The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) requests City Council approve the First Amendment to the Advance Funding Agreement between the City of Houston and the Texas Department of Transportation and appropriate funds for the Mason Park Pedestrian/Bike Bridge Transportation Enhancement Project.
On December 5, 2012 City Council approved Resolution 2012-36 authorizing the nomination of six projects for funding consideration in the 2012 Transportation Enhancement Program administered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The Mason Park Ped/Bike Bridge Transportation Enhancement Project (the Project) is one of four projects selected for funding. The Project scope consists of a 520 foot long pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Brays Bayou and 200 feet of trail connections on each side of the bridge. The bridge will provide a safer crossing of Brays Bayou and encourage an environmentally friendly means of alternative transportation through connections to the Brays Bayou Greenway trail system.
On June 26, 2013 City Council approved Ordinance 2013-635 authorizing an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Houston and the Houston Parks Board Local Government Corporation, Inc. (HPBLGC) to implement and fund the Bayou Greenways 2020 project (BG2020) using Park bond proceeds to be matched by an equal commitment of private funds. On August 21, 2013 City Council approved Ordinance 2013-744 to appropriate park bond funds for BG2020.
On June 4, 2014 City Council approved Ordinance 2014-559 authorizing an Interlocal Agreement with the Houston Parks Board LGC to provide the Local share and other costs related to the construction of the Mason Park Ped/Bike project and three other projects selected for funding in the TxDOT Transportation Enhancement program. The agreement allows for the use of funds appropriated for BG2020 to be used for the Local share of construction costs.
On August 23, 2017 City Council approved Ordinance 2017-0663 appropriating additional funds for the Mason Park Ped/Bike Bridge along with other BG2020 projects.
On June 4, 2014 City Council approved Ordinance 2014-0560 authorizing an Advance Funding Agreement (AFA) between the City of Houston and TxDOT for the Mason Park Ped/Bike Bridge project. The total Project Budget Estimate for construction costs and TxDOT project administration in the approved AFA is $4,430,724. The Federal share is $3,544,579 (80%) and the Local share is $886,145 (20%). The AFA gives TxDOT responsibility for the construction contract.
TxDOT has received the final low bid for construction and it is $1,444,772 higher than the estimated Project Budget Estimate, making the new total Project Budget cost $5,875,496. The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) sent a request to the Houston Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) for additional Federal funds to help meet the additional Construction Cost. In October 2016 the H-GAC Transportation Policy Council approved an amendment to the Transportation Improvement Program to increase the Federal share of the Mason Park Ped/Bike Bridge by $722,386 or 50% of the additional Construction Cost. The remaining 50% will be funded as shown in the Amount and Source of Funding section below. Council Member Gallegos has requested to support a portion of the Local Participation with $75,000 from Council District Service funds.
Director's Signature:
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Stephen Wright, Director