Where Can I Find Good Grand Parkway Updates

[mrfredmor_65]

I try to monitor www.grandparkway99.com for updates on segment openings, etc. but it appears as though the person doing the updates has been beamed back to their mother ship - no updates since before Thanksgiving. Any idea where to get better info?

[Nate99]

I've looked for info too, but found nothing regularly updated.

 

Being a Kingwoodian, I'm very interested to see what happens once the segment from Spring over to the Porter/New Caney area is done.

[Triton]

I try to monitor www.grandparkway99.com for updates on segment openings, etc. but it appears as though the person doing the updates has been beamed back to their mother ship - no updates since before Thanksgiving. Any idea where to get better info?

 

Same here. Haven't been able to find anything good.

[slash]

Somebody tell me how to get this silly new link system to work and I'd give you several links to articles, ugh!

 

In the meantime, you can find several updates as of the end of December online.  YourClevelandNews.com has an update posted Dec. 31 since you are interested in the Porter/New Caney area, but the information coming out right now is basically the same for all areas...too much rain during May and June has pushed back completion until the 1st Quarter of 2016.

[Nate99]

Somebody tell me how to get this silly new link system to work and I'd give you several links to articles, ugh!

 

In the meantime, you can find several updates as of the end of December online.  YourClevelandNews.com has an update posted Dec. 31 since you are interested in the Porter/New Caney area, but the information coming out right now is basically the same for all areas...too much rain during May and June has pushed back completion until the 1st Quarter of 2016.

 

Thanks for the tip.

 

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/cypresscreek/news/construction-progress-on-grand-parkway/article_46abc4bc-40db-5042-8c85-0eea8b4552b6.html

[mrfredmor_65]

Who would have thought THIS would be a source of info?!

 

http://www.chron.com/news/transportation/article/Grand-Parkway-opening-nears-6753896.php

[BigFootsSocks]

When it comes to transpo projects, Dug is usually the bright spot if an aging news publication.

[slash]

According to Quincy Allen, Texas Department of Transportation Houston District engineer, "We hope to be driving on [F1 and F2] the first week of February [2016]."

 

Anyone tried to see if it has been opened?

[mercurge]

I live near the grand parkway and FM2920. Signs went up yesterday reading "new traffic pattern 2/1". Looks like it might be open on Monday - or at least the feeder roads.

[BigFootsSocks]

February 8th.

[zstrater86]

Per ABC13, F-1 and F-2 will open February 8th and tolls will begin a week later on February 15th.

[slash]

Is there a direct connection to the Hardy Toll Road available now or will we have to wait for that to be completed?

[zstrater86]

I think that part is Section G, which won't open until later in the year due to delays from last years flooding.

[mollusk]

Is there a direct connection to the Hardy Toll Road available now or will we have to wait for that to be completed?

 

I drove through that intersection yesterday, and it's nowhere near finished.

 

edit:  IIRC it's also in an area where the Hardy is scheduled to be widened.  Completion of that project is even further off; IDK how that would affect any interchange with the parkway.

[zstrater86]

The widening of Hardy stops at the Grand Parkway interchange.  There will be 3 lanes and the 3rd lane will be exit only to the Grand Parkway. Past that it will go back down to 2 lanes all the way to I-45.  The same is true southbound. The exit onto Hardy starts the 3rd lane.

 

The bottleneck to get North will just be shifted from 1960 to the Grand Parkway, unless a lot of people exit.

[Witch King]

Why does every new freeway have to be a toll road? to me it defeates the purpose of relieving traffic.

[Ross]

Why does every new freeway have to be a toll road? to me it defeates the purpose of relieving traffic.

Only way they can finance them. There's no money to build new roads quickly without tolls.

[mollusk]

Why does every new freeway have to be a toll road? to me it defeates the purpose of relieving traffic.

 

 

Only way they can finance them. There's no money to build new roads quickly without tolls.

