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

East End District - Sampson York Corridor Improvement Project

2. Project County

Harris County

3. Facility/Street Name

Sampson Street, York Street, and Navigation Boulevard

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

The Sampson-York Corridors southern terminus is directly south of Harrisburg Blvd and the northern terminus is near Navigation Blvd with a proposed trail that would extend to the Buffalo Bayou trail near Marron Park as well as to the Navigation Blvd Esplanade extension. Improvements to extend the existing Navigation Blvd Esplanade from Delano Street to the Sampson corridor is also included in the proposed project. The project totals approximately 3 miles.

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

Primary problems to be addressed include: safety enhancements to provide/promote walkability, bike access, transit access, and efficient mobility for all modes. This project was identified as a need in the East End Mobility Study, completed in 2012 and supports the Gulf Coast Rail District’s West Belt Improvements along York Street that will “enhance safety, mobility, air quality, and emergency response time by eliminating at-grade railroad crossing”. This project will also support future changes to both Sampson and York Streets by improving future two-way operations and safety for all modes. The project will also provide north/south pedestrian and bicycle connectivity within the East End between existing hike and bike trails and multiple transit points along both bus and light rail routes. This project will significantly address livability and increased access within the community by enhancing walking, biking, and intersection operations. This project will follow the City of Houston’s operational changes along Sampson and York Streets, which will change them from one-way pairs to two-way streets. This will significantly increase the access along both corridors and improve safety, as well as complement the York Street underpass that will provide significant safety improvements along the corridor.

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

The Sampson-York Corridor Improvement Project will facilitate improved operations and access on all corridors and develop complete streets with pedestrian and bicycle accommodations and connections. This project will be completed following the Gulf Coast Rail District’s York Street Underpass project which would create a new underpass on York Street underneath the Union Pacific (UP) Houston West Belt and Galveston Subdivisions rail lines south of Texas Avenue. As part of the same project the grade crossing on Sampson Street would be eliminated with Sampson ending on each side of the UP railroad tracks. The Sampson-York Corridor Improvement Project builds on the recommendation in the 2011 East End Mobility Study. This study recommended converting the Sampson-York one-way pair so that each street would operate two-way (a project/function that would be performed by others, not the EED). Once converted, this would allow York Street to function as a four-lane major thoroughfare and Sampson Street to operate as a local street with bikeway and walkability enhancements, including a connection to the Buffalo Bayou trail. The Sampson-York improvement projects to be included in the RTP include ADA improvements such as new sidewalks with curb ramps up and down both corridors, a bicycle facility along Sampson, transit access improvements, and pedestrian and bicycle connections to the Buffalo Bayou trail and Tony Marron Park. Improvements also include extending the existing Navigation Esplanade to the Sampson corridor that will provide improved bikeway and pedestrian access between the corridors and the Buffalo Bayou trail. The existing Navigation Esplanade was identified in and approved through the H-GAC RTP process and was funded through a Federal Transit Administration ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) grant supporting pedestrian/bike access to transit. Proposed project elements include: • Reconstruction of Sampson/York intersection with Navigation to accommodate walking and biking connectivity from Sampson/Navigation, towards Buffalo Bayou trail. • Operational improvements that support safe and efficient multimodal two-way mobility on both Sampson and York Streets. • Signing and pavement markings to incorporate a protected bicycle facility along Sampson Street. • Construction of a new trail on the west side of York to connect Sampson Street bikeway to Buffalo Bayou trail network and Tony Marron Park. • Construction of improvements on Navigation Blvd including median improvements (extending the Esplanade) as well as bikeway and pedestrian improvements from Sampson Street to the Navigation Esplanade. Safe pedestrian crossing signals will be included to allow safe pedestrian crossings along Navigation Blvd.

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

Ultimately, this project is intended to achieve the following outcomes: • Improved safety at key intersections • Increased access and connectivity for walking and biking • Improved access to transit • A connected, livable, walkable community • Safety and environmental improvements from improved corridor operations The East End District has undertaken a series of studies to fully document and analyze mobility needs including pedestrian, bicycle, and transit over the years. These studies include the 2009 Livable Centers Plan, the 2009 Pedestrian and Transit Plan, the 2011 East End Livable Centers Master Plan, the 2012 East End Mobility Study, and the 2015 Fifth Ward/Buffalo Bayou/East End Livable Centers Plan. These studies collected data related to the quality of pedestrian and transit infrastructure and made recommendations for increasing transit, biking, and walking mode shares. They also included extensive public feedback as an important input in forming visions, goals, and recommendations. Public feedback for all studies indicated strong community support for improvements to infrastructure for walking, biking and transit trips, all of which will be addressed in the Sampson-York corridor improvements.

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.

150000

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

EED Sampson-York RTP_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?

07/01/2029

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)

Timeline.pdf

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

This project will be developed after the City of Houston’s future project to change the operation of York and Sampson Streets from one-way pairs to two-way operations.

Map/Location

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

Sampson York Improvement Project Map.pdf

Project Budget

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

Project Budget-SY.pdf

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

No

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.

1.52

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

0.34

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 2011 East End Mobility Study. Additionally, this project is being coordinated with future projects from other sponsors (York Street Underpass and City of Houston York and Sampson Streets two-way conversion)

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

https://www.houstontx.gov/council/committees/tti/20121009/eastendmobilitystudy.pdf