Transportation Project Questionnaire

Operational Improvements and Congestion Management Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	METRO
Project Title	Emergency & Community Services Bldg.
Facility/Street/Highway	Main Street
Limits	@ Downtown TC (Main St. and St. Joseph St.)
Description	Construction of new METRO PD emergency services & transit customer services building
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$57,000,000.00

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.

>2.0

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

The proposed project is located at the southeast corner of Main St. and St. Joseph Parkway adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops within a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities.

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

>2.0

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).

The proposed project is located at the southeast corner of Main St. and St. Joseph Parkway adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops within a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities.

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 proposed project is located at the southeast corner of Main St. and St. Joseph Parkway adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops within a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities.

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?

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 proposed ECS is a facility designed to house METRO Services and provide parking for METRO employees and limited public use. The project is not on a designated truck route or freight corridor. IH 45 (Pierce Elevated), which is a state truck route, passes along the south side of the project site, but is not accessed or altered by the project so there is no impact to freight or goods movement.

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 Northline Transit Center Park & Ride is a station on the METRORail Redline in Houston. The facility is located on the west side of the street, near Houston Community College with possibilities of mixed-use that contains multi-family residential as well as retail.

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 facility is located adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops within a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities.

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

The proposed facility is located adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops within a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities.

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.

This facility will be able to provide safety and security services to the region. It will be the center for METRO’s emergency services in times of crisis, such as hurricanes, floods, and other disasters. The Emergency Operations Center is proposed to hardened and contain redundant communications capabilities to protect against wind, floods, and other damaging events.

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 ECS will be a new facility designed and constructed to METRO’s high standards. Since the facility will contain the Emergency Operations Center it will be hardened and contain redundant communications capabilities to protect against wind, floods, and other damaging events.

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.

There were five fatal crashes within a quarter-mile of the project site from 2019-2023. • Fannin @ Pierce on 11/11/2023 • La Brand @ Webster on 8/20/2023 • Louisiana @ Pease on 1/29/2023 • IH-45 (Pierce Elevated) @ San Jacinto on 5/26/2022 • IH-45 (Pierce Elevated) @ Caroline on 4/26/2019

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.

There were 14 serious injury crashes within a quarter-mile of the project site from 2019-2023. • Five in 2019 • Two in 2020 • Three in 2021 • One in 2022 • Three in 20223 , corresponding to the fatal crash on 11/11/2023

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 facility will house the METRO PD and METRO Emergency Operations. The facility will be designed to provide emergency services and the presence of METRO PD will offer additional traffic monitoring in the project vicinity. The facility will house the METRO PD and METRO Emergency Operations. The facility will be designed to provide emergency services and the presence of METRO PD will offer additional traffic monitoring in the project vicinity. As the Emergency Operations Center for METRO, regional safety and security services can be coordinated throughout the METRO service area.

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.

High

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 location is not located in a designated floodplain and will be connected to the City’s storm sewer system. The improvements will not substantially alter the existing impermeable surface, so drainage and flooding are not expected to be an issue. Flooding and associated impacts were addressed in a Categorical Exclusion approved by FTA on Feb. 2, 2022. The facility will serve as the location for METRO’s emergency services in times of crisis, such as hurricanes, floods, and other disasters. The Emergency Operations Center is proposed to hardened and contain redundant communications capabilities to protect against wind, floods, and other damaging events

Access/Connectivity

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

1,093

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,166

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?

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

1,093

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4,166

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1,142

1d. Disabled Persons

296

1e. Elderly Persons

70

1f. Limited English Proficiency

26

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.

The Redline access will allow for residents to access livable centers within a quarter mile of this project.

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 proposed facility is located adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops withing a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities. In addition, the proposed project is located in Downtown which has a network of sidewalks and connections to transit service. The City of Houston has also installed a network of bike lanes in the CBD with the nearest lane on Gray Street, one block from the project site.

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 proposed facility is located adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops withing a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities. The project does not displace any existing residences and impacts no residential properties, low-income or otherwise.

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.

The proposed project location is not located in a designated floodplain and will be connected to the City’s storm sewer system. The improvements will not substantially alter the existing impermeable surface, so drainage and flooding are not expected to be an issue. No designate nor eligible historic features will be impacted by this project. Flooding, Cultural Resources, and other resource areas were addressed in a Categorical Exclusion approved by FTA on Feb. 2, 2022.

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)

n/a

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 proposed facility is located adjacent to the Downtown Transit Center (TC) and METRORail Red Line station. This location is the hub of transit service throughout the METRO service area offering access to all major employment and educational centers in the City. Regional Park & Ride commuter service also stops withing a two-three block radius of the Downtown TC further expanding destination opportunities. The facility will also be the center for METRO’s emergency services in times of crisis, such as hurricanes, floods, and other disasters. The Emergency Operations Center is proposed to have state-of-the art communications and emergency management tools in a hardened facility with redundant capabilities to protect against wind, floods, and other damaging events.

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

No

Additional Documents