Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Update to the Texas Transportation Commission

Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Update to the Texas Transportation Commission October 28, 2004 DRAFT Houston-Galveston Area Council

Reducing Congestion and Improving Urban Mobility Covering eight counties and 8,000 square miles in southeast Texas, the Houston-Galveston region is home to the fourth largest city in the nation and has a population of more than 5 million people. Known for its dynamic growth, regional projections indicate that the Houston-Galveston area is on track to add another three million residents by 2025. Travel growth over the next two decades is expected to outpace population growth, increasing 75 percent. Average vehicle miles traveled will climb from 125 million per weekday in 2000 to 218 million by 2025. 2 Source: H-GAC 2025 RTP It is not surprising that the Houston-Galveston region has the highest congestion index in the state according to the latest data published by the Texas Transportation Institute. Commuters and commercial vehicles spend 39 percent more time making a trip during peak hours than the same trip made during the off-peak travel times. Congestion costs each resident $564 per year. This increase in travel time also slows commerce and reduces business productivity. As home to four major international ports, congestion in the Houston-Galveston area not only adversely impacts residents and businesses in the region but commerce across Texas and the nation. In its recently adopted 2025 Regional Transportation Plan, the Houston-Galveston area s Transportation Policy Council endorsed an aggressive program designed to reduce operational delay, increase system capacity and reduce the growth in vehicular travel demand. Keystones of this plan include $10.6 billion in revenue from existing and proposed toll/managed lanes and a $5 billion expansion of regional transit services, including more than 70 miles of commuter and light rail transit. Successful implementation of the 2025 Plan can only be achieved with an effective, continuing partnership between the Texas Transportation Commission and our local governments.

Actions for Commission Consideration Tollway Participation The 2025 Regional Transportation Plan calls for the development of more than 1,900 lane miles of tollways. Local toll authorities and the Texas Department of Transportation are moving forward with the funding and construction of $4.5 billion of additional tollways and managed lanes. The Commission is urged to continue the collaborative funding between local toll authorities and TxDOT in the construction of these facilities, which will play a key role in maintaining mobility in the Houston-Galveston area. High Occupancy Vehicle/Managed/Toll Lanes More than 400 miles of permanent High Occupancy Vehicle/Managed Lanes are planned for construction on Houston-Galveston roadways during the next 20 years. The Commission is urged to support TxDOT s participation in the design, construction and operation of these important mobility and air quality projects. Comprehensive Development Agreements Prior to passage of House Bill 3588, TxDOT pioneered the use of Comprehensive Development Agreements (CDAs) through its agreement with the Harris County Toll Road Authority for the development of managed toll lanes on Interstate 10 West. Several key corridors currently under study appear to be appropriate candidates for CDAs. The Commission is urged to continue supporting this innovative tool to expedite needed project construction. Texas Mobility Funds Texas Mobility Funds should be used to leverage additional funding from tolls or other partner resources. The Gulf Coast region has supported toll facilities since 1983 and has an established, successful track record. The Commission is urged to re-allocate Statewide Mobility Funds, which cannot be leveraged by other communities in Texas, to those communities utilizing tolling or other leverage funding. Multi-Modal Projects Freight rail transportation is vital to the efficient movement of goods from our region s ports and industries. Successful implementation of passenger rail transit also has been demonstrated with significant opportunity for future expansion both within highway and rail rights of way. Current commuter and freight rail studies must be expanded to fully understand the opportunities and constraints to additional rail development and opportunities for shared use of existing rail rights of way. The Commission is urged to coordinate the statewide freight rail study with the work underway in the Houston-Galveston region. Funding Partnership with the Commission The Houston-Galveston area s Transportation Policy Council has continued to commit Category 7 (Surface Transportation Program Metropolitan Mobility) and Category 5 (Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality) funds to TxDOT for construction of eligible freeway/tollway system improvements. As part of this partnership, the Commission is urged to continue its support for these projects using its Category 12 (Commission Strategic Priority) Funds. Local Government Support for Mobility Local governments in the Houston-Galveston area also have increased their support for highway and toll road improvements with the passage of bond programs. The Commission s approval to evaluate Pass Thru tolling in Montgomery County will be one of the State s earliest and largest applications of this new financing tool. Movement of Projects from Plan to Develop Stage The Houston District does not have authority from the Commission to protect critical right of way in corridors nearing implementation. These include: US 290, US 59 South from SH 99 to the Wharton County line or IH-45 South from Beltway 8 to 61 st Street in the City of Galveston. Without the ability to protect right of way, which may be acquired at reasonable cost today, the future implementation of these mobility improvements will be in jeopardy. The Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Partners requests the Commission to authorize Develop authority for these projects to protect the acquisition of critical rights of way. 3

