Department: County Engineer
Department Head/Elected Official: Dr. Milton Rahman, PhD, P.E., PMP, CFM, ENV SP, County Engineer
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Grant
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Office of the County Engineer for approval to submit an application, in partnership with the City of Houston, to the U.S. Department of Transportation-Federal Railroad Administration for grant funds in the amount of $2,000,000, with a local match of $500,000, for the Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program.
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Background and Discussion:
The proposed project is a planning study focused on the following railroad crossings: Lockwood/Galveston Sub, Leeland/Cullen at West Belt, Polk at East Belt, Telephone Rd. at East Belt, and Lawndale at East Belt. The goal is to identify solutions to mitigate the negative impacts of at-grade crossings within Houston's East End community, an area surrounded by three major rail lines (Galveston Sub, West Belt, and East Belt). This neighborhood experiences frequent disruptions from rail blockages, often leading to limited access as trains can block the area from three sides. Harris County along with partnering City of Houston submitted this grant application, which was due on September 23, 2024.
This grant will enable Harris County and the City of Houston to undertake comprehensive planning efforts, including community engagement, to develop solutions for addressing critical safety and mobility challenges, and conduct preliminary engineering. As East Downtown transitions from its industrial past into a vibrant, mixed-use community, resolving the issues caused by rail congestion is essential for improving quality of life and...
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