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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 Burleson County Transportation PlanBurleson County Introduction Preparation of this Burleson County Transportation Plan was authorized by State Commission Minute Number 65741, dated January 31, 1972. The Plan was developed by the State Department of Highways ar.d Public Transportation, cooperating with the local governmental agencies and the regional planning council, Brazos Valley Development Council. This County Plan is based on limited population, economic, and transportation studies. Effects of the proposed transportation plan on the social, economic, and environmental characteristics of Furleson County have been considered. This multi -modal transportation plan is intended to be a base document for organ- ized and methodic improvements to the existing highway network. The purpose of this document is to make available to all planning agencies an inventory of all existing transportation facilities and to set forth a basic plan for priority im- provements. It is recommended that all agencies involved utilize this Plan as a guide for future development of the transportation system in Burleson County. Population Projections As in most rural Texas counties, Burleson County's population has shown a down- trend in recent years. In 1880, the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad built a north -south line through the county and shortly thereafter the Houston & Texas Central (now Southern Pacific) built a line from Giddings eastward through Burle- son County to connect with the line east of the Brazos River. With the advent of the railroad, the county flourished and by 1910, the population had increased to almost 19,000. After 1930, the population began a steady decline. In the decade between 1960 and 1970, the population declined 10.5% or 1,178 persons, while the population of Caldwell increased slightly from 2,204 in 1960 to 2,308 in 1970. A provisional estimate for July 1, 1974, by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Bureau of the Census, indicates a population of 11,100 for Burleson County, which is a slight increase since 1970. The population projections for the study period continue to indicate a downtrend; however, the rate of decrease is anticipated to be less than that experienced in previous years. Population figures, historical and projected, are shown on the graph and in the chart below: POPULATION GRAPH In charts below, current population 20 ,000 and economic indicators are listed: Transportation Plan 1975 - 1995 History Early settlers reached Burleson County in the rich Brazos River Basin as early as 1825. By 1830 the Mexican government had established Fort Tenoxtitlan in a futile attempt to enforce law prohibiting Anglo- American settlers from colonizing Texas. In 1846, a civil engineer, George B. Erath, introduced a bill in the first Texas Legislature creating Burleson County out of land then in Milan and Washington Counties. It was named for General Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary and Indian fighter, under whom many local men had fought. The pleasant city of Caldwell, county seat of Burleson County, was a rendezvous for immigrants going west in the 1850's and had one of the finest hotels on the Old San Antonio Road. "E1 Camino Real" (the Old San Antonio Road) was the great thoroughfare of early Texas. Following ancient Indian and buffalo paths, some- times on the same course as the 1691 "Trail of the Padres ", this route stretched some 1,000 miles from Saltillo, Mexico, to the Louisiana Highway and the missions of East Texas. This historic old route (now partially following State Highway 21) marked the boundary between the major early 19th century colonies of Stephen F. Austin (south of the road) and Sterling C. Robertson (north of El Camino Real). Physical Features Burleson County is located in South Central Texas, approximately 20 miles south- west of the Bryan - College Station metropolitan area. The county covers 670 square miles. Caldwell is the largest city. Somerville, Lyons, and Snook are other pop- ulation centers. Burleson County is located in the Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairies. Soil types range from the fine sandy loams of the Tabor - Axtell associations in the up- lands to the silty clay loams of the Ships - Norwood association in the bottomlands. The land ranges from nearly level to moderately sloping soils. Land elevations range from 225 to 475 feet above sea level. Major vegetation includes post oak, elm, pecan, and mesquite with some huisache and yaupon. Grasses include bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass, and buffalograss. Wildlife species such as deer and squirrel are abundant in the creek and river bottomland and dove and quail abound in the uplands. The upper reaches of Lake Somerville provide major waterfowl areas. Many species of freshwater fish are found in the river and in Lake Somerville. Burleson County is in the Carrizo - Wilcox aquifer, and outcroppings of the Sparta aquifer also occur in the northern part of the county. The Brazos River forms the eastern boundary of this county. Cotton was once king