HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9176 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No, 9176
Gt'"TL*% To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 26, 2010
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SUBJECT: Transportation Project Prioritization
The information below is provided in response to Staff Action Tracking item 513 regarding the
prioritization of transportation projects.
Projects are funded and prioritized through a variety of revenue sources: Federal, State, County, City and
private partnerships with the objective of:
• Providing new infrastructure
• Increasing the capacity of existing facilities
• Rehabilitating existing facilities to reduce maintenance expenses.
Federal Funding Prioritization (NCTCOG/MPO)
In order to be prioritized,projects must be included in the regional planning process as determined by the
Metropolitan Planning Organization(MPO). Organized as a function of the North Central Texas Council of
Governments (NCTCOG), with representation from its membership and TxDOT, the MPO is charged with
developing a long-range transportation plan(Metropolitan Transportation Plan-MTP) and a short-term
funding allocation plan(Transportation Improvement Plan-TIP). To qualify for the TIP, the MPO ranking
criteria include:
• Must be a TxDOT priority
• Must be a priority of the Regional Transportation Council (RTC)
• Must be cost effective(including local participation and readiness to construct)
While administering the TIP, the MPO authorizes Federal funding from Surface Transportation Program-
Metropolitan Mobility(STP-MM) and Congestion Mitigation &Air Quality(CMAQ) Improvement
Programs. As funds become available, NCTCOG announces a"call for projects"; accepting and processing
grant applications that meet the general criteria of safety, multi-modal enhancement, reliability, air quality,
congestion reduction and economic development. At this time, the City submits its prioritized list of
projects for consideration.
TxDOT Prioritization
Each TxDOT district has a planning and programming section that identifies the needs within the highway
system and prioritizes funding for projects. After prioritizing needs in the context of available funding, the
district updates and integrates the projects into TxDOT's multi-year planning document, the Unified
Transportation Program (UTP). Projects must be a product of the Statewide and Metropolitan
Transportation Planning Process, documented in the MTP and UTP.
All State and Federal funded projects are selected through the coordinated efforts of TxDOT and the MPO.
For State funds, TxDOT prioritizes projects using the following criteria:
• Improves Safety
• Provides for Multi-modal Infrastructure
• Reduces congestion (Improves Level of Service)
• Readiness to Construct
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No, 9176
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 26, 2010
a
Page 2 of 3
SUBJECT: Transportation Project Prioritization
City Prioritization
The Transportation and Public Works Department develops an annual Project Development Work Plan
(PDWP). Projects are selected for inclusion in the PDWP based on technical evaluation as well as
consultation with City Councilmembers and stakeholders. Priority setting involves the application of
varying criteria, depending upon the type of infrastructure improvement; arterial street, neighborhood street
reconstruction or resurfacing.
• Arterial Street
Because of financial (debt ceiling) and physical implications,prioritization of arterial street projects
entails collaboration at both the regional and local level. TPW staff evaluates each arterial need
based on:
o Cost Effectiveness(outside funding sources, reduction of maintenance,project readiness,
other agency involvement, and cost benefit)
o Mobility Improvements (traffic volume, existing level of service, functional classification,
and connectivity)
o Growth Management(encourages infill, links mixed-use growth centers, promotes economic
development, and enhances multi-modal applications)
o Safety(reduces accidents or eliminates hazards, aids pedestrian protection, and increases
emergency response)
• Neighborhood Streets
TPW evaluates neighborhood streets for reconstruction and/or resurfacing using an ongoing site
inspection of every street within the City. TPW's Pavement Management Application(PMA)
predicts the useful life of each roadway by projecting the impacts of traffic volume, type of traffic,
and the recommended maintenance schedule. Several techniques are used as part of the PMA
program: Reconstruction, Sealcoating, Hot In-Place Recycling, Mill and Overlay, and Pavement
Pulverization Overlay.
City staff conducts a field survey of a third of the streets in the City every year to develop a
Pavement Quality Index(PQI). PQI is a numeric reflection of the structural integrity of the
pavement. The ratings are 0-3.9 Poor, 45.9 Fair, 6-7.9 Good, and 8-10 Excellent.
Several other factors are considered in order to determine the best candidates for street
reconstruction but are not limited to the following:
o Condition/effectiveness of existing surface drainage system
o Condition of underground water and sewer system
o Recommended standards for curb and gutter and street width
o Elimination of hazardous situations to provide safety improvements
o Reconstruction of adjacent streets
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9176
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 26, 2010
3f
Page 3 of 3
SUBJECT: Transportation Project Prioritizatlon
o Major redevelopment projects within City
■ Reconstruction—Once the roadway has been evaluated and rated as poor condition(<4 PQI)
and a minimum of 30%of the concrete curb, gutter and drive approaches need repair, the
street is considered for total reconstruction. During this process the roadway, curb and
gutter are replaced. Because of limited funding, only those streets with a PQI of less than
2.5 are currently considered for this program.
The number of streets selected for reconstruction in each Council District is determined by
the percentage of poor rated streets in each district compared to the total city-wide.
■ Resurfacing—This process is used to extend the life of the streets and reduce maintenance
costs. Because of the acceptable condition of the concrete curb and gutter, only the existing
asphalt is replaced or overlaid. To qualify for this type of program, the street must have:
■ A PQI of less than 5.5 and more than 4.0
■ Less than 30%of the curb and gutter needs repair
■ Significant traffic to justify cost
If you have any questions please contact Jim Walker, Assistant Director in the Transportation and Public
Works Department at 817.392.8009.
e A. Fiss le , P.E.
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS