Operational Improvements and Congestion Management Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name City of Angleton
Project Title Henderson Road Improvement Project
Facility/Street/Highway Henderson Road
Limits From SH 288B to SH 35
Description This project will improve the modlity and safety for bike, pedestrian, and vechicular movements in a cooridor with an existing school and significant amount of new development. The City has perform a cooridor study and identifed that the two lane roadway is insufficent and does is required to be converted into a boulavard section with sidewalks/shared paths and several signalized intersection. Associated drainage improvements will be required to install this boulevard cross-section and improve the drainage in the area.
Timeframe Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost $51,600,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

No

1.0 – 1.25

A traffic study conducted in June 2021 shows that 3 major intersections on Henderson Road at Business 288, North Valderas Street, and North Downing Street will have a level of service of D or worse during the morning peak hour and afternoon peak hour of the existing Year 2020. Level of service is a term used by the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) which compares traffic volumes to the roadway and intersection capacities. A level of service F typically means congestions and long delays at the roadway intersection. The existing Year 2020 travel time index (TTI) is 1.15 and 1.25 for the morning peak hour and afternoon peak hour, respectively. The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) methodology was used to calculate the existing TTI. Traffic data from the traffic study in June 2021 was used with Synchro, a traffic modeling software, to calculate the corridor’s speeds, which was then used to calculate the TTI.

1.0 – 1.25

A traffic study conducted in June 2021 shows that 3 major intersections on Henderson Road at Business 288, North Valderas Street, and North Downing Street will have a level of service of D or worse during the morning peak hour and afternoon peak hour of the existing Year 2020. Level of service is a term used by the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) which compares traffic volumes to the roadway and intersection capacities. A level of service F typically means congestions and long delays at the roadway intersection. The existing Year 2020 travel time index (TTI) is 1.15 and 1.25 for the morning peak hour and afternoon peak hour, respectively. If the project is not implemented, the projected Year 2030 TTI is 2.00 and 1.50 for the morning peak hour and afternoon peak hour, respectively. On the other hand, if the project is implemented, the projected Year 2030 TTI is 1.15 and 1.08 for the morning peak hour and afternoon peak hour, respectively. The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) methodology was used to calculate the existing TTI. Traffic data from the traffic study in June 2021 was used with Synchro, a traffic modeling software, to calculate the corridor’s speeds, which was then used to calculate the TTI.

A traffic study conducted in June 2021 shows that 4 of the major intersections on Henderson Road between Business 288 and SH 35 will have a level of service of F during the afternoon peak hour by year 2030 due to population growth and residential developments. Level of service is a term used by the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) which compares traffic volumes to the roadway and intersection capacities. A level of service F typically means congestions and long delays at the roadway intersection. The project proposes an increase in capacity of Henderson Road from a 2-lane roadway to a 4-lane roadway, which is work type code 538. Intersection level improvements include upgrading existing turn lanes to TxDOT standards, adding turn lanes, and signalizing three intersections, which is work type code 107. Adding more signals to the corridor will help provide better coordination between the signalized intersections, which should provide a better flow of traffic through the corridor. Pedestrian signals will also be added. This upgrade is work type code 110. Once these proposed updates to the roadway are complete, the level of service will improve from F to D or better for all 4 intersections previously described during the afternoon peak hour. The morning peak hour shows a similar level of improvement from level of service F to C or better for three of the major intersections on Henderson Road between Business 288 and SH 35. The proposed updates should also improve traffic congestion along the entire Henderson Road corridor between Business 288 and SH 35 with the additional capacity of 2 more through lanes and with the added coordination between all signalized intersections. This corridor is the only east-west corridor between FM 523 and downtown Angleton, so this project could improve traffic congestion within the entire City of Angleton.

No

Yes

Per H-GAC's Year 2023 hurricane evacuation route map, the proposed project corridor Henderson Road is not identified as an evacuation corridor. However, SH288 is identified as an evacuation corridor, and Henderson Road has a direct connection to SH288. The project proposes improvements starting at the intersection of Henderson Road and Business 288, which is approximately one mile east of SH288. Therefore, the project will improve a corridor that can serve as a vital connection to SH288, a hurricane evacuation corridor.