in this county. Now the fertile bottomlands offer abundant evidence of a rich and diversified agricultural economy. Floods once caused major disasters along the Brazos River. Flood con- trol and water storage impoundments on the river and its tributaries, particularly the Somerville Reservoir on Yegua Creek, have eased the threat from high waters. The climate in Burleson County is predominantly maritime, with an annual rainfall average of 37.45 inches and a growing season of 275 days. Temperatures average 42 degrees in January and 96 degrees in July. Natural resources in the county include a limited amount of stone, gravel, sand, and oil production. Land Use Agriculture is the dominant land use in the county and accounts for over 70% of the total land area. The major trend in agricultural land use is from cropland to improved pasture and grassland, and this trend is expected to continue. In several areas of the County, particularly near Lake Somerville, large blocks of land are being subdivided into rural homesites. A tabulation of acreage by land use category was developed in 1973 by consultant for the Brazos Valley Develop- ment Council's planning region and is shown below: Urban or Rural Settlements Industrial Woodland Water Area Agricultural Total 5,457 170 115,919 5,222 310,224 436,992 Road System The map on the reverse of this Plan shows the highway system for Burleson County by functional classification. Federal standards have been established outlining the recommended percentages of roads for each functional category. The highway system in Burleson County appears to be fairly well balanced within the func- tional categories; although the collector system exceeds the recommended limits by five percent. Burleson County's highway network includes 717 miles of roadway serving a population of 10,700 and a land area of 670 square miles. This ratio provides 354 feet of roadway per capita and an average of 1.1 miles of road for each square mile of land area. The average daily traffic volumes range from 2,486 vehicles on the arterial system to 39 vehicles on the rural local road system. The categories of classification and the mileage within each category in Burleson County are shown in the chart below: FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS TRANSPORTATION PLAN CONTACT MR. JOE G. HANOVE R DISTRICT ENGINEER STATE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION P. 0. BOX 3249 BRYAN, -TEXAS 77801 713- 822-015 HONORABLI; MARK CAPERTON County Judge Comm?.s s ioners RAYMOND KNESEK BETTY RHOTON Precinct 1 Precinct 3 HERBERT SEBESTA BOBBY SCHOPPE Precinct 2 Precinct 4 Environmental & Cultural Resources Burleson County has numerous historical markers designating sites of historic in- terest. Some of the more important of these sites are described briefly in the following chart and their locations are noted in green on the map below. 1 Lake Somerville ..........• 2 Fort •TenuxtiU.uI .......... 3 Waugh Campground ........•. 4 E1 Camino Real ............ 5 Museum .................... 6 Sour or Spring lake Springs Lake Somerville State Park is becoming one of the most popular recreational areas in the State. The dam for this 11,461 acre impoundment of the Yegua Creek is located near Somerville. The facility attracts more than 600,000 visitors each year. Site of an old Mexican fort established in 1830 to stop Anglo settlers and encourage Mexican colonization. The fort's commander eventually joined with the Anglo settlers and later signed the 'Texas Declaration of Independence. Plans are being made to re- store the fort. At present, access is ex- tremely difficult. The 1.0 -acre plot was one of the first Texas campgrounds and was used for religious and political meetings from 1841 through the early 1890's, GOVernor Sam Houston [aced Caldwell's Judge Andrew Broaddus in a de- bate over secession under a huge post oak tree on the campgrounds in the early 1860's and the historic old tree, still standing on the site, is featured in "Famous Trees of Texas." The Old San Antonio Road,al.so known as the King's Highway, linked Mexico with missions of Fast Texas. Parts of this route follow the 16 "Trail of the Padres" which was a great thoroughfare of early Texas. The Burleson County Historical Museum is located in the Rotunda of the Courthouse. in Caldwell. Jt contains many historical artifacts from the County's past. Located five miles northwest of Caldwell in the Sparta Sands aquifer, these historic springs were a stop for travelers on the El Camino Real. The effects of the transportation network on the environment of the area must be carefully studied, so that any potential adverse impacts can be eliminated or, at least, minimized. Two areas which are especially affected by transportation cor- ridors are the noise environment and air quality. In Burleson County, prelimi- nary studies indicate that no adverse'- impact can be expected to occur as a result of improvements to the highway system. A brief summary of noise conditions and air quality in Burleson County is inFluded below: AIR QUALITY Burleson County is located in Air Quality Con- trol Region 3. Air quality is good and should not decrease as long as regulations are enforced. Major industries