RECOMMENDATION: Approve a Resolution to support project applications to the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) for consideration of funding for multiple transportation projects through the H-GAC Transportation Project Selection Process; authorizing the Director of Houston Public Works (HPW) or designee to act as a signatory on the applications with authority to apply.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION: H-GAC conducts a Transportation Project Selection Process that assesses projects’ proposed alignments with the goals from the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan Update, federal requirements, and guidance from the H-GAC’s Transportation Policy Council. This process was previously referred to as the Transportation Improvement Program Call for Projects; the last cycle was in 2018. H-GAC has organized the call using investment categories that translate the regional goals, priorities, and requirements into discrete groupings of projects. H-GAC utilizes a combination of investment category focused criteria, planning factors, and a cost-benefit analysis for project scoring. The investment categories for which projects are currently being solicited are:
- Major Projects
- Resiliency and State of Good Repair
HPW has prepared submittals for the projects described below for funding consideration. As the H-GAC Project Selection Process continues, HPW will prepare additional project submittals and present them to City Council for authorization.
Aldine-Westfield Road from BW 8 to south of Little York Road (District B) - The proposed project will improve the thoroughfare from an existing 2-way road to a 4-lane divided corridor with a median, improved intersections and turning lanes, upgraded signals, and pedestrian facilities. Improvements to the drainage along the corridor include replacing the open ditch drainage system with a curb and gutter system. Improvements include pedestrian enhancements such as sidewalks and bikeways on both sides of the roadway.
Broadway Street from IH-45 to SH-225 (District I) - This project is a total roadway reconstruction that includes shared paths, intersection and accessibility improvements, railroad safety improvements, upgraded HAWK signals for safer school crossings, drainage improvements, traffic signal and street lighting upgrades, as well as medians, turn-lane and intersection modifications. The medians will accommodate the city's light right rail network, METRO Light Rail Transit, (LRT) in the future which will be a significant advantage because it provides access to many destinations in and around Downtown Houston.
Dairy Ashford Road from Briar Forest Drive to Memorial Drive (District G) - Improvements will include the reconstruction of the roadway while maintaining the existing number of lanes along Dairy Ashford Road and six-foot sidewalks, new bridges over Buffalo Bayou, and drainage improvements to convey the runoff from the project area and meet COH design requirements. Improvements also include intersection improvements as well as installation of new pedestrian crosswalks at 3 locations.
Gellhorn Dr. between IH-10 South and IH-610 North (District B) - This project includes improvement of freight connectivity between IH-610 & IH-10 as well as intersection operations. Improvements will also create safer pedestrian and bicycle facilities and mitigate storm sewer deficiencies.
Oates Road from Wallisville to Beaumont Highway (District I) - Improvements include full concrete reconstruction of the corridor to include two 11-ft lanes (with 1-ft offsets) with a 12-ft center turn lane in the middle, as well as pedestrian improvements which include two 10-ft shared use paths on both sides of the road.
Lower Westheimer from Montrose Boulevard to Main Street (Districts C and D) - Improvements include reconstruction of Westheimer Road and all intersections within the project limits to facilitate safe transportation options for all roadway users, including motorists, transit riders, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The proposed 3-lane cross section will accommodate safe and efficient traffic operations, construct wide sidewalk areas and provide transit improvements across METRO's BOOST network which includes 17 of the busiest bus routes in Houston such as Westheimer, Acres Homes, Airline/Montrose, Bissonnet, and more. Safe crossings for people walking, biking, and to access transit will be provided at regular intervals along the corridor.
Waugh Drive from Washington Street through Allen Parkway (District C) - This project includes the replacement of the functionally obsolete cloverleaf interchange with a single point urban interchange at Memorial Drive over Buffalo Bayou, realignment and rebuild of the Allen
Parkway bridge, the rebuild of the roadway from Washington to Allen Parkway including Waugh and South Heights, drainage improvements and detention, water line improvements, regional trail connectivity, enhancements of Spotts Park, and landscape enhancements.
The table below identifies the requested funding amount and the anticipated local match requirement.
|
Project
|
Investment Category
|
Anticipated Federal Share
|
Estimated Local Match
|
Projected Total Project Cost
|
|
Aldine-Westfield
|
Houston Public Works
|
$124,000,000.00
|
$31,000,000.00
|
$155,000,000.00
|
|
Broadway St.
|
Houston Public Works
|
$36,000,000.00
|
$9,000,000.00
|
$45,000,000.00
|
|
Dairy Ashford Rd.
|
Houston Public Works
|
$29,069,520.00
|
$7,267,380.00
|
$36,336,900.00
|
|
Gellhorn Dr.
|
Houston Public Works
|
$17,853,801.60
|
$4,463,450.40
|
$22,317,252.00
|
|
Oates Rd.
|
Houston Public Works
|
$23,600,000.00
|
$5,900,000.00
|
$29,500,000.00
|
|
Lower Westheimer
|
Houston Public Works
|
$20,000,000.00
|
$5,000,000.00
|
$25,000,000.00
|
|
Waugh Dr.
|
Houston Public Works
|
$96,624,000.00
|
$24,156,000.00
|
$120,780,000.00
|
|
Total
|
|
$347,147,321.60
|
$86,786.830.40
|
$433,934,152.00
|
Funding allocated by H-GAC is administered under agreements between the local sponsor and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). It is anticipated that if selected for funding, the local share will be 20% of total project cost. Should applications be selected for funding, an agreement between the City of Houston and TxDOT to develop the project and receive funds will be presented to City Council for approval.
___________________________________________
Randall V. Macchi, Chief Operating Officer
Houston Public Works