 

Actually, there is another way that worked just dandy for decades and decades, until the word "taxes" became the ultimate in foul language.   Had the per gallon gas tax kept up with inflation since it was last raised more than 20 years ago there would be twice as much money in the highway trust fund.

[Sparrow]

Per ABC13, F-1 and F-2 will open February 8th and tolls will begin a week later on February 15th.

 

Only one week of no tolls?!?! I remember when Austin opened up their toll roads a few years back they gave folks a few months of free usage before starting up the toll collection.

 

Truthfully, I'm actually glad this thing is a toll road--if you don't toll it, it becomes just as congested as all the other roads. Charge me for my convenience, but I want to go 70 mph. If you want free, you go 30 mph.

 

That being said, why don't they do congestion pricing on the toll roads? If it's one o'clock in the morning don't charge me the same fee as if it was the middle of the evening rush. The toll collection in the HOT lanes is on congestion pricing--let's do the same on all of the toll roads.

 

I wonder if instead of "the weather" the HTR direct connectors construction is the real delay in opening section G. I don't believe there will be frontage roads at this location, so no flyovers means no access between toll roads. 

[IronTiger]

Only one week of no tolls?!?! I remember when Austin opened up their toll roads a few years back they gave folks a few months of free usage before starting up the toll collection.

Truthfully, I'm actually glad this thing is a toll road--if you don't toll it, it becomes just as congested as all the other roads. Charge me for my convenience, but I want to go 70 mph. If you want free, you go 30 mph.

That being said, why don't they do congestion pricing on the toll roads? If it's one o'clock in the morning don't charge me the same fee as if it was the middle of the evening rush. The toll collection in the HOT lanes is on congestion pricing--let's do the same on all of the toll roads.

I wonder if instead of "the weather" the HTR direct connectors construction is the real delay in opening section G. I don't believe there will be frontage roads at this location, so no flyovers means no access between toll roads.

The frontage roads were axed at 290, but are present at 45 and (in theory) 249. With updated aerial photos, there were several drainage ponds added, I'm guessing that the original plan was below-grade frontage roads until it was realized it would flood at inopportune times and wouldn't connect to much anyway.

[Ross]

Actually, there is another way that worked just dandy for decades and decades, until the word "taxes" became the ultimate in foul language.   Had the per gallon gas tax kept up with inflation since it was last raised more than 20 years ago there would be twice as much money in the highway trust fund.

 

Absolutely true, but there are many folks out there who are convinced that roads can be built for next to nothing, or that someone else ought to pay for them.

[curbur]

Does anyone know where I can find the toll amounts for traveling on say Segment D to the end of F2? Surely something that is set to open within a week would have posted toll amounts somewhere online, but I haven't found any yet.

[mrfredmor_65]

Does anyone know where I can find the toll amounts for traveling on say Segment D to the end of F2? Surely something that is set to open within a week would have posted toll amounts somewhere online, but I haven't found any yet.

 

Talk about a baffling toll fee schedule!! Check this out:

 

https://www.txtag.org/en/about/tollroad_grndpky.shtml

 

No idea what the new segments will be but I'm sure it will be oddball amounts like this!

[cspwal]

I bet an algorithm set the tolls to maximize revenue - (highest they can be without discouraging drivers)

[slash]

Driving the speed limit on 99 gave me these results today:

 

2920 (Tomball entrance) westbound to Bucee's on 290 was 23 minutes

249 to 45 North Sawdust exit was 12 minutes 

[BigFootsSocks]

I'm about to take the whole trek from 45 to 290 so I'll update my time here as well.

[slash]

Experimented this morning to get to an office building two blocks from Minute Maid.  This is not my normal destination.

 

Beginning at the 249 & 99 crossway at 6:04am.  Went 99 towards The Woodlands.  Exited I45 South from 99 but DID NOT fully go I45 South.  You can stay in the middle lane of the feeder when you exit 99 going towards I45 South, cross over I45, turn north as if going to The Woodlands while staying on the feeder, pass by Spring Carpets on the feeder, and do somewhat of a U-turn back towards Hardy toll road, enter the Hardy toll road and make your way into downtown using Hardy Street.  Reached my destination at 6:47am.

