713-627-3200
High Growth Area Needs Questionnaire
Project Information
| Agency Name | Gulfgate Redevelopment Authority |
| Project Title | Telephone Rd Reconstruction |
| Facility/Street/Highway | Telephone Rd |
| Limits | IH 610 Frontage - Reveille St |
| Description | Replace all public infrastructure and reconfigure roadway to enhance multimodal access and safety (roadway, utilities, access management, pedestrian realm, bike lane) |
| Timeframe | Short Term (0-5 Years) |
| Estimated Cost | $45,000,000.00 |
Investment Category-Focused Criteria
The Project will provide access and support and benefit to the existing 3.5 million square feet of commercial, retail, industrial, and multi- and single-family residential uses within 1/4 mile of the project limits. Growth indicators (both within the 1/4 mile corridor buffer described) include 51,360 square feet of residential space that has been added since 2007 and an additional 219,000 square feet of non-residential development since 2010. Improvements to Telephone Road will also serve future traffic that will be generated by the recently announced (per H-GAC ACE Tool) 20,400 square foot commercial development on Park Place Boulevard, just east of the project corridor. Another major area development which will drive growth along the Telephone Road corridor is the $470M investment plan to expand the West Concourse at Hobby Airport. This expansion will add 7 new gates to the airport and drive a significant amount of new traffic to and from the facility. Work will be starting in early 2024. The project will modernize the roadway within the existing right-of-way to include upgraded sidewalks, protected bike lanes, street crossings, access management, and safety treatments. These improvements will increase access to efficient and reliable infrastructure, improve multimodal access (through bicycle and pedestrian facilities) and enhance safety. Land use along the corridor is a mix of commercial, residential, industrial, public, and institutional uses. Telephone Road is a highly utilized commercial and residential route, providing access to schools, the Houston ISD Barnett Sports Complex, William P. Hobby Airport, and south to Pearland. Proximity to Hobby Airport, the BNSF Intermodal, and neighborhoods with both affluent consumers and blue-collar workers provide both consumer demand and a strong employment base. The reconstruction of Telephone Road will continue to support and encourage new growth in the area.
Yes
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gdx0zviz22g0u9n/Fiscal%20Year%202023%20Budget.pdf?&
The proposed project is a total reconstruction of Telephone Road from I-610 to Reveille Road. The Project will replace and upgrade roadway, multimodal, and public utility infrastructure (stormwater, water, wastewater) within existing public right-of-way. The reconstruction of the corridor includes reconfiguring lanes to improve access management and traffic flow, as well as improving lighting, traffic markings, and related signalization. The intersection with Reveille Road will be reconfigured to accommodate high truck volumes and improve thru-traffic. The proposed cross section includes dedicated bike lanes (5-FT) and dedicated sidewalks (6-FT) on both sides of the roadway, which aligns with the Houston Bike Plan. The proposed improvements will provide a safe, contiguous, accessible, dedicated multimodal infrastructure. Improvements along the project corridor will provide a direct, safe connection to the Sims Bayou Greenway connecting residents to nearby parks and community resources. Several intersecting and adjacent corridors are also identified on the Houston Bike Plan and have "high comfort" bike lanes. As part of the project scope, existing broken and narrow sidewalks will be replaced with a dedicated, barrier-separated sidewalks on both sides of the roadway for the length of the project corridor. ADA ramps and crosswalks will also be replaced. The proposed project is part of a larger revitalization effort to create a continuous, transformational corridor. The City of Houston was recently awarded $21M to revitalize the portion of Telephone Road from Lawndale Drive to I-610, just north of the proposed project. Improvements along this segment of Telephone Road (I-610 to Reveille) are aligned with the northern segment, creating a contiguous, cohesive corridor making smooth, multimodal connections for residents and visitors for increased access to economic and social destinations in southeast Houston.
