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• Basic Framework

• Planning Section Maps

• Project Planning Schedule

• Project Listing

• Outsourcing Approach

• Long Term Project Listing

• LBJ Implementation Approach (in PDF format, will need Adobe Acrobat Reader)

A Basic Framework

The LBJ Freeway Corridor Study has been focused on developing the planning level documentation for three sections.  These are the West, East and Mesquite Sections.  All three sections, Mesquite, East and West sections are approaching the technical end of the planning phase.  This is where a Public Hearing is held on each project to better gauge public support prior to moving into the design phase.  The City of Mesquite felt so confident about the support for the Mesquite section that it provided the funding and hired the design consultant for the project.  This work is proceeding well.  In an effort to expedite the implementation process TxDOT is continuing to attempt to overlap the final review and approval process with procurement/selection of consultants for the East and West sections.

Under our current financial constraints it is increasingly difficult to move large projects through the development process.  TxDOT is undergoing a revision of the project selection process.  A simple outline of the current process is listed below.  The actual description of the new process will alter what is written, but not drastically change the logic steps.

1. An idea is generated for a project which results in a mini request/report to receive designation by Austin for “Long Range Planning Status” (LRP).   Basically, TxDOT has permission to further develop the idea.  This step will now be called “Plan”

2. A feasibility study, preliminary engineering study or Major Investment Study (MIS) is then performed.  The results of these studies must be included in the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO’s) regional mobility plan and air quality conformity plans to proceed to planning.  It is now customary practice to have these early studies be the precursor document to the planning documents which are the Categorical Exclusion (Cat/Ex.), Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Steps 3, 4 and 5 will undergo significant changes with the new Unified Transportation Plan (UTP) process being developed for use in FY 2003.  To what effect the LBJ Corridor will be designated in the new process has not yet been determined. Since the actual environmental clearance date for the LBJ Corridor projects will be sometime in early 2003 by that time a clearer picture may have been developed.

3. A Planning study is then completed according to the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) process.  This step is an extension of steps 1 and 2 as to be designated as “PLAN” status.
   This step is still in the planning process which is culminated by the successful completion of the schematic, environmental document and public involvement and participation.

4. Upon receiving a Cat/Ex., FONSI or ROD the project can then move to “DEVELOP” (formally - Priority 2) status in the Unified Transportation Plan (UTP).  Preliminary Design can then begin on designated projects.  This is a 10-year financially constrained listing of projects (years 5-10)
   Some categories will be combined with step 5 for a complete 10-year window for construction funding.

5. After sufficient progress is made in design the project can move to “CONSTRUCT” (formally priority 1) status in the UTP and be included in the STIP/TIP a 4 year funding window.  Final PS&E work is completed (years 1-4).
   Likely to be combined with some categories in step 4 for a complete 10-year window for construction funding.

6. The project gets selected for construction and is subsequently completed and open for use by the public.
   More attention is now going to be paid toward those projects that improve mobility, improve safety, minimize congestion and are sensitive to the environment.  By having major projects be grouped in corridors there will be better logic applied to sequencing of projects.

The three planning sections of LBJ; the Mesquite, East and West Sections, can be broken into reasonable design projects.  However, some of these projects will need to be further broken into multiple PS&E construction projects.  The actual implementation time frame for a corridor that is 21 miles long could easily approach 20 years.  The complexities associated with a billion dollar plus project requires a more far reaching approach to ensure the most efficient allocation of resources occur.

This can be best implemented if there is a focus on two types of projects; one being ancillary/support design and two being preliminary/final design.  Depending on TxDOT resource allocations these can be contracted out or performed by in-house staff.

The other challenge is how we work through the project development process as it relates to financial constraint, environmental clearance, public involvement, air quality conformity, design budgets, staffing, procurement of services, and work load assignments. 

The current State budget crunch is having an effect on TxDOT’s ability to adequately predict, schedule and fund some of the engineering for our projects.  Details of this situation will continue to be discussed and communicated with respect to the implementation process being described.  The general philosophy does not change just the timing.

The approach being proposed for the LBJ Freeway is that TxDOT take advantage of the Austin and FHWA environmental review time to begin the procurement process for professional services for design.  In this way TxDOT will be prepared to begin design upon receiving environmental clearance without delay (Subject to selection and funding decisions). A listing of those design projects is included later in this report.   TxDOT has already implemented this approach on a few projects as will be noted later in the report.