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Plenty of red meat here both in the article and in the comments. I think the downtown roundabout idea is pretty intriguing, although the years of construction to make it a reality makes me shudder. Could suffocate downtown the way LRT construction suffocated those corridors. http://www.chron.com/news/article/Here-s-a-roundabout-way-to-ease-traffic-congestion-3836900.php

The part where people had to cross 4 lanes of traffic to get off on Westheimer if going north on 610 was a 100% success with that excellent single lane off ramp that gets you off of the main lanes before you cross over 59 and then dumps you right on the feeder before Westheimer. The major failure was in the ramp that takes you from 610 north going to 59 south. Before they reconstructed this area that area of 610 right in front of the Home Depot was famous for wrecks. I still see the area jammed up at all hours of the day during the work week. They did improve the access to go to 59 north but the 59 south ramp seems to be too narrow and sharp for large commercial trucks and SUVs to take at high speed. Even when the traffic is not heavy people slow down to 25-40 mph on that turn. They should have built an exit ramp like the ones they have at beltway 8 and 59 north where it is a very lazy and gradual curve with lots of shoulder room for people to feel more safe about not hitting the wall. This curve should have gone over the old existing 610 bridge that goes over 59. The exit for the ramp should have been at least a mile before the actual exit by raising a wall protected with crash barrel to keep people from jumping on the exit at the last second and causing more slowing. With that intersection being in the top 10 more busy and dangerous in the USA the sky should have been the limit on funding a good solution.

Is 288 completed as a freeway yet down there? On Google Earth, 288 still has some cross streets from the Beltway, all the way down to Highway 6. Is it planned to be a full freeway down to Lake Jackson?

Since the Pierce Elevated thread is getting so long that this might not be noticed, and because this is important for us to do, I've decided to start a new thread for just the NHHIP Interactive Map which can found below in the link: http://mycity.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=15e9cd4512944ddb9b8f6b23fa9a68c6 If the link doesn't work then go to this link for the entire NHHIP (the link to the map on the website is a few scrolls down): http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/nhhip/index.html Just click the box that says "Let's Comment" then click ok. Once there you will be dropped into the interactive map. Its actually a very comprehensive map. It will initially show just the areas effected, but to the right you will see layers which turn on the schematic drawings. On the left is a window with a template to write your comment. You just click on it and it will ask you to drop it on the map. After that it will ask for more specifics. They even ask for what kind of comment it is. At the bottom of the prompt to select various things is the section "extra comment". This is where you write your actual comment. It has to be brief though as it limits the number of characters. I believe you only get one comment (not sure about that, but its fair to have a limit of one...you know chaos and all that). I've already left a comment. My comment is about the Spur at 59. I've always thought it was awkward that the Spur wasn't part of the original scope. If they are going to focus more on communities with these comments then its worth while to reconsider adding the spur to the scope and submerge it to restitch Montrose and Midtown back together. Its a "once in a lifetime project", right? I encourage my fellow HAIF'ers to leave a comment as well. If this is an opportunity to make your voice heard than you should do so. This is a community that has been discussing this project at length, with ideas and opinions, for years now! Now it seems you will have the ability to act on those ideas and opinions. Of course, keep it civil and sensible. I read one comment about keeping the Pierce as a highway which defeats the purpose of the project which says the person making that comment doesn't understand the purpose of the project. @Urbannizer @Triton is it possible to make this a sticky post? Would appreciate it. Comment away!

I was driving back from Richmond, TX today and decided to take the scenic route back to Riverside Terrace, that is to take U.S. 90A all the way back as if it is prior to 1961 and the SW Freeway has not been built. I'd taken the stretch last week to check out construction. From Richmond to Highway 6, the highway is still in its 4 lane divided configuration. Once you pass Highway 6, there's some construction going on to widen it to an 8 lane boulevard. Last week, westbound traffic was still using the original 1934 bridge over Oyster Creek in front of the old Imperial Sugar mill. Today, westbound traffic had been diverted to the newer late 1940's former eastbound bridge. Eastbound traffic was on a new structure over the creek. I assume the 1934 bridge is to be demolished soon, the plaques with the year it was built and other info had been removed (what the construction companies did with it, I don't know). There's a few s-curves between Ulrich Rd. and BW 8 diverting traffic onto and off of new and old pavement. It appears in Stafford they're making portions of it a freeway, I'd even heard rumors that they were going to put part of it into a trench at Kirkwood or something like that, it had to do with the railroad crossing as well. Once you pass Willowridge HS, you enter the oldest section of the S. Main/US 90A freeway completed in 1996. Last week, traffic was still on the feeder roads all the way to S. Post Oak. All lanes of the new freeway are open from Stafford to the South Loop. No more traffic lights and crossovers, just smooth sailing at 65 mph, a far cry from just 5 years ago. Passed under 610 and hit the 8 lane boulevard, moving pretty good, then curved onto the 6 lane portion of US 90A known as OST right into Riverside Terrace which is now nice and smooth with new asphalt thanks to TxDOT (took em long enough, over a year from old surface removal to repaving!)

