Transportation Project Questionnaire

Resiliency and State of Good Repair Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	METRO
Project Title	Northline TC
Facility/Street/Highway	Fulton St.
Limits	@ Julia St.
Description	Construct new multi-level TC on new location to replace existing Northline TC
Timeframe	Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost	$42,000,000.00

Investment Category-Focused Criteria

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.

The Northline Transit Center would replace the existing transit center, which accommodates transfers for local bus service, and allows for seamless connections to other parts of METRO’s service area and beyond. The site is currently a contains a mix of unoccupied residential, retail and storage structures. The lease for the Northline Transit Center is set to expire in 2021, and in order to meet the demand of METRO customers and provide adequate parking, it has become imperative to explore opportunities for the construction of a new transit center. Currently, this facility serves 7 routes with an average weekly ridership of 3,094 boardings.

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

a. The proposed NLTC is located at near Fulton Street and Crosstimbers Street. It is not on any truck routes nor adjacent to a bridge over the Houston Ship Channel. The project is located outside of the 100-year and 500-year floodplains. Drainage improvements will also be included in the project to mitigate any additional drainage needs from the project.

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.

Ridership counts taken in 2019 show that approximately 3,450 daily boardings between bus and METRORail.

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

The proposed project will be a new transit center and scheduled to start construction in 2025

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

Poor

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

Yes

5a. If yes, please provide a link to the existing asset management plan.

https://intranet.ridemetro.org/ent/doccenter/All%20Active%20Documents/2022%20Houston%20METRO%20TAM%20Plan%20%20v2.0.pdf#search=asset%20management%20plan

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.

a. The Northline Transit Center (NLTC) is located adjacent to the METRORail Red Line Northline station, the terminal station. The NLTC will connect local bus routes and the METRORail Red Line, as well as area drivers via structured parking. b. No truck only lanes are proposed. c. Intersection improvements in the form of signal timing are proposed at Fulton Street and Deerfield Street. A new signal is proposed at Fulton Street and the HCC entrance

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 proposed NLTC is located at near Fulton Street and Crosstimbers Street. It is not on any truck routes nor adjacent to a bridge over the Houston Ship Channel. The project is located outside of the 100-year and 500-year floodplains. Drainage improvements will also be included in the project to mitigate any additional drainage needs from the project.

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 Northline Transit Center (NLTC) is located adjacent to the METRORail Red Line Northline station, the terminal station. The NLTC will connect local bus routes and the METRORail Red Line, as well as area drivers via structured parking. No truck only lanes are proposed. Intersection improvements in the form of signal timing are proposed at Fulton Street and Deerfield Street. A new signal is proposed at Fulton Street and the HCC entrance.

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.

he proposed NLTC will be served by the 56 Airline/Montrose BOOST route, which is designed to optimize service and transit treatment to provide a “Better Walk, Better Stop and Better Ride”. BOOST routes will have enhanced amenities with greater accessibility. METRO is making Universal Accessibility (UA) improvements throughout the METRO Service area to better connect bust stops and shelters to meet or exceed ADA standards. The City of Houston proposes bike lanes on the same block of Fulton Street as the proposed NLTC. Finally, the proposed NLTC will have a drop-off area with bicycle parking and pedestrian access to better serve active transportation.

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

The proposed NLTC connects local bus, and automobile traffic with METRORail enabling travelers to Downtown to avoid the congested IH 45, as well as allowing customers to connect to transit service serving destinations across the northern part of the service area. The 56 Antoine/Montrose route, which stops at the NLTC, will be upgraded to a BOOST route. BOOST routes will have higher frequency and upgraded amenities, such as next bus information, branded shelters and signage, and transit-friendly signal timing.

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.

Traffic fatalities within a half-mile of the project site from 2019-2023 include: 9/30/2023 – Bauman Rd. @ Julia St. 9/24/2022 – IH 45 @ Crosstimbers St. 10/17/2021 – IH 45 @ Crosstimbers St. 11/29/2020 – IH 45 @ Crosstimbers St. 11/04/2020 – IH 45 Frontage Road @ Crosstimbers St. 11/29/2020 – IH 45 @ Airline Dr. 10/19/2019 – Berry Rd. @ Fulton St.

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.

Traffic serious injuries within a half-mile of the project site from 2019-2023 include: Four in 2023 Two in 2022 Five in 2021 Four in 2020 Two in 2019

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 NLTC will offer improved connectivity for transit users and allow automobile drivers to access bus and rail facilities, reducing the need travel in congested freeways.

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.

High

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 project is located outside of the 100-year and 500-year floodplains. Drainage improvements will also be included in the project to mitigate any additional drainage needs from the project.

Access/Connectivity

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

4,153

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

6,106

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

No

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

4,153

1b. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities

6,106

1c. Household Population Under Poverty

1,392

1d. Disabled Persons

462

1e. Elderly Persons

237

1f. Limited English Proficiency

1,589

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.

62.4

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.

a. The proposed NLTC connects local bus, and automobile traffic with METRORail enabling travelers to Downtown to avoid the congested IH 45, as well as allowing customers to connect to transit service serving destinations across the northern part of the service area. b. METRO is making Universal Accessibility (UA) improvements throughout the METRO Service area to better connect bust stops and shelters to meet or exceed ADA standards. c. Finally, the proposed NLTC will have a drop-off area with bicycle parking and pedestrian access to better serve active transportation.

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.

The new NLTC will be larger than the existing facility and will enhance the connectivity of the Northline community to the overall METRO network with more bus routes and parking capacity, expanding access to jobs and education. A Categorical Exclusion (CE) was approved for the new NLTC that recognized the project’s benefits to the primarily low-income and minority community (attached). The findings of the Environmental Justice analysis for the project determined that there were no disparate or disproportionate impacts on low-income and minority 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 project is located outside of the 100-year and 500-year floodplains. There are no cultural resources impacted by the project as documented in the project CE.

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)

The NLTC will provide a safe and convenient connection for transit customers by expanding the facility to accommodate more existing bus routes and METRORail service: therefore, emissions reductions are negligible. As an approved bus transfer facility in a conforming RTP and approved in the TIP, the project is exempt from air quality analysis.

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.

The proposed NLTC connects local bus, and automobile traffic with METRORail creating a multi-modal center enabling travelers to Downtown to avoid the congested IH 45, as well as allowing customers to connect to transit service serving destinations across the northern part of the service area. METRO is also making Universal Accessibility (UA) improvements throughout the METRO Service area to better connect bust stops and shelters to meet or exceed ADA standards. Finally, the proposed NLTC will have a drop-off area with bicycle parking and pedestrian access to better serve active transportation.

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

No

Additional Documents