713-627-3200
On This Page
Project Information
FM 1774 Widening Texas Department of Transportation 1/12/2015 2:00:34 PMProject Narrative
FM 1774 is generally a north/south facility that links Montgomery, Waller, and Grimes Counties with the Houston area, and serves several communities, including Pinehurst, Magnolia, and Todd Mission. The existing FM 1774 facility is an at-grade, two-lane undivided roadway. North of Magnolia and FM 1488, FM 1774 consists of two 12 foot lanes and two 3 foot shoulders. North of FM 1486, the shoulders are 4 feet wide, and at the Grimes County line, the shoulders are less than 2 feet wide. North of FM 1488, the ROW ranges from 60 to 80 feet. At the present time, FM 1774 crosses the Union Pacific Railroad tracks at-grade, where traffic is extremely congested when rail traffic is present. The need for this project is substantiated by the rapid population growth of the Houston metropolitan area. Montgomery County has experienced significant population growth in recent years. According to the US Census Bureau’s population estimates, the total population of Montgomery County was estimated to be 499,137 in 2013, an almost 10% increase since the 2010 Census. The total population of Montgomery County grew by 55% between the 2000 (population: 293,768) and 2010 Census (population: 455,746). Waller County has experienced growth, as well. The US Census Bureau estimated Waller County’s 2013 population to be 45,213, a 4.6% increase since the 2010 Census. The total population of Waller County grew by 32% between the 2000 (population: 32,663) and the 2010 Census (population: 43, 205). There are currently other planned improvements in the vicinity of FM 1774, including the expansion of SH 249. A Major Investment Study or MIS was completed for the northward extension of State Highway 249 in 2002. The purpose of this MIS was to evaluate future transportation needs and to identify the most reasonable solutions to improve mobility and safety in the corridor. FM 1774 was a route that was evaluated as part of the SH 249 MIS. The study concluded that even with the extension of SH 249 as a four-lane divided facility, FM 1774 would experience unacceptable levels of congestion at certain locations unless it was also widened. Currently, there are other projects underway on FM 1774 to widen the roadway. FM 1774 from FM 149 to W. Lost Creek Boulevard (CSJ 1400-04-011) let in August 2014 and will widen the roadway to 4 lanes with a continuous two-way left turn lane. Another project is currently underway to reconstruct FM 1774 from W. Lost Creek Boulevard to FM 1488 (CSJ 1400-04-035), with eventual plans to widen the section to a 4-lane divided section. The purpose of the proposed project is to increase safety, access, and mobility for the traveling public, as well as the operational efficiency of FM 1774. Widening the roadway and increasing the number of travel lanes would improve mobility and reduce congestion. The addition of wider shoulders and a raised median with left-turn bays, along with the removal of the at-grade railroad crossing would improve the safety characteristics of the highway. The proposed bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks north of FM 1488 should reduce the congestion at the existing crossing. Additionally, during the reconstruction and widening, the existing roadway will be brought up to current design and safety standards. The proposed project will continue improvements along FM 1774 to maintain consistency with improvements underway to the facility between FM 1488 and FM 149, allowing for increased safety, reduced congestion, and increased operational efficiencies. This project will reconstruct and widen FM 1774 from FM 1488 to the Waller/Montgomery County Line to a 4-lane facility with a raised median and construct a grade separation over the Union Pacific Railroad in the City of Magnolia. The majority of the proposed facility would consist of four 12-foot travel lanes with a raised median. The proposed project would generally follow the existing vertical and horizontal alignment except in areas where changes are required to meet design and safety standards. Intersections along FM 1774 would remain at-grade. To improve safety, a bridge would be constructed over the Union Pacific Railroad to replace the need for FM 1774 traffic to maneuver the at-grade crossing. The bridge would be accompanied by ramps and would be located north of FM 1488. There would be an at-grade intersection at FM 1488 to allow nonthrough traffic to travel through the intersection as it can at the present time. The existing FM 1774 roadway would remain between the bridge and the FM 1488 at-grade intersection. The proposed ROW would vary from 156 feet to 200 feet wide north of FM 1488. The proposed improvements to FM 1774 include the addition of a raised median to separate the opposing lanes of traffic. Bicycle accommodations will be provided by this project. Several conceptual alternatives were considered, including a no build alternative, using a systematic, interdisciplinary approach, which included input from the public, as well as federal, state, and local agencies. The improvements outlined in this application represent the preferred alternative. This project is one project of two to improve two contiguous roadways segments: 1400-04-021-FM 1774 from FM 1488 to the Montgomery/Waller County line (widen to 4 lanes with railroad grade separation) and 1400-03-006-FM 1774 from the Montgomery/Waller County line to the Waller/Grimes County line (widen to 4 lanes). It is in the best interest of these projects to let together in order to have the least impact on the travelling public, offer the most improvement in mobility and safety for the roadway, and benefit from construction efficiencies.Project Narrative
Yes Environmental Assessment (EA) Please Select Yes Nationwide Permit 14 received 12/16/2013. Railroad agreement for overpass executed. Joint drainage agreement with railroad expected by start of construction. 07/01/2008 Yes 0 01/01/2015 Yes The adjustment and relocation of any utilities would be handled so that no substantial interruptions would take place while these adjustments are being made. The appropriate entity or utility company would be responsible for the adjustments and relocations, according to standard TxDOT procedures. No TxDOT held public meetings in December 2001 and February 2004 and a public hearing in August 2007 as a part of the NEPA process. Additionally, this project is listed in the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s 2035 Regional Transportation Plan and DRAFT 2040 Regional Transportation Plan, and has gone through the public involvement efforts associated with those documents.1400-04-021 - ECOS - approved FM 1774.pdf
An Environmental Assessment has been completed and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was received 3/5/2008. A Statement of Continuous Activity (SCA) was issues on 6/22/2011. The 85% milestone for PS&E has been met for this project. A 30% utility meeting will take place in early 2015. All ROW has been acquired for this project. For the overpass, a railroad agreement has been executed for this project and the parcel from the railroad has been acquired. A joint drainage agreement with the railroad will be required.1400-04-021 - Schematic - FM 1774 from Waller CL to FM 1488.pdf
Map/Location
Evalutation Questions - Major Investments
Benefit/Cost Methodology
Please attach the completed BCA Excel worksheet and narrative explanation of analyses used