Transportation Project Questionnaire

Transit Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	City of Mont Belvieu
Project Title	Public Works & Engineering Director
Facility/Street/Highway	Traffic Management Center
Limits	City Wide
Description	Construction of a traffic management center for the City of Mont Belvieu
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$3,000,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

1. Is the proposed project recommended in a regional, subregional, local, transit, livable centers or other plans?

Yes

1a. If yes, please provide link to the plan.

https://www.h-gac.com/livable-centers/planning-studies/mont-belvieu

2. Does the proposed project provide transit service or expand transit service to locations which do not currently have a transit service?

3. Does the proposed project provide connectivity to other transit services?

4. Does the proposed project improve or provide transit connectivity to jobs?

5. Please provide daily ridership served by the proposed transit project.

28398

6. Please provide narrative explaining how the transit agency (sponsor) helps to evacuate people during severe weather events (Hurricanes).

The area served by this project is designated as an evacuation route. The proposed improvements would facilitate evacuation operations of the entire area, including possible future transit networks.

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 City of Mont Belvieu spent over $15 Mil dollars expanding Eagle Dr 10 yrs ago. from IH10 to FM 565. This expansion has provided great growth to the City including the approval of Riceland, a master plan community with 4,000 homes in the next 10 -20 years. The development includes the construction of a Livable Town Center, and city hall. This Livable Town Center was part of a study that was funded by HGAC and was successfully completed. The project was picked up by a developer and the new town center is currently under construction. The city just completed a new City Hall that will be the anchor for the new town center. The developer is under contract to add the roads, restaurants, commercial space, and homes around the Town Center. This growth needs to be supported by infrastructure such as the proposed improvements to signals, latest technology, emergency response times, emergency communications, and other upgrades. The project will improve the existing traffic signal intersections, add CCTV, upgraded detection, DMS signs, improved ADA access and connection to MBlink network on fiber. The proposed project will greatly increase mobility and cut congestion while also providing an emergency operation for communication to sign, signals and CCTV. The proposed Management Center Plan will improve projects to address the transportation-related functional requirements for the City of Mont Belvieu, with an objective of providing a Management Center and advanced transportation system improvements throughout the city for emergency operations. The guiding principles and many of the technical aspects have not been developed previously. The project will implement a Management Center along with a much-needed updated technology for ITS devices to improve egress and ingress for emergency operations related Evacuations, plant operations emergencies, and coordinating/providing guidance for interstate/Sate Highway traffic along SH 146, SH 99 and IH 10 during traffic incident and emergencies.

3. 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 proposed improvements would minimize delays and increase safety. It increases the efficiency of existing facilities making great use of available funding.

4. 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 project will increase ADA access with audible pedestrian buttons, improved signal heads along sidewalks and/ or trails routes that access corridors in the city including pedestrians and bikers. The project will provide better coordination of signalized intersections while allowing pedestrians to cross in a safer manner. This project will be critical since Riceland development is located mainly on the eastside of Eagle Dr and will be needed a safe access to the westside where the town center will be, including city hall and billing department. The City of Mont Belvieu has successfully connected most of its neighborhoods with sidewalks and bicycle paths. BHISD one of the top school districts in the state is located in the City in a college style campus. All schools from kindergarten to high school are in one big campus. The proposed Traffic Management Center will allow proper routing of pedestrian facilities across the city particularly during high walk-able periods such as high school football games, little league, and soccer seasons. The project will manage pedestrian connectivity to our City Hall complex, the town center, our Rec Center, Golf Course, City park, and to all BHISD buildings.

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 provide communication by dynamic message signs, CCTV, signal timing adjustments for crashes, events or other inoperable periods that may happen due to emergencies or damage infrastructure. Project will improve response times for any infrastructure damage or emergency issues. Mont Belvieu will benefit with this project based on the number of heavy plants industrial companies operating in and around the area, that may require an evacuation or lock down. Today crashes or issues along IH 10 or SH 146 causes traffic operation to fail and require residents to maneuver through the city. Communication and adjusting signal will be beneficial. ITS advanced technology is used to coordinate signals, improved traffic progression, reduce incident clearance times, improve real-time traveler information, improve progression, and enhance special event traffic management and more. During periods of inoperability due to emergencies or accidents the TMC will guide the deployment, management, and operation of advanced traffic management technology within the area while serving as an educational tool. It will allow city staff to view, assess, and redirect traffic in real time as needed. It will allow for emergency services to be dispatched to the scene even before the public can contact 911.

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.

The project will extend the life of the existing signal systems by adding gps clocks, signal timing, updated cabinets, controllers and may eliminate the need to add capacity or more travel lanes.

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.

0.0124 (2023)

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.

0.2795 (2023)

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 management center and improvements will help provide congestion control and increased emergency response times for fatal injuries. The communication will help in reroutes, adjusting flow thru signals and provide emergency information. Emergency response time will help with serious injuries and impacts due to crashes. Implementation of a TMC can be measured by obvious key performance indicators, such as an increase in the quantity of incidents managed, an increase in number of ITS devices deployed, and an increase in miles of coverage. Some outcome-focused measures of improvement may include reduced recurring and non-recurring congestion, reduced crashes, and improved response times to traffic incidents. The system will reduce crashes and fatalities through continuous improvement of traffic management systems and procedures. IT will optimize travel time reliability on transportation systems in critical corridors to ensure travelers are reaching their destinations in the amount of time they expected for the journey. It provides timely and accurate travel information to customers so they can make informed mobility decisions so they can avoid areas that are dangerous and could cause more accidents.

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.

Low

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.

Project would not help with preventing flooding but will help in coordination of emergency operations of travel and high-water spots. Management center will assist fire and police for any water rescues. Part of the project is to provide CCTV at locations.

Access/Connectivity

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

1252

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

931

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?

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

1252

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

931

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1d. Disabled Persons

500

1e. Elderly Persons

830

1f. Limited English Proficiency

1320

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.

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 management center project will provide improvements to pedestrians crossing including audible push button upgrades, modified wheelchair ramps were needed, CCTV, detection upgrades, signal timing and other improvements. The pedestrian upgrades will allow for a friendlier ADA issue.

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.

Management center project will not cause any adverse effects to the vulnerable population. The project will have no adverse effects to any population and will only increase safety and operations of infrastructure.

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.

Project will not affect wetlands or flood plain areas. The proposed project is not in any known wetlands areas and is not in a designated flood plain. An environmental study will be performed to determine any potential effects to the environment or the populations. Any impacts will be mitigated as necessary. It will follow all requirements per Federal laws.

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)

0.03 (both)

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.

Project will include updates local and master software including cabinets, controllers, detection, pedestrian crossing equipment, CCTV and digital signs. The proposed TCM will improve safety and mobility for all modes of transportation by integrating planning, design, operations, and maintenance activities and acknowledging all opportunities for innovation. It will increase safety by reducing crashes and fatalities through continuous improvement of traffic management systems and procedures. It will provide reliability and optimize travel times on transportation systems in critical corridors to ensure travelers are reaching their destinations in the amount of time they expected for the journey. It is efficient by Implement projects that optimize existing transportation system capacity and alleviate congestion. Provides timely and accurate travel information to customers so they can make informed mobility decisions. It will provide collaboration manage and operate an integrated transportation system through multi-jurisdictional coordination and cooperation between various transportation disciplines and partner agencies.

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