(RICHMOND) - The City of Richmond’s infrastructure is being upgraded, a result of various grant opportunities the city has applied for and been awarded. Many of the infrastructure rehabilitation projects residents will be seeing are funded by grants from a variety of resources.
One of the grant projects is subsidized by a 2021 American Rescue Plan Act grant. The federally funded grant awarded to the city for $3.116 million goes to support the nation’s public infrastructure, among other day-to-day operations and maintenance efforts. The city’s priority for this grant is a construction contract for the Downtown Water Line rehabilitation project totaling $1,349,816.00. The project replaces 7,000 linear feet of 6, 8, and 12-inch water lines, hydrants and valves.
The remainder of the ARPA grant is designated for the Winston Water Plant well rehabilitation, projected to bid in October, rehabilitation projects at the Regional Wastewater Plant, projected to bid in Summer 2023, and the design for the Wessendorff Water Plant ground storage tank rehabilitation with construction to begin in Fall 2023.
Several infrastructure projects will be supported by the state’s General Land Office Hazard Mitigation grant for $7.6 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides funding to state and local governments after presidentially declared disasters so they can develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in a way to reduce, or mitigate, future disaster losses in their community.
City projects to be included in this grant are Second Street Elevation improvements to create a natural barrier for rising river events, North Second Street Lift Station improvements, Greenwood Lift Station improvements, and 7th Street Lift Station improvements to raise or relocate lift stations to higher ground to prevent flooding from the Brazos River, Newton Dip Drainage Improvements and Upper Rabbs Bayou Drainage Improvements.
Fort Bend County Mobility projects are a source of funding for county-wide road projects to help accommodate growth and development as population increases. These projects are funded by mobility bonds approved by voters with intent to equally distribute value among the precincts. Funding for projects from these bonds are committed to assist in conducting preliminary engineering design, environmental studies and right of way acquisition, and construction which can take years to fully execute seen with some local projects.
The Clay/ Second Street Drainage Improvement project in Richmond is a city project partially funded by the 2016 Fort Bend County Mobility bond and Private Foundation grants totaling $7.4 million. Design has been completed for this project and easement acquisition is progressing with a July bid date. The project will include street rehabilitation, drainage improvements, constructing sidewalks and decorative lighting on Clay Street, from Collins Road to Second Street, and south on Second Street to the Morton Cemetery.
The Street Rehabilitation Phase I project is another city project partially funded by a county mobility bond. The 2020 County Mobility bond funds $3.75 million designated to rehabilitate North Cedar, Mulberry, Teakwood, and Chestnut streets. The rehabilitation project includes sidewalks, concrete curb and gutters, and drainage improvements.
Fort Bend County 2013 and 2020 Mobility bonds are funding the Tenth Street Alignment project for $9.9 million. This is a project managed by the county. The at-grade RR crossing design for this project is complete and will include re-routing 10th street with concrete streets, curb and gutters, sidewalks and a roundabout at Clay St. and 10th Street.
Williams Way Phase 2 project, also known as the Front Street project, is a $7.7 million project, managed by Fort Bend County, connecting Richmond Parkway to Hwy 90-A and funded by the 2007 Fort Bend County Mobility bond.
Other city projects using grant funding include Richmond’s largest city park, George Park, which received 41 decorative trash cans and 10 recycling cans, provided by a Houston/ Galveston Area Council Solid Waste grant for $30,068. The city will install the concrete pads for these receptacles projected to be completed before the end of Summer 2023.
Richmond Parks & Recreation Board had recognized North Richmond needs for a community park in the area served by Juan Seguin Park on Collins Rd which is currently managed and owned by LCISD. Access Health provided a $20,000 grant to fund the preliminary engineering of a city owned community park at Juan Seguin and working on conceptual plans with LCISD. This project will be included in the city’s 2024 budget while possible grant funding is pursued.
City staff continually research grants available for all capital improvement and infrastructure projects to offset capital costs whenever possible. $2 of every $3 of capital cost spent in capital improvement projects are subsidized through grants. An illustration of this process is demonstrated with a General Land Office Supplemental $1.5 million grant being developed with application submitted to the GLO to begin design late summer 2023. This grant has been projected to include infrastructure improvements at 3 elevated water storage tanks, installation of an emergency bypass generator at the Downtown Water plant, and further rehabilitation at the Regional Wastewater Plant.
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