TAC Agenda Item 7
Mailout - 04/13/15
PRIORITIZARITION OF TEXAS FREIGHT MOBILITY PLAN NEEDS IDENTIFIED
IN THE HOUSTON-GALVESTON METROPOLITAN AREA
Background
The TxDOT/Consultant team drafting the State Freight Mobility Plan requested the MPO and the
Houston District collaborate to assign priority to a set of highway and bridge freight needs
identified by the plan’s goals. The dataset delivered identified more than 250 instances of local
roadway needs on TxDOT’s Texas Highway Freight Network. The data sources included in the
identification process are TxDOT crash data, ATRI, FHWA, and TTI. The project team based
this analysis on four goals of the draft Freight Plan: Safety, Mobility-Connectivity, Asset
Management, and Technology. The different categories of needs are summarized here:
Category
Alternate Routes
At-Grade Rail
Crossings
Bottlenecks
Hotspots
Mobility-Connectivity
Rollovers
Description
Roadways identified as important
alternate routes to the Interstates
Existing crossing points
Locations of significant truck delay
A high truck crash rate location
Capacity-constrained freight
facilities identified by high
percentage of trucks, intermodal
access, and employment centers
Locations of recurrent commercial
motor vehicle crashes
Instances
Identified
Roadway with
Highest Number
59
SH 35
17
SH 36
83
11
IH 45
IH 610
90
IH 45
5
IH 10
The concentrations of regional freight needs appear to be the interstates. For example, IH 45
alone has more than 40 needs documented—almost evenly split between Bottlenecks and
Mobility-Connectivity.
In order to comply with the request given the data and timeline provided, TxDOT District staff
and H-GAC came up with a common set of criteria, completed the task individually, and then
met to reconcile any differences. Needs identified on Interstates, hurricane evacuation routes,
and Hazardous Cargo routes were given a “high” priority. “Rollovers” were analyzed based on
the percent truck traffic recorded. Those needs in the Mobility, Hot Sports, and Bottlenecks
categories were analyzed using the National and State congestion rankings, percentage truck
traffic, and TxDOT District priority. Needs in the Alternate Routes and At-Grade Rail Crossings
categories added the commercial motor vehicle crash rate to the analysis. Where a difference of
priority existed, regional freight plans and studies were applied. Materials considered included
work completed by the I-69 Committee, the 2030 Committee, the Regional Goods Movement
Study, and the 2040 RTP. Finally, the result is a joint MPO/District staff ranking of the needs (a
“1” is HIGH priority):
TAC Agenda Item 7
Mailout - 04/13/15
Category
Priority Score*
Rollovers
1
Mobility-Connectivity
1.3
Bottlenecks
1.7
Hotspots
2
Alternate Routes
2.44
At-Grade Rail Crossings
3.3
*Score represents the average for all needs
identified in each category
TxDOT attached data referencing active work, if any, where the needs were identified. The total
cost estimate for both planned and active projects that address these needs is approximately $9.3
billion. Notably, in over half of the 278 identified needs, there are no relevant TxDOT projects,
emphasizing the current lack of more planning and coordination to address the remaining needs.
Based on the presentation in March 2015 to TPC, this exercise will initiate a discussion with
MPOs, Districts, and the project team to finalize the highway recommendations of the State
Freight Mobility Plan. It is an initial step focused on the needs, and not individual projects.
Should any changes be recommended by the TxDOT freight planning group, we will bring this
item back to TAC and TPC for approval. Bridges identified to have freight needs are currently
being reviewed by TxDOT District staff for analysis based on each bridge’s traffic carried,
structural integrity, and clearance height. Lastly, when the draft State Freight Plan is available
for review, staff will present it to TAC and TPC for comment.
Attachments
1. Map of the local Texas Highway Freight Network (forthcoming)
2. Maps of the different categories of need as prioritized
Action Requested
Staff requests TAC concurrence with the results of the exercise as completed by H-GAC and
TxDOT-Houston staff with TAC recommendation for TPC approval.
3555 Timmons Ln, Suite 120
Houston, TX 77027
Alternate Routes
Phone: 713-627-3200
Web: www.h-gac.com
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purposes. It does not represent an on-the
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property boundaries.
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At Grade Rail
Crossings
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Web: www.h-gac.com
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purposes. It does not represent an on-the
ground survey and represents only the
approximate relative location of
property boundaries.
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Bottlenecks
3555 Timmons Ln, Suite 120
Houston, TX 77027
Phone: 713-627-3200
Web: www.h-gac.com
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ground survey and represents only the
approximate relative location of
property boundaries.
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Hotspots
3555 Timmons Ln, Suite 120
Houston, TX 77027
Phone: 713-627-3200
Web: www.h-gac.com
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ground survey and represents only the
approximate relative location of
property boundaries.
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Mobility-Connectivity
3555 Timmons Ln, Suite 120
Houston, TX 77027
Phone: 713-627-3200
Web: www.h-gac.com
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purposes. It does not represent an on-the
ground survey and represents only the
approximate relative location of
property boundaries.
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Rollovers
3555 Timmons Ln, Suite 120
Houston, TX 77027
Phone: 713-627-3200
Web: www.h-gac.com
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Bay
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G A LVE S TO N
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This product is for informational purposes
and may not have been prepared for or be
suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying
purposes. It does not represent an on-the
ground survey and represents only the
approximate relative location of
property boundaries.
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