Houston: planned new additions to long-term plan (includes blockbusters)

[MaxConcrete]

This month the H-GAC posted a document with planned additions to the 2045 plan. There is a map with the new projects on page 4
http://www.h-gac.com/transportation-advisory-committee/meeting-agendas/documents/2020/november/item-10.pdf

There is a tremendous amount of money required for these additions, and I don't see funding being available for most of these projects until the 2030s. For several of these projects including some high-dollar items, the notes say TxDOT wants them in the 10-year plan (i.e. 2020s). If the $7 billion North Houston Highway Improvement Project is downsized or cancelled, money would be available in the 2020s.

Blockbusters
1. New Loop 610 Ship Channel Bridge, $2.4 billion
This is shockingly expensive, especially considering the new 8-lane Sam Houston Tollway bridge costs $1 billion and the ship channel is only 600 feet wide at the Loop 610 crossing. I'm thinking they'll need to acquire property to be able to build this without closing half of the lanes on the existing bridge. On the north side, the approach will be very long and go over Clinton Drive. (Currently the freeway goes under Clinton). I'm also thinking this project will include rebuilding the SH 225 interchange. The new bridge could be wider with designated truck lanes. Of course it will have a clearance around 40 feet higher. The notes suggest TxDOT wants this in the 10 year plan, but it would tentatively be listed for 2035. "TxDOT want this to stay within 10-Year period. Ok if we place it in FY 2035 but Port of Houston may want us to place it within the 10-year period."

2. Inner Katy Freeway Rebuild with BRT and Managed Lanes, $2.223 billion
Another shockingly expensive project. This has been on the radar, but it looks like TxDOT wants to speed this up. This also includes raising the freeway out of the floodway near downtown. According to the note, "TxDOT wants these projects to be in the same fiscal year as inner Katy BRT to construct these projects in conjunction with BRT." The BRT is desired to start before 2025. This will probably require long elevated structures, since it is becoming politically impossible to displace properties for freeway expansion in Houston.

3. Planned SH 35 Freeway extended all the way to Alvin, $600 million
Work is already funded to build the freeway inside Loop 610. This will take it all the way to Alvin at the planned Grand Parkway. However, this appears to be very long-term, like 2040.

Dormant Projects being revived
4. West Loop Express/Managed lanes, $558 million
Note says "TxDOT wants this project within the 10-year period"

5. Hempstead Managed Lanes, $1.2 billion
This project is now being planned on elevated structures to minimize right-of-way acquisition, and is also planned to be non-tolled. It isn't clear to me when this is would happen, but the work outside Beltway 8 appears to be planned first, as TxDOT wants them moved into 2030 analysis year.

Expected Projects Being Officially Included
6. Interstate 10 San Jacinto Bridge, $492 million
Note says "RECONSTRUCT AND WIDEN FROM 6 TO 10 MAIN LANES AND CONSTRUCT 4 NEW NON-TOLLED MANAGED LANES"

7. SH 228 Brazoria County, upgrades to freeway and widening, $498 million

Unexpected and could happen soon
8. Widening Grand Parkway F-2 (SH 249 to IH 45) and E (IH 10 to US 290) to six lanes, $320 million
This would probably be funded with surplus toll funds since traffic is well above projections. Note says "TxDOT wants these projects within the 10-year period as these segments of SH 99 are congested now."

Unexpected but probably 2040s
9. North-south corridor west of Houston, $2.4 billion
This is the former "Prarie Parkway" freeway that was downsized to a highway. The document lists it as a "FOUR-LANE DIVIDED ON NEW LOCATION" but the cost works out to around $70 million per mile, which seems high.

Unexpected and I don't know if this is needed
10. Rebuild South Loop 610 from SH 288 to IH 45, $533 million
This is listed for 2026-2027. The pavement is not original and is in decent condition. This appears to not add any lanes. I can see this being pushed pack.

[CoreySamson]

Wow this is a lot to unpack. Here's my opinion of each project:

1. Not sure if this bridge should be replaced by 2035. After 2040, perhaps, but given the current state of the bridge I don't really see the need to even worry about building this until 2040, maybe 2045.

2. Haven't drove the Katy Freeway in that section of Houston yet, so I don't really have an opinion on this, but feels like it should be less expensive.

3. Totally doesn't need to happen right now. I don't really understand why this is necessary with the recent completion of the 288 toll lanes. Also, how is it projected to only be a quarter of the cost of the 610 bridge? I could easily see this costing twice or thrice as expensive as the estimates suggest. Maybe 2050.

