TxDOT CHOOSES OVERPASS CONCEPT AS PREFERRED DESIGN FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO CHAPPELL HILL INTERSECTION

  

TxDOT has indicated its preferred concept to overhaul the intersection of Highway 290 and FM 1155 in Chappell Hill.

In a press release Monday, TxDOT said it has chosen the overpass design to pursue further development of, based on its technical evaluation along with local stakeholder and public input.  A public meeting to present the project design and receive comments is anticipated for later this year.

The overpass, also referred to by TxDOT as a grade separation intersection, was one of three options it showcased during a virtual public meeting in December.  The others were a median U-turn intersection with added lanes, and a new location south route that would extend around the southern limits of Chappell Hill.

The intersection improvements are part of a long-term project to widen Highway 290 from FM 1371 to Highway 6 in Washington and Waller counties.  TxDOT said it seeks to enhance safety, improve mobility and provide added capacity along Highway 290 to accommodate future, higher traffic flows.  The project is currently unfunded, and as such, construction is not anticipated to begin before 2030.

TxDOT also undertook an effort to provide more immediate solutions addressing the operation and safety of the intersection.  Short-term solutions would target implementation within this year, while near-term solutions would have a timeframe of two to three years.

Short-term solutions consist of improving traffic signal timing to allow additional time for large vehicles along Highway 290 to clear the intersection, as well as installing active “Be Prepared to Stop When Flashing” warning signs ahead of the intersection.  The signs would be electronically timed to flash to alert drivers to slow down as they approach the intersection.

TxDOT’s near-term solution is a Restricted Crossing U-Turn (R-CUT) intersection, which incorporates a site specific raised median intersection design with offset U-turn locations that reduce the number of conflict points by redirecting side street left-turning movements to the U-turns.  TxDOT states the R-CUT intersection “is a proven approach for reducing fatal and injury crashes.”  It is actively progressing the design and will continue to receive input from local stakeholders before finalizing the project for construction.

Updates to the short- and near-term solutions for the intersection will also be provided in the public meeting discussing the overpass design.