Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 359 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 359
Limits	From South IH 10 W to US 90
Description	Widen from 2 lanes to 4 lane urban divided roadway
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$7,750,000.00

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.

High

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

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.

12.9

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

19.9

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?

4,000,000

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 reconstruction and widening of FM 359 (Waller Avenue) from 2 lanes to a 4-lane urban divided roadway from South IH 10 W to US 90 within a high growth portion of Waller County. It is an essential link in the National Highway Freight Network (NHFN) and is part of H-GAC’s Critical Urban Freight Network. It is identified as a “High Priority” project in H-GAC 2023 Regional Goods Movement Study and is part of the RTP (MPOID 10950). It is also included in the Waller County Transportation Plan from 2019. This segment of FM 359 connects directly to IH 10 W which is a Texas hurricane evacuation route. In addition to the reconstruction and widening of the divided roadway, the project will include improvements to delay reduction, traffic congestion relief, accessibility, and connectivity, regional economic competitiveness, and freight connectivity. The project segment serves as a connecting roadway between US 90 and IH 10 W. 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. 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 FM 359 up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards.

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 current daily volume of traffic on the segment is roughly 11,645 vehicles per day, with truck traffic representing 12.9 percent of that traffic. The estimated percent increase in volume from 2021 to 2041 is estimated to be 40 percent, and truck traffic is expected to account for 19.9 percent. The added capacity will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also reducing congestion and improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to raised medians and intersection improvements being constructed.

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 segment serves as a connecting roadway between US 90 and IH 10 W. US 90 hosts many important freight generators, including warehouses and the Houston Executive Airport. Project route connects IH 10 W to US 90 that connects to multiple warehouses on US 90 (Empire West Business Park is nearby). Further connectivity between US 90 and IH 10 W is needed to improve regional freight movement. The proposed project alleviates future congestion due to potential economic development activity such as expansion of warehouses 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. Sidewalks will be built on the frontage roads developed by this project and 10 Foot shared-use paths are being constructed on one side or both sides of the entire length of this project.

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

No existing or planned transit service is provided on this facility.

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.

The project will add lanes and improve the shoulders to allow more space to move disabled vehicles and to better maintain flow on the facility vehicle collisions. If this segment of FM 359 is shut down, many alternative routes exist in part to its central location within Brookshire's grid street network. FM 1489 to the west and Woods Rd to the east could serve as alternative routes as well to access US 90 from IH 10 W or vice versa. An inoperability period 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 (new pavement and/or new concrete) 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.

10.66

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.

10.66

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 total crash rate for all crash types over the past five years was 501.01 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles and the fatal crash rate and serious injury rate are both 10.66, much higher than the Texas Statewide Fatality Crash Average of 1.39 and the Texas Statewide Serious Injury Crash 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. Raised medians are being installed on this project which have been shown to reduce crash rates on corridors.

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.

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.

In addition to the reconstruction and widening of the divided roadway, the project will include improvements (curb and gutter storm sewer most likely) designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards. The enhanced drainage system that results from the reconstruction will improve regional resilience by reducing the risk of flooding on this critical freeway link.

Access/Connectivity

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

2,529

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,182

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

Yes

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?

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

2,529

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,182

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1,091

1d. Disabled Persons

433

1e. Elderly Persons

206

1f. Limited English Proficiency

650

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.

50.60

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 (Brookshire Family Practice and Miltens Clinic), and social services (Brookshire Pattison Library) 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.

The raised medians will provide the opportunity for another agency to plant/maintain landscaping in the median to mitigate air pollution and improve aesthetic values.

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.

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.