CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

Southeast Corridor

Draft Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 – Affectred Environment

3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

This chapter describes the existing conditions in the Southeast Corridor and project study area that could be affected by the alternatives.1 2 It also establishes the focus and baseline for Chapter 4, Transportation Impacts, and Chapter 5, Environmental Consequences. The study area for the description of existing conditions is identified in Figure 1-2 (see Chapter 1, Purpose and Need). Unless otherwise stated, existing conditions are described with reference to the base year of 2006.

The conditions described in this chapter include those related to: land use; population and employment; transportation services and facilities; air quality; noise and vibration; visual quality and aesthetics; ecosystems; water resources; historic and archaeological resources; parklands; geology and soils; hazardous materials or contamination; and safety and security.

3.1 Land Use

This section describes existing land use patterns in the study area and along the project alignment, local plans and policies affecting land use in the corridor, and the major activity centers within and adjacent to the corridor. The section ends with a discussion of development activity and emerging trends within the study area.

3.1.1 Regional Summary

The Southeast Corridor is located within metropolitan Houston. The City of Houston had a population of 2.01 million in mid-2004. Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States, trailing only New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, and it is the largest city in the southern United States and Texas. The Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area (Houston MSA) consists of 10 counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Waller. The mid-2004 population for the Houston MSA was 5,180,443, which ranks Houston seventh among all MSAs in the country. The Houston MSA covers 10,062 square miles. (Greater Houston Partnership 2006)

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County’s (METRO’s) service area covers 1,285 square miles, reaching most of Harris County and more than 3.5 million residents in the City of Houston and 14 other member cities.

METRO’s first light rail line opened on January 1, 2004. The 7.5-mile segment, named the “METRORail Red Line”, connects downtown Houston (i.e., the central business district, or CBD), Midtown, the Museum District (with 16 institutions), Rice University, the

1 Acronyms and abbreviations are defined at their first use in the chapter. A complete list of acronyms and abbreviations used in this DEIS is contained in Appendix A. 2 This DEIS incorporates by reference all technical information, studies, and other public documents produced for the Southeast-Universities-Hobby Corridor Planning Study Alternatives (AA) and the METRO Solutions Transit System Plan that support the DEIS. These documents are considered part of the environmental compliance record and can be requested for review at the METRO offices.

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407-acre Hermann Park, the Texas Medical Center (TMC) (the world’s largest medical center, with 42 member institutions and 5.1 million patient visits in 2001), and the Reliant Park complex (featuring Reliant Stadium, the Reliant Astrodome, Reliant Arena, and Reliant Center). The Southeast Corridor intersects the METRORail Red Line in downtown Houston. The opening of the METRORail Red Line has initiated transit- supportive development activity throughout that corridor.

3.1.2 Existing Land Use

Existing land use in the study area is shown in Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2. The land uses are diverse and consist of residential, commercial, office, industrial, public/institutional, transportation/utilities, and park/open area uses.

Table 3-1 identifies the number and percentage of acres of parcel area by land use category for the study area. Single-family residential land uses are the most common, accounting for 36 percent of all parcel area in the study area. Single-family residential uses are most common in the corridor along Scott Street between Interstate Highway (IH)-45 and Elgin Street, along Scott Street from Blodgett Street to Griggs Road, and behind the development that lines Griggs Road to Mykawa Road. Public and institutional uses account for 18 percent of all parcel area, and within the corridor are primarily located in the CBD and the universities area adjacent to Scott Street and Wheeler Street between Elgin Street and Blodgett Street. Industrial uses are prevalent to the east of downtown as well as along Long Drive near the intersection with IH-610, and account for 13 percent of total study area parcel areas.3

Table 3-1. Existing Land Use Totals for Study Area

Land Use Category Number of Acres Percentage Single Family Residential 4,203.62 36 Multi-Family Residential 597.53 5 Commercial 738.59 6 Office 177.75 2 Industrial 1,502.26 13 Public and Institutional 2,101.16 18 Transportation and Utilities 333.73 3 Park and Open Areas 125.90 1 Undeveloped 1,810.34 16 Total 11,590.88 100 Source: Harris County Appraisal District, March 2004 and City of Houston, 2002. Updated by Parsons Brinckerhoff and Knudson & Associates, August 2004. Note: Approximately 242 acres of unidentified parcels have been excluded from this analysis.

3 Griggs Road if continuing straight in an eastward direction changes to Long Drive at Mykawa Road just west of the Burlington Northern railroad crossing west of IH-610.

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Existing Land Use: North of Brays Bayou Figure 3-1

Figure 3-1. Existing Land Use: North of Brays Bayou

(Map being prepared by Knudson & Associates)

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Knudson & Associates, 2004.

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Existing Land Use: South of Brays Bayou Figure 3-2

Figure 3-2. Existing Land Use: South of Brays Bayou

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Knudson & Associates, 2004.

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The study area also contains an estimated 16 percent vacant properties, which are prevalent in all portions of the corridor, except in the areas along Scott Street between Elgin Street and South MacGregor Way (which contain the universities and relatively more established, often deed-restricted residential areas). Commercial uses comprise 6 percent of all parcels in the study area, and within the corridor are typically located in the CBD and along Griggs Road. Multi-family residential uses account for 5 percent of all parcels in the study area, and are scattered throughout the area. Office land uses are concentrated downtown and are rare in the rest of the study area (2 percent). Public parks cover 1 percent of the study area.

Land use is often influenced by street patterns, and the network of streets in the corridor varies in character across the alignment. The CBD consists primarily of a regular grid of 250-foot block lengths. The street pattern east of downtown is a continuation of the downtown street grid, with 250-foot blocks. As the alignment curves onto Scott Street the grid becomes somewhat irregular, though still with frequent intersections. Between IH-45 and Elgin Street, cross-streets intersect Scott Street at intervals of about 200 feet, reflecting a closely-knit rectilinear block pattern. Frequent intersections continue to characterize the alignment between Elgin Street and Cullen Boulevard, with cross- streets spaced generally about every 250 feet. As the Build Alternative with the base alignment option continues on Griggs Road to the east of Cullen Boulevard, cross streets intersect Griggs Road generally every 500 to 1,000 feet. This pattern persists through the end of the alignment between Martin Luther King Boulevard and on to Mykawa Road. The portion of the corridor along the Build Alternative with the Wheeler – Martin Luther King (MLK) alignment option has a less regular block structure due to the presence of the University of Houston (UH) campus and MacGregor Park.

Land uses along the proposed fixed-guideway alignment are described below by segment, beginning in the downtown and ending at the intersection of Griggs Road, Mykawa Road, and Long Drive. For the purposes of this analysis, land use is considered in a corridor typically one-half mile in width, centered on the alignments.

3.1.2.1 Bagby to US 59 Segment

The downtown segment is characterized by public and institutional uses (34 percent), as well as a concentration of office space (17 percent), commercial uses (13 percent), and undeveloped parcels (22 percent) that are mostly used as surface parking lots. Within downtown, the proposed light rail transit (LRT) alignment in downtown would be located on Capitol, while the proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) alignment in downtown would operate as a one-way pair on Capitol and Rusk.4

The LRT and BRT alignments under the build alternatives would begin at Bagby in the Theater District adjacent to Bayou Place to the north, with over 100,000 square feet of entertainment and dining establishments, and the Bob Casey Federal Court House and Tranquility Park to the south. The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, containing the 2,650-seat Sarofim Hall and the 500-seat Zilkha Hall, is located to the

4 Streets in downtown Houston are commonly referred to by street name only, without street type (i.e., street, avenue, road, boulevard, etc.) in the reference. Therefore, the DEIS refers to streets in the downtown by name only. The only exception is Main Street, where street type is used in the reference to name. Outside of downtown, street type is used in the reference to street name.

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southwest. The Wortham Center, with the 2,465-seat Alice and George Brown Theater and the 1,100-seat Roy and Lillie Cullen Theater, is located immediately to the north of Bayou Place along the north side of Texas Avenue east of Smith. As the alignment heads east, it passes the 56-story Bank of America Center, located on the south side of Capitol between Smith and Louisiana, and Jones Plaza is located on the north side. To the north of the Jones Plaza is the Alley Theater, with the 824-seat Hubbard Stage and the 310-seat Neuhaus Stage. The Lanier Public Works Building is located south of Rusk between Smith and Louisiana.

Continuing eastward on Capitol, the 3,000-seat performing arts venue Jones Hall is located between Louisiana and Milam, with the twin 36-story Pennzoil Place towers to the south. Shell Plaza is located south of Rusk between Louisiana and Milam. The tallest building in Texas, the 75-story Chase Tower, is located to the north of Capitol between Milam and Travis. The alignment crosses the METRORail Red Line at Main Street, with the eight-story St. Germain Lofts at the southeast corner. The proposed 32- story residential Shamrock Tower is planned to be constructed on an existing parking lot on the northeast corner of Main Street and Capitol. A few blocks away is the recently announced Houston Pavilions development, which is bordered by Dallas to the north, Polk to the south, Main Street to the west and Caroline to the east, an area that is currently home to three surface parking lots. Houston Pavilions is a three-block, $200 million entertainment, retail and urban living development, which includes a 12-story condominium tower and loft office space. It is scheduled to open in late 2007. More information regarding the many developments in the CBD that are either under construction or in planning is provided in Section 3.1.5.

The Federal Detention Center is located on the north side of Capitol between San Jacinto and Caroline, and the US Customs House is located to the south. The 22-story Great Southwest Life Building is located on the north side of Capitol between Caroline and Austin. Surface parking and structured parking are located south of Rusk between San Jacinto and Jackson. The 208-room Inn at the Ballpark is located to the north of Capitol between La Branch and Crawford. The Annunciation Church and the Incarnate Word Academy are located at the northeast corner of Capitol and Crawford. To the east of Crawford, the alignment passes between the 40,950-seat Minute Maid Park retractable-roof stadium and the George R. Brown Convention Center, with 1.2 million net square feet of exhibit space, before continuing under US 59. Just south of and connected to the Convention Center is the 1,200 room Hilton Americas Hotel. The 19,000 seat Toyota Center, the City’s newest premier sports and entertainment venue and home to the National Basketball Association Houston Rockets and the Women’s National Basketball Association Comets, is located just south of the hotel.

3.1.2.2 US 59 to IH-45 Segment

This segment of the alignment is characterized as light industrial mixed with vacant parcels and railroads, some of which are no longer in service. Approximately 39 percent of the parcel land area is identified as industrial in use. About 26 percent of the parcel area in this segment is undeveloped. Another 13 percent is designated as having a transportation and utilities usage. Single-family residential and multi-family residential account for 9 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

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The area along the alignment on Capitol consists mostly of light industrial and vacant property. An increasing number of vacant and industrial parcels are being converted to new attached townhome and detached single-family residences. The alignment passes between the 375-unit Lofts at the Ballpark, which opened in 2001 and covers three city blocks on St. Emanuel at Texas and Capitol. Old Chinatown is located along the east side of US 59 about a quarter-mile to the south of the alignment. The Stanford, a 40-unit luxury loft project constructed in 2001, is located one block north of the alignment at Texas and Bastrop. As the alignment bends to Scott Street, the area becomes increasingly residential in nature, with single-family housing stock mixed amongst vacant parcels. Older housing in this area is generally characterized as deteriorated.5 As Scott Street approaches IH-45, several commercial land uses line the street, including service stations and auto-repair shops. Dodson Elementary School is located less than a quarter-mile to the west of the alignment at 1808 Sampson Street, just north of IH-45.

3.1.2.3 IH-45 to Elgin Street Segment

As the alignment crosses under IH-45 on Scott Street, it enters the historic Third Ward community. This segment has the highest percentage of single-family residential parcel area of any area along the proposed alignment, with 48 percent. The housing stock is generally characterized as deteriorated, with “shotgun-style” housing units abounding.6,7 The segment contains vacant parcels scattered throughout, with almost a quarter of the area being undeveloped (23 percent). Mixed throughout the area are multi-family residential units, accounting for 10 percent of the parcel area.

Scott Street is the eastern boundary of the Zion’s Village neighborhood between IH-45 and McGowen Street. A few commercial properties front Scott Street in this area. The Castle Academy of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center is located to the west of the alignment, between McGowen Street and Tuam Street. The Pentecost Tabernacle Holiness Church fronts Scott Street to the northwest of the intersection with Elgin Street. As the alignment approaches the intersection of Elgin Street, a new commercial strip center is located on the northeast corner, containing such businesses as a take-out pizza parlor, a college bookstore, and a coffeehouse.

3.1.2.4 Elgin Street to Blodgett Street Segment

As the alignment continues south on Scott Street across Elgin Street, the land uses are dominated by public and institutional uses. Almost 71 percent of the parcel area in this segment is related to public and institutional uses. On the east side of Scott Street, the UH campus stretches uninterrupted along Scott Street from Elgin Street to Wheeler Street. The portion of the UH campus bordering Scott Street, between Elgin Street and Cleburne Street, is known as the “athletic zone.” This zone contains

5 Knudson & Associates field survey of housing conditions. 6 Shotgun houses are so named because, supposedly, a shotgun fired through the front door would pass straight through the house and out the back door. Rooms were as wide as the house, and had doors that connected straight through. These were typically used as low-cost housing for the low-income workers of the South. 7 Knudson & Associates field survey of housing conditions.

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Robertson Stadium, (a 32,000-seat football, soccer, and track stadium), Hofheinz Pavilion (an 8,500-seat arena), and the 3,500-seat Cougar Field baseball stadium. The portion of the UH campus bordering Scott Street between Cleburne Street and Wheeler Street is a residential zone, featuring student dormitories. A City of Houston police station is located on Wheeler Avenue just east of Scott Street. On the southeast corner of Scott Street and Wheeler Street is the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, founded in 1962, one of the largest African-American churches in Houston.

On the west side of Scott Street, land uses are mixed between Elgin Street and Alabama Street with single-family and multi-family residential housing, along with public and institutional and vacant parcels. This area forms the eastern boundary of what is known as Eastside Village. On the west side of Scott Street south of Alabama Street, public and institutional land uses are dominant. Yates High School is located between Alabama Street and Cleburne Street, with several fast food restaurants and a public library fronting Scott Street. Between Cleburne and Wheeler Streets to the west of Scott Street is a pocket of single-family residential land uses. Behind this residential area lies Texas Southern University (TSU). South of Wheeler Avenue on the west side of Scott Street is Fire Station 25 of the Houston Fire Department.

3.1.2.5 Blodgett Street to South MacGregor Way Segment

South of Blodgett Street, the alignment enters an area with almost half of all parcel area containing single-family residential land use (46 percent), along with almost a third in public and institutional uses (36 percent). To the east side of Scott Street between Blodgett Street and North MacGregor Way are the predominantly single- family residential Oak Manor and University Woods neighborhoods. To the west of Scott Street at Blodgett Street is new student-housing complex for TSU students. To the immediate south is a pocket of single-family homes, followed by a family park owned by the Holman Street Baptist Church. A senior housing center is located near the northwest corner of Scott Street and Southmore Street. Multi-family residential land uses are clustered on either side of Southmore Street to the west of Scott Street. To the west of these multi-family parcels is Lockhart Elementary School. Also to the west of the multi-family parcels is Quentin Mease Community Hospital, located between Southmore Street and North MacGregor Way. South of North MacGregor Way is Brays Bayou. The bayou has hike/bike trails along the sides.

3.1.2.6 South MacGregor Way to Calhoun Road Segment

Single-family residential land uses persist south of South MacGregor Way. The area is 42 percent single-family residential. The segment also contains a commercial component (20 percent), centered generally along Griggs Road. Undeveloped land (15 percent) and public and institutional uses (12 percent) are the other major land use categories in this segment.

Immediately south of South MacGregor Way, the alignment enters an area of single- family residential neighborhoods. The land uses remain almost entirely single-family residential until the intersection with Griggs Road. At the southeast corner of Scott Street and Griggs Road, there is a strip retail center called Scott Plaza. The alignment continues eastward on Griggs Road to Old Spanish Trail.

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To the north of the intersection of Old Spanish Trail and Griggs Road are new single- family homes, including the 60-lot West MacGregor Estates development, the first new single-family residential subdivision in the Greater Third Ward in 40 years. To the northeast of this intersection is a shopping center. A block south of the intersection is MacArthur Elementary School. Neither Thompson nor MacArthur Elementary Schools front the alignment.

As the proposed alignment continues east on Griggs Road, the land uses remain commercial. To the south of Griggs Road is an area of single-family residential land use, with scattered vacant properties mixed-in. To the north of Griggs Road, fronting Calhoun Road (but not the alignment) is the Wonderland Private School.

3.1.2.7 Calhoun Road to Mykawa Road Segment

The segment along Griggs Road between Calhoun Road and Mykawa Road is characterized by commercial uses (14 percent) mostly centered on Griggs Road, with single-family residential uses (31 percent) generally behind this commercial strip. The segment also includes a relatively even share of public and institutional (15 percent), industrial (14 percent), and undeveloped areas (13 percent). Multi-family residential uses account for 8 percent of the parcel area in this segment.

The Garden of Gethsemane Church is located to the northeast of the intersection of Calhoun Road and Griggs Road. Continuing east, the north side of Griggs Road features a mix of land uses, including single-family residential, multi-family residential, and low-intensity commercial uses. On the south side of Griggs Road is the Joy Tabernacle Church and a shopping center, both to the west of Milart Street. On the southeast corner of Griggs Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard is the Palm Center, a multi-service center owned by the City of Houston that includes a police station, a post office, a library, commercial uses, and a branch of the Houston Community College- Central campus. To the immediate east of the Palm Center are 360-apartment units of privately-owned affordable-housing known as “Concord at Palm Center.”

3.1.2.8 Wheeler-MLK Alignment Option Segment

The Build Alternative with the Wheeler-MLK alignment option is located in an area that consists of predominantly single family residential and public/institutional land uses. The UH dominates land use along the north side of Wheeler Street between Scott Street and Calhoun Road, while the south side is primarily student housing and single-family residential. As the alignment turns south and continues south on Martin Luther King Boulevard, it runs through the 113 acre MacGregor Park. MacGregor Community Center is located on the west side of the park. As the alignment option continues towards Griggs Road, the area consists of single family residential along both sides of Martin Luther King Boulevard. The Pan African Orthodox Christian Church Shrine of the Black Madonna is located on Martin Luther King Boulevard and includes a Missionary Training Institute and residence hall. Peck Elementary School is also located on Martin Luther King Boulevard in this segment.

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3.1.3 Local Land Use Plans/Policies

The local plans and policies related to existing and potential future land use and growth in the Southeast Corridor are described below. Planning efforts in Houston tend to occur at the level of neighborhoods, super-neighborhoods, districts, sectors, and corridors. As such, many plans, policies, guidelines, and studies exist with potential impacts on land use. These plans are categorized here as governmental plans and policies, special districts, and community efforts. No zoning exists in the City of Houston. However, private deed restrictions are often used for both residential and commercial land development to insure that standards for land use are maintained. These private covenants run with the land and are privately enforced.

3.1.3.1 Governmental Plans and Policies

City of Houston

• Southern Houston Study – The Southern Houston Study (City of Houston 2003) describes existing conditions in the “southern sector” of Houston, identifies development potential in the area, and formulates a strategy to stimulate investment. The southern sector is bounded by IH-610 to the north, the city limits to the south and east, and US-90A (South Main Street) to the west. It includes only the portion of the study area that is outside IH-610. Relevant to the project corridor, the study recommends “encouraging commercial and industrial activities along Mykawa Road (depending on the State Highway (SH) 35 alignment).8 The east side of Mykawa Road is largely industrial due to accessibility to the railroad tracks. If SH 35 is routed along Mykawa Road, the improved roadway access will be attractive to both light industrial and commercial uses.” • Third Ward to Main Street Connectivity Project – The Third Ward to Main Street Connectivity Project (City of Houston 2003) is a transportation initiative to link the Third Ward to Main Street and the existing light rail line via Elgin Street, Blodgett Street, and Old Spanish Trail/Holcombe Boulevard. The study was funded in part by the Third Ward Redevelopment Council (TWRC), the Old Spanish Trail / Almeda Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), and METRO. Within the Southeast Corridor, the study recommends a gateway feature or monument at Scott Street and Elgin Street, Blodgett Street, and Old Spanish Trail, with street beautification improvements along Elgin Street, Blodgett Street, and Old Spanish Trail in the vicinity of Scott Street. Some of these recommendations are in the construction design phase and it is expected that construction will start in late 2006. The study also recommends that METRO examine the feasibility of an east-west bus route along Elgin Street between Main and Scott Streets, which would provide another connection point between the Southeast Corridor and the METRORail Red Line. • Eastside Village Plan – The Eastside Village Plan (City of Houston 1997) was prepared by the City in cooperation with the Southeast Houston Community Development Corporation, an entity created by the Holman Street Baptist Church. The plan focuses on the southeast portion of the Third Ward,

8 TxDOT, SH 35 Major Corridor Feasibility Study, in progress.

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specifically a 180-acre area known as Eastside Village. The Southeast Corridor abuts the eastern edge of Eastside Village along Scott Street between Elgin Street and Alabama Street. The plan identifies Scott Street as an ideal location for large-scale commercial and higher-density residential uses that are compatible with and accessible to the neighborhood. Scott Street is viewed in the plan as a corridor connecting UH with Eastside Village, and recommended improvements related to Scott Street include a gateway at Holman Street and improved sidewalks, landscaping, and pedestrian amenities. Some of these smaller projects have been implemented. • Zion’s Village: A Master Plan – The Zion’s Village: A Master Plan (City of Houston 1999) document was prepared by the City in partnership with the non- profit Re-Ward Third Ward, Inc., an organization founded by leaders of the Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church. The plan focuses on the northeast portion of the Third Ward, specifically a 90-acre area known as Zion’s Village. The Southeast Corridor overlaps Zion’s Village along Scott Street between IH-45 and McGowen Street. The plan identifies streetscape and sidewalk improvements along Scott Street, steps to preserve existing housing through repair, and general design measures to reduce crime. Redevelopment recommendations within the Southeast Corridor include a green buffer between IH-45 and the Zion’s Village, large-scale commercial and higher-density residential uses along Scott Street that are compatible with and accessible to the neighborhood, compatible infill single-family and small-scale multi-family housing on vacant lots, and neighborhood-scale commercial, institutional, and multi-family uses along McGowen Street. Funding is being sought to implement the senior housing recommendations of the plan. • Parks and Recreation Master Plan – The Parks and Recreation Master Plan (City of Houston 2001) focuses on an area in and adjacent to the Southeast Corridor bounded by Griggs Road to the north, Yellowstone Boulevard to the south, Cullen Boulevard to the west, and Martin Luther King Boulevard to the east for acquisition of land for a neighborhood park. The plan defines a neighborhood park as ranging from 1 to 10 acres in size, with a service area of between a half and 1 mile radius of the park. There one planned park adjacent to the alignment in the vicinity of Palm Center. The park is a planned neighborhood park on the on the strip of land along the east side of Palm Center.9 The park has been designated as “Beekman Park.” • Eastside Sector Study – Similar to the Southern Houston Study, the Eastside Sector Study (City of Houston 2005) plan studied the existing conditions on the City’s east side, identified development potential in the area, and formulated a strategy to stimulate investment. The sector study area is bounded roughly by IH-45 to the south, US 59 to the west, and the city limits to the north and east. The Southeast Corridor overlaps the study area from approximately the intersection of US 59 and Capitol Street to the intersection with IH-45 and Scott Street. The plan states that the construction of LRT in the Southeast Corridor connecting to the Main Street line “could have a significant impact on future land uses and density south of Buffalo Bayou.” The plan also noted that transit dependency in the area is high.

9 Meeting with City of Houston Building Services Department, January 2006.

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• William P. Hobby Airport Image Environs Plan – The William P. Hobby Airport Image Environs Plan (City of Houston 2002) was developed as an appendix to accompany the 2022 Hobby Airport Master Plan (released in 2004). The portion of the study area contained within the image plan’s “area of influence” includes the area outside of IH-610 along Long Drive. The purpose of the image plan is to create a cohesive identity for the airport and its surrounding area through building and streetscape design elements. • Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP) – This plan serves as the guide for improvements to major thoroughfares and highways by the City of Houston, other government agencies and the private sector. The MTFP defines thoroughfare alignments and right-of-way requirements. The type and scheduling of roadway construction is determined through Public Works and Engineering’s capital improvement program. Roads within the Southeast Corridor that are identified in the 2005 MTFP for planned widening, improvement, or right-of-way acquisition include the following: - Polk Street between US 59 and Scott Street, - a corridor extending from approximately the intersection of Blodgett Street and Scott Street to the intersection of Wheeler Avenue and Cullen Boulevard, - Calhoun Road between Old Spanish Trail and Griggs Road, Mykawa Road south of IH-610, - Dowling, between Leland and Congress, - McKinney from US 59 to Kendal, - Leeland from US 59 to Calhoun Road, - Elgin from Calhoun Road to IH-45 to Tierwester Street., - Cullen Boulevard from MacGregor to Polk, - Old Spanish Trail from SH 288 to Mykawa Road, - McGowen from Scott Street to Tierwester Street, - MacGregor from Calhoun Road to Tierwester Street, - Southmore between MacGregor Way and Ennis Street, - the abandoned Houston Belt & Terminal rail corridor from Polk Street southward outside the Southeast Corridor to Brays Bayou, and - Martin Luther King Boulevard from Old Spanish Trail to Cullen Boulevard. • City of Houston Planning Commission Committees – The City of Houston Planning Commission established six committees in 2005 to consider a range of issues and propose policies that support sound quality of life and sustainable growth for Houston. The committees were also asked to recommend methods for turning those policies into actionable programs or ordinances. The committees included: Suburban, Urban, Parking, Development Impact, Long Range and Neighborhood Preservation. The committee reports are currently being considered by the Planning Commission.

