Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	IH 610 West Express Lanes
Facility/Street/Highway	IH 610 W
Limits	From IH 69 S to IH 10 W
Description	This project proposes to construct four express lanes from IH 10 W to IH 69 S and connect to existing and proposed managed lanes along IH 10 W and US 290.
Timeframe	Long Term (More than 10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$350,000,000.00

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.

5.6

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

7.3

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?

1,000,000

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.

This project proposes to construct 4 elevated express lanes from IH 10 W to IH 69 S and bypass local traffic on IH 610 W near the Uptown/Galleria area in Harris County at the heart of the regional freeway network. This project will also improve safety and pavement conditions. The project consists of creating direct connectors to parts of IH 610 W which are designated as part of the Critical Urban Freight Network for the region. The project segment is part of both the Texas Highway Freight Network and the National Highway Freight Network. It indirectly connects to several other proposed projects on IH 10, IH 610 W, and Hempstead Road. It is awaiting to be listed in the 2045 RTP (MPOID 18730). This segment of IH 610 directly connects to IH 10 W, US 290, and indirectly IH 45 N, all of which are classified as Texas state hurricane evacuation routes. METRO (BRT Route 433) uses this route and already has its own recently completed bus lanes bridge over IH 610 W. The METRO Route 283 uses this segment as well. This project connects many warehouses around the IH 610 W/US 290/Hempstead Rd interchange area to get around traffic bottle neck near the Galleria/Uptown District area exits (#1 Most Congested highway in the state of Texas for 2022 and many previous years). The project will improve operations for the regional network by reducing congestion (improving freight network fluidity) on IH 610 W and improving the connections between other parts of the freeway network.

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 W connects to IH 10 W and US 290 directly (IH 45 N as well) which are classified as State Evacuation routes.

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.

In TTI’s 2022 100 Most Congested Roadways in Texas Report, the project was ranked 1st highest in all delay and 7th in truck delay. The annual total delay per mile on the segment is 1,119,318 person hours, and truck delay is 44,428 person hours. The current daily volume of traffic on the segment is roughly 201,596 vehicles per day, of which 5.6 percent are trucks. Volume is estimated to increase by 40 percent by 2041. Improvements in safety, capacity, and crash reduction, as well as improving the area’s accessibility and connectivity, should improve daily traffic operations. This project will construct 4 elevated express lanes to bypass the #1 worst congested freeway in Texas on IH 610 W.

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 provides access to the development of residential, retail, office, and other land uses. The project separates IH 610 W traffic from Uptown/Galleria local traffic using on/off ramps to city streets and FM 1093 (Westheimer Road).

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 the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the corridor. Sidewalks already exist on the frontage roads, and appropriate changes will be made to bring them to TxDOT bike/ped standards.

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

METRO (BRT Route 433) uses this route and already has its own recently completed bus lanes bridge over IH 610 W. The METRO Route 283 also uses this segment, and they could use the new managed lanes to increase reliability of the transit service.

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 4 lanes and improve the shoulders to allow more space to move disabled vehicles and to better maintain flow on the facility vehicle collisions. If the express lanes were to shut down for any reason, the existing general purpose lanes of IH 610 W could be used to bypass these express lanes, the 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 pavement condition varies along the segment, with many segments being in fair condition (with an IRI score between 95 and 170) along existing IH 610 W. The project will reconstruct the median of IH 610 W to bring the roadway and bridges to FHWA and TxDOT design standards. This will lead to an improvement in the state of good repair and extend the service life of the facility. These 4 elevated express lanes will be built on "new location" over the top of existing and the median of IH 610 W per the latest schematic.

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.

0.48

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.

3.25

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 crash rate on this segment is 294.83 crashes per 100,000,000 vehicle miles traveled. This is almost double the crash rate for similar roadways, which is 140.53. The fatality rate is 0.48 and the serious injury rate is 3.25. 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. The new bridge structure will meet today's design standards which means it will have taller and thicker bridge railings to prevent vehicles from going over the sides of the bridge.

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.

The enhanced drainage system that results from the reconstruction will improve regional resilience by reducing the risk of flooding on this critical freeway link. All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards. This new bridge will built well above the floodplain around Buffalo Bayou along IH 610 W.

Access/Connectivity

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

7,502

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

12,830

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?

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

7,502

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

12,830

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

2,361

1d. Disabled Persons

1998

1e. Elderly Persons

2562

1f. Limited English Proficiency

404

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.

14.30

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.

This project is providing drainage improvements that meet or exceed ATLAS-14 standards, reducing flooding risk. Sound walls already exist along this segment while the remainder of the corridor is commercial/office or retail oriented.

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 resource impacts are known at this time. Memorial Park (Natural) should be unimpacted by this project, as this segment of the express lanes will be over the center of IH 610 W right of way. During construction Best Management Practices (BMP) will be done to prevent sediment pollution into Buffalo Bayou.

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 701 CSJ 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.