DNAguy
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Posts posted by DNAguy
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I'd find this guy a lot more credible if he was fighting Kinder Morgan or a similar company as well.
If pipeline companies can use eminent domain to build their privately held assets which remain in private hands, then I don't see why a rail company can.....
Not that I agree with the idea of private companies necessarily using government power for their own benefit at the expense of private land holder rights. This is something that can be argued both ways and doesn't lend itself to platitudes that probably got this guy elected...."No new taxes" "Smaller Government" "Obama"
Though, this guy shows his 'butt' when it says in the article that he's a real estate developer. I mean, he wants a stop in the woodlands and he's using 'eminent domain' as a drummed up controversy that gets the base all jazzed up.
Politics baby.
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What's not seen are the pictures of the 157 diagonal parking spaces they intend to add on a single west bound acces lane.
They also have plans to add a pedestrian controlled crosswalk at park vista street. Once the button is pushed it should take 35s for the light to change to red.
They are working with the city to approve a reduction in speed limit from 40mph to 35 mph.
Another thing mentioned was a roundabout added once you cross over the Sabine bridge so you can u turn safety or acces the west bound access lane for parking.
Just random notes I can think of off the top of my head.
Did they have any specifics on the i45 ramp / connectivity improvements?
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Here are some Crap pictures for your viewing pleasure.
Thanks for this, btw.
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Meeting today on improvement plans for Allen Parkway
Thursday, February 5, 2015 6-7 p.m.
Neighborhood Resource Center Auditorium
815 Crosby Street
http://downtowntirz.org/images/Allen_Parkway_Public_Meeting_Flyer.pdf
Here's some other articles / info that talk about elements of this:
http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=65028
http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2015/01/downtown-freeway-fix-a-step-in-the-right-direction/
First round of Prop. 1 a boost to suburban freeways Wider freeways, ramp alterations among projects on the fast trackBy Dug Begley
January 16, 2015 Updated: January 16, 2015 9:39pmThe term "shovel ready," coined a few years ago during a federal spending spree on roads, is making a comeback in Houston, with regional and state transportation officials planning to spend nearly $279 million on area highways.
The quick construction boom, however, won't have the mega-project panache of a Grand Parkway or light rail line. This time, extra money is likely to mean stretches of suburban freeway some would like to see widened will open up far sooner than anyone expected, and battered highways might get a little maintenance.
The money comes from the November passage of Prop. 1, which diverted half of the oil and gas severance tax revenues from the economic stabilization fund to state highway spending. About $1.7 billion was diverted from the state's so-called rainy day fund to highway projects.
Racing to spend the first round, Houston-area officials are concentrating on projects slated to start construction this year, which in some cases could have waited decades for the necessary money to become available.
A quick trip from planning to construction is expected for U.S. 59 in Fort Bend County, from Spur 10 to Darst Road. A $93 million project will widen the freeway to six lanes, and add two-lane frontage roads."It is tremendous to see a project move forward 20 years," said Alan Clark, manager of transportation and air quality programs at the Houston-Galveston Area Council.The project was initially planned for around 2030 or 2035, because after two current widening projects of the freeway to Spur 10, officials didn't have the money to proceed with the next segment. With huge growth expected in Fort Bend County, Clark said the next step was ready, warranted and would offer a big relief to nearby drivers.
Various benefits
Fast-tracking construction played a major role in the 14 projects recommended Wednesday by H-GAC's technical advisory committee. All of the projects are expected to start construction in the calendar year, said David Wurdlow, an analyst with H-GAC who oversees the transportation improvement program.
Though none of the projects are massive by local transportation standards, Clark said they all have regional significance because they solve a problem faced by thousands of commuters. The largest in cost, at $98 million, is the final portion of widening planned along U.S. 290 - part of a $1.8 billion rehab of the freeway from Loop 610 to FM 2920.
Among the least expensive, at $2.2 million, is a project to reconfigure the entrance ramp from Allen Parkway to southbound Interstate 45. The on-ramp connects with the freeway from the left side of the southbound lanes, unlike most entrance ramps that enter from the right.
