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SH 146 Widening Texas Department of Transportation 1/12/2015 2:26:14 PM

Project Narrative

Currently, SH 146 is a multi-lane divided highway that transitions between four, 12-foot main lanes (two each direction) and six, 12-foot main lanes (three each direction). SH 146 is on the national highway system and is functionally classified as 2: US highway. It carried 6% truck traffic in 2013 and is a designated evacuation route. Currently, ADT is more than 48,000; forecasted volumes are expected to exceed 122,000. It runs parallel to IH 45 and provides key access and connection to the Port of Houston, one of the world’s largest port facilities and a key economic generator for the Houston region. The need for the proposed project is demonstrated by the following congestion, safety, operations/state of good repair, and economic problems with the current facility conditions: • Demand exceeds or approaches capacity for both a.m. & p.m. daily commute periods. • Hurricane and emergency evacuation options are a documented concern. • Congestion due to competing uses (i.e. local traffic use and through traffic use). • Roadway design deficiencies. • Predicted increases in truck traffic due to growth of nearby port facilities, which will further degrade the pavement condition. The purpose of the proposed project is to improve mobility and safety by reducing crashes, reduce traffic congestion and increasing reliability, improving safety by providing a better hurricane evacuation route, and creating a facility consistent with thoroughfare and transit plans, and to provide travel options while minimizing adverse environmental effects. The project will improve the existing transportation facility to a state of good repair. SH 146 from Spenser Hwy to Red Bluff Road. The project is approximately 5.5 miles in length. The improvements will generally widen the roadway from four to six lanes (three lanes in each direction) with two, 2-lane frontage roads. This project does not require any right-of-way. The SH 146 MIS was completed in 2003. This project was developed based on an analysis of the existing traffic conditions, forecasts of future travel demand, and projected population growth in this largely industrial/residential area. 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. The preferred alternative consists of widening SH 146 to a six-lane divided facility: three lanes each direction and constructing two, two-lane frontage roads. It also included elevated direct connectors at the SH 146/Port Road interchange, which have already been constructed. This project is contingent upon SH 146 from Red Bluff to Nasa Rd. 1 (CSJ: 0389-05-088) being constructed in order to prevent a bottleneck. The 0389-05-088 project is subject to railroad coordination, which is targeted to occur in the summer 2015. If 0389-05-088 is unable to progress because of ROW constraints, an opportunity for staged construction exists in order to achieve interim congestion relief and enhanced safety in the SH 146 corridor between Fairmont Pkwy and Red Bluff. This staged construction could include construction of the frontage roads and reconstruction of the existing main lanes first within the limits of this project. The estimate for this interim configuration is $36M. Splitting the project up into two parts may, in the end, cost a bit more and the need to do this has not yet been determined, but it is a solution to provide interim mobility/safety benefits to the area, while project development continues on 0389-05-088. At this point, we are moving forward under the assumption that the entire project will be able to move forward as a whole project following the onset of 0389-05-088 construction. A final decision will be made once complete ROW mapping and final financial information is provided to the UPRR so that negotiations can begin in earnest on 0389-05-088 in the summer 2015.

0389-05-087 - Typical Section - SH 146 from Fairmont Pkwy to Red Bluff.pdf

Project Narrative

Yes

Scoping.docx

Environmental Assessment (EA) Please Select Yes This project requires a railroad agreement when the structure at Port Rd is replaced. All other permits are anticipated to be secured before letting. (The project requires a NWP14.) 06/01/2009 No Yes Utilities have been identified in the corridor that will need to be adjusted. At this time, there are no significant problems or anticipated impacts to the project schedule with respect to utility adjustment and the onset of construction for this project. A railroad agreement will be necessary for the bridge replacement when the structure at Port Road is replaced. Typically, utilities adjustments are performed by the utility owner. If eligible, the provider would be reimbursed by TxDOT for relocations/adjustments. No

