CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3
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CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application DTOS59-21-RA-RAISE FY 2021 National Infrastructure Investments Location: City of Camden and Pennsauken Township, New Jersey Submitted by: Camden County, New Jersey Amount Requested: $25 million
The Honorable Secretary Pete Buttigieg U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Camden County LINK Trail Segments 1A and 3 FY 2021 USDOT RAISE Application Dear Secretary Buttigieg: On behalf of the Camden County Board of Commissioners and the over half a million residents of Camden County, I am pleased to be able to submit this Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application for Segments 1A and 3 of the Camden County LINK Trail for your review. Since 2017 Camden County has been working steadfastly on turning the concept for a 34-mile trail connecting our urban core with our suburban and rural communities into a reality. Starting with a feasibility study to understand the best route and approaches to dedicating more than four million dollars to the design of priority segments, we have built the momentum, community support and enthusiasm and are poised to build and transform our county. Camden County seeks RAISE grant funding to complete these two key segments, located in the City of Camden and Pennsauken Township that consist of over 5.5 miles of the LINK. These important sections of the trail will allow safe transportation alternative for residents, commuters, and visitors by navigating along and across the scenic Delaware River connecting to Philadelphia via the Ben Franklin Bridge and bypassing the heavy traffic of Routes 30, 130, and 676.
This application meets all of USDOT’s RAISE grant program criteria. Camden’s median household income is less than $30,000 a year, and 36% of the population lives in poverty. Most of this project is located within Areas of Persistent Poverty and will allow for improvements to the quality of life and economic advantages for city residents by supporting and driving development and employment opportunities and leveraging other investments that state, county, and city governments are making into open space and parks, business districts, transit, and the street network. The quantifiable benefits of this project, per the Benefit Cost Analysis, will be at least 10 times the cost of the project. By reducing emissions through active transportation commutes, incorporating green stormwater infrastructure reducing the burden on the city’s combined sewer system, and connecting residents to a series of urban parks and renewed open space, the trail will be an environmentally sustainable and climate resilient infrastructure investment. The opportunities for residents to commute safely without the need of costly motorized transportation, to easily recreate and travel to many parks and playgrounds and to stimulate the economy by opening and supporting business along the Camden County LINK Trail will transform Camden City and County for generations to come. Thank you in advance for your careful consideration of this valuable project. Once again, we express our strong support for the Camden County application for the RAISE grant. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at jeff.nash@camdencounty.com or 856-225-5466. Jeffrey L. Nash County Commissioner
TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover Letter ................................................................................................................................................... i I. Project Description ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Project History ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Transportation Challenges Project Will Address ............................................................................. 6 Other Transportation Infrastructure Investments .......................................................................... 7 II. Project Location ........................................................................................................................................... 9 III. Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of all Project Funding ...................................................................... 11 Prior Costs ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Project Costs ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Funding Commitments ....................................................................................................................... 12 IV. Selection Criteria ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Safety ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 Environmental Sustainability .............................................................................................................. 15 Quality of Life ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Economic Competitiveness ................................................................................................................ 19 State of Good Repair .......................................................................................................................... 19 Partnership (Secondary Criteria) ........................................................................................................ 20 Innovation (Secondary Criteria) ......................................................................................................... 21 V. Environmental Risk Review ........................................................................................................................ 22 Project Schedule ................................................................................................................................... 22 Required Approvals .............................................................................................................................. 22 Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies .................................................................. 26 VI. Benefit Cost Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 28 APPENDIX (available at www.CamdenCounty.com/RAISE Password: CityInvincible) Appendix A: Original County Resolution (passed June 17, 2021) Appendix B: Revised County Resolution (posted here after approval on July 22, 2021) Appendix C: Other Funding Letter of Commitment (TA Set-Aside) Appendix D: Letters of Support Appendix E: Segment 1A and 3 Detailed Construction Cost Estimates Appendix F: Segment 1A In-Progress Preliminary Design Plans Appendix G: Segment 3 Concept Design Plans Appendix H: Segment 1A and 3 Detailed Project Schedules Appendix I: Equity Analysis Appendix J: Benefit Cost Analysis Appendix J1: BCA Spreadsheet for Entire Project Appendix J2: BCA Spreadsheet for Segment 1A Only Appendix J3: BCA Spreadsheet for Segment 3 Only Appendix K: Federal Wage Rate Certification Letter Appendix L: NJDOT Coordination Meeting Minutes Appendix M: Full LINK Map of All Segments
