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Project Information

IH 45 South Reconstruction Texas Department of Transportation 1/12/2015 5:32:23 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: • Demand exceeds capacity during both of the daily commute periods • Many of the critical IH 45 bridge crossings require replace or major reconstruction • Many section of IH 45 need major pavement maintenance • Improved operational efficiency and safety, • Correct roadway deficiencies, • Added capacity for project population and economic growth; • Improved mobility for hurricane evacuations due to IH 45’s designation as a hurricane evacuation route is a documented concern; • Roadway flooding contributes to reduced highway capacity and increased congestion • Current truck traffic is at four percent and expected to increase; • Facility is considered a freight bottleneck; • Improved connectivity is needed for major employment generators such as Galveston Island, NASA communities, and the nearby ports. IH 45 is the primary north-south corridor leading from Galveston Island to the Houston metropolitan area. IH 45 is on the national highway system and is functionally classified as 1: Interstate. It is a designated hurricane evacuation route and, in general, provides the primary exit from Galveston Island. I-45 is a major north-south corridor that connects Houston and Galveston. It serves daily trips to/from employment centers and provides access to tourist attractions on Galveston Island. It is also the primary evacuation route for Galveston Island during hurricane events. The existing roadway is a 6-lane freeway (three mainlanes in each direction) with 2-lane frontage road lanes in each direction. Existing traffic volumes (AADT) are 70,900 vpd and are expected to reach 106,800 vpd by 2040, a 50 percent increase over that time period. The need for more efficient hurricane evacuation is a documented concern as is the need to reduce localized flooding during heavy rainfall events. The existing facility does not meet current design standards. In August 1999, TxDOT completed a Major Investment Study ("MIS") for the IH 45 South ("IH 45S") corridor, which extends from Beltway 8 in Houston to 61st Street in Galveston in order to define the scope and characteristics of the proposed transportation infrastructure investment. Three corridors were defined in this study. The north corridor is the segment of IH 45 from Beltway 8 to FM 518. The middle corridor is the segment of IH 45 beginning at FM 518 to the Texas City Wye, and the south corridor is the segment of IH 45 beginning at Texas City Wye to 61st Street in Galveston. Five goals of the MIS study were also developed that consisted of reducing traffic congestion, improving hurricane evacuation, improving safety, providing travel options, and protecting the natural and social environment. The purpose of this project is to support the goals of the Interstate system, which is to provide safe and efficient transportation for the movement of persons and goods. It is in the national interest to maintain the Interstate System and to provide the highest level of service in terms of mobility and safety and to maintain a quality driving surface. The purpose of the project is to reduce traffic congestion, improve mobility, correct design deficiencies, and reduce hurricane evacuation times, while protecting the human environment. The desired design benefits of the project include: Reduced congestion/improved mobility Reduce potential for flooding Improved travel options and improved access to alternative modes of transportation Avoid, minimize, mitigate potential environmental and community impacts The project would increase capacity to accommodate future growth in the area. It would improve evacuation capability of the corridor for the region during hurricane events and would reduce localized flooding to the extent practical. The project would also enhance safety by upgrading the facility to current design standards. The purpose of the proposed project, to reduce traffic congestion, improve hurricane evacuation, and improve safety, correspond with the goals identified for the IH 45S corridor MIS. The following is a brief description of how each goal would be achieved. The project would widen the existing facility to eight lanes with two, 2-lane frontage roads. The project will also incorporate pedestrian and bike accommodations along the IH 45 frontage roads. More than 30 alternatives were investigated for the IH 45 roadway improvements as part of the MIS. The investigation was based on an analysis of the existing traffic conditions, forecasts of future travel demand, and projected population growth. 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 no-build alternative was also considered. Both design and environmental constraints were evaluated in determining the preferred alignment. The improvements outlined in this application represent the preferred alternative. The No-Build Alternative would not improve the roadway. Only routine maintenance would occur within this area, therefore, congestion would continue and safety problems may increase and evacuation would be compromised. The Preferred Build Alternative includes the following elements: ten general purpose lanes within the project limits; replace interchanges on IH 45 to incorporate TxDOT Standards; transition reversible HOV lanes to two concurrent HOV lanes merging into traffic lanes within the project limits; three-lane frontage roads; and provide a 15-foot outside curb lane on frontage roads. The staging of the corridor is shown in the attached Corridor map.

