Transportation Project Questionnaire

Major Projects Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Houston District
Project Title	IH 610 E Reconstruction and Widening to add Managed lanes
Facility/Street/Highway	IH 610 E
Limits	From SH 225 to IH 45 S
Description	RECONSTRUCT AND WIDEN FROM 8 TO 12 LANE (ADD 4 MANAGED LANES) - Safety, operational and mobility improvements to the IH 610 E mainlanes and frontage roads, based on results of the SH 225 PEL/IH 610 East PEL study
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$50,000,000.00

Regional Transportation Plan Goals

1. Please provide narrative describing how the proposed project supports all goals established in the Regional Transportation Plan (2045 RTP).

According to the 2045 RTP, this project falls under H-GAC’s Manage, Maintain, and Expand strategies, which collectively directly support all five of H-GAC’s goals of improving safety, achieving/maintaining a state of good repair, moving people and goods efficiently, strengthening regional economic competitiveness, and protecting cultural and natural resources. [1] Improve Safety: This project will provide additional capacity to the roadway and reduce primary and secondary crashes caused by congestion. [2] Achieve & Maintain State of Good Repair: In a widening/reconstruction project, old pavement is removed, and new pavement is constructed, thus increasing the state of good repair. [3] Move People and Goods Reliably and Efficiently: This project will reduce congestion and reduce resulting crashes, increasing the reliability of the facility. [4] Strengthen Regional Economic Competitiveness: This project will reduce congestion and resulting crashes, increasing the truck travel time reliability of the facility, boosting regional and economic competitiveness. [5] Conserve and Protect Natural and Cultural Resources: This project will include improved drainage, which will benefit the natural resources abutting the facility. This project will reduce emissions caused by idling and congestion.

Regional Significance

1. Is the project a Roadway Project or a Transit Project?

Roadway

1a. For Roadway projects, this project is located on a facility functionally classified as a:

Principal Arterial or Higher Functional Class

Potential Crash Reductions

1. What is the existing fatality crash rate at the project location? Regional crash data is available online at crash data viewer. H-GAC staff will provide assistance in calculating the crash rates upon request.

0.237

2. What is the existing serious injury crash rate at the project location? Regional crash data is available online at crash data viewer. H-GAC staff will provide assistance in calculating the crash rates upon request.

7.826

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.

For IH 610 E, approximately 31% of the roadway limits within the PEL is above the statewide average crash rate for Urban Interstates with some areas being over double the statewide average south of the IH 610 E and SH 225 interchange. The projects that result from the PEL Recommendation will improve safety by reconstructing the corridor to current design standards allowing for improved ramp configurations, increased vertical clearances, (Work Codes 506 and 505, CRF 55 & 50), and wider shoulders (Work Code 536, CRF 31). In addition, the low vertical clearance of the I-610 Ship Channel bridge (Sidney Sherman Bridge) has been a contributing factor to ship-bridge collisions. Project 1085, as part of the PEL Recommendation, consists of reconstructing, widening (Work Code 218, CRF 55), and raising the bridge (Work Code 505, CRF 50) which will aid in preventing costly and disruptive ship-bridge collisions in addition to crashes. The reconstruction of the IH 610 E Ship Channel Bridge will also include reconstructing the SH 225 and IH 610 E Interchange (Work Code 515, CRF 65) to current standards.

Potential Congestion Reductions

1. Is the project located on a facility listed on Texas 100 most congested roads list?

Yes

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

Rank #53, https://www.txdot.gov/apps/statewide_mapping/StatewidePlanningMap.html (Top 100 Layer)

2. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project reduces congestion. Narrative must include specific improvements (work types) included in the project scope.