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Harris County

• Project Brays – The Harris County Flood Control District in cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers is undertaking the Brays Bayou Flood Damage Reduction Project, also known as Project Brays. The project consists of approximately $450 million in improvements constructed through 2014, with the intention that the 100-year flood plain will be removed from about 30,000 homes and businesses along the bayou. Project improvements will include channel modifications, bridge replacements, and the addition of detention basins (Harris County Flood Control District, 2004). The Build Alternative with the base alignment option crosses Brays Bayou at Scott Street, between North MacGregor Way and South MacGregor Way. The Build Alternative with the Wheeler-MLK alignment option crosses Brays Bayou at MacGregor Park. Almost the entire Southeast Corridor lies within the Brays Bayou watershed (Harris County Flood Control District, 2004). • Harris County Commuter Rail Study – The Harris County Commissioners Court voted in March 2004 to begin negotiations with a consultant to conduct a preliminary study of existing freight rail along Mykawa Road as a potential commuter rail corridor. In May 2004, Commissioners Court voted to delay hiring the consultant to gauge the interest of other entities in commuter rail. A potential commuter rail corridor crosses the Southeast Corridor at the intersection of Griggs Road, Long Drive, and Mykawa Road. (Harris County Commissioners Court, 2004).

Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC)

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Special Districts Study – Preliminary results of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Special Districts Study (Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), 2004) identify the Greater Third Ward and Downtown Houston as two of the top 12 districts within the 8-County H-GAC region “where there are significant opportunities to replace vehicle trips with pedestrian or bicycle trips and to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.” H-GAC will use the results of the study to prioritize areas for strategic investments in improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities in its Regional Transportation Plan (H-GAC 2004). • Goals For Tomorrow – Goals For Tomorrow: A Comprehensive Planning Framework for the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC, 1998) is a comprehensive regional policy document that is intended to be a tool to support planning decisions by H-GAC and local governments, as well in H-GAC’s review of federal and state grant applications. Land use and development goals for the region are identified in the document. Goals most directly related to the Southeast Corridor promote coordinated land use and transportation development (H-GAC 1998). • 2025 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) – The 2025 Regional Transportation Plan (H-GAC 2004) is a tool to assist local governments and state and local transportation agencies “to identify investments to improve mobility, increase safety, compliment the development plans of local communities, and increase the quality of life for those who live and work in this diverse region.” Improvements included in the RTP that relate to the Southeast Corridor include the conversion

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of Elgin Street to a six lane Smart Street across the corridor, conversion of Old Spanish Trail to an Smart Street across the corridor, conversion of Cullen Boulevard to an Smart Street from Old Spanish Trail to IH-610, construction of an eight-lane freeway and a four lane tollway designated as SH 35 along the Mykawa Road corridor with an interchange at IH-610, and construction of a hike/bike trail along an abandoned Houston Belt & Terminal rail corridor from Polk Street southward outside the Southeast Corridor to Brays Bayou.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)

• SH 35 Major Corridor Feasibility Study (MCFS) – TxDOT has undertaken the SH 35 Major Corridor Feasibility Study (TxDOT, in progress) for the SH 35 corridor. The study is expected to be completed in Spring 2006. The project study area follows SH 35 from Angleton to its intersection with IH-610 and IH-45 near the Gulfgate Center. The primary alignment follows Reveille Street in the vicinity of the eastern terminus of the Southeast Corridor. The SH 35 study area also includes an alignment that follows Mykawa Road from FM 518 to Spur 5. This alignment crosses the Southeast Corridor at the intersection of Mykawa Road, Griggs Road, and Long Drive (TxDOT 2006). The Harris County Toll Road Authority is considering the Mykawa Road alignment as a corridor for a proposed tollway (Harris County Toll Road Authority 2002). Upgrades to either alignment could trigger changes in land use in the adjacent portions of the Southeast Corridor.

Colleges and Universities

• University of Houston Campus Development Plan – The University of Houston Campus Development Plan (UH 1998) envisions a number of activities to occur within the Southeast Corridor. The plan identifies the western portion of campus bordering Scott Street, between Elgin Street and Cleburne Street, as the athletic zone, and within this area recommends the addition and enhancement of athletic and recreational facilities, the construction of a parking garage, and landscaping improvements, including trees along the east side of Scott Street and additional tree cover at the athletic facilities. The plan identifies the portion of campus bordering Scott Street between Cleburne Street and Wheeler Avenue as a residential zone. Within the residential zone, the plan recommends the addition of housing and tree coverage. Along the west side of Scott Street from IH-45 to a few blocks south of Blodgett Street, the plan recommends that the university encourage private commercial development, including retail, service, and entertainment activities, with hopes of that development leading to an active “college strip” that is common to areas abutting major campuses. The plan also recommends perimeter landscaping along Scott Street, with portals (small-scale arrival spaces or entrances) providing connections to the neighborhoods at the intersection of Scott Street with Elgin Street, Holman Street, Alabama Street, Cleburne Street, and Wheeler Street.

• Texas Southern University Campus Master Plan – The Texas Southern University Campus Master Plan (TSU 2001) recommends the expansion of the university to the east, generally from Tierwester Street eastward to Scott Street, between Cleburne

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Street and Blodgett Street. By fiscal year 2006, the plan envisions several activities on the eastern side of the campus, within and adjacent to the Southeast Corridor. These include the creation of a new ceremonial university entrance from Scott Street onto a realigned Wheeler Street to Rosewood Street and the conversion of Tierwester Street to a pedestrian mall between Cleburne Street and Blodgett Street. The plan also includes the initial phasing of athletic and educational developments facing Scott Street. Another activity in the plan is the addition of a parking lot in the Reliant Energy easement parallel to Blodgett Street in the vicinity of Scott Street (construction now completed) as well as at the southeast corner of Tierwester Street and Alabama Street. 3.1.3.2 Special Districts

Certain types of public entities, termed special districts in this report, offer unique opportunities for financing, planning, and implementing public and private improvements and services. Two types of these special districts were considered in this analysis: TIRZs and Municipal Management Districts, as defined and described below.

Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones

TIRZs are created by a municipality to help finance the cost of developing or redeveloping a specific geographic area that would not otherwise attract substantial private investment. TIRZs can fund or reimburse for both the capital and financing costs for basic infrastructure, including streets, pedestrian improvements, water, sewer, storm drainage, and accompanying enhancements such as landscaping. Additionally, TIRZs can acquire and dispose of property, and remediate environmentally impacted property. TIRZs can provide useful planning and funding to develop or redevelop urban areas. TIRZs are created with a specific time frame within which improvements are financed.

The City of Houston has usually incorporated a local government corporation to function as an administrative adjunct to its TIRZs. The local government corporations are generally referred to as Redevelopment Authorities (RDAs). The RDAs can function on a peer level with other public agencies providing a mechanism for interaction between the agencies, property owners, tenants and residents.

At the present time, there are four TIRZs in the Southeast Corridor: the Market Square TIRZ, the East Downtown TIRZ, the Old Spanish Trail/Almeda Corridors TIRZ, and Gulfgate TIRZ.

• Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number Three, City of Houston – This special district is also known as the Market Square TIRZ. The zone was created in 1995 to cover a nine-block area around Market Square in the CBD. The zone was later expanded to include approximately 100 blocks within downtown, generally along Main Street and in the Theater District, within the Southeast Corridor. The goals of the TIRZ as identified in the amended TIRZ plan (Reinvestment Zone Number Three, City of Houston, Texas, Market Square TIRZ, Amended Project Plan and Reinvestment Zone Financing Plan, November 23, 1998) are to:

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− Create a pedestrian-friendly environment; − Establish a seamless connection between the east and west sides of downtown through improvements along Main Street ; − Reinforce pedestrian-attractive retail activities; − Restructure the transit system downtown, including a Downtown Transit Center linking buses, light rail, and pedestrians (which was completed in 2004); − Redevelop vacant or underutilized older or historic buildings for mixed-use to add to a vibrant downtown environment; − Complete improvements to walkways, pathways, and park land along Buffalo Bayou in the north end of downtown; and − Complete improvements to streets, sidewalks, parks, and plazas in the Theater District

• Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number Fifteen, City of Houston – Also known as the East Downtown TIRZ, this 81-acre district is located to the east of the CBD, bordered by US 59 (Chartres) on the west, Preston Avenue on the north, Dowling on the east, and IH-45 on the south. The Southeast Corridor overlaps with the northern portion of the TIRZ, generally north of Polk. The purpose of the zone is to facilitate the construction of water, wastewater, and storm sewer lines, streets, and sidewalks for new commercial and residential development within the zone. In February 2003, a consulting team produced the East Downtown TIRZ Conceptual Redevelopment Plan (East Downtown TIRZ 2003) that envisions “revitalizing the East Downtown area into a thriving urban neighborhood (City of Houston, 2003).” The area within the Southeast Corridor is identified by the land use concept plan as ideally containing a mix of residential, including townhomes, condos, and multi-family; parks, with a median boulevard park in Bastrop Street; and specialty retail reflective of the zone’s heritage as Old Chinatown. Gateway features are proposed spanning Rusk at Chartres, and at Polk and Chartres.

• Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number Seven, City of Houston – This special district is also known as the Old Spanish Trail/Almeda Corridors TIRZ. The zone was created in 1997 by city ordinance. The boundaries of the TIRZ overlap with the Southeast Corridor in the vicinity of the intersection of Scott Street, Griggs Road, and Old Spanish Trail, and along Griggs Road from Scott Street to Mykawa Road. The TIRZ provides a financing and management tool for “alleviating blight, deteriorated site conditions and obsolete platting existing within the area, and, to encourage the sound growth of residential, commercial, and industrial development within the project area (City of Houston 1999).” Scheduled TIRZ improvements include landscaping and road improvements along Griggs Road (Old Spanish Trail Almeda Corridor Redevelopment Authority 2006). • Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number Eight, City of Houston – Also known as the Gulfgate TIRZ, this 259-acre district encompasses the once-blighted Gulfgate Mall, and is generally bounded by IH-610 on the south, Plum Creek on the west,

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IH-45 on the north and east, and running south along IH-45 to Park Place, then running east to encompass Park Place Elementary. The zone was created by City ordinance in 1997 with the purpose of purchasing, demolishing and redeveloping the Mall. The redeveloped Gulfgate Center, the East End’s first new major center in twenty years, has been tremendously successful and has served as a catalyst for other revitalization efforts in the area. The zone has provided financing and management tools for acquisition of the Mall site, as well as replatting to correct faulty lot layouts and obsolete plats, relocation of utility easements, traffic signalization, and landscaping enhancements in the public rights-of-way.

Municipal Management Districts

Municipal management districts are created either by a special act of the Texas State Legislature or through petition to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Property owners within these districts are authorized to assess, and in some instances tax themselves to fund specific improvements, including those related to quality of life issues such as beautification, security, mobility, transit, traffic control, and marketing. Also, these districts can operate and maintain infrastructure through services such as landscape maintenance and street and sidewalk sweeping.

Municipal management districts have the ability to provide long term maintenance for improvements such as sidewalks, crosswalks, transit stops, and public plazas. There are currently three municipal management districts in the Southeast Corridor: the Houston Downtown Management District, the East Downtown Management District, and the Greater Southeast Management District.

• Houston Downtown Management District – This District was created in 1995 by an act of the Texas State Legislature. The District is generally bounded by the freeways that surround downtown, including IH-10, US 59, and IH-45. The District includes the CBD segment of the Southeast Corridor. The District’s assessment rate of .125 per $100 of assessed value in 2001 yielded approximately $5 million in revenue from a tax base of approximately $4 billion. The assessment is being used to fund a variety of programs, including: - The Cotswold Project – The Cotswold Project focuses on pedestrian enhancements, streetscapes, and street improvements in a 90-block area in the northeast sector of downtown, bounded by Smith to the west, Buffalo Bayou to the north, US 59 to the east, and Texas to the south. Featured amenities of the Cotswold Project include fountains, public art, wider sidewalks, and street trees. Construction of Phase 1 and Phase 3 is complete. Phase 2, which includes access walkways to Buffalo Bayou, is planned for completion in 2006. The project, a joint effort between the City of Houston and the Houston Downtown Management District, will be completed in 2006 at a total estimated cost of $58 million. The Southeast Corridor intersects the southern portion of the project area, between Smith Street and US 59. - Southeast Quadrant Streetscape Improvements – In the southeast sector of downtown, generally bounded by Main Street to the west, Rusk to the north, US 59 to the east, and IH-45 to the south, pedestrian walkways are being upgraded through the Southeast Quadrant Streetscapes Improvements

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project, a joint effort between the City of Houston and the Houston Downtown Management District. Improvements include new street pavement, improved drainage, sidewalks, trees and landscaping, removal of overhead utilities, and traffic signal upgrades. The $8 million project was completed in 2004. The Southeast Corridor intersects the northern portion of the project area, between Main Street and US 59. • East Downtown Management District – This District was created in 1999 by an act of the Texas State Legislature. The 525-acre District is bounded roughly by IH-45, US 59, and the Houston Belt and Terminal Railroad (HBT). The portion of the Southeast Corridor between US 59 and IH-45 is located within the District. Through a commercial property assessment of 0.125 per $100 of assessed value, the District administers projects related to infrastructure and economic development (East Downtown Management District, 2000).

The District announced plans to launch a branding campaign in December 2003 to create a district identity (PRWeb 2003), and the following month completed an effort to paint the US 59 freeway support columns between Polk and Capitol in bright red as an entrance treatment celebrating the area’s Chinese heritage (PRWeb, 2004).

The District also implemented a highly successful graffiti abatement program in 2003 and has been instrumental in eliminating illegal dumpsites and abandoned structures in the area. The District also worked closely with Houston Police Department (HPD) South Central division on programs to reduce crime in the area. The most recently completed project in the District is Midtown Village by Juliet Homes, a townhouse construction of 127 units. The townhouses are located on the land bounded by Ennis, Pease and Paige Streets and the Gulf Freeway, priced from the $180s. Additional residential development includes the renovation of the formerly Custom Drapery Company on Live Oak that has become the Live Oak lofts ranging in price from the $160s to $300s. Completed projects include Perry Homes’ residential development in the District at the corner of Polk and Live Oak. They built 300 units in 2004 ranging in size from 1,200 to 2,000 square feet and priced from the $160s. The Collard Nova Estates townhouses, at the corner of Live Oak and Bell, were also completed in June 2004. Oak Farms Dairy constructed a new 29,000 square foot parking lot at the corner of Velasco and Denver.

• Greater Southeast Management District – This District was created in 2001 by an act of the Texas State Legislature. The District spans approximately 19,400 acres, and includes the project corridor between IH-45 and Mykawa Road. The District’s efforts will focus on economic development and the provision of pedestrian ways, street lighting and landscaping (Texas Local Government Code, Section 376.451 to 376.480, 2001).

3.1.3.3 Community

• Master Plan for Buffalo Bayou and Beyond (August 2002) – This plan was prepared by the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, a civic group, with support from the City of Houston, Harris County, and the Harris County Flood Control District. The

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plan calls for a transformation of the existing Buffalo Bayou environment and “identifies ways that the bayou can become a central feature in the life of the City and of every Houstonian.” Proposals include the creation of 850 acres of new park land, define key sites to act as focal points, reduce potential for flooding, build a network of trails and public sites, reclaim former industrial sites and repair damaged environmental resources, and create public access to bayou views and edges. In the vicinity of downtown Houston and the Southeast Corridor, the plan has objectives to:

− Establish Buffalo Bayou as one of the unifying urban design elements for downtown development projects; − Identify areas for commercial development; − Secure consensus on whether the bayou flows should be controlled, as is the San Antonio River; − Improve access to the downtown waterfront; − Identify open space and recreational improvements, including bikeways, boating facilities, outdoor performance spaces, and other activities such as a farmer’s market; and − Identify specific features that can serve as focal points and signature elements for Buffalo Bayou in downtown.

Within the Southeast Corridor, the plan proposes an extension of the Theater District in the form of an 8-acre park, Festival Place. The proposed venue will feature an outdoor amphitheater with the downtown skyline as a backdrop. The venue will be located facing Sesquicentennial Park near the intersection of Preston and Bagby at the site of an existing post office, and together they will form the center of an expanded Theater District.

• Main Street Coalition – The Main Street Coalition is a civic group dedicated to creating a “signature” corridor along Main Street. In August 2000, the group released the Main Street Corridor Master Plan: Design Concepts for Main Street. The plan outlines guiding principles for redevelopment of Main Street and identifies specific projects. Within the half-mile corridor, the plan proposes a new boulevard cutting diagonally across the downtown street grid, connecting the George R. Brown Convention Center with the new METRO headquarters at Main Street and St. Joseph Parkway. The plan also recommends smaller-scale (3-5 stories) infill development on vacant parcels north of Texas, with porches and verandas to shade sidewalks. In January 2001, the Main Street Coalition released the Main Street Strategic Plan to support and guide implementation efforts of the Main Street Corridor Master Plan. The strategic plan recommends a commitment of $200 million over a period of 20 years to begin implementation of the master plan, with $80 million from local government, $95 million from federal and state government funds, and $25 million from private, institutional, and philanthropic sources. • Greater Third Ward Community Plan – The Greater Third Ward Community Plan (Third Ward Redevelopment Council 1995) recommends a series of strategies related to land use with the objective of stabilizing and preserving residential

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areas while also promoting investment in the area. Several of the areas covered by the plan fall within the Southeast Corridor. The plan also identifies several economic revitalization corridors. Scott Street between IH-45 and Blodgett Street, and between Griggs Road and Old Spanish Trail, is defined as such a corridor. Old Spanish Trail is also such a corridor along its entire length of the plan study area. • Scott Street Coalition – The Scott Street Coalition is a non-profit group that is organizing a redevelopment plan for Scott Street in the greater Third Ward area. The group is modeled after Houston’s Main Street Coalition, and will include neighborhood and business leaders, local government, and major institutions. As of February 2004, graduate students from the UH School of Architecture were working on preliminary conceptual plans (Snyder, 2004). • Deed Restrictions – Deed restrictions are legally binding written agreements among property owners within a subdivision that limit land use or activities that may occur on the property within that subdivision. Deed restrictions are often used to preserve the residential character of a subdivision by restricting non- residential uses. Many of the residential neighborhoods in the Southeast Corridor between Wheeler Avenue and Griggs Road along Scott Street are deed- restricted communities. • Blueprint Houston – Blueprint Houston is a citywide grassroots initiative to build public support for a comprehensive goal setting process that could lead to more coordinated plans and planning in Houston. In May of 2003, more than 1,000 people participated in a Citizens’ Congress and adopted a “Citizens’ Agenda for Houston’s Future – Visions, Values, Goals, and Priorities of Houston’s Citizens.” The Congress recommended that the Mayor and City Council use the Agenda to “initiate a process to develop a coordinated plan for the city’s future (Blueprint Houston, 2003).” On December 17, 2003, the Houston City Council passed a resolution that the Mayor and City Council “urge the continuation of active civic involvement by the citizens of Houston as modeled by Blueprint Houston,” “recognize the vision, values, and goals of the Citizens’ Agenda for Houston’s Future and intend to consider the Blueprint Houston work product in future planning efforts,” and “support development of a coordinated plan for the city’s future with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life and place for all Houstonians.” Blueprint Houston is currently evaluating and comparing various comprehensive planning efforts to determine what could be used effectively in Houston. (Blueprint Houston, 2006)

3.1.4 Major Activity Centers

Major activity centers within or adjacent to the Southeast Corridor are listed below.

• CBD – Downtown Houston, or the CBD, is an area of approximately one square mile bounded by IH-45 to the west and south, IH-10 to the north, and US 59 to the east. The CBD contains more than 40 million square feet of rentable office space, with 153,000 employees, 3,500 companies and 100 buildings. The office market in the CBD showed significant positive growth in 2005, with year end absorption at almost 1 million square feet. The corporate headquarters of nine Fortune 500 companies are located in the CBD.

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A 2001 market study found that CBD retail and restaurant square footage equaled almost 1.6 million square feet, with experts estimating an unmet demand of almost half a million square feet.

The CBD’s hotel room supply reached almost 5,000 rooms in 2004, with over 700 additional rooms currently under construction. The number of hotels in the CBD has increased dramatically; from 4 in 1999 to 15 in 2004.

On the residential side, in 2005 an estimated 3,700 people lived downtown, which is triple the downtown population in 1980. The downtown housing stock numbered almost 2,963 housing units, with resale prices ranging from $180 to $270 per square foot, and rents varying from $1.00 to $2.00 per square foot per month.

By 2010, approximately 10,000 people are projected to live downtown. Major buildings and points of interest within the CBD include the George R. Brown Convention Center, Minute Maid Park, the Toyota Center, City Hall, and the Theater District (a 17-block area that boasts more theater seats than any other city in the U.S. except for New York City, with such venues as the Wortham Theater, the Alley Theater, Jones Hall, the Hobby Center, and Bayou Place).

• George R. Brown Convention Center – The City of Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center ranks as one of the ten largest convention centers in the US, with approximately 1.2 million net square feet of exhibition, meeting and registration space. The convention center is connected via a pedestrian sky- bridge to the 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston hotel, which opened in December 2003. The Center is bounded by Rusk to the north, US 59 to the east, Polk to the south, and Avenida de las Americas to the west. • Minute Maid Park – Opened in the spring of 2000, Minute Maid Park is home to the Houston Astros major league baseball team. The retractable-roof stadium offers a seating capacity of 40,950, and covers almost 29 acres of a downtown site located one block west of US 59 and bounded by Congress on the north, Texas Avenue on the south, Crawford on the west, and Hamilton on the east. Attendance at the ballpark has typically been around 3 million people each season between 2000 and 2005. The stadium is owned by the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority. • Toyota Center – Opened in 2003, the Toyota Center is a multi-purpose facility that is home to the National Basketball Association’s Houston Rockets, the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Houston Comets, and the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros. The Toyota Center, with seats for up to 19,000 spectators, also hosts concerts and other special events. Attendance for the 2004- 05 season Houston Rockets home games totaled 748,099; attendance for the summer of 2005 season Houston Comets home games totaled 104,209; and attendance for the 2004-05 season Houston Aeros home games totaled 226,790. The Toyota Center is bounded by Polk to the north, Jackson to the east, Bell to the south, and La Branch to the west. The center is owned by the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority. • University of Houston – With an enrollment of over 35,000 students, UH is the city’s largest institution of higher learning. UH’s 560-acre main campus is approximately bounded by Scott Street to the west, Wheeler Avenue to the

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south, Calhoun Road to the east, and Elgin Street to the north. An estimated 65 to 70 percent of the students commute to campus. UH is anticipating the completion of the 191,730 square foot Science and Engineering Research and Classroom Complex in 2006. A recently completed project was the expansion and renovation of the M.D. Anderson Library, which was completed in February 2006. The project included a new home for the Honors College and more space for study areas. • Texas Southern University – Located in the heart of the Third Ward, the University has an enrollment of over 9,000 students. It sits on 150 acres and is bounded by Ennis Street to the west, Blodgett Street to the south, Scott Street to the east, and Cleburne Street to the north.

In addition to the major activity centers listed above, there are several smaller community activity centers that also contribute to overall ridership in the corridor, including the multi-service Palm Center (with a branch of the Houston Community College-Central campus), Yates High School, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Holman Street Baptist Church, and the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church Shrine of the Black Madonna and training facility. Further, the Southeast Corridor intersects the METRORail Red Line, which provides a connection point to such activity centers as the Texas Medical Center (the world’s largest medical center, with 42 member institutions and 5.1 million patient visits in 2001), the Museum District (with 16 institutions), Rice University, the 407-acre Hermann Park, Midtown, and the Reliant Park complex (featuring Reliant Stadium, the Reliant Astrodome, Reliant Arena and Reliant Center).

3.1.5 Emerging Trends

Recent development activity in the Southeast Corridor is focused in the downtown and east downtown area, the universities area of Scott Street in the form of institutional investment, and in the vicinity of the intersections of Scott Street and Griggs Road.

Downtown Houston has transformed in the last decade into a lively, pedestrian-oriented, vibrant, 24-hour activity center, with development activity still continuing at a strong pace. Since 1995, there has been over $4.4 billion of new development and redevelopment in the CBD. Development activity increased from $15.3 million in 1995 to a peak of $1.17 billion in 2003, the year before the METRORail Red Line opened on Main Street. Since the beginning of 2004, when the line opened, there has been $617 million in development and redevelopment in the CBD. A further $568 million is currently under construction, with over $389 million of projects in the planning stages. Development in the CBD since 1995 has included nearly 2,000 new residential units, with about 500 additional units currently planned or under construction.

A review of development activity within approximately a half-mile of the alignment revealed over 30 development/redevelopment projects either planned or under construction. The most recently announced downtown project is the three-block development planned by the developers of Houston Pavilions along Dallas Street between Main Street and Caroline. The new development will add to the vibrant neighborhood with 140 condos, 200,000 square feet of office space, shops and entertainment spots, with House of Blues signed on as the first major retail lease in

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the project. On the northeast side there is a residential development planned by LandCo to occupy the block between La Branch, Crawford, Rusk and Walker with a 300-unit high-rise tower.

Additional downtown projects in the pre-construction stage include the Bayou Place Expansion on Texas Avenue at Bagby which is planned to become a mixed-use development with retail, entertainment and/or office space. The 32-story Shamrock Tower, which will contain luxury residences and a variety of ground floor retail, is proposed at the corner of Capitol and Main Street along the METRORail Red Line. The New Downtown Urban Park is being developed on about 12 acres of land in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center. Part of the park development will include two underground parking structures with a total of 630 parking spaces.

In 2005, METRO moved from the 1201 Louisiana building to the new Lee P. Brown METRO Administration Building and Downtown Transit Center at 1900 Main Street. The new 14-story METRO headquarters offers customer-friendly features which include a RideStore, Lost & Found Office, and public restroom, with areas monitored by METRO Police security.

Additional projects completed in 2005 include an old office building on Main Street that was converted into The Kirby in 2005 and features 65 residential units with a CVS Pharmacy on the ground floor. Several other projects completed and clustered near the intersection of the METRORail Red Line and Southeast Corridor include the boutique Club Quarters Hotel in the historic Texas State Hotel building with 70 residential units, the Eller Wagon Works with 32 residential units at Crawford and Jackson, and the mixed-use Stowers Building at the northwest corner of Fannin and Walker, a rehab that features office condominiums.

The area to the east of downtown continues to be the focus of residential development activity. Perry Homes has created a residential community in the southeast corner of the East Downtown Management District at Polk and Live Oak. The St. Charles Square Community, a 300-unit residential community with homes ranging in size from 1,200 square feet to 2,000 square feet, is in the construction stages. The historic Herrin Building, located at the corner of Hutchins and McKinney, has been converted to 41 residences. A furniture warehouse at the corner of Sampson and McKinney was converted into the Wadell Lofts with 95 rental units.

