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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 3456-02-2007A Resolution NO 3456-02 2007 ADOPTING THE CITY OF FORT WORTH'S 2007 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM WHEREAS, the 109th Congress adjourned in December of 2006 without taking any action relative to any special requests, including the City of Fort Worth's program, and WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the City Government Relations staff and that of the staff of the Franklin Partnership, the City's representatives in Washington, D C , that these special requests approved by Council on February 7, 2006, continue to have merit and should be pursued during the course of the 110th Congress, and WHEREAS, during the month of November 2006, the Governmental Relations staff, ih conjunction with the City's federal legislative consultants, met with the Mayor, members of the Fort Worth City Council, members of the City Manager's Office, and department directors in a series of meetings designed to identify the City's programmatic and funding needs that could, potentially, be resolved by Congressional action, and WHEREAS, based upon those meetings and recommendations, the Governmental Relations staff made a presentation on February 6, 2007, to the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee that contained the same list of federal appropriations requests as were approved by this Council in 2006 plus two additional requests The first additional request is for $2 5 million to fund a series of 15 "quiet zone" rail crossings along the Highway 377 corridor from the City of Fort Worth north through the cities of Haltom City, Watauga, Keller and Tarrant County In addition, in an effort to secure, if possible, funding for additional "quiet zone" crossings, the second additional request for funding is also being included in the 2007 Federal Legislative program, and WHEREAS, upon full review and discussion at its February 6, 2007, meeting, the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee has recommended this amended program to the full City Council for review and approval. Resolution No. 3456-02 2007 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL 1 Adopts the 2007 Federal Legislative Program as outlined in the attached document; and 2 Authorizes and directs the City Manager to distribute copies of the City's 2007 Federal Legislative program to members of Congress, to other cities, and other interested parties, and 3 Authorizes and directs the appropriate City officials to send letters of support or to meet with federal officials to discuss the City's position on the attached initiatives, and 4 Authorizes and directs the City's Government Relations staff and the City's federal legislative consultants to take the appropriate actions to advance the 2007 Federal Legislative Program before Congress, the Administration and corresponding federal agencies. AND IT IS SO RESOLVED Attachments Adopted the 20th day of February 2007 APPROVED ftrf CITY COU(~CIL ~ ~ .~~ FEB 2 0 2007 ATTEST ~`~' j~'~~~~~"~'~, .: +~ /~ ~i ~. ~ _,/ ~ ~_ f ~°y ~ --~ ! ~ ~ t~ = City Secretary of the ~ City 9f Fort Worth, Texas Marty Hendrix, fCty~'Secretary ~f ~ ~ r~ ~`, ~~4 0.