Funding the Plan Traditional fuel taxes, motor vehicle registration fees and local government spending have not been adequate to meet the transportation needs in the Houston-Galveston region. Supporting both increases in state transportation revenue and greater return of federal transportation dollars to the state, the Houston-Galveston region has also pioneered the use of new local resources for increased transportation investment. Cooperation with Area Toll Road Authorities An extensive toll road network is in place through the efforts of the Harris and Fort Bend County Toll Road Authorities. In 2000, Harris County toll facilities took in $218 million in receipts, the highest amount for all toll entities in the state. The Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Partners (GCRMP) looks to the Texas Transportation Commission to continue this partnership in the development of toll roads to meet future transportation needs. High Occupancy Vehicle/Toll and Managed Lanes Southeast Texas currently has the largest HOV/HOT lane system in the state, with more than 136 lane miles. Under the 2025 Regional Transportation Plan, this is planned to increase to more than 400 lane miles. The managed lane concept is being further developed with the reconstruction of IH-10 West with a partnership between TxDOT, METRO and the Harris County Toll Road Authority. Four managed lanes in the center will be used by METRO buses and eligible carpools and vanpools at no cost. The facility will permit use by other vehicles paying a toll that may vary based on demand. Thanks to an additional $250 million in expected toll revenue, this partnership reduces overall construction time and improves the competitiveness of transit services. As a prototype for future corridor improvements across the region, the METRO Solutions transit plan envisions upgrading many HOV only facilities to managed lanes. Options for Increasing Our Ability to Meet Regional Transportation Needs: 1. Add new toll roads and add managed (tolled) lanes to existing facilities. 2. Allow toll road authority surpluses to be used for construction of non-toll facilities. 3. Limit the use of the State motor fuel tax to transportation expenditures. 4. Index motor fuel taxes to the rate of inflation. 5. Increase private sector participation in transportation system development. 6. As a local government option, increase the motor fuel tax, vehicle registration and driver s license fees for transportation investment. 7. Streamline delivery of transportation investments. 8. Increase property or other local taxes. 9. Reduce needed highway expansion through improved traffic, access and incident management. Increase Taxes Texas, like all other states, receives a substantial portion of its transportation funds through both State and Federal Highway Trust Funds. The levels and distributions of these user fees may need to be examined in the future in order to address the region s growing transportation needs. Permitting local governments to increase these taxes as a local option could be critical to voter confidence needed to make greater use of this as a resource. Texas Mobility Fund The Houston-Galveston region is prepared to use the Texas Mobility Fund to leverage other funds to advance major projects that will improve regional mobility, job growth, and economic development opportunities. Contained in this document are more than a dozen key corridors where the expenditure of statewide mobility funds could be maximized by leveraging local resources to advance needed projects. 4