I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Camden County LINK Trail (herein after referred to as “the LINK”) will be a 34-mile active transportation corridor located across the heart of Camden County, New Jersey. This ambitious plan will involve the construction of a paved, 12’ wide, all ages and abilities shared-use (pedestrian, bicycle, and other personal mobility devices) path that will act as the centerpiece of the County’s bicycle and trail network. The LINK will begin at the recently completed Benjamin Franklin Bridge bicycle/pedestrian ramp in the City of Camden, extend through 16 suburban municipalities, and end in the Winslow Wildlife Management Area at the Gloucester County line. The proposed trail, which is intended for both transportation and recreational use, will connect a diverse population to numerous neighborhoods, businesses, employment opportunities, parks and open spaces, and will bisect the urban, suburban, and rural transect of the county. Camden County seeks Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant funding to construct two critical segments of The LINK that are a priority to building both connections for local travel and momentum for the complete trail. These are identified as Segments 1A and 3 of The LINK. These two segments (herein after referred to as “the project”) are located in the City of Camden and Pennsauken Township, and consist of about 3.8 miles of new paved shared-use path and multiple complex structures. The construction of these two segments will address the following: • The project will connect Camden County, New Jersey residents to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania via the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and will also extend the regional Circuit Trail network, offering future connections to suburban Camden County and beyond. • The City of Camden was subject to numerous, large expressway construction projects starting in the 1950’s that bisected neighborhoods and cutoff the city from major recreational and greenway areas, such as Cooper River Park. No municipality in Camden County has been CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 1
more negatively impacted by expressway construction as the City of Camden. The LINK will provide a safe and comfortable active transportation connection between neighborhoods separated from each other by these highways and offer a non-motorized travel alternative for work or school commute trips. • The project will encourage economic development along key areas within the City of Camden and Pennsauken Township. • The LINK will act as the backbone for the City of Camden’s Active Transportation Network. The city is undertaking a planning effort throughout 2021 to refine its vision for an equitable and complete bicycle and pedestrian network through the city, which will weave all neighborhoods together with a low-stress network and ensure that all residents can access and enjoy the LINK. Segment 1A and Segment 3 are two separate portions of the project that are located immediately adjacent to each other. While each segment provides independent utility, this narrative will show that the two segments provide a combined economic, social, and environmental benefit that is greater than the sum of the two individual segments. Segment 1A of the LINK consists of a number of trail sections that will close the gaps in the existing Gateway and Cooper River Park system, specifically: • A 12’ wide, 230’ long dual span bridge over the Cooper River alongside Route 30 • A 1,350’ long esplanade along the edge of the Cooper River that will offer trail users views of the tidal river and both downtown Camden and Philadelphia skylines (right): • Enhanced crosswalks at Baird Boulevard and Kaighn Avenue, highlighted with overhead Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) warning systems • A 12’ wide, 70’ long bridge over Chandler’s Run CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 2
While the length of improvements that Segment 1A will bring are relatively short (1.0 miles), there are a number of complex structures that will be required to safely carry trail users across water bodies and a six lane highway and will close gaps in 1.5 miles of existing trails in Gateway and Cooper River Parks, bringing Segment 1A to a total of 2.5 miles of continuous trail that will be accessible to all ages and abilities, and finally connect to the greater active transportation network. Not included in the RAISE grant-funded portion of Segment 1A is the construction of a 118’ long pedestrian bridge over Crescent Boulevard (Route 130); this portion of Segment 1A was recently funded by a CMAQ grant awarded by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and will now be an independent project. Segment 3 of the LINK will consist of 2.8 miles of new trail, linking Segment 1A to residential North Camden, as well as the riverfront, downtown, and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. In summary, Segment 3 will contain: • A two-span covered bridge to link the existing Delaware River promenade to Cooper’s Poynt Park, as shown in the image to the right. • A retrofit of Pearl Street and Delaware Avenue to install protected sidepaths within the existing street cartways. • A segment of trail east of Mastery Charter High School that will connect to a new wetland park at the mouth of the Cooper River • A bridge over Route 30 at Flanders Boulevard to install a protected sidepath for trail users. • A major trail gateway, which may include Green Stormwater Infrastructure, at the intersection of the LINK with the East Coast Greenway at 10th and State Streets: CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 3
There are 1.1 miles of Segment 3 that have already been built, or that will go to construction starting in the fall of 2021. Combined with the 2.8 miles that the RAISE grant will fund, Segment 3 will be a total length of 3.9 miles of shared-use path. Once the construction of Segments 1A and 3 are complete, it will unlock a total of 6.4 miles of shared-use path and provide a continuous, safe, and intuitive way to travel by foot, bicycle, scooter, or skateboard across the City of Camden. The trail design will be considered All Ages and Abilities, otherwise known as 8-80 Design. Innovative practices to be used on this project include: • New paved surfaces of the trail will be constructed with pervious pavement, and the project will strive to have zero additional stormwater runoff. • The construction of the trail will also contain green stormwater infrastructure installations where possible to manage stormwater runoff from adjacent impervious areas, such as city streets, reducing the burden on Camden’s Combined Sewer Outfall (CSO) system. • There will be very few at-grade trail crossings of roadways, thereby maximizing efficiency and safety of the trail users. Where at-grade crossings are needed, practices like high visibility crosswalks, raised crossings, mountable turning islands and RRFBs will be used. A map of the project limits and the two segments is shown on page 10, and current engineering plans and detailed illustrative layouts are available as appendices on the project website at CamdenCounty.com/RAISE (password: CityInvincible). A drone video of the entire Segment 1A and 3 alignment is also available at the project website. PROJECT HISTORY The LINK