Broadwell Ave & UPRR Crossing PEL Study

Online Meeting | City of Grand Island, NE

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Welcome

Thank you for visiting the online meeting for the Broadwell Avenue & Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Crossing Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study (Study). If you were not able to attend the in-person public meeting on March 9, you will be able to review all materials on this site.

Project Description

The Study is evaluating options for the at-grade crossing near the existing Broadwell Avenue crossing north of 3rd street. Broadwell Avenue is a north-south arterial roadway that serves as a principal connection between the north and south portions of the City.

The Project Area is what the study team considered to address the Project Purpose.

The Study Area encompasses a larger area that includes the potential detour route during construction as well as nearby at-grade crossings that may be closed as part of the project in order to qualify for state funding.

You can view the Project and Study Areas using the map on the right.

For more information, review the draft PEL study document .

What is a PEL Study?

A Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study represents a collaborative and integrated approach to transportation decision-making that:

Considers environmental, community, and economic goals early in the transportation process
Uses the information, analysis, and products developed during planning to inform the environmental review process

This Study will use PEL principles to provide a smooth transition to future phases of this Project.

Purpose & Need

The purpose of the proposed improvements is to reduce:

The potential for train-vehicle collisions
Vehicle-vehicle collisions that result when vehicle traffic backs up while trains pass
Traffic delays near the Broadwell Avenue and UPRR crossing

The project need is based on:

Train-Vehicle and Vehicle-Vehicle Collisions

There have been 21 collisions that involved the railroad between 2015 and 2019. Only one was train-vehicle collision.

Exposure factor is used to quantify the potential for train-vehicle crashes at at-grade railroad crossings. The exposure factor at Broadwell Avenue is 1,143,900 and would increase with additional traffic. Crossings with an exposure factor greater than 50,000 are potentially eligible for grade separation funding.

Year: 2018; Average Daily Traffic, 12,300; Trains per Day: 93; Exposure Factor: 1, 143,900. Year: 2045; Average Daily Traffic: 16,000; Trains per Day: 93; Exposure Factor: 1,488,000. Exposure factor is calculated by multiplying the average daily traffic by the average daily train traffic. Changes in train traffic are unknown and assumed to remain steady.

Traffic Delay

Train events also affect traffic at the 2nd Street, 3rd Street, Old Lincoln Highway, North Front Street and 4th Street intersections along Broadwell Avenue.

Train events cause traffic to backup into adjacent intersections, blocking cross traffic
After train events it can take two to four traffic signal cycles for traffic backups to clear
Traffic backups can lead to vehicle-vehicle crashes

Traffic stopped on southbound Broadwell Avenue at 3rd Street can backup across the railroad tracks with some drivers stopping on the tracks.

The annual cost of delays and crashes from this crossing is about $497,2000 annually.

Initial Concept Screening

Three improvement concepts were identified and evaluated to determine if they would address the Project Purpose & Need and are reasonable to develop further. Concepts that do not meet Purpose & Need were eliminated. Concepts that do meet Purpose & Need were either recommended for further development or not recommended based on preliminary analysis.

At-Grade Crossing Concepts

At-grade crossing concepts would have the potential to reduce traffic delays and associated costs but they would not reduce potential for train-vehicle collisions and vehicle-vehicle collisions. Therefore at-grade crossing concepts were ELIMINATED.

Underpass Concepts

Underpass concepts would have the potential to reduce traffic delays and associated costs and would have the potential to reduce train-vehicle collisions and vehicle-vehicle collisions. However, underpasses are prone to flooding, rendering them unusable during rain events. Additionally, underpasses require substantial ongoing maintenance and would hinder UPRR’s ability for future expansion. Therefore, underpass concepts were NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

Overpass Concepts

Overpass concepts would have the potential to reduce traffic delays and associated costs and would have the potential to reduce train-vehicle collisions and vehicle-vehicle collisions. Therefore, overpass concepts were RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

Potential Build Alternatives

The Study team evaluated four Build Alternatives for further review. A No Build alternative was also reviewed. All alternatives, excluding the No Build alternative, included a 10-foot sidepath along Broadwell Avenue.

Alternative A was a two-lane overpass and was identified as the locally recommended alternative.
Alternative B was a three-lane overpass
Alternative C was a four-lane overpass
Alternative D was a two-lane overpass with two embankments

For more information, check out a detailed look of each alternative .

Evaluation Criteria

The alternatives were analyzed with consideration of the following:

Potential to reduce train-vehicle and vehicle-vehicle collisions – No build: lowest score; Alternatives A, B, C and D: higher score. Potential to reduce traffic delays during and after train events – No build: lowest score; Alternatives A, B, C and D: highest score. Potential to impact to private properties – No build: lowest score; Alternative A: mid-score, Alternative B: higher score, Alternative C: highest score, Alternative D: higher score. Potential impact to the natural environment – No build, Alternatives A, B, C and D lowest score. Potential to encounter regulated materials – No build: lowest score; Alternatives A, B, C and D higher score. Potential to impact historic properties – No build: lowest score, Alternatives A, B, C and D mid-score. Planning level cost estimate (in millions): No build: $0, Alternative A: $25, Alternative B: $31, Alternative C: $36, Alternative D: $26.

Locally Recommended Alternative

Alternative A: Two-Lane Overpass

Alternative A: Two-Lane Overpass is the locally recommended alternative because a two-lane viaduct would have a smaller footprint and thus would have the lowest impact on adjacent private properties as well as the lowest estimated cost. This alternative involves the construction of a two-lane viaduct from 3rd street to North Front Street. The number of lanes on Alternative A is sufficient to carry future traffic.

Cross section view of Alternate A, a two lane overpass with one northbound lane and one southbound lane over the UPRR. — Alt A Cross Section View — Click image to zoom

Alt A Profile View — Click image to zoom

Plan view of Alternative A, noting where roadway pavement, sidewalk, bridge and retaining wall will go. The below bridge view shows traffic flow underneath the proposed Alternative A.

Additional At-Grade Street Closure

To qualify for state funding assistance, Alternatives would include the closure of a second at-grade crossing. The following crossings are being considered for closure, Blaine Street/Custer Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Walnut Street, Pine Street, Oak Street.

Project Schedule

The Study team will review feedback from this public meeting prior to finalizing the study in May.

Public meeting held in March 2020. Alternatives public meeting held in fall 2020. Study findings public meeting to be held in March2023. Traffic and safety evaluations from late 2019 to early 2020. Environmental evaluations from 2020 to spring 2023. Stakeholder and community engagement from spring 2020 through spring 2023. Study Final by May 2023 followed by preliminary engineering/NEPA from Mid 2023 through to 2028. Construction tentatively scheduled to begin in 2028. Schedule subject to change.

Next Steps

Following this public meeting, the Study team will:

Review public feedback on the draft Study.
Finalize the Study.
Begin preliminary engineering and prepare detailed environmental documentation to satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This phase would be led by the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Feedback

Thank you for taking the time to review this online meeting. Comments will be collected through March 24, 2023. You can submit additional comments through the comment form below or to:

Tim Golka, P.E., City of Grand Island

100 East First Street, Grand Island, NE 68801

timg@grand-island.com | (308) 385-5455

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