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PROVIDENCE STREETCAR CONNECT. GROW. THRIVE. FY 2014 TIGER GRANT APPLICATION CONTACT INFORMATION Bonnie Nickerson, AICP Director of Long-Range Planning Department of Planning + Development 444 Westminster Street, Suite 3A Providence, Rhode Island 02903 401.680.8534 OFFICE 401.680.8492 FAX [email protected] www.providenceri.com CONTENTS 1. Project Description 1 2. Project Parties 5 3. Grant Funds + Sources / Uses of Project Funds 6 4. Selection Criteria 7 a. Primary Selection Criteria 7 i. State of Good Repair 8 ii. Economic Competitiveness 9 iii. Quality of Life 13 iv. Environmental Sustainability 16 v. Safety 17 b. Secondary Selection Criteria 18 i. Innovation 18 ii. Partnership 20 c. Results of Benefit-Cost Analysis 22 5. Project Readiness 22 a. Technical Feasibility 22 b. Financial Feasibility 24 c. Project Schedule 28 d. Assessment of Project Risks + Mitigation Strategies 29 6. Federal Wage Rate Certification 31 Supporting Documentation is available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hq5emzi42nnzrcu/Fy6Qxsfd SD LIST OF supporting documentation BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS BCA Technical Report – Providence Streetcar 2014 Providence Streetcar BCA Update COST ESTIMATE Technical Report B_Operations Plan Technical Report P_Cost Estimation Methodology and Results FUNDING PLAN 2014 Funding Plan Update TIF Plan TIF Ordinance LETTERS OF SUPPORT MAPS OTHER PLANS City of Providence Comprehensive Plan Providence Tomorrow City of Providence Cultural Plan Greenprint State of RI Land Use Plan State of RI LRTP 2035 State of RI TIP Transit 2020 Report Growing Smart with Transit TECHNICAL REPORTS Final Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) Report Providence Metropolitan Transit Enhancement Study_Appendix E Providence Streetcar Opportunities Technical Report A_Final Definition and Evaluation of Alternatives Technical Report B_Operations Plan Technical Report C_Ridership Forecasting Methodology and Results Technical Report D_Conceptual Engineering Report Technical Report E_Streetcar Vehicle Technical Requirements Technical Report F_Streetcar Traction Power Supply and Distribution Technical Report H_Public Involvement and Agency Coordination Report Technical Report I_Traffic Operations Impacts Technical ReportJ_On-Street Parking Impacts Technical Report L_Streetcar Economic Impact Analysis Technical Report P_Cost Estimation Methodology and Results 2013 Technical Report Q_Finance Strategy NEPA Draft Environmental Assessment Technical Report M_Environmental Technical Reports (Resources Not Substantially Affected) Technical Report N_Environmental Technical Reports (Resources To Be Potentially Impacted) Technical Report O_Environmental Technical Reports (Additional Supporting Information) 1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION INTRODUCTION The Providence Streetcar is an urban circulator that will connect Rhode Island’s two largest employment hubs and world- class institutions to the downtown core and adjacent neighborhoods, while passing directly through the City’s key redevelopment area, made available by the recent relocation of Interstate 195. The project emerged from a robust public planning process as the preferred option to improve multimodal connectivity, create needed value in the Capital City, and enhance the City’s livability, walkability and vibrancy. This significant transportation infrastructure investment is critically needed to advance the City’s economic recovery and position Providence for sustained growth and economic opportunity into the future. TIGER Amount Requested: $29 million Capital Cost: $117.8 million TIGER Route Length: 2.1 miles End-to-End Travel Time: 15 minutes Frequency: 12-min (peak) 15-20 min (off-peak) Streetcar Stops: 12 stops, approx. every 800 feet Vehicles Required: 3 active plus 1 spare (total of 4) /////////////////////////// Operating Costs: $3.2 million (2019$) Other Funding Sources: City TIF Bonds RIPTA CMAQ RIDOT Land Transfer RICAP 1 Serves Brown Univ., 2 Serves 45,000 daily 3 Serves theaters, 4 Links to the Brown 5 Serves nearly 10,000 RI’s 2nd largest RIPTA riders at Kennedy cultural venues, the Medical School while people at the state’s employment center, a Plaza and is a 5 minute Central Library, the catalyzing development largest employment hub historic residential walk to Providence Convention Center, and in the emerging I-195 in the Hospital District neighborhood, and Station the Dunkin’ Donuts District primary commercial Center street 1 PROJECT NEED The Providence Streetcar emerged from an eight year planning process as a primary way to advance three goals – enhance access to jobs, education and services and multimodal connectivity (CONNECT), spark value creation and job growth (GROW), and contribute to the City’s quality of life and quality of place (THRIVE). In recent years, with the downturn of the economy and the City and State’s struggle to regain jobs and grow the economy, the Streetcar’s potential to catalyze, concentrate and accelerate growth has been a central driver in advancing the project forward. At 11.2%, Providence’s unemployment rate is nearly twice that of the national average, and Rhode Island has the unfortunate distinction of being the state with the highest unemployment rate in the country. Outside investment is critically needed to stimulate the City and State’s recovery. The City is acting boldly and strategically to invest in its long-term success, while ensuring its attractiveness as a place to invest, start a business, put down The City of Providence is designated as an Economically Distressed Area by roots, and raise a family. the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). Despite its recent economic struggles, Providence is a city rich with world- renowned institutions of higher education, regional centers of healthcare and research, and a strong creative class of artists and entrepreneurs, which has earned the City the nickname of the “Creative Capital”. These characteristics are the cornerstone of a viable knowledge-based economy. Four key geographical areas have emerged to form a nexus of existing and emerging institutional and creative networks - Downcity (Providence’s downtown core), The Link (the 20 acres of former highway right-of-way land now available and pad-ready for redevelopment), College Hill (home to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design), and the Hospital District (a cluster of first class medical and research institutions). If these areas are to grow and help to rejuvenate the economy, there must be a high-quality, direct, and attractive public transit service to connect the institutions, job centers and distressed neighborhoods with “The Link” redevelopment area. The Providence Streetcar would provide reliable, efficient transportation between these points, and to transit connections to the rest of the state and region. It would further enhance the synergy between Over 20 acres of new land is now available for redevelopment in the Knowledge District after the I-195 relocation (source: City of Providence’s technology and life sciences sectors, Providence) concentrating development along its route for private, commercial, and institutional interests to build upon, and would truly be a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. As home to the greatest concentration of transportation, employment, medical, educational, and cultural facilities in Rhode Island, the health and vibrancy of the Capital City is essential to the state’s well-being. A truly integrated, multimodal transit system will serve as a ladder of opportunity that will improve access to jobs, education and services, economic competitiveness, and enhance quality of life from a local and regional perspective, attracting more people to live, work, visit and invest in Providence. In addition, the demand for unique and sought-after amenities—cultural institutions, entertainment districts, tourist destinations, and superior mass transit infrastructure—is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years. Businesses want to locate in a stimulus-rich environment, with urban amenities that will attract and retain a new generation of employees. The addition of a streetcar system will allow Providence to boast all of these amenities, and enhance the City’s key strategic asset– its quality of place. WHO WILL THE STREETCAR BENEFIT? The streetcar creates an urban circulator network that provides access to jobs, educational opportunities and needed services and amenities. The project will benefit a broad spectrum of users who live, work and visit Providence, including those who are transit-dependent for a variety of reasons. A primary group of users will be those living in disenfranchised neighborhoods seeking better connections to the State’s two largest employment hubs for a range of job opportunities serving a variety of skill and education levels. Another key group of users will be those seeking better connections to educational opportunities and jobs offered by the seven colleges and universities on the route, ranging from a community college to an Ivy League institution. 2 Downtown office workers will benefit from the streetcar by creating a direct transit connection to Downtown destinations from the RIPTA bus hub, and to the Amtrak / MBTA station. Visitors to Providence will be able to park once and enjoy a number of key cultural sites, tourist destinations and restaurants. Residents within the streetcar corridor will have the option to live and thrive in Providence without the need to own a car. Finally, with the addition of the Streetcar, we will attract new transit
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