Along with the entrance ramp from Houston Avenue - which enters from the right - the Allen Parkway entrance leads to hazardous traffic weaving along southbound I-45.
"It is a confusing entrance and doesn't work very well," said Jeff Weatherford, Houston's deputy public works director.
Other projects also correct minor problems that lead to big pains for drivers. Along Beltway 8 - the one non-tolled freeway segment between I-45 and U.S. 59 and a major route for airport traffic - a $26 million project won't widen the freeway, but expand merge lanes to and from entrance and exit ramps.
"Too few lanes is not the problem out there, it's the weave," Clark said.
Fixing the entrance and exit lanes, Clark said, was always something officials wanted to do, but money was always prioritized elsewhere.
"This project was the red-headed stepchild of projects, so to speak," he said.
With Prop. 1, and the need to spend the first round of funds quickly, the Beltway project moved to the top tier because it was ready to go.
The effect these projects will have will be almost immediate where they occur. From the moment the Beltway 8 auxiliary lanes open, transportation planners predict smoother traffic. Officials also predict a sharp decrease in accidents at I-45 and Allen Parkway with a new entrance ramp, though at this point it's difficult to predict by how much.
Piece by piece, they improve the entire transportation system, Clark said.
Funding unclear
Many uncertainties remain about statewide transportation funding, and even future Prop. 1's buying power in the future. The voter-approved allotment takes half of the oil and severance tax revenues that were going to the Texas' economic stabilization fund and directs them to highway projects only, and specifically forbids using the money to aid the construction or development of toll roads.
For 2015, it means $1.7 billion in additional highway spending. Because it is tied to oil and gas activity, however, State Comptroller Glenn Hegar's recent budget estimate dropped that to about $1.2 billion in each of the next two years.
The fluctuation was not shocking to some of the officials who lobbied for Prop. 1, said Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
"Historically, the oil and gas revenue operates like the edge of a saw blade, as it continually goes up and down," Nichols said, "However, if you look at the numbers, you will see that about every 10 years the total is more than the previous 10 years."
Even with the exact amount unclear, Clark said local planners are considering how to respond to having the additional money in future construction plans. Officials can often take months or years to navigate a project through environmental approvals and juggle the money to pay for it, which can come from a host of federal, state and local sources.
This year, with the money unexpected, projects far along in that process were able to capture the money to start sooner. In future years, Clark said, the money could be used in more predictable ways, similar to how current state highway funding - doled out by formula - is scheduled to keep projects in some phase of planning or construction.
In any case, officials said more money will always mean more work can get started.
"I think we will be in even better shape going forward, even with the uncertainties," Clark said.
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It's easier to get certain people to listen to you if you blame Obama
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Train stupidity taken to the next level
An excerpt:
Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) issued the following statement in regard to Texas Central Railway’s Dallas-Houston high-speed rail proposal:
“The federal government has reached a new low in their disregard for states’ rights. The Dallas-Houston high-speed rail, proposed by Texas Central Railway, threatens to confiscate up to 3,000 acres of Texas land and won’t provide any opportunity for economic growth in our district. Without allowing input from local elected officials and hearing the voices of Montgomery County residents, I have no choice but to oppose this proposal as it stands.”
Please explain why this is fed's fault again?
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What if we just pave ALL 21 acres for parking? It would be the suburbiaist suburban develop to ever suburban! I mean, do you really even need a store?!
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What happened to this thread..?...
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1/20 by russell.hancock on Flickr
God that suburban-concept Wells Fargo is so out of place.
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Is it just me or has this project taken forever?
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The problem is the elevated lanes won't have structural reinforcement for future rail.
Real question:
Are we sure? Can METRO pay the difference from a reinforced vs non reinforced design to ensure a future rail on the elevated sections? There's nothing to prevent over-engineering... is there?
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Looks like the project is a-go. Here's the irony.... by Culberson making sure there is no rail on Post Oak, it essentially let METRO avoid guaranteeing that they won't put rail on Post Oak and let the project proceed.
