2015 Call for Projects Application Listing

Project Information

Project Title FM 1960 Bike Lane Primary Agency Texas Department of Transportation Date Submitted 1/12/2015 7:02:34 PM

Project Narrative

Describe the primary problems to be addressed by the project (Project Need).
1000 characters max Farm to Market 1960 Road (FM 1960) is an east/west principal arterial roadway, including the Mackay Bridge over Lake Houston. It does not have a designated bicycle facility. The need for the proposed project is demonstrated by the following conditions: • Many cyclists currently ride along FM 1960 to cross Lake Houston, without any designated bicycle facility to protect their safety. • The cyclists ride alongside vehicular traffic on the bridge with a posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour. • Lake Houston is a major waterway barrier; there is no bicycle route that connects the east and west side of Lake Houston. Describe the primary outcome to be achieved by the project (Project Purpose).
1000 characters max The purpose of the proposed project is to provide a bicycle lane separated from vehicular traffic by a physical barrier (parapet), create a safe and hospitable bicycle route with bicycle railing across the bridge span, improve alternative modes of transportation and encourage mode shifts from driving to cycling in non-work trips. Describe the proposed improvement (Facility/Limits/Description).
1000 characters max The proposed bike lane is located on FM 1960 from Atascacita Shores to Gray Fox Dr. The project is approximately 2.75 miles in length. The FM 1960 project includes restriping, installing the parapets and the 48” bridge railing and shoulder widening to connect to Atascacita Shores (future shared the road bike facility). This project does not require additional acquisition of right-of-way. FM 1960 Bike Lane will connect: - The Huffman community east of Lake Houston to existing bike and hike trails west of Lake Houston via Atascacita Shores -This bike facility will also connect with the FM 2100 roadway widening project which will include a bike facility Describe any alternatives to the proposed improvement which have been considered or will be evaluated.
2000 characters max Initially only striping for the bike lane was considered (without the parapet separating the bike lane from vehicular traffic). Because the posted speed limit on the MacKay Bridge is 55 miles per hour and the bridge span over the waterway is long, a physical barrier separating the bike facility from the vehicular lanes was incorporated in the project design. No other alternatives have been considered or evaluated.

Project Narrative

Has a scoping meeting been conducted with TxDOT or FTA?
Note: A brief scoping meeting will be scheduled during the application review period for any “Major Investment” project which has not already had one. No Please attach a completed scoping checklist or meeting summary.

What level of environmental documentation is required for the proposed project? Categorical Exclusion (CE) Which CE does the proposed project scope qualify for? (c)(3) Construction of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, paths, and facilities Will any permits from the Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, railroad, etc. be required before the project can be constructed? No Please describe the permits needed and the timeline anticipated to acquire them.
1000 characters max Please provide an estimated completion date for the 30% Design/PS&E milestone. 10/01/2015 Will additional property, or interest in property (easement), be required to implement the project? No How many parcels or portions thereof remain to be acquired? Please provide an estimated date for the completion of property acquisition necessary for construction activities to begin. Has a utility evaluation been completed for the project? No Please describe the process for utility adjustments/relocations (entity responsible, financial responsibility, etc.). Privately owned utilities in conflict would be relocated by the respective owners at their expense. State-owned facilities would be relocated by TxDOT as part of the contract. Although a thorough utility evaluation has not yet been conducted, a preliminary evaluation indicates that there would be no relocations. Will the project improve or significantly affect infrastructure owned or operated by another agency? No Please describe the affect and supply evidence of support from the affected agency. Evidence of Agency Support Attachment

Please describe previous and upcoming public involvement activities related to the proposed project. None Public Involvement Attachment

Please provide any additional project development/readiness information relevant to the proposed project. None Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment

Map/Location

Please provide a clear and concise GIS coverage or PDF map of the proposed project.
(*.mpk ESRI Map Package file preferred)

Project Budget

Please attach a completed project budget worksheet.
Templates are available on the 2015 TIP Call Website
Uploaded files are limited to Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, PDFs, GIS files, and image files.
File size cannot exceed 30MB.

Is this application for a transit project, ITS project, or other project that would have a significant ongoing operating/maintenance cost? No Please attach a completed 5-year annual operating budget worksheet.
Templates are available on the 2015 TIP Call Website
Uploaded files are limited to Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, PDFs, GIS files, and image files.
File size cannot exceed 30MB.

Are transportation development credits being requested? No Please attach a completed TDC application.
Templates are available on the 2015 TIP Call Website
Uploaded files are limited to Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, PDFs, GIS files, and image files.
File size cannot exceed 30MB.

Screening Questions

Will the project design meet or exceed AASHTO or equivalent guidelines?
FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility Yes Please explain: Per AASHTO, the minimum width of a bike lane is 5 ft (AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, Fourth Edition, Chapter 4: Design of On-Road Facilities, pg. 4-15). The project design also includes 1 ft offset from the rail to the bike lane and from the bike lane to the parapet. The width from the railing to the parapet is 7 ft. The project design also includes bicycle railing 42” high complying with AASHTO’s safe bicycle rail standard.

Design Standards

Yes Per AASHTO, the minimum width of a bike lane is 5 ft (AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, Fourth Edition, Chapter 4: Design of On-Road Facilities, pg. 4-15). The project design also includes 1 ft offset from the rail to the bike lane and from the bike lane to the parapet. The width from the railing to the parapet is 7 ft. The project design also includes bicycle railing 42” high complying with AASHTO’s safe bicycle rail standard.

Connectivity

Barrier Elimination

Yes The proposed facility provides a safe and convenient crossing of Lake Houston, a waterway. This bicycle facility provides accessibility for communities east of Lake Houston Bridge to connect to over 10 miles of existing hike and bike trails that lead to the Kingwood Greenbelt.

Pedestrian/Bicycle Facility Connections

Yes The proposed facility directly connects to the proposed Harris County Precinct 4 bike route along Atascocita Shores Dr, which connects to Kings River Dr, W Lake Houston Parkway, Water Point Trail, Auburn Oak Trail and Kings Park Way hike and bike trails.

Transit Connections

None of the Above None

Connections to Regional Destinations

None of the Above

* Density thresholds for different types of activity centers are defined within the Livable Centers Benefits Calculator, which is available online at http://www.h-gac.com/livable-centers/tools.aspx. Project area is considered within a 1/2-mile radius of the project location.

None

Pilot Projects

No No

Safety

Does proposed facility:

Yes No No No The proposed facility provides a new, safe, designated bike route for the many cyclists that currently ride across the McKay Bridge on FM 1960. The bike lane will be separated from vehicular traffic by a barrier (parapet) along the span of the bridge. The project design also includes bicycle railing 42” high. The railing will increase cycling safety by significantly decreasing the risk of a bicyclist falling off the bridge into the water body below. The current parapets at the edges of the bridge are 36" high, too low for the safety of cyclists riding on a bridge over a water body and would not comply with current AASHTO standards if the McKay Bridge was to designated as bike route with a bike lane.

Project will be awarded:
15 points if three or more of the aforementioned characteristics are met.
10 points if two of these characteristics are met.
5 points if one of these characteristics is met.

Existing Plans/Studies

No No

Funding Leverage

Neither NA

Underserved Population Access

Is all or part of the proposed facility located within a Census Tract that has a higher proportion of the following populations than the regional average:
H-GAC to conduct analysis based on the GIS/map project location provided above

No No Yes No No No No Source H-GAC's Environmental Justice GIS Maps.

Project will be awarded:
3 points if one of the aforementioned indicators is above the regional average
7 points if two of the aforementioned indicators is above the regional average
10 points if three of the aforementioned indicators is above the regional average