IH45S_Corridor.pdf

Project Narrative

Yes

Scoping.docx

Environmental Assessment (EA) Please Select Yes USACE Individual Permit will be acquired by September 2018. 02/01/2006 Yes 0 06/01/2020 No Project is on the Interstate. Utility adjustments will be by the provider with TxDOT providing reimbursement as required. No

A MIS was conducted for this corridor. The MIS team included representatives from TxDOT, HGAC, METRO, FHWA, FTA, TNRCC (TCEQ), as well as Harris and Galveston Counties. MIS Public Meeting – April 28, 29, and 30, 1998. These meetings gave the public the opportunity to provide input about transportation problems and needs within the IH 45 South Corridor. Public comments from this meeting helped the MIS team establish its corridor goals and objectives. MIS Public Meeting – September 15 and 16, 1998. Public input at these meetings was used to help in the development of six viable alternatives for improving the corridor. MIS Public Meeting – March 23 and 24, 1999. These meetings gave the public an opportunity to comment on the six viable alternatives, which emerged from the MIS. This public input was used to help to select the preferred alternative. MIS Public Meeting – June 22 and 23, 1999. The public commented on the recommended preferred alternative of the MIS. Public input from the forth series of public meetings was used in finalizing plans for the corridor.

PS&E and environmental are at 30%. Number of ROW parcels needed will be determined when ROW mapping is complete.

Map/Location

0500-01-107 - GIS - IH 45.jpg

Project Budget

0500-01-107 - Budget - IH45.xlsx

No

No

Evalutation Questions - Major Investments

Benefit/Cost Methodology

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

0500-01-107-BCT-IH 45.pdf

Life-Cycle Benefit-Cost Analysis Methodology.docx

Narrative Benefits

The lack of hurricane and other evacuation options between Galveston Island and the mainland is a documented safety concern that needs to be addressed. Also, currently, roadway flooding along IH 45 contributes to reduced highway capacity and increased levels of congestion. Many of the critical IH 45 bridge crossings require replacement or major reconstruction. Many sections of IH 45 need major pavement maintenance or overlay reconstruction. Improvements are needed at various locations throughout the IH 45 corridor due to non-standard design configurations.

TxDOT is proposing roadway improvements to existing IH 45 to improve the operational efficiency and safety of the facility, a designated hurricane evacuation route. Existing IH 45 is generally a north/south facility that connects many small south Texas coastal communities to a major metropolitan area. The existing facility would generally be widened to 8 main lanes, with two high occupancy vehicle lanes, and two, 2-lane frontage road. This is necessary because current capacity is not sufficient to meet the roadway and safety standards required for a hurricane evacuation route and also will not accommodate future growth and commerce. While Galveston County’s population declined after Hurricane Rita, the area continues to be bolstered by a strong economy and a growing metropolitan area. Its proximity to Houston makes it a suburban county from which many residents commute to jobs in Houston and Harris County.

IH 45 south is a designated hurricane evacuation route and serves as the primary north-south route between Galveston Island and the metropolitan area. The proposed improvements are intended to improve the capacity and efficiency of the roadway for daily commuters and for use as a hurricane evacuation route. Some bridges along IH 45 and various port access roads do not meet truck clearance requirements; some bridges have inadequate clearances for marine needs, particularly bridges that cross navigable channels such as Clear Creek. Growth in port activities will contribute to the need to improve freight movement to and from the ports of Galveston and Texas City and within freight corridors in the IH 45 study area. Many sections of IH 45 need major pavement maintenance or overlay reconstruction. Improvements are needed at various locations throughout the IH 45 corridor due to non-standard design configurations.

A number of attractions, businesses and events are important to the economy of the corridor and the improvements are anticipated to provide adequate accessibility. There is a need to improve access to major employment generators such as Galveston Island, NASA communities, and nearby ports, as well as the recreational and scenic resources within the IH 45 corridor. Improve ground access for the Ellington and Galveston Island Airports while maintaining adequate vertical clearances for landing aircraft. With IH 45 noted as a freight bottleneck, growth in port activities will contribute to the need to improve freight movement to and from the ports of Galveston and Texas City and within freight corridors in the IH 45 study area.

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 unmitigated negative affects to the natural, cultural, or human environment. The preferred alternative would have minimal impact on noise, air, and water quality. The preferred alternative represents an optimal gain in roadway efficiency, LOS, and safety and minimizes construction costs and environmental impacts. The No Build scenario will, however, have a negative impact on the community as traffic will increase, causing congestion, and a general deterioration of mobility and pavement conditions. In addition, hurricane evacuation will be impaired because of facility constraints. In addition, law enforcement and emergency services would have a more efficient facility with which to perform their duties and freight will move more efficiently in/out of the Port. The improvements will also service several environmental justice areas include: low income, Female Head of Household, no auto households, and limited education. Easing congestion would reduce adverse impacts to air quality in our nonattainment area. Improvements to this corridor will assist the many visitors to the area’s cultural and natural resources, including Galveston Island, NASA, Ellington Airport, and other cultural, recreational and scenic destinations along the upper Gulf Coast. Easing congestion in this corridor will reduce impacts on air quality in our non-attainment area.

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