I wonder If his constituents will enjoy a bus more than rail..... Hmmmm.
So I think METRO has it's playbook now. Call Culberson's / Afton's bluff. Don't want rail? build a dedicated bus lane and see how much ppl like it. Expose them for what they are: classist obstructionists who just want to stop public transportation. Of course, leave the ability to upgrade to rail when he leaves office or when the Afton Oaks folks get religion.
http://www.click2houston.com/news/new-bus-lanes-to-be-created-in-galleria-area/30977864
After some uncertainty, fears about rail development in Uptown appear less likely to delay a planned express bus project along Post Oak.
Metropolitan Transit Authority's board meets Thursday morning, and is scheduled to discuss progress on the Uptown plan. The addition to their regularly scheduled meeting comes after a letter last week from Texas Transportation Commissioner Jeff Moseley.
The letter lays out a path for officials to settle their differences and keep the $192.5 million project on track.Letter lays out pathUptown Management District, Metro and the Texas Department of Transportation are all involved in the plan to add center lanes solely for buses to Post Oak, then use dedicated lanes along Loop 610.
The express buses would connect a future Bellaire Transit Center with the Northwest Transit Center near Interstate 10 and Loop 610, stopping at dedicated platforms along Post Oak.
"If this is successful, and I believe this will be successful, it is going to change things and things people think about transit," said Metro board chairman Gilbert Garcia.
Change also played a role in some of the squabbles. Though supportive of an express bus project, state transportation officials last year stressed they didn't want to wade into the debate regarding light rail along Post Oak. Approving $25 million for the elevated lanes along Loop 610, Moseley stressed this was a bus project.
To ensure that, state transportation officials asked Metro to verify in writing that the project was not a precursor to rail.
Metro worried that a stronger promise would put them in conflict with the voter-approved 2003 referendum, in which Metro laid out plans for light rail on Post Oak. Transit officials ultimately acquiesced to the letter, but also sought via Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan an attorney general's opinion verifying they were not violating the referendum by signing the TxDOT agreement.
Kerfuffle pointless
The pending legal opinion delayed state transportation officials making their final approval of the money. In October, Moseley indicated if the matter was settled he wanted the money moved elsewhere, before state officials agreed to give Metro until February.
In the interim, the entire kerfuffle became pointless. Last month, federal lawmakers passed the fiscal 2015 spending plan, including language inserted by Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, that forbids any federal money from going to rail projects along Post Oak north of Richmond, and Richmond west of Shepherd.
"I am keeping my word to my constituents on these two streets who overwhelmingly oppose light rail on Richmond and Post Oak," Culberson said.
The same language was in the previous federal spending bill, enacted Jan. 17, 2014.
In a Jan. 22 letter, Moseley told Garcia that the federal prohibition satisfies TxDOT's concerns.
Without the TxDOT contribution, the elevated lanes along Loop 610 are unlikely, or delayed. Regardless of that, however, Uptown is moving forward with the project, management district officials said.
On Wednesday, Houston City Council members approved the fiscal 2015 budget for Uptown's redevelopment authority. Uptown's oversight is a combination of city approvals for public works funding and projects, and its own board of directors for the management district and tax increment reinvestment zone.
"Democracy sometimes is a slower process than we would like, but we feel things are moving forward," said Uptown president John Breeding.
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Since this is a private project they do not have the power of eminent domain so their arguments are mute which is why I said in an earlier post they are really only doing these meetings to save face and probably because it's a federal condition. In the US, private property almost always circumvent the concerns of neighbors unless it would be dangerous to others or have a negative environmental impact and with the biggest selling point being that Trains are more environmentally friendly with a massive amount of evidence to back that fact up all of these NIMBY's would have little to zero chance in court in preventing this from happening if only doing so to delay construction as long as possible. Even that though would be swiftly thrown aside. Doing HSR as a private venture is actually a stroke of genius and because of this it should be able to get over hurdles that would otherwise plague a government run operation.
Not correct as pointed out by the above comment WestUdweller.
Here's why:
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Get off at the NE Ttansit Center and then what?
Grab a beer and an Uber?
