State Highway 290 Expansion

[CDeb]

Rail to and from Northwest Harris county, now there is a novel idea. It's unfortunate Culberson just figured that out.

A rail component has been a part of the US 290 project for over a decade now.

[ProHouston]

I say demo Northwest Freeway and make folks commute in and out of town on Old Hempstead Highway. Serve them right for moving out there. Idiots!

Well that's class. People following their American dream and you call them idiots. I'm sure these people are more than happy with where they live.

[CDeb]

Well that's class. People following their American dream and you call them idiots. I'm sure these people are more than happy with where they live.

Give him a break. With only 46 posts, he's got to start bashing those evil Republican suburbanites to build his cred around here.

[samagon]

...in the 90's but can somehow see a need for it now. Traffic was bad on 290 then...

I traveled up and down 290 a few times in traffic back then, if traffic was just 'bad' I can only imagine what it is now. yikes.

I'm glad st arnolds is moving near downtown, I won't have any reason to go anywhere near that god-forsaken highway after that.

[mrfootball]

Culberson asks fed to pay for U.S. 290 expansion, commuter rail

By AUDREY M. MARKS

Updated: 05.17.09

Citing the exploding growth rate in the greater Houston area and an increase in the number of motorists, U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, requested $267 million for two local projects from the federal government Thursday to improve mobility in the region.

[Pumapayam]

Wait, isn't this the same congressman who was against the Richmond line, or something, for funding reasons?

Yeah, and for some reason, I thought he was done with his term.

[CDeb]

Yeah, and for some reason, I thought he was done with his term.

Well, there's a new concept out there called "re-election."

[rsb320]

Well, there's a new concept out there called "re-election."

There's also a concept called term limits. I wonder if this applies to him?

[CDeb]

There's also a concept called term limits.

Not for Congress, there isn't.

[missmsry]

He's my congressman, I live right off Richmond and he was hell-bent against funding Richmond rail. What changed?

[rsb320]

He's my congressman, I live right off Richmond and he was hell-bent against funding Richmond rail. What changed?

He's gotten tons of negative publicity (especially on here ) in regard to his previous positions. Maybe he's decided to side with those he represents? Just a thought.

[musicman]

He's my congressman, I live right off Richmond and he was hell-bent against funding Richmond rail. What changed?

two different types of rail altogether. and two different groups of people that it affects (one being very vocal)

[DrFood]

First off, my comment about demolishing 290 and letting them suffer was TONGUE IN CHEEK. Dang folks you take things so literally around here.

Second, it was the party of DeLay and Culberson who fought tooth and nail to prevent Houston from having rail anywhere. Remember when Main Street was propose Tom DeLay did everything he could to block it. So metro built it without federal funds. If you're offended by my terminology, get over yourself. We wouldn't be in this situation if the likes of DeLay and Culberson and others would support what is best for the people, not just their deep pocket contributors.

I doubt the 290 support is anything other than money. The opposition to Richmond was driven by 2 factors. 1 Afton Oaks and 2 certain businesses along Richmond. Afton Oaks reached deep into their pockets to voice their opinion. Businesses used scare tactics to try and convince people that businesses along Richmond would go under. And I would be willing to bet a couple of dollars that the businesses who opposed the rail on Richmond were owned by republicans.

The key to the issue with Culberson is to follow the Benjamins. Dollar to donuts he's got some big bucks supporting him in the 290 initiatives.

two different types of rail altogether. and two different groups of people that it affects (one being very vocal)

[TheNiche]

We wouldn't be in this situation if the likes of DeLay and Culberson and others would support what is best for the people, not just their deep pocket contributors.

Wait, which situation is that? The situation where all of METRO's proposed light rail lines are getting federally funded and built? Or were you actually on topic and referring to the situation where 290 is congested, somehow implying that they were to blame for the inadequate capacity of a freeway planned when they were children and built decades before they held their political positions?

Or was that statement some kind of dry wit that's just over my head, and you are yourself a Republican posing as a Democrat in order to discredit the intellectual capacity of Democrats? I'd consider that plausible.

The key to the issue with Culberson is to follow the Benjamins. Dollar to donuts he's got some big bucks supporting him in the 290 initiatives.

In this one post you have accused politicians of bribery three times. Present your evidence.

[musicman]

Second, it was the party of DeLay and Culberson who fought tooth and nail to prevent Houston from having rail anywhere. If you're offended by my terminology, get over yourself.

again....two different types altogether. neither are against rail ANYWHERE if you look at their votes. both have voted money for rail. i'm not the one who's having problem with terminology. all rail is not the same.

