## Other Projects

> FTA has taken a new approach to allocating limited resources for other
> projects in FY 2006 that better reflects the level of certainty about
> project readiness, and better aligns the project development process
> and funding cycle. FTA proposes reserving \$158.58 million for a group
> of six New Starts candidate projects that are rated *Recommended* or
> higher, do not have a *Low* cost effectiveness rating, and are
> currently in final design or expect to be in final design in early
> calendar year 2005.

By reserving funding for this group of projects without specifying a
particular amount for any single project at this time, project sponsors
will be able to better align their project development process with the
Congressional appropriations cycle. This will also allow FTA to take
advantage of its project oversight and risk management activities to
make project-specific recommendations when Congress is considering
appropriations decisions. FTA does not anticipate that every project
identified below be ready to be recommended for funding in FY 2006.
Highlights of these projects are provided below.

### CA: San Diego Mid-Coast LRT Extension

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is proposing to
construct and operate a 3.4-mile extension of its existing Blue Line.
The extension will run from the Old Town Transit Center (OTTC) to Balboa
Avenue in the Claremont/Mission Bay area of northwest San Diego. The
Mid-Coast LRT alignment parallels Interstate 5 (I-5), the only
continuous major north-south spine between the northwest San Diego area
and downtown. Topographic constraints in the corridor (canyons and mesas
to the west, Mission Bay to the east) limit options for transportation
improvements, resulting in increased pressure on I-5 to serve both long-
and short-distance trips. This, in turn, results in congested conditions
during and beyond peak travel hours, with more congestion projected for
the future.

By providing an additional transportation alternative along the I-5
corridor, the project is anticipated to result in over 2,800 weekday
hours of travel time benefits by 2025. There are approximately 18,000
existing jobs located within ½ mile of the proposed stations, with
20,500 jobs forecasted by 2025. The project provides direct access to
downtown San Diego, which contains over 77,000 jobs. SANDAG estimates
that the project will carry 10,500 trips each weekday, including 4,500
new daily riders, by 2025. San Diego is designated a serious
non-attainment area for carbon monoxide and particulate matter, a severe
non-attainment area for eight‑hour ozone, an extreme non-attainment area
for one-hour ozone and a maintenance area for nitrogen oxide.

FTA approved SANDAG's request to enter preliminary engineering for the
project in September 1996. A Record of Decision on the project was
issued in August 2001. SANDAG is expected to request FTA approval to
advance the project into final design in early 2005, upon updating its
travel forecasts, capital cost estimate, implementation schedule, and
financial plan. Revenue operations are planned for 2008.

The capital cost for the project is estimated to be \$131.6 million, of
which SANDAG is seeking \$65.8 million, or 50 percent, in New Starts
funds for the project. Through FY 2005, Congress has appropriated
\$13.30 million for the San Diego Midcoast Corridor LRT project.

### CO: Denver/West Corridor LRT

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is completing preliminary
engineering on a 12.1‑mile light rail transit (LRT) project with 12
stations. The West Corridor LRT project would connect with the existing
Central Corridor light rail line in downtown Denver near Auraria
Station. At this location, the West Corridor would also connect with the
Central Platte Valley light rail extension, which also serves lower
downtown. The West Corridor line would extend from the vicinity of
Colfax Avenue and Interstate 25 and run along the former Associated Rail
right-of-way and along US 6 to US 6/US 40 in Jefferson County, Colorado.
The West Corridor LRT would provide connections to the second-largest
employment center in the Denver metropolitan area, the Denver Tech
Center, via the Southeast Corridor light rail line currently under
construction. The project is also intended as a high-capacity transit
alternative to West 6th Avenue, which carries the second highest traffic
volume in the region. Regional projections indicate that local traffic
will increase 20 percent by 2025, and population and employment will
increase by approximately one-third.

The project is designed to improve transit travel times in the corridor,
with approximately 5,700 hours of travel-time savings each workday, and
increase transit connectivity to regional employment centers currently
underserved by public transportation. The West Corridor will support
30,000 current jobs within a ½-mile of the proposed stations, and
employment in these areas is projected to increase to 41,300 jobs by
2025. By 2025, ridership along the corridor is expected to be 28,700
average weekday boardings, 4,700 of which will be new daily riders. The
Denver region is designated a maintenance area for carbon monoxide.

FTA approved RTD's request to enter preliminary engineering on the West
Corridor LRT project in March 2001. A Final Environmental Impact
Statement was completed in October 2003 and a Record of Decision was
issued in April 2004. A request for entry into final design is expected
in early 2005. Revenue operations are proposed to commence in 2013.

