Transportation Project Questionnaire

Operational Improvements and Congestion Management Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	SH 225 at SL 8 Three Remaining DC ramps
Facility/Street/Highway	SH 225
Limits	AT SL 8
Description	CONSTRUCT 3 DIRECT CONNECTOR RAMPS (EB-NB, EB-SB, WB-SB)
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$95,000,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

1. Is the project located on a facility listed on Texas 100 most congested roads list?

No

1b. If no, please provide the existing peak period travel time index (TTI) of the facility where proposed project is located.

1.0 – 1.25

1b-i. Provide a narrative describing the existing congestion where proposed project is located and describe narrative to explain methodology to calculate existing TTI.

Travel Time Index (TTI) is a ratio that compares peak period travel times along a corridor to average travel times, thus estimating a relative level of rush hour congestion. Current TTI for the project area is 1.17, indicating that it takes 1.17 times as long to travel this corridor in the peak period than average, which is mildly congested.

2. What is the estimated TTI after project is implemented?

1.5 – 1.75

2a. Provide a narrative describing the existing congestion where proposed project is located. Within the narrative explain the methodology and data used to calculate existing Travel Time Index (TTI).

Travel Time Index (TTI) is a ratio that compares peak period travel times along a corridor to average travel times, thus estimating a relative level of rush hour congestion. Current TTI for the project area is 1.17, indicating that it takes 1.17 times as long to travel this corridor in the peak period than average, which is mildly congested.

3. Please provide a narrative to describe congestion management strategies and improvements (work types) proposed to reduce congestion on facility where the proposed project is located.

The projects that result from the PEL Recommendation will include elevated structures (Work Code 541, CRF 30) that will add capacity and provide a means for express travel thus vehicles move more efficiently. The project includes the following Congestion Management Strategy: Intersection Improvement. This project will construct direct connectors/aux lanes (WC 521/522) that will improve interchange design (WC 515) and operation, facilitating more efficient traffic flow and reducing congestion caused by intersection-related crashes.

4. Is the proposed project located on a facility identified as a hurricane evacuation route in any regional or local plans?

Yes

Other Investment Category Focused Criteria

1. Was the project scored under Regional Goods Movement Category?

Yes

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 located in a high growth area. The population is projected to grow by 0.4% and jobs are projected to increase by 12.3%. No notable land use changes announced or modeled.

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.

Sidewalks will not be built on this DC ramps/aux lanes only project.

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

Harris County Transit: Baytown/Laporte - Gulfgate Shuttle will use the NB-EB DC ramp and related aux lanes, this will improve transit service reliability as the buses will no longer be idling at signalized intersections on the existing frontage roads.

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 construct 3 direct connector ramps/aux lanes to better maintain flow on the facility after vehicle collisions. The direct connector ramps/aux lanes will also better accommodate diverting traffic should an incident occur that impacts the main lanes.

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.

Pavement Score: Poor Narrative: This segment contains pavement in Poor condition, according to TxDOT and FHWA guidelines. This project will include new connectors in Good condition, which will improve existing pavement and increase the overall amount of pavement miles in Good condition.

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.

3.82

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.

21.647

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.

Crash rates for this segment are per 100 million VMT. The fatality rate is 3.82, higher than the regional average (1.23), and the serious injury rate is 21.647, higher than the regional average (6.18). This project will improve interchange design and operation (aux lanes WC 521/522), reducing intersection-related crashes. The consolidated crash reduction factor is 65% as a result of constructing direct connector ramps on an interchange (WC 515).

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.

Medium

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.

Medium

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 existing at-grade frontage road intersections will be replaced with above-grade DC ramps/aux lanes reducing the risk of flooding. 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

2,185

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

1,435

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

2,185

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

1,435

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

189

1d. Disabled Persons

118

1e. Elderly Persons

19

1f. Limited English Proficiency

229

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.

17.00

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.

The area surrounding the project segment has a lower low-income population (9.06%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (68.82%) as compared to the regional average of 65% minority. Because of its central location in the regional network, the project will produce improvements in mobility and connectivity for vulnerable populations as well as connectivity to schools, medical facilities, and social services for the regional population. As a result of the improvement, vulnerable populations will have increased resilience and evacuation capacity in the event of hazards. SH 225 is an evacuation route. The project will improve drainage to ATLAS-14 standards, which reduce flooding events and their impact on vulnerable populations. The project will increase access to and reliability of transit services for vulnerable populations, who generally rely more on these services.

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 area surrounding the project segment has a lower low-income population (9.06%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (68.82%) as compared to the regional average of 65% minority. TxDOT’s NEPA Environmental Process is designed to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Executive Order on Environmental Justice. Standard practice is to implement projects that provide user safety and operational efficiency while taking into account environmental quality and impacts to surrounding communities. In practice this means identifying and assessing potential project impacts, then proposing measures to avoid, minimize and/or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse effects to Environmental Justice Populations. For example, the project will improve drainage to ATLAS-14 standards, which will mitigate impacts from added capacity to vulnerable populations.

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.

This project is in conceptual development. If required, the appropriate NEPA Environmental Document (Categorical Exclusion, Environmental Assessment, or Environmental Impact Statement) will be conducted to identify, avoid, and mitigate potential impacts to the natural or human environment.

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.
(Optional)

NOx: -0.33; VOC: 1.49

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.

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)

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

Yes

2a. If yes, please explain.

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)

Additional Documents

2023HGAC-CFP-RGM-LOS-Port Freeport-Chairman (ALL RGM TxDOT Projects).pdf

2023CFP-206 map.png