Yes
The project will enhance mobility and access for the community by connecting area activity centers (Barnett Sports Complex, Hobby Airport, BSNF Rail yard, Manheim Texas Auto auction) and modernizing the roadway within the existing right-of-way to include upgraded sidewalks, protected bike lanes, street crossings, and safety treatments. This connection will fill a gap in the redevelopment of Telephone Road, the northern section (north of LP 610) funded via a RAISE grant. The project serves a high growth area (indicated by over 270,000 SF of new development in the area since ~2007). One major area development which will drive significant growth along the Telephone Road corridor is the $470M investment plan to expand the West Concourse at Hobby Airport, which is slated to begin in early 2024. This expansion will add 7 new gates to the airport and drive a significant amount of new traffic to and from the facility. The project will reconstruct four lanes of traffic, divided by a 15-foot center median, as well as add dedicated, separated bicycle and pedestrian facilities on both sides of the roadway along the extent of the corridor. METRO Route 40 serves the project corridor with 20 stops along this section of Telephone Road; the full extent of the route connects residential, employment, and commercial centers in the Heights, Downtown/Central Business District, East Downtown, Gulfgate, and William P. Hobby Airport. Proposed improvements are anticipated to increase transit mode share over the planning horizon, adding an average of over 30 new transit trips per day.
Yes
The purpose of the project is to improve mobility, access management, and safety for the adjacent community as well as the greater Houston region. There are six signalized intersections in the study area. Recent traffic counts along this segment of Telephone Road show an average daily traffic volume (ADT) of 19,000 – 22,000. This level of travel demand is consistent with other similar roadways in Southeast Houston. In addition to the signalized intersections, there are 19 intersecting streets and dozens of commercial driveways along the corridor. Traffic volumes, when combined with the additional intersections, turning movements, and built environment along the corridor compounds congestion during morning and evening peak travel periods. The reconstruction of the corridor includes reconfiguring lanes to improve access management, traffic flow, as well as improved lighting, traffic markings, and related signalization. The intersection with Reveille Road will be reconfigured to accommodate high truck volume and improve thru-traffic. As previously noted, the Hobby Airport expansion project is anticipated to drive increased traffic through the corridor moving forward.
C
Yes
The proposed project is located parallel to I-45 and is adjacent to SH-35 (Reveille Street) which connects north to downtown Houston, and south to Pearland, to Highway 6 in Alvin, and to SH-288 in Angleton; Telephone Road could be used an as alternative route for these communities and roadways. Telephone Road is also an alternate north-south route for other local roads, like Mykawa Road, Reveille Street (SH-35), and Broadway Street.
No
Yes
Model.HighGrowthAreaNeedsQuestionnaire.InvestmentCategory5ai
Other Investment Category Focused Criteria
Yes
The purpose of the project is to improve mobility, access management, and safety for the adjacent community as well as the greater Houston region. There are six signalized intersections in the study area. Recent traffic counts along this segment of Telephone Road show an average daily traffic volume (ADT) of 19,000 – 22,000. This level of travel demand is consistent with other similar roadways in Southeast Houston. In addition to the signalized intersections, there are 19 intersecting streets and dozens of commercial driveways along the corridor. Traffic volumes, when combined with the additional intersections, turning movements, and built environment along the corridor compounds congestion during morning and evening peak travel periods. The reconstruction of the corridor includes reconfiguring lanes to improve access management, traffic flow, as well as improved lighting, traffic markings, and related signalization. The intersection with Reveille Road will be reconfigured to accommodate high truck volume and improve thru-traffic.
