Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	SS 10 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	SS 10
Limits	From SH 36 West of Rosenberg to IH 69 S
Description	WIDEN TO 4-LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$53,870,000.00

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.

6.9

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

10.7

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?

330,000 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 widening SS 10 to a 4-lane divided roadway in Fort Bent County from SH 36 West of Rosenberg to IH 69 S. The project is located on the Texas Highway Freight Network. The project is listed in the Fort Bend County Subregional Plan, H-GAC 2023 Regional Goods Movement Study as a Critical Urban Freight Corridor, scoring below the 4.5 threshold (MPOID 261). It is part of a larger project as well that will install ITS equipment and infrastructure to improve communication on the facility (MPOID 17100) which be constructed at the same time as this project. The project segment lies directly upon an evacuation route upon the Texas Hurricane Evacuation Network. The project will add capacity, reduce delays, and relieve congestion while increasing accessibility and connectivity. The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion on SS 10 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 improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment of SS 10 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. This is a possible 36A corridor, which the Port of Freeport truck traffic will use as an alternative to SH 36. 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. The project is on a state evacuation route. Multiple large (SCHC Packaging Center and Murphy Production Controls to name a few) Warehouses are located on this project segment. A railroad grade separation already exists on this segment of SS 10.

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 project consists of widening SS 10 to a 4-lane divided roadway in Fort Bent County from SH 36 West of Rosenberg to IH 69. The project is located on the TxDOT Freight Network. This section of SS 10 is 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 10,698 vehicles per day of which 6.9% are trucks. The estimated percent increase in volume from 2021 to 2041 is estimated to be 19,9777, a 40% increase. The total crash rate for all crash types over the past five years was 58.07 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles. The serious injury crash rate was 7.26. 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 SS 10 up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards. Multiple intersection improvements are being constructed on this project by bringing the designs up to current 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 is a possible 36A corridor, which the Port of Freeport truck traffic will use as an alternative to SH 36. The project is in a High Growth Area and provides access to development of residential, retail or other land uses. This segment of SS 10 will match the already widened 4 lane section of SS 10 to the southeast, which has a Dollar Tree Distribution center fronting on it.

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. Sidewalks will be built on the IH 69 S frontage roads developed by this project.

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

No existing or planned transit service is provided on this facility.

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.

In expanding the roadway into a 4-Lane divided, it will allow more space to move disabled vehicles and to better maintain flow on the facility vehicle collisions. In the event SS 10 is shut down, traffic will have to reroute way out of their way to take SH 36 through downtown Rosenberg as an alternative route to reach SH 36.

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.

Segments of the project have pavement and bridges in “fair” or worse condition. The project includes reconstruction of the roadway which will lead to an improvement in the state of good repair and extend the service life of the facility. The bridge (built in 1999 and has a sufficiency rating of 86.9) over Coon Creek will also get reconstructed and widened.

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.

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.

7.26

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.

All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed current FHWA safety standards. A divided grass median will be constructed with this project with the opportunity for a cable barrier to be installed in the median to prevent head on collisions.

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 freeway link. All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards. It is also on the state evacuation route.

Access/Connectivity

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

5,106

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,130

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

5,106

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,130

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1,013

1d. Disabled Persons

413

1e. Elderly Persons

445

1f. Limited English Proficiency

387

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.

36.20

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 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. The divided medians will provide the opportunity for another agency to plant/maintain landscaping in the median to mitigate air pollution and improve aesthetic values.

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 Coon Creek and any other creeks 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 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 also to adequately adjust with flow of 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.