Transportation Project Questionnaire

Operational Improvements and Congestion Management Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Beaumont District
Project Title	SH 146 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	SH 146
Limits	From IH-10 south to Cedar Bayou
Description	Widen from 4 to 6 lanes
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$100,000,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

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

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

1.25 – 1.50

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 between 1.25, indicating that it takes 1.25 times as long to travel this corridor in the peak period than average, which is mildly congested. Congestion comes from heavy truck traffic and busy industrial area with movement of freight. Heavy traffic during AM and PM Peaks with work commuters

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).

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. Congestion comes from heavy truck traffic and busy industrial areas with movement of freight. Heavy traffic during AM and PM Peaks with work commuters.

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 project will be reconstructing and widening from 4 to 6 lanes (adding 2 through lanes and installing continuous turn lane) while also constructing Safety (install pavement markings), and operational improvements (install signals and improve signals). The segment will be brought up to TxDOT and FHWA safety design standards. The proposed design would include edge line rumble strips or profile pavement markings.

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.

Over the past decade, the areas of Mont Belvieu and Barbers Hill have grown significantly and they continues to grow. There has been substantial commercial investment along this section of SH 146 along with industrial development on FM 565 and the addition of numerous distribution centers along FM 1405, and the growth/development in this area is not slowing. This project will alleviate future congestion due to current and future economic development by adding additional capacity to SH 146, a major regional economic corridor, thus providing improved level-of-service.

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.

Pedestrian and bike accommodations will be included in accordance with TxDOT's Roadway Design Manual. This would include sidewalks at a minimum.

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.

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 proposed project will reduce inoperability from vehicular crashes or potential storm damage by providing additional lanes of travel. The proposed facility will be less prone to complete closure because of the added capacity. Access management strategies such as selective placement of raised medians should reduce vehicular collisions.

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.

This project will improve the state of good repair and extend and improve the service life and resiliency of the facility by adding newly constructed sections and reevaluating any existing pavement that may remain to bring it up to the current standards. The pavement design for the new sections and any existing sections will be based on the latest traffic data and design standards. The drainage facilities for the project will be designed to meet or exceed ATLAS-14 standards. With this newly constructed / reconstructed section minimal maintenance work should be required for several decades.

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.

1.762

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.

4.87

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 proposed project reduces expected fatality and serious injury crashes by building to current design standards with 12' travel lanes and 10' outside shoulders and a 14' - 16' center left turn lane. The proposed design would include additional through lanes, a continuous turn lane, and edge line rumble strips or profile pavement markings.

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.

High

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 would reduce the vulnerability to flooding as it would be built to current hydrologic and hydraulic design standards. It would be designed to meet or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards. Specific improvements may include additional cross drainage capacity and possibly raising the proposed roadway profile if determined necessary by the hydraulic analysis.

Access/Connectivity

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

5695

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

10942

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?

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

5695

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

10942

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

3235

1d. Disabled Persons

1268

1e. Elderly Persons

777

1f. Limited English Proficiency

1006

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.

19.5

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.

By adding capacity, the proposed project should reduce traffic congestion and help minimize travel delays. This added capacity project should improve connectivity to and from the numerous employment opportunities along this corridor in both Chambers and Harris Counties. The additional through lanes and center turn lane should help improve safety along this stretch of roadway. The project would provide accommodations for pedestrian and bike traffic in accordance with TxDOT's Roadway Design Manual. This along with signal improvements at the cross streets for pedestrian movements will provide for safer pedestrian use.

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 footprint of the proposed roadway improvements would be minimized to help prevent impacts to adjacent properties, thus reducing any possible displacements of persons, businesses, etc. The current roadway usage would not change with the proposed construction project. The addition of through lanes would maintain access to adjacent properties including public and private facilities and services with less impact to the flow of traffic than currently occurs.

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.

Sections of this project are within a flood plain or floodway and wetlands are present. During project development, wetland information is provided to the design team to determine where the project might impact Waters of the U.S. (WOUS). The design is adjusted if possible to avoid and minimize impacts to WOUS. Any unavoidable impacts are mitigated through USACE approved mitigation banks. With regard to the floodplain present, the project would be designed to have no negative impact to the floodplain. No historical sites are located within the project limits and no archeological sites are believed to be present. A thorough investigation into cultural resources is conducted during project development and, if present, the locations are provided to the design team to avoid. Review and coordination of this project would follow approved procedures for compliance with Federal and State laws.

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 - 2.00 Tons ; VOC - 3.37 tons

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.

New Signal Phasing and timing (SpAT) signals will be installed on this segment of the project.

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

Yes

2a. If yes, please explain.