2025 RTP Regional Toll Road System A major component of the Houston-Galveston regional transportation system is the freeway and tollway system. The freeway/tollway system represents only 10 percent of regional lane miles but carries more than 40 percent of vehicle miles traveled. Although growth in vehicle travel may be mitigated by transit system expansion, improved operation of major arterial streets and technology increasing the effectiveness of teleworking and e-business, regional and state economic growth require continued expansion of the regional freeway/tollway network. Source: H-GAC 2025 RTP The Houston-Galveston area has utilized toll roads as a method of financing facilities and improving mobility for more than two decades. Currently, there are four toll roads in operation the Hardy, Sam Houston, Westpark and Fort Bend Parkway Toll Roads. The system is projected to grow from approximately 470 lane miles now to 1,923 lane miles in 2025. In November 2000, residents in Fort Bend County approved the creation of the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority. Voters also approved a $140 million bond issue to support the construction of the Fort Bend Parkway and the Westpark Extension, developed cooperatively with the Harris County Toll Road Authority. Brazoria County has also set up a toll road authority to examine potential toll options for facilities within the county. Toll road authority partners for TxDOT in 3 counties Large and growing network funded entirely with local resources Relieves traffic and enhances TxDOT facilities 5

IH-10 West/Katy Freeway IH-10 West/Katy Freeway is one of the heaviest traveled facilities in the region. The facility provides access from the growing Katy and north Fort Bend County area to Downtown Houston. The facility also serves as a thoroughfare for commerce throughout the southern and western United States, creating some of the highest truck volumes in Texas, which contributes to the significant congestion on the facility. The Katy Freeway reconstruction will include the region s first implementation of managed lanes on an existing facility and will place the Houston-Galveston region on the cutting edge of managed lane techniques. These improvements include: Reconstruction of mainlanes and frontage roads Construction of managed lanes Improvements to interchange ramps Estimated construction cost - $1.4 billion Partnership with Harris County Toll Road Authority to expedite construction Managed lanes with additional mainlane and frontage road capacity Leveraging local, state and federal funds 6

US 290/Northwest Freeway US 290/Northwest Freeway serves as a link from Waller County and northwest Harris County to central Houston. Planned improvements between FM 2920 and IH-610 West Loop will increase accessibility for commuters in and out of town. Improvements include: Widening the facility up to 10 lanes with frontage lanes Reconstruction of the IH 610/US 290 interchange Constructing an adjacent four-lane managed lane facility along Hempstead Road from IH 610 to SH 99. Estimated construction cost: $1.5 billion (Includes US 290 and Hempstead Managed Lanes) Maximizes use of entire corridor, not just single freeway facility Potential use of Texas Mobility Funds with local funds Providing needed capacity with minimal right-of-way acquisitions 7

IH 45/North Freeway & Hardy Toll Road The Hardy Toll Road provides an alternative to IH-45 North for commuters traveling from Montgomery County to central Houston. Currently the facility terminates at the northern part of the IH- 610 Loop. An extension is planned to connect the facility to Downtown Houston. Additional capacity improvements are underway near Bush Intercontinental Airport. Improvements include: Construction of a 4-lane toll road extension to Downtown Houston. Improvements to the Elysian Viaduct, which involve widening the facility to 4 lanes with full shoulders. Estimated construction cost - $111 million IH-45/North Freeway improvements will provide additional capacity and improve the commute from Downtown Houston to Montgomery County, as well as to Bush Intercontinental Airport. In addition to road widening, managed lanes are planned from FM 1960 to the Walker County Line. The improvements include: Reconstruction and widening of mainlanes and frontage roads Construction of managed lanes through Montgomery County Corridor study is currently in progress Estimated construction cost - $417 million Local, state and federal partnerships in development and operations Use of toll road and managed lanes to maximize mobility in corridor Leveraged funds through Texas Mobility Fund 8

