Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	SH 288 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	SH 288
Limits	From FM 1462 to SH 35
Description	Reconstruct and widen from 4-lanes to 6-lanes. The proposed project will widen to the inside, adding two additional lanes (one in each direction), along with turn lanes at select locations. It will provide drainage for stormwater to accommodate the additional pavement. Frontage roads are not included in this project.
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$351,100,000.00

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.

Medium

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.

21.2%

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

30.0%

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 reconstructing and widening SH 288 from 4-lanes to 6-lanes from FM 1462 to SH 35 in a critical and high growth area in Brazoria County. The proposed project helps connect two urbanized areas and is a critical evacuation route for the southern region and coastal areas. The proposed project will widen to the inside, adding two additional lanes (one in each direction), along with turn lanes at select locations to accommodate future growth in the area. Improvements will provide drainage for stormwater to accommodate the additional pavement and maintain flooding vulnerability at moderate levels. As required by state and federal design guidelines, the capacity increase will also be balanced with improvements to pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the corridor. This segment of SH 288 is a hurricane evacuation route and connects to SH 6 and SL 8, also major hurricane evacuation routes. This project provides an evacuation route to minority populations directly adjacent to the corridor. This segment also provides an evacuation route to minority, zero vehicle households, female head of household, and elderly populations south of the project and in coastal areas. SH 288 is ranked moderate and high in vulnerability score for flooding and storm surge, respectively. The project is ranked as “Medium Priority” project in the 2023 H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Plan and is listed in the H-GAC RTP (MPOID 18714). The project is in a high growth area, is part of H-GAC's Critical Rural Freight Network, and is an essential link of the Texas Highway Freight Network at multiple locations. Need: This section of SH 288 connects the Port of Freeport to all points west. New, and continuing to emerge, subdivisions and retail areas built along the vicinity of SH 288 between Pearland and Lake Jackson. This new land uses are generating new traffic and necessitating added capacity. The annual daily traffic on this segment is 14,495 vehicles per day of which 21.2% are trucks. This is estimated to increase by 40% by 2041. The crash rate on the segment is 40.62 crashes per 100,000,000 vehicle miles traveled. The fatality rate of the corridor is 0.72 and the serious injury crash rate is 2.44. According to the H-GAC Resilience Tool, the project segment is moderately vulnerable to flooding and highly vulnerable to storm surge. The pavement condition on the segment is largely in fair condition, according to FHWA guidelines, with an International Roughness Index (IRI) score of between 95 and 170. Some bridges on this segment are in fair condition (condition scores of 5 or 6) according to FHWA guidelines . Purpose and Contribution: To help meet the multiple generated demands accessing the corridor, including new adjacent communities, new retail areas along the corridor, between Pearland and Lake Jackson and other traffic like truckers moving goods from/to the port. This project also will provide reliable access to the Port of Freeport by improving the capacity, connectivity, level of service, and safety of the project segment and the Critical Urban Freight Network in the region. 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 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. Because of its central location in the regional network, the project will also produce improvements in mobility and connectivity as well as connectivity to schools and social services for the regional population.

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 annual daily traffic on this segment is 14,495 vehicles per day of which 21.2% are trucks. This is estimated to increase by 40% 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. 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 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 of Brazoria County. This section of SH 288 connects two urbanized areas, Lake Jackson-Angleton UA to Houston’s LUA, the Port of Freeport to all points west as well as provides a critical evacuation route for the Lake Jackson-Angleton UA. New subdivisions and retail areas built along the vicinity of SH 288 between Pearland and Lake Jackson are generating new traffic and necessitating added capacity to meet these newly generated demands. The project will provide greater connectivity to new development and improve the reliability of freight movement between Houston and the Port of Freeport.

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. This project reconstructs the roadways to current standards and provides opportunities to design continuous frontage roads to promote pedestrian/bicycle connectivity and widens 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).

There are no transit services currently operating on SH 288, but future service could use the main lanes (and/or frontage roads).

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 pavement condition on the segment is largely in fair condition, according to FHWA guidelines, with an International Roughness Index (IRI) score of between 95 and 170. Some bridges on this segment are in fair condition according to FHWA guidelines, with a minimum condition score of 5 or 6. The project includes reconstruction which 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.

0.72

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.

2.44

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 segment is 40.62 crashes per 100,000,000 vehicle miles traveled. The fatality rate of the corridor is 0.72 and the serious injury crash rate is 2.44. 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.

Medium

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.

According to the H-GAC Resilience Tool, the project segment is moderately vulnerable to flooding and highly vulnerable to storm surge. Drainage improvements will be implemented on this project to mitigate the effects of construction via detention or retention ponds. Design standards will meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage 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. All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards. This project is on a state’s hurricane evacuation route.

Access/Connectivity

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

8,404

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

14,623

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?

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

8,404

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

14,623

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1,421

1d. Disabled Persons

1966

1e. Elderly Persons

1417

1f. Limited English Proficiency

1582

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.

30.40

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 will produce improvements in mobility and connectivity for vulnerable populations as well as connectivity to jobs, schools, medical facilities, evacuation routes, and social services for the regional population. These proposed improvements provide an evacuation route to minority populations directly adjacent to the corridor. This segment also provides an evacuation route to minority, zero vehicle households, female head of household, and elderly populations south of the project and close to the coast. SH 288 is ranked moderate and high in vulnerability score for flooding and storm surge, respectively.

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 in a rural area and vacant land uses with a few residential 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.

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 autonomous/connected 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.