STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Mobility Solutions, Infrastructure, and Sustainability
AGENDA DATE: October 13, 2020
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): 7
DEPARTMENT: Department of Transportation
EXECUTIVE: Majed Al-Ghafry
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SUBJECT
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Authorize (1) an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) for the closure of the surface vehicular crossing at Linfield Road; (2) the acceptance of funds in the amount of $500,000.00 for the purpose of the UPRR Contribution to address the impact of the permanent closure of the at-grade crossing at Linfield Road on pedestrian crossings until the new pedestrian bridge is constructed; (3) the receipt and deposit of contribution funds in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00 in the Transportation Special Projects Fund; and (4) the establishment of appropriations in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00 in the Transportation Special Projects Fund - Not to exceed $500,000.00 - Financing: Transportation Special Projects Fund and Revenue: Transportation Special Projects Fund $500,000.00
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BACKGROUND
UPRR housed an intermodal operation known as Miller Yard located on the west side of Linfield Road near the Joppa neighborhood in Dallas, Texas. In 2005, UPRR relocated its multimodal operation away from Miller Yard but maintained its status as a multi-use operation. In 2002, a vehicular bridge was constructed to minimize traffic interruptions to the Joppa neighborhood considering that Linfield Road functioned as its main access. As the economy grew, the demand for Miller Yard’s operations grew with it, resulting in the need to add a bypass track through Miller Yard at Linfield Road. The addition of faster moving trains, along with slower moving trains within Miller Yard, poses an increased safety risk to pedestrians and vehicular traffic which necessitated the consideration of the permanent closure of the surface railroad crossing. However, since the existing vehicular bridge has steeper grades that do not meet current Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), the need for an alternate solution for pedestrian crossings was necessary.
Since 2015, UPRR in collaboration with the City of Dallas, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), and the Joppa community including the South Central Civic League have engaged in numerous community meetings that culminated in a vote whereby the community agreed to permanently close the at-grade crossing with the following provisions:
• Construction of a pedestrian bridge parallel to the existing vehicular bridge that meets current ADAAG guidelines.
• Access improvements to the Carbondale Road ramping arrangements at Loop 12 in coordination between NCTCOG and the Texas Department of Transportation.
• UPRR’s contribution of funds to landscape beautification in the vicinity of this crossing along Carbondale Street. (this action).
As a result of the above agreement with the community, on June 13, 2019, NCTCOG’s Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approved a total of $8,000,000.00 of funds towards the design and construction of the pedestrian bridge which will be processed through a separate council resolution upon inclusion into the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan and the ensuing receipt of State/Federal approval. Further, since UPRR is currently upgrading their tracks in the area, it is necessary to proceed with the closure of the at-grade vehicular and pedestrian crossing (this action).
Since UPRR’s train operation at Miller Yard requires stoppage of some trains on the tracks for an extended period of time, access to the temporary pedestrian crossing will be blocked which heightens the safety risks of the pedestrians trying to cross at this location. To address this concern, NCTCOG led discussions with UPRR, the City and Dallas Area Rapid Transit to provide “on-demand” service to the residents whose address is in the Joppa neighborhood (separate council resolution) while the new pedestrian bridge is being constructed. Funding for the “on-demand” service will be from UPRR’s contribution that the City will accept under this action was initially slated for landscape beautification in the bridge project area. The landscape/beautification funds will be added by NCTCOG to the bridge funds (future council action) initially approved by RTC on June 13, 2019.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
The Mobility Solutions, Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee was briefed on Union Pacific Railroad’s operations on September 25, 2017.
City Council will be briefed by memorandum regarding this matter on October 2, 2020.
FISCAL INFORMATION
Revenue: Transportation Special Projects Fund $500,000.00
|
Fund |
FY 2021 |
FY 2022 |
Future Years |
|
Transportation Special Projects Fund |
$500,000.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
MAP
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