North Houston Highway Improvement Project (project resumed March 2023)

[In_Correct]

Either that or it takes much longer to build them.

[abqtraveler]

New Urbanists do not like any Infrastructure ... even if it is Rail ... and Private.

That's why we can't have nice things. Everyone tries to block everything. Such a shame.

There's a name for people in power who try to block things. They're called CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) people.

[Thegeet]

New Urbanists do not like any Infrastructure ... even if it is Rail ... and Private.

That's why we can't have nice things. Everyone tries to block everything. Such a shame.

There's a name for people in power who try to block things. They're called CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) people.

Lol, the cavemen. They don't have technology. (SB reference)

But, yeah. Every time they oppose something is to "protect" , but they only hinder.

[TXtoNJ]

New Urbanists do not like any Infrastructure ... even if it is Rail ... and Private.

That's not true at all. Tokyo's metro is largely private, and held up as an example.

New Urbanists aren't the local NIMBY types who reflexively oppose anything out of a fear of property value decline.

[achilles765]

Maybe if existing Interstate 45 between Interstate 69 and Interstate 10 along the Pierce Elevated is eventually torn down, the remnants of the Interstate 45 freeway could become an extension of Spur 527, with 527 running up Brazos St. (Northbound) and Bagby St. (Southbound) to connect the existing 527 with the former Interstate 45 freeway (527 would be signposted along this route as well). I would suggest connecting connecting the 527 and former 45 freeways, but that likely wouldn't fly.

I like this idea. So would spur 527 remain a freeway? Your idea kind of could build on my idea and how I've always wanted spur 527 to get a 3di. It could go up brazos/bagby to where the pierce is, and then what, turn to the south and meet up with 69/45 near st Joseph parkway and emancipation? Or head to I 10?

Or..new idea I've just come up with because of your suggestion: spur 527 becomes interstate 269, heads down your route along bagby/brazos, elevated of course, then around downtown where the pierce is/was, splits with the left side continuing as 269 and ending at I 10, and the right side veering and becoming interstate 245 to connect to interstate 45/69

[jadebenn]

New Urbanists do not like any Infrastructure ... even if it is Rail ... and Private.

Very much not true.

[bwana39]

This morning, I saw a link on KHOU's website about a survey TXDOT was doing in regards to NHHIP. It has disappeared since this morning.

I cannot find it anywhere.

I did however find a rebuttal to it from Mayor Sylvester Turner.



This is the Mayor's Rebuttal
https://houstontx.gov/planning/nhhip/index.html

[Plutonic Panda]

At today's commission meeting, the commission decided to receive public comment on the removal of funding for NHHIP. Comment will be received starting July 9, and the plan is to have a decision at the August meeting (at the end of August).

From the tone of comments from Chairman Bugg and Houston Commissioner Ryan, it sounds like they are ready to defund NHHIP. Public comment appears to be a necessary step before they can defund.

It was mentioned that $503 million has been spent over the last 15 years for project development.

My take: the project will be officially canceled unless there is a drastic change in circumstances in July, including FHWA clearance to resume work and the Harris County lawsuit dropped. I don't see either of those happening.

Max, any update? I know it isn't quite the end of August but are you still sticking with the opinion this project will be defunded and canceled?

[MaxConcrete]

Max, any update? I know it isn't quite the end of August but are you still sticking with the opinion this project will be defunded and canceled?

There's no new publicly available information that I'm aware of. The results of the online survey, which could be decisive, are not available. My speculation was that the online survey is biased in favor of the opposition since they are more vocal and more likely to "turn out" to vote. That would give the commission political cover to write off the $503 million spent so far.

At the July Commission meeting there was strong support for maintaining the funding. H-GAC director Craig Raborn spoke in support of retaining funding, as did numerous business organizations and a few political officials. Speakers at the separate public hearing were mostly against the project.

My current view is that this will be a difficult decision for the commission. The three major project impediments cited by Chairman Bugg still remain: 1) FHWA halt of the project, 2) the Harris County lawsuit against the project, and 3) lack of support from the Houston congressional delegation. Not mentioned by Bugg is opposition by the City of Houston. It's possible there is negotiation in progress behind the scenes, but I would be surprised since Bugg said that Buttitieg did not respond Bugg's request for a meeting. The three strikes against the project may be too much to overcome.

I don't if Governor Abbott is going to be involved in the decision or not, and I don't know it that would be favorable for the funding or not.

I'm thinking that anything can happen, including a partial defunding. At the public hearing, I spoke in favor of maintaining funding for the section of IH-69 between Spur 527 and SH 288 as an alternative to complete defunding. I'm not expecting to know the decision until the August 31 meeting, or possibly a little sooner if the final UTP is released in advance.

[sprjus4]

https://twitter.com/TxDOT/status/1432778882818711554

[kernals12]

I'll say it again: skip the widening north of I-10. Pick your battles wisely.

[Plutonic Panda]

I'll say it again: skip the widening north of I-10. Pick your battles wisely.

Or separate them into two different projects.

[Henry]

I'll say it again: skip the widening north of I-10. Pick your battles wisely.

Or separate them into two different projects.

Perhaps redo the thing like Minneapolis-St. Paul, where you have I-45 on a separate alignment from I-10 and I-69. Similar to what I-94 is separate from I-35W in the former city, and I-35E in the latter.

[kernals12]

I'll say it again: skip the widening north of I-10. Pick your battles wisely.

Or separate them into two different projects.

