I thought they stopped doing this- Houston communities may lose homes due to freeway - Page 7

Doady · #**121** Posted **Mar 2, 2022, 10:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IWant2BeInSTL

Just gonna leave this here and GTFO. Enjoy.

Why the Concept of Induced Demand Is a Hard Sell

Both the public and policymakers have trouble understanding why building more roads and highways does not reduce congestion.

https://www.governing.com/now/why-th...is-a-hard-sell

Aerial image of the I10 Katy Tollway Houston Texas. At one point, the highway is 26 lanes wide, making it the world's widest road. (Felix Mizioznikov - stock.adobe)

Looks a lot like Highway 401 here in Toronto, the Houston of the North.

homebucket · #**122** Posted **Mar 2, 2022, 10:58 PM**

Why are there 3 separate freeways going in the same direction?

bartolo · #**123** Posted **Mar 2, 2022, 11:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by homebucket

Why are there 3 separate freeways going in the same direction?

The one furthest to the right is ramps to 410N and 403W.

And then 401 through there has a Collector/Express setup.

Bailey · #**124** Posted **Mar 2, 2022, 11:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

We get that. There's localized benefit due to removal, but regionally the added capacity is bad planning.

Houston has 7+ million people today. It could easily be a metro of 10 + million people in the next 25-50 years.

This plan is for that growth and it is doing it without adding freeways, just consolidating them, plus it makes the urban areas MORE urban.

I fail to see a single negative about the plan and I'm very pro-urban.

Trae · #**125** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:24 PM**

The delay in this project is going to cost $750M and counting (for several reasons including the opposition and Lina Hidalgo's lawsuit, county judge for Harris County): https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...n-17037618.php

What's also unfortunate is this project didn't just randomly happened. It was at least a decade in the making, yet the opposition literally waited until the last minute to voice their concerns. Hopefully a select few don't delay progress for 7M+ people. Would really be unfortunate to continue to have the most dangerous urban freeway in America because a few strips of land were being taken. No new free capacity was even being added to this expansion. Shows the power of a vocal minority.

benp · #**126** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trae

The delay in this project is going to cost $750M and counting (for several reasons including the opposition and Lina Hidalgo's lawsuit, county judge for Harris County): https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...n-17037618.php

What's also unfortunate is this project didn't just randomly happened. It was at least a decade in the making, yet the opposition literally waited until the last minute to voice their concerns. Hopefully a select few don't delay progress for 7M+ people. Would really be unfortunate to continue to have the most dangerous urban freeway in America because a few strips of land were being taken. No new free capacity was even being added to this expansion. Shows the power of a vocal minority.

Not entirely true - just most people weren't paying attention, and TxDOT wasn't listening. The public didn't even get to see the preliminary plans until 2015. Most of the focus was on the I-45 Pierce Elevated portion, but opposition on the North Side has been there all along. So has opposition to the questionable choice to build roadways below grade level, on evacuation routes no less, in a city that regularly experiences flooding. Most people thought the whole project would never get this far, so perhaps the protests were weak early on.

C. · #**127** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 6:11 PM**

Trae · #**128** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 6:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by benp

Not entirely true - just most people weren't paying attention, and TxDOT wasn't listening. The public didn't even get to see the preliminary plans until 2015. Most of the focus was on the I-45 Pierce Elevated portion, but opposition on the North Side has been there all along. So has opposition to the questionable choice to build roadways below grade level, on evacuation routes no less, in a city that regularly experiences flooding. Most people thought the whole project would never get this far, so perhaps the protests were weak early on.

Questionable choice? The freeways are build below grade in certain areas TO act as flood channels in the case of extreme flooding. And I wouldnt say most people thought the project would never get this far. It was supposed to start construction last year.

And receiving plans in 2014/2015 but waiting until 2019 to express extreme opposition is the reason for the delay and spike in price. The vast majority of the North Side wants this at it overall improves their QOL and makes the freeway they travel on safer.

mfastx · #**129** Posted **Mar 31, 2022, 3:29 PM**

Given that this project removes one of the downtown freeways - I certainly support it.

Removing a few houses is nothing, when the original freeways were being built entire neighborhoods were bulldozed. Houston would have had HRT in a 1980s proposal but many residents in a powerful neighborhood opposed it because it would have removed like half of a block of houses. Ridiculous.

Bailey · #**130** Posted **Mar 31, 2022, 5:32 PM**

I'm still laughing at the non- Houstonians that think they are putting Houston down.

This move is a BIG win fro pro-urban Houstonians.

Double L · #**131** Posted **Mar 31, 2022, 8:14 PM**

Texas puts so much money into roads. They should start to put more money into public transportation, this policy is only spreading our cities out and forcing them to be suburban.

One positive of this project is that it will be burying part of the downtown loop and turning other parts of it into grade-level roads. This will improve pedestrian connectivity between downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods.

C. · #**132** Posted **Apr 1, 2022, 3:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey

I'm still laughing at the non- Houstonians that think they are putting Houston down.

This move is a BIG win fro pro-urban Houstonians.

What move, exactly? I don't see anything happening.

TexasPlaya · #**133** Posted **Apr 1, 2022, 3:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.

What move, exactly? I don't see anything happening.

Upgrading a dangerously out of date and old highway.

Improving flood controls by having some of it below grade as Houston's below grade highways are used as flood channels.

Removing the elevated portions of replacing them with parks and surface instead of cutting off neighborhoods in the western portion.

Unfortunately, ignorant and misguided opposition has stalled it. Now it's looking to cost an extra ~$750 million as costs have soared due to inflation from supplies and labor.

C. · #**134** Posted **Apr 1, 2022, 4:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Unfortunately, ignorant and misguided opposition has stalled it. Now it's looking to cost an extra ~$750 million as costs have soared due to inflation from supplies and labor.

It's going to be a lot more than $750 million at the end of the day as construction inflation is through the roof. Maybe the project can be scaled back some.

Double L · #**135** Posted **Apr 1, 2022, 5:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.

What move, exactly? I don't see anything happening.

This will be better for the urban environment, as it will bury parts of the highway and make other parts at-grade roads, it will be great for pedestrian accessibility between the neighborhoods. The issue is eminent domain, despite it being good for urban neighborhoods.