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Guest Plastic

It wouldn't become a tollway but have TOlllanes in the middles. Much like The Katy freeway accept they're not that much needed. 288 doesn't get backed up does it.

What I think they should do is put some tolllanes in or expand it. Then in the very center put some commuter rail tracks. That way the commuters could ride all the way Downtown and not have to transfer onto Main St. It would go down 288 to 610 and meet the Main St. line at The Astrodome. Then either take 610 or go down the tracks to SOuth Main. It would then go toStafford. Then lastly to First Colony Mall(Sugarland). I say this cause there's so much open space in the middle of 288.

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288 doesn't get backed up does it.

:lol::lol::lol:

What I think they should do is put some tolllanes in or expand it. Then in the very center put some commuter rail tracks. That way the commuters could ride all the way Downtown and not have to transfer onto Main St. It would go down 288 to 610 and meet the Main St. line at The Astrodome. Then either take 610 or go down the tracks to SOuth Main. It would then go toStafford. Then lastly to First Colony Mall(Sugarland). I say this cause there's so much open space in the middle of 288.

The plan is to preserve the right of way used by the railroad tracks along Almeda Road for future use as commuter rail. The median will accomodate additional general purpose lanes and bidirectional HOT. That's what 288 was initially designed for, and that's how it will be used...but they're going to need to redesign the interchange with I-45.

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:lol::lol::lol:

The plan is to preserve the right of way used by the railroad tracks along Almeda Road for future use as commuter rail. The median will accomodate additional general purpose lanes and bidirectional HOT. That's what 288 was initially designed for, and that's how it will be used...but they're going to need to redesign the interchange with I-45.

NOOOOOOOOO!! **mutters to self: We don't never get to have original interchanges in Houston no mo**

288 doesn't get backed up does it.

I see someone here is hard of hearing and can't hear traffic updates either.

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The interchange with I-45 is just fine. It's I-45 itself that needs help, as well as the downtown section of US59. The interchange backs up because I-45 backs up; four lanes of NB capacity is more than enough, if only they don't merge down to two in the end.

288 inside the Loop is adequate; they need to modernize the South Loop interchange, as well as widen it all the way out to Pearland.

Edited by desirous
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The interchange backs up because I-45 backs up; four lanes of NB capacity is more than enough, if only they don't merge down to two in the end.

Bear in mind that not only do they merge down to two, but for each exit to I-45 North and South, they merge down to one lane. Depending upon the time of day, one or the other are heavily used, but not necessarily both. You're right that the I-45 capacity needs to be upgraded as well, though.

288 inside the Loop is adequate; they need to modernize the South Loop interchange, as well as widen it all the way out to Pearland.

Inside the loop, they at least need to consider more efficient interchanges at Holcombe/OST and at North and South MacGregor. A flyover or two supporting TMC commuters would be very helpful and would also increase ambulance accessibility.

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I don't think they rails on S.Main should be used. WHat will the train do when there's traffic?

OK, there are two problems with your post. First, I was not referring to the tracks along S. Main, but to the ones along Almeda Road. Second, the real question should be "WHat will the traffic do when there's trains?"

The answer: they stop and wait.

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Bear in mind that not only do they merge down to two, but for each exit to I-45 North and South, they merge down to one lane. Depending upon the time of day, one or the other are heavily used, but not necessarily both. You're right that the I-45 capacity needs to be upgraded as well, though.

Inside the loop, they at least need to consider more efficient interchanges at Holcombe/OST and at North and South MacGregor. A flyover or two supporting TMC commuters would be very helpful and would also increase ambulance accessibility.

That's what I meant. Merging down to two lanes means one in each direction. Both the NB and SB exits are actually built as two-lane connectors, but the Pierce Elevated is not wide enough to handle that capacity. If I-45 is widened by one lane in each direction, the backups on 288 NB will be reduced.

As for the flyovers, that can be fixed... just build them, like Coit @ US75 in Dallas.

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288 inside the Loop is adequate; they need to modernize the South Loop interchange, as well as widen it all the way out to Pearland.

The damn builders wait until it is too late to widen roads. It still boggles my mind that a huge chunk of the Beltway 8 is 2 lanes, what was the point of that!!! :angry:

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The damn builders wait until it is too late to widen roads. It still boggles my mind that a huge chunk of the Beltway 8 is 2 lanes, what was the point of that!!! :angry:

I hear ya, I hear ya.