Other Investment Category Focused Criteria

No

This project currently does not have an excessive amount of regional goods movement in the corridor. Therefore, it was not submitted to HGAC for TIP Funding consideration.

A traffic study conducted in June 2021 shows that 4 of the major intersections on Henderson Road between SH 288B and SH 35 will have a level of service of F during the afternoon peak hour by year 2030 due to population growth and residential developments. Level of service is a term used by the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) which compares traffic volumes to the roadway and intersection capacities. A level of service F typically means congestions and long delays at the roadway intersection. The project proposes an expansion of Henderson Road from a 2-lane roadway to a 4-lane roadway. Intersection level improvements include upgrading existing turn lanes to TxDOT standards, adding turn lanes, and signalizing three intersections. Once these proposed updates to the roadway are complete, the level of service will improve from F to D or better for all 4 intersections previously described during the afternoon peak hour. The morning peak hour shows a similar level of improvement from level of service F to C or better for three of the major intersections on Henderson Road between SH 288B and SH 35. The proposed updates should also improve traffic operations along the entire Henderson Road corridor between SH 288B and SH 35 with the additional capacity of 2 more through lanes and with the added coordination between all signalized intersections. This corridor is the only east-west corridor between SH 35 and SH 288B (downtown Angleton), so this project could improve traffic operations within the entire City of Angleton.

The project corridor, Henderson Road between SH 288B and SH 35, has no continuous sidewalks, shared use paths, or bicycle lanes today. The project proposes an addition of a 10’ shared use path on the north side and a 5’ sidewalk on the south side of the corridor. This proposed shared use path will provide an east-west connection along Henderson Road for pedestrians and bikers. In addition, the proposed crosswalk and pedestrian signals at North Downing Street will provide a north-south connection right in the center of the Henderson Road corridor. These two improvements will combine to provide new multi-modal connections for all these regional traffic generators: Rancho Isabella Elementary School, Angleton Middle School, Angleton High School, Freedom Park, Rancho Isabella Park, Brushy Bayou Park, and existing and proposed residentials developments.

Currently, there are two public bus routes provided by the Gulf Coast Transit District (GCTD) that go through the project area on Henderson Road. These bus routes include 13 bus stops on Henderson Road. Each time a bus stops at one of these 13 bus stops, traffic will have to stop and wait for the bus to service commuters because the corridor is predominantly a 2-lane roadway. The project proposes an expansion of Henderson Road from a 2-lane roadway to a 4-lane roadway, which will allow for buses to service commuters while still allowing traffic to progress through the corridor by using the additional through lane. In addition to the corridor expansion, the project also proposes intersection level improvements such as upgrading existing turn lanes to TxDOT standards, adding turn lanes, and signalizing three intersections. Per the traffic study conducted in June 2021, these roadway changes will improve the corridor’s traffic operations, which includes the bus system operations. The additional through lane will add a level of safety to the bus operation by allowing more space for buses to service commuters along the 13 bus stops on Henderson Road. The current two-lane configuration has a certain risk for heavy traffic congestion and interruption of the bus system if there are any stalled vehicles, accidents, or utility service vehicles that could potentially shutdown one of the through lanes.

The project corridor, Henderson Road, is a two-lane roadway. Any vehicular or infrastructure accidents could lead to a partial or complete shutdown of the corridor due to the narrowness of the current roadway. Emergency and commuter vehicles may not be able to progress through the corridor in the case of a major accident. The additional through lane would provide more space to allow emergency and commuter vehicles to progress past any major accidents and through the entire corridor without significant delays.

The project proposes an expansion of Henderson Road and would most likely involve replacing the existing 2-lane roadway with a new boulevard section, thus improving the existing roadway conditions. The additional through lane would shift the traffic demand from only two lanes of roadway to four lanes of roadway, which should extend the service life of each roadway lane in comparison to the service life of each lane of the current 2-lane roadway. In addition, the proposed shared use path and intersection improvements at North Downing Street would provide a multi-modal option for the region’s inhabitants and may decrease the demand for vehicular traffic, which would extend the service life of the project facility as well. Overall, these improvements should improve the state of good repair by reducing the need for maintenance on the project facility.

