Transportation Project Questionnaire

Major Projects Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	Montgomery County
Project Title	I-45 Ramp Improvements
Facility/Street/Highway	IH 45
Limits	SH 99 to Woodlands Parkway
Description	Construct braided ramps at the Hardy Toll Interchange. Modify ramps between SH 99 and Woodlands Parkway. Add auxilliary lanes
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$150,000,000.00

Regional Transportation Plan Goals

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

IH 45, between Woodlands Parkway and SH 99, is an 8-10-lane roadway, classified as an interstate highway. A confluence of 3 majors facilities (I45/Hardy Toll/SH 99), this facility serves as a major north/south connection between Houston and the Woodlands/Conroe. There has been a substantial increase in traffic and congestion due to the residential and commercial developments situated along I45, SH 99, Rayford Road and Woodlands Parkway. Per the 5 years crash data (2018-22), we found that the crash rates along the project corridor is significantly higher than the statewide average. Proposed improvements will help eliminate merging conflict points. Just within our project boundaries ¼ mile buffer, there is an estimated additional 670 homes planned as part of future development. It is also estimated that an additional 18,000 jobs will be created along the corridor. Due to the development and growth adjacent to project limits and those north and south, have caused the existing layout to become outdated, congested and in need of a facelift. The proposed improvements to IH-45 meet the five goals of the 2045 RTP: 1. Improve Safety: The I-45 improvements will adjust traffic on the main lanes, toll lanes and frontage roads, reducing the number of conflict points, improving connections (ramps and direct connecters) and creating clearer driver directions and expectations, while providing additional capacity within this confluence zone. Improvements are anticipated to reduce crashes by 30% over the service life of 20 years. 2. Achieve and Maintain a State of Good Repair: The proposed project should bring main lanes and frontage roads a decade of year life, resetting minimal maintenance for at least 10-15 years after completion. 3. Move People and Goods Efficiently: As a proposed multimodal facility, IH 45 would be able to efficiently move vehicles, goods, and pedestrians/cyclists in a safe manner. The additional capacity will also improve mobility by reducing travel time delay and improving incident response time. The section of IH 45 is part of the Texas Highway Freight Network, Strategic Highway Network, National Highway System. IH 45 is also a designated Hurricane Evacuation Route. 4. Strengthen Regional Economic Competitiveness: The ramp improvements to IH 45 will provide congestion relief for automobile users. The proposed improvements of IH 45 is needed to support future residential and commercial development, adjacent to project limits, as well as areas north and south of project segment. Activity centers, include Northgate Elementary School, Woodlands Specialty Hospital, Spring Creek Greenway and multiple parks and recreation areas. H-GAC land use estimates an increase in nearly 96 % for housing units within a ¼ mile of the project corridor. 2045 population estimates a 13.4% growth from 2018, along with 67% growth in employment within the TAZ. 5. Conserve and Protect Natural and Cultural Resources: Montgomery County will be conducting an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed improvements along FM 2090. After assessing environmental resources and constraints, the alignment and footprint of the roadway will be designed to avoid, minimize and mitigation sensitive environmental resources (natural and cultural). By adding one additional travel lane in each direction, congestion along the facility would be reduced, therefore improving overall air quality.

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.

Project Corridor has 2,954 Crashes with 9 Fatal (6 Motorist, 3 Pedestrian). Total Fatality Crash Rate: 0.476

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.

Of the 2,954 Crashes/ 1,036 had injuries ( 1,026 Motorist Injuries, 9 Pedestrian Injuries, and 1 Cyclist Injury). Total Serious Injury Crash Rate: 2.749

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 project will adjust traffic on the main lanes, toll lanes and frontage roads. Focusing on the “ultimate” patterns and movements, reducing the number of conflict points, providing updating ingress/egress ramps and connections, providing the traveling public safer merging conditions. Anticipated reduction in crashes due to improvements should decrease by 30% over the 20 year service life. Additional Safety Benefits include updated lighting, extended merge lanes, safer ingress/egress ramps to and from ML/FRs, update pavement markings and signage, eliminate bottlenecks and smooth flow of traffic, and improve horizontal alignments.