There are several additional townhouse and loft projects proposed or under construction in the east downtown area. In addition to publicly-announced projects, the administrator for the East Downtown TIRZ and East Downtown Management District noted, “over the last two years, we’ve had a lot of developers express interest in properties in the TIRZ and Management District for everything from entertainment venues to housing.”10 In addition to residential development the administrator pointed out that “the District also implemented a highly successful graffiti abatement program and has been instrumental in eliminating illegal dump sites and abandoned structures in the area.”

10 Conversation with administrator for the East Downtown Management District and TIRZ, July 20, 2004.

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The Scott Street/Griggs Road area is experiencing a spark of development activity, including the 60-home West MacGregor Estates, the first new single-family residential subdivision in the Greater Third Ward in 40 years. That development is currently under construction, with many homes occupied. A recently completed project is Scott Plaza, a retail strip center located along Scott Street between Griggs Road and Old Spanish Trail. Thompson Elementary school was also recently opened. In addition to the announced plans, an administrator for the Old Spanish Trail/Almeda Corridors TIRZ commented that several companies have expressed interest in parcels along Griggs Road related to single-family or multi-family housing east of Calhoun Road.11

Permitting activity for the years 2001-2003 within the Southeast Corridor was valued at $486 million (Table 3-2). The most active area with regards to the number and the value of permits was in the CBD, between Bagby and US 59, with approximately $425 million of permitting activity. Permits valued at over $10 million include the 36- story 1000 Main Street building located along the METRORail Red Line, the 314- room Magnolia Hotel at Texas and Fannin, additions to Minute Maid Ballpark, renovation of the old 381-room Texas State Hotel at 720 Fannin between Capitol and Rusk, and the 201-room Inn at the Ballpark located on Texas at Crawford. An additional 52 permits were valued at over $1 million between Bagby and US 59.

Table 3-2. Study Area Permit Activity: 2001 - 2003

Valuation of Number of Percent of Percent of Total Segment Permits Permits Total by Value by Number Bagby to US 59 $424,829,994 1,212 87.4% 69.0% US 59 to IH-45 $14,215,278 73 2.9% 4.2% IH-45 to Elgin St. $1,865,991 70 0.4% 4.0% Elgin St. to Blodgett St. $15,745,573 69 3.2% 3.9% Blodgett St. to South MacGregor Wy. $9,234,241 67 1.9% 3.8% South MacGregor Wy. to Calhoun Rd. $17,471,040 188 3.6% 10.7% Calhoun Rd. to Mykawa Rd. $2,606,945 77 0.5% 4.4% Total $485,969,062 1,756 100.0% 100.0% Source: City of Houston Planning Department, 2004.

Between US 59 and IH-45, the bulk of the value of permits issued was for the 40-unit Stanford condominium project at the intersection of Bastrop and Prairie near the Ballpark Lofts, renovations to Dodson Elementary on Sampson Street near IH-45, and a new motel along Scott Street near IH-45. Permitting activity from IH-45 to Elgin Street can be characterized generally as repairs and demolitions, with little new construction. Institutional construction in the form of renovations to Yates High School and new facilities at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church account for much of the value of permits issued between Elgin Street and Blodgett Street. From Blodgett Street to South MacGregor Way, multi-family construction and renovations, including a new senior housing complex and renovations at Lockhart Elementary, account for much of the value in permitting activity. The most active area for permitting in the Southeast Corridor

11 Conversation with administrator for the OST/Almeda Corridors TIRZ, July 28, 2004.

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outside of the CBD by both value and volume is between South MacGregor Way and Calhoun Road. This area includes substantial new construction of single-family residential units, including units in the 60-home West MacGregor Estates development. Permitting activity drops off between Calhoun Road and Mykawa Road, with little new construction and approximately a third of permits by value related to flood damage repairs (City of Houston Planning Department 2004).

3.2 Socioeconomic Characteristics and Neighborhoods

This section discusses existing population and employment characteristics of the study area. It also describes the neighborhoods and community facilities and services located within the study area.

3.2.1 Population

Population characteristics considered relevant to the social setting of the study area and environmental justice concerns are described in this section. They include: total population and households, population by age, population by race and ethnicity, disabled population, household income and poverty, and housing.

3.2.1.1 Total Population and Households

Population estimates from the 2000 U.S. Census and population projections for 2025 for the Southeast Corridor, Harris County, and the metropolitan region are presented in Section 1.2.2 of Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need (Table 1-2). Based on the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of study area portion of the Southeast Corridor was estimated to be 123,249, or approximately 6.3 percent of the population of the City of Houston. 12 A total of 37,586 households were located in the study area in 2000.

3.2.1.2 Population by Age

Table 3-3 identifies the number and percentage of population by age group. Slightly over 25 percent of the study area population in 2000 was under age 18 and approximately 10 percent were age 65 or older.

Table 3-3. Population by Age

Age Number of Persons Percent of Total Under 18 Years 33,650 27% 18 to 64 Years 77,094 63% 65 Years and Over 12,505 10% Total 123,249 100% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1), 2001.

12 The census block groups encompassing the study area were aggregated and examined to provide population statistics. Most of the census block group and tract boundaries are consistent with the study area boundaries; however, in a few cases block group and tract boundaries extend short distances beyond study area boundaries. These instances are minimal and the resulting difference in total study area population is marginal. The totals compiled are a reasonably accurate representation of study area population characteristics.

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3.2.1.3 Population by Race and Ethnicity

As identified in Table 3-4, over one-half of the study area population is Black or African-American, approximately one in 11 is White non-Hispanic, one in 40 is Asian, and over one-third is Hispanic or Latin.

Table 3-4. Population by Race and Ethnicity

Study Area City of Houston

a Number of Percent of Number of Percent of Race/Ethnicity Persons Total Persons Total Black or African-American 65,985 54% 487,851 25% Hispanic or Latino 42,139 34% 730,865 37% White Non-Hispanic 11,043 9% 601,851 31% Asian 2,917 2% 102,706 5% All Others 1,165 1% 30,358 2% Total 123,249 100% 1,953,631 100% Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3), 2001. a By definition, the ethnic category “Hispanic or Latino” includes persons of any race; however, for purposes of this study, Hispanic or Latino persons comprise their own ethnic category and their number are excluded from the race categories (Black, White, Asian, etc.). The category “all others” includes American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, “some other race,” and persons of two or more races.

An estimated 80 percent of the study area’s Hispanic or Latino population identified themselves as ethnic Mexican in the 2000 Census (US Census Bureau 2002). The African-American majority comprises a substantially greater percentage than resides in Houston citywide, while the percentages of Hispanics, non-Hispanic Whites, and Asians are less than in the City of Houston as a whole.

The largest group in downtown Houston west of US 59 is non-Hispanic Whites (44 percent), although many African-Americans (35 percent) and Hispanics (19 percent) also reside in the area. The part of downtown east of the freeway is predominantly industrial or undergoing redevelopment, but the remaining residential population is nearly evenly split between Hispanics and African-Americans, with small numbers of non-Hispanic Whites and Asians.

The study area population south of IH-45, east of US 59, and west of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad is predominantly Black or African-American. Census tracts in this area range from 51 to 96 percent African-American and are typically more than 80 percent African-American. The primary exception is the UH campus, where resident students comprise an ethnically diverse population (37 percent White non-Hispanic, 36 percent African-American, 12 percent Hispanic or Latino, 10 percent Asian, 5 percent others).

In the study area east of the BNSF railroad and southwest of IH-45, the population is predominantly Hispanic or Latino. Census tracts in this area range from 51 to 91 percent Hispanic, and are typically more than 80 percent Hispanic or Latino. The main exception is in the extreme southeast corner of the study area, south of Sims Bayou, where the census tract population (Tract 3331) is 38 percent Asian, owing to a large Vietnamese community, with substantial African-American (26 percent), Hispanic (21 Southeast Corridor 3-26 July 2006

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percent), and White non-Hispanic (15 percent) populations. Approximately 43 percent of the study area’s Asian population resides in this census tract.13

Executive Order 13166 requires federally assisted programs to identify any need for services to those persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them. The 2000 Census data (U.S. Census Bureau, 2002) indicate that 11 percent of households (4,141 households) in the study area are linguistically isolated (i.e., all household members over age 14 have limited English proficiency). Approximately 84 percent of these households (3,491 households, or 9 percent of total households) are Spanish-speaking and 13 percent (539 households, or 1.4 percent of total households) speak Asian or Pacific languages. The geographic distribution of linguistically isolated Spanish-speaking households corresponds with the distribution of the Hispanic or Latino population, while the linguistically isolated Asian or Pacific language households are concentrated in the same area as the Vietnamese population.

3.2.1.4 Disabled Population

According to the 2000 Census, over one-fourth of the study area population has some type of disability. Approximately 29 percent (29,581 persons) of the civilian non-institutionalized population aged five years or older comprised persons with disabilities. The population with disabilities is distributed throughout the study area, with notable concentrations in the downtown area. In the 2000 Census, individuals were classified as having a disability if any of the following three conditions were true: (1) they were five years old and over and had a response of "yes" to a sensory, physical, mental or self-care disability; (2) they were 16 years old and over and had a response of "yes" to a going outside the home disability; or (3) they were 16 to 64 years old and had a response of "yes" to an employment disability.

3.2.1.5 Income and Poverty

Based on 2000 Census data, the estimated median household income for the study area in 1999 was $23,392.14 Median household income ranged from less than $2,500 in the southwest part of downtown Houston (Census Tract 1000, Block Group 3) to over $75,900 in the west Riverside Terrace area on the south bank of Brays Bayou (Census Tract 3132, Block Group 4). Median household income in the City of Houston was $36,616 in 1999.

The 2000 Census also indicated that 33 percent of study area residents had a household income below the poverty level, which was $17,603 for a family of four. In comparison, the 1999 poverty rate for the City of Houston was considerably lower, at 19 percent. Poverty rates ranged from over 82 percent in the southwest part of downtown Houston (Census Tract 1000, Block Group 3) to less than 6 percent in the

13 Approximately 18 percent (535 people) of the study area’s Asian population resides on or near the University of Houston campus. Few Asian or other residents remain in the historic Old Chinatown, a primarily industrial-commercial area in the eastern downtown portion of the study area. 14 The decennial census collects sample data from households for the previous year’s income, which for the 2000 Census was 1999 income. All income and poverty figures based on these data refer to 1999 income for the 2000 population.

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west Riverside Terrace area on the south bank of Brays Bayou (Census Tract 3132, Block Group 4). As shown in Figure 3-3, the low-income population is more heavily concentrated in the downtown Houston and Greater Third Ward areas, with substantial pockets of poverty and lower incomes scattered throughout the southwestern portion of the study area, in the Old Spanish Trail/South Union area and south of IH-610.

Figure 3-3. Percent Households with Incomes Below Poverty Level

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 and Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004.

3.2.1.6 Housing

As identified in Table 3-5, the number of housing units in the study area in 2000 totaled 42,030. The number of renter-occupied units exceeded owner-occupied units by approximately 2,000 units. An estimated 4,400 units, or approximately 11 percent of all housing units, were vacant. These conditions are comparable to those of the City of Houston as a whole.

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Table 3-5. Housing by Occupancy and Tenure

Study Area City of Houston Number of Percent of Houston Houston Occupancy/Tenure Units Total Housing Units Percent Owner-occupied 17,923 42% 328,741 42% Renter-occupied 19,663 47% 389,204 50% Vacant 4,444 11% 64,064 8% Total 42,030 100% 782,009 100% Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1), 2001.

3.2.2 Employment

Total employment in the study area was estimated to be approximately 262,300 in 2000 (see Chapter 1, Table 1-2, Employment and Population Projections). Of this number, nearly 156,500 employees (60 percent) worked in downtown Houston and over 105,800 (40 percent) were employed in other locations in the study area. Total employment is projected to grow by more than 41,000 jobs (approximately 16 percent), to a total of 303,500 between 2000 and 2025. By 2025, over 22,000 new jobs are expected in downtown Houston and over 19,000 in the remainder of the study area (H-GAC 2002).

With 60 percent of all study area jobs located in downtown Houston, it is clear that the downtown is the primary employment center for the study area. Both private and public (i.e., city, county, state, and federal government) employment is substantial in the downtown area. In ZIP codes 77002 and 77010, which generally represent the downtown area west of US 59, private sector employment in mid-March 2001 consisted of 96,568 jobs in 3,181 business establishments.15 Approximately 62 percent of these establishments were service providers, including 29 percent in professional, scientific and technical services; 7 percent in accommodation and food services; and 6 percent in health care and social assistance. Approximately 11 percent of downtown businesses were finance and insurance firms; four percent were mining operations (such as petroleum extraction) and 4 percent were retail firms.

Major public employers in the study area outside downtown Houston include the UH, TSU, Houston Independent School District, and Riverside General Hospital. Private employment in ZIP codes encompassing most of the non-CBD study area totaled more than 85,900 jobs at over 4,600 business establishments in mid-March 2001.16 Over 14 percent of these firms were health care and social assistance providers; 14 percent were retail firms; 11 percent were professional, scientific and technical service providers; 10 percent were wholesalers; 7 percent finance and insurance; 6 percent accommodation and food services; 6 percent manufacturing; and 5 percent real estate, rental and leasing.

15 U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns, which provide total employment by ZIP code tabulation areas for private businesses only. Public sector employment is not available from this data source. 16 ZIP codes 77003, 77004, 77023, 77024, 77033, and 77087, which, in some cases extend outside the study area but exclude relatively few areas within study area boundaries.

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3.2.3 Neighborhoods and Community Facilities and Services

This section describes the neighborhoods and community facilities and services located within the study area.

3.2.3.1 Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods can be defined as areas in which the predominant land use is residential, although there may be a considerable number of residents in primarily nonresidential areas (such as downtown Houston), which are addressed in this section. A sense of community within a residential area may or may not exist, depending upon factors such as how long residents have lived in the area, whether friends and family live nearby, and the extent of shared activities within the neighborhoods. It is probable that a cohesive sense of neighborhood community exists within areas that are engaged in the neighborhood planning process, or have organized a neighborhood association, or have a well-known and long-established identity as a place.

The City of Houston has established Super Neighborhoods, groupings of smaller neighborhoods and subdivisions, for planning purposes. These Super Neighborhoods are used in this document as the primary method for identifying neighborhoods. Based on planning information from the Houston Department of Planning, the following 11 Super Neighborhoods were identified in the study area:

• Downtown • MacGregor • Second Ward • Old Spanish Trail/South Union • Greater Eastwood/Lawndale • South Park • Golfcrest/Bellfort/Reveille • Greater Hobby Area • Greater Third Ward • Sunnyside • Gulfgate Riverview/Pine Valley

The neighborhoods are described below and identified by location in Figure 3-4.

• Downtown – The Downtown Super Neighborhood contains a 2.71 square mile area and is bounded by IH-45, IH-10, and the BNSF railroad. This is the primary commercial center of Houston, although an increasing number of residences are being built or developed through the adaptive reuse of older structures. There have been several large-scale redevelopment efforts in downtown Houston in recent years, including Minute Maid Park and the George R. Brown Convention Center. The Downtown/Midtown Residents Association is a residential community organization located in downtown (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 2000) and meets regularly with its members. • Second Ward – The Second Ward Super Neighborhood includes one of the first Hispanic neighborhoods in Houston. This Super Neighborhood, which contains 2.9 square miles, is bounded by the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Houston

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Figure 3-4. Super Neighborhoods

Source: Houston Department of Planning, 2004 and Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004.

Belt and Terminal Railroads and Buffalo Bayou. It includes a core of residential properties surrounded by industrial uses. The Clayton Homes public housing development also is in the Second Ward. Community organizations in Second Ward consist of Benemerita Soc Mutualista Obrera Mex, East End Civic Club, East End Progress Association, Navigation District Neighborhood Council, Second Ward, Second Ward Association, and the Settegast Civic Club (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999). • Greater Eastwood/Lawndale – The Greater Eastwood/Lawndale Super Neighborhood is 1.9 square miles in area and is bounded by IH-45 on the south and railroads on the north, east, and west. This primarily Hispanic community includes single-family subdivisions. No community associations in this area are registered with the Mayor’s Citizen’s Assistance Office (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999).

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• Greater Third Ward – The Greater Third Ward Super Neighborhood contains 2.0 square miles and is bounded approximately by US 59, IH-45, the BNSF railroad, Wheeler Street, and Blodgett Street. This historically African-American community contains TSU and Riverside Hospital. There are many small frame and shotgun style residences in this area. Community organizations in the Greater Third Ward Super Neighborhood include College Oaks Civic Club, Cuney Homes Resident Council, Home Improvement and Protection Association, Neighborhood Civic Club of Third Ward, Third Ward Civic Club, Third Ward Redevelopment Council, Upper Third Ward Civic Club, and Washington Terrace Civic Association (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999). • Gulfgate Riverview/Pine Valley – The Gulfgate Riverview/Pine Valley Super Neighborhood is a 2.8-square mile area generally bounded by IH-45, IH-610, and the BNSF railroad. A majority of residents in this neighborhood are Hispanic. There are several single-family neighborhoods separated by older highways. This Super Neighborhood includes Gulfgate Mall, one of the first malls built in Houston. The Fonde Civic Club is active in this community (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999). • MacGregor – The MacGregor Super Neighborhood encompasses communities on either side of Brays Bayou, between Almeda Road and the BNSF railroad. This 3.4- square mile area has 21 parks, including the MacGregor Parkway Park. The Martin Luther King Health Center and MacGregor Community Center are also located there. The Super Neighborhood contains larger homes, particularly in the Timbercrest, University Oaks, and Riverside Terrace subdivisions. Commercial uses, motels, and multi-family housing is interspersed among single family uses in much of the neighborhood. Many African-American professionals moved to this area during the 1950s and 1960s, and the area currently has a predominantly African-American population. The following community organizations are located in the MacGregor Super Neighborhood: Central City Civic Club, Hope Improvement and Protection Association, Honey Circle Family Civic League, Oak Manor/University Woods Civic Club, Parkwood Drive Civic Club, Riverside Civic Association, South MacGregor Civic Club, Southwood Oaks Civic Association, The 3700 Charleston Civic Club, Third Ward Redevelopment Council, and Tierwester Civic Association (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999). • Old Spanish Trail /South Union – The Old Spanish Trail /South Union Super Neighborhood is generally bounded by Old Spanish Trail, the BNSF railroad, IH-610, and US 59. This area includes small homes built in the 1950s. New residential and commercial development has recently occurred in this area. Community organizations in the Old Spanish Trail /South Union Super Neighborhood include the Foster Place Civic Club, Grand Park Community Civic Club, Greater Old Spanish Trail Neighborhood Council, La Salette Place Civic Club, MacGregor Palm Terrace Association, MacGregor Place Civic Club, Scott Terrace Civic Club, South Union Citizens League, South Union Club, and Southern Village Civic Club (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999). • Golfcrest/Bellfort/Reville – The Golfcrest /Reveille Super Neighborhood is located south of IH-610 between IH-45 and the BNSF railroad. The neighborhood is 5.1 square miles in area and includes suburban neighborhoods as well as industrial sites concentrated in the western portion of the Super Neighborhood.

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Community organizations in Golfcrest/Bellfort/Reville are Bayou Oaks Civic Club, Andover–Southview, Golf View Manor Civic Club, Greater Mt. Carmel Awareness, Lum Terrace Civic Club, Oakland Plaza Civic Club, Overbrook Civic Club, Telephone Road Residents Council, and Tropicana Village Civic Club (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999). • South Park – The South Park Super Neighborhood is a 4.4 square mile area generally bounded by IH-610, Mykawa Road, Airport Boulevard, and smaller neighborhood roads east of Cullen Boulevard. Subdivisions in this area were developed in the 1950s. There are numerous vacant lots and deteriorating structures in this community, which also has large proportions of low-income households. Community organizations in the South Park Super Neighborhood include the 276 Community Club, Inc., Area 237 Civic Club, Edgewood Terrace Civic Club, Martin Luther King Neighborhood Council, Old South Park Community Association, Southcrest CIA, Southpark Area Civic Club, and Southpark Community Civic Club (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999). • Greater Hobby Area – The 16.6-square mile Greater Hobby Area Super Neighborhood is generally bounded by Reed Road, IH-45, the BNSF railroad, Sam Houston Parkway East, Monroe Road, and Almeda Genoa Road. Only the northernmost portion of the Super Neighborhood is within the study area. Hobby Airport is in the center of this Super Neighborhood, and industrial uses are concentrated in the western portion. The portion of the Greater Hobby Area in the project study area primarily contains single-family and multi-family residences. The Easthaven Civic Club, Inc. is located in this Super Neighborhood (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 2000). • Sunnyside – The Sunnyside Super Neighborhood includes communities within the 6.3-square mile area bounded generally by IH-610, US 59, East Orem Drive, and Airport Boulevard. This historically African-American community includes single-family suburban housing. It also contains a major landfill and former garbage incinerator. Community organizations in Sunnyside include the Bayou Estates Civic Club, Brookhaven Civic Club, Carolina Garden Civic Club, East Sunnyside Court Civic Club, Inc., East Sunnyside/Brookhaven Civic Club, Greater Sugar Valley Civic Club, Sunbeam Curry Civic Club, Sunnyside Civic Club, Sunnyside Community Civic Club, Inc., Sunnyside Gardens/Bayou Estates Civic Club, and Sunny side Neighborhood Center (City of Houston Department of Planning and Development 1999).

3.2.3.2 Community Facilities

Community facilities and services include educational facilities, places of worship, health care facilities, libraries, and recreation centers. Many of these facilities are located throughout the study area and contribute to the social welfare of local communities.

Parks are listed and discussed in Section 3.11, Parklands. In addition, 365 churches have been identified in the study area. Police and fire stations are discussed in Section 3.13. Community facilities, excluding churches, within the study area are identified by location in Figure 3-5 and listed below (City of Houston 2003).

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Figure 3-5. Community Facilities

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004.

• Community Centers - Edgewood Community Center - Emancipation Community Center - MacGregor Community Center - Palm Center - SHAPE Community Center - Sunnyside Multi-Service Center - YMCA of Greater Houston

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• Libraries - Central Library and Julia Ideson Building - Mancuso Branch Library - Smith Branch Library - Young Branch Library • Major Health Care Services - Cullen Women’s Center Hospital - Gambro Healthcare - Harris County Psychiatric Center - IHS Hospital at Houston - Quentin Mease Community Hospital - Riverside General Health Hospital - St. Joseph Hospital - Third Ward Multi-Service Center • Schools - Alcott Elementary School - Kandy Stripe Academy - Alkebulan Academy - Kazi Shule - Bastian Elementary School - Kelso Elementary School - Blackshear Elementary School - Lockhart Elementary School - Brookline Elementary School - Macarthur Elementary School - Castle Academy Charter School - Middle College for Technology - Cathedral House Montessori - MLK Project Safe School - Mt. Hebron Academy - Cornelius Elementary School - North District Alternatives - Crème De La Crème - Peck Elementary School - Cullen Middle School - Pro-Vision Charter School - Debakey High School for Health - Queen of Peace School Professions - Ryan Middle School - Dodson Elementary School - Seguin Elementary School - Douglass Elementary School - St. James Elementary School - East Sunnyside Bible Academy - St. Mary’s Montessori School - Eli Academy - St. Peter to Apostle Catholic First Christian Academy - School - Foley’s Academy High School

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- Foster Elementary School - Storybook Academy - Golfcrest Elementary School - Thompson Elementary School - Gregg Elementary School - TSU/HISD Lab School - Hartman Middle School - Turner Elementary School - Hartsfield Elementary School - Wallipp Preparatory Academy - HCC Alternative Education - Whidby Elementary School - Houston Accelerated Academy - Wonderland Private School - Houston Read Commission - Yates High School - Incarnate Word Academy - Young Scholars Academy - Jones High School - Young (Sunny Side) Elementary School

3.3 Transportation

3.3.1 Public Transportation

Public transportation in the study area is mainly provided by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, the public transportation agency responsible for the greater Houston area. The Texas State Legislature authorized the creation of local transit authorities in 1973. In 1978, Houston-area voters approved the creation of METRO which commenced service in 1979. The METRO service area covers 1,285 square miles and employs over 3,600 people (METRO September 2004).

3.3.1.1 Service Area Coverage

The study area is served by a comprehensive network of local bus routes including two cross-town routes (26/27 on Old Spanish Trail, and 73 on Bellfort Road) and several circulator routes. In addition there is a commuter express bus route, which connects downtown Houston to Hobby Airport and an area to the southeast including two park & ride facilities, Memorial Hospital East and San Jacinto College South (outside the designated corridor). These routes provide roughly 19,060 weekday bus revenue miles of service within the study area. This constitutes nearly 23 percent of all local bus service in the METRO service area. The weekday average revenue service speed is 12.5 miles per hour, which is also the METRO system-wide average speed for local bus service (METRO September 2004).

The network of transit routes operated by METRO is shown in Figure 1-5 (see Chapter 1.0, Purpose and Need).

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3.3.1.2 Operating Characteristics

Table 3-6 lists the METRO bus and rail routes serving the study area by name and number and identifies the service area, days of service, and headways for each route. The study area currently supports 25 local bus routes, ten express bus routes, the Texas Medical Center Shuttles (Red, White, and Blue Routes), the Texas Medical Center Campus Trolley, and the 700 METRORail Red Line.

METRO operates regular weekday service on Monday through Friday and weekend service on Saturday and Sunday. Hours of service and headways vary among the routes between weekdays and Saturdays and Sundays. Most local routes operate with under 20-minute peak-period headways, 15- to 40-minute headways during the day.

