R-2014-068 2014-06-23RESOLUTION NO. R2014-68
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Pearland, Texas, expressing
support for Texas Department of Transportation to Re -Establish in Project
Scope the Direct Connect Lanes from Beltway 8 to forthcoming new Route
288 Managed Lanes.
WHEREAS, Harris -Galveston Area Council has identified the State Highway 288 (SH
288) corridor as rapidly becoming one of the most congested in the Houston metropolitan region
and expects the SH 288 corridor will soon begin to experience congestion levels that will greatly
impede the mobility of people and goods, diminishing the economic vitality of Brazoria County,
our Region, and the State; and the expected traffic on SH 288 will continue to expand beyond
the 2011 estimate of 170,000 vehicles per day; and SH 288 in Brazoria County is experiencing
a combined five hours per day of am/pm peak period congestion; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1420 by the 82nd Texas Legislature grants the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) the authority to enter into a Comprehensive
Development Agreement (CDA) in regard to SH 288, with this authority expiring on August 31,
2015; and
WHEREAS, Harris County Commissioners' Court approved a Memorandum of
Understanding with TxDOT on April 10, 2012 stating Harris County will waive its primacy
development rights for and decline to develop a toll facility along the SH 288 corridor; and
WHEREAS, TxDOT has solicited qualification statements from teams interested in
entering into a toll concession public-private partnership agreement (P3A) to develop, design,
construct, finance, operate, and maintain tolled lanes, general purpose lanes, and associated
facilities along an approximately 10.3 -mile segment of SH 288 from US 59 to the Harris County line
at Clear Creek in Harris County; and
WHEREAS, On September 24, 2013, TxDOT announced the short list of the most qualified
teams to compete for the SH288 Toll Lanes Project in Harris County and presented a request for
proposals (RFP) to the shortlisted teams for the development, design, construction, finance,
operation and maintenance of tolled lanes, general purpose lanes, and associated facilities along SH
288 from US 59 to the Harris County line at Clear Creek in Harris County; and
WHEREAS, the project is expected to be completed in two phases: Initial Phase and
Ultimate Phase; and
WHEREAS, the Initial Phase of the project includes the design, construction, maintenance,
and operation of up to eight direct connectors at Beltway 8 (BW8); and
WHEREAS, the eight direct connectors are vital to (1) the efficient flow of traffic, (2) relief of
congestion at the existing at -grade intersection of the SH288 Frontage Roads and the BW8
RESOLUTION NO. R2014-68
Frontage Roads, (3) the efficient functioning of the Brazoria County segment of the toll lanes, and (4)
the toll viability of the proposed T -Ramp at Hughes Ranch Road; and
WHEREAS, TxDOT is considering the removal of the direct connectors at BW 8 from the
Initial Phase of the project; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLOVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS:
Section 1. That the City Council hereby expresses its strong support that TxDOT include the
eight direct connectors at Beltway 8 in the SH288 Toll Lanes Project in Harris County.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this the 23rd day of June, A.D., 2014.
ATTEST:
•
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DARRIN M. COKER
CITY ATTORNEY
TOM REID
MAYOR