The capital cost for the project is estimated to be \$561.9 million, of
which RTD is seeking \$249.0 million, or 44 percent, in New Starts funds
for the project. To date, no funding has been appropriated by Congress
for this project.

### NY: New York/Second Avenue Subway MOS 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the New York City
Transit Authority (NYCT) have completed preliminary engineering on a
2.3-mile, three-station rail minimum operable segment (MOS) known as the
Second Avenue Subway MOS project. This project will serve North
America's busiest transit corridor, providing extended service between
Brooklyn, 96^th^ Street, and Second Avenue. The proposed project is
intended to reduce excessive overcrowding conditions on Manhattan's only
full north-south passenger rail line (the Lexington Avenue Line (LAL)),
improve service reliability on the LAL, and improve mobility for
commuters on Manhattan's East Side.

By reducing overcrowding on the existing LAL and improving service
reliability, the Second Avenue Subway MOS project is expected to result
in 63,600 hours of travel-time benefits each weekday. There are a total
of 243,700 jobs within a ½ mile of the proposed stations. By 2025,
employment near the stations is expected to be over 263,600 jobs. By
2025, it is projected that the Second Avenue Subway MOS project will
carry 202,000 average weekday riders, including 5,000 new daily riders.
The New York City area is designated a moderate non-attainment area for
8-hour ozone and particulate matter, a severe non-attainment area for
1-hour ozone and a maintenance area for carbon monoxide.

In December 2001, FTA approved an eight-mile project into preliminary
engineering. MTA/NYCT developed a plan to divide the extension into
minimum operable segments that would be forwarded as separate projects.
A Final EIS for the full project was completed in April 2004. In July
2004, FTA issued a Record of Decision. MTA has submitted a final design
request for the first MOS, which FTA is currently reviewing and expects
to be able to approve in early 2005. Revenue operations are proposed to
commence in 2011.

The capital cost for the project is estimated to be \$4.3 billion, of
which the MTA/NYCT is seeking \$1.3 billion, or 30 percent, in New
Starts funds for the project. Through FY 2005, Congress has appropriated
\$8.92 million for the Second Avenue Subway MOS project.

### OR: Washington County/Wilsonville to Beaverton Commuter Rail 

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet)
in conjunction with Portland Metro, the Oregon Department of
Transportation (ODOT), Washington and Clackamas Counties, Oregon, and
the cities of Wilsonville, Tualatin, Tigard, and Beaverton, is proposing
a 14.7-mile commuter rail project in the Wilsonville-Beaverton corridor.
The proposed project, which entered into final design in May 2004, would
operate along portions of existing Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks
and connect to TriMet's existing Westside MAX light rail transit (LRT)
system at the Beaverton Transit Center (BTC). The proposed project also
includes the purchase of four passenger railcars, and the construction
of five stations, vehicle maintenance and dispatch facilities, and four
park-and-ride lots. The project is intended to connect rapidly growing
suburban communities in western Washington County and to shape future
development in the corridor.

The project sponsor estimates that 1,200 hours of travel-time savings
will be generated each weekday by the proposed project, as compared to
local and express bus service. Currently, there are 29,800 jobs located
within a ½-mile of the proposed commuter rail stations, and this number
is projected to increase to 38,400 jobs by 2020. Metro estimates that
the project will carry approximately 3,000 average weekday riders,
including 1,900 daily new riders, by 2020. The Wilsonville and Beaverton
areas are designated as maintenance areas for carbon monoxide and 1-hour
ozone.

In July 2000, FTA approved Washington County's request to enter
preliminary engineering as an "exempt" New Starts project. During
preliminary engineering, the project cost increased in response to
UPRR's requirement that the railroad right-of-way be purchased (versus
leased), thus triggering a request for more New Starts funding and a
loss of the project's exempt status. FTA approved the project into final
design in May 2004. TriMet is updating the project capital cost estimate
to reflect a 60 percent level of design. FTA will perform a risk
assessment on the project in early 2005 to further assess the
reasonability of the cost estimate and project. Revenue operations are
proposed to commence in 2007.

The capital cost for the Wilsonville to Beaverton Commuter Rail project
is estimated to be \$104.1 million, of which the project is seeking
\$51.8 million or 50 percent in New Starts funds. Through FY 2005,
Congress appropriated \$16.56 million to the Wilsonville to Beaverton
commuter rail project.

