713-627-3200
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Who is Completing the Application?
Please provide contact information for the person who will complete the online application for this project. The email address and password entered here will be used to complete and submit both Pre-Applications and Applications.
Megan Campbell
Planner
713-802-5325
Primary Agency Information
Please provide contact information for the agency official who is representing the project sponsor. This individual will be considered the official applicant and must be authorized by their agency to submit this request for funding and make necessary assertations and representations on the agency’s behalf.
Texas Department of Transportation - Houston
Quincy Allen
District Engineer
713-802-5000
7600 Washington Avenue
Houston
TX
77007
Additional Agency Information
Project Information
Beltway 8 Frontage Road Access Management
Harris County
Beltway 8 Frontage Road
I-10W to US 59 (I-69)S
The primary project need is to address the recurring congestion due to insufficient capacity. There're 19 cross-streets intersecting the northbound and southbound BW 8 Frontage Road throughout the project limits. SHT exit/entrance ramps and BW 8 driveways introduce critical weaving that also limits the capacity of BW 8 Frontage Roads. According to H-GAC 2015 West Houston Sub Regional Mobilit Plan, the population in west Houston is projected to have a 35% increase by 2040. The BW 8 is in close proximity to region's three major employment centers: the Energy Corridor, The Westchase District, and the Memorial City/Town Center. West Houston employment was 14% of the 8-county region's employment, and is projected to grow by 86% by 2040. Thus, enhance the mobility and access along the BW 8 Frontage Roads and address forecasted growth in the region are also one of the major need of the project. Currently the AM and PM Peak Hour intersection volumes on BW 8 are higher than 4,000 vehicle per hour. Considering the increasing trips generated due to population and employment expansion, solutions to provide sufficient capacity should be provided. Additionally, improve safety is another driver of this project. A total of 408 crashes were recorded o the Frontage Roads over 2012-2014. Two segments, I-10 to Kimberley and Bissonnet Street to US 59(I69)S show crash rates greater than statewide average. Southbound BW 8 Frontage Rd at northbound US 59 has the highest crash rates where the presence of an unclear right-turn only sign confuses drivers because no pavement marking turn arrows. Mitigation solutions are needed to reduce crash and maintain the safe travel along BW 8 Frontage Road.
There're 35 signalized intersections along the BW 8. Traffic signals are more closely spaced within the northern section of the corridor and are less than the desirable spacing between signals (2,640 feet). Traffic signals will be re-timed and re-optimized to provide the optimum traffic flow. The pedestrian signal parameters will be re-evaluated and ensure enough time for pedestrians. The existing advanced signage will be also re-evaluate to ensure enough distance to allow sufficient warning to complete lane changes before reaching the intersection. The proposed improvements include intersection improvements: Deceleration lanes, turn bays, and left and right-turn lanes have been recommended to be implemented in the short-term throughout the BW 8 corridor. These improvements provide capacity for turning vehicles which will not impact vehicular movement on the thru lanes. Dual left-turn lanes and right-turn lanes have also been recommended at various intersections along the corridor where warranted by traffic volume projections; and frontage Road Segment Improvements: Recommendations at certain locations where the BW 8 Frontage Roads reduce from 3 to 2 lanes are made to maintain 3 lanes on the Frontage Roads. Recommendations to improve weaving segments include adding auxiliary lanes, ramp reversals, and modifying entrance ramp configuration.
The purpose of the project is to address traffic operational and safety deficiencies along the BW 8 Frontage Road. Various benefits of the proposed improvements can be assessed by delay savings and estimating the dollars saved by the reduction in delay. Additionally, safety benefits from the proposed improvements can be estimated from the Highway Safety Manual and the FHWA’s crash modification factors (CMF). Based on VISSIM modeling analysis, the recommended short-term improvements are anticipated to mitigate the potential increase in annual peak hour delay cost by more than $50 million. The proposed road segment improvement including addition of exclusive right-turn lane, channelize right-turn lane, and increase lane width will potentially reduce crash by 4-28%.
No
No
Less than $100 million
(Manage) Access Management/Safety/Grade Separations
6186080
Project Development/Readiness
Schematic
Categorical Exclusion (CE)
10/01/2023
C-22
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
BW 8 Study completed December 2016.
Map/Location
Benefit/Cost Analysis
Planning Factors - Connectivity to Employment/Eliminates At-Grade Railroad Crossings
Yes
901 - 1000
No
Planning Factors - Environmental Justice
Yes
Yes
Planning Factors - Improves Corridor Level of Travel Time Reliability (LOTTR)
0.01 – 0.10
HOU_33_AM_BW8 Level of Time Travel Reliability LOTTR Estimation Template.xlsx
Planning Factors - Improves Multimodal LOS
Yes
Yes
Yes
While BW8 frontage roads are not designed bike facilities, there are a number of bike facilities that interact with the frontage road. Routes along Kimberley, Briar Forest, Harwin, and along with the Terry Hershey hike and bike trail create a connected system of multimodal facilities that will benefit from operational improvements on BW8. These routes also provide connectivity to METRO transit routes in the immediate area.
Planning Factors - Planning Coordination
Yes
Beltway 8 Frontage Road Corridor Study
Not Published Online Available Upon Request
Planning Factors - Roadway Hierarchy/Freight System Priority/Evacuation Route
Principal Arterial
No
No
No
Yes