Transportation Project Questionnaire

Major Projects Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	METRO
Project Title	I 69 2-way HOV - Phase 2
Facility/Street/Highway	I 69 S
Limits	Loop 610W to BW 8
Description	Convert 1-way to 2-way HOV
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).

2045 RTP Goal #1: Improve Safety; Performance Measures: reduce fatal and serious injuries The I-69S two-way HOV project will reduce serious and fatal crashes on one of the State’s most congested freeway corridors with one of the region’s highest crash rates. The proposed project will enhance safety for all modes of transportation by increasing capacity, reducing vehicular travel demand and alleviating congestion. The expansion of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane from a one lane reversable facility to a two-way, bidirectional facility will decrease vehicular travel demand by increasing the use of high occupancy vehicles both in peak and off-peak travel times. Because of the reduced travel time for users in both directions, all METRO local and commuter buses as well as express buses operated by Fort Bend County Transit and private charter operators serving destinations along IH-69S will also experience enhanced ridership. Available to carpools at no cost and single occupancy cars and trucks paying a toll during off peak periods, vehicle demand on the main lanes in both directions of travel will be reduced as will the corresponding vehicle crashes. Unlike the current reversable facility, the 2-way HOV lanes will be able to operate continuously 24-7. In addition to a reduction of crashes from reduced vehicle miles of travel, the risk of a serious or fatal injury is far less for travelers on board a transit vehicle. 2045 RTP Goal #2: Achieve/Maintain State of Good Repair; Performance Measures: Pavement Condition; Transit Asset Management The project will utilize available pavement space in some sections but will also construct additional HOV guideway on a grade separated guideway in conjunction with the TxDOT North Houston Highway Improvement Program and at the IH610 interchange with IH-69S. The pavement and bridge design will adhere to all requirements set forth by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Additionally, METRO will be responsible for monitoring the pavement condition, signage, establishing state of good repair targets, and devising a maintenance plan to ensure that the facility remains in a state of good repair consistent with METRO's transit asset management plan. 2045 RTP Goal #3: Move People and Goods Efficiently IH 69 S currently ranks fifth among the top 100 most congested roads in Texas, highlighting significant congestion and travel time reliability concerns. Moreover, the congestion on IH 69S is present in both directions during both the morning and evening peaks and midday. The project will enhance travel time reliability in both directions all day for both transit and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) users. Unlike the current reversable facility, the 2-way HOV lanes will be able to operate continuously 24-7. Furthermore, the HOV facility can serve as a supplemental evacuation route or be prioritized for use by emergency vehicles during severe weather conditions, providing additional utility and resilience to the transportation network. 2045 RTP Goal #4: Strengthen Regional Economic Competitiveness; Performance Measures: Increase multi-Occupant Vehicle Use The IH 69 Two-Way HOV project will incentivize greater use of multi-occupant vehicles, including HOV and bus users. The primary objective of HOV lanes is to encourage ridesharing and public transportation, alleviate congestion from regular travel lanes, and enhance overall traffic flow. By offering an exclusive and expedited route, the project aims to bolster travel time reliability, further incentivizing the use of transit and HOV options. To maximize its benefits, during off peak periods single occupant cars and trucks may be permitted use of the facility based upon toll rates designed to appropriately manage travel demand. Unlike the current reversable facility, the 2-way HOV lanes will be able to operate continuously 24-7. 2045 RTP Goal #5 Conserve and Protect Natural and Cultural Resource; Performance Measure: Emission Reduction This investment will reduce on-road vehicle emissions by increasing use of ridesharing and public transportation, alleviating congestion in regular travel lanes, and by reducing the frequency and severity of traffic crashes. The project is estimated to decrease daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 28,600 miles, leading to a reduction in emissions of Nitrogen Oxides, Volatile Organic Compounds and fine particulate matter. Unlike the current reversible facility, the 2-way HOV lanes will be able to operate continuously 24-7.

Regional Significance

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

Transit

1b. For Transit Projects, does this project serve commuter transit service?