are widely dispersed, and prob- lems arising from industrial concentrations are few. Vehicular emissions should decline as the pollution control devices become prevelant. The county has no history of air stagnation advisor- ies. Burleson County is not now and is not ex- pected to be designated as an air quality main- tenance area. All highway projects now under construction are consistent with the State Imple- mentation Plan. All future projects should be evaluated to determine impact of construction on air quality, in accordance with current guide- lines, regulations, and directives. County Priorities Environmentally Sensitive Areas 9 o w. 0o so 15,000 10,000 5,000 1930 1950 1970 1990 Based on the 1970 Census, the socio- economic characteristics shown in the following chart existed in Burleson County. A slight in- crease in population has occurred; however, these characteristics should still apply. 1970 CENSUS FACTS - BURLESON COUNTY RVIG 1 S'TRAT LON 1950 1960 1970 County Population 1.3,000 1.1,177 9,909 Motor Vehicles 'Y Population aged 65+ .................. Approx. 18.4%, Median Ape ............................. :17.1 Years Total Nuuuber Families .................. 2,651 Median Family Income ................... $5,337 Families Below Poverty Level •..••.••. 26.4% T otal Housing Units .................... 4,127 Units without plumbing •. .....•........ 1 , 364 Median Value Owner - Occupied ............ $6900 Median Monthly Rent .................... $35 Owner - Occupied Units ................. 6 2.8'% PUBLIC SCHOOL ATTENDANCE; 197`i -76 TERM Caldwell IS]) ................... 1,325 Somerville ISD ................. 504 Snook 151? ...................... 50:1 PROVISIONAL ESTIMATES OF POPULATION July 1, 1.973 BURLE SON COUNTY ........... 10,700 Caldwell ................. 2,340 Somerville ................ 1,270 Lyons ..................... 360 Snool }OO BUR1diSON COUNTY VKUJ('LE RVIG 1 S'TRAT LON Total licensed County Precinct Motor Vehicles Year Bnding 6,212 Aug. 31, 1970 6,830 Aug. 31, 1972 7,299 Dec. 31, 1974 7,971 Dec. 31, 1.975 ETHNIC GROUPS 28.3% 9.700 Negro Spanish 62 to Anglo Economic Potential The economy of Burleson County is largely dependent upon agriculture. The county has a diversified agricultural industry, principally livestock production includ- ing cattle, hog, and poultry operations. Field crop production includes cotton, oats, grain sorghum, corn, and hay. The Burleson County Industrial Foundation has developed an 80 -acre industrial park in Caldwell. Several large manufacturing operations are located in Caldwell including a large aluminum products manufacturing company with a work force of approximately 350 persons, some of whom commute from neighboring counties. The town of Somerville has several railroad- related industries and a cross -tie plant. Caldwell, the largest town in the county, is the local shopping center. The pri- mary market center for the county is the Bryan - College Station area, Burleson County is closely linked with Bryan - College Station from the standpoint of trade and labor supply. A labor force estimate from the Texas Employment Commission for 1974 indicated a labor supply of 4,635 persons within Burleson County. A secondary supply of more than 3,900 potential workers is available front the five adjacent counties. Many Burleson County residents commute to Milam and Brazos Counties. Tourism is a growing industry in Burleson County. Lake Somerville State Park is located partially in the county and attracts over 600,000 visitors annually. The park is becoming one of the most popular recreational areas of the State and con- tributes significantly to the county's economy. The county, cities, chamber of commerce, and industrial foundation work actively to attract new industries to Burleson County. Several subdivisions inthe vicinity of Lake Somerville have been developed providing desirable and attractive housing facilities. The county was recently awarded a grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce to expand a water system which is needed to attract industry. Caldwell is developing that project in connection with an overall economic development program which calls for the construction of facilities to induce industry to locate plants in the area and halt the outmigra- tion of skilled workers. Because of this dedicated effort of community leaders, and the proximity of Burleson County to the Bryan - College Station Economic Growth Center, the potential for a stimulated economic growth is excellent.. Public Transportation Burleson County depends on its excellent highway system as the predominant means of transportation for people and goods. State Eighways 21 and 36 are arterial routes which link the county with major markets of Texas. The well - developed highway network, including State, FM, and local roads, provides access into all parts of the county. SH 21, SH 36, and FM 908 are important commuter routes for workers with destinations in Milan and Brazos Counties, A parking area has been constructed near the intersection of SH 21 and FM 2000 between Caldwell and Bryan and a second lot is located at the intersection of SH 21 and FM 908 west of Cald- well to accommodate car -pool parking. Both Caldwell