Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY
Project Title	Barbours Cut Container Terminal Wharf Rehabilitation
Facility/Street/Highway	BARBOURS CUT WHARF
Limits	AT BARBOURS CUT
Description	RECONSTRUCT 1,337 LF OF WHARF AT BAYPORT TO INCLUDE STRENGTHEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$69,342,000.00

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)?

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.

4,500 trucks daily. As a wharf project this is not applicable.

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

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.

Barbours Cut Container Terminal at the Port of Houston Authority is part of a major national gateway for trade and a strategic economic asset for the State of Texas, which is experiencing some of the fastest growth in trade in the nation. This freight project will provide: significant economic benefits for the nation, state, and region; operational efficiencies and enhanced connectivity for multimodal transportation; safety improvements; and environmental benefits. The original terminal design was not intended to process the amount or weight of the freight currently being handled. The wharves were not designed to receive Post-Panamax vessels. The strengthening provided via this project will allow for efficiency of vessel travel and mooring time, while increasing the longevity and safety of the wharves. Restoration and upgrade are needed to handle the current and future demand of cargo calling at Barbours Cut Terminal.

8. Is the project sponsor’s jurisdiction considering strategies to promote off-peak and overnight freight delivery?

Yes

8a. If yes, please explain in narrative.

The Port Authority continues to evaluate options for efficiencies at their terminals. When the strategies become viable for port operations the port would consider implementation.

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 project focuses on the movement of freight at the wharf and not on the roadway. The wharf connects the water side and roadside of the State’s multimodal transportation system.

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 Port Authority is a critical resource that produces jobs and economic prosperity for the state and local economy. Throughout its history, whenever the Port Authority has thrived, the Houston area has thrived. The project supports the community of clients who ship to and from the Port Authority’s container terminals.

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.

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

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.

This project will improve the Port’s resiliency by reconstructing the wharf which was initially constructed between 1975 and 1985. Cargo crossing the terminal is already reduced due to its weight limits to ensure the movement is safe to customers and employees.

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 Port of Houston Authority (“Port Authority”) owns a diverse group of facilities designed for handling all types of cargo including general cargo, containers, grain, coal, dry and liquid bulk and project and heavy-lift cargo. Barbours Cut Terminal, a premier intermodal facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast, was designed to optimize productivity by providing a fast turnaround for container and cargo vessels. The current terminal is going through a restoration and strengthening initiative to reconstruct the entire terminal which was originally constructed from 1975 to 1985; the terminal opened container operations in 1997. The original terminal was not intended to process the amount or weight of the freight currently moving across the terminal, as container operations have evolved from chassis mounted containers to increasingly densified stacks. This has increased truck turn times and caused safety concerns as parts of the yards are taken out of service due to disrepair and required upgrades. The wharves were also not designed to receive Post-Panamax vessels. The strengthening will allow for efficiency of vessel travel, and mooring time, while increasing the longevity of the wharves. When fully redeveloped, the terminal will have consistent yard space to maximize efficiency and enable growing volumes; the Port Authority container volumes have increased 50 percent in four years, and expectations of continued growth underscore the need to upgrade the facilities quickly. In addition, all wharves will be able to receive Post-Panamax vessels. The design and budget estimates are based on the successful implementation of similar yards and wharves currently under construction at the Barbours Cut Container Terminal. The restoration and upgrade are needed to handle the current and future demand of cargo calling at Barbours Cut.

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.

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.

NA this is a wharf project.

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 wharf project is not on the Resiliency tool. The roadway nearest the terminal is high risk. The wharf is at a high enough elevation not to flood.

Access/Connectivity

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

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

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

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1d. Disabled Persons

1e. Elderly Persons

1f. Limited English Proficiency

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.

NA in a quarter of a mile the project is still in the terminal.

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.

Port Authority-related businesses contribute 1,350,695 jobs throughout Texas, up from 1,174,567 million jobs cited in a 2014 study. The Port Authority is an economic engine for the nation, state, and region. Activity at the Port Authority sustains 3 million U.S. jobs, provides $802 billion in economic value, and generates $38 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue. The Port Authority is a critical resource that produces jobs and economic prosperity for the state and local economy. Throughout its history, whenever the Port Authority has thrived, the Houston area has thrived.

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.

The impact of this project will stretch far beyond the terminal boundaries, and especially benefit Harris and surrounding counties. Harris County alone serves a population of over 5 million people, with 104 opportunity zones identified by the Internal Revenue Service. Many of the surrounding rural counties also serve Historically Disadvantaged populations. The Port Authority is committed to environmental stewardship by ensuring that business and the environment co-exist for mutual benefit. In 2002, the Port Authority became the first U.S. port authority to attain the international standard for environmental management systems known as ISO 14001, and this year, the Port Authority renewed its commitment to be certified under the new 2015 ISO environmental standard. The Port Authority’s Environmental Management System is the cornerstone of its work to protect and preserve the natural environment and mitigate impacts to local communities. The system is continually expanding to integrate additional port operations and has included the Barbours Cut Terminal since the system’s inception. • Reduction of emissions by strengthening 2,776 linear feet of wharf for processing containers totals $217,502,490 in undiscounted benefits. o 3,614.41 short ton reduction of NOx ($39,584,266 Undiscounted) o 214.56 short ton reduction of PM2.5 ($105,825,975 Undiscounted) o 164.40 short ton reduction of VOC ($439,642 Undiscounted) o 245,242.88 short ton reduction of CO2 (Not monetized by DOT) o 2,055.34 short ton reduction of SO2 ($131,132,059 Undiscounted) • Reduction of emissions by reducing turn times for processing containers totals $183,214,215 in undiscounted benefits. o 300.13 short ton reduction of NOx ($2,581,121 Undiscounted) o 438.54 short ton reduction of PM2.5 ($169,848,341 Undiscounted) o 23.85 short ton reduction of VOC ($50,081 Undiscounted) o 25,699,438.3 short ton reduction of CO2 (Not monetized by DOT) o 214.26 short ton reduction of SO2 ($10,734,672 Undiscounted)

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.

A detailed NEPA was completed for this project and accepted by Department of Transportation MARAD. As this site is already a wharf and the project is restoration limited to no impacts were found.

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.

Approximately 1,800 short ton of NOx and 80 short tons VOC.

Innovation

1. Does the project propose to implement new infrastructure technologies to enhance accessibility, mobility, multimodalism, resiliency, reliability, or traffic operations?

2. Does the project propose to implement new autonomous/connected vehicle technology?

Additional Documents

BCT Container Wharf Upgrade.pdf

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