I'm not sure if there's a current thread on this or not, but it looks like they are moving forward with toll lanes on 288. I hadn't heard about this - much less hearing it was delayed. Anyone have any idea what the design is going to look like, particularly coming into downtown & the med center? http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2015/10/texas-288-toll-lane-work-expected-mid-2016/

Saw this on the news this morning. http://abc13.com/traffic/gulf-freeway-ramp-to-close-for-six-months/2716294/

How do they plan to squeeze a freeway into the right away on South Post Oak (between Bellfort and Willowbend Blvd)??? I've been trying to find some schematics because I'm curious as to how they will do it without tearing down every business along that route.

US 290 Program Reaches Milestone with First Major Construction Contract "Construction on the IH 610/US 290 interchange begins this summer." HOUSTON - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) took bids earlier today for the US 290 Program's first major construction project located at the IH 610/US 290 interchange. Williams Brothers Construction Company, Inc., had the winning low bid of $151.5 million. The Texas Transportation Commission will award the project at their May 26 meeting. Work on this first contract, known as Project K, includes constructing an inbound direct connector from US 290 and the IH 610 North Loop to IH 10 Katy Freeway, thus eliminating the traffic weaving currently present on the IH 610 West Loop southbound mainlanes. In addition, workers will reconstruct the IH 610 North Loop from Ella to the US 290/IH 610 interchange. Construction is expected to begin this summer and be completed early 2015. The US 290 Program Office opened in October 2006 and it is from there that all design, right-of-way, utility relocation and public involvement is coordinated for the 38-mile corridor from the IH 610/US 290 interchange to FM 2920. The Federal Highway Administration granted the program environmental clearance through a Record of Decision in August 2010, allowing the program to move forward with right-of-way and construction activities. TxDOT's Houston District Engineer, Delvin Dennis, P.E., adds, "The beginning of construction signifies a major accomplishment for the US 290 Program. This long awaited project will relieve congestion and improve safety on a portion of the IH 610/US 290 interchange. Motorists will realize peak travel time savings of nine minutes on eastbound US 290 and six minutes on westbound IH 610." Although TxDOT is excited to begin the major reconstruction of US 290, the reality of the transportation funding crisis still presents real obstacles for advancing the Program. With the projected cost of the US 290 corridor improvements totaling $2.8 billion, there is still approximately $1.5 billon of the program unfunded. The program's next funded project is tentatively scheduled for construction in late 2012 and will build the outbound direct connector at the IH 610/US 290 interchange, from IH 10 to US 290 and the IH 610 North Loop. There is also funding programmed for fiscal years 2014-2019 which would allow construction at the US 290/Beltway 8 interchange and portions of US 290 between Beltway 8 and W. 34th Street. However, at this time there are no construction funds for the US 290 projects west of Beltway 8. Despite having currently allocated funding, the US 290 Program continues to move forward with corridor wide design plans, which will allow the projects to be ready to go to construction once funding is available. For more information regarding the US 290 Corridor Program, please contact Karen Othon, US 290 Public Information Officer at (713) 354-1532 or visit the program website at www.my290.com.

I just posted online a comprehensive listing of my concerns about TxDOT's plan. http://houstonfreeways.com/analysis I would certainly be interested in getting any feedback for errors in my analysis, or issues I missed. Of course, some of these issues are matters of opinion, but many are serious and need to be looked at by TxDOT. I'm going to submit the final list (pending any changes based on feedback) as public comment.

Feeder rd bridges must be constructed and be higher than the current bridge to avoid taller ships from bumping into it! Must be a total of 8 lns! The feeder rd bridges are to take of traffic from the main rd due too just going to the next intersection! Also, traffic to exit in advance to avoid traffic to back up on the main rd! Also for traffic getting on to get on the main rd later! The main rd must be raised higher and be widened to 12 lns! Two cable towers must be added to become a cable stayed bridge like the bridges in Jacksonville, Fl, Savannah, Ga, and Charleston, SC!