Table 3-6. Existing Public Transit Service within the Study Area

Service Headways (minutes) Mid-Day Weekend Route Service Description Peak Off- Mid-Day – Number Route Name (in study area) Service Availability AM/PM Peak Sat./Sun. Local and Shuttle Bus Routes 1 Hospital Along Main St. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 15 18 30/30 2 Bellaire Along Main St. & Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 6/7 15 15/20 Bellaire Blvd. 4 Jensen/ Along S. Main St. & Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 8 20 30 Beechnut Beechnut St. 5 Kashmere/ Along Griggs Rd. & Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 15 30 30 Southmore Belfort/Long Dr. 8 N. Main/ S. Main Along S. Main St. & Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 10/12 15 30 Willowbed/ W. Belfort St. 11 Almeda/ Nance Along Alameda St. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 25 35 20/50 15 Hiram Clarke Ltd/ Along S. Main St., Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 8 15 25/30 Fulton Fannin St. & Hiram Clarke St. 18 Kirby Ltd Along Kirby Dr. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 32 40 55 26/27 Outer/Inner Loop Along Wayside/ Sgt. M. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 20 30 45 Crosstown Garcia St. 29 TSU-UH/ Hirsch Along Hirsch St. & Weekday/Saturday 18 18 35 Crosstown Scott St. 30 Clinton/ Cullen Along IH-45, Cullen St., Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 20 30 30 Old Spanish Trail & IH- 288 34 Montrose Along Montrose St. & Weekday 25 45 — Crosstown S. Main/ Fannin St. 35 Fairview/ Leeland Along S. Wayside St. & Weekday/Saturday 30 45 40 Mykawa St. 36 Kempwood/ Along McKinney St. & Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 15 30 30 Lawndale Woodridge St. 40 Pecore/ Along IH-45 Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 15 30 15/30 Telephone

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Table 3-6. Existing Public Transit Service within the Study Area (continued)

Service Headways (minutes) Mid-Day Weekend Route Service Description Peak Off- Mid-Day – Number Route Name (in study area) Service Availability AM/PM Peak Sat./Sun. 42 Holman Along Holman St. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 15 15 25/32 Crosstown 52 Hirsch/ Scott Scott St. & McGowen Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 10 15 20/25 St. 60 Hardy/ S. Labranch/Crawford St. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 30 60 60 MacGregor 68 Brays Bayou Along Bellaire Blvd. & Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 12/15 30 35/45 Crosstown Ennis St. 73 Belfort Crosstown Along Belfort St. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 6/8 15 30/40 77 Liberty/ MLK Ltd Along M.L.K. Blvd. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 10 30 20/30 80 Dowling/ Lyons Along Holman St. & Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 20 30 30 Wheeler St. 87 Sunnyside/ Plaza Along Yellowstone St. Weekday/Saturday/Sunday 20 35 35 Del Oro Circulator 88 Hobby Airport Along IH-45 & Reveille Weekday/Saturday 15 50 30 Express St. Express Routes 170 Missouri City Along S.H. 288 Weekday 10/15 — — Express 244 Monroe Along IH-45 Weekday 15/12 50 — 246 Bay Area Along IH-45 Weekday 5 50 — 247 Fuqua Along IH-45 Weekday 6/5 50 — 261 West Loop Along S.H. 288 Weekday 10 10 — 291 Kuykendahl/ N Along Fannin/San Weekday 15/10 — — Shepard- TMC Jacinto St. 292 W Bellfort/ Along IH-59 & S.H. 288 Weekday 15 — — Westwood- TMC 297 South Point/ Along IH-59 & S.H. 288 Weekday 15 — — Monroe-TMC 298 Addicks/ NWTC- Along Galen Dr. Weekday 10/12 — — TMC Special 322-TMC Texas Medical Along Fannin St. & S. Weekday 4-10/5-10 15 — (White) Center Shuttle Braeswood 321-TMC Texas Medical Along William C. Harvin Weekday 4-10 22 — (Red) Center Shuttle Blvd. & Moursund St. 320-TMC Texas Medical Along Fannin St. & Weekday 7-10 20 — (Blue) Center Shuttle Bertner St. 326 Texas Medical Along Pressler, Ross Weekday 10 15 — Center Campus Sterling, Fannin, North Trolley MacGregor, & Bertner Source: METRO, 2006.

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METRO also operates METROLift, a paratransit service for senior citizens and persons with mobility impairments. The METROLift operation provides curb-to-curb service in sedans, mini-vans and lift-equipped vans. The service is provided for those whose impairments do not permit them to use regular transit service. METROLift operates as a subscription service and is provided on an on-call basis (METRO 2004).

3.3.1.3 Capital Facilities

In the study area, there are currently four operating transit centers. These include the Downtown, Eastwood, Southeast, and Gulfgate Transit Centers. The Downtown Transit Center, which is also located along the METRORail Red Line, is located near the southern boundary of downtown Houston. Adjacent to the study area to the west is the TMC Transit Center, which is also located along the METRORail Red Line (METRO 2004).

3.3.1.4 Level of Service

Transit level of service (LOS) is a qualitative assessment of transit service from the user’s point of view. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), (Transportation Research Board, 2000), Chapter 27 – Transit Methodology, provides six designated ranges of values for a particular service measure, graded from “A” (best) to “F” (worst) based on a transit passenger’s perception of a particular aspect of transit service. The LOS of existing public transportation services within the study area can be based on a number of service measures as defined by the HCM. These are:

• Service frequency; • Passenger loads; • Hours of service; • Reliability; and • Service coverage; • Transit/auto travel time difference.

Focusing on the main travel routes of Scott Street and Griggs Street in the study area, the LOS of existing service can be quantified for the transit routes that serve these streets. The area is served primarily by bus routes 5 and 52, which travel along the McGowan and Scott Street and Griggs Road, respectively. The area of service is classified as urban in nature.

Based on the operating headways of routes 5 and 52, which generally range from ten to 15 minutes during the peak hours and from 15 to 30 minutes during the off- peak, the existing LOS based on METRO scheduled transit service criteria would range from LOS B to C during peak periods and LOS C to D during off-peak periods. The LOS based on hours of service criteria would be LOS A. This is a result of the two routes being available from 18 to 24 hours per day, which the HCM identifies as LOS A.

3.3.1.5 Fare Structure

METRO has a number of fare options associated with use of the current transit system. These fare options are described below.

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Local Service

The fare structure for local service routes is as follows:

• $1.00 each way (this includes local transfer service to same or lesser priced service); • $2.00 Day Pass; • $9.00 7-Day Pass; • $35.00 30-Day Pass; • $315.00 365-Day Pass; • $8.00 Ten Tokens.

Day Passes allow unlimited rides on all local services only. The Day Pass is non- transferable and valid only for the duration of time designated on the card.

METRO also sells tokens in packages of ten for $8.00. Passes and package of tokens are available at METROStops and many local supermarkets and other locations (METRO, 2006).

Commuter Service

Commuter service is divided into four zones with fares based on distance a bus travels from the Park & Ride or Transit Center to Downtown. Zone 1 includes lots that are up to 11 miles from downtown; Zone 2 includes lots 11 to 16 miles from downtown; Zone 3 contains lots that are from 16 to 21 miles from downtown. All lots 21 miles or more away from downtown are in Zone 4.

For commuter service payment options include cash, a 30-Day Pass, a 365-Day Pass, or a Stored Value Card. Fare discounts may be applicable for children and adults with a valid METRO ID. Transfers are also free on Commuter Service for same or lesser priced service. A summary of the commuter payment service options is shown in Table 3-7.

Table 3-7. METRO Fare Structure

Option Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Adult Cash One-Way $1.50 $2.50 $3.00 $3.50 30 Day $50.00 $78.00 $94.00 $110.00 365 Day $459.00 $702.00 $846.00 $990.00 Source: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Web site.

The local fare of $1.00 is applied when traveling only the local portion of a commuter route. METRO commuter service is currently made up of 28 park & ride and eight express bus routes (METRO, 2004).

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Stored Value Cards

METRO’s stored value cards may be used on commuter and local service routes with a prepaid discount which is good until the value purchased is depleted. A summary of the METRO Stored Value Card cost and value is indicated in Table 3-8.

Table 3-8. METRO Stored Value Card Information

Stored Value Card Cost Stored Value Card Value $15.00 $18.75 $25.00 $31.50 $50.00 $64.00 $75.00 $97.50 $100.00 $132.00 $125.00 $167.50 $150.00 $204.50 Source: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Web site.

METROLift

The fare structure for the LIFT paratransit service is $1.15 each way, $9.75 for a ten Ticket Sheet, $38.60 for a monthly pass and $347.00 for a 365-day pass (METRO, 2004).

Discounts

Youths ages five through 11 are eligible for a discount fare and children under five years of age ride for free. Middle School and high school students are also eligible for a discounted fare upon proof of attendance. A disability discount is available to those with permanent or temporary disabilities upon METRO’s acceptance of a doctor’s letter certifying the type and duration of the disability. The 70+ Lifetime Pass allows riders 70 and over to travel for free if eligible. Other discounts available under METRO’s fare policy are a Medicare discount and a senior citizen’s discount (METRO, 2004).

3.3.1.6 Ridership

The most heavily used bus routes in the study area are those on Scott Street, Cullen Boulevard, Martin Luther King Boulevard, and Bellfort Road. Table 3-9 presents estimated passenger trips for the routes operating in the corridor, as shown in the December 2005 Monthly Ridership Report. The corridor totals, 59,500 weekday boarding passengers or 48,565 linked passenger trips, are consistent with more recent “ride check” data. The corridor ridership equals 24 percent of METRO’s 2005 system-wide local-service boardings and 25 percent of local-service linked passenger trips (248,367 boarding passengers per weekday, and 191,240 linked passenger trips per weekday).

The most prominent transfer points are where the major north-south routes intersect the 73 Bellfort Crosstown route. From the east, this route follows Broadway from

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Table 3-9. Weekday Bus Ridership

Route Boardings Linked Passenger Trips 5 3,900 3,160 26 5,675 4,480 30 3,525 2,785 35 500 420 36 2,295 1,950 40 4,145 3,360 41 320 220 42 2,880 2,220 50 4,535 3,670 52 5,245 4,400 60 990 820 68 5,655 4,800 73 7,055 5,575 77 5,170 4,445 87 3,100 2,300 88 2,590 2,125 89 450 380 321 1,470 1,455 Total 59,500 48,565 Source: FY06 METROBus Average Weekday Customer Boardings, METRO Monthly Ridership Report, December 2005.

Hobby Airport to Bellfort Road, travels the length of Bellfort Road to SH 288, and continues westward and to the northwest, serving Reliant Park, the TMC, Greenway Plaza, and the Galleria. The substantial use of this route within the study area and the large number of transfers occurring within the area show the importance of linking the area with major activity centers to the west. A closer look at the boarding and alighting data, however, shows that this cross-connection within the study area is also a very important function served by this route; there are more transfers between Scott Street and points east than between Scott Street and points west (METRO, 2004).

3.3.2 Roads and Highways

The study area is bounded by three freeways; IH-610, IH-45 and SH 288, which form a rough triangle around the study area. In the downtown portion the roadway network consists of as urban grid pattern. Roadways near the northern portion of the study area follow the downtown Houston roadway grid alignment. While this alignment is evident in portions of the southern study area, many of the arterial and neighborhood roadway networks follow more typical suburban type patterns of meandering residential streets with occasional connections to a dispersed array of arterial roadways. On-street parking is common along the curbs on the sides of the streets throughout the study area.

Figure 3-6 shows the existing roadway system in the study area and identifies the location of the signalized intersections analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

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Figure 3-6. Existing Roadway System

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2006.

3.3.2.1 Physical Characteristics

A description of the physical characteristics of the existing roadways within the study area which would be impacted by the build alternatives is presented below.

Downtown Roadways

The proposed alignments under the build alternatives would be located on Capitol or both Capitol and Rusk depending on the alternative (i.e., LRT on Capitol or BRT on Capitol and Rusk). Capitol and Rusk run parallel to each other, one block apart, in a slight northwest/southeast orientation. Capitol and Rusk form one-way couplets between Chartres and Bagby with Capitol running in a westbound direction and Rusk running in an eastbound direction. Both streets in this section range from four to six lanes with discontinuous curb side parking/loading zones. From Chartres to Dowling, Capitol operates as a two to three lane one directional street with parking

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allowed on either side. Capitol from Dowling to Paige is a two-way street, with one travel lane in each direction and parking allowed along the curb on each side of the roadway. Rusk, east of Chartres through Paige, is a two-way street with one lane in each direction and parking along either side of the roadway. The speed limit on roadways in and around Downtown is 30 miles per hour.

Scott Street

Scott Street from Polk Avenue to the Gulf Freeway (IH-45) has two travel lanes in each direction separated by an approximately 30-foot median. Left turn lanes are located at the signalized intersections at Polk Avenue, Leeland Street, and the IH-45 north and south service roads. The speed limit along this segment of Scott Street is 35 miles per hour.

From IH-45 to Rosalie Street, Scott Street has four travel lanes, or two lanes in each direction, and a continuous, two-way, 20-foot wide left turn lane, which transitions into curbed islands of varying widths at each end of this segment. A school speed zone exists from the IH-45 south service road south to a point about 300 feet south of Hadley Street. There are no signalized intersections located within this segment of Scott Street. The speed limit along Scott Street in this segment is 35 miles per hour.

From Rosalie Street south to Griggs Road, Scott Street continues as a four-lane street divided by a 12- to 14-foot wide, curbed island with median openings and left turn lanes at major driveways and intersections. A fire station exists on the west side of Scott Street, one block south of Wheeler Street. This segment also includes a school speed zone from Gertin Street to North MacGregor Way. Signalized intersections with left turn lanes exist at Elgin Street, Holman Street, Wheeler Street, Blodgett Street, N. MacGregor Way, S. MacGregor Way, and Griggs Road. North and South MacGregor Way are divided by Brays Bayou, which Scott Street traverses on a bridge, four lanes wide with sidewalks on both sides and an approximately 15- foot wide curbed median. The speed limit remains 35 miles per hour along this segment of Scott Street.

Two mid-block pedestrian crossings are located along Scott Street in the study area. The first, located in a school speed limit zone, is north of McKinney Street. The second is located north of Bremond Street.

Griggs Road

From Scott Street to Old Spanish Trail, Griggs Road is an undivided roadway with two travel lanes in each direction. East of Old Spanish Trail, Griggs Road transitions to a divided roadway with a curbed center median that widens from 20 to 30 feet on its approach to Cullen Boulevard.

Between Cullen Boulevard and Calhoun Road, Griggs Road has three travel lanes in each direction separated by an approximately 10-foot curbed median. East of Calhoun Road, Griggs Road returns to two travel lanes in each direction, and the median widens to approximately 30 feet. This cross section remains the same to Mykawa Road. Signalized intersections with left turns are located at the Old Spanish

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Trail north and south service roads, Cullen Boulevard, Calhoun Road, and Martin Luther King Boulevard. The speed limit along Griggs Road is 35 miles per hour.

Wheeler Street

Between Scott Street and Calhoun Road, Wheeler Street is a wide two-lane, two- way street. Numerous pedestrian crossings occur across Wheeler Street in the study area due to the location of student dormitories and satellite parking lots on the south side of the roadway and the UH campus located along the north side of the roadway. One signalized mid-block pedestrian crossing is located along Wheeler Street west of the Rockwood Street intersection. The speed limit along Wheeler Street in this segment is 30 miles per hour.

Martin Luther King Boulevard

Martin Luther King Boulevard from Calhoun Road to Old Spanish Trail has two travel lanes in each direction separated by an approximately 30-foot median. The speed limit along this segment of Martin Luther King Boulevard is 35 miles per hour. There is a bridge of Brays Bayou south of Wheeler Street.

From Old Spanish Trail to Griggs Road, Martin Luther King Boulevard has six travel lanes, or three lanes in each direction, and a curbed median island. A 20 mile per hour school speed zone is located along the roadway from 300 feet south of Albermarle Lane to 400 feet north of Winnetka Avenue. The school speed zone is in effect from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. There are no additional signalized intersections located between these two intersections within this segment of Martin Luther King Boulevard. The speed limit along Martin Luther King Boulevard in this segment is 35 miles per hour.

3.3.2.2 Traffic Volumes

Existing average daily traffic volumes (ADT) were collected along the principal study area roadways. The ADT volumes are shown by location in Figure 3-7.

As shown in the figure, existing ADT volumes along the proposed Build Alternative option roadways range from 14,550 to 23,980 vehicles along Scott Street and from 10,110 to 14,800 daily vehicles along Griggs Road. The existing ADT volume along Wheeler Street between Scott Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard is 12,450. Existing ADT volumes along Martin Luther King Boulevard range from 6,000 vehicles north of Old Spanish Trail to 11,020 daily vehicles at Griggs Road. In downtown, the existing ADT volume on Capitol near Bagby is 7,820 and on Rusk near Bagby is 10,530 vehicles. Average daily traffic volumes on both Rusk and Capitol east of US 59 decline considerably in comparison to the volumes near Bagby. The existing ADT volume along Rusk east of US 59 is 2,480 vehicles and the along Capitol is 260 vehicles.

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Figure 3-7. Existing Average Daily Traffic Volumes

Source: Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2006.

3.3.2.3 Level of Service and Traffic Delay

Intersection traffic congestion is generally measured in terms of LOS. LOS describes the quality of traffic flow, and is defined by the Highway Capacity Manual (Transportation Research Board, 2000) as a measure describing operational conditions of an intersection based on the average control delay experienced per vehicle traveling through the intersection. Control delay includes not only the time that a driver is stopped at a red signal, but also the cumulative delay involved in slowing to a stop during the approach to a red or yellow signal, and the time for acceleration back to average operating speed when the signal turns green.

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LOS measures are reported using letter designations as shown in Table 3-10. LOS A represents the best operating conditions (free traffic flow), and LOS F designates the worst operating conditions (stop and go). A facility operating at LOS A through D is considered to be operating at an acceptable condition, and a facility operating at LOS E or F is considered to be operating at a deficient LOS. This standard reflects current guidelines for traffic impact analyses in the City of Houston.

Table 3-10. Level of Service Definitions

Control Delay Level of per Vehicle Service (sec.) Signalized Intersection Traffic Flow Quality A ≤10 Progression is extremely favorable, most vehicles arrive during the green phase, and many vehicles do not stop at all. B 10.1 to 20.0 Good progression, short cycles lengths, or both. More vehicles stop than with LOS A, causing higher levels of delay. C 20.1 to 35.0 Fair progression, longer cycle lengths, or both. Individual cycle failures may begin to appear. The number of vehicles stopping is significant, though many still pass through the intersection without stopping. D 35.1 to 55.0 Influence of congestion more noticeable. Combination of unfavorable progression, long cycle lengths, and high v/c ratios contributes to longer delays. Many vehicles stop, proportion of vehicles not stopping declines. Individual cycle failures are noticeable. E 55.1 to 80.0 Poor progression, long cycle lengths, and high v/c ratios. Individual cycle failures are frequent. F ≥80.0 Considered unacceptable to most drivers, arrival flow rates exceed the capacity of lane groups. High v/c ratios, with many individual cycle failures, poor progression, and long cycle lengths. Source: Transportation Research Board, Highway Capacity Manual, 2000.

Existing delay and levels of service were identified for the signalized intersections generally along, or in the vicinity of the proposed Build Alternative on Capitol and Rusk in downtown Houston and Scott Street, Griggs Road, Wheeler Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard outside of downtown. The analysis was based on turning movement counts during the a.m. and p.m. peak periods, when traffic volumes are generally highest, and signal timing data supplied by the City of Houston. The results of the analysis of downtown intersections are presented in Table 3-11; and intersections outside downtown in Table 3-12. The delay and levels of service reflect overall intersection operations.

As identified in Table 3-11, all signalized intersections on Capitol and Rusk operate with acceptable overall levels of service during both the a.m. and p.m. peak hours. Levels of service range from A to C for overall operations, with most intersections operating at a LOS A or B during both peak hours.

As identified in Table 3-12, signalized intersections outside of downtown on Scott Street, Griggs Road, Wheeler Street, and Martin Luther King Boulevard also operate with acceptable overall levels of service during both the a.m. and p.m. peak hour periods. LOS range from A to D for overall operations during both the a.m. and p.m. peak hour periods.

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Table 3-11. Existing Levels of Service at Signalized Intersections in Downtown

LOS Intersection AM Peak PM Peak Capitol at Bagby C C Capitol at Smith A A Capitol at Louisiana A A Capitol at Milam A A Capitol at Travis A A Capitol at Main C B Capitol at Fannin A A Capitol at San Jacinto A A Capitol at Caroline A A Capitol at Austin A A Capitol at LaBranch A A Capitol at Crawford A A Capitol at Americas B B Rusk at Bagby B B Rusk at Smith A A Rusk at Louisiana A A Rusk at Milam A A Rusk at Travis A A Rusk at Main B B Rusk at Fannin A A Rusk at San Jacinto A A Rusk at Caroline A A Rusk at Austin A A Rusk at LaBranch A A Rusk at Crawford A A Rusk at Americas B B Rusk at Chartres B B Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Gunda Corporation, February 2006.

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Table 3-12. Existing Levels of Service at Signalized Intersections Outside of Downtown

LOS Intersection AM Peak PM Peak McKinney at Sampson A B McKinney at York B B Scott at Polk/Sampson C C Scott at Leeland B B Scott Gulf Fwy NSR C B Scott Gulf Fwy SSR B B Scott at McGowan B A Scott at Elgin C C Scott at Holman B B Scott at Wheeler A A Scott at Blodgett B B Scott at N. MacGregor B B Scott at S. MacGregor B A Scott at Griggs & Scott A A OST at Scott C C OST at Scottcrest A A OST NSR at Griggs C B OST SSR at Griggs B A OST at MLK NB B C OST at MLK SB C C Griggs and Cullen B B Griggs at Calhoun A B Griggs at MLK C C Griggs at Mykawa B B Wheeler at Cullen C D Wheeler at Calhoun/MLK D D Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Gunda Corporation, July 2004 and February 2006.

3.3.2.4 Travel Times

Existing travel speeds were estimated along the proposed Build Alternative alignment on Capitol, Rusk, Scott Street, Griggs Road, Wheeler Street, and Martin Luther King Boulevard based on existing conditions analysis results. Results of the analysis are summarized in Table 3-13.

As indicated in the table, existing vehicular average travel speeds along Scott Street in the study area are 15 and 16 miles per hour during the a.m. and p.m. peak periods. Average travel speeds along Griggs Road are 17 to 18 miles per hour during the a.m. and p.m. peak periods. Along Capitol and Rusk, travel speeds of approximately 14 miles per hour occur during the a.m. and p.m. peak periods. Peak period speeds range from 11 to 23 miles per hour along Wheeler Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

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Table 3-13. Existing Automobile Travel Times

Average Speed Average Speed AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Length Inbound Outbound Inbound Outbound Street (Miles) MPH MPH MPH MPH Scott St. (Polk to Griggs) 2.53 15 15 16 16 Scott St. (Polk to Wheeler) 1.60 18 15 11 15 Griggs Rd. 1.875 17 17 17 18 Capitol 0.96 14 - 14 - Rusk 0.96 - 14 - 14 Wheeler St. 0.80 18 18 14 17 MLK Blvd. 1.36 22 23 11 14 Overall via Scott/Griggsa 4.41 16 16 17 16 Overall via Wheeler/MLKa 4.09 19 18 12 15 Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Gunda Corporation, August 2004 and February 2006. a Overall corridor outside of downtown from Polk to Beekman Road.

Overall corridor trip travel times in the area outside of downtown from Scott Street at Polk Avenue to Griggs Road at Beekman vary depending upon the route. Travel along Scott Street to Griggs Road ranges between 16:06 to 15:44 minutes depending on the peak hour period and direction of travel. Travel along Scott Street to Wheeler Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard ranges between 12:49 to 20:54 minutes depending on the peak hour and direction of travel.

3.3.3 Railroads

As shown in Figure 3-8, two major railroads operate within the study area. The UPRR provides freight service on a line running northeast-southwest near IH 610. The BNSF Railway provides freight service on a line running northwest-southeast, adjacent on the east side of Spur 5 and Mykawa Road. The two railroads cross one another at-grade at the intersection of Griggs Road and Long Drive. Because both railroads have freight customers or rail yards in the vicinity of this intersection, the slow train operations in the area result in frequent blockage of the street by freight trains. This blockage impacts vehicular travel in the localized area. Traffic in the area can divert to Old Spanish Trail to the north and IH 610 to the south, which provide grade-separated roadway crossings of the rail tracks, and are accessible via Wayside Drive to the east and Martin Luther King Boulevard to the west. These diversion routes can add additional distances and travel times to trips being made through the study area.

3.3.4 Parking

As previously discussed, parking is generally available along the sides of most street and roadways in the City of Houston. This is true along portions of the proposed Build Alternative options in downtown, on Scott Street and Griggs Street. No on- street parking is allowed along Wheeler Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard in the study area.

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Figure 3-8. Railroads

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004.

Along Capitol and Rusk in the downtown area, limited on-street parking is available. On-street parking locations vary between block to block based on the adjacent land uses and are located in areas between intersecting roadways, mid-block parking lot driveways, and loading zones. On-street parking in the downtown area is generally meter controlled. Parking meter operation generally runs from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during weekdays and on Saturday with two hour parking limits, although numerous variations in the duration and hours of operation exist. On-street parking along many blocks is restricted during the peak hours from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Along Scott Street from Polk Avenue to IH-45, there is no on-street parking and no parking anytime restrictions are located along the roadway throughout this segment. Along Scott Street south of the IH-45 to Rosalie Street on street non-peak parking is available between the 2300 and 3000 blocks, along both sides of the roadway. The peak period restrictions regarding the on-street parking restrictions along the

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roadway in this section are in effect from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The outside peak hour travel lane is utilized for the parking lane along the roadway through this section. Field investigations of the parking utilization indicate little use of the parking spaces during the daytime hours. South of Rosalie Street to Griggs Road, on-street parking is not allowed along Scott Street, but many of the signs are missing that would re-enforce this restriction. Along Griggs Road from Scott Street to Long Drive, there are no signs for parking restrictions along either side of the roadway.

3.3.5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

There are no currently marked bicycle facilities or routes along the roadways of the proposed Southeast Corridor LRT and BRT alignments. Bicyclists generally use the roadway area between the curb and/or parking lane and the adjacent travel lane when riding along the various streets.

In the Southeast Corridor, an abandoned railroad right of way (formerly the HBT) runs northeast-southwest through the study area, crossing underneath IH-45 near Tierwester Street, near Ennis Street across the Texas Southern University campus, and exiting the study area at SH 288 between Bray’s Bayou and Old Spanish Trail. The right of way has been designated for development as a hike and bike trail (City of Houston, 2003).

Pedestrian facilities are restricted to sidewalks along streets in the Southeast Corridor study area. Sidewalks along the proposed alignment options range from 4 to 6 feet in width. Pedestrian movements are accommodated at most signalized intersections in downtown with pedestrian “WALK/DON’T WALK” indications and marked crosswalks. Most signals have pedestrian actuation buttons on all corners of the intersection. Non-signalized intersections in the study area generally have pavement crosswalk markings, although there are some intersections that do not have any crosswalk markings.

