713-627-3200
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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.
Mariana Raschke
Associate at the Goodman Corporation
713-951-7951
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.
928 5th Ave. North
Texas City
TX
77592
Additional Agency Information
Project Information
5th/4th Avenue Rehabilitation and Added Capacity Project
Galveston County
5th/4th Avenue
From SH146 to LP197
The 5th/4th Ave corridor is a major collector that runs east-west along one of the southern-most parts of Texas City. This corridor provides access to major employers, including several petrochemical plants, and has been identified as a potential candidate for the National Highway Freight Network (NHFN). The corridor has recently been added to the H-GAC maintained Critical Urban Freight Corridors (CUFC) rotation list. The primary problems which will be addressed via implementation of the project include the following: - 5th/4th Avenue infrastructure is outdated, has narrow lanes, and has aged beyond its useful life o Recent field work shows existing conditions of the 4th / 5th Avenue infrastructure with pavement that is old and in need of major reconstruction. Furthermore, the current roadway cross-section is narrow with portions of open drainage. The intersection of 5th/4th and LP197 currently only has stop control on the 5th/4th side, but could be improved with a 4-way stop or traffic signal. o Despite the posted speed limit being just 25 mph, pavement conditions and the roadway cross-section are not conducive to through travel between intersections. This is likely due to heavy truck traffic on the corridor seeking access to and from energy companies just south of the roadway. o Heavy truck traffic serving adjacent energy companies along the corridor have led to pavement deterioration at a faster-than-typical rate. FM 1765, which adjoins and runs parallel to 5th/4th, experiences less heavy truck activity with pavement that is in better condition, which provides a better travel experience. - Heavy truck activity and crash data reflects the project area at 5th/4th Avenue as unsafe o The current roadway geometry, along with heavy truck traffic and the current state of the existing infrastructure, is observed as contributing to an unsafe environment for roadway traffic. Between 2015-2017, TxDOT data showed that 78 reported crashes occurred along the project corridor. The majority of these crashes were found to be at the intersection of SH146. According to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), modernizing a roadway will reduce all preventable crashes by 15%. - Current roadway configuration is insufficient to support existing traffic load o The current roadway geometry as a narrow two-lane and two-way facility improperly supports current traffic. Traffic is further restricted by a 25 mile per hour speed limit, instituted due to safety concerns.
The proposed project will convert 5th/4th Street from an existing two-way roadway to a one-way eastbound facility from SH146 to LP197 and will reconstruct the roadway from SH146 to 10th Street South. A major collector, the 5th/4th Avenue corridor lies within the jurisdictions of Texas City and Galveston County and hosts both heavy trucks and standard vehicles serving the local energy businesses south of the corridor. The proposed project involves the one-way conversion of the existing urban, two (2) lane, bi-directional undivided concrete facility for the length of the project area (2.92 miles). The entire project area will be converted to a one-way eastbound two-lane roadway, doubling its eastbound capacity. Reconstruction will take place on a portion of the project area from SH 146 to 10th Street South (2.5 miles). The existing alignment and drainage geometry, which include sections of curb and gutter and open ditches, will be maintained and the project will not require any additional ROW. If funded, this project would be subject to TxDOT design standards and letting, which would require 12’ lanes and a minimum 10’ clear zone for uncurbed areas and a 4-6’ curb zone for curbed areas. In addition, the project will include new striping and signage, replace existing ditches, and include a new waterline funded by the Gulf Coast Water Authority. Implementing the proposed project will help meet the goals of the H-GAC 2045 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) investment strategies, which include improving safety conditions, reconstruction and rehabilitation, roadway added capacity and maintaining a state of good repair.
