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Tower 55 Rail Reliever Study Technical Advisory Group June 19, 2009

Meeting Agenda Welcome & Introductions Approval of the April 17, 2009 Meeting Minutes Review of Project s s Goals & Objectives Status of At-Grade Improvement Design & Funding Application Receipt of Comments from Union Pacific Railroad Status of Improvement Alternatives Responding to UPRR Comments Comments from City of Fort Worth Comments from BNSF Railway Review of Improvement Alternatives Evaluation and Schedule for Public P Comment Next Steps & Questions

Project History & Accomplishments March 6, 1992 Agreement between TxDOT, UPRR and BNSF executed on North- South Trench design for I-35W/I-30 Highway Interchange Design December 1, 2003 Elected Official Briefing chaired by Congressman Martin Frost August 10, 2005 Federal Project Funding of $1,600,000 August 8, 2006 Agreements executed with City of Fort Worth, City of Arlington, Tarrant County, FWTA, UPRR and BNSF for project scope of work and local match November 28, 2006 1st Round of Public Meetings

Project History & Accomplishments May 15, 2007 Contract executed with Consultant Team and Notice to Proceed Issued November 13, 2007 2nd Round of Public Meetings February 18, 2009 3rd Round of Public Meetings January 06 June 09 18 TAG Committee Meetings

NCTCOG Project Objectives 1. Mutually acceptable to project partners, develop a set of: (1) immediate improvements & (2) mid-term improvements. 2. Achieve environmental clearance for Environmental Assessment (EA) with federal approval (FONSI) for mid-term improvements.

A A Progression of Improvements Short Term Improvements A system of at-grade solutions Commuter rail opportunities Mid-Term Improvements Grade separated solution Trench, Fly-Over or FWWR Bypass Commuter rail opportunities Long-Term Improvement Regional Rail Bypass (not part of this study and/or environmental process)

Immediate Short -Term Improvement Package Short-Term BNSF, UPRR, and City of Fort Worth Joint Project Installing 3rd North-South Track for additional capacity Several auto/pedestrian street crossing improvements Implementation: 1 3 years Estimated cost = $70 Million Pursuing ARRA TIGER funds

Draft Locally Preferred Alternative Recommendation Recommendation (January / February 2009) Based on Measures of Effectiveness Evaluation Results and Public/Political Input: Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA): North-South Trench with additional improvements to north and south ends. Developed as a progressive build-upon set of improvements to at-grade improvements. Improved Commuter Rail Opportunities Reconstruction of the Hole in the Wall allowing simultaneous TRE and SW2NE operations through the location. New parallel bridge over Lancaster Avenue providing double track operations between ITC and T&P Stations. Long-Term: Regional Rail By-Pass will be further studied in future as another improvement to accommodate the relocation of thrumovement trains.

Comments from Union Pacific Railroad (April / May 2009) Believes evaluation has prematurely eliminated options without full due diligence; requests continuing evaluation of all grade separation options, including: East-West Fly-Over East-West Trench (new proposed option) Very concerned about impact to rail operations during construction of a North- South Trench that resides in same footprint Concerned about capital expenditure for at-grade improvements that are thrown away with North-South trench option Requests consideration of an Offset North-South Trench that alleviates construction concerns and maintains all existing at-grade tracks Any improvement must not have any profile grade greater than 1.00% Due to existing operational criteria associated with trains in corridors approaching Tower 55 Current design has 1.39% profile grade in southbound trench Requests roads in trench for maintenance, potential 4 th track Creates extremely wide cross-section that may not fit between existing structures

North-South Trench w/ 3 Tracks

East West Trench

Draft LPA Comments from City of Fort Worth Staff (May / June 2009) Opposes any major rail trench or bridge in East-West direction that: Creates significant commercial and residential real estate acquisitions Causes severe disruption to current grade-separated North-South access across I.H. 30 or the current railroad corridor Impedes ability to redevelop area immediately south of I.H. 30 Further enhances the divide between Downtown and Near South Side & Near East Side neighborhoods Requires Lancaster Avenue to remain as major east-west thoroughfare with all full capacity lanes and access; including ability for streetcar to navigate proposed grades Understands concerns of railroads regarding operational impacts during construction; which should be mitigated with North-South Trench Tower 55 Improvements should enhance future commuter rail opportunities

Draft LPA Comments from BNSF Railway (May / June 2009) Is also very concerned about impacts to rail operations during construction period of 2 3 years Requests further evaluation of operational impacts during construction Requests consideration to use FWWR on certain days during construction as alternate route if proposed operational phasing creates a back up of traffic attempting to get through Tower 55

NCTCOG/Consultant Review & Response East-West Trench Evaluation Requires total acquisition of approximately 15 properties, partial acquisition of approximately 15 properties, and the displacement of approximately 16 structures Requires reconstruction of major street access to/from Downtown with bridge structures over trench (Main Street, Jennings Street, and proposed Hemphill-Lamar Connector) Creates new railroad tunnel underneath I.H. 35W Potentially impacts the Henderson Street underpass and bridge columns for I.H. 30 overpass Eliminates the Henderson Street/8 th Avenue/Summit Avenue ramps to/from I.H. 30 Potentially impacts the Pine Street underpass and at-grade connection to/from Everman Spur Does not enhance future commuter rail opportunities

June 19, 2009 Technical Advisory Group Meeting Week of June 29, 2009 30 day notification of upcoming public meetings July 14, 2009 Fort Worth City Council; Infrastructure and Transportation Committee July 28, 2009 Fort Worth City Council August 3, 2009 Public Meetings at Fort Worth ITC August 7, 2009 TAG Committee Meeting August 11, 2009 Fort Worth City Council Next Steps & Schedule for Public Comment August 13, 2009 Regional Transportation Council Meeting June/July 2009 (TBD) Briefings with Arlington City Council, TxDOT-Fort Worth, TxDOT-Austin

Questions & Comments Tom Shelton, P.E., AICP Senior Program Manager Streamlined Project Delivery tshelton@nctcog.org (817) 704-5633 Jeffrey C. Neal Program Manager Streamlined Project Delivery jneal@nctcog.org (817) 608-2345 Randall Heye Randall Heye Transportation Planner II Streamlined Project Delivery rheye@nctcog.org (817) 704-2545