3.3.6 Regional Transportation Improvement Plans

A review of the 2025 Regional Transportation Plan (H-GAC, April 27, 2005 update) indicates a number of highway and roadway improvements are planned throughout the entire region. In general, regional arterial roadway improvements are focused on the growth areas in northern and western Harris County, however a few are located on roadways within the study area.

Improvements included in the RTP that relate to the Southeast Corridor include the conversion of Elgin Street to a Smart Street across the corridor with a widening from four to six lanes from Scott Street to IH-45, conversion of Old Spanish Trail to an Smart Street across the corridor, conversion of Cullen Boulevard to an Smart Street from Old Spanish Trail to IH-610, construction of an eight-lane freeway and a four lane tollway designated as SH 35 along the Mykawa Road corridor with an interchange at IH-610, and construction of a hike/bike trail along an abandoned HBT corridor from Polk Avenue southward outside the Southeast Corridor to Brays Bayou. Smart Streets is a plan to increase mobility, improve transit access and safety by providing

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operational improvements along strategic regional thoroughfares to provide additional alternatives for longer distance travel within the region.

These noted improvements are identified for implementation in the long-range phase of the plan, or 11 to 25 years in the future. No improvements were identified along Scott Street, Griggs Road, or Long Drive in the study area. Additional transit expansion and incorporation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities into the roadway network were also noted as general recommendations in the plan.

3.4 Air Quality

Air pollution is a general term that refers to one or more chemical substances that degrade the quality of the atmosphere. Individual air pollutants degrade the atmosphere by reducing visibility, damaging property, reducing the productivity or vigor of crops or natural vegetation, or reducing human or animal health.

3.4.1 Relevant Pollutants and Air Quality Standards

Seven air pollutants have been identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as being of concern nationwide: carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulate matter (sized 10 microns or less and particulate matter with a size of 2.5 microns or less), and lead. The sources of these pollutants, their effects on human health and the nation's welfare, and their final deposition in the atmosphere vary considerably. A brief description of each pollutant is provided in this section.

3.4.1.1 Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is generated in the urban environment primarily by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels in motor vehicles. Relatively high concentrations of CO are typically found near crowded intersections and along heavily used roadways carrying slow-moving traffic. CO chemically combines with the hemoglobin in red blood cells to decrease the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. Prolonged exposure can cause headaches, drowsiness, or loss of equilibrium.

3.4.1.2 Sulfur Oxides

Sulfur oxides (SOx) constitute a class of compounds of which sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfur trioxides (SO3) are of great importance. The health effects of SOx include respiratory illness, damage to the respiratory tract, and bronchio-constriction. However, relatively little SOx is emitted from motor vehicles.

3.4.1.3 Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons (HC) include a wide variety of organic compounds (including methane [CH4]) emitted principally from the storage, handling, and combustion of fossil fuels. Though HC can cause eye irritation and breathing difficulties, their principle health effects are related to their role in the formation of ozone.

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3.4.1.4 Nitrogen Oxides

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) constitute a class of compounds that include nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO); both of which are emitted by motor vehicles. Although NO2 and NO can irritate the eyes and nose and impair the respiratory system, NOx, like HC is of concern primarily because of its role in the formation of ozone.

3.4.1.5 Ozone

Ozone (O3), a photochemical oxidant, is a major cause of lung and eye irritation in an urban environment. It is formed through a series of reactions involving HC and NOx that take place in the atmosphere in the presence of sunlight. Because of the reaction time involved, peak ozone concentrations often occur far downwind of the precursor emissions. Thus O3 is considered a regional pollutant rather than a localized pollutant.

3.4.1.6 Particulate Matter

Particulate matter (PM) includes both liquid and solid particles of a wide range of sizes and composition. Of particular concern are those that are smaller than or equal to 10 microns and 2.5 microns in size, PM10 and PM2.5 respectively. The data collected through many nationwide studies indicates that most PM10 is the product of fugitive dust, wind erosion, and agricultural and forestry sources, while a small portion is the product of fuel combustion processes. In the case of PM2.5, the combustion of fossil fuels account for a substantial portion of this pollutant. The main health effect of air-borne particulate matter is on the respiratory system.

3.4.1.7 Lead

Lead (Pb) is a stable element that persists and accumulates both in the environment and in animals. Its principle effects in humans are on the blood-forming, nervous, and renal systems. Lead levels in the urban environment from mobile sources have substantially decreased due to the federally mandated switch to lead-free gasoline.

3.4.1.8 National Ambient Air Quality Standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) have been established for seven pollutants (known as criteria pollutants): CO, NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and Pb. These standards presented in Table 3-14, also represent the official ambient air quality standards for the State of Texas.

The “primary” standards have been established to protect the public health. The “secondary” standards are intended to protect the nation’s welfare and account for air pollutant effects on soil, water, visibility, materials, vegetation, and other aspects of the general welfare.

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Table 3-14. National Ambient Air Quality Standards

National Standards Pollutant Averaging Period Primary Secondary Ozone 8 Houra 0.08 ppm (157 μg/m3)c Same as Primary Standard Carbon Monoxide 1 Hourb 35 ppm (40 mg/m3) - 8 Hourb 9 ppm (10 mg/m3) - Nitrogen Dioxide Annual Average 0.053 ppm (100 μg/m3) 0.053 ppm (100 μg/m3) Sulfur Dioxide Annual Average 80 μg/m3 (0.03 ppm) - 24 Hourb 365 μg/m3 (0.14 ppm) - 3 Hourb - 1300 μg/m3 (0.5 ppm) c 3 3 (PM10) 1 Year 50 μg/m 50 μg/m 24 Hourd 150 μg/m3 150 μg/m3 d 3 3 (PM2.5) 1 Year 15 μg/m 15 μg/m 24 Hoursd 65 μg/m3 65 μg/m3 Lead Calendar Quarter 1.5 μg/m3 Same as Primary Standard Notes: a 3-year average of the 4th highest 8-hour concentration may not exceed 0.08 ppm. b Not to be exceeded more than once a year. c Based on a 3-year average of annual averages. d Based on a 3-year average of annual 98th percentile values. Abbreviations: ppm: parts per million; μg/m3: micrograms per cubic meter; mg/m3: milligrams per cubic meter. Source: EPA, National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards, 2006. (49 CFR 50).

3.4.2 Air Quality Levels and Compliance

Section 107 of the 1977 Federal Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) requires that the EPA publish a list of all geographic areas in compliance with the NAAQS, as well as those not in attainment of the NAAQS.17 Areas not in compliance with the NAAQS are termed nonattainment areas. Areas which have insufficient data to make a determination are unclassified and are treated as being in attainment areas until proven otherwise. Areas which were designated as nonattainment when the CAAA were implemented but have since attained compliance with the standards are classified as “maintenance areas.” The designation of an area is made on a pollutant-by-pollutant basis.

The Houston-Galveston area is classified as an attainment area for all pollutants with the exception of O3. The Houston-Galveston area is classified as a moderate nonattainment area for the O3 8-hour standard. As such, it must demonstrate attainment by June 2010.

3.4.3 Ambient Air Quality in the Study Area

3.4.3.1 Local Meteorology

The National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maintains information on the meteorology of areas around the

17 The Clean Air Act (42 USC. 7401097626) consists of Public Law 159 (July 14, 1955; 69 Stat. 322) and the amendments made by subsequent enactments.

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country. The nature of the surrounding atmosphere is an important element in assessing the ambient air quality of an area. Houston is located in the flat Coastal Plains, about 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and about 25 miles from Galveston Bay. At 8,778 square miles, the Greater Houston area covers more area than any other major metropolitan area in the United States. The climate is predominantly marine. The terrain includes numerous small streams and bayous, which, together with the nearness to Galveston Bay, favor the development of both ground and advective fogs. Prevailing winds are from the southeast and south, except in January, when frequent passages of high-pressure areas bring invasions of polar air and prevailing northerly winds.

Temperatures are moderated by the influence of winds from the Gulf, which results in mild winters. The January average temperature is 51 degrees while the average July temperature is 83 degrees.

Another effect of the nearness of the Gulf is abundant rainfall, except for rare extended dry periods. Destructive windstorms are fairly infrequent, but both thundersqualls and tropical storms occasionally pass through the area.

3.4.3.2 Monitored Air Quality

The TCEQ, as well as local cities and county agencies, measures air quality throughout the state. In the Houston area, the TCEQ, Monitoring Operations Division measures the air quality using several monitors located throughout the area. Multiple monitors are used because the measurable concentration of a given air contaminant at a particular time and place is highly dependent on meteorological conditions, wind speed, direction of instruments, barometric pressure, solar radiation, and relative humidity. The TCEQ verifies, analyzes, and collates all data collected by the monitors. Data collected and reported must meet minimum quality assurance requirements established by the EPA, as outlined in the Federal Register Part 58 and appendices.

Monitored ambient air quality monitor data for CO, PM10, PM2.5 and O3 for 2003 to 2005 is presented in Table 3-15.

3.5 Noise and Vibration

The principal source of noise and vibration in the study area is vehicular traffic. Because the proposed project alignment follows existing streets, most adjacent land uses are already exposed to at least moderate noise levels. This section presents:

• A description of how noise and vibration are measured; • A comparison of transit and non-transit sources of noise and vibration; • Criteria used by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to measure transit noise and vibration impacts; and • The results of a noise and vibration measurement program conducted in the study area at sensitive sites for noise and vibration.

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Table 3-15. Monitored Ambient Air Quality Data (2003-2005)

No. Days Standard Contaminant Location/Year Maximum 1 Hour Maximum 8 Hour Exceeded Carbon Monoxide (CO)(ppm) First Second First Second 1-hour 8-hour Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2003 6.1 5.4 4.9 4.2 0 0 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2004 2.9 2.9 2.5 1.8 0 0 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2005 1.8 1.7 1.3 0.9 0 0 Air Quality Standard 35.0 35.0 9.0 9.0 Particulate Matter 10 Microns or Less Maximum 24 No. Days Standard 3 (PM10)(μg/m ) Hour Annual Mean Exceeded Houston – 4401 ½ Lang Rd. / 2003 49 22 0 Houston – 4401 ½ Lang Rd. / 2004 63 23 0 Houston – 4401 ½ Lang Rd. / 2005 41 22 0 Air Quality Standard 150 50 Particulate Matter 2.5 Microns or Less Maximum 24 No. Days Standard 3 (PM2.5)(μg/m ) Hour Annual Mean Exceeded Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2003 - Monitor 1 44 14.7 0 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2004 - Monitor 1 46 14.4 0 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2005 - Monitor 1 34 16.0 0 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2003 - Monitor 2 28 14.6 0 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2004 - Monitor 2 34 15.0 0 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2005 - Monitor 2 32 16.6 0 Air Quality Standard 65 15.0 Maximum 1 Hour Maximum 8 Hour No. Days Standard Ozone (O3)(ppm) First Second Exceeded Houston – 2311 Texas Ave. / 2003 .112 .110 9 Houston – 2311 Texas Ave. / 2004 .118 .094 6 Houston – 2311 Texas Ave. / 2005 .090 .082 1 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2003 .126 .120 10 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2004 .118 .100 6 Houston – 9525 Clinton Dr. / 2005 .098 .092 2 Air Quality Standard .080 .080 Source: EPA Airdata Web Site, January 3, 2006.

3.5.1 Measuring Noise Levels

Noise is typically defined as unwanted or undesirable sound, where sound is characterized by small air pressure fluctuations above and below the atmospheric pressure. The basic parameters of noise that affect human subjective response are (1) intensity or level, (2) frequency content, and (3) variation with time. The first parameter is determined by how greatly the sound pressure fluctuates above and below the atmospheric pressure, and is expressed on a compressed scale in units of decibels. By using this scale, the range of normally encountered sound can be expressed by values between 0 and 120 decibels. On a relative basis, a 3-decibel change in sound level generally represents a barely-noticeable change outside the

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laboratory, whereas a 10-decibel change in sound level would typically be perceived as a doubling (or halving) in the loudness of a sound, a substantial change.

The frequency content of noise is related to the tone or pitch of the sound, and is expressed based on the rate of the air pressure fluctuation in terms of cycles per second (called Hertz and abbreviated as Hz). The human ear can detect a wide range of frequencies from about 20 Hz to 17,000 Hz. However, because the sensitivity of human hearing varies with frequency, the A-weighting system is commonly used when measuring environmental noise to provide a single number descriptor that correlates with human subjective response. Sound levels measured using this weighting system are called “A-weighted” sound levels, and are expressed in decibel notation as “dBA.” The A-weighted sound level is widely accepted as a proper unit for describing environmental noise.

Because environmental noise fluctuates from moment to moment, it is common practice to condense all of this information into a single number, called the “equivalent” sound level (Leq). Leq can be thought of as the steady sound level that represents the same sound energy as the varying sound levels over a specified time period (typically 1 hour or 24 hours). Often the Leq values over a 24-hour period are used to calculate cumulative noise exposure in terms of the Day-Night Sound Level (Ldn). Ldn is the A-weighted Leq for a 24-hour period with an added 10-decibel penalty imposed on noise that occurs during the nighttime hours (between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.). Many surveys have shown that Ldn is well correlated with human annoyance, and, therefore, this descriptor is widely used for environmental noise impact assessment.

Figure 3-9 provides examples of typical noise environments and criteria in terms of Ldn. While the extremes of Ldn are shown to range from 35 dBA in a wilderness environment to 85 dBA in noisy urban environments, Ldn is generally found to range between 55 dBA and 75 dBA in most communities. As shown in the figure, this spans the range between an “ideal” residential environment and the threshold for an unacceptable residential environment according to federal agency criteria.

3.5.2 Noise Criteria

Noise impact for this project is based on the criteria defined in the FTA guidance manual Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment (FTA Report DOT-T-95-16, April 1995). The FTA noise impact criteria are founded on well-documented research on community reaction to noise and are based on change in noise exposure using a sliding scale. Although higher levels of transit noise are allowed in neighborhoods with high levels of existing noise, smaller increases in total noise exposure are allowed with increasing levels of existing noise.

FTA guidelines for evaluating noise impacts at various land use categories determine the choice of noise metrics (Leq or Ldn) to be used in noise impact assessment. They are presented in Table 3-16. For example, for residential land uses, the noise descriptor that is used to characterize the existing noise and the future project noise is Ldn. For land uses involving daytime and evening uses, the noise descriptor is Leq (h), which is the hourly equivalent continuous noise level Leq for the noisiest hour of train-related activity during hours of noise sensitivity.

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Figure 3-9. Typical Day-Night Sound Levels

Source: FTA, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, Final Report, April 1995.

Table 3-16. FTA Guidelines for Land Use Categories and Metrics for Transit Noise

Land Use Noise Metric Category (dBA) Description of Land Use Category a 1 Outdoor Leq(h) Tracts of land where quiet is an essential element in their intended purpose. This category includes lands set aside for serenity and quiet, and such land used as outdoor amphitheaters and concert pavilions, as well as National Historic Landmarks with significant outdoor use.

2 Outdoor Ldn Residences and buildings where people normally sleep. This category includes homes, hospitals and hotels where a nighttime sensitivity to noise is assumed to be of utmost importance. a 3 Outdoor Leq(h) Institutional land uses with primary daytime and evening use. This category includes schools, libraries, and churches where it is important to avoid interference with such activities as speech, meditation and concentration on reading material.

a Leq for the noisiest hour of transit-related activity during hours of noise sensitivity. Source: FTA, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, Final Report, April 1995.

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There are two levels of impact described in the FTA criteria. The definition of these two levels of impact is provided below:

• Severe – Severe noise impacts are considered "significant" as this term is used in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and implementing regulations. Noise mitigation will normally be specified for severe impact areas unless there is no practical method of mitigating the noise. • Impact – In this range of noise impact, sometimes referred to as moderate impact, other project-specific factors must be considered to determine the magnitude of the impact and the need for mitigation. These other factors can include the predicted increase over existing noise levels, the types and number of noise-sensitive land uses affected, existing outdoor-indoor sound insulation, and the cost effectiveness of mitigating noise to more acceptable levels.

The noise impact criteria are shown in graphical form in Figure 3-10. Along the x-axis of the graph is the existing noise exposure and the y-axis shows the additional noise exposure from the transit project that would cause either moderate or severe impact. The future noise exposure would be the combination of the existing noise exposure and the additional noise exposure caused by the transit project.

Figure 3-11 shows the noise impact criteria for Category 1 and 2 land uses in terms of the allowable increase in the cumulative noise exposure. As the existing level of ambient noise increases, the allowable level of transit noise increases, but the total amount (cumulative noise) that community noise exposure is allowed to increase is reduced. This accounts for the unexpected result that a project noise level that is less than the ambient noise level can still cause an impact.

3.5.3 Ground-Borne Vibration

Ground-borne vibration is the oscillatory motion of the ground about some equilibrium position that can be described in terms of displacement, velocity, or acceleration. Because sensitivity to vibration typically corresponds to the amplitude of vibration velocity within the low-frequency range of most concern for environmental vibration (roughly 5-100 Hz), velocity is the preferred measure for evaluating ground-borne vibration from transit projects.

The most common measure used to quantify vibration amplitude is the peak particle velocity (PPV), defined as the maximum instantaneous peak of the vibratory motion. PPV is typically used in monitoring blasting and other types of construction- generated vibration, since it is related to the stresses experienced by building components. Although PPV is appropriate for evaluating building damage, it is less suitable for evaluating human response, which is better related to the average vibration amplitude. Thus, ground-borne vibration from transit trains is usually characterized in terms of the “smoothed” root mean square (rms) vibration velocity level, in decibels (VdB), with a reference quantity of one micro-inch per second. VdB is used in place of dB to avoid confusing vibration decibels with sound decibels.

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Figure 3-10. FTA Noise Impact Criteria

Source: FTA, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, Final Report, April 1995.

Figure 3-11. Increase in Cumulative Noise Levels Allowed by Criteria (Land Use Categories. 1 & 2)

Source: FTA, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, Final Report, April 1995.

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Table 3-12 illustrates typical ground-borne vibration levels for common sources as well as criteria for human and structural response to ground-borne vibration. As shown, the range of interest is from approximately 50 to 100 VdB, from imperceptible background vibration to the threshold of damage. Although the approximate threshold of human perception to vibration is 65 VdB, annoyance is usually not significant unless the vibration exceeds 70 VdB.

Figure 3-12. Typical Levels of Ground-Borne Vibration

Source: FTA, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, Final Report, April 1995.

3.5.4 Vibration Criteria

The FTA ground-borne vibration impact criteria are based on land use and train frequency, as shown in Table 3-17. There are some buildings, such as concert halls, recording studios and theaters, which can be very sensitive to vibration, but do not fit into any of the three categories listed in the table. Because of the sensitivity of these buildings, they usually warrant special attention during the environmental assessment of a transit project. Table 3-18 presents criteria for acceptable levels of ground-borne vibration for various types of special buildings.

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Table 3-17. Ground-Borne Vibration and Noise Impact Criteria

Ground-Borne Vibration Ground-Borne Noise Impact Levels (VdB Re 1 Impact Levels (dB re 20 micro inch/sec) micro Pascals) Frequent Infrequent Frequent Infrequent Land Use Category Eventsa Eventsb Eventsa Eventsb

Category 1: Buildings where low ambient c c d d 65 VdB 65 VdB - - vibration is essential for interior operations. Category 2: Residences and buildings where 72 VdB 80 VdB 35 dBA 43 dBA people normally sleep Category 3: Institutional land uses with primarily 75 VdB 83 VdB 40 dBA 48 dBA daytime use. Notes: a. “Frequent Event” is defined as more than 70 vibration events per day. Most rapid transit projects fall into this category. b. “Infrequent Events” is defined as fewer than 70 vibration events per day. This category includes most commuter rail systems. c. This criterion limit is based on levels that are acceptable for most moderately sensitive equipment such as optical microscopes. Vibration sensitive manufacturing or research will require detailed evaluation to define to acceptable vibrations levels. Ensuring lower vibration levels in a building often requires special design of the HVAC systems and stiffened floors. d. Vibration-sensitive equipment is not sensitive to ground-borne noise. Source: FTA, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, Final Report, April 1995.

Table 3-18. Ground-Borne Vibration and Noise Impact Criteria for Special Buildings

Ground-Borne Vibration Impact Ground-Borne Noise Levels Impact Levels (VdB re 1 micro-inch/sec) (dB re 20 micro Pascals) Type of Building or Infrequent Infrequent Room Frequent Eventsaa Eventsb Frequent Eventsa Eventsb Concert Halls 65 VdB 65 VdB 25 dBA 25 dBA TV Studios 65 VdB 65 VdB 25 dBA 25 dBA Recording Studios 65 VdB 65 VdB 25 dBA 25 dBA Auditoriums 72 VdB 80 VdB 30 dBA 38 dBA Theaters 72 VdB 80 VdB 35 dBA 43 dBA Notes: a. “Frequent Events” is defined as more than 70 vibration events per day. Most transit projects fall into this category. b. “Infrequent Events” is defined as fewer than 70 vibration events per day. This category includes most commuter rail systems. c. If the building will rarely be occupied when the trains are operating, there is no need to consider impact. As an example consider locating a commuter rail line next to a concert hall. If no commuter trains will operate after 7 pm, it should be rare that the trains interfere with the use of the hall. Source: FTA, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, Final Report, April 1995.

It should also be noted that Table 3-17 and Table 3-18 include separate FTA criteria for ground-borne noise, the “rumble” that can be radiated from the motion of room surfaces in buildings due to ground-borne vibration. Although expressed in dBA, which emphasizes the more audible middle and high frequencies, the criteria are set substantially lower than for airborne noise to account for the annoying low-frequency character of ground-borne noise. Because airborne noise often masks ground-borne noise for above ground (i.e. at-grade or elevated) rail systems, ground-borne noise criteria are primarily applied to subway operations where airborne noise is not a factor. For the at-grade sections of the fixed guideway within the study area, ground-

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borne noise criteria are applied only to buildings with sensitive interior spaces that are well insulated from exterior noise.

3.5.5 Existing Noise and Vibration Levels

Existing noise and vibration levels were measured at several sites in the study area. The results of these measurements are presented in this section.

3.5.5.1 Noise Levels

The FTA noise criteria require that an existing noise level be assigned to noise- sensitive sites, residential neighborhoods, and individual institutions where future transit noise may be found to affect activities. Existing noise measurements were conducted during the week of March 15 through 19, 2004, August 3 through 5, 2004 and January 23 through 25, 2006 at 22 sites in the study area that are considered to be representative of all of the above types of noise sensitive sites.

Figure 3-13 shows the locations of the monitored and modeled noise measurement sites. The site locations are cross-referenced to the measurement data presented in Table 3-19. Of the 22 sites, seven were long-term (LT) 24-hour noise monitoring sites and 15 were short-term (ST) one-hour noise measurement sites. Data from the long-term sites were used to calculate the day-night noise level Ldn. The resulting noise levels were assigned to each receiver in the study area with similar noise environments. Noise-sensitive receivers within the study area were identified based on review of conceptual alignment drawings, aerial photographs, and visual surveys.

A summary of the noise environment along the build alternatives with the base alignment and the alternatives with the Wheeler-MLK alignment option is presented below.

Build Alternative from Bagby to Main Street

This part of the downtown area includes several theatres and concert halls such as; the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts containing Sarofim Hall and Zilkha Hall, Bayou Place, Jones Plaza Theatre and Jones Hall Performing Arts Center. The Bob Casey Federal Courthouse and Tranquility Park are also located in this area. Automobile and bus traffic along Capitol and Rusk dominates the noise environment. Near Main Street, trains on the METRORail Red Line also contribute to the existing noise levels.

ST one-hour measurements were conducted at Jones Plaza Theater on Capitol between Smith and Louisiana (ST11) during the early evening and at Jones Hall on Capitol between Louisiana and Milam (ST10) during the nighttime. The results of these measurements indicate the Ldn is 67 to 69 dBA in this area. However, for Category 3 land use such as Jones Hall and Jones Plaza, the Leq during hours of noise sensitivity is the appropriate metric for impact assessment. The Leq of 64 dBA measured at ST11 during an evening hour will be used as the baseline noise level for noise impact assessment in the Theater District.

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Noise Measurement Sites Figures 3-13

Figure 3-13. Noise Measurement Sites

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004.

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Table 3-19. Summary of Existing Noise Measurement Results

Meas. Noise Exposure Site Measurement Location Start of Measurement Time (dBA) No. Description (hrs.) Date Time Ldn Leq LT1 Concord Apartments 3/16/04 17:00 24 71 -- 5514 Griggs Rd. LT2 Scott Inn 3/16/04 18:00 24 73 -- 1933 Scott St. LT3 Wheeler Ave. Baptist Church 3/17/04 18:00 24 72 -- 3826B Scott St. LT4 Hispanic Training Center 3/17/04 19:00 24 69 -- 3522 Polk St. LT5 Ballpark Lofts 8/04/04 17:00 17 70(est) a Capitol at St. Emanuel LT6 Missionary Training Institute 1/23/06 17:00 24 61 -- 5500 MLK Blvd. LT7 4384 Wheeler St. 1/23/06 18:00 24 66 ST1 Scott St. at Southmore 3/17/04 17:08 1 68(est) b 70 ST2 Scott St. at Rio Vista 3/19/04 09:25 1 71(est) b 73 ST3 Potential Yard Site 3/19/04 09:43 1 57(est) b 59 6010 Sunnycrest St. ST4 Potential Yard Site 3/19/04 09:49 1 56 (est) b 58 6017 Iron Rock St. ST5 Incarnate Word Academy 8/05/04 9:05 1 63(est) b 65 Capitol at Jackson ST6 Capitol at Austin 8/03/04 16:49 1 63(est) b 65 ST7 Capitol at Caroline 8/03/04 17:00 1 64(est) b 66 ST8 Loft Apartments 8/04/04 9:27, 3 70(est) b 71, Walker at Main 20:35, 68, 23:35 63 ST9 815 Walker 8/04/04 9:37 1 68(est) b 70 ST10 Jones Hall (Concert Hall) 8/04/04 17:30 1 69(est) b 71 Capitol Between Louisiana and Milam ST11 Jones Plaza 8/04/04 19:40 1 67(est) b 64 Capitol Between Smith and Louisiana

ST12 4915 MLK Blvd. 1/24/06 09:30 1 68(est) b 70 MLK Blvd. and Arvilla Ln. ST13 Cambridge Oak Apartments 1/24/06 11:00 1 58(est) b 60 Wheeler St. Between Scott and Cullen ST14 MacGregor Park 1/24/06 12:50 1 53(est) b 55 MLK Blvd. Between Calhoun and Old Spanish Tr. ST15 Moody Towers Residence Hall 1/24/06 15:50 1 60(est) b 62 Wheeler St. a Ldn value estimated from long-term measurements at LT5 from 17:00 to 09:00 and ST sites nearby. b Ldn value based on FTA manual conversion of hourly Leq to estimated Ldn. Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Harris Miller Miller Hanson, 2004.