~°' O~RT 2007 CONGRESSIONAL REQUESTS Appropriations Requests The City seeks federal funding support for the following programs 1 I 35 Environmental Study and Schematic Design Work 2. Commercial Corridor Program -General Economic Development Fund 3 Trail Linkage from Fort Worth to Arlington River Legacy Park 4 Early Childhood Matters Funding 5 Fire Station Alert System 6 Spinks Airport Runway Extension 7 Quiet Zones for Railroad Crossings Legislative Initiatives The City seeks the passage of the following federal legislative initiatives 1 Katrina Reimbursement -Secure reimbursement of Straight Time & Rent 2. Clean Air Deadline -Push back to 2012 3 Telecommunications Reform -Preserve essence of state Senate Bill 5 4 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) -Streamline requirements 5 Women s Business Center -Explore permanent funding options 6 Metropolitan Medical Response System Grant (MMRS) -Seek extension 7 Federal E Waste Initiative -Secure sponsors 8 Internet Tax Moratorium - Seek an Internet sales tax solution for local government 9 Fair Housing Policy -Seek changes ~n Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP) regarding noncompetitive funding and Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) regarding time hmrts National Domestic Programs As a general policy the City of Fort Worth seeks to preserve its authority to responsibly govern the City its citizens, and its property The Crty will oAUOSe any legislation viewed as detrimental to the its strategic goals or that is contrary to the health, safety and welfare of its citizens, or that mandates increased costs or a loss of revenues, or that would diminish the fundamental authority of the Crty Likewise, the Crty suuports any legislation viewed as advancing the City's strategic goals or that improves the health, safety and welfare of its citizens, or reduces the cost of governing the Crty FoR~ H HIGHWAY 377 MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL RAILROAD SAFETY PROJECT REQUEST Fort Worth seeks $2. S million in Transportation Appropriations for a Railroad Safety Project to improve crossing safety and address a severe noise problem for several cities in Tarrant County. This Railroad Safety Project is to deploy railroad grade crossing improvements and develop a quiet Zone that spans five jurisdictions, which, without such a comprehensive effort, could not be funded or coordinated to achieve an effective quiet ,zone. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Fort Worth is seeking grant funds to assist the jurisdictions of Fort Worth, Haltom City Watauga, Keller and Tarrant County to construct quiet zones at 15 railroad crossings. Each agency has received numerous requests from res>dents who live m the region of the county near this mayor Union Pacific rail line. The Union Pacific operates freight trains on this north-south line in the northern part of Tarrant County Citizens are exasperated with the train horn noise, and many are quite desperate m their plea seeking any relief from their governing agencies. This region In the north Fort Worth area is one of the most rapidly growing segments of Tarrant County with dense residential development, and much more growth is underway and planned. Along this 9-mile stretch of railroad tracks are 15 railroad crossings, 26 trains per day and within one-half mile of the tracks there are 22,000 residents who are subjected to the day and night train horn sounding. Because of the close spacing of each railroad crossing, a locomorive is required to sound its horn during 40 percent of its travel along this route that is the train horn is sounded for nearly half to the tram s travel. For these reasons the citizen complaints are intense, and moreover a quiet zone deployment that does not address every crossing would be ineffective. The two primary benefits of this project are 1) increased rail crossing safety and 2) improved environmental qualities. The solution. deploy railroad crossing apparatus that prohibit vehicles from circumventing the lowered crossing gates and/or