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings/houston/121015.html Looks like the process has started for adding 4 elevated express lanes down the center of the 610 West Loop between I 10 and I 69. I am betting that TXDOT will stand a better chance of getting this built despite the likely inevitable legal challenges from the Memorial Park Conservancy and various other NIMBY organizations. Fact is, 300k+ cars use this stretch of road every day and it needs the additional capacity big time. The link has a project map and additional details.

If a mid-rise apartment is right next to a major freeway (35 ft to the freeway on ramp, and 70 ft to the freeway lanes from the property line), and most units will be facing the freeway. Is noise from the freeway going to be an issue that negatively impacts leasing/rent/property value?

TxDOT looking into ways to ease congestion on the Southwest Freeway from 288 all the way to Beltway 8. I guess there's already been a meeting on this last year in September 2014. Here's the TxDOT sight: www.mysouthwestfreeway.com Outside of the "lipstick on a pig" ideas, here are some thoughts (not 100% original btw) on how traffic can be eased on 59 / 69 without much ROW purchased: 1.) Configure on ramps / off ramps on top of each other like at 59/69 and Kirby between 610 and the beltway. That way merging and exiting traffic isn't fighting one another 2.) Build elevated two-way HOV lanes in current HOV ROW from Spur to past the beltway. (possible?) 3.) Reconfigure Chimney Rock exit (headed south) by exiting before the 610 traffic merges into 59/69 and have those exiting 59/69 to 610 do so before the Chimney Rock entrance to the freeway. Either that or eliminate the Chimney Rock exit / entrances all together. Ideas that might require ROW purchase and most definitely be more expensive even if no ROW: 1.) Extend Westpark tollway (WPT) past 610 and grade separate at 610 interchange. Possibly grade separate at Newcastle and have tollway end between Newcastle and Wesleyan. If not, have just have it end between 610 frontage and Newcastle. 2.) Direct connector from 610 traffic headed north to WPT headed west. 3.) Direct connector from WPT headed east to 610 headed south. (I don't think a WPT east to 610 North can fit) 4.) 2 lane Direct connector from 59/69 north to 610 south. Current one lane config. is big bottle neck. 5.) Direct connector from southbound 610 traffic to westbound WPT. To limit ROW, the direct connector would have to be after the 59/69 exit and tie into the extended WPT. Ideas that might require significant ROW but not quite to the level of the Katy freeway redesign: 1.) If previous #5 option not available, have a direct connector from southbound 610 traffic to westbound WPT on the north side of 59/69. It would be something like that of the new 290 to I10 direct connector. However this leads me to my next idea... 2.) Purchase land between 59/69 and Westpark rd. and WPT. Shift 59/69 slightly south and decrease the sharpness of the 59/69 curve at the WPT intersection. Katy Freeway clear-cutting option: 1.) Turn single HOV lane into 3 HOT lanes with the middle lane being bi-directional (much like what 290 was supposed to have) 2.) Add a full 5th lane to each direction of 59/69. 3.) Let them eat cake. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Architecture firm envisions retail under Houston highways Swamplot and Houston Bizjournals also report of the Tunnel Loop Square which will allow easy access to the tunnels. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2013/11/architecture-firm-envisions-retail.html http://swamplot.com/a-park-size-tunnel-entrance-concept-for-downtown/2013-11-12/ BizJournals: Swamplot:

Got this press release in the e-mail yesterday: Funds Granted to US 290 Corridor Improvements "Projects allow TxDOT to provide congestion relief for US 290 commuters." HOUSTON - The Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) Houston District is excited to announce that at its monthly meeting, the Houston-Galveston Area Council's Transportation Policy Council approved the several improvement projects along US 290, which will help ease congestion along the corridor. These projects are moving forward utilizing Proposition 12 bond funding previously allocated by the Texas Transportation Commission. First is the US 290/BW 8 interchange area, known as Project G, which includes (1) the construction of a continuous frontage road along BW 8 at US 290, (2) construction of collector-distributor lanes on US 290 from W. Little York to FM 529, and (3) construction of the US 290 mainlanes and frontage roads from W. Little York to FM 529. Project G totals $144 million and is tentatively scheduled to go to contract for construction in July 2012. Second are the Transportation Systems Management (TSM) projects along US 290 between Eldridge and Cypress Roshill/Fry Road. TSM is a program to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow through freeway operations improvements. These projects, totaling $6.5 million, include: . US 290 intersection improvements at SH 6, Spring-Cypress, Skinner, and Cypress Rosehill-Fry. These will include dedicated right-turn lanes on both sides of US 290 at SH 6, as well as new left-turn lane options. . Intersection improvements on the US 290 eastbound frontage road at Eldridge, including a dedicated right-turn lane onto Eldridge. . Addition of an auxiliary lane on US 290 eastbound between Telge and Huffmeister. . Addition of the US 290 westbound frontage road at Barker-Cypress. TxDOT estimates the TSM projects will go to contract for construction in July 2012. Once these projects are complete, they will enhance traffic flow along US 290 easing the commute for motorists. The reality of the transportation funding crisis still presents real obstacles for advancing the US 290 Program. With the projected cost of the US 290 corridor improvements totaling $2.8 billion, there is still approximately $1.4 billon of the program unfunded. Despite these funding challenges, TxDOT continues to move forward utilizing the resources we have currently to bring congestion relief to commuters.

I know parks over freeways have been a hot topic for the transportation sub forum, but this really doesn't fit, cause it's not Houston, but it's neat anyway. http://inhabitat.com/missouri-is-building-a-lush-public-park-over-the-interstate-70-freeway/#more-546634 St. Louis is getting a park to cover the freeway through the middle of town, and will make the river accessible.

I read sometimes past that 288 will get four more lanes between 59 and CR 56. I've been looking for more info since then but couldn't get anything. Any news, links, timeline on this?

I am truly fustrated at the nonstop traffic on Highway 6. I live in Sugar Land and used to live in Northwest Houston and worked on the westside so I'm very familiar with the headache that is Hwy 6 and FM 1960. Will there ever be a solution to that corridor. Maybe they could widen Eldridge on the westside. The new medians from Memorial @ Hwy 6 to Fort Bend County have done little to ease traffic. I was thinking of a connecting Baker-Cypress to FM 1464 (Clodine Rd.). They have just finish completion of widening 1464 road in Fort Bend County. There would definitely be an issue with the environmental impact of going through George Bush park. The ground might not even support a road going through there, but there is a small dirt road/ bike trail that connects the two. Not to mention the flooding in that area. I don't know what the solution to the traffic problem but something has to be done or we are all going to have road rage and go crazy !

Why are they replacing parts of the median?

I don't really know if this is the right place to post this topic but there was nowhere else that seemed to be the right spot.... Anyways, hello all! I was just wondering if anyone knows the status of the Crosby Freeway. Does anyone know an anticipated opening date. Commuting from Crosby to Downtown is not a traffic nightmare or anything like 290, but it is a small hassle to have to take the freeway to the Beltway, and then to I-10 to get into Houston. I know work has been going on near Wallisville and Lake Houston Pkwy since about '06.

First of all, I live off of I-10 and Silber, so I don't appreciate the construction 'changes' they've made recently (removed Silber exit from I-10, removed various entrance ramps from I-10 around Silber & Antoine). Anyway, the traffic on the main lanes and feeder of 610S & Woodway/Memorial has become blood-curlingly frustrating lately! There's two, yes TWO exit ramps onto the feeder between Memorial and Woodway, both within ~1000 ft of each other. Everyone who is exiting is trying to make their way across to turn right onto Woodway. Is this for real? Did no one at TxDOT figure out that this would be a complete nightmare? Especially since people who live off of I-10 close to 610/I-10 have no choice but to take feeder roads if they need to get to 610S. I know this board is very knowledgeable, so does anyone have any insight to any future changes that could alleviate this complete lack of IQ?

Can someone help me understand why TXDOT placed a hard right turn access from the 610 southbound feeder road to Hidalgo Street/Richmond Avenue (just south of the Galleria)? Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is a ramp from the mainlanes to Hidalgo/Richmond just north of here. Why did they bother to construct this large ramp if they're still going to have this stifling little right turn also? It causes MAJOR backups, because it is within a few feet of the ramps to enter 610 and 59. Still, with all of the other options available to the drivers of our fair city, I'm constantly amazed at the number of people lined up to make this stupid little right turn. Who designs this crap, and does anyone know if they plan to remove this thing at some point?