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.
Megan Siercks
Senior Project Manager
713-488-8287
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.
P.O. Box 1048
Mont Belvieu
TX
77580
Additional Agency Information
Project Information
Cotton Bayou Trail
Chambers County
Cotton Bayou Trail
The project limits are from the Mont Belvieu City Park at 10900 Eagle Drive, Mont Belvieu, Texas 77523, to the Interstate 10 westbound frontage road near the M.L. Wismer Distributing Company complex at 13827 Interstate 10 East, Mont Belvieu, Texas 77523.
The primary problems to be addressed by the Cotton Bayou Trail include transportation alternatives and traffic congestion. Currently, there is a lack of mobility options within the Mont Belvieu community. The principal option for the area is vehicular transportation. The proposed Cotton Bayou Trail could provide a safe mobility alternative for pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, the Cotton Bayou Trail could reduce traffic congestion on Eagle Drive as well as traffic associated with school operations. The proposed trail system would run parallel to Eagle Drive and connect the surrounding neighborhoods to the Barbers Hill ISD Campus Complex. The population of eastern Chambers County is anticipated to grow by approximately 25,000 people over the next 20 years for a total population of 30,115 by 2035. The population growth will increase infrastructure needs and amenity demands in Mont Belvieu and the surrounding communities. In order to address future needs, active transportation (trails, sidewalks, and bikeways) could be implemented to decrease vehicular demand on the local roadways and provide connectivity where it is not feasible to construct roadways. The proposed trail systems in Mont Belvieu would provide community connectivity and eliminate gaps in the existing sidewalk/trail system. Currently, there is a need to increase pedestrian facilities between existing residential, educational, recreations, and commercial developments in the area. Due to Mont Belvieu’s more rural past, several neighborhoods and public roadways were built without sidewalks or bike lanes. For a trail or sidewalk system to be effective, it must be continuous and connect to nearby destinations. Due to updated development standards and regulations, more recent roadway projects and residential developments are including sidewalks and accounting for pedestrians and bicyclists. However, the demand for regional linkages within Mont Belvieu and to the surrounding communities is apparent, and an improved, safe, and integrated trail system is needed to address the future population and development growth in the Mont Belvieu area.
The proposed Cotton Bayou Trail will begin at the southeast corner of Mont Belvieu City Park and extend south along the Cotton Bayou drainage channel to Interstate 10. The 8 to 10-foot trail will cross the Cedar Point Lateral Canal, Wilburn Ranch Drive, Perry Avenue, as well as Lakes of Champions Boulevard and will connect Mont Belvieu neighborhoods to the Barbers Hill ISD Campus Complex and the City Park. Near the Cottonwood subdivision, the trail will form a loop around a proposed regional pond with amenities including a dog park, play areas, observation decks, and public art. The proposed trail will also connect to existing concrete paths along Perry Avenue and Lakes of Champions Boulevard. It is anticipated that the total length of the trail system will be approximately 3.3 miles and will be composed of decomposed granite. Additional stub-out trails will connect the Cotton Bayou Trail to adjacent neighborhoods. The lengths of the stub-out trails will range between 200 feet to 0.35 miles. The proposed Cotton Bayou Trail system may require three pedestrian bridges. One bridge will cross the Cedar Point Lateral Canal near the City Park and two are proposed to cross Cotton Bayou near the Interstate 10 frontage road to form a loop design. Currently, there is an existing pedestrian bridge across the Cotton Bayou channel near the Barbers Hill Elementary School South. Pedestrian crossings with flashers are anticipated at Wilburn Ranch Drive, Perry Avenue, and Lakes of Champions Boulevard. The trail is anticipated to be parallel to Eagle Drive, a major collector through the city center of Mont Belvieu.
The primary outcome for the Cotton Bayou Trail is to improve connectivity between existing and proposed residential areas to parks, schools, shopping centers, and other local amenities. The connectivity can be achieved at a much lower cost and in a reasonably quick timeline compared to constructing roadways that could be heavily impacted by pipelines and other utilities. Additional anticipated outcomes for the proposed Cotton Bayou Trail include enhanced quality of life for residents and visitors, as well as elevated physical and emotional health. The proposed trail system will provide users a competitive and readily accessible alternative to vehicular travel and enhance recreational opportunities with a pedestrian and bicycle friendly approach to transportation. It is also anticipated that the Cotton Bayou Trail will reduce short vehicular trips, primarily along Eagle Drive. For example, vehicular traffic could be lessend due to students riding bikes or walking to the schools from the nearby neighborhoods. The proposed trail system will be separated from automobile traffic, thus offering a more protected and opportune transportation infrastructure for pedestrians. The Cotton Bayou Trail will also increase potential for additional linear parks and greenways throughout the Mont Belvieu community. As a result, property values in the area may increase due to the proposed greenways and parks.
No
No
Less than $100 million
Active Transportation
1602612
Project Development/Readiness
Schematic
Categorical Exclusion (CE)
07/31/2020
C-List
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Pre-App 7.ProjectDevelopment_Timeline_CBT.pdf
Several planning studies have been completed including the Mont Belvieu Texas Trails Master Plan and the Cotton Bayou Concept Plan to support this project.
Map/Location
Benefit/Cost Analysis
Benefit Spreadsheet 1. Benefit Cost Analysis - Safety Benefits.xlsx
Benefit Spreadsheet 3. Emissions Benefits.xlsx
CottonBayouTrail_ActiveTransportation.pdf
The H-GAC projected 2018, 2025, and 2045 peak period traffic volumes for the proposed Cotton Bayou Trail were adjusted based on higher existing peak hour traffic counts along Eagle Drive than what were reflected in the H-GAC model. The adjustments can be seen in the attached document.
Planning Factors - Barrier Elimination (Active Transportation)
Yes
Yes
Planning Factors - Emissions Reductions
The estimated emission reduction for NOx is 1.71 kgs/day.
The estimated emission reduction for VOCs is 0.40 kgs/day.
Planning Factors - Environmental Justice
No
Planning Factors - Expands or Improves Bicycle & Pedestrian Connectivity to Employment/Schools/Medical Facilities/Transit Stops/Other Points of Interest
Yes
901 - 1000
Yes
No
No
Yes
Planning Factors - Planning Coordination
Yes
• Mont Belvieu, Texas Comprehensive Plan 2035 • Mont Belvieu, Texas Parks and Recreation Master Plan • Mont Belvieu, Texas Trails Master Plan • H-GAC 2035 Regional Bikeway Plan • H-GAC 2040 Regional Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan • Cotton Bayou Concept Plan
http://www.montbelvieu.net/DocumentCenter/View/1117; http://www.montbelvieu.net/DocumentCenter/View/1118; http://videos.h-gac.com/ce/pedbike/2035_regional_bikeway_plan.pdf;