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Build Alternatives from Main Street to St. Emanuel

Noise-sensitive land use in the downtown area east of Main Street and west of US 59 includes the St. Germain Lofts and the future Shamrock Towers, between Main Street and Fannin, the Keystone Lofts and the future Marriott Renaissance Hotel between Fannin and San Jacinto, a Federal Detention Center and the U.S. Customs House between San Jacinto and Caroline, the Inn at the Ballpark between La Branch and Crawford and the Incarnate Word Academy and the Annunciation Church between Crawford and Jackson Street.

Automobile, truck and bus traffic along Capitol and US 59 dominate the noise environment. Near Main Street, trains on the METRORail Red Line also contribute to the existing noise levels. Short-term measurements were conducted at Capitol and Caroline (ST7), at Capitol and Austin (ST6), and at Capitol and Jackson Street (ST5) during the mid-day hours. These measurements indicate that Ldn values in this area are 63 to 64 dBA.

Build Alternatives from St. Emanuel to Dowling Street

This area includes noise-sensitive land use at the Ballpark Lofts west of US 59 at Capitol and St. Emanuel. Automobile, truck and bus traffic along Capitol and US 59 dominates the noise environment. A 16-hour measurement including peak traffic, evening and night hours, was conducted at the Ballpark Lofts on Capitol between St. Emanuel and Hutchins Street. Mid-day noise levels were assumed to be similar to those measured at nearby short-term sites, such as ST5. The results from this measurement indicate that Ldn values in this area are 70 dBA.

Build Alternatives from Dowling Street to Polk Avenue

This area is primarily industrial land use, with noise from freight railroad operations dominating the environment, including diesel locomotive sounds, car coupling, and horn blowing. Less significant is the noise from localized truck and automobile street traffic. No noise-sensitive sites are located in this segment. The nearest noise measurement site is the long-term site LT4 at the Hispanic Training Center near the intersection of Scott Street and Polk Street, where the Ldn is 69 dBA.

Build Alternatives on Scott Street from Polk Street to Coyle Street

The north end of the Scott Street segment of the corridor contains a mix of residential and commercial land uses. Traffic on Scott Street tends to dominate the corridor, with increasing noise levels approaching IH-45. Again, the measurement at site LT4 is considered to be representative of this segment of the corridor, with an Ldn value of 69 dBA. Nighttime noise levels were about 10 dB less than daytime levels, a typical result in a neighborhood like this.

Build Alternatives on Scott Street from Coyle Street to Bremond Street

This segment of the corridor is dominated by traffic noise associated with IH-45, with both on and off-ramps connecting to Scott Street. The area is commercial, and therefore not noise-sensitive, although there is a hotel (i.e., Scott Inn) where a 24- hour noise monitor was placed and referred to as site LT2. The Ldn of 73 dBA Southeast Corridor July 2006 3-67

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measured at this location is the highest long-term noise level in the corridor. Because of the steady flow of the traffic on the busy interstate highway, the nighttime noise dropped off only about 5 dB from the daytime noise.

Build Alternatives on Scott Street from Bremond Street to Elgin Street

Residential neighborhoods interspersed with some commercial establishments are located along Scott Street in this segment of the corridor. Traffic on Scott Street traveling to and from the universities dominates the noise environment. Assuming the traffic is similar to the Scott Street section just south of UH, the long-term site at LT3 is considered representative of the first row of homes facing Scott Street in this area. An Ldn at LT3 was measured to be 72 dBA.

Build Alternatives on Scott Street from Elgin Street to Wheeler Street

This is the area in which traffic generated around the two universities dominates the noise environment. It should be noted that the week of the measurements was spring break at both schools, resulting in less-than-typical traffic noise levels. Long- term site LT3 was located at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church Community Center adjacent to Scott Street. This is a site that is both noise-sensitive institutional and representative of the residences facing the traffic along this segment of the corridor. The noise level at LT3 was measured to be an Ldn of 72 dBA.

Build Alternatives with Base Alignment Option: Scott Street, from Wheeler Street to Old Spanish Trail

Residential neighborhoods line the corridor at the southern end of Scott Street. Traffic dominates the noise environment, punctuated by over flights of aircraft on approach to Hobby Airport. North of Brays Bayou, residences are interspersed with some commercial land use. A large assisted care living center is located on Scott Street, but the noise from Scott Street is similar to the area south of the bayou with primarily residential land uses. Two short-term, one-hour measurements were made here – one north of the bayou during evening rush hour (ST1) and one south during mid-morning (ST2). The results during those hours would indicate a slightly quieter environment at Ldn of 68 to 71 dBA, than the measurement closer to the university.

Build Alternatives with Base Alignment Option: Old Spanish Trail/Griggs Road from Scott Street to Calhoun Street

The segment along Old Spanish Trail is predominately commercial, and is the current location of the Southeast Transit Center. Griggs Road between Scott and Calhoun Streets is primarily commercial with heavy traffic at the intersection of Old Spanish Trail. Noise levels from street traffic dominate the environment, and with a steady procession of aircraft over flights approaching Hobby Airport. No noise- sensitive land uses are found in this segment. A reasonable approximation of the noise in this area is obtained from the long-term site further down Griggs Road, LT1, where the Ldn was measured to be 71 dBA.

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Build Alternatives with Base Alignment Option: Griggs Road from Calhoun Street to Beekman Road

This segment of Griggs Road is primarily commercial, with residential neighborhoods set back approximately one block from Griggs Road. The noise measured at LT1 can be considered representative of this area. The Ldn is estimated to be 71 dBA along the road, and with a row of buildings acting as shielding, approximately 66 dBA in the nearest residential areas, declining by 1.5 dBA for each row of houses thereafter.

Street traffic noise is dominated by railroad noise, especially the sound of train horns, as Griggs Road approaches the major grade crossing at Mykawa Road. A long-term noise measurement was made in this segment, LT1, with a measured Ldn of 71 dBA. Here, nighttime noise from street traffic dropped off considerably, but the noise from frequent train horns continued all night, driving up the hourly noise levels.

Build Alternatives with Wheeler-MLK Alignment Option: Wheeler Street from Scott Street to Calhoun Road

Street traffic generated by activities at UH is the predominant noise source in this area. Wheeler Street has residences on both sides, containing a mixture of single and multi-family homes and university housing. Noise at long-term site LT7 and short-term sites ST13 (near Cambridge Oaks Apartments), and ST15 (Moody Towers Residence Hall) was measured along this segment. LT7 had a measured Ldn of 66 dBA and the estimated Ldn based on ST13 and ST15 is 57 to 59 dBA.

Build Alternatives with Wheeler-MLK Alignment Option: Martin Luther King Boulevard from Calhoun Road to Old Spanish Trail

Along this segment of the alignment, there is only one noise sensitive receptor, MacGregor Park. Parks fall into FTA’s Land Use Category 3 for daytime use. Street traffic is the dominant noise source in this area. A one-hour short-term measurement (ST14) was conducted in the park at the closest picnic area to Martin Luther King Boulevard during a typical lunch period. The one-hour Leq of 55 dBA represents a typical hour of noise sensitivity for this area. Peak hour noise level is estimated to be an Leq of 57 dBA, and the Ldn is estimated to be 53 dBA.

Build Alternatives with Wheeler-MLK Alignment Option: Martin Luther King Boulevard from Old Spanish Trail to Griggs Road

Street traffic dominates the noise environment for this section of the alignment. Residences line both sides of Martin Luther King Boulevard and are mixed with schools and churches. Schools and churches are in FTA’s Land Use Category 3, where noise impacts are assessed during hours of noise sensitivity. Noise at short- term site ST12 was measured adjacent to Peck Elementary School at the same setback of the building façade during school hours in the morning. The one-hour Leq of 70 dBA represents the existing noise level during school hours of noise sensitivity. Based on the FTA estimation method, the Ldn would be about 68 dBA at this location. Long-term site LT8 was located on the grounds of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church Missionary Training Institute. The property of this institution abuts Martin Luther King Boulevard and contains classrooms, chapels and residential

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units. The residential units fall into Land Use Category 2. The measured Ldn was 61 dBA at the setback distance of the residences from the boulevard.

Maintenance and Storage Facility Site

The LRT Alternative would require a new maintenance and storage facility. The proposed site is located near downtown south of the LRT trackway and east of Nagel. This area is primarily industrial land use, with noise from freight railroad operations, including diesel locomotive sounds, car coupling, and horn blowing, dominating the environment. Some noise from truck and automobile traffic occurs. No noise-sensitive sites are located near the site. Long-term measurement (LT4) conducted at the Hispanic Training Center at the corner of Polk Street and Scott Street indicate existing noise levels in this area have an Ldn value of 69 dBA

3.5.5.2 Vibration Levels

Existing vibration sources in the study area include cars, trucks, and buses on the streets and freight trains on nearby tracks. However, vibrations from street traffic are not generally perceptible at vibration-sensitive receivers along the alignment unless there are major bumps and other uneven surfaces present. The streets are relatively smooth and in good repair, with the possible exception of one or two construction sites.

Because the FTA vibration impact criteria are not dependent on existing vibration levels, the vibration measurements for this project focused on identifying the vibration propagation characteristics of the ground. Prior measurements in the Houston area have indicated a rather uniform ground vibration characteristic throughout the Houston area. This result is verification of the uniform alluvial soil conditions in the area, with rock found only at very deep levels. Consequently, a representative vibration test site was selected at a central location in the study area. The site selected was a parking lot on the UH campus.

Ground-borne vibration propagation tests were conducted by impacting the ground and measuring the input force and corresponding frequency-dependent ground vibration response at various distances. The transfer mobility function is a measure of the way the ground will carry vibrations from the LRT trains. The resulting transfer function at the UH site was found to be entirely consistent with other measurements taken throughout the downtown Houston, the Museum District, and Texas Medical Center areas. The transfer function is combined with the input force characteristics of the existing Houston LRT vehicle to predict future vibration levels at locations along the proposed LRT fixed guideway. Ground-borne vibration is not an issue with the BRT alternatives.

3.6 Visual Quality and Aesthetics

The visual assessment of a major transportation project considers the quality of the existing visual environment as defined by the aesthetic character of the surrounding area. This relates to the level of compatibility or contrast a project would have with the existing man-made and/or natural environment. An evaluation of the existing environment for the study area will help determine the potential level of visual impact the proposed project would introduce into the community and surrounding areas.

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3.6.1 Existing Visual Characteristics

The Southeast Corridor and project study area are located in the metropolitan area of Houston, Texas, which resides on a low-level coastal plain. The flat topography of the study area allows man-made structures such as elevated freeways and upper levels of high-rise buildings to provide the best views of the surrounding area. From these vantage points, a viewer can see the surrounding development that features a composite of residential, commercial, entertainment, medical, recreational, financial, hospitality, institutional, and transportation uses.

The northern section of the study area includes the high-rise commercial development that forms the skyline of downtown Houston. South of the downtown area, neighboring development ranges from multi-level and single-level commercial to service-oriented and residential development. Both the UH and TSU have large campus areas that include various types of campus buildings with adjacent landscaped areas. Residential neighborhoods dominate the majority of the study area, which is primarily comprised of single-family homes as well as areas with some medium-density attached and multi-family housing. Vegetation throughout neighborhoods limits views into surrounding areas.

Water resources within the study area include Buffalo Bayou downtown and Brays Bayou near Scott Street. Public parks align both of these waterways and provide active recreational activities such as hiking and biking. MacGregor Park is traversed by Martin Luther King Boulevard north of Old Spanish Trail. As a result of the urbanized nature of the study area, the primary vegetation is comprised of cultivated lawns, trees, shrubs, and flowers in parks, open spaces, and private yards. Mature shade trees typically line many of the arterials and adjoining streets.

3.6.2 Existing Visual Quality

Typical views of this urbanized area are Figure 3-14. Downtown Houston multi-dimensional, combining a variety of man-made elements and different land uses. The quality of views within the corridor varies by location and relationship to existing transportation components and other man-made elements. Views are restricted by vegetation and/or intervening structures.

Pedestrian sidewalks and conventional steel tubular streetlights generally line the adjoining streets within downtown Houston. Utility poles and wires have Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004. been placed underground to provide an uncluttered appearance drawing sight lines to the architectural design of neighboring buildings as well as to the numerous bars, restaurants, offices, and commercial retail frontage throughout the urban core (Figure 3-14).

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South of downtown, utility wires and streetlights line either one or both sides of the roadways with cross wires extending overhead. Mature trees and vegetation line many of the neighborhood streets to partially obscure utility poles and wires.

Commercial retail and service development with display signs front many of the main streets and create a cluttered view. These streets provide access to residential neighborhoods with single-family homes built in the early to mid 1900s. Civic facilities that include prominent churches are also scattered throughout the area. Throughout the study area, vacant, abandoned or neglected buildings and undeveloped land visually degrade neighboring communities.

3.6.3 Visual Aspects of Existing Transportation Facilities

There are several types of transportation systems within the study area, including roadway, freeway, transit, and railroad facilities. The infrastructure of these facilities and their associated vehicle types are visible throughout the study area.

The study area consists of an at-grade contiguous grid of Figure 3-15. Scott Street North of roadways that provide access Wheeler Street to a variety of activity centers, community services, and other transportation facilities. Several north-south arterials with variable travel lanes run the length of the corridor to provide access into the CBD from neighboring residential development. Single-family homes, one-story retail, commercial, and service oriented development typically line arterials in the study area. Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004. Either a continuous center left- turn lane or a grassy median divides many of these arterials (Figure 3-15).

Residential areas also front many of the major arterials as well as intersecting cross streets that provide access to residential development.

The existing network of freeways includes IH-45, IH-610, and US 59. Each of these freeways is primarily at-grade with overpass crossings that span intersecting roadways. In addition, these freeways have elevated sections and “depressed” underpasses that are visible from neighboring development.

In addition to LRT, METRO operates regularly scheduled transit service that includes local, express, and regional bus service. Station areas either consist of an open or canopied standing and/or seating area on curbside concrete hardstand. LRT stations areas consist of covered stop locations that include seating areas, system maps, variable message signs, and ticket kiosks. The METRO transit system operates at-grade throughout the study area.

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The BNSF operates railroad freight service on the HBT. This railroad runs the length of the Southeast Corridor with numerous at-grade street crossings and several over- passes, which are clearly visible.

3.6.4 Visually Sensitive Resources

The study area contains no outstanding scenic views. However, there are areas that residents consider visually important and/or sensitive because of historical events, architectural design, cultural and social importance, or community association. These may include parks, cemeteries, neighborhoods, National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) properties and districts, and local historic resources. A discussion of these resources and their specific locations within the study area is presented in Section 3.9.

A number of public parks exist throughout the study area to provide passive and active recreational activities (see Section 3.10). Mature trees and other vegetation partially obscure views into park areas from adjacent transportation facilities.

3.6.5 Viewers

The viewers of the study area are those who utilize the existing transportation facilities and view these transportation facilities from adjacent areas of development. Users of the local transportation facilities include daily commuters to employment centers, users of public transit, and persons traveling to various retail, service, recreational, and entertainment destinations. Other users include individuals passing through the study area to reach destinations in the surrounding, outlying metropolitan areas.

The views for each of these viewer groups are limited by the existing development that faces a transportation facility and also are restricted by mature trees and other vegetation along the proposed Build Alternative. Elevated overpasses throughout the study area provide vantage points that allow unobstructed views into neighboring development. Users of local transportation facilities often have views of the Houston skyline when traveling on major arterials and highways in the direction of the CBD.

Viewer groups from adjacent development include residents and employees or patrons of various commercial, retail, hospitality, medical, and service-oriented businesses. These viewers may also include pedestrians, individuals using public areas, and students and faculty from the UH or TSU. Intervening buildings and vegetation throughout the study area limit the extent of unrestricted views for these groups. In some areas, viewer groups may have a view of a visually important or sensitive resource such as a historic resource or a park.

3.7 Ecosystems

Ecological impacts were assessed to satisfy the requirements of NEPA and the Endangered Species Act. Ecological surveys were conducted in March 2004 and January 2006 to identify, characterize, and determine potential impacts to protected species, protected species habitat, and any other vegetation communities of ecological significance. The surveys focused on those areas within the limits of the existing street rights-of-way and areas immediately adjacent to the proposed project alignment. Southeast Corridor July 2006 3-73

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3.7.1 Natural Communities

Aerial photographs were used in conjunction with a biological field survey to confirm habitat types and to record dominant vegetation and habitat value in the study area. The proposed project is located in the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes ecoregion and, according to The Vegetation Types of Texas (McMahan et al., 1984), the project area habitat is described as “urban.”

The study area is characterized by residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional uses, along with maintained road and railroad rights-of-way. These areas have little to no remnant native vegetation and provide sparse, fragmented habitat for common species adapted to urban environments.

3.7.2 Existing Wildlife

The study area is located in the Texan Biotic Province (Blair, 1950). Common faunal species associated with the Texan Biotic Province include Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus), Baird’s pocket gopher (Geomys breviceps), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), Gulf Coast toad (Bufo valliceps), gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor), coyote (Canis latrans), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). Common birds include mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), snowy egret (Egretta thula), and great blue heron (Ardea herodias). No wildlife was observed along the proposed alignment during the site visits.

3.7.3 Existing Vegetation

The proposed alignment is located in an urban setting with little to no natural vegetation. The majority of the trees, shrubs, and herbaceous cover along the study area streets are landscaped, as are several street medians in the study area. Where present, dominant trees consist of live oak (Quercus virginiana), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), Texas sugarberry (Celtis laevigata), post oak (Quercus stellata), willow oak (Quercus phellos), and introduced palm trees. Shrubs are generally absent from the study area, but where present generally consist of crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) in street medians. Dominant herbaceous species are present primarily in landscaped areas and consist of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and yellow clover (Melilotus officinalis), interspersed with annual “weedy” species such as sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus).

One portion of the Build Alternative with the Wheeler-MLK alignment option, along Martin Luther King Boulevard between Old Spanish Trail and Brays Bayou, passes through the City of Houston’s MacGregor Park. The street right-of-way and median are dominated by Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses. The dominant shrub species observed is Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense). Trees present within and adjacent to the right-of-way are dominated by loblolly pine and post oak; less commonly

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observed is willow oak. In addition, recent landscaping occurred within the median of Martin Luther King Boulevard through the park.

3.7.4 Threatened and Endangered Species

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 protects threatened and endangered species and the ecosystems on which they depend. A species is “endangered” when it is in danger of extinction within the near future throughout all or a substantial portion of its range. A “threatened” classification is provided to those animals and plants likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a substantial portion of their ranges. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) maintains a list of threatened and endangered animals and plants in the state. TPWD regulations prohibit the taking, possession, transportation, or sale of any of the threatened and endangered species designated by state law.

Potential threatened and endangered species habitat was identified using the Park Place and Settegast U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute quadrangles, aerial photographs, National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps and by conducting field surveys. NWI maps are used to identify wetland areas that may meet the requirements for some migratory birds and other aquatic species. According to the TPWD and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) species lists, Harris County has one endangered amphibian species, 11 threatened or endangered bird species, one threatened fish species, three threatened mammal species, nine threatened or endangered reptile species, and one endangered plant species (Table 3-20).

Rare species found in Harris County with no state or federal threatened or endangered designation include black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis), Henslow’s sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), mountain plover (Charadrius montanus), snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), American eel (Anguilla rostrata), plains spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius interrupta), southeastern myotis bat (Myotis austroriparius), little spectaclecase (Villosa lienosa), Louisiana pigtoe (Pleurobema riddellii), pistolgrip (Tritogonia verrucosa), rock-pocketbook (Arcidens confragosus), Sandbank pocketbook (Lampsilis satura), Texas pigtoe (Fusconaia askewi), Wabash pigtoe (Fusconaia flava), gulf saltmarsh snake (Nerodia clarkii), Texas diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin littoralis), coastal gay feather (Liatris bracteata), Houston daisy (Rayjacksonia aurea), Texas meadow-rue (Thalictrum texanum), Texas windmill-grass (Chloris texensis), and threeflower broomweed (Thurovia triflora).

A review of the TPWD Texas Biological and Conservation Data System (TXBCD) was conducted in February 2004 and January 2006 to report documented occurrences of any designated endangered, threatened, or otherwise rare species within the proposed project area. Considering the small proportion of private versus public land in Texas, however, the TXBCD does not constitute a representative inventory of the state’s protected species. According to the TXBCD, no documented occurrences of federal or state listed species, critical habitat, or rare vegetation series exist within the area.

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Table 3-20. Threatened and Endangered Species

Federal State Habitat Species Species Status Status Description of Suitable Habitat Present Impact Amphibians Houston Toad Sandy substrate, water in pools, LE E No No Bufo houstonensis ephemeral pools, stock tanks Birds Arctic Peregrine Falcon Tundra regions; winter inhabitant of Falco peregrinus DL T coastlines and mountains; open No No tundrius areas, usually near water Attwater’s Greater Open prairies of mostly thick grass Prairie-chicken 1–3 feet tall; from near sea level to LE E No No Tympanuchus cupido 200 feet along coastal plain on attwateri upper two-thirds of Texas coast Bald Eagle Found primarily near seacoasts, Haliaeetus LT-PDL T No No rivers, and large lakes leucocephalus Mud banks, spoil islands, and Brown Pelican LE E offshore islands covered with woody No No Pelecanus occidentalis vegetation Beaches, sandflats, algal mats, Piping Plover LT T washover passes, and bayside mud No No Charadrius melodus or salt flats Reddish Egret Brackish marshes, shallow salt — T No No Egretta rufescens ponds and tidal flats Lowland forested regions, swampy Swallow-tailed Kite — T areas, rivers and lakes, ranging into No No Elanoides forficatus open woodland White-faced Ibis Freshwater marshes, sloughs, and — T No No Plegadis chihi irrigated rice fields White-tailed Hawk Near coast on prairies, cordgrass — T No No Buteo albicaudatus flats, and scrub-live oak Whooping Crane Estuaries, prairie marshes, LE E No No Grus americana grasslands, croplands pastures Prairie ponds, flooded pastures or Wood Stork — T fields, ditches, and other shallow No No Mycteria americana standing water Fishes Small rivers and creeks of various Creek Chubsucker — T types; prefers headwaters, but No No Erimyzon oblongus seldom occurs in springs

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Table 3-20. Threatened and Endangered Species (continued)

Federal State Habitat Species Species Status Status Description of Suitable Habitat Present Impact Mammals Eastern Texas - Bottomland Black Bear T/SA; T hardwoods and large tracts of No No Ursus americanus NL undeveloped forested areas Louisiana Black Bear Bottomland hardwoods and large Ursus americanus LT T No No tracts of inaccessible forested areas luteolus Rafinesque’s Big-eared Roosts in cavity trees of bottomland Bat ⎯ T hardwoods, concrete culverts, and No No Corynorhinus rafinesquii abandoned man-made structures Reptiles Deep water of rivers, canals, lakes, Alligator Snapping Turtle — T and oxbows; also swamps, bayous, No No Macrochelys temminckii and ponds near deep running water Atlantic Hawksbill Sea Turtle LE E Gulf and bay system No No Eretmochelys imbricata Green Sea Turtle LT T Gulf and bay system No No Chelonia mydas Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle LE E Gulf and bay system No No Lepidochelys kempii Leatherback Sea Turtle LE E Gulf and bay system No No Dermochelys coriacea Loggerhead Sea Turtle LT T Gulf and bay system No No Caretta caretta Mesic coastal shortgrass prairie Smooth Green Snake — T vegetation; prefers dense No No Liochlorophis vernalis vegetation Open, arid and semi-arid regions Texas Horned Lizard — T with sparse vegetation; sandy to No No Phrynosoma cornutum rocky soil Timber/Canebrake Swamps, floodplains, upland pine Rattlesnake — T and deciduous woodlands, riparian No No Crotalus horridus zones Vascular Plants Texas prairie dawn Poorly drained depressions in open LE E No No Hymenoxys texana grasslands LE, LT - Federally Listed Endangered/Threatened E, T - State Endangered/Threatened DL, PDL - Federally Delisted/Proposed Delisted T/SA - Federally Threatened by Similarity of NL - Not Federally Listed Appearance Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Annotated County List of Rare Species, Harris County, June 2005, and visual survey of study area, Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004 and Berg♦Oliver Associates, Inc., 2006.

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3.8 Water Resources

Water resources include surface waters, ground water, floodplains, and wetlands. This section describes the water resources within the study area that could be potentially affected by the alternatives.

3.8.1 Surface Waters

Surface water includes all waters on the surface of the earth found in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, marshes, wetlands, as ice and snow, and transitional coastal and marine waters. Brays Bayou, Buffalo Bayou, and Sims Bayou are partially located within the study area.

The Texas Surface Water Quality Standards, established by the TCEQ, are standards that protect the way surface water is used in Texas and include defined measurements to assure that water quality is maintained for that particular use. Using these standards, TCEQ, along with other federal, state, and local entities, periodically measure water quality to determine which water bodies are meeting the established standards for use. The results of this monitoring program are published in the Texas Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report (TCEQ). This report compares the water quality conditions to the established standards as required by the federal Clean Water Act, Sections 303(d) and 305(b).

For surface waters not meeting the established water quality standards, a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for each pollutant must be identified. A TMDL is a qualitative plan that determines the maximum amount of any pollutant surface waters can receive and still meet the established water quality standards. The TCEQ maintains a list of these waters statewide known as the 303(d) Impaired Waters List. Within the proposed study area, there are no stream segments listed on the approved Texas 2000 Clean Water Act Section 303 (d) List.

