Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	SH 6 Intersection Improvements at FM 529
Facility/Street/Highway	SH 6
Limits	At FM 529
Description	INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$15,500,000.00

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.

Low

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.

8.4%

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

8.4%

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 SH 6 intersection improvements at FM 529 in Harris County. The project is listed in the H-GAC RTP 2045 (MPOID 18721), the FM 1960/SH 6 North Acess Management Study, the Metro Bike and Ride Access and Implementation Plan, and the H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Study. As required by state design guidelines, the intersection increase will include safety, drainage, and bicycle and pedestrian facility improvements. SH 6 is an important link on the Critical Urban Freight Network, as it sits on the Texas Highway Freight Network. It connects to two different evacuation routes, IH 10 to the south and US 290 to the north. This section of SH 6 is heavily congested and needs additional capacity in the turn lanes. The current daily volume of traffic on the segment is roughly 32,725 vehicles per day with 8.4 percent being trucks. The estimated percent increase in volume from 2021 to 2041 is 40 percent. The crash rate on the segment is 875.3 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. This is four times as high as the statewide average for similar roadways, 218.17. The fatal crash rate was 5.32 per 100 million vehicle miles, higher than the statewide average of 1.39. The serious injury crash rate was 18.62, 3 times higher than the statewide average of 18.62. The pavement condition at this intersection is in extremely poor condition, with an International Roughness Index (IRI) score of 296, substantially higher than the threshold for being designated as in poor condition by the FHWA, which categorizes an IRI of 171 or higher to be in poor condition. The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion, improve safety and reduce crash rates to create a more robust regional goods movement in the state. With implementation of this project, trucks would no longer have to idle and wait at the traffic light on SH 6. Many large retailers in the vicinity of this intersection are receiving freight and FM 529 connects directly to many large and medium sized warehouses to the east (closer to US 290) of this intersection. As required by state design guidelines, the intersection increase will include safety, drainage, and bicycle and pedestrian facility improvements. 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 freight warehouses. The project will improve operations for the regional network by reducing congestion 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?

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 SH 6 is heavily congested and needs additional capacity. According to TTI’s 2022 100 Most Congested Roadways in Texas Report, the current daily volume of traffic on the segment is roughly 32,725 vehicles per day with 8.4 percent being trucks. The estimated percent increase in volume from 2021 to 2041 is estimated to be 40 percent. The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion on 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 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 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 provides access to development of residential, retail, or other land uses. Many large retailers in the vicinity of this intersection are receiving freight and FM 529 connects directly to many large and medium sized warehouses to the east (closer to US 290) of this intersection.

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 intersection improvement will also be balanced with improvements to the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the corridor.

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

This facility is on METRO’s route and within its service area and will improve transit access to the vulnerable populations, residential, and commercial properties in the region.

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 intersection improvement and new pavement/turn lanes project 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.

5.32

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.

18.62

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 875.3 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. This is four times as high as the statewide average for similar roadways, 218.17. The fatal crash rate was 5.32 per 100 million vehicle miles, higher than the statewide average of 1.39. The serious injury crash rate was 18.62, 3 times higher than the statewide average of 18.62. The added capacity turn lanes/intersection improvement 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 SH 6 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.

High

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

3,384

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

5,832

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?

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

3,384

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

5,832

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

336

1d. Disabled Persons

576

1e. Elderly Persons

185

1f. Limited English Proficiency

818

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.

26.40

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.

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 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.

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.

The added capacity will be balanced with bicycle and pedestrian improvements for vulnerable populations. New and contiguous sidewalks will be installed along the corridor.

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.