Transportation Project Questionnaire

Major Projects Questionnaire

Project Information

Agency Name	TxDOT Beaumont District
Project Title	SH 146 Widening
Facility/Street/Highway	SH 146
Limits	From IH-10 south to Cedar Bayou
Description	Widen from 4 to 6 lanes
Timeframe	Medium Term (6-10 Years)
Estimated Cost	$100,000,000.00

Regional Transportation Plan Goals

1. Please provide narrative describing how the proposed project supports all goals established in the Regional Transportation Plan (2045 RTP).

Widening SH 146 and improving intersections through added safety measures and installing additional signals help to improve safety along the corridor. Improved visibility for existing signs and pavement markings will also improve safety along the corridor. Widening the road and also providing a mill & overlay (or a reconstruction depending on existing pavement) improves the exisitng facility to be in GOOD condition and increase the state of good repair. SH 146 is not a corridor with transit options, but the project proposes added sidewalk connectivity creating opportunity for bike/ped movements. The widening will also improve freight movement to and from the industrial and commercial centers along SH 146. The movement for these vehicles will improve as congestion eases through added capacity and traffic operations improves. Finally, widening will be done within existing ROW.

Regional Significance

1. Is the project a Roadway Project or a Transit Project?

Roadway

1a. For Roadway projects, this project is located on a facility functionally classified as a:

Principal Arterial or Higher Functional Class

Potential Crash Reductions

1. What is the existing fatality crash rate at the project location? Regional crash data is available online at crash data viewer. H-GAC staff will provide assistance in calculating the crash rates upon request.

1.3

2. What is the existing serious injury crash rate at the project location? Regional crash data is available online at crash data viewer. H-GAC staff will provide assistance in calculating the crash rates upon request.

7.91

3. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project reduces expected fatality and serious injury crashes. Narrative must include specific improvements (work types) included in the project scope. Crash reduction factors associated with specific work types can be found in the safety benefits calculation template. H-GAC staff can provide assistance in gathering the crash reduction factors upon request.

Crash rates for this segment are per 100 million VMT. The fatality rate is 1.3, higher than the regional average (1.23), and the serious injury rate is 7.91, higher than the regional average, (6.18). The reconstruction and widening of the roadway will provide additional capacity to the roadway and reduce primary and secondary crashes caused by congestion. Additonally, the project will add safety, operational and mobility improvements. Signalized intersections will be constructed and refined to improvement corridor wide operations as well as enlarging shoulders to provide for bike/ped to more safely use the facility. The consolidated crash reduction factor for this project is 105%, as a result of improving signals (WC 108) and installing a continuous turn lane (WC 518) and widening the paved shoulders (WC 536)

Potential Congestion Reductions

1. Is the project located on a facility listed on Texas 100 most congested roads list?

No

1b. If no, please provide the existing peak period travel time index (TTI) of the facility where proposed project is located.

1.25 – 1.50

1b-i. Provide a narrative describing the existing congestion where proposed project is located and describe narrative to explain methodology to calculate existing TTI.

Travel Time Index (TTI) is a ratio that compares peak period travel times along a corridor to average travel times, thus estimating a relative level of rush hour congestion. Current TTI for the project area is between 1.25, indicating that it takes 1.25 times as long to travel this corridor in the peak period than average, which is mildly congested. Congestion comes from heavy truck traffic and busy industrial area with movement of freight. Heavy traffic during AM and PM Peaks with work commuters

2. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project reduces congestion. Narrative must include specific improvements (work types) included in the project scope.

The project will be reconstructing and widening from 4 to 6 lanes (adding 2 through lanes and installing continuous turn lane) while also constructing Safety (install pavement markings), and operational improvements(install signals and improve signals). The segment will be brought up to TxDOT and FHWA safety design standards.

Connectivity to Jobs, Medical Facilities, and Activity Centers

1. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to jobs within a 1/4 mile buffer of the project location?

Yes

1a. Please provide the number of jobs located within 1/4 mile distance of the project.

7498

2. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to a medical facility within a 1/4 mile buffer of the project location?

No

3. Does the proposed project improve or provide new connectivity to an activity center within a 1/4 mile buffer of the project location?

No

4. Provide narrative describing how proposed project improves or provides new connectivity to jobs, medical facilities, and activity centers.

This section fo SH 146 will be reconstructed and have added capacity (additional through lanes) to address congestion and improve mobility. This corridor connects with IH 10 E and FM 1405, providing access to multiple industrial parks and jobs within the Baytown area. The north section of this project has a large shopping center which drives trip generation from the existing residential developments along SH 146 and the added capacity will help convey traffic and to those destination points.

State of Good Repair

1. What is the age of the facility where proposed project is located?

Over 40 years

2. What is the existing condition of the facility.

Poor

3. Please explain how the project improves state of good repair and extends the service life of the facility.

This project will improve the state of good repair and extend and improve the service life and resiliency of the facility by adding newly constructed sections and reevaluating any existing pavement that may remain to bring it up to the current standards. The pavement design for the new sections and any existing sections will be based on the latest traffic data and design standards. The drainage facilities for the project will be designed to meet or exceed ATLAS-14 standards. With this newly constructed / reconstructed section minimal maintenance work should be required for several decades.

Biking and Walking Conditions

1. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project improves walking and biking conditions. Within the narrative, please explain if the proposed project scope includes construction of new or improve existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure on project facility or in the vicinity of the project.

Pedestrian and bike accommodations will be included in accordance with TxDOT's Roadway Design Manual. This would include sidewalks at a minimum.

Impacts to Vulnerable Populations

1. Please enter the Low-Income household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

5695

2. Please enter the Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Minorities household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

10942

3. Please enter the Household Population Under Poverty located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

3235

4. Please enter the Disabled Persons household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

1268

5. Please enter the Elderly Persons household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

777

6. Please enter the Limited English Proficiency household population located within 1/4 buffer of the project location. H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

1006

7. What is the average Livable Center Need Index within 1/4 buffer of the project location? H-GAC staff can assist in gathering the data.

19.5

8. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project provides benefits to vulnerable populations (benefits include safety improvements, or construction or improvements to ped/bike facilities, or improvements to transit stops.

By adding capacity, the proposed project should reduce traffic congestion and help minimize travel delays. This added capacity project should improve connectivity to and from the numerous employment opportunities along this corridor in both Chambers and Harris Counties. The additional through lanes and center turn lane should help improve safety along this stretch of roadway. The project would provide accommodations for pedestrian and bike traffic in accordance with TxDOT's Roadway Design Manual. This along with signal improvements at the cross streets for pedestrian movements will provide for safer pedestrian use.

9. Please provide a narrative explaining how the proposed project avoids or mitigates adverse effects to vulnerable populations. List of adverse effects was provided in detailed criteria document.

The footprint of the proposed roadway improvements would be minimized to help prevent impacts to adjacent properties, thus reducing any possible displacements of persons, businesses, etc. The current roadway usage would not change with the proposed construction project. The addition of through lanes would maintain access to adjacent properties including public and private facilities and services with less impact to the flow of traffic than currently occurs.

Hurricane Evacuation Route

1. Is the proposed project located on a facility identified as a hurricane evacuation route in any regional or local plans?

Yes

Additional Documents