IH-45 South & US 59 South IH 45 South/Gulf Freeway improvements will provide improved accessibility between Houston and Galveston County. In addition to road widening, managed lanes are planned from Beltway 8 to 61 st Street in Galveston. Improvements include: Reconstruction and widening up to 10 mainlanes with frontage roads Implementation of managed lanes from Beltway 8 to 61 st Street in Galveston Reconstruction of the Texas City Wye interchange at IH-45 South, SH 3, SH 6, and SH 146. Estimated construction cost - $721 million US 59/Southwest Freeway is one of the heaviest-traveled freeways in the Greater Houston region. It serves to connect the ever-growing suburbs of Sugar Land, Missouri City, and Stafford in eastern Fort Bend County and southwestern Harris County to Downtown Houston. Improvements on US 59 were recently completed in Harris County. Further planned improvements will upgrade the facility in Fort Bend County and better connect commuters to their places of employment. Improvements include: Widening the current facility to 6 or 8 lanes and constructing frontage roads from SH 99/FM 2759 to CR 227 in Wharton County Constructing managed lanes from Beltway 8 to FM 762 Estimated construction cost: $460 million Use of toll revenues to leverage Texas Mobility Funds Strategic partnership between local, state and federal agencies Needed improvements to serve NAFTA and commuter traffic Improved evacuation options 9

SH 99/Grand Parkway SH 99/Grand Parkway is the planned third loop encircling the Greater Houston region. At this time, 18 miles of the highway from US 59 near Sugar Land to IH 10 near Katy have been constructed, operating currently as a non-toll facility. The Parkway is in various stages of development, with construction currently occurring in Chambers County. The facility will provide improved access for the increasing suburb-to-suburb travel occurring in the region. Improvements include: Construction of a 170-mile, 4-lane toll facility Estimated construction cost: $1.0 billion Improved mobility for suburban to suburban trips Enhanced regional access and mobility in 7 counties Public-private partnerships in roadway development 10

Other Regional Toll Road Projects The toll road network has been an important part of the region s mobility since the late 1980s. Currently, there are 413 lane miles of toll roads in the region. With planned projects, toll roads will become an even more integral part in meeting the area s mobility challenges in the future. State Highway 249 SH 249, the Tomball Parkway, connects the City of Tomball and western Montgomery County to Beltway 8. Plans are to improve the facility from IH 45 North Freeway in Houston to SH 6 in Grimes County, providing a limited access connection from Houston to the Bryan-College Station area, and serve residents of northwest Harris, western Montgomery and Waller Counties. Improvements may include the facility s conversion to a toll road, as well as the construction of a by-pass around the City of Tomball extending to Pinehurst and eventually Navasota. o Potentially convert the current facility to a toll facility from Beltway 8 to Westlock o Construct a six-mainlane toll road from Westlock to FM 1774, which includes a bypass around Tomball o Construct a four-lane toll road from FM 1774 to State Highway 6 in Grimes County o Projected Construction Cost $480 million Beltway 8 Northeast Quadrant Beltway 8/The Sam Houston Tollway serves as Houston s second loop around the city. Currently, the northeastern segment, from US 90 East to US 59 North, only consists of frontage roads. The Harris County Toll Road Authority will construct a 6-lane toll facility to move towards the Beltway s completion o Construction of six mainlanes from US 90 East to US 59 North o Projected Construction Cost $190 million Red Bluff Toll Road The Red Bluff Toll Road will provide improved access for communities along Galveston Bay to Houston. From SH 146, the facility will follow Red Bluff Road to Fairmont Parkway, which will connect with Beltway 8. o Widen and construct a 6-lane toll facility Four major tollway projects are under way that will add additional capacity to the region s tollway network as well as some valuable extensions. - Hardy Connector to downtown Houston - This project will extend the Hardy Toll Road from its present terminus at IH 610 to IH 10 in downtown Houston. Once completed, drivers will have toll road access between downtown Houston, Bush Intercontinental Airport and Montgomery County. - Fort Bend Parkway The first section of this toll road, which opened August 31, 2004, connects SH 6 to Beltway 8 at the Fort Bend/Harris County line. Future projects may extend this toll road farther into southwest Houston, and to SH 99 in Fort Bend County. - Westpark Tollway By summer 2005, the Westpark Tollway will extend 20 miles from IH 610 in Houston west to SH 99 in Fort Bend County. The section from Post Oak Boulevard at IH 610 to Old Westheimer Road opened in spring 2004, with the extension to SH 6 scheduled for opening in September 2004. - Beltway 8 Widening West Houston The first section of the Beltway 8 tollway that opened in 1988 is currently being widened from 6 to 8 mainlanes. HCTRA is widening the entire segment from IH 45 North to US 59 South to 8 mainlanes. 11