3.8.2 Groundwater

Groundwater is the water beneath the ground surface that can be collected with wells, tunnels, or drainage galleries, or that flows naturally to the earth's surface via seeps or springs. Groundwater is held in the soil and in pervious rocks. The major aquifer covering the city of Houston is the Gulf Coast aquifer. The entire study area is within the Gulf Coast aquifer. An estimated 33 percent of Houston’s drinking water is acquired through 197 wells at 97 ground water treatment plants that draw from Evangeline and Chicot aquifers (Texas Water Development Board, 1990).

The nearest aquifer well to the study area is Evangeline Formation Gulf Coast aquifer well (Well No. 65-14-409). This well is situated approximately 12 miles to the northwest of the study area. This well has an elevation of 66 feet above the sea level. The late March water-level measurement in this Evangeline formation was 217.5 feet below land surface (Texas Water Development Board, 2004).

Ground water quality in coastal aquifers can provide considerable insights into their origin and help determine aquifer flow characteristics. For example, stable bodies of old saline waters may indicate virtually no ground water flow whereas recent saline

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ground water intrusion may point to a hydraulic connection. The Evangeline aquifer has pockets of salt within fresh water. The pumping of the Gulf Coast Aquifer has caused subsidence, and has allowed salt water encroachment from the bays. The Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District regulates the amount of groundwater removed from the Gulf Coast in the Houston/Galveston area and is developing a conversion plan to convert area usage from groundwater to surface water by 2010.

3.8.3 Floodplains and Drainage

Floodplains are lands bordering rivers and streams that are dry, but are covered by water during floods. These plains are essential parts of rivers and streams as they hold water during the times of flood or high water, and release it gradually as water level returns to normal. They absorb water pollutants and release nutrients to the river.

Harris County suffered through 16 major floods from 1836 to 1936, some of which crested up to 40 feet, turning downtown Houston streets into raging rivers. A major flood still occurs somewhere in Harris County about every two years. Most of the flooding is in the areas developed prior to the current understanding of flood potential and prior to regulations restricting construction in flood prone areas.

The study area includes floodplains of the Brays Bayou, Buffalo Bayou, and Sims Bayou watersheds. Comprehensive planning for flood protection in the watersheds and construction of flood damage reduction projects on and along Brays Bayou has occurred in the past and continues today. Severe flooding in the watershed has occurred on average at least once every decade. One percent of the area is currently mapped as (100-year) floodplain.

Figure 3-16 identifies the boundaries of the flood hazard areas in the study area. Currently, the Harris County Flood Control District is partnering with US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on a major flood damage reduction project called “Project Brays”. It is a 15-year, $413 million project that will substantially reduce the risks associated with flooding and bring relief to tens of thousands of residents in the Brays Bayou watershed.

With natural streams and manmade systems, Harris County at present has about 2,500 miles of channels, substantially higher than the 800 miles of natural channels that originally existed in the county. Only about 6 percent of the channels in the county are concrete lined, while most of them are grass lined. Brays Bayou watershed has a drainage area of 127 square miles that approximately covers 121 miles of open streams.

3.8.4 Wetlands and Riverine Systems (Waters of the US)

Waters of the US are defined as those waters that are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and all interstate waters. This includes territorial seas, tidal waters, and non-tidal waters. This definition also includes all

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Figure 3-16. Floodplains

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004.

other waters such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent and ephemeral streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, and natural ponds (33 CFR 328.3).

Wetlands are those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas (40 CFR 230.3). Wetlands help regulate water levels within watersheds; improve water quality; reduce flood and storm damages; provide important fish and wildlife habitat; and support hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities.

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, as amended, regulates the discharge of dredge and fill material into waters of the US, including wetlands. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has jurisdiction over wetlands if they are a water of the US or are adjacent to waters of the US. Wetlands or waterbodies are considered adjacent if they are bordering, contiguous, or neighboring waters of the US. Wetlands separated from waters of the US by dykes, man-made barriers, or natural river berms are also considered adjacent. The USACE jurisdiction does not include

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isolated wetlands or non-tidal waters of the US, which are defined as those that are not part of a surface tributary in interstate trade/navigable waters, or are not adjacent to such tributary waterbodies (33 CFR 330.2). The USACE has the authority to make the determination regarding if a waterbody or wetland is adjacent or isolated.

Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, as amended, directs that any applicant for a Federal license or permit to conduct any activity which may result in discharge into a jurisdictional water must obtain certification from the State that such discharge will comply with state water quality standards. In Texas, the TCEQ enforces state water quality standards, and conducts 401 certification reviews of Section 404 permit applications.

Executive Order 11990 requires federal agencies to avoid and minimize, to the extent possible, the long and short-term adverse impacts associated with destruction or modification of wetlands, as well as direct or indirect support of new construction located in wetlands, wherever there is a practical alternative.

Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 regulates the placement of structures, dredge and fill material in navigable waterways of the US. No navigable waterways occur within the proposed study area; therefore, this project is not subject to Section 10 authority.

USFWS NWI maps identify wetland areas near Brays Bayou and other stream channels that are located in the study area. NWI maps indicate that there are three forested wetlands, one shrub wetland, and one palustrine marsh in the study area.

3.9 Historic Resources

This section describes the historic and archaeological resources within the project’s Area of Potential Effects (APE), and provides the basis for the analysis of potential impacts described in Chapter 5, Environmental Consequences. Historic resources may include districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects.

3.9.1 Legal and Regulatory Requirements

3.9.1.1 Federal Requirements

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), as amended (16 United States Code (USC) Section 470(f)), applies to all projects that have federal involvement (e.g., funding, permits) and generally to properties that are listed in or determined eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. The NHPA requires federal agencies to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties, including archaeological sites, and to consult with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and other parties to develop and evaluate alternatives or modifications to the undertaking that could avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects to historic properties. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is afforded a reasonable opportunity to comment on such undertakings. The requirements of Section 106 are implemented under Title 36, Section 800 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR 800), “Protection of Historic Properties.”

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Compliance with the NEPA of 1969, (42 USC §4321) Section 101(b) is being undertaken concurrently with the Section 106 process.

An NRHP register eligible site meets one or more of the following criterion:

(A) it is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or

(B) it is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or

(C) it embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master or that possess high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or

(D) it has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Archaeological sites are also protected under the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 USC 469a), often referred to as the Moss-Bennett Act; the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979; and Executive Order 11593.

Section 4(f) of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Act of 1966, as amended (49 USC 303), prohibits the use of land from publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife or waterfowl refuges, or historic sites unless a determination is made that: (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to using such land; and (2) the program or project includes all possible planning to minimize harm to the land resulting from its use. The word “use” means the taking or acquisition of land or property for construction of a permanent transportation facility. The recently enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), however, has provisions for processing and approving projects that have only “de minimus” impacts. De minimus impacts are defined as those that do not adversely affect the activities, features, and attributes of the Section 4(f) resource. When the proximity impacts of a transportation project on Section 4(f) property, even without the acquisition of the property, are so great that the purposes of the property are substantially impaired, Section 4(f) may also apply. Section 4(f) applies only to USDOT funded, permitted, or otherwise “federal” projects.

3.9.1.2 State and Local Requirements

Cultural resources located on land owned or controlled by the State of Texas, or one of its cities or counties, or other political subdivisions, are protected by the Texas Antiquities Code (TAC), Amended September 1, 1997). Under the TAC, any historic or prehistoric property located on state land may be determined eligible as a State Archeological Landmark (SAL). Formal landmark designation conditions are addressed in Chapter 26 of the Texas Historical Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Historical Commission). All groundbreaking activities affecting public land must be authorized by the Texas Historical Commission’s Department of Antiquities Protection (DAP). Authorization includes a formal Antiquities

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Permit, which stipulates the conditions under which survey, discovery, excavation, demolition, restoration, or scientific investigations will occur.

3.9.2 Area of Potential Effect

Pursuant to 36 CFR 800, the Texas Historical Commission (THC), which serves as the Texas SHPO, was consulted to establish an APE for the project. On March 8, 2004, a meeting was held with the SHPO representative and City of Houston Historic Preservation Officer (CHPO) to discuss the project APE for the purposes of Section 106. Additionally, a driving tour was undertaken to familiarize the SHPO and CHPO with the resources located along the project alignment.

Following the meeting, the SHPO concurred with the determination of the APE.18 For the at-grade portions of the alignment, the APE would include one parcel width along either side of the proposed alignment. At station locations, the APE would include the station location plus one block immediately surrounding the station location. For elevated portions of the alignment, the APE would expand out to include properties located 200 feet from the centerline of the elevated segment.

In addition to the APE, a study area was established to assist in determining the existence of potential historic districts that would include properties within the defined APE. The study area examination, which included reviewing available documentation, conducting a “windshield” inspection of adjacent neighborhoods, developing a probable statement of historical significance and a period of historical significance, and taking representative streetscape photographs, was intended to provide information to assist in the determination of whether properties in the APE lie within a potentially NRHP eligible historic district and are considered to contribute to such potentially eligible historic district.

3.9.3 Historic Architectural Resources

Background research at The University of Texas at Austin and Houston Public Library, (Julia Ideson Building, Texas Room and Archives); a review of the THC and City of Houston records; and a reconnaissance field survey were conducted to identify NRHP-listed, previously determined NRHP-eligible, or NRHP-eligible historic resources located within the APE. Through these efforts, numerous resources in the APE were identified to be listed in or potentially eligible for the NRHP. No resources were identified as having been previously determined NRHP-eligible. The findings of the field survey conducted in the APE for this project are documented in the Cultural Resources Survey Report (Janus Research 2004, as amended in 2006). This report contains the NRHP eligibility recommendations and has been reviewed and concurred with by the THC pursuant to Section 106. A coordination meeting with the THC was held on February 14, 2006 to review the findings. Subsequent to the meeting and review of the report, a letter was received from the THC indicating concurrence with the eligibility determinations. A copy of the letter is contained in Appendix D.

18 E-mail from Bob Brinkman, SHPO, to Rhonda Boyer, METRO, March 26, 2004.

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Table 3-21 lists the NRHP-listed and eligible resources located in the project APE for the Build Alternative. The resources are identified by location in Figure 3-17 and described in the following sections.

Table 3-21. NRHP-Listed and Eligible Resources in Project APE a

NRHP- Resource Street Location Status Project APE Gulf Building Main St. Listed BRT Alternatives S.H. Kress Building Main St. Listed Build Alternatives Annunciation Catholic Church Texas Listed Build Alternatives Texas Company Building San Jacinto Listed BRT Alternatives US Post Office Building/Customhouse San Jacinto Listed Build Alternatives Arthur B. Cohen House Avenida De Las Listed BRT Alternatives Americas Niels Esperson Building Travis Eligible BRT Alternatives Gulf Building Annex Building Travis Eligible BRT Alternatives Incarnate Word Academy (in Capitol Eligible Build Alternatives Annunciation Church complex) Annunciation Catholic Church Rectory Texas Eligible Build Alternatives (in Annunciation Church complex) Texas State Hotel Fannin Eligible BRT Alternatives

William Lee Foley House Avenida De Las Eligible BRT Alternatives Americas Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company Capitol Eligible Build Alternatives Dahl Gren Building Polk Eligible Build Alternatives 3807 South MacGregor Wy. MacGregor Way Eligible Build Alternatives with the base alignment Robertson Stadium, UH Calhoun Rd. Eligible Build Alternatives UH Residential Hall Quadrangle Wheeler St. Eligible Build Alternatives with Wheeler-MLK Historic District: Bates, Law, Settegast, alignment option Oberholtzer and Taub residence halls MLK Place Shopping Center Martin Luther King Eligible Build Alternatives with Wheeler-MLK Blvd. alignment option Third Ward North Historic District Along and West of Eligible Build Alternatives Scott St., north of IH-45 Third Ward East Historic District Along and E. of Scott Eligible Build Alternatives St., south of IH-45 Third Ward West Historic District Along and W. of Scott Eligible Build Alternatives St., south of IH-45 Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Janus Research, 2004 and 2006. a For Historic Archeological Resources the Convertible BRT variation has the same impacts as LRT.

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Figure 3-17. Historic Resources within Area of Potential Effect

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and Janus Research, 2004 and 2006.

3.9.3.1 NRHP-Listed Individual Historic Resources Six individual historic resources that are currently listed in the NRHP were identified within or immediately adjacent to the APE. A brief description of these resources is provided below.

• Gulf Building – Known today as the Chase Bank Building, this high-rise is located at 712 Main Street in downtown Houston, in the APE for the Rusk BRT alignment. Designed by Alfred C. Finn, Kenneth Franzheim, and J.E.R. Carpenter, this building was completed in 1929. Constructed by Jesse H. Jones, a real estate magnate, banker, and publisher, this Gothic Revival inspired skyscraper was the tallest building in Houston until 1963. In addition to its Gothic ornamented crown, this building also features several noteworthy interior elements, including murals of Texas historical scenes and marble floors. This building was listed in the NRHP under Criterion A in the area of Economics and Criterion C in the area of Architecture. • S.H. Kress Building – Known today as the St. Germain Lofts, the Kress Building is located at 705 Main Street in downtown Houston, in the APE for the LRT and BRT alignment on Capitol. The architect for this building was Seymour Burrell, Southeast Corridor July 2006 3-85

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and it was completed in 1913. It is faced in terra cotta and features polychromatic classical details. This is purportedly the only terra-cotta sheathed building in Houston. This building was rehabilitated in 1999 and is now used as loft apartments. This building was listed in the NRHP under Criterion A in the area of Commerce. • Annunciation Catholic Church – This church building is located at 1618 Texas in the APE for the LRT and BRT alignment along South Capitol. This church was constructed in 1869, and was remodeled and expanded in 1884 by Nicholas Clayton, the state’s first professional architect. The Romanesque style church serves one of the oldest active Catholic parishes in Texas. Two related, NRHP- eligible historic resources also located within the APE, the Annunciation Catholic Church Rectory and Incarnate Word Academy, are located directly adjacent to the church building and should be considered eligible as part of this complex— the Incarnate Word Academy and the Annunciation Catholic Church Rectory, both discussed in Section 3.9.3.2. This building was listed in the NRHP under Criterion A in the areas of Religion, Education, and Social History, and Criterion C for Architecture. • Texas Company Building – Located at 720 San Jacinto, this building, also known as the Texaco Building, is located along the Rusk BRT alignment. Architects Warren and Whitmore designed this 13-story skyscraper, which was completed in 1915 in the Neoclassical style. Built for Texaco, the first major oil company in Houston, decorative details include the star logo identified with Texaco. This building was listed in the NRHP under Criterion A in the area of Commerce and Criterion C in the area of Architecture. • U.S. Post Office Building/Customhouse – This building is located at 701 San Jacinto and is located in the APE for the LRT and BRT alignment along South Capitol. James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect for the U.S. Treasury Department, headed the office that designed numerous federal buildings throughout the country; this office also created the Second Renaissance Revival design for this building, which was completed in 1911. This monumental building features prominent pediments, horizontal quoins, and Ionic engaged columns. This building was listed in the NRHP under Criterion C in the area of Architecture. • Arthur B. Cohen House – This building is presently located on the Avenida De Las Americas between Capitol and Rusk, and was moved from its original location at 1711 Rusk. It is located in the APE for the Rusk BRT alignment. The house is now incorporated into Houston’s Regional Heritage Center. This late Queen Anne style house was constructed in 1905. The first owner, Arthur Benjamin Cohen, was the general agent for the William Marsh Rice Institute. Although it has been moved, this house still appears eligible to remain included in the NRHP, as it is one of the last remaining buildings from the Quality Hill neighborhood and it maintains important historical associations. This building was listed in the NRHP under Criterion B in the area of Education related to its associations with Cohen, and Criterion C in the area of Architecture.

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3.9.3.2 NRHP- Eligible Individual Resources

The SHPO has concurred with the 2004 and 2006 study findings for 12 individual resources that were identified as eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. A brief description of these resources is provided below.

• Gulf Building Annex – Located at 717 Travis, this building is immediately adjacent to the NRHP-listed Gulf Building and is located in the APE for the Rusk BRT alignment. Constructed by 1949, this building architecturally complements the design of the original Gulf Building. Because of its relationship with the Gulf Building and architectural significance and THC concurrence, the Gulf Building Annex is considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. • Niels Esperson Building – Located at 808 Travis Street in downtown Houston, this building is located in the APE for the Rusk BRT alignment. John Eberson designed this building for Mellie Keenan Esperson, as a memorial to her husband, Niels. Niels was a Danish speculator in real estate and minerals. Completed in 1927, this building features Italian Renaissance elements and details, such as Corinthian columns, bas-relief bucrania, rusticated limestone walls, urns, and obelisks. Based on the application of the Italian Renaissance style to a commercial building type and associations with locally important persons and THC concurrence, the Niels is considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. • Incarnate Word Academy – Located at 1611 Capitol, this building is directly adjacent to the Annunciation Catholic Church in the APE for the LRT and BRT alignment on Capitol. Designed by Nicholas Clayton and constructed in 1905, this building houses Houston’s oldest educational institution. The red brick building features Romanesque detailing. Based on its architectural and historical significance and THC concurrence, it is considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP as part of the Annunciation Catholic Church complex. • Annunciation Catholic Church Rectory – This building shares the same address as the Annunciation Catholic Church and serves as the rectory to the church. It is also in the APE for the LRT and BRT alignment on Capitol. This two-story brick building features a prominent entry and lintels over the windows. Based on its associations with the church and intact architecture and THC concurrence, it is considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP as part of the Annunciation Catholic Church complex. • Texas State Hotel – Located at 720 Fannin in downtown Houston, this building falls in the Rusk Street BRT APE. Joseph Finger designed this building that was completed in 1929. This multi-story hotel was constructed during the boom years in Houston, and exhibits an ornate lower level with Spanish Plateresque detailing and upper floors of red brick. Based on its architectural significance and THC concurrence, this building is considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. • William Lee Foley House – This building is presently located on the west side of Avenida De Las Americas, between Rusk and Capitol, and was moved from its original location at 704 Chenevert. It is located within the APE for the Rusk BRT alignment. The house is now incorporated into Houston’s Regional Heritage Center and is directly adjacent to the NRHP-listed Arthur B. Cohen House. This two and one-half story house exhibits the Classical Revival style and apparently

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dates from around 1905. Although this house has been relocated, THC has concurred that it is eligible for inclusion in the NRHP, as it is one of the last remaining buildings from the Quality Hill neighborhood. • Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company – This building is located at 2600 Capitol and within the APE for the LRT and BRT alignment on Capitol, outside of the downtown core. This building was constructed circa 1928 and exhibits Art Deco detailing. Because of its architectural significance and rarity as a remaining industrial building in this area of Houston, as well as associations with a historic manufacturing establishment and THC concurrence, this structure is considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. • Dahl Gren Building – This building is located at 3518 Polk Street and within the APE for the build alternatives along Scott Street, outside of the downtown core. This building appears to date from the 1930s and exhibits Art Deco detailing, such as vertical fluted elements. A compatible historic addition is attached to the building. Due to its architectural significance and possible associations with ethnic history and SHPO concurrence, this building is considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. • 3807 South MacGregor Way – This residence is located at 3807 South MacGregor Way and within the APE for the build alternatives with the base alignment option. Constructed in 1953 from a design by Flatow, Moore, Bryan, and Fairburn, this modern building exhibits the architectural influences of the period. Built for architect Max Flatow’s brother’s family, the building features a flat roof and multiple exterior materials. This residence is architect-designed and is significant as a representative of modern architecture. The SHPO has concurred that the building is eligible for inclusion in the NRHP because of its architectural significance. • Robertson Stadium, The University of Houston – The east side of Scott Street, between Wheeler and Holman Streets, is the location of the UH football stadium. The facility is within the APE for the build alternatives with the base alignment option and the build alternatives with the Wheeler-MLK alignment option. The stadium was originally constructed in 1941 for the Houston Independent School District (HISD) as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration program. The structure was originally known as the Houston Public School Stadium, and all local high schools played at this location. In 1958, it was renamed Jeppesen Stadium, after a former school board member. Throughout its history, high schools, UH, and the Houston Oilers (former National Football League team) played football games at this stadium. The University purchased the stadium in 1971 for $6.9 million. The stadium continues to display its original Art Deco-influenced façade, but it has been enlarged several times in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s. The UH general campus plan, Cullen Memorial Building, and Science Building were identified as “significant” during the Houston Architectural Survey in 1980. However, these resources are located outside of the current APE. Robertson Stadium could be considered a contributing resource of a potential UH Historic District or, as individually eligible in a NRHP Multiple Property Submission of the UH. THC has concurred that it is individually NRHP eligible for its historic and architectural significance.

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• MLK Place Shopping Center – This shopping center is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Old Spanish Trail and Martin Luther King Boulevard, within the APE for the build alternatives with the Wheeler-MLK alignment option. It is an intact example of a Moderne-influenced commercial building, with its curved front and its rounded and concave cornice. Historic research indicates that it was built between 1951 and 1955. THC has concurred that this commercial building is a good example of a shopping center from that era and is NRHP eligible for its architectural significance.

3.9.3.3 NRHP-Eligible Historic Districts

No historic districts that are currently listed in the NRHP were identified within or immediately adjacent to the APE. Additionally, no previously determined NRHP- eligible historic districts were identified. Four eligible districts have been identified within the APE in the 2004 and 2006 historic property surveys. The THC has concurred that these districts are NRHP eligible.

Three NRHP-eligible historic districts were identified during the 2004 reconnaissance survey – Third Ward North, Third Ward East, and Third Ward West. These districts are located within the greater Third Ward of Houston, which is one of the city’s oldest areas. The Third Ward was historically and is currently home to a large African- American community, and many of the city’s black leaders emerged from this neighborhood. The three potential historic districts are eligible for the NRHP based on the architectural significance of the concentrations of intact historic buildings from the early twentieth century and historical associations with the area’s growth and development and the local African-American community. The three districts are within the APE of the Build Alternative along Scott Street. A brief description of the eligible historic districts is provided below.

• Third Ward North – Third Ward North is a small NRHP eligible district. The approximate NRHP eligible boundaries are Scott Street to the east, Coyle Street to the south, Pease Street to the north, and Sampson and Roberts Streets to the west. The district contains intact rows of modest frame, vernacular and Bungalow-type residences dating from the 1900s through the 1930s. The majority of the contributing resources found within this historic district are located outside the project APE. Approximately ten contributing resources within the APE are sited on Scott Street. • Third Ward East – Third Ward East is a neighborhood of single-family residences and duplexes that is eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. The neighborhood consists primarily of simple frame, vernacular and Bungalow-type houses dating from the 1900s and 1930s. Rows of identical frame houses are present in this area. This potential historic district’s approximate boundaries are Scott Street to the west, Beulah Street to the south, Hadley Avenue and Gulf Freeway to the north, and Callie and Leek Streets to the east. The majority of the contributing resources found within this historic district are located outside the project APE. No contributing resources within the APE front on Scott Street, but the sides of a small number of contributing buildings face the street. It appears that the row of buildings that historically fronted on Scott Street was removed at an unknown date to accommodate the widening of Scott Street.

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• Third Ward West – Third Ward West is the largest and most cohesive neighborhood in the overall Third Ward area and is eligible for inclusion in the NRHP as a district. This area consists of numerous frame, vernacular, Bungalow, and Shotgun-type residences. Many of these houses are identical and are in rows that extend for blocks. Commercial buildings and churches of historic age (i.e., over 50 years old) are also found throughout the historic district. The historic buildings in this area date from the first half of the twentieth century. The approximate district boundaries are Adair and Scott Streets to the east, Alabama and Winbern Streets to the south, Webster Avenue and Gray Street to the north, and Emanuel and Hutchins Streets to the west. The majority of the contributing resources found within this district are located outside the project APE. Contributing resources within the APE are sited on Scott Street.

The 2006 survey of the Wheeler Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard alignment option to the Build Alternative revealed an additional district that is eligible for the NRHP: the University of Houston Residential Hall Quadrangle, described below.

• University of Houston Residential Hall Quadrangle Historic District – The rear and sides of three of the five buildings in this student housing complex face Wheeler Street. Founded as a college in 1927 and evolving into the University of Houston, the campus experienced a doubling in the student population between 1945 and 1946, due to the increasing number of veterans pursuing education as a result of the GI bill. This cohesive and intact group of residential halls was built in the late 1940s of the same rusticated block limestone foundations and dressed, fossiliferous limestone (known commonly as “shell stone”) blocks above. Project architect Lamar Cato is known for his 1938 Brazoria County courthouse renovations. These architecturally attractive and cohesive buildings are architecturally significant and represent the Post World War II University of Houston expansion period. The THC has concurred that this district is NRHP eligible for its architectural and historical significance.

3.9.4 Archaeological Resources

Identification of extant archaeological sites and site potential within or adjacent to the APE was accomplished by reviewing the US Geological Survey topographic maps, The University of Texas at Austin Library, archaeological site files housed at the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory (TARL) in Austin, THC’s Texas Archaeological Sites Atlas, TxDOT’s Houston District’s Potential Archaeological Liabilities Map (PALM), and United States Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service soil surveys. Agencies and entities contacted for additional information include the THC, TARL, and TxDOT.

The records search and literature review provided considerable information as to the study area’s potential for containing archaeological sites that may be eligible for inclusion in the NRHP or sites that warrant designation as State Archaeological Landmarks. No archaeological sites are recorded within or adjacent to the project corridor. Based on the background research and the TxDOT Houston-PALM, the project APE has a low probability for unrecorded archaeological sites.

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It should be noted that archaeological site location information is confidential under state (§191.004 Texas Natural Resources Code (Vernon's Texas Statutes and Codes Annotated (VTCA) 1995)) and federal (Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, 16 USC §470aa et. seq.) laws, and therefore may not be presented in a public document. This information is restricted to persons who meet the Secretary of Interior's Professional Qualifications Standards (36 CFR Part 61) in Archaeology or meet the definition of a professional archeologist as defined in the Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas, Chapter 26.5. This information is not subject to public disclosure pursuant to the Texas Open Records Act (§552 Texas Government Code (VTCA 1995)), or the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 [16 USC §470aa et. seq.].

