18 - Designation of a Non-Radioactive Hazardous Material (NRHM) Route Designation

Home Browse Search

Item No. 18 TO: City Council Grayson Path, City Manager FROM: Carla Easton, PE, City Engineer SUBJECT: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ROUTE DESIGNATION APPROVAL DATE: August 10, 2020 BACKGROUND: The City of Paris is fortunate to have a system of public streets through our City that accommodate local, regional, and interstate travel and commerce. Our street network includes multiple state highway business routes running through town, as well as Loop 286 encircling most of the city limits. To enhance the safety of our residents, it is important to keep large trucks carrying hazardous cargo out of the center of town where residents live, work and play. TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration have a process by which a municipality can request the designation of a hazardous cargo route within its jurisdiction in order to limit exposure of the community to hazardous materials. These types of materials include explosives, gases, toxic materials, infectious substances, and corrosive and radioactive materials. City Staff proposes to designate Loop 286 as the specified route for transporting all hazardous goods through the city limits. This will help emergency preparedness and response times to any spill incident by keeping the locations to the outer loop, where exposure is reduced and access can be easily provided. This designation will also allow larger signage along the incoming highways that will direct truck traffic along Loop 286 rather than through town. The City formally requested the NRHM route along Loop 286 in 2018. STATUS OF ISSUE: The route designation process is lengthy. A series of public hearings were required at the local and state level, followed by a review by TxDOT staff. The process is now complete and TxDOT has approved of the route designation. To complete the process, the City must accept/approve of the designation by formal action.