 

I also learned yesterday that it is a cluster trying to backtrack this type of path from downtown.  I do not think 99 is of current value for anyone trying to go north on 45 or Hardy in order to connect 99 west towards Tomball or Cypress.  It seems the old Beltway 8 to 249 or 290 is the still the best possible option.

[mrfredmor_65]

Experimented this morning to get to an office building two blocks from Minute Maid.  This is not my normal destination.

 

Beginning at the 249 & 99 crossway at 6:04am.  Went 99 towards The Woodlands.  Exited I45 South from 99 but DID NOT fully go I45 South.  You can stay in the middle lane of the feeder when you exit 99 going towards I45 South, cross over I45, turn north as if going to The Woodlands while staying on the feeder, pass by Spring Carpets on the feeder, and do somewhat of a U-turn back towards Hardy toll road, enter the Hardy toll road and make your way into downtown using Hardy Street.  Reached my destination at 6:47am.

 

I also learned yesterday that it is a cluster trying to backtrack this type of path from downtown.  I do not think 99 is of current value for anyone trying to go north on 45 or Hardy in order to connect 99 west towards Tomball or Cypress.  It seems the old Beltway 8 to 249 or 290 is the still the best possible option.

 

I concur with this limitation. I tried going from I-45 NB to 99 WB and there is no apparent connector which is extremely short-sighted! You have to go to Spring Crossing and U-turn but then you have to pass two intersections before reaching an entrance ramp!

 

I'm sure there is a healthy cohort of drivers who would take this route to go from I-45NB mainlanes or HOV or Hardy to get to Tomball all the way to 249 or halfway such as all the communities surrounding Hooks Airport. This would greatly relieve much of the WB traffic that currently clogs the existing arterials (Louetta, Spring-Cypress and FM 2920 worst of all!)

 

Lets hope (near) future plans call for a direct connector ramp!

[ADCS]

I concur with this limitation. I tried going from I-45 NB to 99 WB and there is no apparent connector which is extremely short-sighted! You have to go to Spring Crossing and U-turn but then you have to pass two intersections before reaching an entrance ramp!

 

I'm sure there is a healthy cohort of drivers who would take this route to go from I-45NB mainlanes or HOV or Hardy to get to Tomball all the way to 249 or halfway such as all the communities surrounding Hooks Airport. This would greatly relieve much of the WB traffic that currently clogs the existing arterials (Louetta, Spring-Cypress and FM 2920 worst of all!)

 

Lets hope (near) future plans call for a direct connector ramp!

 

Use the road a bunch and you'll get that connector in 5-10 years. It's all about finding the financing.

[Sparrow]

I concur with this limitation. I tried going from I-45 NB to 99 WB and there is no apparent connector which is extremely short-sighted! You have to go to Spring Crossing and U-turn but then you have to pass two intersections before reaching an entrance ramp!

 

I'm sure there is a healthy cohort of drivers who would take this route to go from I-45NB mainlanes or HOV or Hardy to get to Tomball all the way to 249 or halfway such as all the communities surrounding Hooks Airport. This would greatly relieve much of the WB traffic that currently clogs the existing arterials (Louetta, Spring-Cypress and FM 2920 worst of all!)

 

Lets hope (near) future plans call for a direct connector ramp!

 

Try this: take the exit for Spring Stuebner-West. Stay on the feeder road until Grand Parkway. Turn left onto Grand Parkway frontage road. Stay to the right on the frontage road to get straight onto the Grand Parkway westbound--the left lanes go to stoplights for Holzwarth and Springwoods Village Parkway.

 

It's really not that hard at all. One light, and thus far for me it has only taken a single cycle to get thru that one light at the 45/Grand Parkway feeder road intersection.