and Somerville have access to rail freight service, and the Amtrak passenger lines can be boarded in Brenham, a short distance south on SH 36. There is commercial bus and motor freight service available at Caldwell and Somerville. Commercial airline service is not available in the county. There are facilities for small private aircraft at the Caldwell Municipal Airfield. There is no true public transportation service available to the general public in Burleson County at this time. Emergency medical transportation including ambulance service and the MAST Plan of Operation (Military Assistanceto Safety and Traffic) is available. The Brazos Valley Community Action Agency has initiated "Project Independence ", providing limited transportation for the elderly and handicapped. Two 12- passenger vans are operating in the county, one based in Caldwell and one in Somerville. These vans serve approximately 1,075 individuals per month. A "Years for Profit" program provides meals four days per week at Caldwell and three days per week at Somerville. The vans make approximately 950 passenger trips per month in connection with this program alone. In addition, they pick up passengers in the rural areas of the county and transport them to nearby towns to shopping centers, medical facilities, recreational centers and government offices. The vans also transport riders into the Bryan- College Station area. The program operates through funding grants provided under Title III,Older Americans Act, and the Department of Public Welfare's Non - Emergency Medical Transportation Program, Title XIX. Indications are that additional public transportation for the general public is needed in Burleson County. Federal Average Daily Average Daily % Recommended Classification Miles Vehicle Miles Volume System % System - - i ^ -� .' ,�•;'^ �i : Y "- Arterial 53 131 2,486 7% 6 - 12% Collector 213% 102,518 481 30% 20 - 25% Local Rural Roads 406 15,866 39 63% 65 - 75% Local City Streets 45 11,758 261 717 261,895 365 fifi `- \ ` 1 l ry LL ;Includes 31 miles of unpaved county roads In Burleson County, as in most rural Texas counties, the responsibility for main- tenance of the local road system is vested in the county, under supervision of a County Commissioners Court. A total of the rural local road mileage by precinct is shown in the chart below. Local road condition by type of surface treatment is also shown in a chart below. LOCAL ROADS BY PRECINCT University of Texas County Precinct Road Mileage 1 97.12 2 146.54 3 110.66 4 92.34 LOCAL ROAD CONDITION % Rural Surface Type Local. Roads Primitive or Unimproved 13% Graded & Drained 31% Gravel or Stone Surface 54% Paved 2% Since State and Federal funding is limited at the present time, all construction dollars will be expended primarily to upgrade and improve the existing highways. Little new construction is envisioned at the present time. Recognizing this limi- tation in funding, the County has established the following list of priorities. County roads which were selected for improvement are important collector routes in their precincts and the county. The priorities have been listed randomly, and without order of preference. The priorities are shown in red on the map at right. 'lhe Plan does not constitute an offi- cial endorsement of any route, nor sloes it commit the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation nor the cities and counties to the development of any particular project. Local officials, together with the State Department of Highways and Pub- lic Transportation, will coordinate. their efforts toward the proposed proj ects as the traffic volumes warrant and as funds become available. { O M f N 0 H DATA SOURCE 1 - Population Research Center University of Texas 2 - Brazos Valley Development Council 310 -316 From SH 36 to FM 908 8.0 L E G E N D COUNTY ROAD PRIORITIES O ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS NOISE LEVELS As in most areas, parts of Burleson County ex- perience intermittent noise levels in excess of National standards. Construction, manufacturing and industrial sites, urban areas, and transpor- tation corridors are examples of noise generators. Traffic - generated noise levels within transporta- tion corridors often exceed recommended standards at the right of way Line because of high traffic volumes and /or heavy duty vehicles. For most existing situations, sound attenuation measures such as barrier walls and open space are not fea- sible because of space limitations, cost, and the necessity for access. However, for future devel- opment, attention should be directed to locating sensitive receptors far enough from the highway facility to avoid severe noise impacts. Based on average traffic projections, it is recommended that all sensitive receptors be located a minimum of 50 feet from right of way of collector roads and 150 feet from right of way of arterials. COUNTY ROAD PRIORITIES County Road No Limits Mileage 310 -316 From SH 36 to FM 908 8.0 105 -106 From FM 975 to FM 111 2.9 132 -432 From FM 60 to Lee County 6.2 Line 407 -408 From FM 2774 to FM 60 at 5.6 Lyons 242 From FM 3058 to FM 60 2.7 270 From FM 60 to Merle 2.8 269 From FM 2155 through Snook 1.4 438 From FM 1361, South 1.3