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610 West Loop Express Lanes


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To be fair, the schematic does include dedicated, elevated bus lanes. They even run along the center of 610 for a stretch. And isn't there some possibility that the bus lanes will be converted into light rail lines in the future?

 

I read that the overpass is not being designed to be able to, but reading that sentence out of an internet article is the extent of my knowledge so take that for what it's worth.

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Wow.

So let me get this straight. A structure like this is proposed to hold more cars and reduce traffic and the general concensus is that this is a great idea, we have the money for this, people are all for it, there is no opposition from local congressman or senators.

But if we were to build the exact same structures over our freeways or over the HOV lanes of I-10, 45, or 288 and then.......PUT A TRAIN ON IT that holds way more people than cars do, and SUDDENLY it's a HORRIBLE idea, it's completely not feasible, we DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT, and it would be a HORRIBLE APPROPRIATION of funds to spend any money on it, do I have that about right? :rolleyes:

Man, **** **** ****.

 

Never underestimate how powerful auto dealers are in local politics. They're responsible for half of GOP campaign funds, and often around 15-20% of Democratic funds.

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Never underestimate how powerful auto dealers are in local politics. They're responsible for half of GOP campaign funds, and often around 15-20% of Democratic funds.

Wait a minute, that would explain why every time I eat brunch at Harry's in Midtown I see George DeMontrond in there wining and dining a different politician eh?

But then again, for a guy who's sold billions of dollars worth of cars, he's also on the board of Metro, unless that just means that he's...........oh God help us all

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Looks interesting, TxDOT always seems to have a ton of money for stuff like this, so why not? 

 

1. Doesn't really help anything

2. Makes future, useful expansions more expensive

3. It's a pretty regressive design - reminds me of something out of the '80s

4. Reduces shoulder space in a congested area - will likely lead to more accidents

5. Bottlenecks inherent in the design may make West Loop traffic worse, due to the weaving/backpressure that will be introduced onto the mainlanes at the entrance/exit points

 

The more I think about it, the less this particular project makes sense. Either double-deck the whole thing like LBJ in Dallas, or let the current design live out its service life and hope you have the political clout to take on the rich NIMBYs the next go-around.

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Perhaps instead of this high-flying express lane plan they first ought to consider continuous frontage roads at the two major highway interchanges. That is in the plans for I-45/610 with that rebuild and such was added within the past few years at 290 and the Beltway if I'm not mistaken, why not try that here as well?  

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  • 8 months later...

TxDOT Plans For $70 Billion To Fund Transportation Projects Over Next 10 Years
By TxDOT Media Relations | Thursday, August 25, 2016 | txdot.gov

AUSTIN – The Texas Transportation Commission today
approved the 2017 Unified Transportation Program (UTP) with $70 billion worth of projects to help TxDOT meet the state’s growing transportation demands. The plan is the largest of its kind in the agency’s history that addresses capacity, maintenance and safety needs around state.

The 10-year plan, developed with extensive public input, targets congestion in the state’s most-populated areas and includes projects to better connect the major interstates in rural areas with local roads and highways. Also outside urban areas, the program calls for enhancing and completing interstate highways, and addressing the continuing needs within the energy sector and along hurricane evacuation routes.

"The actions today by the Texas Transportation Commission represent a historic investment in our state’s infrastructure,” said Governor Abbott. “Texans have sent a loud and clear message that they are tired of sitting in traffic, and this funding plan will significantly address safety, maintenance, connectivity and congestion on our crowded highways. The plan presented by the commission will allow Texas roads to keep pace with our population growth, provide much-needed congestion relief for working Texans and put the Lone Star State well on its way towards having a first-in-class highway system for decades to come.”

“The Unified Transportation Program reflects TxDOT’s commitment to planning for and meeting the mobility needs of our fast-growing state,” said Transportation Commission Chairman Tryon Lewis.

With more than $70 billion in total funding, the 2017 UTP represents a significant increase from last year’s 10-year plan, which included more than $33 billion worth of projects. The bulk of the additional funding will come from legislative- and voter-approved initiatives to allocate portions of oil and gas taxes, sales taxes and other taxes to the state highway fund. Ending the practice of appropriating state highway funds to agencies other than TxDOT and the passage of long-term federal transportation legislation also contributed to the additional funding.

The new funding in the 2017 UTP is largely allocated into program areas that address safety, maintenance, congestion and rural connectivity needs. It includes funding for all 25 TxDOT districts and 25 metropolitan planning areas throughout the state.

