Transportation Project Questionnaire

Operational Improvements and Congestion Management Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	Brazoria County
Project Title	CR 44 improvements
Facility/Street/Highway	County Road 44
Limits	FM 521 to SH 288
Description	Install signage to warn drivers of roadway conditions and rumble strips to improve safety along CR 44 from FM 521 to W Wilkins Street. Construct 10-foot shoulders along CR 44 from SH 288 to FM 521 to offset fixed objects from the travel way and improve sight distance at intersections and driveways.
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$6,500,000.00

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.

Project is addressing safety needs along the corridor. There are no segments of extended congestion along CR 44.

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

1.0 – 1.25

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).

Project is addressing safety needs along the corridor. There are no segments of extended congestion along CR 44.

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.

Project is addressing safety needs along the corridor. There are no segments of extended congestion along CR 44.

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

No

4a. If no, is the proposed project located on a facility that functions as an alternative to an evacuation route?

No

Other Investment Category Focused Criteria

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

No

1a. If no, please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves regional goods movement. Within the narrative, please include if the proposed project is designated as a critical freight corridor or a local/regional/state truck route.

The CR 44 project is primarily a safety improvement project that will address sight distance concerns and provide a shoulder for safer operations which will impact local truck operations in and out of Angleton.

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.

CR 44 has experienced a 4% annual growth rate over the last four years with volumes increasing from 3250 vpd to 3500 vpd. The volume does not trigger a capacity need, but improvements to shoulders and other safety features are becoming prevalent as volumes continue to increase on this important corridor that connect the county seat of Angleton to FM 521.

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.

The proposed project will improve bike safety by widening from a two foot shoulder to a then foot shoulder, giving more room for bicyclists to operate (when needed) outside of the travel lane.

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

Current CR 44 does not service a fixed route for the Gulf Coast Transit District at this time.

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.

By widening the existing shoulder from two to ten feet, vehicles would have an ability to get out of the travel lane.

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.

With a annual growth of 4% per year in the traffic volume, pavement conditions will degrade more quickly over the next several years. The CR 44 improvement project will include new pavement to address future traffic demands including heavy vehicles traveling to and from FM 521 and SH 288 via Angleton, Texas.

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.

Existing crash rate on CR 44 is 187.92 as outlined in the Brazoria County Mobility Plan completed in 2022. This is above the statewide average for similar roadways.

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.

The crash rate for serious injury along CR 44 is 22.1. There were four serious injury crashes over the last five years long the corridor.

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.

CR 44 improvements will include a 10-foot shoulder, an improvement to the clear zone along the corridor, intersection sight distance improvements, improved signage to warn motorists of slick road conditions when raining, and the addition of rumble strips as CR 44 approaches the intersection with FM 521.

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 project does not change the vulnerability to flooding.

Access/Connectivity

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

2645

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2631

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?

Yes

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

Yes

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

2645

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2631

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

384

1d. Disabled Persons

762

1e. Elderly Persons

703

1f. Limited English Proficiency

98

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.

25.3

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.

CR 44 improvements will include a 10-foot shoulder, an improvement to the clear zone along the corridor, intersection sight distance improvements, improved signage to warn motorists of slick road conditions when raining, and the addition of rumble strips as CR 44 approaches the intersection with FM 521.

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.

CR 44 improvements will decrease traffic congestion as the 10-foot shoulder will serve as the clear zone in case of any emergency or accident.

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.

HGAC to provide this information.

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)

HGAC to provide this information.

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