The goals of the 5th/4th Avenue Rehabilitation Project include the following: - Modernization of 5th/4th Avenue within existing right of way (ROW) o Within existing ROW, the proposed project can provide a much improved roadway facility through complete resurfacing using continuously reinforced concrete pavement. The project will maximize the widths of travel lanes to 12’ while continuing to maintain original drainage scheme. Complete restriping will also better mark lanes and stop bars. Modernization of the project area will also reduce routine maintenance, repair and rehabilitation costs to the City. o To ensure a roadway is functioning as designed or also known as in a state of good repair (SOGR), regular maintenance and preservation must occur. If project is not built, routine overlay of existing concrete panels (~20%) would be required to maintain functionality of existing roadway. - Improve safety conditions for vehicular travel on 5th/4th Avenue o Modernization of the project area, including maximizing lane widths and fresh striping, will lead to a measurable reduction in crashes thereby improving safety and reducing the rate and commensurate economic cost of crashes along the corridor. - Increase roadway capacity on 5th/4th Avenue through one-way conversion without negatively impacting FM1765 o Conversion of 5th/4th to a one-way eastbound facility would instantly double the roadway’s eastbound capacity without the need for additional ROW for roadway widening. Westbound traffic would be likely diverted to FM1765, which runs parallel to 5th/4th Avenue until the two facilities merge at the western project limit. Recent consultation with TxDOT showed there was no concern about potential negative impact to FM1765 handling the additional traffic load as a result of project implementation. - Reduced traffic delays and improved travel times o Congestion on the corridor is anticipated to continue as demonstrated in a traffic analysis conducted using Synchro. With the implementation of the project, the Synchro analysis showed a savings of 46.1 VHT daily in 2025 and 8.5 VHT daily in 2040. o Expanding eastbound capacity of the 5th/4th Avenue corridor will have the added benefit of relieving the roadway’s current congestion issues. The current speed limit of 25 miles per hour, in place due to the current condition of the existing infrastructure and safety concerns, could potentially be raised to 30 or 35 miles per hour through modernization and conversion of the roadway. Furthermore, better pavement conditions and higher travel speeds will likely motivate more drivers to travel along 5th/4th Avenue in the EB direction instead of using FM 1765. - Allow for Maintenance Dollars to be Repurposed
No
No
Less than $100 million
(Expand) Roadway Added Capacity/New Construction/Complete Streets
5512000
Project Development/Readiness
Not Started
Categorical Exclusion (CE)
09/30/2020
(c)(22) for a project taking place entirely within the existing operational right-of way
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
• TxDOT has been coordinated with regarding this project, both as a member of the Texas Capital Funding Strategy Steering Committee and directly in which TxDOT determined the project would not have any significant impact on neighboring FM1765. • The Project has been approved by City Commission via funding resolution for local support of the TIP submission. • Design will be locally funded which will expedite project implementation. • A desktop environmental assessment has been completed which will expedite NEPA completion, review, and approval. • Utility evaluation was completed for the project. The roadway will be built within the existing placement and drainage design criteria will be unchanged. As such, utility conflicts will be limited to temporary construction phase staging issues. The Gulf Coast Water Authority is currently evaluating the corridor for placement of a new 50 inch water line which will serve industrial parcels located adjacent the southern border of the 5th/4th Avenue corridor. If this corridor is selected, this water line would be integrated into the project will all costs being provided by a third party.
Map/Location
Benefit/Cost Analysis
4th 5th Ave_Roadway-Safety-Benefits.xlsx
Planning Factors - Connectivity to Employment/Eliminates At-Grade Railroad Crossings
Yes
901 - 1000
No
Planning Factors - Environmental Justice
Yes
Yes
Planning Factors - Improves Corridor Level of Travel Time Reliability (LOTTR)
0.01 – 0.10
Planning Factors - Improves Multimodal LOS
Yes
No
No
Recent field work shows existing conditions of the 5th/4th Avenue infrastructure with pavement that is old and in need of major reconstruction, most likely due to heavy truck activity, which has led to pavement deterioration at a faster than typical rate. Through the improvement and modernization of the roadway, the project will improve highway and freight level of service along the project corridor, which serves several energy companies immediately adjacent to the south.
Planning Factors - Planning Coordination
Yes
The proposed project is part of the Texas City Capital Project Funding Strategy, locally adopted by the City of Texas City, which coordinated with multiple agencies that participated in the planning process. The Texas City Capital Funding Strategy Steering Committee was a coalition that included various local and regional stakeholders including the City, Connect Transit, TxDOT, Texas City ISD, Galveston County and H-GAC.
The attachment called “Steering Committee” in the Readiness Documents contains a section of the Texas City Capital Funding Strategy in which the importance of this project is discussed.
Planning Factors - Roadway Hierarchy/Freight System Priority/Evacuation Route
Collector
Yes
No
No
No