Transportation Project Questionnaire

Resiliency and State of Good Repair Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	City of Bellaire
Project Title	Reconstruction of S. Rice Ave
Facility/Street/Highway	South Rice Avenue
Limits	Elm to Cypress Ditch Bridge
Description	The S Rice Ave reconstruction project includes roadway and intersection improvements for enhanced mobility as well as storm drainage improvements to provide for increased access before, during, and after major events as well as improve regional flood resilience
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$28,800,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

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:

Minor Arterial

2. Please provide a narrative explaining how proposed project reduces inoperability for significant periods of time due to damaged infrastructure.

The South Rice Avenue reconstruction project would increase the road's storm sewer capacity, allowing South Rice to convey or store more stormwater coming from the north and traveling south to Brays Bayou. Please note that this is one of Bellaire's primary north/south drainage trunk lines (all water in Bellaire flows south towards Brays Bayou). Increasing the storm sewer capacity will reduce flood risk in the area around the corridor. This project would improve access before, during, and after major events as well as improve regional flood resilience. Additionally, South Rice has been identified as an emergency service corridor, meaning it would be designed to remain in service even in a 100+year storm event.

3. Please provide total estimated daily users served by the proposed project. AADT for roadway project (total users=AADT*vehicle occupancy) or daily total ridership for transit project.

Need help determining. Was unable to calculate.

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

50+ years

4a. What is the existing condition of the facility.

Poor

5. Does the project sponsor maintain an approved and regularly updated asset management plan?

No

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

Yes

Other Investment Category Focused Criteria

1. Was the project scored under Regional Goods Movement Category?

No

1a. If no, please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves regional goods movement. Within the narrative, please include if the proposed project is designated as a critical freight corridor or a local/regional/state truck route.

South Rice is a minor arterial road that connects residential areas to commercial areas and to I69. This project would improve drainage, ensuring this corridor remains open to emergency services during a major flood event. The newly constructed road would also help goods and people move more quickly since there would be improved road conditions (even surfaces with no potholes).

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.

South Rice is a minor arterial road that connects residential areas to commercial areas and to I69. This project may help connect residential areas in Bellaire and Meyerland to commercial areas north of Bellaire Blvd, around I69, and the Galleria district.

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 newly constructed road would also help goods and people move more quickly since there would be improved road conditions (even surfaces with no potholes). This project would not construct restricted lanes or modify existing intersections.

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.

This project may reconstruct the sidewalks on the east and west sides of the corridor.

5. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves traffic conditions for transit services (local, express, signature, or commuter).

The newly constructed road would also help goods and people move more quickly since there would be improved road conditions (even surfaces with no potholes).

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

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.

79

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.

Rebuilding the road will ensure that the road is in good repair and that drivers do not have to avoid obstacles, such as potholes. High-speed drivers who fail to see the pothole on time could lose control over the vehicle and collide with another car or someone's property. Pothole accidents are extremely common, and victims of such accidents have sustained serious injuries.

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.

High

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.

Medium

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.

The South Rice reconstruction project would increase the road's storm sewer capacity, allowing South to convey or store more stormwater coming from the north and traveling south to Brays Bayou. Please note that this is one of Bellaire's primary north/south drainage trunk lines (all water in Bellaire flows south towards Brays Bayou). Increasing the storm sewer capacity will reduce flood risk in the area around the corridor. This project would improve access before, during, and after major events as well as improve regional flood resilience. Additionally, South Rice has been identified as an emergency service corridor, meaning it would be designed to remain in service even in a 100+year storm event.

Access/Connectivity

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

841

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4856

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?

Yes

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

841 households

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

4856 households

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

299

1d. Disabled Persons

1014

1e. Elderly Persons

3072

1f. Limited English Proficiency

2176

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.

I need help with this. Project area is 77401 zipcode.

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.

Vulnerable populations are most at risk in a flood event since they have more difficulty evacuating and their homes are less likely to be elevated and flood resilient. This project improves drainage, improving the flood resiliency of the surrounding area. It also would ensure that South Rice is able to stay open during a major storm event, even while other streets are flooding, to provide emergency services and evacuation routes to vulnerable populations.

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.

Vulnerable populations are most at risk in a flood event since they have more difficulty evacuating and their homes are less likely to be elevated and flood resilient. This project improves drainage, improving the flood resiliency of the surrounding area. It also would ensure that South Rice is able to stay open during a major storm event, even while other streets are flooding, to provide emergency services and evacuation routes 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.

The drainage improvements of this project will improve the flood resiliency of the area. Without this project, stormwater cannot leave the area as quickly, leading to flooding. Our modeling indicates that this project, in conjunction with other drainage improvement projects, would move a number of homes out of the 100-year floodplain. This project would not impact cultural resources since it is reconstructing an existing road and no new right-of-way is needed.

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)

This project would not reduce Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).

Innovation

1. Does the project propose to implement new infrastructure technologies to enhance accessibility, mobility, multimodalism, resiliency, reliability, or traffic operations?

No

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

No

Additional Documents

Bellaire Statements-of-Projects-Interest.xlsx