modernized crossing signals and quiet zone devices. Result. increased safety and amuch-appreciated environment with less tram horn no> se for the residential community Without this earmark, no funding currently exists to deploy this project Project Cost Summary Roadway Safety Project 15 crossings $2,500 000 Railroad Crossing (with city affected by noise m parenthesis) White Creek (Haltom City) WataugalWestern Center (Fort Worth, Haltom City Watauga) Basswood/Hightower (Fort Worth, Watauga) North Tarrant Parkway (Fort Worth, Keller Watauga) Private crossing (Fort Worth, Keller) Corning (Fort Worth, Keller) Kroger (Fort Worth, Keller Tarrant County) Wall Price Keller (Fort Worth, Keller, Tarrant County) Bear Creek (Keller) Golden Triangle (Fort Worth, Keller Tarrant County) Keller Hicks (Fort Worth, Keller, Tarrant County) Caylor (Fort Worth, Keller, Tarrant County) TimberlandlMt. Gilead (Fort Worth, Keller, Tarrant County) Keller Haslet Rd (Tarrant County Keller) Westport (Fort Worth, Keller Westlake) Detailed cost estimate and project map attached m m 0 0 7 W fJ N b 0 2 H N is N --I v N O m :n ~~ m o °' o ~~ °_- ~ ~~ ~~ 0 (h d a it N O m Z O Q ° 3 ~ ~ ~ a ~ ~ ~p ~ p1 N ~ d ~ °' x ~ 3 ~ N ~ ~ N fC N N ~ m `3 3 ~ a m d S, N ~ N NQ ~ O ~ C ~' o m a c o ~ ~ m ~ ° °- A ~ ~ a (Ji C ~ N ~ O N ° 0 3 0 m ..f Ul ~ 1~ ~ W ~ N ~ ~ ~ O tO ~ V 4) ~ A W N W ~ ~ ~ l~ 7C ,n W ~ T~ V 'U Z 00 ~ ~ N O 2 w. ~ 2 ~ .Q ~ m Cl N 01 N ~ N ~ ~ C> d ~ N N G. ~ n' N . ..-I a, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O O_ N (D ~ O S°. 3 ~ ~ - 3 ~. _ ~ a m N N ~ O ~ N O n v. N p ~ O Q. Q t2 ~ ~ N N W ~ 7 7 n a ~ N N T T ~ ~ ~ ~ x ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ T ~ ~ ~ ~ m a y ~ ? ~ o ,~ ~ T. T. T T T. N ~ C G ~ ~ fD ~ = n=i m ~ ~ ~ c (D (D N (D N (D ~ N N. 0~ N - . .. O ~ N O n ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ c v ~ ~ 3 c. ~ x m n n n n (~ (~ n c d N o ~ ~ w ~ n. Q . (~ . a a o o o o o ~ o=i ~~ n ~ 7 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .'1 ~ 3 .- .~ l N tA~ ~ C O . -. n . . n , . n N fD N fD fD 5 `. ~ 5 5 S ` C ~ Cj ? N ~7 ~ 3 o o o . ~: ~ ~ ~ O ~ O ~. O ~ O ~' O ~ !v ~ _ _ '~ O 7 v ~ ~ ,7 5 3 3 3 3 0 ~ ~ = o S ? ~ ~ ~ ' 2 = 5 ~ ~ = o A W CI) Cp N ~ a W CI) W w / n V/ ~ n (n / ~ V/ ~ n V/ W O O ~ r- a m a < o a Train Detection n ~-' m y ~ > > N a > > c m w m N ~ m ~ o ~' ~ y ~ w- ~ ~ type modern H •+' C N O w a a a. .a w Constant warning? (CW) .' ;-. o ~ o ~ '~" o o o o ~ ~ o o ~ ~ c~'i~ o RRsignal o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 e upgrade cost o ~ o °~° ~ o ~ o ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Qulte one device ~, o 0 0 . 0 0 0 o cn o o o installedb c7 ~ ~ N N P 0 o\° 0 0 0 0 -+ p O O 0 0 .a o o . ~ admin. 3 ~ ~ ~ EA N ffl N y~ 0 69 N ""' Efl EA N Esf N ~ ~ E!f W H- N EA N ~ COntingenCyd N A C O O ~. O o E ~ N ~ N N 6A ~ ~ ~ N N ~ .P ~ N N ~ Total cost per N ~ A N N O COU. ~ N N N 'A' fD V N N (O CI'OSSIng -' -~ Haltom City x ~ Watauga ~ 7• cn ' v' ~ -• ~ ~ -~ Fort Worth c ' v' ~ -' ~ -~ ~ Kelier ~ °_~ °' -' ~ ~ Tarrant County ~ o o` o o o o o 0 0 0 o o o o ~ HaltomCity o n v+ ~ o o o o o 0 0 0 0 0 o o o o o Watauga ° rt w c~ r ~ ~ o o o o o o o o o A ~ a o o o FortWorth c N ~O ~1 N a fA 0 0 0 O ~ A N N N 0 0 O. O O O O Keller ° 7 o ,., ,~, ~o oo o o o 0 0 0 o o o o o TarrantCounty V ~ Z N O O p m co m a N N 4Di q ~ ~ ~, ~ o -° o Q m o 0 0 ~. a o N 3 41 ~ y ° d ~ n m 3 f/1 y ~ d d n o 0 3 m 3 Z ~ W O II `~ a ~' c 3 O `^ m o O a7 ~! A~ b ~s A ni A O y .~. R UQ 6r9 N O 0 0 0 1-+ /~+ TT~ V/ ~~yy n+ t~ H W '~ ~~y l G/~ d -+'j r r --~ _ - - ~~?lirl-r-1 ~ - -.._ ~1 I ~~~ ~: ' , 1 `~ +` ~ _ # _"`"". } ~ E i?IM ~ MT GILEAi~' future CAY OR R I . ,EN SRIA _ 0 Z .