The project is environmentally cleared and a FONSI was approved in March 2009. Appropriate public involvement was conducted as part of the MIS and NEPA process, and a special noise hearing was conducted in 2010. As a result of the special noise hearing, noise walls were constructed. The project is also included in the HGAC RTP and TxDOT’s UTP, which both go through independent public involvement. Public meetings were held: August 22/23, 2000 – MIS; November 28/29, 2000 – MIS; February 19/20, 2002 – MIS (Alternatives); April 16, 2003 – MIS; December 14/15, 2004 – NEPA; December 8, 2005 - NEPA

SH146_Corridor.pdf

There are no known controversies on this project and the local governments have provided comments to the State that they are supportive of this project. The project is environmentally cleared and a Statement of Continuous Activity was issued in November 2012. A EA re-eval may be needed, but this will not affect the schedule. Completed since the issuance of the FONSI are three grade separations and their associated frontage roads at Wharton Weems, Shoreacres, and Red Bluff Road, in addition to two direct connectors at Port Road (one complete and one currently under construction), as well as the construction of two noise abatement barriers at Shoreacres as a result of a noise workshop held February 2010. The project requires a NWP14. Other projects development activities include schematic design (100% complete), right of way acquisition (100% complete), utility adjustments, PS&E (30% complete), and other routine project activities are on-going.

0389-05-087 - ECOS - approved SH 146.pdf

Map/Location

1-2-15 0389-05-087 - GIS - SH 146 from Fairmont Pkwy to Red Bluff.jpg

Project Budget

1-9-15 0389-05-087 - Budget - SH146.xlsx

No

No

Evalutation Questions - Major Investments

Benefit/Cost Methodology

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

0389-05-087 - BCT -SH 146 from Fairmont Pkwy to Red Bluff widening.xls.pdf

Life-Cycle Benefit-Cost Analysis Methodology.docx

Narrative Benefits

Due to the facility’s limited capacity, residents (generally located south of the project area), responding to warnings of approaching hurricanes, have experienced significant delays using the SH 146 Corridor as a main evacuation route. Existing north-south roadways serving the project area consist exclusively of SH 146. Evacuation from Galveston Island and the lower mainland is a concern during pre-storm conditions and emergency evacuations. Due to lowered elevation levels, emergency conditions are enhanced in the project area due to flooding and congestion during weather of approaching storms. This is most noticeable at peak traffic conditions such as recreational and special event parking, intersection congestion, and when incidents obstruct the Clear Creek Bridge. Other roadways such as SH 3 and IH 45 provide limited relief to this primary route, which is designated as a hurricane evacuation route for the surrounding communities.