### TX: Dallas/Northwest-Southeast Light Rail MOS

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is completing preliminary engineering
on a 20.9‑mile, two-segment extension of its light rail transit (LRT)
system, with 16 new stations. The Northwest (NW) segment will extend
10.7 miles from the Dallas central business district (CBD) to the city
of Farmers Branch. The Southeast (SE) segment will extend 10.2 miles
from the CBD to Buckner Boulevard. The NW and SE LRT alignments would be
connected through the existing four-station CBD Transitway Mall. The NW
segment generally parallels Interstate 35 East, a major north-south and
North American Free Trade Agreement cargo route. The SE segment, located
entirely within the city of Dallas, contains a highly transit-dependent
population. By providing fixed-guideway service to link residents in the
SE segment to the Dallas CBD and the employment areas in the NW segment,
the project would offer a more reliable alternative than existing bus
service, improve travel times in the corridor, and increase mobility and
accessibility in the corridor and region.

DART estimates that 13,200 hours each weekday of travel-time savings
will be generated by this project. Currently, there are 121,900 jobs
located within a ½-mile of the proposed light rail stations; that number
is projected to increase to 148,500 jobs by 2025. DART estimates that
the Northwest/Southeast Light Rail MOS project will carry approximately
45,900 average weekday riders, including 10,700 daily new riders, by
2025. The Dallas region is designated as a serious non-attainment area
for 1-hour ozone.

FTA approved the project into preliminary engineering in July 2001. DART
completed Final Environmental Impact Statements for each segment in
October 2003 and FTA issued Records of Decision in February 2004. DART
plans to submit a final design request for the combined
Northwest/Southeast Light Rail MOS in early 2005. Revenue operations are
proposed to commence in 2011.

The capital cost for the project is estimated to be \$1.49 billion, of
which DART is seeking \$700 million or 47 percent in New Starts funds
for the project. Through FY 2005, Congress has appropriated \$9.43
million for the Northwest/Southeast Light Rail MOS.

### UT: Salt Lake City/Weber County to Salt Lake City Commuter Rail

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is proposing a 43-mile, eight-station
commuter rail line that will connect the communities of Pleasant View,
Ogden, Clearfield, Layton, Bountiful and the Salt Lake City downtown
area. A high rate of population and employment growth is projected for
communities located along and on either end of this proposed commuter
rail line. The commuter rail system will utilize existing railroad
tracks that parallel Interstate 15. Approximately 6,300 park-and-ride
spaces would be built at the transit stations to expand the transit
catchment area beyond the immediate corridor. Bus and LRT connections
would further serve other travel markets, including Weber State
University, Hill Air Force Base, Freeport Center, the University of Utah
and the Medical Center. By improving the reliability and speed of public
transportation, the Weber County to Salt Lake City Commuter Rail project
will help address the problem of increased travel demand in this
corridor as part of a multimodal solution.

By expanding transportation capacity within the I-15 corridor, the Weber
County to Salt Lake City Commuter Rail line will generate an estimated
6,400 hours in travel time benefits each weekday. Currently, there are
35,400 jobs within a ½-mile of the proposed commuter rail line stations,
with a projected 44,300 jobs by 2030. The Utah Transit Authority
estimates that the project will carry approximately 11,800 average
weekday riders, including 6,100 daily new riders, by 2025. Salt Lake
City and Ogden City are designated maintenance areas for carbon
monoxide; Salt Lake County and Davis County are designated maintenance
areas for one-hour ozone; and Salt Lake County and Ogden are designated
non-attainment areas for particulate matter.

FTA approved UTA's request to enter preliminary engineering in December
2003. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was completed in
April 2004. A Final EIS is anticipated in early 2005 followed by a
Record of Decision. UTA plans to submit a final design request for the
Weber County to Salt Lake City Commuter Rail in early 2005. Prior to
advancing into final design, all NEPA documentation must be completed
and UTA must resolve any Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues
and continue to ensure that the commuter rail project maintains
sufficient cost effectiveness. Revenue operations are proposed to
commence in 2008.

The capital cost for the project is estimated to be \$581.4 million, of
which UTA is seeking \$466.8 million or 80.3 percent in New Starts funds
for the project. Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2005, permits UTA to count completed and future transportation
expenditures to meet the local financial share matching requirements for
this commuter rail project. Therefore, FTA has not rated the proposed
New Starts share of this project but has given the project an overall
financial rating of *Medium* based on UTA's capital and operating plans.
Through FY 2005, Congress has appropriated \$21.72 million to the Weber
County to Salt Lake City Commuter Rail project.