Greater Houston Freight Committee June 18, 2019 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Greater Houston Freight Committee June 18, 2019

Introduction/Welcome ▪ Established in 2016 by the Transportation Policy Council (TPC) as recommended in the 2013 Regional Goods Movement Plan as well as guidance from the FAST Act. ▪ Regularly engage and convene freight industry/goods movement partners in the region to understand how best to maintain an on-going conversation. ▪ Involve private sector freight generators, shippers, and other logistics professionals. ▪ Meet periodically to share information, make recommendations to the TPC, and assist/direct H-GAC staff in freight planning tasks.

Introduction/Welcome ▪ GHFC Structure ▪ TPC Nominating Chair recommended reappointment of current co-chairs, Brian Fielkow and Ed Emmett, to be confirmed at June 28 th TPC meeting ▪ Meeting Frequency ▪ Priorities

Committee Agenda Roundtable ▪ Houston Region Freight Rail Study ▪ North Houston Highway Improvement Project ▪ Truck Parking Study • Development of Freight Movement Advisory Group ▪ TxDOT PEL Studies Updates ▪ 36A EIS Update • IH-10: IH-69 to SH-99 (Phase 1 Complete) • IH-45: BW 8 North to Loop 336 South (Phase ▪ Southeast Harris County Mobility Study 1 Complete) ▪ Others? • IH-69: Spur 527 to BW 8 South (Phase 1 Complete) • SH-225 (Procurement Phase) 4

Distracted Driving Roundtable Overview

36A Project Update

36A PROJECT Greater Houston Freight Committee Update June 18, 2019

36A Project - Background ▪ Houst uston on-Ga Galv lvest eston n Area a Council cil – High level regional studies indicated a need to route traffic (truck, hurricane evacuation, etc.) around the urban core – Identified in the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan – H-GAC committed funding for initial phase of this study ▪ TxDO DOT – Houst uston on Distr trict ict – Conduct the study – Study will follow the Federal environmental process (NEPA)

36A Project ▪ Roadway project ▪ Limits: I-69 southwest of Rosenberg to SH 6 north of Hempstead ▪ Engineering and Environmental study Hempstead – Defines the Need and Purpose – Develops alternative alignments • Existing routes • New location routes – Refines alignments • Based on: » Public Involvement » Engineering analysis Rosenberg » Environmental constraints – Selects Reasonable Alternatives

36A Project – Constraints Constraints: ❑ Existing Development ❑ Proposed Development ❑ Floodplains ❑ Wetlands / Water resources ❑ Katy Prairie & KPC lands ❑ Park and School properties ❑ Historic sites and properties ❑ EJ communities ❑ Other issues

Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Process

Preliminary Alternatives Constraints: ❑ Existing Development ❑ Proposed Development ❑ Floodplains ❑ Wetlands / Water resources ❑ Katy Prairie & KPC lands ❑ Park and School properties ❑ Historic sites and properties ❑ EJ communities ❑ Other issues

Preliminary Alternatives – South of I-10 and North of I-10

36A Project – Public Involvement Stakeholders: Continuous Outreach: ▪ Elected Officials ❑ One-on-one Meetings ▪ Public Officials ❑ Stakeholder Meetings ▪ Special Interest ❑ On-site Visits Groups ❑ Public Meetings ▪ General Public ❑ Social Media ❑ Community Meetings ▪ Landowners ❑ Website and Phone ▪ Resource Agencies .

36A Project – Public Involvement – Project Website

36A Project – Public Involvement – Project Viewer Tool

36A Project – Anticipated Timeline 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Project Initiation & NOI Public Scoping Meeting Develop Alternatives Public Meeting Refine Alternatives Recommended Alternative Prepare Draft EIS Public Hearing Prepare Final EIS Record of Decision

Project Contact Information TxDOT Project Manager: Cesar Martinez, TxDOT Houston District Cesar.Martinez1@txdot.gov or 713-802-5279 Team Project Manager: David Gornet, P.E., Jacobs/Gornet JV David.Gornet@Jacobs.com or 713-542-8524 For More Information: Visit our website at www.txdot.gov or contact TxDOT-Houston District Public Information Office by email at HOU-PIOwebmail@TxDOT.gov or call 713-802-5076. 18

Than Thank Y k You ou

Ports Area Mobility Study Update

Agenda ▪ Project Recap • Objectives and • Activities ▪ Project Deliverable Status ▪ Proposed Improvements