Yes

1b-i. Please explain.

This corridor serves four METRO Park and Ride or Transit Centers: Uptown Transit Center, Hillcroft Transit Center, Westwood Park and Ride and the West Bellfort Park and Ride as well as other METRO express services. This project will also serve Park and Ride service from Sugar Land provided by Fort Bend County Transit. Finally, it will serve intercity and international charter bus services using the Southwest Freeway corridor.

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.

The crash rates for IH 69 between 2018 and 2022 are illustrated in the following table. They are compared with the Texas state average crash rates on interstate highways. Year Total Crashes* Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Crash Rates* (crashes per 100 million vehicle mile travelled) State Average Crash Rate for Interstate Highway 2018 318 300,345 50.89 156.72 2019 478 297,342 77.27 161.03 2020 854 255,714 160.52 137.63 2021 839 268,500 150.19 160.67 2022 397 258,901 73.70 150.86 Average 577 276,160 102.52 153.38 *Crash rates include all crash types (fatal, severe, minor injury and property damage only) The average fatality crash rate for IH 69 between 2018 and 2022 is 0.42 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The Texas statewide average fatality rate in 2022 is 1.55 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. It should be noted that the Texas average fatality rate includes both freeways and signalized corridors. Signalized highways account for a considerably higher proportion of crashes than freeways.

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.

The average serious injury crash rate for IH 69 between 2018 and 2022 is 1.69 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The Texas statewide average serious injury crash rate in 2022 is 5.28 vehicle miles traveled. It should be noted that the Texas average serious injury rate includes both freeways and signalized corridors. Signalized highways account for a considerably higher proportion of crashes than freeways.

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 proposed project includes adding one lane to the existing HOV/HOT facility on IH 69 from downtown Houston to the Uptown Transit Center, converting the existing single-reversible-HOV/HOT lane to a directional two-way facility which can be operated 24-7. METRO and other public and private transit agency buses will use the HOV/HOT lane when traveling on IH 69S. The successful implementation of this project will improve capacity for both passenger vehicles and buses, significantly improving bus travel time reliability. This investment will also reduce vehicle crashes by increasing use of ridesharing and public transportation which will result in a decrease of total daily VMT. The conversion from the reversible lane to two-way operations will alleviate the safety concern of potential wrong-way crashes, require less enforcement and entrance gate operations, and reduce driver confusion. H-GAC crash reduction estimator was used to estimate the safety benefit from the proposed project. The safety benefit over the next 20 years would be $442,464,000 (2018 dollars)

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://static.tti.tamu.edu/tti.tamu.edu/documents/TTI-2023-3.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.

The 2-way HOV lanes will further incentivize use of ridesharing and public transportation, remove congestion from normal lanes of travel, and improve overall traffic operations. Unlike the current reversable facility, the 2-way HOV lanes will be able to operate continuously 24-7. The IH 69 Two-Way HOV project is designed to promote and accommodate multi-occupant vehicle use (HOV and bus users). However, other vehicular travel may also be accommodated through the use of tolls during off peak time periods to maximize the congestion reduction impact of this facility. The proposed project includes adding one lane to the existing HOV/HOT facility on IH 69 and converting the existing single-reversible-HOV/HOT lane to a directional two-way facility. METRO’s buses will use the HOV/HOT lane when traveling on IH 69S. The successful implementation of this project will improve capacity for both passenger vehicles and buses and significantly improve bus travel time reliability for the transit lines using this section of the interstate highway. The project will benefit the communities along the project corridor and commuters from Fort Bend County (Sugar Land; Rosenberg, Richmond) as well as intercity charter bus operators. The project is projected to reduce daily vehicle mile travelled (VMT)by 28,600 miles. Daily vehicle hours travelled (VHT) reduction is projected to be 1,200 hours.

