Transportation Project Questionnaire

Operational Improvements and Congestion Management Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 1960 Access Management Improvements (Phase 1)
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 1960
Limits	From IH 45 N to BF 1960 (East of Humble)
Description	Phase 1 implementation of short-term recommendations (remainder of raised medians not constructed by 1685-02-056, sidewalks, ITS, etc.)
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$5,000,000.00

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.

1.75 – 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.

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 1.55, indicating that it takes 1.55 times as long to travel this corridor in the peak period than average, which is moderately congested.

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

1.5 – 1.75

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).

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 includes the following Congestion Management Strategies: ITS expansion and Access Management. ITS projects will allow users to know ahead of time where traffic backups are located so commuters can avoid those areas, reducing further congestion. As an access management strategy in corridors, medians limit conflict points and reduce mid-block left turn related crashes. They enhance traffic flow and reduce the quantity and severity of crashes at intersections and resulting in improved congestion and fewer crashes. Other access management treatments such as acceleration and deceleration lanes and left turn lanes provide safe storage for turning vehicles while getting turning vehicles out of the through lanes improving progression.

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

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.

FM 1960 directly connects to IH 45 and IH 69, both of which are identified as evacuation routes.

Other Investment Category Focused Criteria

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

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 project is not located on a Critical Urban Freight Corridor. The project is located on the TxDOT Freight Network. The project improves regional goods movement by access management (medians/turn lanes) which will enhance traffic flow and reduce the quantity and severity of crashes.

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 project is located in a high growth area. The population is projected to grow by 84.1% and jobs are projected to increase by 49.2%. Several Single-Family housing land use changes announced or modeled.

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.

Sidewalks are shown on the Access Management Study roll plot. The addition of sidewalks will create transportation alternatives and allow pedestrians greater access to services and improve their quality of life.

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

METRO Route 99 uses this route and could use the improved roadway to improve the reliability of the service.

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 includes access management and will improve intersection design and operation, reducing intersection-related crashes. The reduction in crashes will reduce periods of inoperability due to vehicle 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 segment contains pavement in Poor condition, according to TxDOT and FHWA guidelines. This segment contains bridges in Fair condition, according to FHWA guidelines. The worst bridge on this project segment was built in 1990. It is rated as being in Fair condition overall, with a superstructure condition score of 7, substructure condition score of 7, and a deck condition score of 6. In a widening/reconstruction project like this project, pavement is removed and new pavement is constructed, thus increasing the state of good repair and extending the service life of the facility.

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.

2.665

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.

8.41

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.

Crash rates for this segment are per 100 million VMT. The fatality rate is 2.665, higher than the statewide average (1.23), and the serious injury rate is 8.41, higher than the statewide average, (6.18). This project will improve intersection design and operation, reducing intersection-related crashes. The inclusion of medians reduces the quantity and severity of crashes at intersections and provides refuge to crossing pedestrians. As an access management strategy in corridors, medians reduce mid-block left turn related crashes. They enhance traffic flow and can be used as part of a traffic calming strategy to reduce speed. The addition of pedestrian infrastructure will allow pedestrians to safely use the facility and reduce points of conflicts with vehicles, thus improving the overall safety of the segment. ITS infrastructure will allow users to know ahead of time where traffic backups are located so commuters can avoid those areas, reducing crashes caused by congestion. The consolidated crash reduction factor for this project is 90% as a result installing pedestrain and bicycle infrastructure (WC 407) and providing raised medians (WC 203).

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.

All current projects are being designed to meet and/or exceed ATLAS-14 drainage standards.

Access/Connectivity

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

24,249

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

37,047

2. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a medical facility within a quarter mile buffer of the project location?

Yes

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

24,249

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

37,047

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

7,512

1d. Disabled Persons

3,688

1e. Elderly Persons

1,813

1f. Limited English Proficiency

2,695

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.

42.60

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 area surrounding the project segment has a higher low-income population (16.74%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (82.55%) as compared to the regional average of 65% minority. Because of its central location in the regional network, the project will produce improvements in mobility and connectivity for vulnerable populations as well as connectivity to schools, medical facilities, and social services for the regional population. As a result of the improvement, vulnerable populations will have increased resilience and evacuation capacity in the event of hazards. According to HGAC’s Regional Resilience Tool, the project segment sits on a facility that is ranked as high criticality for accessing key facilities. The project will increase access to and reliability of transit services for vulnerable populations, who generally rely more on these services.

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 area surrounding the project segment has a higher low-income population (16.74%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (82.55%) as compared to the regional average of 65% minority. TxDOT’s Environmental Process is designed to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Executive Order on Environmental Justice. Standard practice is to implement projects that provide user safety and operational efficiency while taking into account environmental quality and impacts to surrounding communities. In practice this means identifying and assessing potential project impacts, then proposing measures to avoid, minimize and/or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse effects to Environmental Justice Populations. For example, the project will improve drainage to ATLAS-14 standards, which will mitigate impacts from added capacity to vulnerable populations.

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.

Operational treatments do not contemplate any disturbances, therefore, there are not risks to cultural or natural resources.

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)

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.

Access management treatments including raised median, acceleration/deceleration lanes, left turn bays, and signal upgrades including new Signal Phasing and timing (SpAT) signals will be installed on this segment of the project (Related to CSJ 0912-00-701 that will install 1,100+ of these signals on all traffic lights on TxDOT HOU district roads)

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

Yes

2a. If yes, please explain.

Brand new Signal Phasing and timing (SpAT) signals will be installed on this segment of the project (Related to CSJ 0912-00-701 that will install 1,100+ of these signals on all traffic lights on TxDOT HOU district roads). This technology allows communication between vehicle to infrastructure.