 

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/statewide-news/22-2016.html

 

 

Love this image. Unrelated.  BHP building is awesome

GLMitlu.jpg

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This is a terrible idea. Its like a drug addict saying that he can solve a problem by taking more drugs. Or a drunk man thinking he will get sober by drinking more beer. So messed up. Maybe I should I take some of these people with me when I go back to Germany in a month. Pretty sure that will change their minds.

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40 minutes ago, Luminare said:

This is a terrible idea. Its like a drug addict saying that he can solve a problem by taking more drugs. Or a drunk man thinking he will get sober by drinking more beer. So messed up. Maybe I should I take some of these people with me when I go back to Germany in a month. Pretty sure that will change their minds.

 

How would a trip to Germany change their minds?

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Dallas wedged in a lot of lanes by half burying / half elevating 635 between 35E and HW75.  Seems like the logical next step.

 

Alternatively, can we please, for the love of God, add some braided lanes for the Post Oak to 610N and 610S to Post Oak exits?  I realize these were purposely not included since the build required a no-capacity add, but I mean, COME ON.  

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  • 4 months later...
On 8/29/2016 at 9:08 AM, Luminare said:

This is a terrible idea. Its like a drug addict saying that he can solve a problem by taking more drugs. Or a drunk man thinking he will get sober by drinking more beer. So messed up. Maybe I should I take some of these people with me when I go back to Germany in a month. Pretty sure that will change their minds.

 

The people in charge here are idiots.

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  • 7 months later...
1 hour ago, Twitter1 said:

Started?

 

The express lanes are definitely not starting construction. There is a long way to go in the pre-construction process, including more public meetings. However, the bus lanes structure from Memorial to Post Oak (north of San Felipe) is scheduled to receive bids in December. The tree removal could be related to the bus lanes, or could be unrelated to highway work.

 

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgchart/cmd/cserve/let/2018/harris.htm#027117163

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/22/2017 at 11:05 PM, JLWM8609 said:

I thought it was for the 610/59 interchange reconstruction.

 

I'm confused.  There are two different 610 projects coming in 2018?

 

The 610/59 Interchange is the same as the 610 Elevated Express Lanes? Should be the same project, right?  The 610 elevated express lanes goes from the 59 Spur to I-10. That whole 4-mile stretch of 610.

 

I might be making it more confusing.

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On 9/22/2017 at 9:55 PM, MaxConcrete said:

 

The express lanes are definitely not starting construction. There is a long way to go in the pre-construction process, including more public meetings. However, the bus lanes structure from Memorial to Post Oak (north of San Felipe) is scheduled to receive bids in December. The tree removal could be related to the bus lanes, or could be unrelated to highway work.

 

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgchart/cmd/cserve/let/2018/harris.htm#027117163

 

I thought the bus lanes was apart of the Uptown improvements project.  Found the thread

 

 

 

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23 hours ago, Twitter1 said:

 

I'm confused.  There are two different 610 projects coming in 2018?

 

The 610/59 Interchange is the same as the 610 Elevated Express Lanes? Should be the same project, right?  The 610 elevated express lanes goes from the 59 Spur to I-10. That whole 4-mile stretch of 610.

 

I might be making it more confusing.

They're two different projects, but construction of the two projects should occur at the same time.

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15 hours ago, Twitter1 said:

Do we start a new thread for the 610/59 interchange?

 

This is going to be a madhouse and I might need a place to vent :P Plus construction photos, etc.

From TXDOT's page Looks like they'll basically build two new ramps to and fro 610 (basically the "left turns" off of 610), possibly to reduce the sharp curves of the two. I'd also reckon that it's the "level" at which a HOT/bus compatible 610 will be rebuilt at...that was one of the things about that intersection, where 610 was at the peak of the hill. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I found that the construction wouldn't convert it to a flavor of 5-stack, but there are several factors that prevent that from actually coming true.

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  • 5 months later...

Be prepared: Total closure on West Loop at Woodway this weekend

 

HOUSTON - There will be a total closure on the West Loop this weekend.

 

All southbound lanes from the Woodway exit to the entrance ramp just south of Woodway will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday through noon Saturday.

The left two lanes will open at noon Saturday, and all lanes are expected to be open by midnight Saturday.

 

Drivers can detour by taking I-10 eastbound to I-45 south to U.S. 59 southbound back to the 610 Loop. Local traffic can exit at Woodway.

 

The closure will allow workers to re-stripe the lanes in preparation for construction on an elevated bus lane on the Loop.

 

The re-striping will shift traffic to the left, utilizing the left shoulder as a lane.

 

https://www.click2houston.com/news/be-prepared-total-closure-on-west-loop-at-woodway-this-weekend

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  • 5 months later...

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