Transportation Project Questionnaire

Operational Improvements and Congestion Management Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Beaumont District
Project Title	Dayton Relief Route
Facility/Street/Highway	US 90
Limits	TBD
Description	Construct relief route around Dayton
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$75,000,000.00

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.

1.25 – 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.

New Location, 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.

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).

New Location, 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.

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 constructing a new location roadway (adding 2 through lanes and wide 10' shoulders) while also constructing Safety (installing pavement markings on mainlanes and crosswalks at frontage road intersections), operational (intersection improvements on the frontage roads), and mobility improvements (interchange reconfigurations). 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?

No

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

Yes

4a-i. If yes, explain.

The proposed project would tie into SH 146, FM 563, and US 90 east, which are all evacuation routes. The Dayton relief route would connect these designated evacuation routes.

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 Dayton area continues to grow, with industrial and residential developments currently planned on the west side of town. The proposed relief route provides an alternate route for those wanting to bypass downtown Dayton and avoid the numerous signalized intersections. The relief route will add capacity to the overall east-west movement through the area.

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 relief route would reduce congestion and traffic volume on US 90 and thus should improve safety for bike/pedestrian users of that facility.

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

The proposed relief route should help reduce the traffic volume on existing US 90 through Dayton. This should likewise reduce congestion and improve the level-of-service for all users of the existing roadway (including transit providers).

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 project creates an alternate route for US 90 in the event of damage to existing infrastructure through Dayton or if US 90 is partially or completely closed due to a vehicular accident. Also, by allowing through-vehicles to by-pass downtown Dayton, the resulting reduced congestion should provide emergency vehicles better access through Dayton.

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.

By reducing traffic on existing US 90, the proposed project should help extend the service life of the US 90 pavement. The pavement section for the proposed relief route would be built to design standard based on the latest traffic data and the new roadway would have a service life of several decades with minimal maintenance needed.

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.

1.275

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.

1.912

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 relief route would remove conflict locations as it will have grade separations at RR and cross streets. It would reduce traffic volume along the existing corridor from through vehicles, including heavy truck traffic, again eliminating many potential conflicts.  The proposed relief route would be built to current design standards with 12' travel lanes and 10' outside shoulders,  and the proposed design should include edge line and centerline rumble strips.

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 relief route 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.  With the relief route being designed to potentially higher drainage standards than the existing roadway (US 90) the risk of interruption of traffic due to flooding should be minimized. The profile of this new location roadway would be set at a sufficient elevation to not be overtopped by the design flood and this route could be used as an alternative to US 90 if there were flooding on US 90.

Access/Connectivity

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

3764

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

3436

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

3764

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

3436

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1042

1d. Disabled Persons

1216

1e. Elderly Persons

318

1f. Limited English Proficiency

447

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.

17.1

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 providing an alternate route around Dayton, the proposed project should reduce traffic congestion and help minimize travel delays on existing US 90 through Dayton. The reduced congestion on US 90 should improve connectivity to and from the numerous employment opportunities along this corridor in Dayton. The reduced traffic volume and congestion on US 90 should also improve safety for bike/pedestrian users of that facility and it should reduce trip time for transit users (area served by Brazos Transit).

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 limit impacts to adjacent properties, thus reducing any possible displacements of persons, businesses, etc. Any sound walls that are identified prior/during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process will be constructed on this project. Construction of this relief route would lessen traffic on existing US 90 and would improve the level of service of US 90 (improving access to adjacent properties and improving connectivity along US 90).

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.

Floodplains present in the project vicinity include the 100 year, 500 year, and a floodway. In addition, 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 floodplains present, the project would be designed to have no negative impact to the floodplain and we would coordinate with the floodplain administrator concerning these.

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 - .22 Tons ; VOC - 4.00 tons

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