is the culmination of multiple planning efforts that have taken place over the past several years, and will support the momentum of other ongoing projects throughout the Camden area (see Section II. Project Location for more detail). While there were a handful of trail construction projects in Camden County between the 1950’s and 2000, these efforts strictly revolved around the recreational aspect of trails and there was little thought about network connectivity and on-street bicycling. Cooper River Park, the jewel of the County’s park system, is 346 acres, contains five miles of trails, and numerous other recreational and open space assets, but is only accessible to most area residents by car. Gateway Park, constructed in 2000 by the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), replaced blighted commercial structures and cleaned up much of the polluted land along Route 30. The park contains one mile of trail (which is considered a completed portion of Segment 1A), but it too is largely inaccessible to residents without a car. Recent trail planning efforts in Camden County have not only considered the need for buildout of a fully connected network, but include the transportation and utility aspect of trails, in addition to equity and climate change impacts. After several years of separate planning efforts in both the City of Camden and nearby suburbs, Camden County and the Delaware Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) developed the Camden County Bicycling & Multi-Use Trails Plan in 2015. This plan contains 550 miles of trails and bike lanes to be developed across the county into an active transportation network that will connect CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 4
all cities, townships, and boroughs. Concurrently, the Camden Community Partnership (formerly known as the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership) led the effort with the City of Camden to compile the Camden GreenWay Trails Plan, which was to identify a system of trails within the city. With hundreds of miles of active transportation routes identified over two major planning studies, Camden County and the City of Camden needed a place to start the process of building out the network. In 2016, Camden County, along with the Camden Community Partnership, initiated the Cross Camden County Trail Feasibility Study. This study identified the central spine of the entire 550 mile active transportation network, which will connect the major recreational and employment centers in the county with the densest populated areas via an all ages and abilities shared-use trail. The feasibility study’s public outreach involved several formal public meetings as well as “pop-up” meetings at a county park. A combination of online and in-person surveys, as well as an online interactive project map, allowed a wide range of voices to have a say in the location of the Cross Camden County Trail. A diverse collation of stakeholders, representing urban, suburban, and rural residents, helped guide the project to produce a route varied in its landscape as it stretches between the busy Camden riverfront to the solace of the Pinelands. It was vital to the public and stakeholders that the planned route start in the City of Camden at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. While bicycle and pedestrian access had always been available on the bridge to connect to Center City Philadelphia, it was only accessible by way of a tall and narrow staircase on the Camden side. After years of advocacy, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) completed an ADA accessible ramp to the bridge’s pathway in June 2019. This connection across the Delaware River also acts as a gateway to the rest of the Circuit Trails Bicyclists make their way up the new Ben Franklin Bridge network, which is the Philadelphia and Camden region’s ramp in 2019 (Image courtesy of the Camden Courier- planned 800 mile trail network, which is about 45% complete Post) as of 2021. Upon completion of the Cross Camden County Trail Feasibility Study in 2017, Camden County released an RFP for design services of the trail in 2018, which has now been renamed the Camden County LINK Trail. The County selected an engineering and landscape architecture consulting firm in the spring of 2019 to begin the design and permitting of 20 of the 34 total miles. Since then, Camden County has been awarded over $5.3 million for the construction of various segments of the LINK. The first purpose-built segment of the LINK is due to go to construction in 2022 with Transportation Alternatives funding from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for Segment 1B in Audubon and Haddon Heights boroughs, and five other segments (including Segments 1A and 3) are currently in the preliminary design phase. Two other segments of the LINK will start the design phase in late 2021. A Camden based non-profit, the Camden Community Partnership (CCP) opened Cooper’s Poynt Waterfront Park and trail in 2017, which consists of about 0.35 miles of the eventual Segment 3 route. CCP’s design consultants are currently finalizing design and permitting of the North Camden CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 5
Waterfront Park and the River Birch Trail, which will contain 0.5 and 0.25 miles, respectively, of new 12’ wide trail that will also become a part of Segment 3. These two portions of trail are fully funded for construction, with work to commence in the fall of 2021. The City of Camden, through a Local Technical Assistance program with the New Jersey Department of Transportation, is currently refining its vision for an equitable and complete on- and off-street bicycle and pedestrian network through the city, called the Camden Active Transportation Network Vision Plan. The document will be a community-driven plan that will address the lack of a complete bicycle and pedestrian network, first/last mile connections, and creating an equitable way for all Camden residents to connect to work, home, and play. The Community Engagement and Inclusion Plan for this project involves in-person and virtual meetings at events in multiple Camden neighborhoods, and various outreach tactics to obtain feedback from the diverse City of Camden population. The LINK will act as a major corridor of this eventual network. The City of Camden will be the lead facilitator of this plan, with stakeholders including the Camden Community Partnership, DVRPC, and the Trust for Public Land. TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES PROJECT WILL ADDRESS Up until the mid-twentieth century, the City of Camden was a thriving riverfront city that boasted over 40,000 manufacturing jobs and a population of nearly 125,000 in 1950. However, due to the loss of manufacturing and industrial jobs and federal policies that incentivized suburban living, the population of Camden quickly declined, and has not seen a rebound even to this day; as of 2019, the population of Camden is about 73,000. The expressway building spree of the second half of the century exacerbated these issues in Camden. While the construction of the new I-676 and the connection of US 30 to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge brought about quicker motor vehicle commutes to suburban residents, the heart of the City of Camden was severed to construct a massive interchange with numerous loop ramps to downtown streets to allow for quick ingress and egress. Today, the legacy of this construction creates a difficult way to navigate the city without a car, as the few streets that cross this interchange contain high volumes of high speed traffic. These expressways also make it challenging to access Gateway Park and Cooper River Park, two of the largest open spaces in or around Camden, by bike or foot. It is important to recognize this current state of the built environment and the difficulty in getting around the city, since according to 2015-2019 ACS data, census tracts located along or near the project show that between 22% to 55% of households do not have a vehicle1. The city’s poverty rate of 36% is more than triple the national average (10.5%) and all of Camden The connection of I-676 and US 30 to the Ben County (10.7%). The population of the City of Camden is 41% Franklin Bridge ripped a hole in downtown Camden, Black and 51% Hispanic or Latinx2. It is vital that residents resulting in the loss of over 40 acres of real estate. are given a choice of a safe and reliable active transportation CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 6
Killed or Serious Injury Crashes Crashes by Crash Type (2015-2019), Camden City, NJ (2015-2019), Camden City, NJ equity. A Pedestrian network, as a matter of affordability and racial27% detailed 5% 2% Equity Analysis can be found in Appendix I at CamdenCounty. Pedestrian Bicyclist com/RAISE (password: CityInvincible). Bicyclist The users of the transportation system in the City3%of Camden are Vehicular/Other disproportionally affected by 70% automobile crashes. While the City Vehicular/Other of Camden contains 15% of the entire county’s population, 19% of all crashes in the county in which someone killed or seriously 93% injured (KSI) occurred in the City of Camden. Almost 40% of all crashes in the City of Camden are KSI crashes compared to 32% Killed or Serious Injury Crashes across the rest of the County. (2015-2019), Camden City, NJ The vulnerable users of the transportation system (those who bike or walk) are most at risk. Over 40% of bicyclist crashes and 27% Pedestrian 35% of pedestrian crashes in the County occurred in the City of Camden. Between 2015-2019, the City of Camden had the Bicyclist highest number of bicycle and pedestrian crashes (606) out of any community in Camden County. While people walking and 3% Vehicular/Other biking in the City of Camden were involved in only seven percent 70% of the total crashes reported, they made up a disproportionately large percentage of those killed in crashes (30 percent)3. Camden is the 12th most populous city in New Jersey, but has the third highest number of fatal bicycle and pedestrian crashes out of all Despite being in only 5% of crashes citywide, municipalities in the state. pedestrians account for 27% of killed or serious injured in crashes. The LINK (coupled with the ongoing Camden Active Transportation Network Vision Plan effort) will truly give Camden residents a safe way to access jobs, transit, and recreational opportunities, not only in the city, but in the surrounding suburbs and in Philadelphia. The project will consist of a number of grade-separated structures that will finally allow residents and visitors to safely cross major roadways and the Cooper River by foot or bicycle, it will connect neighborhoods to employment centers, and it will connect a number of recreational assets in the City of Camden. The project will also include some traffic calming elements that will help set the stage for further work in the city to manage deadly speeds. The LINK (in yellow) on top of mapping showing OTHER TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS darker shading for higher concentrations of household with no car available. Camden County has a long history of maximizing the value of funding dollars to accomplish projects that provide meaningful improvement for the City of Camden. In February 2010, Philadelphia and Camden County jointly received a $23 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant from the USDOT to build multiple trail segments of a regional network including the Martin 1 https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?useExisting=1&layers=9a9e43ec1603446880c50d4ed1df2207 2 https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/camdencountynewjersey,camdencitynewjersey/IPE120219 3 Data courtesy of Numetric and New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 7
Luther King Boulevard Waterfront Connection and Pine Street Greenway Enhancement Project. Camden was awarded its full request of $5.8 million to implement Complete Streets improvements including streetscape, landscaping, lighting, signing, bicycle lanes and roadway replacement. This multi- jurisdictional project completed an integrated, multi-county bicycle pedestrian network for the region, enhancing the region’s livability by increasing active transportation, connecting residential neighborhoods to commercial corridors and places of work, connecting residents to transit, sparking economic development, enhancing underserved neighborhoods’ access to green space and alternatives modes of transportation, and improving public health. This project were certified complete in July 2017. Camden County and Camden City enacted measures in 2013 to improve multi-modal transit with the adoption of Complete Streets policies that prioritize the equitable design of streets for all users on current and future projects. For example, in 2015, the City of Camden constructed 4.3 miles of on- road bicycle lanes, expanding the Camden GreenWay Trail Network and connecting key nodes of activity throughout the City. Another recently completed TIGER grant project, the Cooper Street Pedestrian Access and Cooper’s Poynt Road Reconstruction projects in Camden, demonstrate how the City of Camden continues to successfully use Federal grant money to fund similar infrastructure improvements in a cost-efficient and impactful way. The Cooper’s Poynt project, with a $15 million contract value, overhauled key motor vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle connections between the North Camden neighborhood and several key centers of economic opportunity, including Downtown Camden, the Camden waterfront, the Ben Franklin Bridge and US Route 30. Non-profit and agency partners have also completed a number of transportation projects in Camden. The Camden Community Partnership completed the Cooper’s Poynt Park and Trail in 2017 on the site of a former state prison. The park has stunning views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the Philadelphia skyline. As mentioned above, the bicycle and pedestrian ramp that connects to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge was completed by DRPA in 2019. Future transportation investments that are in the planning or design stage in the City of Camden include: • Reconstruction of the Kaighn Avenue bridge over the Cooper River, which will include a shared-use path to connect to the LINK (currently in preliminary design phase) • Reconstruction of Harrison Avenue in the Cramer Hill neighborhood into a “green street” that will contain green stormwater infrastructure and new bicycle and pedestrian accommodations (currently in conceptual design phase) • Reconstruction of State Street in north Camden between Delaware Avenue and 10th Street (Concept Development Report recently completed) • A $250 million overhaul of the Walter Rand Transportation Center, which is the region’s transit hub with connections to the NJ TRANSIT River Line and the PATCO High Speed Line. (currently in conceptual design phase) • The Glassboro-Camden Line is a planned 18-mile passenger rail line to several South Jersey communities, and includes two new stations in the City of Camden (EIS recently completed and submitted to NJDEP) CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 8
