Authorize Application for and Acceptance of, if Awarded, Federal Grant Funds for the Following Transportation Projects:  CentrePort Trail Phase 2 to Grand Prairie Segment, Horne Street Complete Streets Project, University Drive Complete Streets Project, Heritage Trace Parkway Railroad Crossing, and Meacham Airport Turn Lanes Project, for a Total of $60,000,001.00 in Federal Grant Requests, and Authorize Transportation Development Credits Allocations Totaling $12,000,000.00 to Serve as Local Match for the Grant Requests (COUNCIL DISTRICTS 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9)

It is recommended that the City Council:

1.   Authorize application for and acceptance of, if awarded, federal grant funds for the following transportation projects in the amounts shown: CentrePort Trail Phase 2 to Grand Prairie Segment ($5,412,111.00), Horne Street Complete Streets Project ($7,816,295.00), University Drive Complete Streets Project ($8,083,595.00), Heritage Trace Parkway Railroad Crossing ($37,500,000.00), and Meacham Airport Turn Lanes Project ($1,188,000.00), for a total of $60,000,001.00 in federal grant requests.  

2.   Authorize allocation of Transportation Development Credits in the amounts shown to serve as local match for the following federal grant requests:  CentrePort Trail Phase 2 to Grand Prairie Segment ($1,082,422.00), Horne Street Complete Streets Project ($1,563,259.00), University Drive Complete Streets Project ($1,616,719.00), Heritage Trace Parkway Railroad Crossing ($7,500,000.00), and Meacham Airport Turn Lanes Project ($237,600.00), for a total of $12,000,000.00 in Transportation Development Credits.

The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) awarded Transportation Development Credits (TDCs) to the City of Fort Worth in FY 2017 and FY 2018 following an application process in which City staff documented adopted City policies that support the implementation of the region's Metropolitan Transportation Plan.

On August 10, 2018, the North Central Texas Council of Governments notified City staff that the Regional Transportation Council had awarded $4,000,000.00 worth of Transportation Development Credits (TDCs) to the City for FY 2018. The RTC also approved of agencies keeping their unused FY 2017 awards. The City of Fort Worth was awarded but did not use $8,000,000.00 worth of Transportation Development Credits for FY 2017, making the total amount of TDCs available to the City for FY 2019 $12,000,000.00 worth. TDCs are not spendable dollars, but they offset the otherwise required local cash match for federal grants, allowing the City to request enough federal funds to cover 100% of eligible transportation project costs. All TDCs that are not allocated for use in FY 2019 will be returned to the regional pool for subsequent redistribution.

City staff from the Park and Recreation, Transportation and Public Works, Aviation, and Planning and Development Departments worked together to assemble the following list of transportation projects that qualify for federal funds, allowing the City to potentially use the full award of TDCs before they are returned for redistribution.

Proposed Project for TDCs	TDC Request	Grant Request
CentrePort Trail Phase 2 to Grand Prairie Segment	$1,082,422.00	$5,412,111.00
Horne Street Complete Streets Project	$1,563,259.00	$7,816,295.00
University Drive Complete Streets Project	$1,616,719.00	$8,083,595.00
Meacham Airport Turn Lanes Project	$237,600.00	$1,188,000.00
Heritage Trace Parkway Railroad Crossing	$7,500,000.00	$37,500,000.00
PROJECTS TOTAL	$12,000,000.00	$60,000,001.00

Upon approval of this M&C, staff will work with NCTCOG and TxDOT to prepare and submit grant application materials and, if awarded, subsequent interlocal agreements with NCTCOG and Advance Funding Agreements with TxDOT.