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Project Information

FM 2218 Texas Department of Transportation 1/12/2015 3:37:29 PM

Project Narrative

The need for the project is based on existing and anticipated congestion, safety, operations/state of good repair, and economic conditions of the area, including: • Population and economic growth; • Current truck traffic is at 17.5 percent and expected to increase; • Safety concerns, in that existing roadway alignments and configurations do not meet current AASHTO standards • Roadway surface conditions vary in rating from very poor to very good The existing roadway is a 2-lane rural section located in the growing Rosenberg/Fort Bend County area and is functionally classified as 4: minor arterial. Current traffic volumes are expected to nearly double by the year 2038. The roadway is in its original configuration and does not meet the latest design standards. Currently, medians and turning lanes do not exist along the roadway, which cause increase delay for through and turning traffic as well as safety concerns. FM 2218 is situated in a largely residential and multi-use area with significant amounts of vacant, developable land areas. With 17.5 percent truck traffic, FM 2218 is a high truck volume corridor that provides a critical link between the high volume truck corridors of SH 36 and US 59. The project would increase capacity along the corridor and construct a raised median with appropriate left turn bays for a divided highway and also construct a sidewalk on both sides of the facility. The project would enhance safety by upgrading the existing roadway to the current design standards. Bicycle and pedestrian accommodations would be provided in the proposed project. The project would enhance connectivity between SH 36 and US 59 along this heavy truck corridor. Proposed project would widen from a 2-lane rural to a 4-lane urban roadway with raised medians and appropriate left turn bays at intersections. Bicycles would be accommodated through the 15-foot outside lane and pedestrians would be accommodated through the construction of a new sidewalk on both sides of the roadway. Project alternatives included investigations of widening to the left, right, and about the center. The alternatives analysis is necessary because of the recent addition of sidewalks and proposed right of way throughout the length of the project. The project alternatives analysis will be done once the design contract is rolled over into a new design contract per the latest advice from the Austin Division. The proposed project is approximately 3.7 miles long and needs additional right-of-way throughout the project limits in order to accommodate bike and pedestrian accommodations. The roadway project could be constructed while ROW is being acquired for the sidewalks since ROW is only needed for the sidewalks.

2093-01-010 - Schematic - FM 2218.pdf

Project Narrative

Yes

Scoping.docx

Environmental Assessment (EA) Please Select No 09/01/2013 Yes 80 06/03/2017 No A utility evaluation is required for the design of this project and will be coordinated as a normal part of the project development process. There are no known utilities that are anticipated to create a delay in project development. It will be determined if the utilities are reimbursable or not during the utility meetings. Per the project design elements, the Locals are 100% responsible for utility costs not covered by the utility companies. The Locals are Fort Bend County and/or the City of Rosenberg. No

This is to be determined. The project was environmentally clear. Sidewalks are being added to the environmental document and that process is approximately 30 percent complete. The project is currently undergoing new environmental clearance, due to the addition of sidewalks and the associated right-of-way. The required right-of-way will be donated to TxDOT by the City of Rosenberg. These activities are not anticipated to delay the project from a 2017 letting.

The project was environmentally clear. Sidewalks are being added to the environmental document and that process is approximately 30 percent complete, design is 30 percent complete, and ROW has not yet been fully established. It’s estimated that approximately 80 parcels will be required; however, many of the parcels are from undeveloped land. The project is currently undergoing new environmental clearance, due to the addition of sidewalks and the associated right-of-way. The required right-of-way will be donated to TxDOT by the City of Rosenberg. These activities are not anticipated to delay the project from a 2017 letting.

Map/Location

01-05-2015 - 2093-01-010 - GIS - FM 2218.jpg

Project Budget

2093-01-010 - Budget - FM2218.xlsx

No

No

Evalutation Questions - Major Investments

Benefit/Cost Methodology

Please attach the completed BCA Excel worksheet and narrative explanation of analyses used

2093-01-010 - BCT - FM 2218 from SH 36 to US 59.pdf

Life-Cycle Benefit-Cost Analysis Methodology.docx

Narrative Benefits

Proposed roadway reconstructs a 2-lane roadway to a 4-lane divided roadway with a raised median and turning lanes. The proposed raised medians would reduce the potential for head-on and “t-bone” type crashes and the turning lanes would reduce the potential for rear-end collisions by removing the turning movements from the through lanes. The project will accommodate bicyclist and also provide a sidewalk on both side of the roadway, which provides a critical link to the City of Rosenberg park.

The proposed project would relieve congestion along the corridor by adding one additional lane in each direction and adding a raised median with appropriate left turn bays at intersections and median crossovers, thus reducing congestion by helping to coordinate and plan turning movements in the corridor, by providing safe storage for both turning vehicles and pedestrians crossing the roadway, and helping to reduce crashes, which also creates congestion/delay.

Improvements would allow the roadway to continue to function in spite of projected increases in demand. Safety enhancements would be gained by upgrading the existing roadway to current design standards, implementing access management including a raised median with left turn bays and bicycle and a sidewalk on both sides of the facility. The project would enhance connectivity between SH 36 and US 59.

The proposed project provides a critical link between SH 36 and US 59, both major freight corridors, in the Rosenberg/ Fort Bend County area. FM 2218 connects, on a local level, the cities of Needville and Rosenberg. The current pavement condition varies from very poor, poor, fair (in the southern half), to good and very good (in the northern section). With 13 percent current truck traffic, a better operating facility will help maintain or augment regional economic competitiveness. FM 2218 almost serves as an un-official by-pass for traffic – including freight – to avoid the 3-fork intersection of SH 36/US 90A/US 59 (SP 529) and the severely deteriorated pavement at the intersections of SH 36 and US 90A and FM 1640 (identified as very poor in TxDOT 2014 pavement condition scores). Further, there is evidence on HGAC’s Announced Changes map that new developments will be occurring; however, this is no information on the type of development or number of units.

Easing congestion would reduce adverse impacts to air quality in our nonattainment area. The no-build scenario would adversely impact the traveling public, truck traffic (currently at 17.5 percent), and would adversely impact bicyclist and pedestrians since there are no current accommodations for these types of travel. Furthermore, a no-build scenario will adversely affect the environmental justice areas of: minority percentage, female head of household, and populations over 65 and would create a general deterioration of the existing roadway.

01-05-2015 - 2093-01-010 - BIKE - FM 2218.jpg

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