

project-budget-worksheet-template.xlsx

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

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

Roadway-Safety-Benefits-Template.xlsx

2. Delay Benefits

1031201834735PM.xlsx

3. Emissions Benefits

Roadway-Emissions-Benefits-Template.xlsx

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

11. Project Information--Benefit Cost Analysis.pdf

5. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

Other Investments--Multimodal LOS Report Combined.pdf

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

Volumes provided by H-GAC were utilized for this analysis.

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?

501 - 600

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?

No

Planning Factors - Improves Corridor Level of Travel Time Reliability (LOTTR)

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

0.11 - 0.20

2. Please upload your completed LOTTR template.

lottr-estimation-template.xlsx

Planning Factors - Improves Multimodal LOS

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

Yes

2. Does the proposed project improve transit LOS?

No

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).

• The widening of Lakes of Champions Boulevard improves the corridor’s LOS by providing additional capacity for east-west traffic flow. The separated multi-use path will give bikes and pedestrians safe passage along the corridor and create fewer conflicts with traffic on Lakes of Champions Boulevard. • See attached FDOT Multimodal LOS Table attached as #5 in BCA section.

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.

Lakes of Champions Boulevard is listed as a proposed Minor Arterial in the City of Mont Belvieu Comprehensive Plan

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

http://www.montbelvieu.net/DocumentCenter/View/1117

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.

Minor Arterial

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