Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 521 Widening and Railroad grade separation
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 521
Limits	From CR 56 to SH 6
Description	Widen from 4-lanes to 6-lanes divided. The FM 521 project extends from State Highway 6 to County Road 56 in Fort Bend County. The project includes a railroad grade separation. The area is rapidly developing with new subdivisions and a new high school adjacent to the road.
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$53,600,000.00

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.

Low

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.

4.6

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

6.8

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?

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.

Description: The project consists of widening FM 521 from 4-lanes to 6-lanes divided from State Highway 6 to County Road 56 in a high growth portion of Fort Bend County. The project includes a railroad grade separation improvement over BNSF line. The area has and continues to rapidly develop with new subdivisions and new high school adjacent to the road. The project will allow for an increase in capacity, increasing accessibility and connectivity, and improving congestion by providing delay relief while at the same time improving safety through various access management techniques (e.g., raised roadway medians treatments and openings). This project is included in the RTP 2045 (MPOID 18501) and H-GAC 2023 Regional Goods Movement Study. The project is part of the Critical Urban Freight Network; included directly on the National Freight Network and the Texas Highway Freight Network. The project runs parallel and serves as an alternate route to SH 288 which is classified as a state evacuation route. In addition to the widening of the existing roadway, the project will include improvements in safety, 9-ft bike-ped facilities, drainage, pavement and bridge condition, and ITS elements. Need: The total crash rate for all crash types over the past five years was 184.96 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles (average statewide crash rate of 202.9 for similar facilities for years 2017-2021) and the fatal crash rate was 0.78. The serious injury crash rate is 7.8, which is above the statewide average of 5.95. The current daily volume of traffic on the segment is roughly 24,443 vehicles per day, with truck traffic representing 4.6 percent of that traffic. The estimated percent increase in volume from 2021 to 2041 is about 38,100 vehicles, estimated to be 56 percent. The project segment contains two bridges in fair condition. Purpose and Contribution: The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion on FM 521 and to improve the capacity, connectivity, level of service and safety of the project segment and the Critical Urban Freight Network in the region. This improvement, in conjunction with the other adjacent proposed improvements, will improve freight access to many major freight generators in the region including the region’s seaports, airports, manufacturing facilities, and many freight warehouses. 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 521 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 on this critical roadway link. Because of its central location in the regional network, the project will also produce improvements in mobility and connectivity for vulnerable populations (i.e., limited education, limited English proficiency, low income, or low minority) as well as connectivity to schools, medical facilities, and social services for the regional population. This project would increase reliability to Houston Southwest Airport which is near SH 6/ FM 521 intersection.

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?

Yes

i. If yes, please explain in a narrative.

This segment of FM 521 runs parallel and serves as an alternate route to SH 288 which is classified as a state 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 24,443 vehicles per day, with truck traffic representing 4.6 percent of that traffic. The estimated percent increase in volume from 2021 to 2041 is about 38,100 vehicles, estimated to be 56 percent. Added capacity from the project should improve daily 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 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 521 up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards. New schools and residential subdivisions (Glendale Lakes, Caldwell Ranch, Southern Colony, and Huntington Place to name a few) with thousands of homes are springing up along this corridor are generating more demand and this project will help meet such demand and alleviate traffic backups on FM 521. The proposed project provides access to the residential, retail, or other land uses developments.

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.

This project will include improvements or the building of new 9-ft bike/ped facilities (i.e., pedestrian bridge, sidewalks, trails etc.) on same facility or in the vicinity of the project.

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

There are no existing transit services currently operating on FM 521, but future service could use the 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.

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 segment contains two bridges in fair condition. The project will bring the roadway to FHWA and TxDOT 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.

0.78

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.

7.8

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 184.96 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles (average statewide crash rate of 202.9 for similar facilities for years 2017-2021) and the fatal crash rate was 0.78. The serious injury crash rate is 7.8, which is above the statewide average of 5.95. The project will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes and by bringing the segment up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards. The project includes 9-ft ped/bike facilities (i.e., pedestrian bridge, sidewalks, trails etc.), various access management techniques (e.g., raised roadway medians treatments and openings), and the creation and delineation of business driveways.

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 roadway link. These include at least five detention ponds of various sizes designed along the corridor. Note, all current TxDOT 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

9,519

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

14,357

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?

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

9,519

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

14,357

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1,245

1d. Disabled Persons

1592

1e. Elderly Persons

392

1f. Limited English Proficiency

1154

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.

30.70

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 schools, medical facilities, and social services for the regional population. Vulnerable populations who have access to this corridor are those with/who are: limited education, limited English proficiency, low income, or low minority. 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.

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 TxDOT 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 mostly in a urban and suburban land uses with a fast developing residential and commercial developments emerging along the current segment.

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.

As the project is widening to the median or center of the ROW, there should be little to no impacts to Cultural or Natural resources. However, 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 and connected/autonomous vehicle 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 (model year 2021 or newer) 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.

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

Yes

2a. If yes, please explain.

The project will implement new infrastructure and autonomous/ connected vehicle 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 (model year 2021 or newer) 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.