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 IH 69 Two-Way HOV connects directly to the Houston CBD, Greenway Plaza and Uptown Houston District, which are the first, fourth and second largest employment centers respectively in the region. At just over ¼ mile from the downtown terminus, the Texas Medical Center is the third largest employment center regionally. According to H-GAC Activity- Connectivity Explorer (https://datalab.h-gac.com/ace), current (2018) jobs within ¼ mile distance of the project corridor is 65,659. The projected (2045) jobs within ¼ mile distance of the project is 66,917.

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.

The current one-way reversible HOV service period spans Monday through Sunday from 5 am to 11 am (inbound) and 1 pm to 8 pm (outbound). The proposed project aims to transition this existing one-way HOV system into an all-day, two-way HOV system, thereby extending the availability of HOV lanes. The project entails converting existing one-way HOV lanes into two-way HOV facilities, predominantly situated along the middle of the IH 69 freeway, following its existing profiles. Additionally, several access ramps will be modified to enhance overall facility accessibility for both workers and residents along the corridor. Locations for these modifications include Spur 527, Greenway at Edloe, and the Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center.

State of Good Repair

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

30 years

2. What is the existing condition of the facility.

Good

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

The age of the one-way reversible HOV facility varies. The segment from Shepherd to the west is approximately 30 years old and the segment from Shepherd and traveling east is approximately 20 years old. It should be noted that the project will interface with TxDOT’s NHHIP and IH 69 and IH 610 interchange redesign projects and the transition to two-directional HOV are integrated with the TxDOT improvements.

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.

a. All METRO buses include accommodations for bicycles as do the Transit Centers and Park and Ride facilities. Although this project does not include construction of new facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, the two-way HOV will expand the opportunity and destinations which can be reached by pedestrians and cyclists to use the METRO services operated over this proposed facility.

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.

5687

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.

21751

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.

5687

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.

4066

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.

6531

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.

2285

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.

Livable centers along the project corridor includes Upper Kirby, Montrose and Midtown. b. According to H-GAC Activity- Connectivity Explorer, the weighted livable center need index is 18.9.

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.

a. No or limited permanent adverse impacts will result from changes in travel patterns and access provided by the proposed project. The IH-69 HOV lanes would be constructed within existing ROW, between north and southbound main lanes at various elevations. The existing IH-69 facility would retain its current travel patterns and access for travelers. Benefits associated with the proposed project would include reduced travel times for drivers and Houston METRO buses, improved mobility, and added capacity. Regarding community facilities within the study area, the proposed HOV lanes would not have an impact on access to these facilities. All existing roads and structures within the study area would remain intact and available to the public. Because the proposed project does not require any additional right-of-way (ROW), there are no anticipated potential displacements. The addition of the proposed two-way HOV lanes would occur within the existing ROW, and therefore, not require the acquisition of any additional properties. The project does not appear to have disproportionately high and adverse direct impact on minority and low-income populations associated with the proposed project.

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.

a. Regarding impacts to changes in travel patterns and access, permanent adverse impacts would be limited. The IH-69 HOV lanes would be constructed within existing ROW, between north and southbound main lanes at various elevations. The existing IH-69 facility would retain its current travel patterns and access for travelers. Benefits associated with the proposed project would include reduced travel times for drivers and Houston METRO buses, improved mobility, and added capacity. Regarding community facilities within the study area, the proposed HOV lanes would not have an impact on access to these facilities. All existing roads and structures within the study area would remain intact and available to the public. Because the proposed project does not require any additional right-of-way (ROW), there are no anticipated potential displacements. The addition of the proposed two-way HOV lanes would occur within the existing ROW, and therefore, not require the acquisition of any additional properties.

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 69S was extensively used during Hurricane Ike as a hurricane evacuation route from the Houton area even though not currently designated as such. Moreover, it has provided significant evacuation capacity for coastal areas south and west of the Houston metropolitan area for residents from communities such as Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, etc. as the Houston metro area has significant capacity to accommodate evacuees. Therefore, the two-directional HOV facility provides additional evacuation capacity and may be used to support evacuation efforts from coastal areas across the state.