II. PROJECT LOCATION The project will be located within the City of Camden and Pennsauken Township, Camden County, New Jersey. The map on the following page provides context for the location of the project. Most of the project is located within census tracts designated as Areas of Persistent Poverty. The project is located within the Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD Urbanized Area and within the 1st Congressional District of New Jersey. The City of Camden is county seat of Camden County, and is the 12th most populous city in New Jersey. Camden is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, PA, the country’s fifth largest city. Current engineering plans and illustrative layouts of the project are available as appendices on the project website at CamdenCounty.com/RAISE (password: CityInvincible). A drone video of the entire Segment 1A and 3 alignment is also available at the project website. Camden’s location in the Northeast Corridor is one reason why employers are flocking to the city. Several companies have moved corporate headquarters to Camden: Subaru, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA franchise, American Water, Holtec International, EMR, The Michaels Organization, NFI and Conner Strong & Buckelew. The city has a port on the Delaware River, and many more private development projects are proposed across the city. The city is connected to the NJ TRANSIT RiverLine and PATCO High Speed Line transit lines, which make connections to Philadelphia and Trenton and easy transfers to Amtrak to reach New York City and Washington, DC. Camden is minutes away from Center City Philadelphia by way of transit, car, bicycle, or even foot across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The project is also a part of the regional Circuit Trails network, which is a planned 800 mile shared-use trail network throughout the nine county Philadelphia and Camden region. Segment 3 between the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and State Street has been designated a portion of the East Coast Greenway, which will someday be a continuous shared-use path connection between Philadelphia and Trenton. Segment 3 is a part of the East Coast Greenway, which will someday be a continuous shared-use path between Key West, FL, and Calais, ME, connecting numerous urban areas. CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 9
Seg LINK me nt 3 Seg LINK me LIN nt Seg K 3 1A men t Seg LINK me nt 1A nt 4 me Seg INK t u re L Fu nt 4 me Seg Fu tu Se re gm LI NK en t5 NOTE: The bridge over U.S. Route 130 is a separate project and not considered part of the RAISE grant application. CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 10
III. GRANT FUNDS, SOURCES, AND USES OF ALL PROJECT FUNDING As stated in Section I: Project Description, the project consists of two separate segments, Segment 1A and Segment 3 of the Camden County LINK, both of which have independent utility. Some smaller portions of Segments 1A and 3 have already been constructed, or are going to construction in the second half of 2021. Those costs are not accounted for in the following estimate; only the incomplete portions of Segments 1A and 3 are considered below. Camden County plans on utilizing a mix of funding sources, some of which have already been obtained, to complete the project. PRIOR COSTS Camden County held a competitive selection for a design consultant in 2019 to perform preliminary and final design and permitting for 20 of the 34 miles of the LINK (including Segments 1A and 3). The county’s source of funding for the design consultant’s fee of $4,579,540 is the Camden County Open Space Trust Fund. Camden County was recently the recipient of $3.163 million Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program funds for the single-span bridge over Crescent Boulevard (US 130) in Segment 1A. That portion of Segment 1A, which has independent utility, is not considered a part of the RAISE grant application. PROJECT COSTS The total estimated cost of the project is $32.5 million. A summary of these costs is shown in the table below. Detailed construction cost estimates can be found in Appendix E at CamdenCounty. com/RAISE (password: CityInvincible). Costs Segment 1A Segment 3 Total Project Fu Trail Construction (in 2023 dollars) $ 6,290,700 $ 13,994,415 $ 20,285,115 RA Construction Contingency (20%) $ 1,258,140 $ 2,798,883 $ 4,057,023 Pr Construction Management & Inspection $ 754,884 $ 1,679,330 $ 2,434,214 To Other Professional Services* $ 190,076 $ 1,865,572 $ 2,055,648 Ca ROW Acquisition $ 250,000 $ 1,161,000 $ 1,411,000 Ca Utility Relocation $ 120,000 $ 230,000 $ 350,000 To Riparian & Wetland Mitigation $ 1,861,000 $ 46,000 $ 1,907,000 Gr Grand Total $ 10,724,800 $ 21,775,200 $ 32,500,000 *While Camden County has not included the original 2019 design consultant fee in the project costs, since that is a prior expense, there are a number of required supplemental design services required for portions of Segments 1A and 3 that were not included in the original design scope due to ongoing studies. CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 11
Segments 1A and 3 of the LINK are, on a per-mile basis, the two most expensive segments of the entire 34- mile length of the LINK. This is due to the urban environment of the trail, and the need for multiple grade-separated structures to span over existing expressways or waterbodies. Segments 1A and 3 consist of about 18% of the total length of the entire LINK, but are projected to be about 25% of the total cost. FUNDING COMMITMENTS Camden County has secured $1 million Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside grant for the two-span bridge over the Cooper River in Segment 1A, with an obligation deadline of 4/23/2023, and match provided by the Camden County Open Space Fund. The remainder of the project match will be provided by the Camden County Open Space Fund. A resolution was passed by the Camden County Board of Commissioners on June 17, 2021 authorizing the submission of a RAISE grant application for $25,000,000. The listed match in this resolution is incorrectly stated as $5,000,000. The Board of Commissioners will rectify this incorrect match at their meeting on July 22, 2021, and the updated resolution with the correct match will be posted at CamdenCounty.com/RAISE (password: CityInvincible). The table below summarizes the funding sources for each segment, and for the entire project: ject Funding Sources Segment 1A Segment 3 Total Project 85,115 RAISE $ 7,579,840 70.7% $ 17,420,160 80.0% $ 25,000,000 76.9% 7,023 Prior Federal Award (TA Set-Aside) $ 1,000,000 9.3% 0.0% $ 1,000,000 3.1% 34,214 Total Federal Commitment $ 8,579,840 80.0% $ 17,420,160 80.0% $ 26,000,000 80.0% 5,648 Camden County Open Space Funds (TASA Match) $ 250,000 2.3% $ - 0.0% $ 250,000 0.8% 11,000 Camden County Open Space Funds (RAISE Match) $ 1,894,960 17.7% $ 4,355,040 20.0% $ 6,250,000 19.2% 0,000 Total Non-Federal Commitment $ 2,144,960 20.0% $ 4,355,040 20.0% $ 6,500,000 20.0% 7,000 Grand Total $ 10,724,800 100.0% $ 21,775,200 100.0% $ 32,500,000 100.0% 0,000 CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 12