Planning Factors Criteria

The existing fatality crash rate is zero along Henderson Roadway between SH 288B and SH 35.

The existing fatality crash rate is zero along Henderson Roadway between SH 288B and SH 35.

According to H-GAC’s safety benefits calculation template, the project is categorized as a safety improvement type of converting a 2-lane facility to a 4-lane divided facility, which is a work type code of 538. The crash reduction factor would be 45%. The project also includes installing traffic signals at three intersections along Henderson Road. This safety improve type has a work code of 107, and the crash reduction factor would be 28%. As mentioned in previous responses, the existing fatality crash rate and existing serious injury crash rate are zero. On the other hand, the crash rate may increase in the future with the increase in population growth, residential developments, and corridor congestion, thus the project’s potential to reduce crashes may still be an important factor to consider.

Resiliency

Low

Low

The existing drainage on Henderson roadway consist of a combination of large open ditches and storm sewers which drain approximately 271 acres. The large existing ditches provides approximately a 4% annual exceedance (25-year) level of service. The existing storm system that was installed adjacent to the Angleton Middle School along Henderson Road was installed too high limiting the capacity of the remaining portions of the upstream drainage system. Once the existing drainage system’s capacity is reached, flooding occurs in the subdivision such as Rancho Isabella Subdivision (including Rancho Isabella Elementary) which limits the access for residents and emergency vehicles during times of inclement weather. The City has been proactive in preparing for the HGAC’s TIP Funding application by completing and accepting the Henderson Road Improvement Project Drainage Study (2022). This document identifies solutions to address the current and future drainage issues. The proposed improvements identified in the study will provide storm sewer capacity to contain the 1% annual exceedance (100-year) flow rate (Atlas-14 Data) along Henderson Road and provide flood risk reduction benefits to the adjacent neighborhoods. These drainage improvements will also allow for the installation of the proposed paving cross section and intersection improvements providing a more efficient and safer passage that will reduce congestion along the corridor (vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian). Starting on the east side of the corridor, near SH 35, the proposed improvements begin as a 42-inch Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP) and continues to the west until Meadowview Drive. From Meadowview Drive the drainage system changes to a 60-inch RCP continuing west to the outfall at Rancho Ditch. Beginning at Heritage Park Drive a section of triple 8-foot x 5-foot Reinforced Box Culverts (RCB) will be installed heading east ultimately out falling into Rancho Ditch. Beginning on the west side of the corridor at Valderas Street a dual 54-inch RCP will be installed continuing east to Downing Street. From Downing Street, a section of triple 10-foot x 5-foot RCB will be installed east to the existing outfall location to Brushy Bayou that is located just west of Buchta Road intersection. All drainage improvements ultimately outfall into Brushy Bayou. The Henderson Road Improvement Drainage Study identified a need for 45.3 acre-ft of detention to mitigate the impact to Brushy Bayou. The City of Angleton has approached the Angleton Drainage District (ADD), who has permitting authority and maintenance responsibility on Brushy Bayou, about a partnership for this project where ADD would provide the needed detention volume at the Rabb Road Regional Detention Facility to mitigate the impacts to Brushy Bayou. ADD has agreed that they would partner with the City on this project and provide and build the required amount of detention to mitigate the impacts of the proposed improvements.