Study Objectives ▪ Identify freight and goods supply chains that are dependent upon on the region’s port facilities ▪ Identify improvements to better facilitate port related freight mobility: • Infrastructure and facilities • Multimodal improvements • Operational strategies • Policy-level changes

Study Activities ▪ Port profiles (complete) ▪ Rail Assessment (complete) ▪ Barge/Intracoastal Waterways Assessment (complete) ▪ Data gathering and analysis • Trade and cargo flow (complete) • Truck counts (complete) • Truck driver surveys (complete) • ATRI Truck GPS (complete) Reddy.Edulakanti@hdrinc.com

Study Activities ▪ Supply Chain Analysis (complete) • Transearch Dataset • Datamyne and • Third-party Interviews ▪ Improvements Identification (complete) ▪ Travel Demand Modeling (on-going) ▪ Benefit-Cost Assessment (on-going) Reddy.Edulakanti@hdrinc.com

Project Deliverables ▪ Final Report consisting of Technical Memorandums: • Port Profiles • Rail • Barge/Intracoastal Waterways • Highways • Supply Chain • Commodity Flows • Solutions and Strategies

Proposed Improvements • Identified range of solutions and strategies that support o Infrastructure and facilities o Multimodal improvements o Operational strategies o Policy-level changes • Strategies include o Extended gate times at container terminals o Terminal Gate Appointment System o Inland Port o Port centric warehousing etc.

Proposed Improvements • Solutions include o Freight Shuttle o Self discharge container on barge o Virtual container yard o I-69 bypass o Independence Parkway Bridge

Freight Shuttle ▪ MOU signed with Port of Houston ▪ Third party system – similar to rail and pipelines • Using air rights above highways • Private investment • Local, regional, state, federal funding ▪ Assessed different options for PAMS: • Shared User facility in Baytown • Door-to-Door service (links container ports with volume users – resin packaging plants, importers Ikea, Walmart etc.) Source: Freight Shuttle Systems

Container-on-Barge Existing barge facility ▪ Intra-regional • Feed Cedar Port from Bayport and Barbours Cut. Concentration of warehouses that export/import containers Walmart, Ikea, Katoen Natie (plastic resins) Reddy.Edulakanti@hdrinc.com

Container-on-barge ▪ Currently once a week service to each container terminal • Low frequency impacts container demurrage, acceptance time for exports, etc ▪ Significant benefits with Heavy weight containers. ▪ How can container on barge service attract more volume and increase frequency? 1. Operations. • More reliable operations at the container terminal - Dedicated area/berth within terminals? • Cheaper cargo handling methods? – Reach Stacker? • Labor agreement to account for handling a barge rather than ocean going vessel 2. Soft sell • Integrate within Shipping Line pricing structure • Multi agency approach and business development to potential users ▪ Could it become a formal service offering at Houston? Reddy.Edulakanti@hdrinc.com

Virtual Container Yard Existing Situation Container moves 1 x Import to Walmart 1 x Export from Plantgistix 4 truck trips • 2 carrying cargo • 2 empty • 59 truck miles

Virtual Container Yard “Street turn” Concept Future Condition Container moves 1 x Import to Walmart Empty container from Walmart taken to Plantgistix 1 x Export from Plantgistix 3 truck trips • 2 carrying cargo • 1 empty • 36.5 truck miles • 50% reduction of trips to the port terminal • 38% saving in truck miles Reddy.Edulakanti@hdrinc.com

I -69 Bypass • Relief route around Houston Urban Core • Connecting Wharton on the southwest to Cleveland/Livingston on the northeast • Carrying traffic from Port of Freeport, Port of Galveston, Port of Houston to east, northeast and the north • Grand Parkway and Route 146 as potential alignment Reddy.Edulakanti@hdrinc.com

Independence Parkway Bridge

Port Truck Trip Calculator ▪ Forecast truck trips to 2045 • At Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) level • Based on 2016 Transearch commodity data • Used to inform modelling

Port Truck Trip Calculator

Next Steps.. ▪ Cost – Benefit Analysis ▪ Finalize Technical Memorandums

H-GAC Clean Vehicles Program Contracting for a Cleaner Region

Heavy Duty Diesel Replacements ▪ Clean Vehicles Program • Class 8 trucks • Alternative fuel fueling stations ▪ Regional Texas Emission Reduction Program • Class 8 trucks • Marine (ferries) • Nonroad equipment ▪ Drayage Loan Program • Class 8 trucks ▪ Other • SEP funds – School buses • EPA funds – Construction equipment, marine (tugs), forklifts • Clean School Bus Program – School bus (emphasis on alt fuel)