SUBJECT: Advanced Funding Agreement (“Agreement”) between the City of Houston and State of Texas, acting by and through the Texas Department of Transportation (“State”), for Shepherd-Durham Infrastructure Improvements (“Project”).
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt an ordinance approving and authorizing an Advance Funding Agreement between the City of Houston and State for Shepherd-Durham Infrastructure Improvements. HPW also requests City Council authorize the Director or their designee to act as the City’s representative with the authority to accept and expend federal Surface Transportation Block Grant Program grant funds if and as obligated by the State and Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”), and to extend the term and/or budget and project period.
PROJECT NOTICE/JUSTIFICATION: The Project would reconstruct Shepherd Drive and Durham Drive and various cross streets (11th, 12th, 14th St. at various limits) between W 15th Street and IH-10 WB frontage road including re-configuration of travel lanes from 4 to 3, intersections, addition of bike facilities and pedestrian infrastructure. The Project includes drainage and public utility improvements necessary to satisfy City design standards.
The Project is a partnership between the City and Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority (“MHRA”), acting on behalf of Redevelopment Zone #5, and follows MHRA’s reconstruction of Shepherd and Durham between IH 610 and W 15th St.
LOCATION: The project area is generally bound by W 15th Street on the north, the westbound IH 10 frontage road on the south, N Shepherd Dr. on the east and N Durham Dr on the west.
SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT AND FEE: The Agreement provides for implementation of the Project by the City, under State oversight, using $40,000,000.00 of federal Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (“STBG”) funds. The period of the Agreement is until the Project is completed unless terminated as provided in the Agreement. Changes to the Agreement may be enacted by written amendment, subject to City Council approval.
Federal STBG funds suballocated to the region were programmed for the Project by the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s (“H-GAC”) Transportation Policy Council at their June 26, 2020 meeting, and subsequently approved by the State and FHWA as part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
A future interlocal agreement between the City and MHRA will establish the terms of the partnership for the Project, including the Authority’s contribution of funds to satisfy non-federal share funding requirements.
FISCAL NOTE: No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
No significant Fiscal Operating Impact is anticipated as a result of this project.
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Carol Ellinger Haddock, P.E., Director
Houston Public Works
WBS No. N-100041-0001-7; CSJ# 0912-72-616