4. No problem with this; the West Loop is crowded and could use those lanes.

5. Similar story to #3. Could happen in the future, but shouldn't be a priority right now.

6. This I can get behind. After the barge strike last year, the bridge should probably be replaced.

7. Same as #6. Should happen within the 2030s, as the southern suburbs of Houston are growing like weeds.

8. Not sure, but probably justified considering that area's growth.

9. Was this the roundabout infested Heritage Parkway mentioned a couple months back in the Mid-South board, or something else entirely? Either way, too expensive and not very justifiable to me ATM.

10. Same sentiment as you here; I could see this pushed back.

A lot of this seems very optimistic to me, considering Houston already has the downtown rebuild, the Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel bridge, the new 146 bridge in Kemah, and the segments of the Grand Parkway that have yet to be built (A,B,C,H, I-2) on its plate. I doubt all of this will be built in the next 50 years TBH.

[RoadsByArco]

2. Inner Katy Freeway Rebuild with BRT and Managed Lanes, $2.223 billion
Another shockingly expensive project. This has been on the radar, but it looks like TxDOT wants to speed this up. This also includes raising the freeway out of the floodway near downtown. According to the note, "TxDOT wants these projects to be in the same fiscal year as inner Katy BRT to construct these projects in conjunction with BRT." The BRT is desired to start before 2025. This will probably require long elevated structures, since it is becoming politically impossible to displace properties for freeway expansion in Houston.

Inner Katy as in inside Loop 610? I can see that happening soon...

[Plutonic Panda]

I am happy to hear about the Katy Freeway expansion near downtown that is desperately needed to relieve the bottleneck.

I wonder if Houston will unveil a mass transit package similar to how Austin did by 2030.

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 35 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

[RoadsByArco]

I am happy to hear about the Katy Freeway expansion near downtown that is desperately needed to relieve the bottleneck.

I wonder if Houston will unveil a mass transit package similar to how Austin did by 2030.

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 33 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

I think you mean SH 35/Telephone Rd

[Plutonic Panda]

I am happy to hear about the Katy Freeway expansion near downtown that is desperately needed to relieve the bottleneck.

I wonder if Houston will unveil a mass transit package similar to how Austin did by 2030.

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 33 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

I think you mean SH 35/Telephone Rd

yes I fixed it post.

[RoadsByArco]

I am happy to hear about the Katy Freeway expansion near downtown that is desperately needed to relieve the bottleneck.

I wonder if Houston will unveil a mass transit package similar to how Austin did by 2030.

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 35 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

They'll probably make room to be able to upgrade the boulevard into freeway standards as well as constructing frontage roads by using eminent domain.

[MaxConcrete]

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 35 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

The new freeway alignment will generally follow Mykawa Road and the railroad.

[Plutonic Panda]

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 35 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

The new freeway alignment will generally follow Mykawa Road and the railroad.

Oh OK that makes way more sense. Do you know if there will be any sort of direct fully controlled access connection to Hobby Airport?

[MaxConcrete]

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 35 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

The new freeway alignment will generally follow Mykawa Road and the railroad.

Oh OK that makes way more sense. Do you know if there will be any sort of direct fully controlled access connection to Hobby Airport?

As far as I know, which includes seeing a preliminary schematic some time ago, there is nothing planned for Hobby Airport access. I'm virtually certain there won't be any provisions for Hobby Airport, since Hobby is somewhat of the stepchild airport and even Bush Airport does not have a non-tolled, access-controlled entry. Only the Hardy Toll Road entry for Bush does not have a traffic signal - the JFK entrance has a signal.

[Plutonic Panda]

Pardon my ignorance here but the SH 35 freeway I'm not too familiar with that part of Houston and I look at it on a map are they converting that 6 Lane Blvd. to a freeway? That looks like a tight squeeze

The new freeway alignment will generally follow Mykawa Road and the railroad.

Oh OK that makes way more sense. Do you know if there will be any sort of direct fully controlled access connection to Hobby Airport?

As far as I know, which includes seeing a preliminary schematic some time ago, there is nothing planned for Hobby Airport access. I'm virtually certain there won't be any provisions for Hobby Airport, since Hobby is somewhat of the stepchild airport and even Bush Airport does not have a non-tolled, access-controlled entry. Only the Hardy Toll Road entry for Bush does not have a traffic signal - the JFK entrance has a signal.