The project corridor has a high need for improved walking and biking infrastructure. The proposed project is a total reconstruction of Telephone Road from I-610 to Reveille Road. The Project will replace and upgrade roadway, multimodal, and public utility infrastructure within existing public right-of-way. The proposed cross section includes dedicated bike lanes and dedicated sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, which aligns with the Houston Bike Plan. The proposed improvements will provide a safe, contiguous, accessible, dedicated pedestrian realm. Improvements along the project corridor will provide a direct, safe connection to the Sims Bayou Greenway, a 20-mile stretch of dedicated, off-street, 10-foot-wide shared use paths connecting residents to nearby parks and community resources. Several intersecting and adjacent corridors are also identified on the Houston Bike Plan and have "high comfort" bike lanes. As part of the project scope, existing broken and narrow sidewalks will be replaced with a dedicated, barrier-separated sidewalks on both sides of the roadway for the length of the project corridor. ADA ramps and crosswalks will also be replaced. The City of Houston was recently awarded $21M to revitalize the portion of Telephone Road from Lawndale Drive to I-610, just north of the proposed project. Improvements along this segment of Telephone Road (I-610 to Reveille) are aligned with the northern segment, creating a contiguous, cohesive corridor making smooth, multimodal connections for residents and visitors for increased access to the economic and social destinations in southeast Houston.
The reconstructed roadway will be more reliable and efficient for buses. The pedestrian and bicycle improvements provided by the project will reduce barriers to ridership and encourage transit utilization by providing a safer, more accessible connection to transit stops that can connect users to much of the Houston region. METRO Route 40 serves the project corridor with 20 stops along this section of Telephone Road; the full extent of the route connects residential, employment, and commercial centers in the Heights, downtown/central business district, east downtown, Gulfgate, and William P. Hobby Airport. Proposed improvements are anticipated to increase transit mode share over the planning horizon, adding an average of over 30 new transit trips per day. There are two other METRO routes adjacent to the southern segment of Telephone Rd. Route 73 runs on Bellfort Ave from Hobby Airport to the terminus of the Light Rail Red Line on Fannin St. Route 76 connects the west side of Pasadena with the Greater East End via Bellfort Ave and Reveille St.
The improved Telephone Road will have good pavement condition, be safe, and more efficient, thereby reducing the potential for crash incidence, particularly at Long Drive/Park Place Boulevard and other area east-west corridors, and improving systemic travel-time reliability and reducing potential for infrastructure damage due to intermodal crashes. The proposed project is located parallel to I-45, a major north-south freight corridor. The corridor provides connectivity to Hobby Airport. The proposed project is adjacent to SH-35 which connects directly to Pearland, south to Highway 6 in Alvin, and SH-288 in Angleton. Telephone Road could be used an as alternative route for all of these areas (which include Pearland) in the event of infrastructure damage.
Telephone Road was constructed in the 1950s and has not experienced a full depth reconstruction since. Several areas along the corridor are experiencing deteriorating pavement and the roadway itself has exceeded its useful service life. Many driveways and parking lots are also in poor condition. Sidewalk facilities along the corridor range from fair to very poor (and missing). There are partial sidewalks on both sides of Telephone Road, but nearly the entire northern half of this corridor lacks sidewalks. Sidewalks have been retrofitted in some locations, but they do not provide consistent accessibility along the corridor and have exceeded their useful life. The proposed improvements will replace large gaps in sidewalk coverage, non-compliant ramps and crossings, as well as address and eliminate changes in elevation, utilities and other barriers, and low spots that collect stormwater. The reconstruction of this overall corridor, inclusive of concrete travel lanes, will renew the service life of the facility and provide a 50-year design life for a vital commercial and residential corridor.
