Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Beaumont District
Project Title	FM 1405 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 1405
Limits	From SH 99 south to FM 2354
Description	Widen from 2 to 4 lanes with center turn lane
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$16,000,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

1. Is the proposed project recommended in a statewide, regional, or local freight plan?

No

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.

6.2

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

6.2

5. Does the project facility provide new or improved connectivity to a port/airport?

No

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?

6,050,000+ square feet

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.

FM 1405 is listed as a critical urban freight corridor with the FHWA. The corridor connects to SH 99 and SH 146, which is another CRFC. The widening will help add capacity to carry more goods from their destination or origin. Several freight generators are currently located in this stretch of FM 1405 including Walmart warehouses, an Ikea distribution center, Cedar Port Industrial Park, Century Terminals, Cedar Port Terminals, Trifecta Trading, etc.

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

No

9. Is the proposed project located on a State designated hurricane evacuation route?

No

9a. If no, is the proposed project located on a facility identified as a hurricane evacuation route in any regional or local plans?

No

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.

FM 1405 connects to SH 146, which is a designated evacuation route. Also, it is an alternate route that residents along FM 2354 could use to travel north to major 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.

This project will improve connectivity, ease congestion, and reduce travel time on this segment of FM 1405. The additional capacity and turn lanes will improve access to many major freight generators along this route including manufacturing facilities and warehouses. The project will improve operations for the area network by reducing congestion (improving the level-of-service) on FM 1405. The additional lanes will help truck traffic to more safely operate alongside local traffic.

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.

Many large distribution centers have been constructed along and adjacent to this corridor. As this type of development continues, the additional lanes provided by this project will help alleviate the increase of traffic and maintain a high level-of-service.

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.

There are few (if any) bike or pedestrian generators within the project limits. The need for sidewalks or bike accommodations will be further evaluated during the project development process and will be included in accordance with TxDOT's Roadway Design Manual if needed.

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.

The proposed project will reduce inoperability from vehicular crashes or potential storm damage by providing additional lanes of travel and full 10' shoulders. The proposed facility will be less prone to complete closure because of the added capacity. The increased capacity should reduce the number of accidents and improve the response time of emergency responders.

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.

This project will improve the state of good repair and extend and improve the service life and resiliency of the facility by adding newly constructed sections and reevaluating any existing pavement that may remain to bring it up to the current standards. The pavement design for the new sections and any existing sections will be based on the latest traffic data and design standards. The drainage facilities for the project will be designed to meet or exceed ATLAS-14 standards. With this newly constructed / reconstructed section minimal maintenance work should be required for several decades.

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

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.

1.413

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 proposed project reduces expected fatality and serious injury crashes by building to current design standards with 12' travel lanes and 10' outside shoulders and a 14' - 16' center left turn lane. The proposed design would include additional through lanes, a continuous turn lane, edge line rumble strips or profile pavement markings as appropriate, and full-width shoulders (10' vs the existing that are 4' or less).

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.

High

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 proposed project would reduce the vulnerability to flooding as it would be built to current hydrologic and hydraulic design standards. It would be designed to meet or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards. Specific improvements may include additional cross drainage capacity and possibly raising the proposed roadway profile if determined necessary by the hydraulic analysis.

Access/Connectivity

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

1509

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2161

2. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a medical facility within a quarter mile buffer of the project location?

No

3. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a school/college/university within a quarter mile buffer of the project location?

No

4. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a social services facility within a quarter buffer of the project location?

No

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

1509

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2161

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

780

1d. Disabled Persons

479

1e. Elderly Persons

142

1f. Limited English Proficiency

243

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.

23.3

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.

By adding capacity, the proposed project should reduce traffic congestion and help minimize travel delays. This added capacity project should improve connectivity to and from the employment opportunities along this corridor. The additional through lanes and center turn lane should help improve safety along this stretch of roadway. The project would provide accommodations for pedestrian and bike traffic in accordance with TxDOT's Roadway Design Manual as needed. Widening the facility, adding a center turn lane, and adding 10' shoulders will provide a safety benefit to employees entering and exiting the roadway from businesses and warehouses along the corridor. Providing full shoulders will provide a safer bicycling area within corridor.

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 footprint of the proposed roadway improvements would be minimized to help prevent impacts to adjacent properties. The proposed roadway section will fit in the existing ROW and thus will not require any displacements of persons, businesses, etc. The current roadway usage would not change with the proposed construction project. The addition of through lanes would maintain access to adjacent properties including public and private facilities and services with less impact to the flow of traffic than currently occurs. The addition of a center turn lane would provide better and safer access to businesses along the roadway.

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.

Floodplains present in the vicinity of this project include the 100 year, 500 year, Coastal Flood Zone, and a floodway. In addition, some wetlands are present. During project development, wetland information is provided to the design team to determine where the project might impact Waters of the U.S. (WOUS). The design is adjusted if possible to avoid and minimize impacts to WOUS. Any unavoidable impacts are mitigated through USACE approved mitigation banks. With regard to the floodplains present, the project would be designed to have no negative impact to the floodplain and we would coordinate with the floodplain administrator concerning these. No historical sites are located within the project limits and no archeological sites are believed to be present. A thorough investigation into cultural resources is conducted during project development and, if present, the locations are provided to the design team to avoid. Review and coordination of this project would follow approved procedures for compliance with Federal and State laws.

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 will work with sponsor after emissions reductions calculation template is developed.

Innovation

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

No

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

No

Additional Documents