3.10 Parklands

This section describes the public parks and other recreational facilities in the study area and regulatory requirements regarding parks. The study area contains City of Houston parks and other cultural and recreational facilities, two county parks and other recreational facilities. No state, national, or River Authority Parks are located within the study area. The City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s park system map and website, the Harris County Parks and Recreation Department’s system map and website, and other local maps were consulted in the task to identify parks and other recreational facilities in the study area. This effort was assisted by coordination with the city and county, UH, TSU, and Houston Community College. Table 3-22 identifies the parks and recreational facilities within the study area by name, location, size, and ownership. The locations of the parks and recreational facilities are shown in Figure 3-18.

3.10.1 Legal and Regulatory Requirements

As discussed in Section 3.9.1, Section 4(f) of the USDOT Act of 1966 prohibits the use of land from publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife or waterfowl refuges, or historic sites for any federally funded transportation program, unless a determination is made that: (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to using such land; and (2) the program or project includes all possible planning to minimize harm to the land resulting from its use. The proposed project also will require compliance with Chapter 26 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, which is comparable to Section 4(f).

Section 6(f)(3) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (L&WCF) Act (Public Law 88-578) requires that recreation land acquired or developed with L&WCF funds remain in use exclusively for public outdoor recreation. The recreational land may not be converted to other uses without the approval of the National Park Service. Figure 3-18 identifies the parklands within the study area that have been purchased or improved with Land and Water Conservation Funds.

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Table 3-22. Parks and Recreational Facilities

L&WCF Park Size Funds Used Name Owner Classification (acres) Location (Yes or No) Type Use/Facilities Sunnyside Park City of Houston Regional Park 206.01 3501 Bellfort Yes Recreation center, swimming pool, tennis courts, multi-use pavilion, softball field, combination field, playground MacGregor Park HPR Regional Park 113.6 5225 Calhoun No Recreation center, swimming pool, tennis courts, multi-use pavilion, baseball field, practice backstop, picnic area, playground, hike and bike trails, concessions Hermann Park HPR Metropolitan 402.5 6001 Fannin Yes Golf course, regional Park recreation center, practice backstop, picnic area, playground, trails, hike and bike trails, exercise equipment, concessions, decorative fountains, monuments/sculptures MacGregor HPR Linear Park 100 2200 No Hike and bike trails Parkway Park MacGregor Brookline Park HPR Community 10.5 3300 Real No Basketball court, multi-use Park pavilion, picnic area, playground Edgewood Park HPR Community 10.97 5803 Bellfort No Recreation center, game Park court, softball field, practice backstop, picnic area, playground Emancipation HPR Community 10.0 1700 Dowling No Recreation center, Park Park swimming pool, basketball court, tennis courts, combination field, picnic area, playground, exercise equipment Reveille Park HPR Community 18.3 7700 Oak No Swimming pool, basketball Park Vista court, softball field, picnic areas, playground, hike and bike trails Andover Park HPR Neighborhood 4.57 6301 Nunn No Practice backstop, Park playground Bricker Park HPR Neighborhood 2.17 4548 Bricker No Multi-use pavilion, softball Park field, picnic area, playground, trails, monuments/sculptures Fonde Park HPR Neighborhood 12.7 5500 No Softball field, practice Park Carrolton/ backstop, playground 2500 Hansford

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Table 3-22. Parks and Recreational Facilities (continued)

L&WCF Park Size Funds Used Name Owner Classification (acres) Location (Yes or No) Type Use/Facilities Gragg Park HPR Neighborhood 47.95 2999 S. No Practice backstop, picnic Park Wayside area, monuments/ sculptures Madison Park HPR Neighborhood 1.23 7401 No Basketball court, picnic Park Tierwester area, playground Nelson (George HPR Neighborhood 6.03 3820 No Swimming pool, multi-use T.) Park Park Yellowstone pavilion, softball field, playground Parkwood Park HPR Neighborhood 2.0 3400 N. No Open space Park Parkwood Dr Riverside Park HPR Neighborhood 4.14 2600 S. No Basketball court, picnic Park Calumet/ N. area, playground, trails Calumet Southcrest Park HPR Neighborhood 16.24 5842 No Basketball court, softball Park Southmund field, practice backstop, playground Stewart Park HPR Neighborhood 4.71 6700 Reed No Practice backstop, picnic Park Rd area, playground, trails MacGregor Way HPR Pocket Park 1.07 5801 Almeda/ No Open space Park MacGregor Wy Hartman Park HPR Neighborhood 6.2 9311 Avenue Yes Recreation center, tennis Park P courts, baseball field, picnic area, playground, hike and bike trails Peggy Park HPR Neighborhood 9.22 4101 Almeda No Basketball court, tennis Park Road courts, multi-use pavilion, baseball field, combination field, practice backstop, picnic area, playground St. Lo Park HPR Pocket Park 1.2 7335 St. Lo No Basketball court, practice Road backstop, picnic area, playground, trails Allen’s Landing HPR Special Use 1.76 1001 No Open space Park Commerce Antioch Park HPR Special Use 0.65 1400 No Open space Park Smith/Clay Hermann Square HPR Special Use 1.43 900 Smith No Decorative fountain Park Market Square HPR Special Use 1.43 301 Milam No Monuments/sculptures Park Park Peggy’s Point HPR Special Use 0.44 4240 Main No Decorative fountain, Plaza Park Park monuments/sculptures

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Table 3-22. Parks and Recreational Facilities (continued)

L&WCF Park Size Funds Used Name Owner Classification (acres) Location (Yes or No) Type Use/Facilities Root Memorial Pk HPR Special Use 1.43 2400 Clay No Open space Park Sam Houston HPR Special Use 19.7 1000 Bagby No Decorative fountains, Park Park monuments/ sculptures Sesquicen-tennial HPR Special Use 4.0 400 Texas No Decorative fountain, Park Park Ave promenade, open space, event venue Tranquility Park HPR Special Use 4.3 400 Rusk No Concessions, decorative Park fountain, monuments/ sculptures Beekman Road HPR Neighborhood Beekman Unknown Play equipment, walking property at Palm Park Road trail, picnic area Center (Proposed) (Proposed) Our Park HPR Pocket Park 0.6 2604 Unknown Alabama Street Cullinan, JS & LH HPR Community 44.0 6700 Long Unknown Park Drive James Bute Park Harris County County Park 5.0 512 McKee No Picnic area, trails Quebedeaux Park Harris County County Park 2.0 Family Law No Center-1111 Congress Brays Bayou Trail Harris County Hike/Bike Trail N/A South Yes Hike and bike trails MacGregor Wy Source: City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Harris County Parks and Recreation Department, 2001, 2003, 2006.

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Figure 3-18. Parks and Recreational Facilities

Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2006.

3.10.2 City of Houston Parklands and Recreational Facilities

3.10.2.1 Parks

City of Houston parks are classified as regional parks, metro parks, linear parks, community parks, neighborhood parks, pocket parks, and special purpose parks. The special purpose category of parks includes plazas/squares, cultural/historical parks and natural areas. Each of the different types of parks is described below.

• Regional Parks – These parks serve broad based recreational needs. Their size of between 50 and 200 acres permits large-scale development of both passive and active facilities offering a wide range of recreational activities. Regional

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parks include sizeable areas of undeveloped land with natural vegetation and/or water features. Two regional parks are in the study area: Sunnyside Park, which encompasses 206 acres, and MacGregor Park, which is 82.8 acres in size. • Metropolitan Parks – These parks have potential for a wide range of uses. They serve active and passive recreational needs and provide for cultural activities as well. A principal role of these parks is to preserve ecologically unique areas and to provide places to observe and learn about nature. The goal of these parks is to leave at least 50 percent of the park undeveloped. Metro parks are usually a minimum of 200 acres in size and typically include trails, open play fields, picnic facilities, swimming pools along a natural waterway, and active recreation facilities. Some of these facilities serve larger, organized groups. These facilities might include botanical gardens, nature centers, museums, camping areas, theatres, boating and fishing areas. One metropolitan park is in the study area: the 402.5-acre Hermann Park. • Linear Parks – These parks are greenways of open space that offer scenic beauty and allow safe, uninterrupted pedestrian or bicycle movement along natural or man-made corridors. They are generally located along bayous and streams and/or in association with major thoroughfares or boulevards. Linear parks are usually a minimum of 50 feet long, accommodate pedestrian trails or bike paths, and link various other parks, residential neighborhoods, schools, libraries, and businesses. They also serve to conserve ecologically unique areas along bayous, and provide long stretches of open space well suited for trails. One linear park is in the study area: MacGregor Parkway Park. • Community Parks – typically serve several neighborhoods with both active and passive recreational facilities. Group activities are well accommodated. These parks may include highly used recreational facilities such as programmed athletic sports fields, swimming pools, and recreation centers. Community parks also typically contain large passive open space areas or preserve unique landscapes. These parks are adjacent to or in close proximity to single-family and multi-family residential areas. The park size varies from 5 to 50 acres. The four community parks in the study area, Brookline, Edgewood, Emancipation, and Reveille, range in size from 10 to 18 acres. • Neighborhood Parks – These parks are the basic unit of the park system and serves as the recreational focus of an individual neighborhood. Surrounding uses are predominantly single family or multi-family residential. Playgrounds, trails, and useable open spaces (sports fields) are typical. Their size varies from 5 to 50 acres. Traditional recreation facilities may include playgrounds, sport courts, swimming pools, and/or picnicking facilities. Neighborhood parks are frequently located next to neighborhood schools. The twelve neighborhood parks in the study area that were identified in the 2004 data collection phase: are Andover, Bricker, Fonde, Gragg, Hartman, Madison, Nelson, Parkwood, Peggy’s, Riverside, Southcrest, and Stewart parks. These parks range in size from 1.07 acres to 47.95 acres. Based on coordination with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department in 2006, one park is planned for development on a vacant parcel on Beekman Street at Griggs Road. A conceptual plan shows the park in the southeast quadrant of this intersection.

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• Pocket Parks – These parks are the smallest park classification. Pocket parks provide a means to provide open space and meet recreational needs in densely populated urban neighborhoods. These small park areas are centrally located within a neighborhood and/or easily accessed by residents. These areas also typically provide passive uses such as picnic and sitting areas. Three pocket parks are in the study area: MacGregor Way, Our Park, and St. Lo. MacGregor Way and St. Lo Parks are just over 1 acre in size each, while Our Park is .6 acres. • Special Use Parks – Special use parks include a wide variety of special places or facilities, which focus on locally unique or major natural, historic, or cultural resources. They can be individual sites or part of larger parks. Special parks include park reserve/natural areas, plazas or squares, and cultural or historical parks. Natural areas, wildlife preserves, and other park reserves are intended for both conservation and public enjoyment/education. Site development is limited and strictly passive. Motorized vehicular and bicycle traffic is prohibited within the park. Special use parks are typically over 10 acres. Plazas or squares are usually highly developed, smaller sites located within the central city. Most plazas/squares feature intensive hardscape or softscape type development. Many of these parks have been established for commemorative purposes. Park use is passive with some sites functioning as venues for festivals and special events. Their size typically ranges from 5 to 10 acres. Cultural or historical parks are established primarily to present and preserve cultural or historical themes for public education and enjoyment. Park use is typically passive and their size is typically varies from 25 acres or less. Eight special use parks are located in the study area: Allen’s Landing, Antioch, Hermann Square, Market Square, Peggy’s Point Plaza, Root Memorial, Sam Houston, Sesquicentennial, and Tranquility parks.

3.10.3 Harris County Parks

Two Harris County parks are located within the study area. These two parks are passive use areas offering areas for picnicking. The parks are the 5-acre James Bute Park and the 2-acre Quebedeaux Park. The Harris County Flood Control District also maintains hike and bike trails along the Brays Bayou. Part of the trail along Brays Bayou is designated as the “Levi Vincent Perry, Jr. Jogging Trail.”

3.10.4 Other Recreational Areas

Other public recreational areas are found in the study area. The Herman A. Barnett Stadium is owned and maintained by the HISD. This facility accommodates middle school and high school football, track, and basketball recreational uses. It is located at 6800 Fairway, south of IH-610. The facility accommodates 8,000 people.

Other recreational areas also include those on the UH and TSU campuses. Table 3-23 identifies the recreational areas located on the two campuses.

3.10.5 Coordination

Early and close coordination will be established with all jurisdictions responsible for parks and other recreational/cultural resources to facilitate the determination of

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Table 3-23. University Athletic Areas

Name Size (Sq. Feet) Location University of Houston Football Stadium 35,933 Building No. 530 Alumni Center 19,839 Building No. 573 Athletic Facility 208,909 Building No. 574 Baseball Stadium 13,260 Building No. 582 Tennis Courts Not Available Not Available Women’s Softball Field Not Available Not Available Campus Recreation Center 253,428 Building No. 522 Swimming Pool 3,550 Building No. 541 Garrison Gymnasium 69,692 Building No. 532 Melcher Gymnasium 60,481 Building No. 533 Texas Southern University PE and Physical Education Building Not Available Building No. 164 Athletic Training Facility/Dudley Field) Not Available Building Nos. 163 and 154 Tennis Courts Not Available Building No. 155 Source: University of Houston Facilities, Planning, and Construction Dept and Texas Southern University Drafting Dept., 2004.

potential impacts and development of measures to avoid, minimize or mitigate any potential impacts. The project will be coordinated, as appropriate, with the City of Houston, Harris County (Parks and Recreation Department and Flood Control), TPWD, and the National Park Service.

3.11 Geology and Soils

The geologic setting and the soil and fault line characteristics of the study area that could be potentially affected by the project are described in this section.

3.11.1 Geologic Setting

Metropolitan Houston and the study area are located within relatively young geologic deposits. Glacioeustatic sea level changes during the Tertiary and Quaternary periods have resulted in a southeast-trending sequence of progressively younger, stacked sedimentary deposits that dip gradually toward the coast. The oldest deposits are the Miocene-aged Willis formations that lie to the northwest, followed by younger Pleistocene Lissie and Beaumont formations to the southeast. Late Quaternary Deweyville terrace deposits and recent Holocene alluvium are present along major streams valleys, which have perpendicularly crosscut these older formations. The study area is located on the Beaumont formation, which consists of clay, silt, and sand found in stream channel, point-bar, natural levee, backswamp, and coastal marsh and mud flat deposits. The surface is characterized by relict river channels and pimple mounds on meanderbelt ridges, separated by areas of low, relatively smooth, featureless backswamp.

The Beaumont formation includes three lithostratigraphic units (Barnes, 1982). The first unit is dominated by “clay and mud with low permeability, high water-holding Southeast Corridor 3-98 July 2006

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capacity, high compressibility, high to very-high shrink swell potential, poor drainage, level to depressed relief, low shear strength, and high plasticity”, which is found in interdistributary muds, abandoned channel fill muds, and overbank fluvial muds. The second unit is dominated by “clayey sand and silt of moderate permeability and drainage, low to moderate compressibility, and shrink swell potential, level relief with local mounds and ridges, and high shear strength,” found in meanderbelt, levee, crevasse splay, and distributary sands. The third unit is “fine grained sand normally without shell materials, characterized by high to very high permeability, low water- holding capacity, low compressibility, low shrink swell potential, good drainage, low ridge and depressed relief, high shear strength, and low plasticity.” These deposits are represented by barrier island and beach deposits, pimple mounds, rounded depressions, beach, foredunes, barrier-strandplain-chenier vegetated flats, and Pleistocene barrier and strandplain sands (Barnes, 1982).

3.11.2 Soil Types

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service Soil Survey of Harris County, Texas (Wheeler, 1976), the study area is made up of urban land complexes containing soils altered and/or covered by structures such as single- and multiple-unit dwellings, driveways, sidewalks, garages, and patios, streets, schools, churches, parking lots, office buildings, and shopping centers. Urban land complexes in the study area contain remnants of Lake Charles, Aris, Beaumont, Midland, Vamont, Aldine, and Bernard series soils that have been extensively altered by cutting, filling, and grading during urban development. Fill material covers the natural soils in many places.

3.11.3 Faults

The Gulf-margin normal faults (Class B structures) are present in the Houston area (USGS, 1998). These faults, which parallel the coastline, are narrow zones of sheared ground that extend several thousand feet downward below the surface. There is a cluster of faults southeast of the study area. There is one fault, approximately 250 feet in length, that crosses Bellfort Street southwest of IH-45 (USGS, 2000 and Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, 2004). This area is naturally prone to gradual subsidence in small, millimeter to sub-millimeter increments each year. This effect has been intensified in recent years, however by rapid urbanization and groundwater pumping. Extensive damage to numerous buildings and structures in the area has resulted.

3.12 Hazardous/Regulated Materials

Materials that may constitute a hazardous waste include petroleum products, pesticides, organic compounds, heavy metals, or other compounds injurious to human health and the environment. At uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites, pollutants can seep into the ground, flow into rivers and lakes, and contaminate soil and groundwater.

Hazardous waste sites may be encountered during transit projects that involve construction, such as the development of fixed guideway transit or building of an anticipated maintenance facility. The nature and extent of contamination can vary

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widely. Early detection, evaluation, and remediation of hazardous waste are essential to ensure minimization of project delays, protection of the environment, and construction worker safety.

The presence of soil and/or groundwater contamination, or the existence of hazardous substances within the right-of-way of a proposed transportation improvement project, can have an adverse impact on the project cost and schedule. Contaminated groundwater drawn into the dewatering system during construction could require special treatment and permitting prior to disposal. Contaminated soil unearthed during construction may require treatment and disposal and would not be useable to backfill excavations. Therefore, the early identification of potential contamination sites, which could adversely impact the proposed project, provides valuable information for the alternatives evaluation, design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction phases.

3.12.1 Methodology

The hazardous materials assessment consisted of a review of selected regulatory agency databases to identify sites of concern. Minimum search distances were measured from the estimated centerline of the Build Alternative. The regulatory agency database report was obtained from a commercial source (GeoSearch, Inc.). Following the review of this information, a qualified environmental professional conducted a limited site reconnaissance within the study area to confirm and expand information obtained from the regulatory agency databases. Interviews were not conducted as part of this assessment. Right of entry was not obtained for any property and some properties were not accessible by public roads or rights of way.

Table 3-24 and Table 3-25 list the approximate search distances for the previously identified federal and state databases. The search distances generally follow the guidelines listed in American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) E1527-00: Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process.

Table 3-24. Federal Records Hazardous Materials Search

Federal Records Search Distance Superfund Sites – National Priority List (NPL) Sites 1.0 mile Delisted NPL Sites 1.0 mile Records of Decision (ROD) Sites 1.0 mile Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, or 0.5 mile Liability Information System (CERCLIS) Sites No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP) Site 0.5 mile Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information System 1.0 mile (RCRIS) – Corrective Action Sites (CORRACTS) RCRIS – Transport Storage and Disposal (TSD) Sites 0.5 mile RCRIS Generator/Handler (G/H) Sites 0.25 mile Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) Sites 0.25 mile Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and GeoSearch, Inc., 2006.

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Table 3-25. State Records Hazardous Materials Search

State Records Search Distance Texas Superfund Sites (TXSF) 1.0 mile Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) Sites 0.5 mile Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (MSWL) Sites 0.5 mile Closed and Abandoned Landfill Inventory (CALF) Sites 0.5 mile Leaking Petroleum Storage Tank (LPST) Sites 0.5 mile Petroleum Storage Tank (PST) Sites 0.25 mile Spills Listing (SPILLS) Sites 0.25 mile Industrial and Hazardous Waste (IHW) Sites 0.25 mile Innocent Owner/Operator Program (IOP) Sites 0.5 mile Dry Cleaner Registration (DCR) Sites 0.25 mile Brownfield Site Assessment (BSA) Sites 0.5 mile Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and GeoSearch, Inc., 2006.

3.12.2 Results of Regulatory Database Search

Based on a review of the regulatory agency databases report, 587 sites within the corridor search area have been identified as having potential hazardous materials concerns. Table 3-26 identifies the number of sites by type within the search area.

Table 3-27 identifies the number of sites by type that are located adjacent to the build alternatives with the base alignment option and the build alternatives with the Wheeler-MLK alignment option. Descriptions of the corresponding identified facilities/sites are summarized in the following pages.

Table 3-26. Types of Hazardous Materials Sites

Type of Site Number of Sites Type of Site Number of Sites NPL 0 VCP 27 Delisted NPL 0 MWSLF 0 ROD 0 CALF 0 CERCLIS 0 LPST 131 NFRAP 6 PST 179 RCRIS CORRACTS 6 SPILLS 11 RCRIS TSD 0 IHW 119 RCRIS Generator/Handler 91 IOP 3 ERNS 8 DCR 5 TXSF 1 BSA 0 Total 587 Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and GeoSearch, 2006.

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Table 3-27. Regulatory Database Search Results by Alignment Option

Build Alternatives with the Build Alternatives with the Base Alignment Option Wheeler -MLK Alignment Option Number of Sites Number of Sites Type of Site Adjacent to the Centerline Adjacent to the Centerline NPL 0 0 Delisted NPL 0 0 ROD 0 0 CERCLIS 0 0 NFRAP 0 0 RCRIS CORRACTS 0 0 RCRIS TSD 0 0 RCRIS Generator/Handler 18 14 ERNS 1 1 TXSF 0 0 VCP 3 3 MWSLF 0 0 CALF 0 0 LPST 20 19 PST 51 36 SPILLS 3 0 IHW 21 17 IOP 1 1 DCR 3 0 BSA 0 0 Total 121 91 Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff and GeoSearch, 2006.

3.12.3 Results of Site Reconnaissance

In addition to the sites reported in the regulatory agency databases report, four sites were identified during the site reconnaissance that may be sites of concern. These sites are listed below:

• Pilgrim Cleaners – 5771 Cullen Boulevard, approximately 0.07 mile north of the Build Alternative centerline. Potential hazardous substances such as cleaning solvents may be present at this location. • Abandoned service station – 3322 McKinney Street, approximately 0.06 mile east of the Build Alternative centerline. Potential petroleum products may be present at this location. • Abandoned service station – 912 Sampson Street, approximately 0.09 mile east of the Build Alternative centerline. Potential petroleum products may be present at this location. • UPRR rail yard – adjacent to and east of the intersection of McKinney Street and York Street, approximately 0.11 mile east of the Build Alternative centerline.

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Potential hazardous substances and petroleum products may be present at this location.

3.13 Safety and Security

Public safety and security services for transit operations under the No Build and build alternatives would be provided by a combination of METRO staff, METRO police, the Houston Police Department, and the Houston Fire Department. Houston police stations, fire stations and hospitals can be found on Figure 3-5 in Section 3.2.3.

3.13.1 Transit System Safety

Safety issues, including accident prevention and response to natural disasters, are addressed by the METRO Safety Department. The safety manager oversees implementation of the System Safety Program Plan and other safety initiatives. The department analyzes trends in vehicle accidents and develops engineering solutions, procedural changes, protective equipment, and safety training for METRO employees (METRO, 2003).

The METRO Department of Police and Traffic Management is responsible for issues relating to law enforcement and security on public transit facilities as well as incident management, emergency communications, traffic signals, intelligent transportation systems, and high occupancy vehicles (HOV) lane operations (METRO, n.d.). METRO police patrol facilities such as transit stops, park-and-ride lots, and transit centers. Plainclothes officers also ride transit vehicles to monitor conditions and prevent crime. The mission of the department is to provide for:

• The safety and welfare of METRO's passengers and employees; • The security of METRO's property; • The enforcement of state, county, and local traffic laws within the METRO region, including the investigation of traffic accidents and the performance of traffic management activities; and • The promotion of increased safety and mobility by assuming a major role in incident management on freeways and high occupancy vehicle lanes utilizing the technology available through Houston TranStar.

Houston TranStar is the regional transportation and emergency management center for the greater Houston area. METRO Police work closely with state and local authorities through TranStar to plan, design, operate, and maintain transportation and emergency management functions throughout the region. TranStar provides up-to- date emergency information during times of crisis including road closures, alternate routes and evacuation procedures if necessary. TranStar is also home to METRO bus dispatch, and is responsible for the coordination of traffic signals, freeway management systems, and accident management programs (TranStar, 2004).

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3.13.2 Existing Police Services

In 1982, METRO began operating the first transit police agency in Texas. Today, the METRO police officers are a important segment of METRO's Department of Police and Traffic Management. Officers regularly patrol a 1,285-square-mile-area comprised of seven patrol districts and have been empowered with full police jurisdiction and authority in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Waller counties. The Department includes 265 personnel, of which 177 employees are sworn peace officers. The Patrol Division provides 24-hour security for METRO’s patrons, employees, and property. Uniformed police officers provide a visible presence both on and off transit vehicles (City of Houston, n.d.).

The City of Houston Police Department also has a presence in the study area. The area is completely within the South Central Patrol of the South Patrol Command. There are two police stations – the South Central Patrol and the Special Operations (Downtown Patrol) within the study area. There are also two police neighborhood storefront stations within the study area, Palm Center and Southmore. The Palm Center station is adjacent to the project alignment on Griggs Road (City of Houston, 2003).

3.13.3 Existing Fire and Emergency Services

The Houston Fire Department is made up of 3,470 firefighters, 88 stations, 51 basic ambulances, 85 engine companies, and other specialized medical and hazardous materials equipment. In addition to firefighting, the Houston Fire Department provides emergency medical services within the city. Three separate fire districts handle emergencies throughout the study area: District 8, District 26, and District 46. There are six fire stations within the study area. Station 25 at 3902 Scott Street is the only station that is adjacent to the build alternatives with the base alignment option. There are also six hospitals within the study area that provide emergency services. None of the hospitals border the build alternatives. Table 3-28 lists the fire stations and hospitals within the study area (City of Houston, n.d.).

Table 3-28. Fire and Emergency Services

Facility Type Name Address Fire Station Houston Fire Department Station 8 1901 Milam Fire Station Houston Fire Department Station 25 3902 Scott Fire Station Houston Fire Department Station 26 7111 Dixie Fire Station Houston Fire Department Station 35 5535 Van Fleet Fire Station Houston Fire Department Station 40 5830 Old Spanish Trail Fire Station Houston Fire Department Station 46 3902 Corder Hospital St. Joseph Hospital 1919 La Branch Hospital Riverside General Hospital 3204 Ennis Hospital Quentin Mease Community Hospital 3601 N. MacGregor Hospital IHS Hospital 6160 South Loop East Hospital Cullen Women’s Center Hospital 7443 Cullen Hospital Gambro Healthcare 7543 South Fwy. Source: City of Houston, n.d.; Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2004.

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