Major Corridor Studies Two regionally significant corridors are currently being studied for potential improvements. Improvements in both corridors will provide better accessibility and additional evacuation routes to residents in Brazoria County. These studies will result in recommendations for future projects. SH 288/South Freeway SH 288 South Freeway is currently undergoing a major corridor study, including the highway s entire length from downtown Houston to the Brazosport area in southern Brazoria County. Potential improvements may include additional freeway mainlanes, frontage road improvements, managed lanes and transit service. State Highway 35 The SH 35 corridor links the cities of Angleton, Alvin and Pearland to central Houston. High population growth has necessitated a highspeed, high-capacity roadway in this corridor. A major corridor study is currently being conducted to determine the most appropriate solutions for this corridor. 12

Other Transportation Improvements Smart Streets Access and traffic management improvements on non-freeway arterials in the Houston-Galveston region represent an early opportunity to improve roadway and transit mobility. Smart Streets have been introduced in the 2025 Regional Transportation Plan as a means of increasing mobility, transit access and safety. The Smart Streets toolbox includes traffic signal timing and synchronization, driveway consolidation, improved intersection design and control of median access, landscaping, sidewalks and other measures designed to smooth the flow of traffic and improve pedestrian and transit accessibility. Customized to fit the needs of each community and the mix of adjacent land uses, Smart Streets can provide a connective framework for regional highway and transit facilities. Example Smart Street Cross Section Safety The Houston-Galveston area leads the State in almost every category of serious and severe crash risk. Therefore, the Transportation Policy Council has incorporated improvement of public safety as a consideration in every project funding decision. Since traffic crashes can be a major contributor to urban traffic congestion, local governments and transportation agencies are devoting significant resources to the reduction and mitigation of vehicle crashes. Resources for the elimination of safety hazards are limited and difficult for local governments to access. The Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Partners urges the Commission to initiate cooperative action with federal, state and local governments and transportation agencies on steps to streamline the funding and deployment of safety projects. 13

Public Transportation In 1978, voters in Harris County made a strong commitment to public transportation by adopting a one cent sales tax to fund the construction and operation of a public transportation system. METRO offers transit services in its 1,285 square mile service area with a fleet of more than 1,500 buses. In 2004, METRO opened the first component of a 72.8-mile passenger rail system, the 7.5 mile light rail line from Downtown to Reliant Park. During Fiscal Year 2003, METRO had more than 89.1 million customer boardings on its fixed-route bus system, 1.4 million boardings on its paratransit (METROLift) system, 1.3 million boardings on its METROVan system and 1.6 million boardings on its Special Event services. Through the first seven months of METRORail, there were 3.7 million boardings. Through 2003, METRO invested $1.22 billion on street and road improvements under its General Mobility Program. Through 2014, 25 percent of its sales tax revenues will continue to fund street and road improvements and related projects. METRO is also in the final stages of completing the $300 million Downtown/Midtown Transit Streets Project, including the reconstruction of more than 22 miles of downtown/midtown streets. As part of the Regional Computerized Traffic Signal System (RCTSS), METRO is spending $140 million to replace 1,500 traffic signals throughout the region. In partnership with TxDOT, METRO helped construct more than 100 miles of HOV/bus lanes. To build on this success, METRO has developed a long-term regional transportation system called METRO Solutions that was approved in a voter referendum and is a component of the Houston- Galveston Area Council s 2025 Regional Transportation Plan. The METRO plan includes: Authorization to issue $640 million in bonds for the first 10 years of the plan Specific approval of METRORail expansion Plans for an additional 64.8 miles of light rail Plans for an 8 mile commuter rail line 50% increase in bus service, including 1,000 new route miles Providing continued funding for road and street improvements through 2014 In addition to METRO, transit services are provided by the Gulf Coast Center/Connect Transportation in Brazoria and Galveston Counties, Colorado Valley Transit in Waller County, and Brazos Transit, which operates The Woodlands Express between Montgomery County and Houston. The feasibility of additional commuter rail service across the region also is being studied. 14

