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Home My WebLink AboutResolution 5665-12-2022 A Resolution NO. 5665-12-2022 WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth Transportation and Public Works Department, has requested that the City Council approve the physical closing of a portion of Stella Street, between East Vickery Boulevard and Luxton Street, under the Fort Worth and Western Railroad (FWWR) bridge to vehicular traffic; and WHEREAS, this street closure is required to prevent a catastrophic failure of the FWWR bridge due to vehicles rubbing against or crashing into the bridge; and WHEREAS, the City Plan Commission reviewed the request on October 13, 2021, and recommends that the request be approved. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH,TEXAS: That of a portion of Stella Street, between East Vickery Boulevard and Luxton Street, under the Fort Worth and Western Railroad bridge, as more particularly depicted in the attached Exhibits\"A," be physically closed subject to the following: 1) Access into the closed street shall be allowed for maintenance of water, sewer, electric, cable, and telephone utility facilities, unless other satisfactory arrangements are made, including relocation at the applicant's expense; and 2) The right-of-way be physically closed with an acceptable barricade or other satisfactory arrangements approved by the City of Fort Worth Department of Transportation and Public Works. The City shall retain title to the public right-of-way in said street and any and all easements for existing and prospective utilities,and retaining the right of access at all times for the purpose of maintaining existing and prospective utility facilities and for emergency access: In addition, the City reserves the right, at the sole discretion of the City Council, to reopen by resolution the aforesaid streets and alleys at any time by directing the removal of any barricade or other means of closure. Adopted this 131h day of December 2022. ATTEST: FORT Tsar no'l f8 S. aoodau �C o By: Jannette S.Goodall(Dec 15,202214:51 CST) O •.�� Jannette S. Goodall, City Secretary �; :__ U� TEXAS FORT WORTH VA-21 -012 Vicinity Map Resolution Exhibit A Union Pacific Railroad a roa N n cl1 °�h y 5 6 7DAGGETT-I Rai��°aa 42 q 5 8 7 6 B 10 1B 2B 1 4 A 1R tt 1 .' 17 16 15 J141312 11 12B 11A 1 1FENUE 1 SA 7 6 B 6A2 6A 10 1 4R 39R 7A 1 SB 3 BB 16 17 16 15 14 13 12 17 16 15 14 j3 9A A 11R STE Subject _ 5 6 1 2 3 4T-- 4 5 8 7 B 9 10 [1:2: 3 4 Y2 (24H 11 TAD) 9 7 [11 17 16 15 13 1 7 6 15 14 13 12 11 14 13 1 11 10 8 12 11 10B IRFFT 5 3 1A 2 3 4 T 8 7 6 8 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 8 7 1 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 J1413 12 11 10 9 D 6 2 3 --TUC-.KVLR STREET 4 5 0 4 5 8 7 B B 10 E 2 3 5 5 B BR 7R 11 24 B 23 17 :16T14 13 12 11 14 :13Hl' 10 8 13 25 22 14 -4 NNIE STREET A 13 21 1 15 N 1 inch = 200 feet W E S m - r so It (0 • �y -- z. LL co � � r r � CLIj I O y • 0 a� L _ a s r ca �� e ' $ \ � « _,- , ■ - - . �• ' � \ • � , ' « l & . , �. . .. , - , . ¥ � � � ^ . . . , � • �� j _ - � r® - z i J . . f a loll r } i i r t r y f . w AVe � . � ' \ - . . . % ' kFdrt-W r . . ��f • - .. . . . n; rw a } - � � . ! _ � � — �§ , 4 w. � � ■ ,� ' City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATE: 12/13/22 M&C FILE NUMBER: M&C 22-1026 LOG NAME: 06VA-21-012 STELLA STREET CLOSURE SUBJECT (CD 8)Adopt Resolution Physically Closing a Portion of Stella Street at the Fort Worth and Western Railroad(FWWR) Bridge Between East Vickery Boulevard and Luxton Street to Prevent Large Trucks from Colliding with the Bridge RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council: Adopt the attached resolution physically closing a portion of Stella Street at the Fort Worth and Western Railroad (FWWR)bridge between East Vickery Boulevard and Luxton Street to prevent large trucks from colliding with the bridge. DISCUSSION: TheTransportation and Public Works(TPW) Department has requested a physical closure of motor vehicle traffic of a portion of Stella Street that transects a railroad bridge to improve neighborhood public safety for those residents who live in the area. The closure of a