Transportation Project Questionnaire

Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 1495 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 1495
Limits	From FM 523 to North of Brazos River Bridge
Description	Widen from 2-lane to 4 -lane roadway
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$17,000,000.00

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)?

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.

7.2

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

11.2

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?

Yes

6a. If yes, what is the estimated warehouse capacity of the other freight generators?

0.00

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 FM 1495 from a 2-lane to a 4 -lane from FM 523 to north of the Brazos River Bridge in Brazoria County. This project is part of the Critical Urban Freight Network, as it lies on the Texas Highway Freight Network. It is listed in the RTP 2045 (MPOID 18505) and the H-GAC 2023 Regional Goods Movement Study. This project is in a high-growth area and will be needed to accommodate commercial and industrial expansion. The proposed project will improve connectivity with the Port of Freeport, which is expanding their shipping container yard, and with the many chemical plants nearby. Although the proposed project is not directly on a State Evacuation Route, FM 1495 connects directly to SH 36/SH 288 which is classified as a State Evacuation Route. FM 1495 also connects indirectly (close by to FM 523 - Only large crossing over Dow Barge Canal to SH 332.) to SH 332 which is classified as a Texas state evacuation route. The route is one of only two crossings over the Brazos River in this area. The added capacity will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also improving safety (10 Ft wide shoulders and a continuous center turn lane will be constructed) by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment of FM 1495 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 road link. This 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?

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?

Yes

i. If yes, please explain in a narrative.

Although the proposed project is not directly on a State Evacuation Route, FM 1495 connects directly to SH 36/SH 288 which is classified as a State Evacuation Route. FM 1495 also connects indirectly (close by to FM 523 - Only large crossing over Dow Barge Canal to SH 332.) to SH 332 which is classified as a Texas state evacuation route. The route is one of only two crossings over the Brazos River in this area.

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 FM 1495 connects the Port of Freeport to all points west. It is congested and needs additional capacity. The current daily volume of traffic on the segment is roughly 4,435 vehicles per day and 7.2 percent of them are trucks. The estimated percent increase in volume from 2021 to 2041 is estimated to be 40 percent. Truck traffic is expected to represent 11.2 percent after implementation of the project by 2041. The segment of FM 1495 that includes the project had a total crash rate of 149.8 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles of travel over the past five years. The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion on FM 1495 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 improving safety (10 Ft wide shoulders and a continuous center turn lane will be constructed where no left turn lanes exist and impeding traffic flow while waiting to turn) by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment of FM 1495 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 Port of Freeport which is expanding their shipping container yard. There are also numerous chemical plant rehabilitation projects going on currently and a recently completed Liquidified Nature Gas (LNG) industry related project. The widening will alleviate future congestion due to additional truck traffic coming out of the Port of Freeport and workers commuting to and from nearby chemical plants.

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 the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the corridor. The project will construct a 10-foot wide shoulder which can be used by pedestrians and bicyclists alike.

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 but a 10 Ft wide shoulder will also allow for future transit or on demand service to make stops without impeding road traffic.

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. Given this segment of FM 1495’s proximity to the City of Freeport’s grid pattern street network and a bridge crossing on S Velasco Blvd over the Brazos River, an inoperability period will be minimized. Freight traffic can also take alternative routes on SH 288 or SH 36 if FM 1495 is shut down.

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 on this segment is largely in fair condition (with an IRI score between 95 and 170) and some in poor condition (with an International Roughness Index (IRI) score of greater than 170. One bridge on this project segment is in poor condition according to FHWA guidance, with a minimum condition score of less than 4. The project includes reconstruction of the roadway to today’s design standards 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.

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.

The segment of FM 1495 that includes the project had a total crash rate of 149.77 crashes per one hundred million vehicle miles of travel over the past five years. The added capacity will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also improving safety (10 Ft wide shoulders and a continuous center turn lane will be constructed where no left turn lanes exist and impeding traffic flow while waiting to turn) by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment of FM 1495 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.

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 roadway link. All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards (project could include new detention ponds or larger ditches to drain towards the Brazos River).

Access/Connectivity

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

4,295

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2,850

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

4,295

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2,850

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

862

1d. Disabled Persons

655

1e. Elderly Persons

209

1f. Limited English Proficiency

111

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.

61.90

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. A 10 Ft wide shoulder will be constructed on this project which could be used by pedestrians and bicyclist alike. A 10 Ft wide shoulder will also allow for future transit or on demand service to make stops without impeding road traffic.

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.

Reducing the risk of collision for freight vehicles, especially HAZMAT loads has a direct impact on the facility and surrounding community resilience by mitigating potential for HAZMAT collisions. All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards (reduce flooding risk). Any sound walls that are identified prior during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process will be constructed on this project (mitigating noise pollution), otherwise the corridor is entirely industrial land uses or vacant land that fronts on FM 1495 and nearby FM 523.

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 can be impacted have been identified near this project segment at this time. Nearby the Brazos River (natural) and Dow Barge Canal (man-made), the project will have Best Management Practices (BMP) done during construction to prevent sediment pollution.

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 701 CSJ 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.

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 701 CSJ right now, this type of work could easily be done on these construction/reconstruction projects.