IV. SELECTION CRITERIA The LINK will bring numerous tangible and intangible benefits to Camden County residents and visitors, and is an excellent choice for a RAISE Discretionary Grant. Details are provided below for each of the selection criteria listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. SAFETY As mentioned on page 7, City of Camden residents experience higher motor vehicle crash rates than the rest of Camden County, and vulnerable users of the transportation system experience disproportional rates of being killed or seriously injured. Because of high levels of poverty and low rates of motor vehicle ownership, transportation safety is absolutely an equity issue in the City of Camden. The trail will be an important safety upgrade to those who bike or walk in Camden, as it will keep more vulnerable users off of streets and highways. A bicyclist rides by a memorial for a pedestrian killed in a hit and As shown on the map below, the highest clusters run where the LINK will cross Baird Boulevard in Camden. of bicycle and pedestrian crashes occur along the Haddon Avenue, Federal Street, and Mt. Ephraim Avenue. The LINK will provide an alternative route for those who bike between southern and eastern parts of the city to downtown. A map of all bicycle and pedestrian crashes between 2015-2019 is located on the next page. This project is taking a Safe Systems approach to design. This approach acknowledges the inevitability of human mistakes, and designs countermeasures to ensure that if a crash does occur, it is of a lower severity, and deaths and serious injuries are mitigated. The LINK will be grade-separated at major highway crossings, however, there are a few at-grade street crossings that will occur. The design team is proposing the following safety countermeasures at those locations: • Vehicular right turns across the trail will be reduced to slow down turning traffic. Where trucks need to be accommodated, mountable Example of a mountable apron that reduces right turn speeds. “corner wedges”, like the example to the right, will be installed to force motor vehicle speeds down. According to NACTO, corner wedges improve driver yielding compliance4. 4 https://nacto.org/publication/dont-give-up-at-the-intersection/dedicated-intersections/ 5 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/pedbike/10043/10043.pdf CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 13
• Motion detecting rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) will be installed at key trail crossings, giving a clear warning to motorists that trail users are waiting to cross the roadway. A 2010 FHWA study found that yielding compliance increased from 18% to 88% with the installation of RRFBs at uncontrolled crosswalks5. • New traffic signals will be installed at the intersections of 10th and State Streets as well as Federal Street and Flanders Boulevard intersections. Mapping of bicycle and pedestrian crashes in the City of Camden (2015- 2019) reveal that specific corridors are the most dangerous. The LINK will provide an alternative travel route for several of these streets. The current Camden Active Transportation Network Vision Plan will identify ways to reduce vulnerable roadway user crashes system-wide. Map Legend Fatal Crashes Severe Injury Crashes Minor Injury Crashes Possible Injury Crashes No Injury Crashes CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 14
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY According to the EPA, the transportation sector is the largest producer of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. In 2019, transportation accounted for 29% of GHG, about 1.9 billion metric tons of CO26. As we look for answers for combating climate change, it must be acknowledged that bicycling and walking are unquestionably the most sustainable methods of transport, and that investments in these modes provide some of the best returns for our climate. The LINK will provide an environmental benefit by taking motor vehicle trips off the roads, and, once coupled with the implementation of the Camden Active Transportation Network, will provide the utility of cross-city trips, a viable commuting route to and from Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs, and first/last mile connections to transit. The Delaware River and tidal Cooper River in Camden are expected to rise 1.4 feet by 2050, based on research by Rutgers University7. This issue was taken into consideration as the trail was designed. In order to ensure that the capital investment in the project results in a resilient transportation facility, all new portions of the LINK will be built above the 2 foot sea level rise elevation, as modeled by NOAA. Further, investments by other parties are working to create a sustainable, resilient Camden waterfront. The Trust for Public Land in the summer of 2021 plans to initiate the design of a tidal wetland located along the LINK east of the Mastery High School (see map on page 10 for location). It is planned that the design of the LINK will be integrated into the wetland park, allowing for an opportunity to educate the public about the role coastal wetlands play in climate change and shoreline resiliency. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will open the Cramer Hill Waterfront Park later this year on the east side of the mouth of the Cooper River, which has transformed a landfill into a 62 acre park with 7 acres of tidal wetlands and 450 feet of living shoreline. This park will be accessible via the East Coast Greenway connection to the LINK. The construction of the LINK will also be coupled with green stormwater infrastructure installations along its route. The trail itself will consist of a 12’ wide porous asphalt design, which will infiltrate rainwater directly within the footprint of the trail. Several strategic locations throughout the trail will also be investigated for management of stormwater runoff from nearby by existing impervious surfaces within the public right of way, such as adjacent streets or publicly owned lots. Some of these ideal site locations include: Mastery High School, the proposed East Coast Greenway intersection at 10th and State Streets, and within Gateway Park. Camden County will be coordinating with the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA) on the design and management of these designs, and they will also be used to offer an educational component on stormwater management along the trail. The project will redevelop several pieces of existing infrastructure to help save costs and resources. Two sections of the LINK will use excess existing curb to curb space on Pearl Street and Delaware Avenue to convert to protected shared-use paths. The project will utilize an existing network of 2.6 miles of trail in various parks to make connections. 6 https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions 7 Coastal Effects of Climate Change in Southeastern PA, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, https://drive.google.com/ file/d/1BwzFUM8GxqKgEtmeFNhHLkye8aL7JnTW/view CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 15
A number of environmental resources (e.g., waterways, wetlands, threatened and endangered species, cultural remains) exist within the project area. The trail alignments have been set and design will be advanced to limit impacts to these resources to the maximum extent possible (i.e. construction of raised boardwalks) while still achieving the project goals. The project is consistent with the following: • Sustainable Camden County Plan • Camden County Master Plan • New Jersey Draft Climate Change Resilience Strategy • DVRPC Connections 2045 Long-Range Plan • DVRPC Equity Through Access Plan The project will also implement principles from the Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines, which promotes resilient, accessible, and habitat-rich riverfronts. Environmental justice has been a focus of the project since the early planning phases. As previously mentioned, Camden is a majority-minority city splintered with numerous expressways and low rates of motor vehicle ownership. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) has compiled an equity analysis titled Indicators of Potential Disadvantage that maps combinations of populations of interest (such as racial minorities, limited English proficiency, and disabled) based on ACS five year estimates. The LINK (in yellow) on top of DVRPC IPD mapping, with darker purple the higher concentrations of disadvantaged populations. The entire City of Camden has some of the highest IPD scores in the entire Philadelphia metro region. . A detailed Equity Analysis can be found in Appendix I at CamdenCounty.com/RAISE (password: CityInvincible). The LINK, and prior planning efforts such as the Camden GreenWay, have had the goal of creating safe and comfortable corridors that maximize both recreational and transportation (i.e., daily commuting) aspects of trail use. The LINK (formerly known as the Cross Camden County Trail) was featured in the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Inclusionary Trail Planning Toolkit as a case study in inclusionary planning. CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 16
Camden County and project partners have undertaken a number of environmental justice initiatives to not only understand where and how the LINK was to be located, but to also understand BIPOC attitudes and misconceptions about trails. • The William Penn Foundation, a local philanthropic organization, sponsored the Equity of Access to Trails project that studied trail use in underserved areas in the Philadelphia region, with Camden being one of the four areas examined. The wide ranging report surveyed local residents on topics such as accessibility, public safety, and maintenance. The report shines a light on the fact that just building trails in underserved communities are not enough; that outreach to communities and physical upkeep will be vital to the success of the project. Camden County intends on making the LINK a high-visibility project and working with partners in the City of Camden to Camden GreenWay and LINK “pop up” public meetings were held at ensure that maintenance of what will neighborhood and regional social events to garner maximum outreach become the centerpiece of the county’s trail system will be kept up. • The Trust for Public Land sponsored the Camden Parks and Open Space Plan that used an equity-driven mapping element to determine priorities for rehabilitation and new parks and open space facilities within the The Trust for Public Land’s outreach found that trails should be the top open space priority in city. During the public Camden. engagement component of the study, it was reported that 96% of the over 400 survey respondents felt that trails were the top priority open space amenity in Camden. • Further, as mentioned in Section I. Project Description, the City of Camden and NJDOT have recently started the Camden Active Transportation Network Vision planning process, which will involve a substantial amount of community outreach about how the LINK can act as the backbone of a resilient transportation system. CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 17
QUALITY OF LIFE This project will not only improve the quality of life for City of Camden residents, but also for those in surrounding suburban communities and for those traveling or commuting from the city of Philadelphia. The LINK, coupled with the rest of the Circuit Trails and Camden Active Transportation Network, will help provide an all ages and abilities transportation choice to help make connections to job centers, healthcare, and other essential services in and around the City of Camden. A well connected active transportation network will be vital for a city in which more than one-third of its households do not own a car, and the LINK will act as the backbone of that network. As discussed previously in this narrative, the LINK will help break down the physical and psychological barriers created by the construction of the interstate highway system, which disproportionally affects BIPOC populations. As with many cities, Camden also faced a legacy of redlining that affects residents to this day. A 2016 investigation found that a Black loan applicant in the Camden area was 2.6 times more likely to be denied a loan8. Redlining limited intergenerational wealth opportunities, creating a vicious circle of poverty. Today, only 39% of Camden households are owner- occupied9, while nationally, the rate is near 65%. It was in these redlined areas where expressway construction took place and splintered neighborhoods. The LINK will be an attempt to help stitch neighborhoods back together, Much of Camden (outlined in black connect residents to good paying jobs, and increase the livability in adjacent dash) and parts of neighboring neighborhoods. Pennsauken Township were placed in the lowest grade of “residential The LINK will directly connect to several public or senior housing security” in 1930’s redlining maps, developments, including the Abigail House, a 188 bed skilled nursing facility, leading to difficulty for Black residents and Camden Lutheran Housing. The LINK will also directly connect to to obtain home ownership. nine parks or open spaces along the Delaware and Cooper Rivers. The LINK will essentially create a continuous band of park space along the city’s waterfront, and create open space opportunities that will rival those found in Philadelphia. 8 NJ Spotlight News, As Redlining Persists, Camden Area Among Hot Spots in U.S. for Mortgage Denials, https://www.njspotlight. com/2018/02/18-02-16-as-redlining-persists-camden-area-among-hot-spots-in-us-for-mortgage-denials/ 9 https://www.njisj.org/new_institute_report_erasing_nj_s_red_lines_ties_generations_of_housing_discrimination_to_gaping_racial_ wealth_gap_in_the_garden_state_and_offers_policy_recommendations CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 18
ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS The LINK will provide numerous economic benefits for Camden County residents. Some of those benefits have already been discussed in this narrative, such as providing a safe, low cost transportation alternative that can be coupled with the upcoming on-street active transportation network and transit. The LINK will be central to increasing Camden’s bicycle and pedestrian mode share and first/last mile transit connections, and help lower residents’ (and outside commuters’) reliance on automobiles. The LINK will also be an appealing amenity to visitors that will attract spending, home purchases, and business relocations to an area that is in need of a more resilient tax and employment base. Developers are touting the walkability of new, nearby mixed use developments, and the quick access to Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs via the LINK will be an important amenity. The LINK reaches a variety of land uses, including corporate campuses, industrial and manufacturing, residential, and a college campus. The LINK will also be a two-way street for Philadelphia and suburban commuters reaching jobs in Camden, as well as Camden residents reaching jobs Philadelphia and nearby suburbs. Following New Jersey Public Contracting Laws, Camden County enters into Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for any projects over $5 million. These agreements welcome diversity to the work site and promote public policy. In any public works project over $2,000.00 Camden County adheres to The New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act (N.J.S.A. 34:11-56.25 et seq.) establishes a prevailing wage level for workers engaged in public works in order to safeguard the worker’s efficiency and general well-being, and to protect them as well as their employers from the effects of serious and unfair competition resulting from wage levels that are detrimental to the efficiency and well-being of all concerned. The Act requires the payment of minimum rates of pay to laborers, craftsmen, and apprentices employed on public works projects. Covered workers must receive the appropriate craft prevailing wage rate as determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development. Camden County is now coordinating with the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO) on a feasibility study to find a trail route to connect the LINK to Atlantic City and the network of trails and bike lanes along the Jersey Shore. A future continuous trail between Philadelphia, Camden, and Atlantic City would be an economic benefit to the smaller communities between these large population centers. The so-called “city to shore” route would be a flat, roughly 70 mile bicycle ride, and would eventually pass through over 20 separate Camden and Atlantic County communities. STATE OF GOOD REPAIR As previously mentioned, the project will close a significant gap in the county and regional (Circuit) trail network, will set the stage for future extensions of the LINK into suburban communities to the south and east of Camden, and will be the backbone of the Camden Active Transportation Network, the city’s on-street bike lane and pedestrian network. The project will make existing and future trail, sidewalk, and bike lanes more useable, and lower the burden for travel by motorized modes. CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 19
The project is consistent with city (Camden GreenWay), county, and regional (DVRPC) trail plans. Most of the project funding match and the ongoing operations and maintenance of the LINK will be provided by the Camden County Open Space Trust Fund. Voters in Camden County first passed an open space tax in 1999 at $0.01 per $100 of assessed value. The tax was later increased to $0.02 per $100 of assessed value, in the early 2000s, where it remains today. Currently, the Camden County Open Space Tax generates more than $7,000,000 annually. Operations and maintenance of green stormwater infrastructure systems, intended to manage extra public right of way runoff in Camden (outside of the pervious pavement of the trail itself), will be provided by the CCMUA. PARTNERSHIP (SECONDARY CRITERIA) Many stakeholders have worked together to make the LINK a reality. Several portions of Segments 1A and 3 of the LINK have already been built or will go to construction in 2021. The DRPA constructed the Gateway Park trails in 2000, with ownership recently being transferred to the CCMUA. The New Jersey Conservation Foundation is also a partner assisting in managing Gateway Park, and has dedicated $50,000 toward the construction of the Baird Boulevard crosswalk portion of Segment 1A. The Camden Community Partnership (CCP), formerly known as Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, has overseen the construction of Cooper’s Poynt Park, and will see the North Camden Waterfront Park and the River Birch Trail segment go to construction in 2021. Camden Community Partnership is currently working with Campbell’s Soup and Subaru to convert an empty parcel along the LINK near their respective headquarters to an ecological meadow space for the public to enjoy. Camden County collaborated on the planning of the LINK with the local MPO, DVRPC, who manages the regional Circuit Trails plan. The entire LINK Trail has been designated as a Circuit Trail, which is a part of the regional 800-mile shared-use trail network. As mentioned above, the county is also coordinating with the SJTPO on connections to the south of Camden County. The county and the CCMUA will partner up on the project to implement green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) along the trail alignment. Because most of the City of Camden is located within a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) sewershed, the installation of GSI will help the CCMUA meet its stormwater runoff goals listed in its recently updated Long Term Control Plan and Selection and Implementation of Alternatives Report. Other partnership opportunities include: • Working with The Trust for Public Land and Mastery Charter High School to integrate the LINK into plans for a wetland park at the mouth of the Cooper River (as detailed in the Environmental Sustainability section above). • The LINK will serve as a path to several historical sites, including the Benjamin Cooper House (built 1734), Joseph Cooper House (built 1695), and Cooper River Park, in addition to many other along future LINK segments. • CCP’s alliance with neighborhood groups, such as Parkside Business & Community in Partnership and North Camden, will be valuable during upcoming public outreach conducted for the design phase improvements. CAMDEN COUNTY LINK TRAIL, SEGMENTS 1A AND 3 FY 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Application 20
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