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Spur 529 Realignment & Widening Texas Department of Transportation 1/12/2015 12:49:34 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 11 percent and expected to increase; • Facility is considered a freight bottleneck • Safety concerns, in that existing roadway alignments and configurations do not meet current AASHTO standards • Roadway surface conditions, in general, are rated fair to poor on TxDOT’s 2014 pavement condition scores The west side of the area has experienced tremendous growth, especially within the last ten years. Congestion has increased and initial corridor and intersection construction was not designed for the traffic loads, mix, and configuration they now accommodate. Crash rate calculations from 2010 to 2012 exceeded the average statewide crash rate for the highway system, both overall and by roadway type. Additionally, since initial construction of the corridors, roadway design standards have changed. The alignments and configurations are no longer in compliance with current design standards for this NHS facility that is functionally classified as 3: principle arterial. Requirements for sight lines and other elements are not sufficient for current design standards. Finally, the roadway surfaces have deteriorated. Trucks are larger, heavier, and capable of carrying heavier loads, and truck traffic has increased along with automobile traffic. The additional loads have accelerated wear on the roadway surfaces. SH 36/US 90A is a regional facility, and the confluence of three state-wide highways (SH 36, US 90A, and US 59 by way of Spur 529). The purposes of the proposed project are: • To accommodate the current and projected growth of the Rosenberg/Richmond and eastern Fort Bend County area; • To accommodate safety considerations throughout the corridor; • To realign the roadway to current design standards. Until their convergence, the existing SH 36, US 90A and Spur 529 are two-lane roadways with 12-foot travel lanes, 6-foot shoulders and drainage via roadside ditches with speeds varying from 45 to 55 mph. Existing rights-of-way (ROW) vary from 80 to 100 feet. The project consists of realigning and widening Spur 529 from FM 1640 to US 90A, at the location/intersection where TxDOT proposes replacing the existing railroad underpass on US 90A at the Union Pacific Railroad in Rosenberg, one of Union Pacific’s most active lines, with an elevated bridge. Bicycles would be accommodated with the proposed 8-foot-wide outside shoulders on the SH 36 and US 90A bridges over the UPRR; sidewalks would be installed on the south side of eastbound Spur 529 between Bamore Road and Allen Street and on the north side of westbound Spur 529 between Bamore Road and Frost Street. Three project alternatives were taken into consideration for the corridor of SH 36/US 90A/Spur 529: • SH 36 and US 90A Overpass with One-Way Pairs Configuration of Avenue H & I (Recommended Build Alternative). Note, Avenue H & I one-way pair project has already let to construction. This project is necessary to finalize the functionality of the three-fork intersection. • SH 36 and US 90A Overpass with a Two-Way Configuration of Avenue H would result in three fewer displacements; however, it would not accommodate the current and projected growth of the Rosenberg/Richmond and eastern Fort Bend County area. Also, in this two-way configuration, there is no space within the ROW in which to construct any left-turn lanes/bay on Avenue H, which causes vehicles to back-up behind turning vehicles attempting to turn across oncoming traffic; Therefore, this alternative does not address the issues of congestion at the intersection of SH 36/US 90A and First Street and has been eliminated from further analysis because it does not meet the need and purpose of the proposed project. • No-Build Alternative The No-Build Alternative would leave the existing SH 36/US 90A facility as a four-lane undivided highway with urban cross section, and only normal routine maintenance and all other pending, previously authorized actions would proceed. Although the No-Build Alternative would not substantially affect the project areas in Section Two, where drainage system conditions are acceptable, the project area in Section One would be affected. Since no work to correct the drainage conditions would be conducted, the threat of frequent and rapid flash-flood inundation of the railway underpass crossing areas would persist, and the area would remain impassible during storm events. Thus, the performance of the SH 36/US 90A and Spur 529 interchange would remain unreliable as a route of communication and commerce, and the roadway itself would be susceptible to deterioration from being flooded The three projects at this interchange, SH 36 (0187-05-045), US 90A (0027-06-046), and US 59 by way of Spur 529 (0089-09-080) must be let together; they are contingent upon one another. The other projects (one-way pair conversion) connected to this interchange have already let in FY 2015. Section One of the Recommended Alternative would require reconstruction of where Spur 529 merges with SH 36/US 90A (Avenue H) and FM 1640 (Avenue I). Eastbound traffic on Spur 529 would exit directly onto Avenue I and merge with eastbound traffic from SH 36/US 90A east of Allen Street and travel into downtown Rosenberg. Westbound traffic on Avenue H (leaving downtown Rosenberg) would break from SH 36/US 90A (Avenue H) east of Allen Street (near Frost Street) via a new two-lane, one-way connector road that would pass under the proposed SH 36/US 90A elevated intersection and continue southwesterly on Spur 529.