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.

https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/tpp/top100/top100-complete-statewide-list.pdf

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

I-45 Ramp Improvement Project will construct braided ramps at the Hardy Toll Interchange, will modify ramps between SH 99 and Woodlands Parkway, and add auxiliary lanes to I-45. The project will adjust traffic patterns and frontage road movements to reduce lane changes and conflict points. Improvements will: 1. Remove Bottlenecks 2. Widen ramps or add exit lanes. Certain ramps and exit lanes are no longer adequately sized to accommodate current demand. (Due to recent land use changes and travel patterns.) 3. Smooth the flow of vehicles 4. Encourage group travel. (Improve/Expand Metro and Woodland Express Services)(create better access to adjacent park & ride lot) 5. Expand Walking & Biking Network (and add additional corridor lighting for great safety) Project will also look to reduce congestion by expanding real time traffic information. Work Types: Install Warning/Guide Signs, Improve Traffic Signals, Install curbs/barriers, Safety Treat Fixed Objects, Safety Lighting at Intersections & along corridor, Install Pavement Markings, Install Edge Marking, Widen Paved Shoulder, Improve Vertical and Horizontal Alignments

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.

The proposed project would improve connectivity to existing jobs; 9,612 jobs (per 2018 data) and 16,052 jobs (per 2045) within the ¼ mile buffer of the proposed I-45 project.

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.

Project location scores a 55.5 out of a 100 for the Activity Index Accessibility Score. Project will create better ML to FR, DC to ML and DC to FR ingress and egress connections (including tapers and merge lanes). Design update allowing traffic from Sawdust to enter Hardy Toll (and Hardy to exit Sawdust) will allow for greater employment creation, as traffic pattens greatly improve. The new infrastructure will help create new opportunities for jobs and employment centers. Within a ¼ mile buffer of this section of roadway, jobs are anticipated to increase by 67% and the population is expected to increase by 13.4%.

State of Good Repair

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

Awaiting intel from TxDOT

2. What is the existing condition of the facility.

Fair

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

The IH 45 Corridor remains the single North/South connecter between Houston and Conroe/Woodlands, with job and household growth continuing to rise. Planned project will extend useful life of the I-45 corridor, by repairing minor maintenance issues, updating drainage system, updating travel patterns to meet current demand & patterns, and will revise ramps/exits to meet current and future conditions. Existing main lanes and frontage roads not being impacted by widening/additions will not be improved. General maintenance will need to be considered. The proposed SB FR and Direct Connectors will be new and will require minimal maintenance for at least 20 years after completion. AADT (2022 Main lanes) = 213,871 AADT (2022 NBFR) = 26,897 AADT (2022 SBFR) 26,946 Maintenance Section Boundaries: Districts: Houston, Maintenance Section 10, North Harris County Maintenance Section & Houston, Maintenance Section 5, Montgomery Maintenance Section.

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.

The proposed project is considering adding 6’ sidewalks to the Frontage Roads that are being replaced. The current facility has pedestrian or bicycle accommodations only at the major cross street intersections (I-45 and Rayford Road/Sawdust Road). New lighting along corridor will benefit roadway and pedestrian users. Over the next 20 years, the number of housing units is anticipated to increase over 96% (current housing units = 700; 2045 units = 1,372).

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.

38.1% of the total population located within the ¼ mile buffer are considered Low-Moderate Income Persons. (Total Population = 22,253 (2021)) (Low-Moderate Population = 6,629)

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.

2021 Hispanic Household Population = 37.1% (8,248 out of 22,253) 2021 Non-Hispanic Household Population = 15.4% (3,430 out of 22,253)

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.

2021 Household Population Under Poverty = 14.3% (3,174 out of 22,253)

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.

2021 Disabled Persons = 6.1% (1,366 out of 22,253)

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.

2021 Elderly Persons = 2.5% (559 out of 22,253)

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.

2021 LEP = 4.7% (1,036 out of 22,253)

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.

19.2

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 benefits of the proposed project such as improved mobility and safety, improved emergency response times, reduce congestion, and increased operational efficiency of the proposed roadway would be experienced by all populations, including vulnerable communities. The addition of a 6-ft sidewalk along the SBFR, paired with pedestrian crosswalks, and adding additional safety lighting would improve pedestrian access and connectivity within the proposed project corridor.

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.

Extensive public engagement, including vulnerable populations, during all phases of the project, including planning, design, construction, and implementation will inform the project development process. Public involvement materials will be prepared in both English and Spanish and accommodation for other non-English speakers will be made as requested. The design will consider feedback from the community to address their needs within the project corridor. The proposed design will take into account the locations of community resources, especially those serving vulnerable populations and wherever possible avoid impacts to these resources. In addition, low-income and environmental justice communities will be identified using U.S. Census data and field verification; the design will avoid taking ROW from these communities and where possible consider specific community needs in these areas. For example, additional pedestrian crossings or additional outreach. - Project requires minimal ROW. No displacements of persons or business anticipated. - Project will reduce congestion (by creating better flow patterns) - Project should increase potential for new employment opportunities (through new and improved corridor access) - Project will avoid impacts to Spring Creek and Montgomery County Preseve - Project will remove some of the existing Hardy Toll NB DC and replace with drainage improvements.