Texas Evacuation Task Force recommendations.

[vbhoutex]

Thanks to Jeff Lindner for this information. It is definitely a step in the right direction. I hope it works when it is needed.

Hurricane Rita resulted in the largest evacuation of American citizens ever with over 3.0 million residents fleeing the Texas coast (almost double that of Hurricane Katrina). In October 2005 the Governor of TX, Harris County judge, and mayor of Houston created a Task Force to review the Hurricane Rita evacuation and determine where improvements can be made.



Task Force Recommendations:



Transfer the authority to issue mandatory evacuations to the governor. Over 100 local jurisdictions issued evacuations orders in advance of Hurricane Rita creating logistical and communication problems. The evacuation will now be coordinated through the State Operations Center.


Develop a regional evacuation plan for each of the 5 major hurricane zones along the TX coast and coordinate at the state level




Development and Implement a statewide evacuation and shelter plan
Expand beyond primary evacuation routes and utilize all transportation assets (busses, aircraft, rail)


Immediate implementation of the Regional Unified Command structure.
All agencies involved in the evacuation effort will report to the unified command including (roadway management and toll roads



TXDOT assumes command of the evacuation beyond the borders of the Regional Unified Command


TXDOT assumes authority over designated evacuation routes
This places a single agency in control of traffic management, control, and flow during a multi-jurisdiction evacuation.



The state will create at least 8 Regional Response Teams to support local jurisdictions during mass evacuations.


All public education facilities (including community colleges and universities) should make their transportation and facilities available to local governments for evacuation and sheltering.
During Hurricane Rita education assets (busses) were not made available for evacuation transportation even though drills in June of 2005 determined such transportation would be available.



Annual statewide hurricane evacuation exercise to test local plans and execution.


Special Needs Recommendations:

Development of a statewide special needs and shelter plan
Direct all licensed and unlicensed special needs facilities to maintain evacuation plans that have been approved by the Regional Unified Command.
Develop and implement a shelter plan for pets.


Fuel Availability:



TXDOT is to work with the Texas Oil and Gas Association and other industry to develop a plan to address fuel availability along evacuation routes.
The State Operations Center will create a special fuel function during evacuations with a State Fuel Coordinator in charge.



The state should direct local governments to ensure fuel availability for an evacuation.
Develop plans to increase fuel supplies at 72 hours prior to an evacuation order.



Traffic Control:



TXDOT is to develop contra flow plans on the following major evacuation routes:


US 69 between Beaumont and Lufkin

I-10 between Houston and San Antonio

I-45 between Galveston and Houston

I-45 between Houston and Dallas

US 290 between Houston and Austin

US 59 between Houston and Nacogdoches

I-37 between Corpus Christi and San Antonio

US 281 between McAllen and San Antonio

US 83 from Harlingen to US 281 in McAllen



Contra flow is to be established before evacuation traffic becomes heavy and is to be coordinated at the state level due to the multiple jurisdictions involved.

Establishment of a contra flow plan will greatly affect traffic flow around the evacuating area and significant traffic management will be needed.

For example in the Houston area many major inbound freeways will be contra flowed as long as 60 hours prior to landfall.



Immediate upgrade of US 290 at Brenham to multiple lanes. This one lane section of freeway caused severe congestion during the Rita evacuation.
Immediate upgrade of TX HWY 146 from FM 1764 to FM 646 in Galveston County to remove bottlenecks.
Eliminate the potential for flooding at US 59 at Mustang Creek.
Provide shelter and direction signs along major evacuation routes
Establish traffic control points and signal control points to be coordinated through the Regional Unified Command.
Utilize secondary evacuation routes with control points from local law enforcement.


Public Awareness:



Utility companies will begin supplying hurricane evacuation information in monthly utility statements during hurricane season. Information to be included: evacuation routes, planning, and zones.
Forms of communication should be developed to inform residents of their location in relation to hurricane storm surge zones.

[Stratosphere747]

"Transfer the authority to issue mandatory evacuations to the governor. Over 100 local jurisdictions issued evacuations orders in advance of Hurricane Rita creating logistical and communication problems. The evacuation will now be coordinated through the State Operations Center".

If not for the mass evacuation from Houston proper, I doubt there would have been these "logistical and communication" problems.

It was only when those that did not need to evacuate, that the problems occurred.

No doubt that this is a very important topic to those of us in SE Texas, including our neighbors in Beaumont/Pt Arthur.

[hurricanetrack]

This sounds like their Floyd....the SE states learned a lot after that hurricane. Now, for example, I-95 at I-16 near Savannah has rail-road style crossing gates to shut off and re-route traffic. There are cross-overs in SC along with major improvements to the infrastructure itself. It took many years after Floyd, but I dare say the SE is ready for 3 to 4 million people to be on the move. Of course, we know that THAT many people will not be asked to evacuate- a lot of them will be so-called "shadow evacuees". That's where the real education needs to focus- who needs to evacuate and who does NOT.

Texas is on the right track. Hopefully just in time....my gut feeling is for a Texas hit this season.....purely gut call.

[ROCK]

Sounds like a good plan. I wonder why they didn't address the beltway? I was on the beltway for 5 hours from Pearland to 59.

I agree Stormcenter not EVERYONE needs to leave. People were leaving from Sugarland to N Houston. I think panic played a part in that. Really can't stop them but it sure makes it hard for us guys down here south to get out.

In a way, the Rita drill maybe a blessing in disguise......

[KatDaddy]

You said it Rock. My family down here in League City needs to get out ASAP should another "Rita" come calling and I feel Mark a.k.a HurricaneTrack is right on track

Truth be told we wree very very fortunate with Rita and something needs to be done to get everyone out of harms way.