The SH 146 project located in a largely industrial/residential area and traverses the municipal jurisdictions of La Porte, Shoreacres, Pasadena, and Seabrook. Commercial land use adjacent to the corridor is largely near the intersection of SH 146 and Fairmont Pkwy and includes restaurants, banks, small retail centers, hotels, and fueling stations. Residential development consisting of both single- and multi-family housing is keeping pace with the increased employment in the project area and along the east/west roadways connecting to SH 146 and the Galveston Bay communities, such as Shoreacres and Bacliff. With the high growth in both population and employment that the City of Houston and surrounding areas are experiencing, travel demand along the SH 146 Corridor is exceeding its capacity causing severe congestion and bottlenecks along the proposed project especially during peak hour time periods. Factors contributing to increased traffic congestion and deficiencies along the project corridor are provided in the following sections from the MIS that was completed in 2003. Traffic Volumes: Relatively high population and employment levels for a primarily suburban corridor are reflected by the estimated trip characteristics observed within the project vicinity. In year 2005, the average daily traffic (ADT) on SH 146 was approximately 41,700 vehicles per day (vpd). By 2035, ADT is expected to grow to approximately 73,200 vpd. This represents an increase in traffic of almost 76 percent over the next 20 years. During the peak hour in 2005, the approximate mix of vehicles on the highway (4,550 vehicles) consisted of automobiles (58 percent), medium trucks (27 percent), and heavy trucks (15 percent). By 2035, automobiles would represent only 36 percent of the traffic. However, peak hour truck traffic in the project vicinity is expected to increase to 2,719 vehicles (from 682 heavy trucks in 2005), which represents a 22 percent increase in heavy trucks. Peak hour traffic for medium trucks is also expected to increase (from 1,228 to 1,984 medium trucks) but would continue to represent 27 percent of the traffic. The 2005 traffic volume on SH 146 was approximately 41,700 vpd. The existing facility currently operates at LOS F; and is projected to operate at LOS C in 2035 with an ADT of 73,200 vpd. The determination of existing and projected traffic volumes levels indicate that widening SH 146 from Fairmont Parkway to Red Bluff would result in substantially improved travel speeds and LOS for the design year 2025. • Truck Percentages: It is anticipated that future truck traffic would be significantly impacted by the development of container terminals along Galveston Bay (Gunda 2005). With the Houston Port Authority’s plan to expand the Bayport Ship Channel Container/Cruise Terminal near La Porte as well as the Shoal Point Container Terminal in Texas City, it is estimated that 85 percent of the truck traffic from the two terminals would utilize the SH 146 Corridor to the north of their proposed locations. Therefore, it is anticipated that truck volumes from the Bayport Terminal added to trucks from the Shoal Point Terminal, which generally use SH 146 from south of the project area (near FM 519) to Fairmont Parkway, would increase truck percentages along SH 146 from Red Bluff to Fairmont Parkway. • Growth Trends: According to the SH 146 Corridor Major Investment Study (MIS), this growth suggests that communities within the project vicinity are reaching build-out and the next ring of sub-urbanization is rapidly occurring south of the project area (TxDOT 2003). This new ring of growth affects travel patterns within the project area and further contributes to the increasing congestion levels observed along the SH 146 Corridor. Travel Patterns: According to the SH 146 Corridor MIS, in 2000, weekday trips remaining within the SH 146 Corridor represented approximately 65 percent of the total trips generated by the corridor (TxDOT 2003). Only 35 percent of the total daily trips either left the corridor or entered the corridor from outside the project area. However, this does not hold true for weekends and holidays, when tourist attractions bring in a larger percentage of trips from outside the project vicinity. These travel patterns are expected to be maintained, suggesting that the regional travel facilities, such as SH 146, would continue to be used for shorter intra-corridor type trips as well as regional ones.

The existing pavement between the new grade separations is 24’ wide each direction with asphalt shoulders. It is old, but still serviceable. Even though the pavement conditions vary from very good to very poor according to the 2014 condition scores, the increasing volume of truck traffic will continue to degrade this pavement. Again, an opportunity for staged construction exists where the State could construct the frontage roads providing immediate mobility and safety benefits, as well as reconstructing the existing main lanes, which would increase the value of the asset and provide a more comfortable ride for commuters and truck traffic.

According to HGAC’s 2040 RTP, the freeway/highway system accounts for 12 percent of the total miles, but 41 percent of the vehicle miles traveled. The highway network carries not only vehicular traffic but also carries the majority of freight in the region. Nowhere in the region is this more important than the area in/around the Port of Houston. According to the Houston Ship Channel’s website, in 2012 the Port of Houston and the associated businesses contribute 1,026,820 jobs throughout Texas, up from 785,000 jobs cited in 2007. This activity has helped to generate more than $178.5B in economic impact. Additionally, more than $4.5B in state and local tax revenues are generated by business activities related to the Port. Exports in 2013 grew 5.4 percent over 2012 to $280B. The shipping industry has made substantial investments to existing and new container port facilities for the Bayport Ship Channel Container/Cruise Terminal near La Porte and Shoal Point Terminal in Texas City. Tourism and recreational activities are highly visible in the Cities of Seabrook and Kemah with the recent commercial development and sailboat/yacht facilities associated with Clear Lake and Galveston Bay. Upgrading the current pavement as well as widening will help to support this continued growth and development.

The Department’s modus operandi related to natural and cultural resources is: avoid, minimize, mitigate. This project/preferred alternative is not anticipated to result in: Significant soils affected, Substantial interruption in utility services, Reduced community cohesion, Isolation of distinct areas or ethnic groups and all individual minority and low-income populations will be equally affected, Displaced businesses, Loss of jobs and a minimal amount of land will be removed from the tax base, Impacts to historical structures, Impacts to parks, recreation areas, refuges, etc. Reducing congestion will reduce adverse impacts on air quality in this non-attainment region.

1-2-15 0389-05-087 - BIKE - SH 146.jpg

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