Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	IH 10 E Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	IH 10 E
Limits	From SPUR 330 to CHAMBERS C/L
Description	RECONSTRUCT AND WIDEN FROM 8 TO 12 LANE (ADD 4 MANAGED LANES) - Safety, operational and mobility improvements to IH 10 E mainlanes and frontage roads, based on results of the IH 10 East PEL study
Timeframe	Long Term (More than 10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$200,000,000.00

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)?

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.

14.2

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

22.1%

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 IH 10 E from 8 to 12 lanes by adding 4 managed lanes (2 in each direction). The project spans from Spur 330 in Harris County to the Chambers County line. It includes safety, operational, and mobility improvements to IH 10 E main lanes and frontage roads. In addition to the reconstructing and widening of the existing roadway, the project will include improvements to drainage and pavement conditions of the roadway, as well as bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the corridor. A grade separated railroad crossing already exists on this corridor for the main lanes. The project takes place in a high growth area of Harris County. IH 10 E is an important link on the Critical Urban Freight Network, lying on both the National Highway Freight Network and Texas Highway Freight Network, as well as a major hurricane evacuation route. The project segment intersects with SH 146, another major evacuation route. In addition to the reconstruction and widening of the existing roadway, the project will include improvements in the safety, drainage, and pavement condition of the roadway. This roadway is used by Harris County Transit Routes 1 and 6. Service reliability will be improved by the ability of the transit to use managed lanes. Development of warehouses and other freight generators in this area necessitates improved connectivity and infrastructure. FedEx, WATCO, and other companies are increasing their presence, and capacity needs to be added to allow for ease of freight movement. The purpose of the project is to reduce crashes, improve connectivity, and ease congestion on this segment of IH 10. 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 project will improve operations for the regional network by reducing congestion on IH 10 E and improving the connections between other parts of the freeway network. The roadway improvement for IH 10 will improve operations for the express services that use the link and connect to other parts of the region. 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 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 IH 10 E 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 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?

Yes

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 average daily traffic on this segment is 83,617 vehicles per day. This is expected to grow by 40 percent by 2041. The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion and to improve the capacity, connectivity, level of service and safety of the project segment and the Critical Urban Freight Network in the region. The project will add capacity which will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also reducing congestion and improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards.

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 and connects to Port 10 Logistics Center next to IH 10 E and Wade Rd, which has some finished and operational warehouses while others are under construction or planned. This segment also fronts on a new logistics park that is under development named Baytown 10 Commercial Park (about 3M sq ft of Class A warehouse space will be built).

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 by improvements to the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the corridor, where appropriate.

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

Harris County Transit: 1 Baytown Garth Road uses this IH 10 E WB frontage road (between N Main St and Garth Rd). Harris County Transit: 6 Baytown/Highland/Crosby uses this IH 10 E frontage road as well (between Wade Rd and Garth Rd). and can continue to use after the project is done.

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 main lanes and improve the shoulders to allow more space to move disabled vehicles and to better maintain flow on the facility in the event of vehicle collisions. There are no frontage roads near the county line (railroad grade separation is needed) on IH 10 E. If there is an accident in the main lanes, the alternate route is SH 146 to FM 1942.

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 pavement condition on the segment is largely in fair to good condition, with an International Roughness Index (IRI) score of between 95 and 170 (fair) or under 95 (good). Fixing the fair segments now can save money in the long run by taking care of pavement before more intense repairs are required. The bridges on the segment are in fair condition (FHWA minimum condition score of 5 or 6). The project will bring the roadway and bridges 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.

0.76

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.

2.72

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 daily traffic on this segment is 83,617 vehicles per day. This is expected to grow by 40% by 2041. The crash rate of this roadway segment is 119.88 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The fatality rate is 0.76 and the serious injury rate is 2.72. 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.

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

10,118

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

17,096

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?

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

10,118

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

17,096

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

3,192

1d. Disabled Persons

2401

1e. Elderly Persons

988

1f. Limited English Proficiency

1153

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.

24.20

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 industrial and commercial land uses that front on IH 10 E.

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 the Cedar Bayou and any other 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 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.

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.