Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	IH 610 E Reconstruction and Widening to add Managed lanes
Facility/Street/Highway	IH 610 E
Limits	From SH 225 to IH 45 S
Description	RECONSTRUCT AND WIDEN FROM 8 TO 12 LANE (ADD 4 MANAGED LANES) - Safety, operational and mobility improvements to the IH 610 E mainlanes and frontage roads, based on results of the SH 225 PEL/IH 610 East PEL study
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$50,000,000.00

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.

8.9%

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

9.4%

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?

200,000 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 610 E in Harris County from 8 to 12 lanes, adding 4 managed lanes (2 in each direction). The project spans along IH 610 E from SH 225 to IH 45 S. It includes safety, operation, and mobility improvements to IH 610 E main lanes and frontage roads, based on the results of the SH 225 PEL/IH 610 East PEL study. 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. IH 610 E is one of three large routes crossing over the Buffalo Bayou that connects IH 45 S to IH 10 E directly, both of which are classified as a major hurricane evacuation route. IH 610 also serves as an important link on the Critical Freight Network, as it sits on both the Federal Highway Freight Network and the Texas Highway Freight Network. This segment is used by Harris County Transit’s Baytown/La Porte – Gulfgate Shuttle, which can use the managed lanes to increase reliability of service. The purpose of the project is to reduce crashes, improve connectivity, and ease congestion on this segment of IH 610 E. 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 (Hobby is down Broadway Street), manufacturing facilities and many freight warehouses. The project will improve operations for the regional network by reducing congestion on IH 610 E and improving the connections between other parts of the freeway network. The roadway improvement for IH 610 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?

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.

IH 610 E is 1 of 3 large routes crossing over the Buffalo Bayou (Others being BW 8 and SH 146) that connects IH 45 S to IH 10 E directly which are both 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.

This section of IH 610 is heavily congested and in need of additional capacity to improve freight fluidity. In TTI’s 2022 100 Most Congested Roadways in Texas Report, the segment that contains the project was ranked 78th in all delay, and 55th in truck delay. The annual total delay per mile on the segment is 139,202 person hours, and truck delay is 11,777 person hours. The volume is estimated to increase by 40 percent by 2041. The current daily volume of traffic on the segment is roughly 131,443 vehicles per day, of which 8.9 percent are trucks. 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 congestion and by bringing the segment of IH 610 E 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.

This segment of IH 610 E connects IH 45 S to SH 225 which has many refineries and chemical plants nearby. The managed lanes may be used by trucks and facilitate freight movement to these freight generators. Port Houston Barbour’s Cut Terminal is projected to have 8.5 million truck trips per year by the year 2045 with Port Houston expecting to invest over half a billion dollars into the Barbour’s Cut Terminal over the next 10 years. The potential managed lanes along IH 610 E could provide opportunities for express freight trips.

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.

Currently, the study area does not support opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian facilities with discontinuous frontage roads and lack of sidewalks. The City of Houston's Bike plan does not propose any bike routes along our study area. Potentially reconstructing the roadways to current standards could provide an opportunity to design continuous frontage roads to promote pedestrian/bicycle connectivity and widen sidewalks to accommodate shared use path facilities 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: Baytown/Laporte - Gulfgate Shuttle uses this route on IH 610 E main lanes between SH 225 and IH 45 S. This route could benefit from managed lanes. Currently, METRO only services a limited area along IH 610 E with 3 lines: Broadway, Manchester, and Ella Clinton but not on the IH 610 E main lanes. There are limited facilities within the PEL study area to take people from the study area to the greater Houston area. The potential recommended managed lanes along the roadways could provide opportunities to implement bus rapid transit or high occupancy vehicle travel to the greater Houston area.

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. This segment has noncontiguous frontage roads that may require a railroad grade separation (at grade crossing if necessary) if the frontage roads were ever connected, these could provide a backup route around the main lanes if they were ever to 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 pavement condition on the segment is largely in fair to poor condition, with an International Roughness Index (IRI) score of between 95 and 170 (fair) or over 170 (poor). The bridge on this segment, going over Broadway street, is in fair condition (condition score of 6). The improvements will bring the infrastructure up to TxDOT and FHWA standards and improve the state of good repair of the segment and the overall system.

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.

0.59

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.

6.39

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 project segment is 311.9 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. This is over twice as high as the statewide average for similar corridors, 139.41. The fatality rate is 0.59 and the serious injury rate is 6.39. The serious injury rate is also 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 of IH 45 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.

High

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.

According to the H-GAC Regional Resilience Tool, this roadway is rated as having high vulnerability to flooding. 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

15,363

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

17,449

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

15,363

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

17,449

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

6,871

1d. Disabled Persons

1214

1e. Elderly Persons

597

1f. Limited English Proficiency

4400

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.

73.90

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.

The project is centrally located in the regional network and will 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. Potentially reconstructing the roadway to current standards could provide opportunities for more access and connectivity through improving bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities to connect those without vehicles to their desired destinations. Potential recommends projects that will provide opportunities to connect the communities through landscaping beautification and roadway aesthetics that highlight the communities of the corridor.

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.

This project is providing drainage improvements that meet or exceed ATLAS-14 standards (reduced flooding risk). If sound walls are found to be needed, they will be constructed as part of this project. The SH 225 and IH 610 E PEL Study will include an evaluation of the environmental constraints to avoid or mitigate potential impacts that can be transferred into potential projects. The purpose of the PEL study is to reach EJ populations early on to collect their input to potentially incorporate into possible projects. Potentially reconstructing the roadway to current standards could provide opportunities for more access and connectivity through improving bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities to connect those without vehicles to their desired destinations. Potential projects could provide opportunities to connect the communities through landscaping beautification and roadway aesthetics that highlight/tie the communities of the corridor.

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.

There are no cultural resources nearby this project. Clinton Park (natural) should be unimpacted by this project as it is too far east of this project. The Gerhart-Pugh Family cemetery adjacent to IH 610 E should be avoided. The SH 225 and IH 610 E PEL study will include an evaluation of the environmental constraints associated with avoiding historical landmarks and sites, cemeteries, and endangered species to transfer to potential projects.

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.