Planning Factors Criteria
1.45
7.25
Between 2018 and 2022, there were a total of 201 crashes on Telephone Rd, spanning from I-610 frontage to Reveille St. These crashes resulted in one fatal pedestrian crash and additional four severe crashes. One of the severe crashes was also a pedestrian crash, which occurred due to the driver's failure to yield to a pedestrian. The fatal pedestrian crash occurred in the dark. To address the safety concerns of this roadway, the following improvements have been proposed: • Installing a 5’ wide dedicated off-street bike lane on both sides of the corridor, complete with a 4.5’ buffer to protect cyclists from motor vehicle traffic. • Installing or upgrading sidewalks to be 6’ wide on both sides of the corridor, providing more space for pedestrians and improving accessibility. • Pedestrian lights will also be installed along the corridor and at intersections to improve visibility and safety. • Installing new ADA ramps, crosswalks, warning signs, and pavement markings as needed along the entire corridor. The proposed improvements correspond to various work codes, each with its own associated crash reduction rate: •Work Code 101, 401: Install Warning/Guide Signs, Install Pavement Markings with 24% crash reduction rate •Work Code 101, 303 Install Warning/Guide Signs, Resurfacing with 44% crash reduction rate •Work Code 305, 547 Safety Lighting at Intersection, Construct a Roundabout with 72% crash reduction rate •Work Code 305, 407 Safety Lighting at Intersection, Install Sidewalks with 53% crash reduction rate •Work Code 304, 407: Safety Lighting, Install Sidewalks with 46% crash reduction rate •Work Code 303, 401 Resurfacing, Install Pavement Markings with 50% crash reduction rate •Work Code 403, 407 Install Pedestrian Crosswalk, Install Sidewalks with 74% crash reduction rate
Resiliency
Low
Model.HighGrowthAreaNeedsQuestionnaire.Resiliency2
Storm sewer infrastructure in this area was installed in the 1960s. This aging infrastructure has exceeded its useful life and does not meet current drainage standards.Telephone Road is elevated above surrounding roadways, preventing adequate drainage from existing the western drainage area. The proposed project is a total reconstruction on Telephone Road, to include improved drainage and mitigate storm events by relocating and upgrading inlets along the corridor to improve conveyance and reduce roadway ponding and meeting City of Houston detention requirements. The project will replace all utilities, including sanitary sewer and water lines, as well as replacing storm sewers in accordance with the City of Houston's ATLAS-14 requirements to reduce flooding and create climate resiliency through reduced overland sheet flows and decreased area flooding. InfoWorks ICM was used to evaluate benefits provided by the recommended drainage improvement alternative. The 1D/2D model includes a surface (based on the best available 2018 LiDAR information) and City storm sewer information for Telephone Road and the contributing drainage area. This evaluation did not consider adjustments to terrain elevations. Minimal ponding is experienced along Telephone Road under the existing conditions 2-year storm event due to the alignment having high ground elevations in relation to lower adjacent roadways and development. For the 2-year design storm event, ponding depths along roads adjacent to Telephone Road are reduced by approximately 0.13’ between Buena Vista Street and Joplin Street. Telephone Road experiences a depth reduction at Long Drive of approximately 0.1’ for the 2-year storm event. Moving north, 2-year ponding depths adjacent to Telephone Road are reduced by up to 0.28’ along Gillen Street and Fairway Drive. For the 100-year design storm event, ponding depths along the low-lying portions of the Telephone Road alignment are reduced by up to 0.1’ from Moline Street to Fairway Drive. Minor depth reductions (less than 0.1’ benefit) are experienced during the 100-year storm event along the roadways adjacent to Telephone Road between Buena Vista Street and Fairway Drive.
Access/Connectivity
18651
25595
No
Yes
No
Environmental Justice
18651
25595
6561
1775
1112
5462
62.7
The proposed project provides benefits to vulnerable populations, including safety improvements and improvements to pedestrian/bike facilities, in an area identified as highly socially vulnerable (CDC's Social Vulnerability Index), an area of persistent poverty (USDOT), and a historically disadvantaged community (USDOT). Socially vulnerable populations are especially at risk during emergencies because of factors like socioeconomic status, household characteristics, racial and ethnic minority status, or housing type and transportation. The proposed project will construct new, dedicated, off-street bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks on both sides of the corridor, providing more space for pedestrians and cyclists, improving multimodal accessibility, and creating safe connections to transit. Over half the proposed project corridor is identified in both the City of Houston and Harris County Vision Zero High Injury Network. Installing a dedicated off-street bike lane on both sides of the corridor, complete with a 4.5’ buffer, will provide protection for cyclists from motor vehicle traffic. Proposed improvements include installing new lighting, pavement markings, and warning/guide signs along the corridor and at intersections. These improvements combined with installing new dedicated bicycle and pedestrian facilities, will improve safety conditions along the project corridor. The project would connect to the recently RAISE funded segment to the north, leveraging USDOT investment and providing expanded regional connectivity.
