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.
end
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 ensuring that residents and visitors can safely and efficiently navigate the area.
Expected Impact:
The RCE grant will enable Harris County and the City of Houston to conduct comprehensive planning activities, including community engagement, to identify solutions that address critical safety and mobility challenges. As East Downtown evolves from its industrial origins into a vibrant, mixed-use community, resolving the issues caused by rail congestion is vital for enhancing quality of life and ensuring that both residents and visitors can safely navigate the area.
Alternative Options:
Without funding from the RCE grant, the Houston East End Triangle RAILS Study would need to be funded through local funding sources.
Alignment with Goal(s):
X Justice and Safety
X Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
X Transportation
_ Flooding
X Environment
_ Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
N/A |
|
|
Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Precinct 2
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
FY 2023-FY 2024 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program |
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Other - Precinct 2 |
$ |
$ |
$300,000 |
$ |
|
Other - City of Houston |
$ |
$ |
$200,000 |
$ |
|
Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$500,000 |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
Grant |
$ |
$ |
$2,000,000 |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$2,000,000 |
$ |
|
Total Funding Request |
$ |
$ |
$2,500,000 |
$ |
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: October 29, 2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): N/A
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Patrick Mandapaka, PhD, AICP, Director of Community Planning and Transportation, Harris County Engineering Department
Attachments (if applicable): RCE Application and Letters of Support