Rosenberg_Corridor.pdf

Project Narrative

Yes

Scoping.docx

Environmental Assessment (EA) Please Select Yes An agreement with Union Pacific Railroad is in progress in Austin for the portions of these projects at the railroad crossing. The Spur 529 portion does not need the railroad agreement, but the three portions are contingent upon one another. 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. Typically, the utility provider is responsible for adjustments, and oftentimes TxDOT reimburses the provider for their expenses. We anticipate having an approved agreement prior to letting. 06/01/2014 No 19 12/03/2015 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. Typically, the utility provider makes any necessary adjustments and, if eligible, is reimbursed by TxDOT. No

Public Meeting - October 30, 2003, Open house meeting on April 13, 2004, and Public Hearing was held on April 8, 2014.

The Environmental Assessment was 100% complete in October 2014. There was a Finding of No Significant Impact. No USACE permits are required. The PS&E development is at 90%.

Map/Location

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

Project Budget

01-07-2015 - 0089-09-080 - Budget - SS529.xlsx

No

No

Evalutation Questions - Major Investments

Benefit/Cost Methodology

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

0089-09-080 - BCT - SS 529 from FM 1640 to US 90A.pdf

Life-Cycle Benefit-Cost Analysis Methodology.docx

Narrative Benefits

The current roadway alignment on Spur 529 does not meet current AASHTO design standards for roadway curvature. Bringing the conjunction of these three roadways (SH 36, US 90A and Spur 529) up to current design standards would improve safety and may reduce crashes. Also, TxDOT proposes to install sidewalks on the south side of eastbound Spur 529 between Bamore Road and Allen Street and on the north side of westbound Spur 529 between Bamore Road and Frost Street.

The existing roadway is not anticipated to accommodate future demand. The west side of the area has experienced tremendous growth, especially within the last ten years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the cities of Richmond and Rosenberg had a growth rate of approximately 13 and 20 percent, respectively. By 2035, Fort Bend County as a whole is projected to have a population of 737,313 (108.1% growth). Statistics provided by the Fort Bend Independent School District (ISD), Lamar Consolidated ISD, and Needville ISD indicate similar growth. In 1995, student enrollment for the three school districts exceeded 51,000, and in 2005 enrollment exceeded 86,000, a nearly 69% increase. These districts opened 19 new schools during that time. They have plans to accommodate 95,000 students, which will require more schools, as residential development continues within Fort Bend County. In addition, HGAC’s Announced Changes shows a new, rather large industrial development occurring in the project area. The Recommended Build Alternative would realign and widen Spur 529 at the intersection of SH 36 with US 90A and better accommodate the 11 percent truck traffic that is expected to increase as well as provide congestion relief to the general traveling public. This design would eliminate potential safety hazards and traffic flow inefficiencies, providing smoother traffic movement and thus reduced congestion. Reductions in current and anticipated congestion would not only improve regional economics by easing goods movement and reducing freighting costs, but emergency response times would also improve.

According to TxDOT 2014 Pavement Condition Score, the facility and immediate adjacent facilities pavement conditions vary from very poor, poor, fair, and a small portion is good. Consistency in pavement condition will provide for better movement through the corridor. Further, since initial construction of the corridors, roadway design standards have changed. The alignments and configurations are no longer in compliance with current AASHTO design standards. Requirements for sight lines, crowning, and other elements exceed what the facilities are able to provide at this interchange. Additionally, initial corridor and intersection construction was not designed for the traffic loads, mix, and configuration they now accommodate. Furthermore, the roadway surfaces have also deteriorated. Trucks, which account for 11 percent of the traffic are larger, heavier, and capable of carrying heavier loads, and truck traffic has increased along with automobile traffic. The additional loads have accelerated wear on the roadway surfaces.

Under the Build Alternative, Spur 529 at the SH 36/US 90A intersection would be realigned to current design safety standards and widened, in conjunction with a fly-over on US 90A and SH 36 at UPRR, to increase efficiency. This is anticipated to reduce congestion and improve mobility (both locally and regionally), which would improve goods movement in this heavily trafficked intersection (11% truck traffic). The proposed project would be compatible with other proposed and on-going Fort Bend County and City of Rosenberg projects. In addition, the project would provide transportation improvements consistent with regional goals presented in the 2035 RTP Update and the 2015-2018 TIP.

The anticipated resulting decrease in congestion would benefit air quality by easing the flow of traffic through this heavily congested location. The department’s modus operandi related to natural and cultural resources is avoid, minimize, mitigate. The project’s preferred alternative is not anticipated to result in substantial impacts to environmental or cultural resources. The no-build scenario will have a negative impact on the community in terms of quality of life, mobility, and safety. The project area affects all environmental justice areas including: low income households, non-English households, minority, female head of household, populations over 65, limited education, and no auto households.

0110-04-129 - BIKE - SH 75.jpg

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