This project has no adverse effects to vulnerable populations. The list of adverse effects from the detailed criteria and comments are listed below: - Body impairment, infirmity, illness, or death: This project will improve safety for all users, particularly multimodal users through its transportation safety countermeasures. - Air, noise, or water pollution; soil contamination: This project will reduce air pollution through conversion of trips from automobiles to multimodal modes; a soil and groundwater management plan will be implemented during construction. - Disruption or diminution of manmade or natural resources: This project will not affect manmade or natural resources. - Destruction or diminution of aesthetic values: This project will improve aesthetic values through landscaping and additional trees planted along the corridor. - Impact upon the cohesion or economic vitality of a community: This project will increase economic vitality and cohesion of the community through improved access, connectivity, and safety. - Impact to public or private facilities and services: This project will improve the impact to public and private facilities or services by improving access and connectivity. - Adverse impacts on employment: This project will create short-term jobs through construction. The improvements will provide access to businesses and other uses along the corridor, which will encourage economic growth. - Displacement of persons, businesses, farms, or non-profit organizations: No right of way is required and there will be no displacement. - Increased traffic congestion, exclusion or separation: This project will reconfigure the corridor for increased efficiency. - Detail or, reduction in, significant delay in receipt of benefits of transportation program: This project is in alignment with local, regional, state and federal goals. The project, if funded, will advance the receipt of benefits of the regional transportation program.
Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
The proposed project will serve to mitigate flooding, and will not impact any areas of natural or historical significance. The project design, by installing a landscaped median, landscaped buffers separating the pedestrian and bicycle lanes, and improving drainage flow, will help to mitigate stormwater impacts in the area. The northeastern portion of the project alignment is adjacent to, but not within, the 100-year flood zone. This area is developed with schools, commercial uses, and residences and project work will not take place here. The southern end of the project alignment in the vicinity of Sims Bayou is in the 500-year flood zone, an area at moderate risk of flooding, however this area is already largely developed with strip-mall style retail, roads, and sidewalks. There are 18 commercial structures and no residential structures within the Telephone Road 100- and 500-year floodplain; no flood losses have been reported according to Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) datasets. The project alignment does not cross any designated wetlands but is within a ¼ mile of Pine Gully and Sims Bayou and associated wetlands. Project work is not anticipated to fill or dredge any wetland areas and adverse impacts are not expected. The edge of the City of Houston Glenbrook Valley Historic District is just within the southeastern end of the ¼ mile buffer for the project; this district is not anticipated to be negatively impacted. There are no other city, state, or nationally designated historic resources within ¼ mile of the proposed project. The entire project alignment is within an area designated by TxDOT’s Potential Archeological Liability Map as “No Survey Recommended.” The project is within ¼ mile of the areas around Sims Bayou that are designated “No Surface Survey Recommended, Survey Recommended only if Severe Deep Impacts are Anticipated;” the project does not extend into this area and no adverse impacts to resources are anticipated.
Over a 20-year planning horizon from 2026-2045, the project will reduce 0.43 metric tons of NOx and 0.51 metric tons of VOCs.
Innovation
Yes
The project will add dedicated pedestrian and bicycle facilities throughout the project corridor by utilizing a 4.5-FT buffer, 5-FT bicycle facility, and 6-FT sidewalk. The provision of separated and dedicated facilities for these modes is a modern approach to safe systems and multimodal access. The project will include an innovative approach to the Telephone Road / Reveille intersection through the provision of a circular roundabout to safely and efficiently improve operations at the intersection.
No
Additional Documents
1222_TelephoneRd_supporting_combined_022024.pdf