Update of Downtown Rail Improvements
DFWI & Chamber Stakeholders
February 26, 2014
Alonzo Liñán, PE, PTOE
City of Fort Worth
Agenda
•Tower 55
•Live Oak Connector
•9th Street Crossing
•Questions…
2
Tower 55
3
Tower 55 TIGER Grant
Goal
Increase Economic Productivity
Improve Community Livability
Improve Environmental Sustainability
Impact
Add train capacity
Reduce train and vehicle congestion
• Close two (2) crossings (BNSF & East 1st and BNSF & Peach Street)
• Reconstruct two (2) crossings (BNSF & Gounah and BNSF & Cold Springs)
Improved pedestrian mobility and safety
• Sidewalks, Streetlights, Fencing
Install traffic signals at Hampton and Belknap
Improved Air Quality Conditions
4
Tower 55
Two BNSF
Rail Bridge
Improvements
Cold Springs
Gounah
Two BNSF
Rail Crossing
Closures
Peach Street
East 1st
5
Existing Crossing Closures
BNSF & 1st Street
BNSF & Peach Street
6
Cold Springs Overpass Reconstruction
Before
Before
After
7
Gounah St. Overpass Reconstruction
Before
Before
After
8
Tower 55 Pedestrian Impacts
9
Sidewalk Network
Gounah
Peach
10
Tower 55 Fencing
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Tower 55 Fencing
12
Tower 55 Pedestrian Impacts
13
3rd St Accessibility
•
Existing sidewalk at 3rd St underpass
•
No Improvements proposed
14
East Lancaster St. Bridges
• Built in 1906 (est)
• UP led work
• Rehabilitate abutment wall
• Encapsulate center posts
with micro piles
• Re-deck entire structure
• Local partners coordination
for detours and traffic control
15
Tower 55 New Traffic Signals
16
Live Oak Connector
17
Live Oak Connector
Goal
• New street construction for reliable neighborhood access
Impact
•
Construct Live Oak Street from 1st to 4th St
•
Close (2) UPRR crossings (E 1st and Peach)
•
Construct fencing on both sides of track
•
Project still underway
18
Live Oak Connector 55 Fencing
19
9th Street Crossing
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9th Street Crossing
21
9th Street Crossing
Discussions to Date
• Reopen at-grade RR crossing
• Leave as is (closed)
Considerations
• Businesses are restricted
• Quiet Zone/Horns
• Staging of trains
• Number of trains
22
Schedule Updates
Tower 55
• Anticipated substantial completion date – September 2014
• Crossing Closures – Late July 2014
–1st Street and Peach Street
–In advance of school year to ensure safe traffic flows
• Grade separations – Complete Mid-June 2014
–Gounah Street – May 1st target completion
–Cold Springs Road – June 1st target completion
Live Oak
• Plans nearing completion
• Expect construction to be done by end of 2015
9th Street
• Pending Land Owner Discussions
23
Questions?
DFWI & Chamber Stakeholders
February 26, 2014