Perhaps redo the thing like Minneapolis-St. Paul, where you have I-45 on a separate alignment from I-10 and I-69. Similar to what I-94 is separate from I-35W in the former city, and I-35E in the latter.

I-45 already is on a separate alignment.

[kernals12]

I just need a clarification; how many lanes did the Katy Freeway have before and after the widening?

[MaxConcrete]

I just need a clarification; how many lanes did the Katy Freeway have before and after the widening?

The original Katy Freeway had six regular lanes and one reversible HOV lane, which was created from the interior shoulders. Frontage roads generally had two lanes each way.

It now has 10 regular lanes, 4 managed lanes, and at least 6 frontage lanes (3 each way) from Loop 610 to SH 6. West of SH 6, the managed lanes become two HOV lanes (one each way) and main lanes drop to 8 west of Greenhouse. Around the Grand Parkway there are auxiliary lanes.

[Plutonic Panda]

So I'd say this is good news for the future of this project...?

[kernals12]

I just need a clarification; how many lanes did the Katy Freeway have before and after the widening?

The original Katy Freeway had six regular lanes and one reversible HOV lane, which was created from the interior shoulders. Frontage roads generally had two lanes each way.

It now has 10 regular lanes, 4 managed lanes, and at least 6 frontage lanes (3 each way) from Loop 610 to SH 6. West of SH 6, the managed lanes become two HOV lanes (one each way) and main lanes drop to 8 west of Greenhouse. Around the Grand Parkway there are auxiliary lanes.

So the amount of traffic rose by about 45%, per TXDOT, in response to a 100% increase in lane capacity (even before considering traffic levels on parallel roads)? Then what was up with that study claiming travel times increased which has made any rational discussion of highway widenings impossible?

[Plutonic Panda]

I just need a clarification; how many lanes did the Katy Freeway have before and after the widening?

The original Katy Freeway had six regular lanes and one reversible HOV lane, which was created from the interior shoulders. Frontage roads generally had two lanes each way.

It now has 10 regular lanes, 4 managed lanes, and at least 6 frontage lanes (3 each way) from Loop 610 to SH 6. West of SH 6, the managed lanes become two HOV lanes (one each way) and main lanes drop to 8 west of Greenhouse. Around the Grand Parkway there are auxiliary lanes.

So the amount of traffic rose by about 45%, per TXDOT, in response to a 100% increase in lane capacity (even before considering traffic levels on parallel roads)? Then what was up with that study claiming travel times increased which has made any rational discussion of highway widenings impossible?

There is still a bottleneck closer to downtown, no? So if travel levels rose the bottleneck would get worse. I believe TxDOT will address that soon.

[Bobby5280]

One of the biggest problems with traffic snarls in Houston is its very outdated INEFFICIENT surface street grid. Let me tell you, it absolutely SUCKS. The grid-lock down on the surface streets stops up the traffic flow. So it backs up onto the frontage roads and then the off-ramps. And it does that until the traffic snarl backs up onto the freeways.

In Houston these kinds of traffic jams can happen at any time. All it takes is a catalyst, like a serious fender bender. I was in a horrible jam on I-45 near midnight up near the Woodlands. All traffic was re-directed onto the frontage roads.

On an ordinary Saturday afternoon it took me over 30 minutes to drive just a couple or so blocks on Gessner Road, from the South side of Memorial City up to I-10. It was ridiculous.

In the Houston metro area you pretty much have to visit newer (and more affluent) suburbs to the outside of Beltway 8 before you'll start encountering street layouts that have any kind of access filtering. In the older parts closer to Houston's center all kinds of cross streets, parking lots and driveways empty out directly onto the main arterial streets.

The widest parts of the Katy Freeway expansion were built in areas that have very little if any access control over the number of driveways and cross streets connecting directly with main surface streets. Even the frontage roads along I-10 are absolutely littered with driveways in between street intersections. Weaving conflicts abound.

[Plutonic Panda]

Worse than the OKC grid? I swear about 70 percent of OKC's traffic issues on local streets are due to horribly timed lights that should either by synchronized or retimed.

[Bobby5280]

OKC isn't nearly as bad as Houston. OKC does have plenty of neighborhoods where the street grid designs are badly outdated. Some major arterials in OKC, such as Northwest Expressway can be a real PITA. Houston has the same situation, but on a bigger scale and over six times the population size. I just don't get stressed in OKC traffic like I do driving in the DFW area or especially Houston. The issues in OKC are more annoying than they are stressful.

I think I get just as many annoyances driving around Lawton as I do in OKC. The big thing here in Lawton is all the slow-pokes going 15-20mph under the speed limit, gumming up the flow of traffic. No signal turns and lane changes are common here too.

[TheBox]

Which one is more likely to happen?

TxDOT's I-45 North expansion (between Beltway 8 and Downtown) + I-45 Downtown overhaul
or
HCTRA's Hardy Toll Road downtown extension

[The Ghostbuster]

If I had to take a wild guess, I would say probably neither.

[austrini]

New Urbanists do not like any Infrastructure ... even if it is Rail ... and Private.

That's not true at all. Tokyo's metro is largely private, and held up as an example.

New Urbanists aren't the local NIMBY types who reflexively oppose anything out of a fear of property value decline.

People in here use the term "New Urbanists" in every thread like it's some kind of outgroup of hippies instead of what it actually is - an early 90s school of urban planners that's been incorporated thoroughly into all urban and transportation planning for 20 years.