2018 Call for Projects Application List

Who is Completing the Application?

Please provide contact information for the person who will complete the online application for this project. The email address and password entered here will be used to complete and submit both Pre-Applications and Applications.

Primary Agency Information

Please provide contact information for the agency official who is representing the project sponsor. This individual will be considered the official applicant and must be authorized by their agency to submit this request for funding and make necessary assertations and representations on the agency’s behalf.

Additional Agency Information

1. Is this project being developed and/or implemented in partnership with another agency?

Project Information

1. Project Title

David Memorial Extension

2. Project County

Montgomery County

3. Facility/Street Name

David Memorial Drive

4. Project limits (from, to) or location (Address)

Extend David Memorial Drive from existing end of roadway, north, to HWY 242

5. Describe the primary problems to be addressed by the project (Project Need).

The primary problems addressed by the project is relief of recurring peak hour congestion and provision of a flood resistant north south route for use in emergency situations. The addition of a four lane facility parallel to IH-45 will alleviate the heavy peak hour traffic on the IH-45 north bound frontage road between Tamina and SH-242. The South Montgomery County Mobility plan calls for adding north-south routes to move local traffic off of the IH-45 corridor. The David Memorial extension is shown on the South Montgomery County Mobility plan, Montgomery County's thoroughfare plan, and the City of Shenandoah's thoroughfare plan. Extending David Memorial Drive will add two additional traffic lanes for both northbound and southbound traffic. The intersection of IH-45 and HWY 242 is regularly congested with heavy traffic. This congestion increases the commute time of daily drivers during the peak periods. The congestion also limits access for patients and ambulances to the adjacent Houston Methodist Hospital The Woodlands. The proposed extension would provide a less congested alternate route for this access. The congestion along the frontage road also impedes bus and motorist traffic for the Conroe Independent School District (CISD), including access to the Woodforest Stadium and Natatorium complex. Again, the proposed extension will provide an alternate route to access CISD facilities as well as decreasing the traffic using the frontage road. The existing IH-45 frontage road are prone to lane and road closures due to flooding during normal rain events. The proposed David Memorial extension will be designed to remain open during a 100-year flood event, thus providing emergency access for the area.

6. Describe the proposed improvement/activity (Description).

The proposed project will consist of extending the existing dead end of David Memorial Drive, north, just over one mile to HWY 242. The roadway is proposed to be a four lane concrete boulevard with raised medians. The project will extend through wetlands and will require wetlands mitigation. The roadway will connect to developments along its route including the Metropark Square, Sam Moon shopping center and the Houston Methodist Hospital The Woodlands. The roadway will be built above the 100 year floodplain and will provide an alternate route when IH-45 feeder north and southbound lanes are flooded. The HWY 242 connection will be located at the existing South Trade Center Blvd. intersection. TxDOT has completed a traffic study for this intersection and are planning to make it a signalized intersection.

7. Describe the primary outcomes to be achieved by the project (Project Purpose)

The primary purpose of the project is to provide an additional north-south corridor above the 100-year floodplain in south Montgomery County. This will provide relief of traffic congestion at the intersection of IH-45 and HWY 242. This should speed travel times of daily commuters, CISD, and provide additional access to a local hospital.

8. Have any MPOID numbers been assigned to this project?

I Don't Know

9. Have any TxDOT Control-Section-Job (CSJ) numbers been assigned to this project?

No

10. What is the estimated total capital investment required for the project?

Less than $100 million

A. Investment Category & Strategy

(Expand) Roadway Added Capacity/New Construction/Complete Streets

11. Please provide the federal funding amount requested.

9000000

12. Please upload the funding commitment letter or letters of support from the local government.

Coordination and Letters of Support.pdf

Project Development/Readiness

1. Please select the level of engineering completed.

Schematic

2. What is the completed or anticipated level of environmental documentation required for the proposed project?

Environmental Assessment (EA)

A. What was/is the anticipated completion date of the environmental clearance?

12/01/2020

3. Will any of the following be required to implement the project? US Army Corps of Engineers Permits

Yes

US Coast Guard Permits

No

Railroad Agreements

No

None of the Above

No

4. Will the acquisition of Right of Way or an easement be required to implement the project?

Yes

A. What was/is the estimated completion date for Right of Way/easement mapping?

11/01/2018

B. What was/is the estimated start date for Right of Way/easement acquisition?

01/01/2019

C. What was/is the estimated completion date for Right of Way/easement acquisition?

06/30/2019

D. How many parcels must be acquired to implement the project?

3

E. How many parcels have been acquired to date?

1

5. Has utility coordination been initiated for the project?

Yes

A. What level of utility coordination is the project currently at?

30%

B. Have utility agreements been completed for the project?

No

C. What was/is the estimated completion date for utility relocation?

01/01/2021

D. Please upload documentation of coordination activities, if applicable. (Optional)

David Memorial Utility meetings.docx

6. Will the project improve or significantly affect infrastructure owned or operated by another agency?

No

7. Please upload project development timeline. A sample of Best-Case Scenario project development timeline can be downloaded here for your review. (Optional)

David Memorial Timeline.xlsx

8. Please provide any additional project development/readiness information relevant to the proposed project. (6000 characters max) (Optional)

This project is the creation of additional roadway. Currently ROW is designated for 33% of the project. Conversations have been had with the remaining two property owners. Both are interested in designating ROW. Where utilities are needed, they will be extended by the developers who own the property. Wetlands mitigation will be required for this project.

9. Additional Project Development/Readiness Attachment (Optional)

11991 DAVID MEMORIAL EXTENSION PHASE II - Preliminary Plan Set - 2017-6-1.PDF

Map/Location

1. Please provide a clear and concise GIS coverage or PDF map for the proposed project. (MPK ESRI Map Package file preferred)

2018 David Memorial Exhibit B.pdf

Project Budget

1. Please attach a completed project budget worksheet. Templates are available on the 2018 Call for projects website.

project-budget-worksheet-David Memorial.xlsx

2. Are Transportation Development Credits (TDCs) being requested?

No

Benefit/Cost Analysis

1. Safety Benefits

01a Transit-Active-Transportation-Safety-Benefits David Memorial.xlsx

2. Delay Benefits

1029201851958PM.xlsx

3. Emissions Benefits

03 Roadway-Emissions-Benefits David Memorial.xlsx

4. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

01b Roadway-Safety-Benefits David Memorial.xlsx

5. Additional BCA Documentation (Optional)

04 Shenandoah Cost Benefit David Memorial.xlsx

6. Please provide a brief narrative describing the methodology, input data and results. (Optional)

The BCA analysis was prepared using data provided by Vishu Lingala from HGAC’s regional traffic model. The data consisted of volumes and speeds for I-45 NB Frontage road between Tamina and SH 242; I-45 SB Frontage road between SH 242 and Research Forest; Tamina between I-45 and David Memorial and Research Forest between Six Pines and I-45. The data provided by HGAC included 2018, 2025 and 2045 model runs for both with and without the David Memorial Project completed. Using the supplied spreadsheet templates, this data was then used to estimate safety benefits, delay benefits, and emissions benefits for the completion of the David Memorial Project. Delay benefits were calculated using TxDOT provided Roadway User Costs for the years in question. A 2% growth rate on costs was used to project past 2025.

Planning Factors - Connectivity to Employment/Eliminates At-Grade Railroad Crossings

1. Does the facility directly connect to or is located within 1/2 mile of employment?

Yes

A. If yes, please indicate number of jobs the facility directly connects to or is within a 1/2 mile?

901 - 1000

2. Does the proposed project eliminate or prevent at grade railroad crossing?

No

Planning Factors - Environmental Justice

1. Is the proposed project located in or is adjoining an environmental justice sensitive area (census block groups) identified by HGAC?