Ports/Airports/Freight Rail The Port of Houston is the sixth largest port in the world, second largest in the US and first in foreign tonnage. Growth is occurring exponentially. The Barbours Cut terminal handles 80 percent of Texas container shipping market. Annually, this accounts for an estimated 750,000 tractor trailers, which access the Port via the region s roadways. The region will invest $1.2 billion in infrastructure for the Port s new Bayport Container and Cruise Terminal. This new terminal is expected to double truck traffic on area roadways. A 2000 study estimated that the Port of Houston generates $10.9 billion in business revenues and generates more than $649 million in state and local tax revenues. More than 287,000 jobs in Texas are related to Port activities, which equates to a benefit of $7.2 billion in wages and salaries. The Houston Airport System is a major factor in the southeast Texas economy. It is estimated that the system is responsible for more than $8 billion in economic activity annually in the Houston area, and generates more than 90,000 jobs for the region. In 2002, Houston airports served more than 42 million passengers. Bush Intercontinental Airport, the primary air cargo facility, handled 61 million pounds of cargo in January 2004. The City recently opened a $125 million air cargo facility containing 550,000 square feet of storage space for processing and distribution. Additional improvements are planned for each of the area s three major airports to handle future travel and freight demand. Freight rail movement is a critical issue in the Houston region. The current freight rail system slows freight movement on rails and delays area motorists at 733 at-grade crossings, which often are the sites of vehicle crashes. Nine priority at grade rail crossings were identified in a recent study by Harris County and the Port of Houston based upon safety and travel delay considerations. The study estimated that the cost for improving these at-grade crossings would be approximately $195 million. In addition to freight movement, planning is underway to implement commuter rail service throughout the region. Implementation of commuter service must be carefully coordinated with freight movement. In addition, plans are being developed for high capacity rail lines that would reduce at-grade conflicts while improving freight rail performance. TxDOT intends to build on these mentioned studies with a look at freight and commuter rail opportunities outside of Harris County on a regional perspective. 15

Back Cover - GCRMP Logo - What is GCRMP o The Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Partners (GCRMP) is a region-wide coalition of community and business leaders who represent various interests, transportation providers and elected officials. GCRMP was formed to advocate for additional transportation resources for the Houston-Galveston region. Executive Committee Chair Jim Royer TCB Inc. Members Alan Clark Houston-Galveston Area Council Jonathan Day Andrews Kurth LLP The Hon. Tom DeLay U.S. Representative, District 22 The Hon. Robert Eckels, Harris County Judge James Edmonds, Port of Houston Authority The Hon. Robert Hebert, Fort Bend County Judge Jim Kollaer, Greater Houston Partnership Robert Lanier, Landar Holdings Barkley Peschel, Office of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay David Wolff, Metropolitan Transit Authority John Sedlak, Metropolitan Transit Authority Michael Stevens, Michael Stevens Interests The Hon. Bill White, City of Houston Mayor The Hon. John Willy, Brazoria County Judge Steering Committee Organizations City of Baytown City of Houston City of Pearland City of Sugar Land Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation ECO Resources Inc. Fort Bend County Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Greater Greenspoint Management District and Redevelopment Authority Harris County Houston Contractors Association Houston-Galveston Area Council Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce March of Dimes Martin Marietta Materials Metropolitan Transit Authority North Houston Association Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas Pate Engineers Port of Houston Authority TCB Inc. Texas Department of Transportation The Texas A&M University/Texas Transportation Institute The Woodlands Operating Co. TranSystems Advisors Union Pacific West Houston Association Wilbur Smith Associates