Access/Connectivity

2,195

1,009

Yes

Yes

Yes

Environmental Justice

2,195

1,009

474

1,022

1,468

187

37.40015

Henderson Road currently has very limited opportunities for pedestrian and bicyclist. There are no sidewalks/shared paths from Downing Street west to SH 288B. There are large open ditches in sections of the corridor causing pedestrian/ bicyclist to walk/ride along the side or the edge of pavement (no shoulder). Businesses that service the community such as Greenhouse Child Care and Learning Center, Gulf Coast Driving Academy, Family First Primary Care, Master Lee’s USK Tae Kwon Do Studio, Patrick P Thomas, D.D.S. General Dentist Office, and TDECU Bank do not have accessibility for pedestrian/cyclist. Students that attend Rancho Issabella Elementary, Angleton Middle School, and Angleton High School that walk or ride a bicycle from areas located west of Downing Street are also affected by the lack of existing sidewalks/shared paths. This effects their ability to attend after school activities such as band, sports, etc. Also, there are 4 multifamily developments located on the east side of Downing that include seniors and are subsidized, rent assisted, or Housing Choice Voucher (formerly known as Section 8) that do not have the ability to walk/bike to the Social Security Administration office which is located on the west side of Downing Street. The Henderson Road Project will include a 10-foot side path on the north side and a 5-wide sidewalk on the south side from SH 35 to SH 288B. These improvements will connect the new sidewalks and shared path to the existing sidewalk systems that are currently disconnected located on Valderas Street (major collector roadway) and Downing Street (major collector roadway). These improvements will allow residents that are pedestrians/bicyclists of all ages and socioeconomic status to safely access the three Schools (Rancho Isabella Elementary, Angleton Middle School, and Angleton High School), recreational parks (Freedom Park, Rancho Issabella Park and Brush Bayou Park), commercial business, medical facilities, and Social Security Administration office located on or within a half mile of the Henderson Road Corridor. The Gulf Coast Transit District (GCTD) provides public transportation for residents in the City of Angleton. There are several GCTD bus stops along the Henderson Road for residents that utilize public transportation to complete their daily activities. Henderson’s current road configuration is a two-lane roadway. When residents require public transportation, the GCTD bus must stop in a lane of traffic to provide assess for loading or unloading passengers which blocks that lane and increases the congestion on the roadway. The proposed Henderson Road is a boulevard section that would allow the GCTD bus to utilize the outside lane to pick up or drop off passengers while leaving the inside lane open for continuous traffic movements. This will improve the safety and reduce congestion on the roadway.

Among the list of adverse effects found in the H-GAC Project Selection Process Criteria, several adverse effects are mitigated and/or positively impacted through this project. Per the results of the traffic study conducted in June 2021, the traffic congestion should be reduced when the proposed roadway widening and intersection improvements on Henderson Road have been built. This reduction in traffic congestion will result in better fuel economy and a decrease in air pollution as well. As mentioned in previous responses, the proposed shared use path and the proposed crosswalk and pedestrian signals will provide new multi-modal connections for the region’s major traffic generators. The Henderson Road Project will include a 10-foot side path on the north side and a 5-wide sidewalk on the south side. These improvements will connect the new sidewalk and shared path of the entire corridor to the existing sidewalk systems that are currently disconnected located on Valderas Street (major collector roadway), Downing Street (major collector roadway), and Buchta Road (major collector roadway). Children that that attend Rancho Isabella Elementary, Angleton Middle School, and Angleton High School that walk or ride a bicycles from areas located west of Downing Street are affected by the lack of existing sidewalks/shared paths and affects their ability to safely assess the three schools in the area (including after school activities such as band, sports, etc.) and recreational parks (Freedom Park, Rancho Issabella Park and Brushy Bayou Park). The 4 multifamily developments located on the east side of Downing that include senior citizens and residents that have subsidized rent, assisted rent, or Housing Choice Voucher (formerly known as Section 8) that do not have the ability to walk/bike to the west side of Downing. The improvements will allow these vulnerable populations access to the Social Security Administration and other businesses such as Greenhouse Child Care and Learning Center, Gulf Coast Driving Academy, Family First Primary Care, Master Lee’s USK Tae Kwon Do Studio, Patrick P Thomas, D.D.S. General Dentist Office, TDECU Bank, etc which are located on the west end of Henderson Road. The Gulf Coast Transit District (GCTD) provides public transportation for residents in the City of Angleton. There are several GCTD bus stops along the Henderson Road for residents that utilize public transportation to complete their daily activities. The proposed Henderson Road is a boulevard section that would allow the GCTD bus to utilize the outside lane to pick up or drop off passengers while leaving the inside lane open for continuous traffic movements. This will improve the safety of the commuters and reduce congestion on the roadway. The proposed drainage improvements will increase storm sewer capacity to contain the 1% annual exceedance (100-year) flow rate along Henderson Road and provide flood risk reduction to the adjacent neighborhoods which drain toward Henderson Road and will increase the accessibility for emergency vehicles to flood prone subdivision streets. These drainage improvements will also allow for the installation of the proposed paving cross section and intersection improvements providing a more efficient and safer passage that will reduce congestion along the corridor (vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian). The new multi-modal connections and drainage improvements should positively impact the cohesion and economic vitality of the community, public and private facilities and services, employment in the region, and also bring the existing facilities up to current ADA standards.

Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources

Land use surrounding the project area is predominantly residential, commercial, and institutional. A network of excavated stormwater ditches parallel or flow through outfalls beneath the existing roadway. In addition to the excavated waters, Brushy Bayou flows along the south side of Henderson Road near the eastern end of the project as a tributary of Bastrop Bayou. Waters of the U.S. definitions are currently in flux, but historic stream channels maintaining an intermittent or perennial stream flow and exhibiting a continuous hydrologic surface connection to jurisdictional waters will likely remain jurisdictional. Roadside ditches/channels excavated in uplands and draining only uplands are typically non-jurisdictional. The project will minimize impacts to Brushy Bayou as a likely jurisdictional water. Any impacts to Brushy Bayou as part of the proposed improvements on Henderson Road would likely be covered via Nationwide Permit. The project is predominantly located within FEMA floodplain Zone X outside the 100-year floodplain. Areas near the Rancho Ditch/Brushy Bayou confluence are located within FEMA-designated 100-year, 500-year, and floodway zones. The project will be designed to TxDOT hydraulic standards and conform to all floodplain requirements. Based on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service species list for Brazoria County, no potential or suitable habitat for federally-listed threatened and endangered species occurs at the project location, therefore no adverse effects to federally-protected species are anticipated to result. In addition, any tree clearing or trimming impacts would be conducted in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A review of the Texas Historical Commission’s Historic Sites Atlas reveals no National Register properties or districts, historical markers, or cemeteries in the project area. The project will include cultural resources background studies as required during project development. The project will receive federal funding and will follow the TxDOT environmental review process (NEPA, etc.). The project will be designed to avoid/minimize environmental impacts where feasible.

The projected vehicle emissions for the Henderson Road corridor for Year 2030 were calculated using the results of the traffic study conducted in June 2021. The morning rush hour is projected to have a reduction in vehicle emissions. Without any proposed improvements to the study corridor, the projected Year 2030 Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) released will be 4.10kg and the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) will be 4.88kg. With the proposed improvements implemented to the study corridor, the projected Year 2030 Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) will be 2.31kg and the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) will be 2.75kg. Once the proposed improvements to the corridor are implemented, the traffic congestion is expected to reduce, which will decrease fuel consumption and then results in less emissions. The afternoon rush hour shows similar improvements. Without any proposed improvements to the study corridor, the projected Year 2030 Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) released will be 5.55kg and the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) will be 6.61kg. With the proposed improvements implemented to the study corridor, the projected Year 2030 Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) will be 2.72kg and the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) will be 3.24kg.

Innovation

Yes

The project proposes adding a traffic signal at North Valderas Street, North Downing Street, and Heritage Park Drive/Buchta Road along Henderson Road. Per the traffic study conducted in June 2021, this new infrastructure technology along with the widening of the existing roadway should improve traffic congestion along the corridor. In addition, the proposed shared use path along the corridor and the proposed crosswalk and pedestrian signals will provide new multi-modal connections for the region’s traffic generators. All these improvements should enhance the corridor’s accessibility, mobility, multimodalism, resiliency, reliability, and traffic operations.

No

Additional Documents

City of Angleton Henderson Project BCA TxDOT Template_20240823.zip

2007 Comprehensive Plan.pdf

210622.City of Angleton.Henderson Rd Traffic Study-FINAL Memo - Reduced file size.pdf

City of Angleton Henderson Project Additional Data and Calculations_ 20240823.xlsx

City of Angleton Henderson Project BCA Narrative_20240823.pdf

Henderson Road Drainage Study.pdf

City of Angleton Henderson Project Preliminary Alignment_20240823.pdf