Bush Intercontinental Airport area freeways and roads

[jgb191]

After my latest drive into the Bush Airport (IAH) recently got me pondering:  Are there any consideration from either the city of Houston or the airport executives (or a combination of them) of easing the gridlock on John Kennedy Blvd between Beltway 8 and the IAH airport?  Is it feasible to add an overpass at Greens Road transforming the Boulevard into an full-length expressway....and widen Kennedy Blvd at Rankin Road?  It would also be nice if a couple of flyover ramps at the Will Clayton Blvd/I-69 interchange; and add a few overpasses at McKay, Kenswick, and Lee Roads.  Are there any plans to expand the section of the Beltway 8 loop between I-45 and I-69 but it's only six lanes wide (three in each direction) -- below Houston freeway standards, yet it's a free section leading to the airport which might make it the busiest section of the Beltway. 

[MaxConcrete]

It is surprising (in a bad way) that this is 2023, and there is still a traffic signal at the JFK/Greens Road intersection. Of course there is also a signal at World Houston Parkway, but that intersection is not a back-up point.

I'm not aware of any imminent plans to eliminate the signal at Greens Road. A welcome sign was built somewhat recently (maybe 5 or 10 years ago) exactly where an overpass is needed, and this suggested to me that nothing is planned for a long time.
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9515425,-95.3315789,3a,75y,15.31h,86.95t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sVNp3w9Q19DM1kigaU71-TA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DVNp3w9Q19DM1kigaU71-TA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D214.62526%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

The 2015 Bush Airport Master Plan recommends an elevated roadway from Beltway 8 to north of Greens Road. I have not heard of any movement toward actually building it. See page 113 in this document.
https://cdn.fly2houston.com/cdn/ff/fTvF-Wb3dVA0YImqsbrjkofZKKoV7A5hP1e504LyCkE/1598536076/public/2020-06/iah_master_plan_technical_report__appendices_150508.pdf

Will Clayton Parkway is in a frontage road configuration on a 300-foot-wide right-of-way, so I always assumed it was eventually planned to be a freeway. I remember when the wide median was grass. Then, maybe in the 1990s, the median was planted with pine trees and it is now a semi-mature forest. I have not heard of any plans to improve Will Clayton Parkway. The 2015 master plan recommends a long elevated roadway from I-69 to east of Lee Road (see page 115). I can't see that ever happening. The plan also recommends direct connectors at I-69. I seem to recall, maybe in the 1990s or 2000s, that four connectors where listed in an official plan, maybe TxDOT or H-GAC. But the connectors were never built. I'm not aware of connectors being in any long-term plan.

Beltway 8 has seen some improvements in recent years (e.g. new bridge at Aldine-Westfield), but I'm not aware of any planned major projects on the 6-lane section of main lanes. There is one large project in planning: HCTRA is planning to build all connector ramps at the Hardy Toll Road. However, HCTRA hasn't started any new construction projects since Democrats took control of Harris County commissioners court in 2019, and they're in no hurry to build anything, including the long-delayed Hardy Toll Road downtown extension. For the connector ramps, the HCTRA web site says "Final design has begun and construction is expected to begin in 2022." Well, that didn't happen.
https://www.hctra.org/MajorProjects
https://www.hctra.org/HardySHPInterchange

So yes, I agree with your assessment that much could be done to improve access to Bush, but nothing is being done. Hopefully improvements will come eventually, but I don't think it will be anytime soon. Maybe in the 2030s we'll see something happen.

[thisdj78]

After my latest drive into the Bush Airport (IAH) recently got me pondering:  Are there any consideration from either the city of Houston or the airport executives (or a combination of them) of easing the gridlock on John Kennedy Blvd between Beltway 8 and the IAH airport?  Is it feasible to add an overpass at Greens Road transforming the Boulevard into an full-length expressway....and widen Kennedy Blvd at Rankin Road?  It would also be nice if a couple of flyover ramps at the Will Clayton Blvd/I-69 interchange; and add a few overpasses at McKay, Kenswick, and Lee Roads.  Are there any plans to expand the section of the Beltway 8 loop between I-45 and I-69 but it's only six lanes wide (three in each direction) -- below Houston freeway standards, yet it's a free section leading to the airport which might make it the busiest section of the Beltway.

The medians are wide enough on Will Clayton and JFK to accommodate limited access lanes so I assume that was the original plan, why they haven't...I don't know.

[jgb191]

Maybe they could relocate the welcome sign to the right of the southbound Kennedy Blvd road just before the Hardy Tollway connector.  And if neither airport access roads are upgraded, then it's just a waste of perfectly good space.  It would also make sense if the businesses along both airport access roads vote against putting expressways as their business would be bypassed by the majority of traffic. 

Would it make sense to put a fuel station where the Kennedy service roads intersect at the Rental Car access roads so drivers can stop by to refuel their vehicles before returning?

[achilles765]

I think it's insane that in the fourth largest city, there aren't enough good ways to get to and from the airport. An expressway from both the beltway and IH-69 are needed...as are more transit options. Currently there is one bus that goes to the airport and it  also services a bunch of other stops. No express direct route exists. Honestly the red light should be extended to the airport.