Transportation Project Questionnaire

High Growth Area Needs Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	FM 1495 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	FM 1495
Limits	From FM 523 to North of Brazos River Bridge
Description	Widen from 2-lane to 4 -lane roadway
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$17,000,000.00

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.)

The project is located in a high growth area. The population is projected to grow by 301.8% and jobs are projected to increase by 98.9%. While land use changes have not yet been announced or modeled, additional residential land uses will be needed in the future to accommodate the projected growth. This segment of FM 1495 will benefit from improved connectivity and improved level of service that will result from this improvement. The average daily volume of traffic on this segment in 2021 was 6,996 with 5.7 percent of that being truck traffic. By 2041 daily traffic volume is expected to increase by 39.99 percent, especially if the Port of Freeport continues to expand and grow. The purpose of the project is to improve capacity, connectivity, level of service, and safety of the project segment. The added capacity will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also reducing congestion and improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment of FM 1495 up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards.

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

Yes

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

https://www.h-gac.com/getmedia/28624d53-96f2-48aa-9c7a-766ebf5b3e0f/brazoria-county-thoroughfare-plan.pdf

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

This project will widen from 2-lane to 4 -lane roadway. A roundabout (Work Code 547) will be constructed as well at the intersection of CR 229 (Old Surfside Road) and shoulders will be provided.

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 project is located in a high growth industrial area, next to Port Freeport. The population is projected to grow by 301.8% and jobs are projected to increase by 98.9%. No land use changes announced or modeled. Land around this project corridor is undeveloped but could be industrialized very quickly given the growth of Port Freeport to the south of this location.

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

Yes

3b-i. If yes, explain.

This project will add capacity. Adding capacity will relieve congestion on the facility by allowing for a reduced vehicle to capacity ratio. Further, it will allow more room for traffic to avoid crashes on the segment, reducing congestion caused by crashes.

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

LOS A

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

Yes

4a. If yes, explain.

The route supplements access to the Port of Freeport that is also provided by SH 288 and Velasco Blvd, all of which can serve as alternate routes to each other in case of inoperability.

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

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

Yes

5a-i. If yes, explain.

Model.HighGrowthAreaNeedsQuestionnaire.InvestmentCategory5ai

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 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.

This segment of FM 1495 will benefit from improved connectivity and improved level of service that will result from this improvement. The average daily volume of traffic on this segment in 2021 was 6,996 with 5.7 percent of that being truck traffic. By 2041 daily traffic volume is expected to increase by 39.99 percent. The purpose of the project is to improve capacity, connectivity, level of service, and safety of the project segment. The added capacity will improve regional connectivity for all modes while also reducing congestion and improving safety by reducing primary and secondary crashes due to congestion and by bringing the segment of FM 1495 up to TxDOT and FHWA safety standards. Intersection Improvements at CR 229 will be reconstructed to a roundabout.

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.

10ft shared use shoulder will be built on both sides of this project per the schematic. Shared use shoulders provide for active transportation users, increasing user safety and health while improving regional connectivity.

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 project will widen lanes to allow more space to move disabled vehicles and to better maintain flow on the facility after 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.

Pavement Score: Good Narrative: The pavement on this facility is mostly in Good condition, according to TxDOT and FHWA guidelines. This segment contains a bridge in Poor condition according to FHWA guidelines. It was built in 1967 and last rehabilitated in 2010. It has a superstructure condition score of 4, substructure condition score of 6, and a deck condition score of 4. 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. 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.

58.094

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 Crash rates for this segment are per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The fatality rate is 0, lower than the regional average (1.23), and the serious injury rate is 58.094, higher than the regional average (6.18). The widening of the roadway from an existing two-lane to a four-lane divided roadway will provide additional capacity to the roadway and reduce primary and secondary crashes caused by congestion. The addition of pedestrian infrastructure will allow cyclists and pedestrians to safely use the facility and reduce points of conflict with vehicles, thus improving the overall safety of the segment." The consolidated crash reduction factor for this project is 68%, as a result of converting from a 2-lane to a 4-lane facility (WC 517) and building shoulder (WC 537). A roundabout (WC 547) is being constructed on this project as well to reduce intersection crashes.

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.

Model.HighGrowthAreaNeedsQuestionnaire.Resiliency2

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

4,295

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2,850

12. 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?

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

4,295

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

2,850

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

862

1d. Disabled Persons

655

1e. Elderly Persons

209

1f. Limited English Proficiency

111

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.

61.90

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 (20.47%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (67.66%) 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. The project will improve drainage to ATLAS-14 standards, which reduce flooding events and their impact on vulnerable populations. As a result of the improvement, vulnerable populations will have increased resilience and evacuation capacity in the event of hazards.

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 (20.47%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (67.66%) 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.

This project is currently classified as a type of action that qualifies as a “Categorical Exclusion” as it is not expected to have a significant effect on the human and natural environment. If through the NEPA environmental analysis process TxDOT determines that the proposed action does not qualify as a CE, then an Environmental Assessment (EA) would be prepared to identify, mitigate and avoid impacts to natural and cultural 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

0,0

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.

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)

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

Yes

2a. If yes, please explain.