Regional Boards > Mid-South
Houston: Hardy Toll Road extension status
rte66man:
If a boulevard is chosen, it seems like they could get more bang for their buck by expanding Elysian and using the new viaduct to access downtown.
The Ghostbuster:
I hope they do build the southern extension as a toll road, not as a boulevard. On another note, is there anything to report on a potential northern extension of the Hardy Toll Road? I heard there were studies about extending it northward all the way to Loop 336, although I doubt it will be built anytime soon.
MaxConcrete:
--- Quote from: MaxConcrete on October 01, 2021, 06:22:32 PM ---A consultant is being solicited for the downtown extension.
https://harriscountytx.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/51520
--- Quote ---21/0311 - RFSQ - Professional Architectural and/or Engineering Services for the Planning and Conceptual Design Process for Phase II of the Hardy Toll Road Downtown Connector Project for the Harris County Toll Road Authority
--- End quote ---
The objective of this contract is not clear to me. My perception is that this will be a public input process which could be used to change the design from a toll road to something else. But I really don't know. We'll find out eventually if/when public meetings are scheduled.
--- End quote ---
An agenda item for this week's Commissioners Court meeting says the proposals were rejected and the item will be readvertised in the future. I have no idea about the reason. There is no indication about the timing of "a later date", if this is a short-term or long-term delay.
https://harriscountytx.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=907420&GUID=BF7BAEEF-453C-4664-B13F-972E91FB622B
"Request for approval to reject the responses received for professional
architectural and/or engineering services for the planning and conceptual
design process for Phase II of the Hardy Toll Road Downtown Connector
Project for the Toll Road Authority, and that the project be readvertised at a
later date with revised specifications (210311)."
I also checked the project web site and discovered it has been updated. The schedule shows the "Re-imagine Hardy" study from April 2022 to March 2023, with downtown connector construction from April 2023 to April 2026. However, I'm thinking that schedule is no longer valid.
https://www.hctra.org/HardyDowntownConnector
MaxConcrete:
This appears in the agenda for this week's meeting of Harris County Commissioners Court
--- Quote ---Request for approval to execute an Agreement with Asakura Robinson
Company, LLC to provide landscape architectural, engineering, and or
planning services related to the Hardy Toll Road Downtown Connector
project in Harris County, Texas in the amount of $784,201.02 (Precincts 1
and 2). MWDBE Contracted Goal: 78%.
--- End quote ---
I read this statement to apply to landscaping only. $784k sounds about right for landscape plan specification. It's certainly not enough for a complete redesign. This may not be the only contract relating to Hardy, so we really cannot reach any firm conclusion about the project future with this limited information.
However, other recently-published documents suggest the project is moving forward as originally planned as a toll road. Both the annual report and HB 803 report (https://www.hctra.org/Reports) say the extension is a future project, with no mention of changing its scope, and the HB 803 document lists $228 million in expenditures in 2023-2026, which is about what I expect for the main lanes. (Work on cross streets has been in progress for years.)
New direct connection ramps at the Hardy Toll Road and Beltway 8, listed at $140 million, is a higher-priority project and will probably start first since the HCTRA project info says construction will start in 2023.
Great Lakes Roads:
--- Quote from: MaxConcrete on September 30, 2022, 01:31:20 PM ---This appears in the agenda for this week's meeting of Harris County Commissioners Court
--- Quote ---Request for approval to execute an Agreement with Asakura Robinson
Company, LLC to provide landscape architectural, engineering, and or
planning services related to the Hardy Toll Road Downtown Connector
project in Harris County, Texas in the amount of $784,201.02 (Precincts 1
and 2). MWDBE Contracted Goal: 78%.
--- End quote ---
I read this statement to apply to landscaping only. $784k sounds about right for landscape plan specification. It's certainly not enough for a complete redesign. This may not be the only contract relating to Hardy, so we really cannot reach any firm conclusion about the project future with this limited information.
However, other recently-published documents suggest the project is moving forward as originally planned as a toll road. Both the annual report and HB 803 report (https://www.hctra.org/Reports) say the extension is a future project, with no mention of changing its scope, and the HB 803 document lists $228 million in expenditures in 2023-2026, which is about what I expect for the main lanes. (Work on cross streets has been in progress for years.)
New direct connection ramps at the Hardy Toll Road and Beltway 8, listed at $140 million, is a higher-priority project and will probably start first since the HCTRA project info says construction will start in 2023.
--- End quote ---
HCTRA has also this on the Sam Houston Tollway at SH 225 interchange:
"Final design has begun and construction is expected to begin in summer of 2023."
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