Interesting. I believe soon Bush airport will be connected via rail, IIRC. I have only ever connected at Houston area airports, never flown into Houston as a destination. I much rather prefer using smaller airports like Hobby, Love, or Midway if I must. I'm not familiar with Hobby so I don't know if it has the same amenities as Love or Midway.

[DNAguy]

This month the H-GAC posted a document with planned additions to the 2045 plan. There is a map with the new projects on page 4
http://www.h-gac.com/transportation-advisory-committee/meeting-agendas/documents/2020/november/item-10.pdf
Unexpected and I don't know if this is needed
10. Rebuild South Loop 610 from SH 288 to IH 45, $533 million
This is listed for 2026-2027. The pavement is not original and is in decent condition. This appears to not add any lanes. I can see this being pushed pack.

As far as #10 goes, it is most definitely needed. This stretch carries a lot of truck / industrial traffic to / from the western part of the ship channel.
It has poorly designed on / off ramps in addition to discontinuous frontage roads. Fixing this would eliminate almost all delays on the road. The biggest culprit is @ Holmes road and to a lesser degree Wayside / Mykawa.
What this adds up to is terrible bottlenecks during rush hour for a stretch of road that can service the current traffic needs via the amount of lanes that currently exist.
Why it will be really needed is the future TX35 tollway connection will put more demand on this stretch of road in addition to the eventual and more "˜immediate' completion 610 @ 288 (seriously.... this is taking FOREVER...).

[Plutonic Panda]

I wonder if Houston will take the title for the most billion plus dollar freeway projects under construction at once. I don't know which city would hold that tittle now but I have to believe it is a Texas one likely DFW.

[TXtoNJ]

How will they be getting SH35 through Pearland? There will be quite a bit of neighborhood opposition to following the rail ROW through the center of town, and not many greenfields around for a bypass.

[CoreySamson]

How will they be getting SH35 through Pearland? There will be quite a bit of neighborhood opposition to following the rail ROW through the center of town, and not many greenfields around for a bypass.

^
That's what I was thinking. And they expect it to cost about a fourth of the Katy Freeway rebuild somehow.

[bwana39]

1. New Loop 610 Ship Channel Bridge, $2.4 billion
This is shockingly expensive, especially considering the new 8-lane Sam Houston Tollway bridge costs $1 billion and the ship channel is only 600 feet wide at the Loop 610 crossing. I'm thinking they'll need to acquire property to be able to build this without closing half of the lanes on the existing bridge. On the north side, the approach will be very long and go over Clinton Drive. (Currently the freeway goes under Clinton). I'm also thinking this project will include rebuilding the SH 225 interchange. The new bridge could be wider with designated truck lanes. Of course it will have a clearance around 40 feet higher. The notes suggest TxDOT wants this in the 10 year plan, but it would tentatively be listed for 2035. "TxDOT want this to stay within 10-Year period. Ok if we place it in FY 2035 but Port of Houston may want us to place it within the 10-year period."

This is about the port. The current bridge is too low.  My thought is there is too little of the port west of the bridge, but the Port Authority thinks there is.  The extra capacity across the channel on I-610 would be welcome. This really is not about the condition or the lifespan of the existing bridge.

Oh and is the Beltway-8 bridge finished? What are the cost overruns going to be especially after the engineering debacle out there?  TX-DOT engineering (consultant) costs by themselves will probably be close to a billion. While I think TXDOT may over engineer many projects, they at least (mostly) get them right.

[MaxConcrete]

This is about the port. The current bridge is too low.  My thought is there is too little of the port west of the bridge, but the Port Authority thinks there is.  The extra capacity across the channel on I-610 would be welcome. This really is not about the condition or the lifespan of the existing bridge.

I definitely agree that the short section of ship channel west of the bridge (about 2 miles) does not seem to justify the massive cost of a new bridge. Furthermore, ships don't like making the long trek all the way to the end of the channel, so it seems to me the wharf facilities west of the bridge must be less desirable.

On the other hand, the Port of Houston's issue may be that ships on a much longer section (east of the bridge) need to pass under the bridge to reach the turning basin. I don't know where the "point of no return" is where ships have to continue to the turning basin to turn around. There appears to be a wide area around 1.8 miles east of the bridge which might be able to accommodate turning.

If the cost is really $2.4 billion, I can't see this project happening until well after 2030.