[sidegate]

The situation where all of METRO's proposed light rail lines are getting federally funded and built?

The University Line also? I thought the Environmental Impact study on that one was still pending, at least that's what I read in the Chron a couple of weeks ago.

[TheNiche]

The University Line also? I thought the Environmental Impact study on that one was still pending, at least that's what I read in the Chron a couple of weeks ago.

That is correct, but Culberson got the specific concessions he wanted and now supports it. And the University Line will undoubtedly score better than the other lines that the Feds have already approved funding for. So the EIS would seem to just be a formality at this point.

[crunchtastic]

So the EIS would seem to just be a formality at this point.

I thought a full EIS was a requirement to get federal funding of any sort?

I seem to recall this in all the back and forth with the east end line. I haven't heard anything of results of environmental impacts on any of the lines. But, the University line controversy was going on well before I moved back so I could be wrong.

[VicMan]

Speaking about DrFood's comment, many businesses now have operations in northwest Harris (such as Hewlett-Packard on 290). Also the Pakistan consulate is over there. In other words, not everyone in NW Harris commutes long distances.

[TheNiche]

I thought a full EIS was a requirement to get federal funding of any sort?

I seem to recall this in all the back and forth with the east end line. I haven't heard anything of results of environmental impacts on any of the lines. But, the University line controversy was going on well before I moved back so I could be wrong.

Yes, that is correct. However, the Final Environmental Impact Statement is prepared to meet standard FTA requirements even though the key outcomes in terms of ridership and cost are already estimated beforehand. As such, the completion of the study is certainly an important step which is on the project's critical path if federal funding is being sought, however it doesn't really have all that much inherent meaning. The controversies specific to the University Line have been resolved, the line has political backing, and it has already been established that its ridership is going to be significantly higher than any of the other light rail lines which have already been funded. ...so unless you anticipate that the amount of federal spending on mass transit is about to dramatically decline, it's pretty well in the bag.

If anything goes wrong at this point, it'll be because METRO shot itself in the foot somehow (which happens a lot), not because the feds were too picky.

[CDeb]

I doubt the 290 support is anything other than money.

Yeah, it couldn't be that a whole $hitload of his constituents drive on the freeway every day and he's listening to them.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

I don't remember the public voting for a 290 expansion.

I sure hope our representatives will specifically exclude Houston from any more highway funding until we have a chance to vote on whether or not we want to expand 290.

I also hope our representatives make us vote TWICE just to be sure we really want it...and they better be specific about the EXACT alignment of 290!!!

Sorry, Culberson remains a jackass in my book. I still steam when I think about his campaign signs saying "John Culberson Keeps His Word."

[TechnoG]

Having only 4 lanes from the Beltway to the Grand Parkway hardly seems worth it. By the time this project is completed they will need at least 5 lanes in this stretch. They are not planning adequately enough for future growth. Once the economy recovers, the NW area will continue to grow rapidly and put an even larger burden on 290. The commuter rail will help alleviate some of the burden, but not enough to offset the massive amount of cars that will use this road in the future.

[CDeb]

Having only 4 lanes from the Beltway to the Grand Parkway hardly seems worth it. By the time this project is completed they will need at least 5 lanes in this stretch.

Keep in mind the plan is to also have 2 lanes in each direction of Hempstead Managed Lanes out to SH 99.

[smurf]

To quote Admiral Ackbar from Return of the Jedi, "It's a trap!".

I bet Culberson's expansion plan has rail as the last phase just like last phase (phase 6) of I-10 expansion was commuter rail which was eventually dropped.

[TheNiche]

To quote Admiral Ackbar from Return of the Jedi, "It's a trap!".

I bet Culberson's expansion plan has rail as the last phase just like last phase (phase 6) of I-10 expansion was commuter rail which was eventually dropped.

Actually, that one can be chalked up as one of those cases where METRO shot itself in the foot. All of the entities involved in the I-10 project were on a deadline to commit to their respective components of the project, and METRO missed it. So the project moved forward without them.

[mrfootball]

IMO this thing will get funded quickly if they correctly position this as part of Houston Hurricane Evac route. Seems only fair.

They need to get to work on this now.

[CDeb]

290 was just about shut down due to TxDOT's "accounting error" and there are very few people working on it right now. They are going to START the 30% design this summer.

[mrfootball]

What's the 30% design?

[CDeb]

What's the 30% design?

On any major transportation project, the design goes through several iterations, each with more detail than the previous one. The nominal percentage of the design reflects an approximation of the amount of the total design effort completed.