HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9179 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9179
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 26, 2010
a+►"'�"� Page 1 of 2
SUBJECT: Update on Regional and Local Rail
f.n
The purpose of this report is to provide information recently requested by the City Council on
regional and local rail initiatives.
Modem Streetcar Grant Applications
In September 2009, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), with the
assistance of City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Transportation Authority(The T), City of Dallas, and
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) staff, submitted an application to the U.S. Department of
Transportation for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery(TIGER) Grant
Program. The application proposes integrating housing, employment and rail transit through the
linkage of the respective downtowns and their surrounding urban neighborhoods though the use
of the existing Trinity Railway Express (TRE) regional rail and the implementation of downtown
streetcar circulators. The total grant request is $96 million, equally divided between the City of
Fort Worth and the City of Dallas ($48 million each). Fort Worth's share is further divided
between two Trinity River Vision bridges for$17 million and the Downtown Streetcar Circulator for
$31 million. No local match is required with this program, but the application indicates that to
implement the streetcar portion of the project, $21 million in local funds, provided by the City of
Fort Worth, The T, and Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts, are necessary. TIGER grant
awards are anticipated in February 2010.
In December 2009, the Federal Transit Authority(FTA) released a notice of funding availability for
$130 million for an Urban Circulator Program from unallocated Discretionary Small Starts/New
Starts Program funds authorized by the 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient,
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). There is a maximum project
award of$25 million and a required 20 percent local match. The T and City staff recognized this
grant as an additional opportunity to apply for federal funds for the Downtown Circulator identified
in the TIGER grant application. This application does not compete with the Southwest-to-
Northeast regional rail project, because that project is not eligible for the Urban Circulator
program. The application requires an operating plan, including the length of the project, a
detailed project schedule and a timeline for the commitment of local funds. A draft application is
attached for your review.
FTA national and regional staff are encouraging agencies who applied for TIGER funds for
circulator projects to also apply for the Urban Circulator Program funds, since the project
selection criteria are very similar.
Local Match
If the City is awarded the FTA Urban Circulator funds for the Downtown Circulator, the project
schedule indicates that a commitment to local funds would occur by August 2010 and that
construction would commence approximately 18 months after the funds are awarded, as required
in the application. The Downtown Circulator would be operational by early 2014. A system
a
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9179
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 26, 2010
°��TR%_ Page 2 of 2
SUBJECT: Update on Regional and Local Rail
timeline of the Downtown Circulator modem streetcar project and the Southwest-to-Northeast
regional rail project is attached for your review.
It is anticipated that the City will issue debt to finance the remaining project costs. It is likely that
the City and local Tax Increment Financing Districts will collaborate in the debt plan to satisfy
future debt service requirements. Staff will continue to work with the City's financial advisors to
determine the best fiscal approach to finance the project.
Transit Service in East Fort Worth
Improving service and ridership in east Fort Worth is a high priority for The T. The Board of
Directors of The T has passed a resolution that the next regional rail corridor to be developed in
Tarrant County following the opening of the current Southwest-to-Northeast regional rail project is
the Union Pacific line in east Fort Worth running to Arlington. In an effort to provide more rapid
service options in east Fort Worth in the short-term, The T has implemented Transit Signal
Priority (TSP) along East Lancaster Avenue, and will introduce low-floor articulated buses and
significantly improved passenger shelters on this route in the next year. These projects mark the
first project in The T service area to incorporate many elements of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
Along with start-up of the improved service along East Lancaster Avenue, The T is planning to
implement new north-south service in east Fort Worth near the 1-820 corridor connecting the Stop
Six and Handley areas with retail and other services. In addition, The T is progressing with plans
for the bus transfer center located in Southeast Fort Worth near Riverside Drive and Berry Street.
The T has also implemented a South and East Fort Worth Transportation Advisory Committee in
cooperation with Southeast Fort Worth Inc. This committee meets quarterly to discuss
transportation concerns in the community and provide updates on transit and other transportation
projects. The next meeting of this committee is January 26, 2010.
Should you have any questions, please contact Susan Alanis, Director of Planning and
Development, at 817-392-8180.
DA9A. i a r, P.E.
City Manager
Attachments (2)
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS