Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 2234 Intersection Improvements
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 2234
Limits	From North of US 90A to South of US 90A
Description	Construct intersection improvements.
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$30,900,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

1. Is the proposed project recommended in a statewide, regional, or local freight plan?

Yes

1a. If the project is recommended in a freight plan, please provide the plan or study name.

H-GAC 2023 Regional Goods Movement Study

1b. If the project is recommended in a freight plan, please provide a link to the plan or study website.

https://engage.h-gac.com/regional-goods

1c. If yes, please select the project priority/ranking identified in the freight plan.

Medium

2. Is the proposed project located on a Critical Urban/Rural Freight corridor (CUFC/CRFC)?

Yes

3. What is the estimated percentage of daily truck volume on the existing project facility? H-GAC staff can provide assistance in gathering the truck data from our website.

2.60%

4. What is the estimated percentage of daily truck volume on the project facility after the proposed project implementation?

5.0%

5. Does the project facility provide new or improved connectivity to a port/airport?

6. Does the project facility provide new or improved connectivity to other freight generators?

Yes

6a. If yes, what is the estimated warehouse capacity of the other freight generators?

2,000,000 Plus

7. Please provide a narrative explaining how the project improves regional goods movement within and through the region. In the narrative, please mention if the project scope includes grade separations at at-grade railroad crossings or implementation of ITS technologies.

The project consists of constructing intersection improvements on FM 2234 from north of US 90 A to south of US 90 A in Fort Bend County. The project will include improvements to safety, drainage, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. These intersection improvements will result in crash reduction, an increase in safety, and overall state of good repair for the roadway. The project is listed as “Medium Priority” in the H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Study and is in the list of H-GAC RTP projects (MPOID 9419, 16098). It is also in the 2023 H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Study. The project segment is on the Critical Urban Freight Network, sitting on the Texas Highway Freight Network. North of the project segment, US 90A connects with SL 8, a major hurricane evacuation route. This is a heavily traveled and unsafe section of roadway. The annual daily traffic on this segment is 30,282 vehicles per day, 2.6 percent of which are trucks. Volume is estimated to increase by 40 percent by 2041, and truck traffic is expected to account for 5.0 percent. The average crash rate of the study corridor is 1485.02 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. This is over 5 times higher than the statewide average for similar roadways, which is 241.65. Improvements are necessary to improve safety and allow for critical freight movement. The purpose of the project is to reduce crash rates and increase safety. Pedestrian and bike facilities, transit support facilities, as well as improvements to drainage and flood control may also be realized. The project will enhance opportunities for an overall state of good repair. Because of its central location in the regional network, the project will also produce improvements in mobility and connectivity to schools and social services for the regional population. This project intersection location connects to Gessner Road Commerce Park and is nearby multiple large warehouses such as but not limited to FedEx, Best Buy, and Ben E. Keith Foods. In addition, the segment is located near CityPark Logistics Center in which logistics development exists that can be utilized by industrial tenants. This project will alleviate future congestion due to potential economic development through the expansion of warehouses.

8. Is the project sponsor’s jurisdiction considering strategies to promote off-peak and overnight freight delivery?

9. Is the proposed project located on a State designated hurricane evacuation route?

9a. If no, is the proposed project located on a facility identified as a hurricane evacuation route in any regional or local plans?

9b. If no, is the proposed project located on a facility that functions as an alternate to a hurricane evacuation route?

Other Investment Category Focused Criteria

1. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves traffic operations. Within the narrative, please include if the proposed project includes construction of truck only lanes or managed truck only lanes, construction of an interchange, or intersection improvements.

The annual daily traffic on this segment is 30,282 vehicles per day. This is estimated to increase by 40 percent by 2041, and truck traffic is expected to account for 5.0 percent. Currently 2.6 percent of existing daily traffic is truck traffic. Improvements are necessary to improve safety and allow for critical freight movement. The project will improve safety of this intersection by implementing improvements (additional right and left turn lanes with additional storage capacity) that reduce primary and secondary crashes due to congestion on this segment.

2. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project benefits high growth areas. Within the narrative, please explain if the proposed project improves or provides access to new residential developments, retail stores, other land uses, or if the proposed project alleviates future congestion due to potential economic development activity such as expansion of warehouses or other freight generators.

This project intersection location connects to Gessner Road Commerce Park and is nearby multiple large warehouses such as but not limited to FedEx, Best Buy, and Ben E. Keith Foods. In addition, the segment is located near CityPark Logistics Center in which logistics development exists that can be utilized by industrial tenants. The project will accommodate the growing freight traffic from the freight generators along this corridor.

3. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves walking and biking conditions. Within the narrative, please explain if the proposed project scope includes construction of a new or improved existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure on a project facility or in the vicinity of the project.

As required by state design guidelines, the capacity increase will also be balanced with improvements to improvements to the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the corridor. The project will install sidewalk along the project corridor and ADA ramps at the intersection.

4. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves traffic conditions for transit services (local, express, signature, or commuter).

This facility improvement will improve access to Fort Bend transit for Fort Bend vulnerable populations for medical, social services in the Fort Bend region

5. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project will reduce inoperability for significant periods due to infrastructure damaged by a collision with vehicles such as trucks, ships, and barges.

If this intersection were to shut down due to a truck accident or train derailment, an alternative route could be found about a mile to the west on Stafford Rd/Staffordshire Rd which also has a US 90 A and railroad grade separation. Inoperability would be minimized.

6. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project will improve state of good repair and extend the service life of the project facility.

The project includes reconstruction of the roadway and an at grade railroad crossing (new planks and crossing arms) which will lead to an improvement in the state of good repair and extend the service life of the facility.

Planning Factors Criteria

1. What is the existing fatality crash rate at the project location? Regional crash data is available online on the crash data viewer. H-GAC staff will provide assistance in calculating the crash rates upon request.

2. What is the existing serious injury crash rate at the project location? Regional crash data is available online on the crash data viewer. H-GAC staff will provide assistance in calculating the crash rates upon request.

3. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project reduces expected fatality and serious injury crashes. Narrative must include specific improvements (work types) included in the project scope. Crash reduction factors associated with specific work types can be found in the safety benefits calculation template. H-GAC staff can provide assistance in gathering the crash reduction factors upon request.

The average crash rate of the study corridor is 1485.02 crashes per 100,000,000 vehicle miles traveled. This is over 5 times higher than the statewide average for similar roadways, which is 241.65. The project will include intersection improvements that will improve safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the intersection up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards. The project includes reconstruction of the roadway with raised medians, additional left/right turn lanes, and an improved at grade railroad crossing (new planks and crossing arms).

Resiliency

1. Please select the vulnerability to flooding score at the project location based on the Regional Resiliency tool. H-GAC staff can provide assistance with the regional resiliency tool upon request.

Medium

2. Please select the criticality score at the project location based on the Regional Resiliency tool. H-GAC staff can provide assistance with the regional resiliency tool up on request.

Medium

3. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project reduces vulnerability to flooding. The narrative must include specific improvements such as drainage improvements that are included in the scope.

The enhanced drainage system that results from the reconstruction will improve regional resilience by reducing the risk of flooding on this critical freeway link. All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards. The improvement will also increase connectivity to key hurricane evacuation routes. New curb and gutter will be constructed on this project which means enlarged drainage pipes.

Access/Connectivity

Please enter the household population located within a quarter mile buffer of the project location: 1a. Low-Income

1,973

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,925

2. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a medical facility within a quarter mile buffer of the project location?

3. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a school/college/university within a quarter mile buffer of the project location?

Yes

4. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a social services facility within a quarter buffer of the project location?

Yes

Environmental Justice

Please enter household population located within quarter mile buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data. 1a. Low-Income

1,973

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,925

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

375

1d. Disabled Persons

612

1e. Elderly Persons

288

1f. Limited English Proficiency

410

2. What is the average Livable Center Need Index within quarter mile buffer of the project location? H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

27.50

3. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project provides benefits to vulnerable populations. Benefits include safety improvements, construction of or improvements to ped/bike facilities, or improvements to transit stops.

Because of its central location in the regional network, the project will also produce improvements in mobility and connectivity for vulnerable populations as well as connectivity to jobs, schools (Missouri City Middle School and E A Jones Elementary School), medical facilities, and social services (Landmark Community Center, Fort Bend County Annex 2 services, and Missouri City Annex Branch Tax Assessor offices) for the regional population. The project will construct sidewalk and ADA ramps at the intersections.

4. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project avoids or mitigates adverse effects to vulnerable populations. A list of adverse effects was provided in detailed criteria document.

All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards (reduce flooding). Any sound walls that are identified prior or during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process will be constructed on this project, otherwise the corridor is most commercial or industrial land uses that front on FM 2234 or Gessner Rd near US 90 A.

Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources

1. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project avoids or mitigates impacts to natural (flood plains, wetlands) and cultural (historic and archeological sites) resources. H-GAC staff can provide assistance in identifying natural and cultural resources located within a quarter mile buffer of the project location.

No Cultural or Natural resources that could be impacted have been identified on this segment at this time. During construction Best Management Practices (BMP) will be done to prevent sediment pollution in storm drains that drain out to nearby watersheds/wetlands.

2. Please provide Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) reductions provided by the project. H-GAC staff can provide assistance in calculating NOx and VOC reductions.

H-GAC Staff, Please calculate Emissions reductions for us per email instructions 4/26/23.

Innovation

1. Does the project propose to implement new infrastructure technologies to enhance accessibility, mobility, multimodalism, resiliency, reliability, or traffic operations?

Yes

1a. If yes, please explain.

The project will implement new infrastructure technologies to enhance accessibility, mobility, multimodalism, resiliency, reliability, and traffic operations and will implement new autonomous/ connected vehicle technology. Brand new Signal Phasing and timing (SpAT) signals will be installed on this segment of the project (Related to CSJ 0912-00-701 that will install 1,100+ of these signals on all traffic lights on TxDOT HOU district roads). This simply broadcasts red, green, and yellow times ahead of signalized intersections to connected vehicles newer than model year 2021 or if you have the apps (Traffic Safely and ConnectSmart) downloaded on your cell phone for older vehicles. This provides ample time for you to slow down before intersections because of the timing and to adequately adjust with flow of traffic- platooning. The advantages are improved safety because of a reduction of red-light-running crashes and carbon emission reductions resulting from better traffic platooning. While it might be part of CSJ 701 right now, this type of work could easily be done on these construction/reconstruction projects.

2. Does the project propose to implement new autonomous/connected vehicle technology?

Yes

2a. If yes, please explain.