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Houston: Elysian viaduct replacement opens

Started by MaxConcrete, July 16, 2021, 05:34:59 PM

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MaxConcrete

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/Traffic-returns-to-Elysian-Viaduct-Houston-s-16320152.php

This project was well behind schedule, and it finally opened today. Of course, this was slated to tie into the Hardy Toll Road extension and there are stub-outs for connections, but with the Hardy Toll Road extension likely dead, this is probably the final product.

A road was built underneath parts of the elevated structure. I'm assuming that is to make the underside unsuitable as a homeless community habitat.


In the right center of this photo you can see a brownfield area on the north (right) side of interstate 10. That is the location of a large office building which was just demolished for NHHIP. The NHHIP alignment will veer to the right (north) where the freeway currently veers to the left (south).









www.DFWFreeways.com
www.HoustonFreeways.com


The Ghostbuster

The Elysian Viaduct is really something! Also, has the Hardy Toll Road extension truly been canceled? Or is its construction at this point very unlikely?

MaxConcrete

#2
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on July 19, 2021, 01:54:10 PM
The Elysian Viaduct is really something! Also, has the Hardy Toll Road extension truly been canceled? Or is its construction at this point very unlikely?

The Hardy downtown connector is officially suspended, not yet canceled. http://www.hardyconnector.org/schedule.html

The last info I saw was that they are going to have a public involvement program to determine its future or redesign the road, presumably so it is no longer limited access. While I'm not aware of any organized opposition to the project, the main opposition is County Judge (administrative head) Lina Hidalgo, who is a member of the anti-car, anti-road movement. Realistically, her opinion is the only one that matters since this is a Harris County project.

Another possible outcome is that the project goes on hold indefinitely, similar to how it was on hold for 20 years before the current work phase started.
www.DFWFreeways.com
www.HoustonFreeways.com

TXtoNJ

Quote from: MaxConcrete on July 19, 2021, 05:27:39 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on July 19, 2021, 01:54:10 PM
The Elysian Viaduct is really something! Also, has the Hardy Toll Road extension truly been canceled? Or is its construction at this point very unlikely?

The Hardy downtown connector is officially suspended, not yet canceled. http://www.hardyconnector.org/schedule.html

The last info I saw was that they are going to have a public involvement program to determine its future or redesign the road, presumably so it is no longer limited access. While I'm not aware of any organized opposition to the project, the main opposition is County Judge (administrative head) Lina Hidalgo, who is a member of the anti-car, anti-road movement. Realistically, her opinion is the only one that matters since this is a Harris County project.

Another possible outcome is that the project goes on hold indefinitely, similar to how it was on hold for 20 years before the current work phase started.

Wouldn't surprise me if they decided to use the ROW for a train to the airport.

achilles765

Quote from: TXtoNJ on July 20, 2021, 12:41:33 PM
Quote from: MaxConcrete on July 19, 2021, 05:27:39 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on July 19, 2021, 01:54:10 PM
The Elysian Viaduct is really something! Also, has the Hardy Toll Road extension truly been canceled? Or is its construction at this point very unlikely?

The Hardy downtown connector is officially suspended, not yet canceled. http://www.hardyconnector.org/schedule.html

The last info I saw was that they are going to have a public involvement program to determine its future or redesign the road, presumably so it is no longer limited access. While I'm not aware of any organized opposition to the project, the main opposition is County Judge (administrative head) Lina Hidalgo, who is a member of the anti-car, anti-road movement. Realistically, her opinion is the only one that matters since this is a Harris County project.

Another possible outcome is that the project goes on hold indefinitely, similar to how it was on hold for 20 years before the current work phase started.

Wouldn't surprise me if they decided to use the ROW for a train to the airport.

That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.A train line heading up that route may bring some life and development and improvement to the Aldine/ Fifth Ward area and maybe even Greenspoint as well. 
I am of the opinion that we need more train lines.  There needs to at least be a line that runs along Alabama, then turns and heads out Westpark to the West Bellfort PNR.  I know the original plan was for it to run along Richmond but thats way too busy and with way too much development.  With Alabama, all they would have to do is put the train in the turn lane and it'd be like Main Street.  It could start at Wheeler Station, or even be extended along Wheeler to UH.
I also like the idea of extending either the green and purple lines to Hobby.  Actually, I would prefer extending the purple line to Hobby and sending the green line to the port.

In the realm of fantasy, but still something I'd love to see, would be lines along Cavalcade/20th/Long Point to serve Spring Branch and the Heights, a Yale line for north-south travel in the heights, and maybe a line along Washington/hempstead that could end at NW Transit center and tie into the Spring Branch line.  Maybe another north-south route for the west side along Chimney Rock/Wirt or Gessner.
I love freeways and roads in any state but Texas will always be first in my heart

jlwm

Quote from: MaxConcrete on July 16, 2021, 05:34:59 PM
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/Traffic-returns-to-Elysian-Viaduct-Houston-s-16320152.php


A road was built underneath parts of the elevated structure. I'm assuming that is to make the underside unsuitable as a homeless community habitat.

I'm late to this thread, but there was always a road underneath the viaduct north of I-10. It's the original Elysian St that was there before the viaduct.



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