Title
Consider and take action on a resolution expressing support for the Farm-to-Market Road 517 (FM 517) roadway improvement project and requesting the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reassess the project timeline (Mayor Pro Tem Saunders & Councilmember Tressler)
Background:
FM 517 is a critical east-west corridor serving regional traffic in Brazoria and Galveston Counties, including residents, businesses, and emergency services within League City. The existing FM 517 corridor from McFarland Road to FM 646 currently consists of:
· Two 12-foot travel lanes (one in each direction)
· A 14-foot center left-turn lane
· 4-foot shoulders
· Open vegetated roadside ditches
· Right-of-Way (ROW) of approximately 100 feet
Traffic volumes along this segment range from approximately 12,000 to 23,000 vehicles per day based on 2024 Texas Department of Transportation traffic counts.
TxDOT’s proposed FM 517 improvements include:
· Expansion to four lanes (two 12-foot lanes in each direction)
· An 18-foot raised median with turn lanes
· 14-foot shoulders
· 10-foot shared-use paths on both sides for pedestrians and bicyclists
· Conversion from open ditch drainage to a curb and gutter system
· Expansion of ROW to 125 feet
The project is consistent with the FM 517 and SH 3 Access Management Plan prepared by the Houston-Galveston Area Council in 2013 and was identified in TxDOT’s Final Environmental Assessment dated October 2023 as necessary to address:
· High crash rates
· Increasing traffic demand
· Limited multimodal infrastructure
· Regional mobility constraints
The City has recently been informed that the Texas Department of Transportation has deferred the project until at least 2032. Prior to being shelved, the project had advanced significantly, with design nearing completion (approximately 90%) and portions of right-of-way acquisition already underway.
Given the level of investment already made and the continued growth in the area, further del...
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