Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 529 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 529
Limits	From Katy Hockley Cutoff to SH 99
Description	Widen from 2-lanes to 6-lanes divided. The proposed improvements will include an urban roadway section with 6-travel lanes, 3 in each direction, with curb and gutter. The roadway would include an 18-foot median with openings and 10-foot shared-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians. The proposed new right-of-way width would be 150 feet, which is 30 feet wider than the existing right-of-way.
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$53,000,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

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

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.

17.2%

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

24.1%

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?

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 widening FM 529 from 2 lanes to 6 lanes divided, from Katy Hockley Cutoff to SH 99. The proposed improvements will include an urban roadway section with 6 travel lanes, 3 in each direction, with curb and cutter. The roadway would include an 18-foot median with openings and 10-foot shared-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians. The project is in a high growth area of Harris County and is listed in the H-GAC RTP in the list of RTP projects (MPOID 18514) It is also in the 2023 H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Plan, Waller County Transportation Plan, and was featured in the full FM 529 study presented by TxDOT in October 2011. FM 529 connects to two state evacuation routes, SH 99 to the east and US 290 to the farther east. In addition to widening and adding the shared use path, this project will include improvements to safety, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, accessibility and connectivity, drainage and flood control measures, and pavement condition. The purpose of the project is to improve the mobility, safety, and quality of life for the people traveling along FM 529. The installation of raised medians throughout most of the FM 529 corridor would reduce conflicting traffic movements that contribute to a high number of automobile accidents. The roadway widening will increase vehicle capacity, while raised medians will reduce dangerous left turns. The roadway improvements will be balanced with improvements to the pedestrian and bicycle facilities along the corridor. The enhanced drainage system that results from the reconstruction will improve regional resilience by reducing the risk of flooding on this critical freeway link.

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.

FM 529 connects to two state evacuation routes, SH 99 to the east and US 290 to the farther east.

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 volume on this project segment is 10,142 vehicles per day. This is estimated to grow by 22 percent by 2041, with truck traffic expected to represent 24.1 percent after project implementation. The installation of raised medians throughout most of the FM 529 corridor would reduce conflicting traffic movements that contribute to a high number of automobile accidents. The roadway widening will increase vehicle capacity, while raised medians will reduce dangerous left turns and keep traffic flowing.

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 purpose of the project is to improve the mobility, safety, and quality of life for the people traveling along FM 529 in a high growth area of Harris County. The project will improve access and connectivity to medical facilities, schools, retail, employment, and social services. The proposed project improves or provides access to new residential developments, retail stores, other land uses.

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 add a 10-foot wide shared-used path on either side of the roadway.

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 FM 529 was to shut down, there would be many alternative routes as this portion of Harris/Waller Counties has a square mile grid system of arterial streets, thus minimizing an inoperability period.

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 widening project (new pavement and/or concrete) 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.

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.

6.25

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 is 235.52 crashes per 100,000,000 vehicle miles traveled, higher than the statewide average for similar roadways, 118.62. The serious injury crash rate is 6.25, higher that the statewide average of 5.95. The installation of raised medians throughout most of the FM 529 corridor would reduce conflicting traffic movements that contribute to a high number of automobile accidents. The roadway widening will increase vehicle capacity, while raised medians will reduce dangerous left turns.

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. Detention ponds are being constructed on this FM 529 project corridor.

Access/Connectivity

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

6,696

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

20,947

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

6,696

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

20,947

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

4,552

1d. Disabled Persons

1098

1e. Elderly Persons

571

1f. Limited English Proficiency

1455

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.

20.10

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 or during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process will be constructed on this project, otherwise the corridor is mostly allowing equitable access to residential and commercial land uses that front the facility. 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 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 South Mayde Creek and any other creeks/wetlands 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 service roads on this segment of the project as applicable (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.