For 288, and for 288 alone, it shouldn't be a problem... the ROW is absolutely titanic. There's enough space in the median to fit 8-10 more lanes.

The segment inside 610 will need to be expanded too though, if the Fort Bend Tollway is ever extended to S Post Oak. Most inbound traffic would prefer 288 over the constipated US59 interchange.

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The interchange with I-45 is just fine. It's I-45 itself that needs help, as well as the downtown section of US59. The interchange backs up because I-45 backs up; four lanes of NB capacity is more than enough, if only they don't merge down to two in the end.

288 inside the Loop is adequate; they need to modernize the South Loop interchange, as well as widen it all the way out to Pearland.

What's wrong with the South Freeway/Loop interchange?

288_610_stack_evening_view_lres_23-may-2001.jpg

I hope the modernization U R speaking of does not include replacing the guardrails because I'm sick and tired of seeing those sh**ty-ass looking concrete jersey rails that we're stuck with on 92% of the freeways forever.

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What's wrong with the South Freeway/Loop interchange?

288_610_stack_evening_view_lres_23-may-2001.jpg

I hope the modernization U R speaking of does not include replacing the guardrails because I'm sick and tired of seeing those sh**ty-ass looking concrete jersey rails that we're stuck with on 92% of the freeways forever.

Everything but the guardrails. ;)

For starters, how 288 SB gets squeezed to one side and down to two through lanes, and how the 610 EB to 288 NB connector is merged from two lanes to one. That must be expanded if the Fort Bend TW reaches S Post Oak. How about a straighter road with improved line-of-sight and geometries to speed up traffic, as well as reconfigured exits to reduce weaving. In other words, something like the 610/10 interchange, minus the rails. ;)

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  • 1 month later...
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?

I still think 288 alone is one of the best freeways in and out of Downtown. What they need to do now is remove those ridiculous pine trees they planted in the center over a year ago. Sooner or later they are going to have to use that center area for lane expansion. Cars will crash into them anyway as they have been doing on 45 south except they are palm trees getting mowed down.

288 is so wide and has lots of potential for more widening/metro/rail. This city is growing so fast that 16 lane freeways won't be far away. Like the 405 San Diego and Santa Monica FRWY in Los Angeles. Sooner or later we will see a rail going out to Pearland. Just like the BART system in SFO. There still is a clean slate/time to start planning. I foresee all that retail there now like Target, Penney's and Home Depot being moved maybe not tomorrow but in next 10-15 yrs. Developers/Strategists have their work cut out for them.

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And a new Lowe's, Fingers, Macy's, and Dillard's to just name the big ones and nothing to say of the other 200+ stores going in between beltway8 and Southfork.

288 is nearly a clean slate right now as was said. There is time to make 288 work right for Houston for 50 years. But that time is running short.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Toll road proposed for 288

06:19 PM CST on Thursday, February 22, 2007

By Wendell Edwards / 11 News

Click to watch video

The population explosion in Brazoria County has made rush hour traffic on highway 288 bumper to bumper.

There could be some relief in sight in the form of a toll road, but it

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I am just waiting for the state to atleast surface plans for commuter rail services. Although there are other suburbs that could use the service far more than Pearland, 288 is the perfect route to shoot a train to the Fanin South Rail Yard to connect with the Red Line.

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I think toll roads are stupid and do nothing more than charge taxpayers multiple times for access that should be readily and freely granted!

Ditto, what's the point of paying property taxes and raising them for that matter, if we still have to pay tolls on almost every NEW freeway built. :angry2:

Thank god I love off the 6-10 loop. :rolleyes:

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I am just waiting for the state to atleast surface plans for commuter rail services. Although there are other suburbs that could use the service far more than Pearland, 288 is the perfect route to shoot a train to the Fanin South Rail Yard to connect with the Red Line.

I am a big supporter of rail within the city of Houston. I would like to see commuter rail as well, but not before rail within Houston has been established. If they establish rail within the city and to the burbs at the same time, there would be no objections from me!

Toll roads are absolutley stupid IMO. Just another excessive goverment revenue venture, which in this case, impedes the free use of the automobile, an American icon.

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