Crash rates for this segment are per 100 million VMT. The fatality rate is 0.237, lower than the regional average (1.23), and the serious injury rate is 7.826, higher than the regional average (6.18). The reconstruction and widening of the roadway will provide additional capacity to the roadway and reduce primary and secondary crashes caused by congestion. Managed lanes are vital for reducing congestion and offering drivers more reliable timeframes for getting to their destinations, adjusting lane strategies as needed to maximize roadway efficiency, and improving traffic flow on both the managed and general-purpose lanes. In addition, the project will include safety improvements as outlined in the SH 225 PEL/IH 610 East PEL study. The installation 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. The consolidated crash reduction factor for this project is 93%, as a result of adding lanes to the facility (WC 517) and installing sidewalks (WC 407). Level of Service (LOS) is a measure of moving vehicles and goods reliably and efficiently. LOS for the existing facilities within the PEL Study limits indicate that overall, the freeway mainlanes are operating at LOS D or better during the peak hours. However, there are several segments, specifically segments on/near I-610E, that are currently operating at LOS E or F, indicating that these segments are over capacity and require improvements. For the frontage roads, a considerable number of intersections along I-610E near I-45 are experiencing significant delays, with an LOS F. Traffic operations are expected to worsen by year 2045 based on the projected 52% increase in population in the study area. It is projected that by the year 2045 almost all I-610E will operate at unacceptable LOS E/F during the AM and PM peak hour in both directions. The projects that result from the PEL Recommendation indicate that by 2045, would improve the congestion throughout I-610E to LOS D or better with the addition of the elevated structure (Work Code 541, CRF 30). In addition, all major roadways within the PEL Study Limits are part of the Primary Highway Freight System (PHFS) which moves many goods locally, regionally, and nationally. All the roadways within the PEL Study Limits are listed as part of TTI’s 2022 Top 100 most truck congested roadways. Numerous freight generators are located along/nearby the study limits, including but not limited to Port Houston, the refineries along Clinton Drive, Barbours Cut Container Terminal, and the Bayport Container Terminal with daily truck traffic volumes ranging from 16%-26% of the traffic utilizing the mainlanes. The projects that result from the PEL Recommendation will include elevated structures (Work Code 541, CRF 30) that will add capacity and provide a means for express travel thus moving goods more efficiently from these economic generators.

Connectivity to Jobs, Medical Facilities, and Activity Centers

1. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to jobs within a 1/4 mile buffer of the project location?

Yes

1a. Please provide the number of jobs located within 1/4 mile distance of the project.

4,117

2. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a medical facility within a 1/4 mile buffer of the project location?

Yes

3. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to an activity center within a 1/4 mile buffer of the project location?

Yes

4. Provide narrative describing how proposed project improves or provides new connectivity to jobs, medical facilities, and activity centers.

This project will be improving connectivity by adding capacity and connecting new frontage roads over railroad tracks near Galveston Road. Gulfgate Mall nearby provides jobs and is an activity center for the area. Schools nearby this corridor include Crespo Elementary School, Sanchez Elementary School, and Milby High School. Harris Health Gulfgate Health Center also is next to this corridor.

State of Good Repair

1. What is the age of the facility where proposed project is located?

1974 (50 years)

2. What is the existing condition of the facility.

Poor

3. Please explain how the project improves state of good repair and extends the service life of the facility.

Segments of the project have pavement in Poor condition, according to FHWA guidelines. This segment contains bridges in Fair condition, according to FHWA guidelines. The worst bridge on this project segment was built in 1974 and last rehabilitated in 2006. It is rated as being in Fair condition overall, with a superstructure condition score of 6, substructure condition score of 5, 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.

Biking and Walking Conditions

1. 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 new or improve existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure on project facility or in the vicinity of the project.

Sidewalks/shared use paths will be installed on frontage roads where right of way width will allow per the SH 225/IH 610 E PEL Study. Shared use paths provide a low-stress experience for active transportation users, increasing user safety and health while improving regional connectivity. The addition of sidewalks will create transportation alternatives and allow pedestrians greater access to services and improve quality of life.

Impacts to Vulnerable Populations

1. Please enter the Low-Income household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

15,363

2. Please enter the Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

17,449

3. Please enter the Household Population Under Poverty located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

6,590

4. Please enter the Disabled Persons household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

1,116

5. Please enter the Elderly Persons household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

570

6. Please enter the Limited English Proficiency household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

4,124

7. What is the average Livable Center Need Index within 1/4 buffer of the project location? H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

73.20

8. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project provides benefits to vulnerable populations (benefits include safety improvements, or construction or improvements to ped/bike facilities, or improvements to transit stops.

The area surrounding the project segment has a higher low-income population (38.79%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (97.05%) 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 rated as having high vulnerability to flooding and is ranked as moderate 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. The region in which this project sits is scored 73.20 out of 100, according to the H-GAC Livable Centers Index. The improvement will improve the area’s Livable Index score by contributing to creating an area easily accessible by multimodal transportation opportunities.

9. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project avoids or mitigates adverse effects to vulnerable populations. List of adverse effects was provided in detailed criteria document.

The area surrounding the project segment has a higher low-income population (38.79%) as compared to the regional average of 13.5%. The area surrounding the project segment has a higher minority population (97.05%) as compared to the regional average of 65% minority. TxDOT’s NEPA 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. A noise analysis will be conducted on projects such as this to determine if sound walls are necessary, if they are needed they will be constructed with this project.

Hurricane Evacuation Route

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

1a. If no, is the proposed project located on a facility that functions as an alternative to an evacuation route?

Yes

1a-i. If yes, explain.

IH 610 E is 1 of 3 large routes crossing over the Buffalo Bayou (Others being BW 8 and SH 146) that connects IH 45 S to IH 10 E directly which are both classified as a State Evacuation route.