Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization

2/22/12 Amendment # 1:THIS Amendment Will Add $500000 in FY2010 5309 Funds. These Funds Were Awarded to the City of ST. Petersburg by a Congressional Earmark in 2010 Id# E2010-BUSP-058. This Amendment Is Adding These Funds to the Previously Awardedr FY2009 Earmark of $475000 in Companion Application FL-04-0134-00. as a Designated Recipient the Pinellas County Mpo Will Pass Through the Fta Funds to the City of ST. Petersburg -- Who Will Make the Improvements to the Corridor. a SR Agreement or Mou With the City of ST. Petersburg Will Be Attached. the Mpo Requested and Has Secured October 12 2011 $125000 in State of Florida Toll Credits to Use as the Match to This Grant. the City of ST. Petersburg Is Proposing to Use This Fta Congressional Earmark for Additional Improvements to Pedestrian Access to Transit Along the Proposed Central Avenue BRT Corridor. Similar to the Citys Proposed Use of the 2009 Congressional Earmark the City Is Proposing to Use the 2010 Congressional Earmark for Intersection Sidewalk and Transit Improvements That Would Improve Pedestrian Access to Transit on Three Major North/south Streets Along the Proposed Central Avenue BRT Corridor. These Streets Are Located Further West Along the Corridor and Include 49TH Street 58TH Street and 66TH Street From 1ST Avenue North to 1ST Avenue South. BRT Stations Have Been Proposed for Each of These Streets. the City Is Also Proposing That a Portion of the 2010 Earmark Be Used for Improvements Near Proposed BRT Stations in the Downtown Core. the Citys Project Would Include Transit Shelters Concrete Flatwork for the Shelters New Ada Accessible Curb Ramps and Sidewalks Textured Crosswalks Landscaping and Mast Arms and Will Be Constructed Completely Within Right-of-way Owned by the City of ST. Petersburg. We Anticipate That the Funding From the 2010 Earmark Will Be Sufficient to Construct the Proposed Transit and Pedestrian Improvements at 49TH 58TH and 66TH Streets and in Downtown ST. Petersburg East of 17TH Street Along the BRT Corridor.project Info. on the Central Ave. Corridor Is Also Provided Below.-------previous WORK2010THE City of ST. Petersburg Was Awarded a Section 5309 Bus and Bus Facilities Congressional Earmark in 2009 Id # E2009-BUSP-226 for $ 475000 and an Additional Earmark in 2010 Id E2010-BUSP-058 for $500000 in Fta Funds. However the City Is Only Applying for the Fy 2009 Funds at This Point. as a Designated Recipient the Pinellas County Mpo Will Pass Through the Fta Funds to the City of ST. Petersburg. the Mpo Requested and Has Secured November 4 2010 $118750 in State of Florida Toll Credits to Use as the Match to This Grant. the City of ST. Petersburg Is Proposing to Use This Fta Congressional Earmark for Intersection Improvements That Would Improve Pedestrian Access to Transit on Three Major North/south Streets Along the Proposed Central Avenue BRT Corridor: 8TH Street 22ND Street and 31ST Street From 1ST Avenue North to 1ST Avenue South. These Improvements Would Provide an Immediate Benefit to Existing Transit Patrons and Support the Planned BRT Service. the Citys Project Would Include Transit Shelters Concrete Flatwork for the Shelters New Ada Assessable Curb Ramps and Sidewalks Textured Crosswalks and Landscaping. the City Also Plans to Upgrade to Hurricane Resistant Mast Arm Traffic Signals. the Improvements Will Be Constructed in an Urban Setting and Would Not Impact Environmentally Sensitive Areas.attached Is a Map of a Proposed Intersection Improvement on 1ST Avenue South at 8TH Street. It Is Located Just West of a Proposed Bus Rapid Transit Station on 1ST Avenue South. Also the City Is and Will Be Constructing Several of These Intersection Improvements Along the Central Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor Using Local Funds. (please See on the Attached Map a Similar Project Currently Underway at the Intersection of 1ST Avenue South at DR. ML King JR. Street.) the City Has Already Programmed $500000 in Local Funding for the Central Avenue BRT Project. Attached Are Two Additional Maps Which Show the Entire Proposed