~ t ~ W 9 ~ ~ ~ KROGER ~, ~ Legend WAL (IC L E GE r~ .ROGER ~, , w ` orni g P CC ~ ! t,, .., ~ -~' ' ' ~ J ? r~ r~ TAR T Y ~~ - :~ ' .r~tf-~.- TY'1' -vY ~ - O ~ T H G O •E E 'R AT k~f ~~ WH E. K !-~ ~_.. ~ ~ NIN r.~~i, r~.~: J ~ 1. ~ , 0 s~ :~ ENVI Railroad_Xing_Inventory ~ State Highways -tnterstates Hwy 377 Quiet Zone Examination Fort Worth -~ Fort Worth & Western Railroad 15 Crossings 5 Jurisdictions © Haltom City ~~ Union Pacific Railroad Haltom City, Fort Worth, Keller Tarrant County Watauga Keller North Richland Hitls city of Fort worth ® Roanoke Transportation & Public Works - Watauga December 2006 _ Westlake 0 0.25 0.5 1 - Tarrant County Miles FORT WORTH ~~ RAILROAD SAFETY PROGRAM REQUEST The City of Fort Worth seeks X8.07 million to initiate safety improvements at select railroad grade crossings. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Railroad Grade Crossing Improvements - $8,070,000 The City of Fort Worth has a formal Railroad Safety Program to improve railroad grade crossing safety and reduce train horn noise These goals are to be accomplished by constructing improvements to railroad signals at grade crossings, deploying quiet zones, and promoting the safe use and operation at railroad grade crossings. The City of Fort Worth has prepared a comprehensive list of all 193 grade crossings in the city prioritizing top projects into groups of crossings and addressing improvements at the most needed crossing or group of crossings. The Crty's evaluation is based on four factors at each proposed project. quantity and type of trams per day population density near the crossing, safety effectiveness of the proposed improvement, and the cost to deploy the project. Specific improvements for crossings will emphasize warning dnvers of an oncoming train and prevent motorists from driving around the gates. Today the City is underway with several projects that will eliminate grade crossings altogether The types of enhancements in this program will include a combination of improvements ehmmate a grade crossing, upgrade of the railroad crossing signal system to modern standards, install wayside horn system devices, install median barriers, or install four-quadrant gate systems In the past four years, the City has deployed railroad grade crossing improvements at 26 crossings, 6 of these have been quiet zones. Because of the high amount of railroad projects and rail activity in Fort Worth, the City has developed a good working relationship with each of the four railroads in the city The City has proven that successful projects are accomplished in partnership with the railroads. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the top-rated projects on the City's Railroad Safety Program be addressed with these funds. It is expected that 20 crossing projects can receive safety and quiet zone improvements throughout the City FORT WORTH RAILROAD SAFETY PROGRAM Railroad Grade Crossing Improvement Projects Number of Project Name Crossm~s Cost 1 UP Page Group 3 $385 000 2 BNSF Biddison Group 2 $225 000 3 FWWR Park Place Group 5 $455 000 4 BNSF Seminary/Gambrell 2 $300 000 5 UPRR/FWWR 29th Deen Schwartz 7 $575 000 6 FWWR Hulen Group 3 $575 000 7 UP Morningside Group 5 $550 000 8 FWWR Gorman Group 4 $565 000 9 FWWR N Mam/NS Dr 4 $95 000 10 FWWR Seminary Group 2 $540 000 11 UP Campus/Seminary 3 $265 000 12 BNSF/LJP 29th 2 $345 000 13 UP Bolt/Kellis 2 $420 000 14 FWWR Berry Group 6 $810 000 15 UP Basswood 1 $15 000 16 UP Tierney/Winme 2 $420 000 17 UP North Tarrant Parkway 5 $40 000 18 FWWR Hattie Group 1 $905 000 19 BNSF/UP 38th St 2 $240 000 20 UP Handley/Erie 2 $345,000 Total 63 $8 070 000