Transportation Project Questionnaire

High Growth Area Needs Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	Brazoria County
Project Title	CR 59 widening
Facility/Street/Highway	County Road 59
Limits	from the Fort Bend County Line to CR 48
Description	Widening existing 2-lane asphalt roadway to a 4-lane concrete Blvd. with roadside ditches, storm sewer and a detention pond.
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$20,000,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

1. Define High Growth Area Need: Provide a narrative to explain how proposed project is needed to serve a high growth where project is located. (Please provide quantifiable data that demonstrates high growth in population, employment, commercial development or daily traffic.)

CR 59 has been experiencing a significant increase in traffic volumes, from 9,780 vehicles per day in 2016 to over 14,450 vehicles per day in 2024. This growth is attributed to changes in land use along CR 59 and general population growth in the area. This project will complete the vital connection between the City of Pearland and FM 521, where FM 521 is a major northwest FM road that provides important regional connectivity and is slated for widening with construction starting later this year.

2. Is the proposed project recommended in a statewide, regional, or local plans?

Yes

2a. If yes, please provide link to the plan.

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3. Please provide proposed project description (detailed project scope).

Widening existing 2-lane asphalt roadway to a 4-lane concrete Blvd. with roadside ditches, storm sewer and a detention pond.

3a. Does the project provide access to new planned land use development (residential or commercial), or connects existing discontinuous networks?

Yes

3a-i. If yes, explain.

The land uses surrounding the study limits of CR 59 are primarily residential, with an industrial property located in the southeast quadrant of the intersection with Woodfin Road. The project will connect CR 59 to FM 521. CR 59 from SH 288 to Kirby Drive is a recently improved four-lane divided corridor. The CR 59 improvement project will address the need for a continuous four-lane divided roadway between SH 288 and FM 521. This need is driven by land use changes, regional population growth, associated traffic volume demands, and a connection to other roads slated for improvement, such as FM 521, resulting in a project of regional significance. Pavement conditions along existing CR 59 in this segment are deteriorating. With increased vehicular demand in the region, the widening and existing pavement replacement is a high priority for Brazoria County to address safety and mobility in the region. In the recently completed Brazoria County Mobility Plan, CR 59 had the highest number of crashes per mile (with 38 crashes occurring per mile) compared to twenty other major county roads as part of the improvement plan.

3b. Does the project expand existing networks to alleviate anticipated congestions?

Yes

3b-i. If yes, explain.

The existing CR 59 corridor is an undivided two-lane roadway. Existing volumes in this segment exceed 14,000 vehicles per day with a peak period estimate of 840 vehicles per hour per lane, resulting in an operational condition nearing the saturation flow rate. Traffic operations are at LOS D for the peak periods in 2024. The largest degradation in LOS has occurred at the intersection with FM 521, which is nearing LOS E and is projected to be at LOS F by 2026. Due to changes in travel patterns associated with population growth, land use changes, and improvements to other regional corridors, such as FM 521, it is anticipated that CR 59 will be operating at a LOS of F by 2030.

3b-ii. What is the estimated Level of Service after the project is completed.

The Level of Service after the improvement will be LOS C.

4. Does the proposed project provide an alternative route to existing corridor (Road or commuter transit)?

Yes

4a. If yes, explain.

There are limited east-west connections south of CR 59. The project will provide highly needed east-west connectivity to meet future demand. CR 59 will offer an excellent alternative route to Broadway Street north of CR 59 in Pearland, Texas. Broadway Street is experiencing increased demand and is rapidly becoming capacity constrained.

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

No

5a. If no, is the proposed project located on a facility that functions as an alternative to an evacuation route?

No

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 project widens an existing major thoroughfare from two lanes undivided to four lanes divided. There is a capacity need associated with the lack of additional existing east-west thoroughfares south of CR 59. The proximity of this project to the suburban development associated with Pearland the proposed project is important to sub-regional freight movement.

2. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves traffic operations. Within the narrative, please include if the proposed project includes construction of truck only lanes or managed truck only lanes, construction of an interchange, or intersection improvements.

The project widens an existing major thoroughfare from two lanes undivided to four lanes divided. There is a capacity need associated with the lack of additional existing east-west thoroughfares south of CR 59. The proximity of this project to the suburban development associated with Pearland the proposed project is important to sub-regional freight movement.

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 existing facility has a two feet shoulder width with no sidewalk. This leaves no room for pedestrian use, and bike use must share the one through lane. The proposed project will provide a continuation of the 10-foot shared-use path. This will provide connectivity to the shared use path proposed along FM 521 by TxDOT.

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

There is no current transit service offered in this segment of Brazoria County.

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.

Not applicable to this project.

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.

Existing CR 59 has pavement that is rated as poor, including rutting and spalling. Maintenance improvements to the CR are going to be required in the near term and full depth replacement of the pavement is recommended as per the Brazoria County Mobility Plan completed in 2022.

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.

The crash rate for CR 59 was calculated as part of the Brazoria County Mobility Plan as 242.7 crashes per 100-million vehicle miles traveled and is well over the statewide average for similar facilities of 101.9 crashes per 100-million vehicles miles.

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.

Between 2015 and 2019, severe crashes per mile were 1.85, which ranked the highest of the twenty corridors studied in the 2022 Brazoria County Mobility Plan.

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.

Reduction in crashes will be related to the following improvements. Improving from two-foot-wide shoulder with open ditch to curb and gutter, improving from two lane undivided to multi-lane divided, adding a shared use path for peds and bikes.

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.

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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.

Reduction to flooding vulnerability include conversion of the roadway from open ditch to curb and gutter.

Access/Connectivity

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

2033

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

6058

12. 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

2033

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

6058

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

395

1d. Disabled Persons

545

1e. Elderly Persons

170

1f. Limited English Proficiency

579

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.

14.8

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.

Pavement conditions along existing CR 59 in this segment are deteriorating. With increased vehicular demand in the region, the widening and existing pavement replacement is a high priority for Brazoria County to address safety and mobility in the region. Also, improving from two foot wide shoulder with open ditch to curb and gutter, improving from two lane undivided to multi-lane divided, adding a shared use path for peds and bikes.

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.

CR 59 has been experiencing a significant increase in traffic volumes. This growth is attributed to changes in land use along CR 59 and general population growth in the area. LOS will improve from a peak period condition of E to LOS C after the proposed improvement. The proposed improvements will decrease traffic congestion.

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.

H-GAC to provide the data

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

H-GAC to provide the data

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