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Amazing. Can't wait for SWA to come in and compete as well.
Although, I won't be taking Spirit no matter how cheap. I loathe flying Spirit. Quite possibly the worst experience flying this side of crashing.
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More HSR articles fwiw:
Will it even work?
No airport connections for TCR:
What's the next step after TCR:
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Eckels said it costs too much to go to college station
They're looking into building one station that would serve Hunstville and CS.
“We plan to stop on Highway 30 and Shiro," Eckels says. "We’d look at that as a potential station location to link along Highway 30 probably 15 to 20 miles over to Bryan/College Station or from there. We could also get to Huntsville, serving both those universities in those communities.”http://keranews.org/post/dallas-houston-bullet-train-still-track
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Even with the prospect of taking those cars off the road, residents were not swayed. As Eckels gave his presentation, he was interrupted multiple times by residents and rushed through the rest to open the forum up to questions and comments.
Many residents lined up to talk about concerns with noise, safety and about how the train will affect their lives, including Ed Antar, a rancher from Leon County, Texas who claimed that the train will disrupt local wildlife, and Mitch Blakely, who spoke about how the train could negatively affect the area that he chose to raise his family in.
Carolyn Melgar, a Garden Oaks resident, spoke about how TCR plans to work with creditors in Japan to secure funding to build the train.
"What's weighing heavy on me is listening to another American tell me that they are looking for foreign financiers in Japan to hand them the shovel before digging up our property line and tearing down our fences," said Melgar. "What you are doing is sending a message to foreign countries that we've lost respect for our own soil owned by our fellow countrymen and women."
There is no God.
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But a terrorist can blow up a train. Just ask the folks in Spain.
Assuming this project ever gets built (I remain unconvinced that it will) I too will be curious if there will be some kind of enhanced security or screening.
Yes, but that could be said of a lot of things. Buildings and trains have all been targets of terrorists. They can't however, be used as a weapon themselves. That's where the distinction is.
There have been numerous Metro / subway bombings in the world. That hasn't stopped people from building them or riding them. You don't have draconian security measures in them either and people seem fine w/ the trade-off for absolute security vs. ease of use.
That's why I think you don't see (see being the operative word b/c there is a lot of security you don't necessarily see that goes on in the background) the same level of security at train stations around the world and why I don't think you'll see it here.
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I know they're everywhere, no question about that. They're on Harrisburg too ...but they weren't able to stop that new Metro Rail Bridge while Afton Oaks, with an assist from John Culberson, was able to shut down the University Line completely. Near Northside nimbys won't be able to stop an HSR station here, if it came to that. They'd get it forced down their throats like the East End. But nimbys in the Heights could shut down HSR to Downtown period.
If we have to start caring about what poor people 'want', we'd be setting a pretty dangerous precedent.
It's bad enough that they can vote ..... FOR NOW.
AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHH
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Is there any reason to believe that the nightmare security issues that airports have won't be replicated with high speed rail? What's to keep this from becoming the same as airports where you have to show up an hour plus in advance and go through TSA?
You can't hijack a train and run it into a building which means that you can't make it a weapon. The remote advanced control / monitoring required to operate a HSR system (like a mini-mission control) would also be able to disable the train remotely. So to answer your question: YES. There are many reasons to believe that I'm not going to have to go through the same hurdles as a plain.
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Did anyone else think of this after like 10 seconds of the narrator started talking? [i know, I know. I've already come to grips w/ the fact that I'm a terrible person.]
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Buffalo Bayou Master Plan
in Going Up!
Posted
I always thought that stretch would be a perfect candidate for an elevated bike & walkway (a la the Highline) above the esplanades / middle of memorial dr connecting Memorial and Buffalo Bayou park.
Of course, you'd avoid the industrial look of the Highline and try to make it blend / make it look like a continuation of the parks.... but you get my idea. The parts of memorial from Detering to Shepphard without esplanades could possibly have an ivy covered wall separating the east and westbound traffic that supports the raised bikeway/walkway.
IDK the cost, but it would be pretty figgin' awesome.