SOUTH FLORIDA FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RAIL …tri-railcoastallinkstudy.com/Northwood_Public_Workshop... · 2015-05-12 · 1 Presentation by Florida Department of Transportation District

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Presentation by Florida Department of Transportation

District Four

Design Public Workshop

Phases 1A and 2 Northwood Connections Palm Beach County, Florida

FPID numbers: 434948-1 and 434948-2

SOUTH FLORIDA FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RAIL ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS(Between South F lo r ida Ra i l Cor r idor and FEC Ra i lway)

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 5:30 – 7 p.m. Gaines Park 1505 North Australian Ave West Palm Beach, FL 33401

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Public Workshop

• Introduction• Presentation

– Project Location– Project Status– Proposed Improvements– Benefits/Impacts– Schedule

• Question and Answers• Information on Display

– Project Boards– Noise Information– Right of Way Information– Reference Documents

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Public Participation

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• Florida Administrative Register

• Newspaper Ads• Notifications Letters

– Property owners– Interested individuals– Elected and

appointed officials– Agency representatives

• FDOT Public Meetings Website

– http://www.dot.state.fl.us

Public Notices

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• City of West Palm Beach

• Between Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway and South Florida Railroad Corridor (SFRC)

• FEC serves freight and future All Aboard Florida & Tri-Rail passenger service

• SFRC serves Amtrak, Tri-Rail, CSX freight

STUDY AREA MAP

FEC WPB Intermodal Yard

Project Location

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Intermodal Centers

Major Ports

Purpose and Need• Active connection needed

between SFRC and FEC • Improved freight mobility• Connects major ports to

intermodal centers• Serve existing and future

freight (not higher than historical freight levels )

• Other goals:– Enhance capacity on

roadway network due to freight efficiency

– Potentially serve Tri-Rail Coastal Link future passenger rail and potential Tri-Rail extension to Jupiter

REGIONAL MAP

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Project Timeline

DEC 2013

Northwood Public

Workshop

SPRING 2014

Preliminary Design began

JUNE 2014

Environ.Study

completed

AUG 2014TIGER Grant

signed

MAY 2015Design Public

Workshop

JUNE 2015

Phase 1A Procurement

Phase 2 Final Design;ROW Phase (2014-2017)

SEP 2015

Phase 1A Construction

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Allows for Public and AgencyInput

Start Design Phase Spring 2014

Data Collection

Design Analysis

Develop Preliminary Design Plans

Design Public Workshop

Federal Railroad Agency

Review & Comment

Agency Coordination

Refine Preliminary Design Plans

Finalize (30%) Design Plans

Design Phase Process

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Proposed Improvements

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Proposed ImprovementsNorthwood – Phase 1A

• Rehabilitate existing single track (approx. .75 miles)

• Northwest to Southeast orientation

• New gate arms/signal equipment at six grade crossings

• Existing FDOT right-of-way

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Proposed Improvements

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• Construct new single track (approx. 0.5 miles)

• Northeast to Southwest orientation

• New gate arms/signal equipment at 5 new public grade crossings

• Approx. 2.4 acres of new railroad right-of-way

Proposed ImprovementsNorthwood – Phase 2

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Rail Operations onProposed Connections

• Project is shifting freight from FEC to SFRC not adding more freight

• Late 2016: Up to 6 freight trains (in each direction) on the Phase 1A Rehabilitated Northwood Connection (until Phase 2 is built)

• Late 2018: Up to 6 freight trains on the Phase 2 New Northwood Connection– One (1) freight train (in each direction) on Phase 1A in ultimate condition

• Freight trains will operate after 7 p.m.

• Maximum design speeds are 15-20 mph

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• Industrial land uses• Historical freight rail

activity• No residential

property impacts• Neighborhoods -

North Tamarind, Northwood Hills and Old Northwood

• Northwood Village east of FEC

FEC WPB Intermodal Yard

PHASE 2New Northwood Connection

SFRC (CSX) FEC

27th St

25th St

Service St

23rd St

Existing Land Uses

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Community RedevelopmentAgency’s District

• Economic Analysis coordinated with City/CRA in 2013

• Local Benefits– Infrastructure enhancements– Construction jobs– Redevelopment, potential of

increased property values and jobs

• Regional Benefits– Total net present value of

$1.125 billion in regional benefits

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Noise/Vibration

• Noise and Vibration Assessment

– No significant impacts• Based on surrounding noise

and existing/historical trains– Phase 2

• Potential Moderate Noise Impacts (less than 3 dBA increase) to North Tamarind community (up to 20 homes)

– No noise abatement measures proposed because they do not meet federal criteria for overall noise reduction

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Traffic

• Trains proposed to operate at night to minimize traffic delays

• No significant impacts anticipated

• Design will include enhancements for traffic coordination

– Connectivity with adjacent grade crossings and traffic signal at 25th

Street/Tamarind Avenue

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Safety Measures

• SFRC– Existing Quiet Zone

• FEC – Noise will not increase due to

project

• Northwood Connection– Supplemental Safety Measures

proposed for driver safety– Phase 2: Four-Quad Gates at

public crossings– Phase 1A: Four-Quad Gates at

two crossings • Meet FRA’s current requirements

for City to apply for Quiet Zone• Additional analysis and

coordination with City/FEC ongoing

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Right of Way Impacts

• Design phase reduced impacts where feasible

• 14 parcels– No residential impacts– 3 vacant– 9 property owners affected

• FDOT Right of Way representatives here tonight

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Project Partners

• Lead Federal Agency - Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

– Awarded $13.75 Million 2013 TIGER grant

• Joint Development Partners– Project Costs: Phase 1A - $13.3 M,

Phase 2 - $27.5 M

• Key Stakeholders

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Project Schedule

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q42 0 1 3

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q42 0 1 4

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q42 0 1 5

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q42 0 1 6

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q42 0 1 7

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q42 0 1 8

Environmental Study& Study Approval

Design

Design Phase:Plan, Specs, & Estimate (PS&E) Approval

Right-of-Way (ROW) Acquisition

Procurement

Construction

Phase 1A: Rehabilitate Existing Northwood ConnectionPhase 2: New Northwood Connection

PHASE 2 ONLY: ROW ACQUISITION

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Construction

• Phase 1A– Construction in September 2015

• Phase 2– Complete Final Design Plans in Spring 2016– Construction after Right of Way Phase (Late 2017)

• Traffic Control Plan and Detours are being developed to minimize traffic disruption

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Reference Documents

• Design Phase – Project Display

Boards– 30% Preliminary

Design Plans

• Environmental Study Documents

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Please submit your commentsby May 22nd, 2015

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Project Contact

Marjorie Hilaire, P.E. FDOT Project Manager

FDOT District 43400 West Commercial Boulevard

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309-3421(954) 777- 4662

[email protected]

ORRobert Bostian, Jr., P.E. FDOT Project Advisor

FDOT District 43400 West Commercial Boulevard

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309-3421(954) 777- 4427

[email protected]

www.railprogress.com

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Presentation by Florida Department of Transportation

District Four

Design Public Workshop

Thank you!!

SOUTH FLORIDA FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RAIL ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS(Between South F lo r ida Ra i l Cor r idor and FEC Ra i lway)

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 5:30 – 7 p.m. Gaines Park 1505 North Australian Ave West Palm Beach, FL 33401