portion of Stella Street will aid in preventing a catastrophic failure of the railroad badge due to a truck or other vehicle crashing into it.The potential of vehicles hitting the narrow wooden trestle bridge causing a potential train derailment will be greatly decreased with the physical closure of the street.The City Plan Commission reviewed the request at their meeting on October 13,2021 and recommended approval of the requested closure. The wooden trestle bridge,serves the Fort Worth and Western Railroad(FWWR)as a connector to their customers between IH30 and south of IH20.FWWR customers include the Carter Industrial Park,the Fort Worth Water Treatment Plant, Ben E. Keith,Mother Parker, Miller Brewery, Bunge Oil, RTD,SemCo,Green Bay Packing,and the FWWR switching yard.There are between two to four trains per day moving approximately 10 miles per hour across the railroad badge, some of which are hauling hazardous materials. The travel lanes under the railroad bridge are narrow at 9 feet 6 inches from face-of-curb to face-of-curb with approximately 12 feet between columns in each direction.Due to the design of the railroad bridge there is also a column in-between the eastbound and westbound travel lanes. The height of the railroad bridge at 12feet 11 inches high is lower than optimal for vehicular traffic, particularly truck traffic. A metal recycling facility, EMR-Fort Worth,is located on the east side of the railroad bridge. Large trucks hauling materials for recycling enter and exit the facility using Stella Street under the railroad bridge to access E Vickery Boulevard increasing the likelihood that a vehicle will rub or hit the railroad bridge. The exact number of times the bridge has been rubbed against is difficult to count however,there is a good count of the number of times the bridge has been hit by trucks or other vehiciles. In 2020,there were five incidents in which trucks hit the bridge.Those incidents occurred on: • January 16,2020 • July 30,2020 • July 31,2020 • August 2,2020 • August 6,2020 TPW staff has performed an investigation on the causes of accidents at the bridge crossing which included reaching out to the FWWR and nearby business owners.Evidence from the field investigation showed trucks hitting the bridge structure both vertically and horizontally. TPW staff working with FWWR developed two options to consider with regard to addressing bridge safety.The first option the consdiered by TPW was to add additional signage and possibly prohibiting long truck traffic traveling under the bridge. It was detemrined that the placement of additional signage would nnot adquately address the safety issues and concerns of a catastrophic failure as a result of the an accident since trucks have been using the underpass for many years and would likely ignore any such signage. The second option cosidered by TPW is a physcial closer of a portion of Stella Street. Due to the roadway's geometric challenges under the bridge a street closure was determined to be the best option.Traffic for the metal recycle business located on Stella Street will continue to have a safe route to E.Vickery Boulevard on the east side of the bridge using Luxton Street.A street closure eliminates vehicular traffic passing under the bridge thereby removing the possibility of vehicles colliding into the bridge structure.Accommodations will be made to continue to maintain pedestrian and bicycle access under the bridge along Stella Street. In conjunction with the City of Fort Worth Fire Department,TPW staff is proposing the installation of bollards in the road to create the physical barrier while allowing access to the fire hydrant located on the east side of the bridge. This project is located in COUNCIL DISTRICT 8. A Form 1295 is not required because:This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity. FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION: The Director of Finance certifies that approval of these recommendations will have no material effect on City funds. Submitted for City Manager's Office b . Dana Burghdoff 8018 Originating Business Unit Head: D.J.Harrell 8032 Additional Information Contact: Alexander Parks 2638 Expedited