No

Planning Factors - Improves Corridor Level of Travel Time Reliability (LOTTR)

1. The proposed project will reduce Planning Time Index (PTI) by:

0.11 - 0.20

2. Please upload your completed LOTTR template.

05 lottr-estimation David Memorial.xlsx

Planning Factors - Improves Multimodal LOS

1. Does the proposed project improve highway/freight LOS?

No

2. Does the proposed project improve transit LOS?

Yes

3. Does the proposed project improve bike/pedestrian LOS?

Yes

4. Please provide a brief narrative explaining how proposed project improves multimodal LOS (Auto, Bike/Ped, and Transit).

The David Memorial Roadway Extension project will provide four concrete, divided lanes with raised curbed medians from the existing dead end street just north of Shenandoah Park Drive north 1.06 miles to HWY 242 at the S. Trade Center Blvd. The proposed project includes extending the existing 8-foot concrete pathway north to the Houston Methodist hospital on HWY 242. The pathway will tie into local developments, which will be a mix of commercial and residential uses. The pathway can be used by both bicyclists and pedestrians in lieu of the roadway. The existing north bound frontage road floods regularly, providing no north bound access to the hospital for emergencies. The David Memorial extension will be the only north and south bound road on the east side of I-45 that will connect major through streets and will be constructed above the 100-year floodplain. The Conroe Independent School District's buses will be able to use this route when transporting students to and from schools and the football stadium. There are currently three schools that would use this route on the regular basis. The pathway can be used by both bicyclists and pedestrians in lieu of the roadway. The pathway will tie into local developments, which will be a mix of commercial and residential uses. This proposed road is desperately needed for the growing area. The existing north bound frontage road has standing traffic during peak hours of every day. The traffic blocks the entrance to the hospital. David Memorial will provide an alternate route, by passing the busy Hwy 242 intersection at I-45. The City of Shenandoah has already met with all the possible stakeholders. All stakeholders showed enthusiasm for this project. They provided letters of support. Adjacent property owners provided right-of-way for the project. The City is in the process of obtaining the right-of-way necessary for the project. If this project is selected, the City will begin the environmental study to acquire the necessary wetland credits for the project. The wetland permit is already submitted for the hospital parcel and was already approved for the Sam Moon parcel. The County has designated $2.0 million in the approved road bond for this project. The City of Shenandoah has designated over $2.0 million for this project. The City of Conroe has agreed to take ownership of the roadway maintenance for the section inside the Conroe City limits. This corridor will provide an additional north-south route to help keep local traffic off of IH-45. This meets the needs of one of the findings in the South Montgomery County Mobility Plan. The proposed roadway is noted in the Montgomery County Thoroughfare Plan as well as the City of Shenandoah's Thoroughfare Plan.

Planning Factors - Planning Coordination

1. Is the proposed project recommended in a regional/sub regional/or locally adopted plan including regional thoroughfare plans? Or Has the sponsor conducted interagency coordination with other local or state agency affected by the proposed project?

Yes

A. If yes, please provide the title of the regional/sub regional or local plan in which the proposed project is recommended.

Montgomery County Thoroughfare Plan

B. If yes, please provide a link to the regional/sub regional or local plan in which the proposed project is recommended.

https://www.h-gac.com/taq/transportation-committees/TAC/2016/09-sep/documents/ITEM-06A-MCTP-TAC-Presentation.pdf

Planning Factors - Roadway Hierarchy/Freight System Priority/Evacuation Route

1. Please select the functional classification of the roadway on which the proposed project is located, based on the characteristics of the roadway after the project is implemented. The FHWA Highway Functional Classification Concepts, Criteria and Procedures is provided in the link below.

Minor Arterial

2. Is your project located on one of the following? Greater Houston Freight System

No

Locally Designated Freight Corridor

No

State Designated Evacuation Route

No

None of the Above

Yes