Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 2855 Extension to IH 10 W
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 2855
Limits	From US 90 to IH 10 W
Description	Reconstruct and Widen from 2 to 4 lanes and extend FM 2855 (currently known as Brookline Rd) to IH 10 W
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$35,000,000.00

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.

3.2%

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

10.0%

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

Yes

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?

4,000,000 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 reconstructing and widening FM 2855, starting at FM 529 per the new CSJ ID (2898-01-013/No MPOID), from 2 lanes to 4 lanes, and extending FM 2855 on a road currently known as Brookline Road to IH 10 W. The project includes measures for delay reduction and increased accessibility and connectivity. In addition to the listed improvements, the project will include improvements to safety, drainage, and flood mitigation to bring the roadway up to TxDOT safety standards. The project is in a high growth area of Waller County. This project is featured in the TxDOT REAL Plan 2.0 and is connected to projects included in the H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Study. The project will connect FM 2855 to IH 10 W frontage roads, a major hurricane evacuation route. IH 10 W is also on the Critical Urban Freight Network, sitting on the National Highway Freight Network, Texas Highway Freight Network, and H-GAC Highway Freight Network. US 90 hosts many important freight generators, including warehouses and the Houston Executive Airport. Further connectivity between US 90 and IH 10 W is needed to improve regional freight movement. Currently, this segment has 3.2% truck volume for 2021 ADT and is expected to increase to 10% truck volume by 2041 The purpose of this project is to reduce congestion, increase connectivity and safety, and strengthen economic competitiveness. It will improve freight movement by connecting warehouses to the key links on the freight network. The project will improve operations for the regional network by reducing congestion on US 90 and improving the connections between other parts of the freeway network. The added capacity will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment of Brookline Road (soon to be FM 2855) up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards. The enhanced drainage system that results from the reconstruction will improve regional resilience by reducing the risk of flooding.

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.

US 90 hosts many important freight generators, including warehouses and the Houston Executive Airport. Further connectivity between US 90 and IH 10 W is needed to improve regional freight movement. Currently, traffic on FM 2855 needs to turn onto US 90 and go roughly a half mile east or west and then turn again onto a connecting road to reach IH 10 W. This creates congestion and increases points of conflict along the route, which is a safety concern. Adding a straight route to IH 10 W instead of requiring trucks to turn at this intersection will increase traffic flow and improve traffic operations.

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.

The project is in a high growth area of Waller County with many warehouses planned or already under construction. This Project route will provide another connection to IH 10 W from US 90 that connects to many warehouses on US 90, especially the Medline Industries warehouse that fronts on the current Brookline Road. The proposed project alleviates future congestion due to potential economic development activity such as expansion of warehouses (many warehouses are planned or under development currently in this area) or other freight generators.

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 if right of way allows.

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

The project will support transit services as outlined in the REAL 2.0 Implementation Plan.

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.

This segment of FM 2855 is centrally located in an area where there are multiple road connections between FM 529 and IH 10 W, a period of inoperability is minimized by this fact. There are also 1 square mile street grid networks in this area as well that lead to FM 529 as an alternative route bypassing the entirety of FM 2855 if FM 2855 was to be shut down.

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 will reconstruct and widen the roadway up to FHWA and TxDOT current design standards. This 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.

8.21

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 crash rate on the segment of FM 2855 leading to the project segment is 98.46 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The serious injury crash rate is 8.21, higher than the statewide average of 5.95. The added capacity will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards. Any reconstruction will also bring the railroad crossings up to new safety standards as well (new planks and mast arms to name a few) and a raised median could be installed on part of the project which has been known to reduce crash rates.

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.

Low

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.

Low

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 link. All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards.

Access/Connectivity

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

2,141

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

5,178

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?

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

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

2,141

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

5,178

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

855

1d. Disabled Persons

502

1e. Elderly Persons

397

1f. Limited English Proficiency

313

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.

14.10

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, medical facilities, and social services for the regional population.

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 during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process will be constructed on this project, otherwise the corridor is mostly residential land use to the north but south of US 90 is commercial and industrial land uses that front on FM 2855 or Brookline Road.

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 have been identified on this segment at this time. During construction Best Management Practices (BMP) will be done to prevent sediment pollution in any other creeks or bayous this project crosses.

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 also 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.