Central Avenue BRT Route Which Runs Predominantly Along 1ST Avenue North (one-way Westbound Arterial Street) and 1ST Avenue South (one-way Eastbound Arterial Street) From Downtown ST. Petersburg to Grand Central Station Near 34TH Street (us Highway 19) in Central ST. Petersburg. the Plan Is for the BRT Route to Extend Further to the West to the Beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. the BRT Route Will Provide Convenient Access to Commercial and Institutional Land Uses Along Central Avenue and the Residential Neighborhoods Located North of 1ST Avenue North and South of 1ST Avenue South.the Goals of the Central Avenue BRT Project Are to Develop and Implement a Successful BRT Project Along ST. Petersburgs Central Avenue Corridor That Supports Local Revitalization and Economic Development Plans; Improves Long-term Livability; Enhances Safety and Access for Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Attracts New Ridership; Supports the Unique Character of the Area; and Provides Service in a Cost-effective Manner. the BRT Project Will Provide Service to Major Destinations in Downtown ST. Petersburg Such as the Central Business District Museums Progress Energy Center for the Arts Al Lang Stadium the University of South Florida/st. Petersburg and the Medical Center District Along 6TH Avenue Souththe Proposed Improvements Would Improve Pedestrian Access to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (pstas Fta Id 1080) Existing Local Bus Service as Well as the Planned BRT Service. the Central Avenue Corridor Consists of Three Paralell Avenues: 1ST Avenue North Central Avenue and 1ST Avenue South. First Avenue North Is Located Approximately 225 Feet North of Central Avenue and 1ST Avenue South Is Located Approximately 225 Feet South of Central Avenue. in Terms of Pstas Existing Local Bus Service the Central Avenue Corridor Is the Best Served Transit Corridor in Pinellas County. From Pstas Downtown ST. Petersburg Terminal at 3RD Street (williams Park) to the Grand Central Station at 32ND Street (2.5 Miles to the West) the Central Avenue Corridor Is Served by Several Psta Routes Including Its Second and Third Most Popular Routes Route 18 and Route 52. Route 18 Carried 1308946 Passengers in Fy 2010 and Has 20-MINUTE Headways During the Am and PM Peak Hours (30-MINUTE Headways During Off-peak Hours). Route 52 Carried 1233402 Passengers in Fy 2010 and Has 30-MINUTE Headways. Routes 18 and 52 Both Provide Service From Downtown ST. Petersburg to Downtown Clearwater. Routes 18 and 52 Are Predominantly Located Along the 1ST Avenues While the Central Avenue Shuttle a New Trolley Service Implemented in the Fall of 2009 Provides Service Along Central Avenue and Has 15-MINUTE and 30-MINUTE Headways. the Central Avenue Routes Also Serve Tropicana Field Home of the Rays Major League Baseball Team.due to the Success of Local Bus Service in the Central Avenue Corridor the Psta Completed an Alternatives Analysis in 2007 (see Attached Project Description From Psta). as a Result BRT Service Has Been Proposed Along 1ST Avenues North and South From Downtown ST. Petersburg to the Grand Central Station With a Future Extension to the Beaches the BRT Service Would Have 10-MINUTE Headways During Peak Periods and 15-MINUTE Headways During Off-peak Periods. the Service Would Operate 16 Hours Per Day 7 Days Per Week. the Central Avenue BRT Corridor Project Is Included in the Mpos LRTP Tip Stip and the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authoritys (TBARTA) Master Plan. as an Enhancement Project the Project Would Fall Under a Categorical Exclusion.right of Way Ownership:the City of ST. Petersburg Owns the Right-of-way for Central Avenue 1ST Avenue North 1ST Avenue South 8TH Street 22ND Street and 31ST Street. They Are All City/local Roads. Historic Sites/designationsthere Is a Designated National Historic District for Downtown ST. Petersburg East of DR. ML King JR. Street (formerly Known as 9TH Street). the Intersection Improvements on 8TH Street at 1ST Avenue North and Central Avenue Would Be Within the District But Would Not Affect Historic Properties or Parklands.