samagon

14 hours ago, 004n063 said:

I'll say it again: for anybody on a bike (which is an ever-increasing number), losing Polk is significant. Fixable with proper lanes or paths along Leeland and Rusk, but right now the only safe crossings are Gray and Polk (and kindasorta Runnels). 

my hope is that the Columbia tap trail is extended on Walker and that a 2 way bike path is installed on the southbound feeder road (the roadway that is between the freeway and GRB that turns into Hamilton) to get you either to Polk, or to points north of Walker.

Walker is a good option for something like this because like Preston, it's a road that doesn't go anywhere thanks to civic projects, it is 4 blocks long between GRB and Emancipation.

18 hours ago, Big E said:

Third, I doubt you are more "in tune" with the effects of this project anymore than anyone else here, regardless of whether or not you even live close to the area. Anyone can look at what's added, what's lost, and come to their own conclusions about this project.

you clearly didn't understand what I wrote, so I'll state it again, in another way. hopefully, it'll sink in.

you're absolutely right. there are people in here that have far greater knowledge than I ever will on the effects of this project.

however, I know that based on your responses that I absolutely have more understanding of how this project is going to affect my daily commute and local traffic in the east end than you do. 

and I don't want you to misunderstand, there are other areas within this project that you probably have more understanding than me regarding the effects it will have than I do, and certainly in other topics you make a lot of insightful posts.

no matter, as I stated, this project is happening, it'll suck, I'm moving on.

19 hours ago, Big E said:

 Been a long time since I looked at the plans. Assuming you're correct, its possible I simply forgot or overlooked the fact that Polk was closed. Oh gosh, I missed that a single street will be closed out to the 15 cross streets that cross under I-69 between the bayou and the interchange with I-45. Sue me.

the fact that you happily point out that there are 15 crossings shows just how little you know of the actual value of those crossings to the people who commute locally.

for example, of the 15 crossings, there is a crossing at Preston is literally the most useless feature of this project. it dead ends into the baseball stadium a block west of the new freeway, and it ceases to be a road 3 blocks east of the new freeway because of the railroad.

furthermore, in addition to Polk going away, the Leeland crossing which currently allows WB traffic to drop onto Bell street goes away as well. yes, the schematics show you can still cross the freeway going WB, but the ability to continue west on Bell goes away. so someone who is WB on Polk, now has to jog over 3 blocks to Leeland, then jog over another block to Pease street. then to get back over to Polk, it's another 4 blocks. that's 1/2 mile difference in overall travel distance, never mind how many added stop lights, and sitting at stop signs for cross traffic. in a car, not a huge deal, but for any other form of transportation?

at the end of the day, this project is going to happen, it's going to suck for everyone during construction, and it will continue to suck for a lot of people who have to live with the impacts to their community. you can keep arguing about it, or you can acknowledge that there are people who might be more in tune with the area in which they live than you are.

3 hours ago, august948 said:

Correct me if I'm wrong here but this is an expansion of existing roadways, is it not?  Something that happens along all freeway corridors at some point?  They aren't tearing up existing neighborhoods to create brand new roadways like was done when the highway system was established in the 50's. 

The Katy Freeway expansion project tore things up for years and, get this, runs through some of the wealthiest zip codes in town.  Could the difference be that this one affects east-enders more?

you can find plenty of commentary from people who live in the east end in this thread (and not just me) about how this will affect connectivity, no need to get in and rehash all of that now.

to compare this realignment/expansion (whatever you want to call it), it differs from the Katy project in that all existing methods of getting from one side of the freeway that existed prior to that project, still exist today (aka, local connectivity). Post Oak, Silber, Antoine, etc. the through streets were there before the expansion, and they are there today. connectivity was not lost, and in some instances, it was made even better.

this is not the case for segment 3 realignment through downtown. not just a problem for the east end. 3rd ward, 5th ward, near northside, all negatively impacted from a connectivity perspective. again, you can skim the thread for the details on how connectivity is being broken further by this project, and why it matters for all of the communities around downtown, no need to re-submit.

I'll grant, I haven't looked at the recently updated drawings to see how they've updated for the better, so maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised when I dig in, but I doubt I will.

23 hours ago, Big E said:

Seriously. Fact of the matter is, there is limited space to actually work with due the Pierce Elevated being sandwiched between major development. It would be a nightmare to work in the current corridor, not even getting to the issue that because the street network is still very much intact underneath the Pierce Elevated, they would have to workaround not messing with traffic on the both the highway and the cross streets while they work on it, or the difficulties they would face trying to rebuild the interchange with I-69/TX-288. There was a lack of development in the East End, making land acquisition, clearance, and construction easier, and the street network was already broken due to the presence of the Toyota Center and the Convention Center, meaning not as many cross streets to worry about, and rebuilding the interchange would be easier.

this is going to be a nightmare, and no less a nightmare because of the side of town on which they have chosen to realign the freeway. and this is a non-starter of an argument anyway, whenever anyone brings up how much of a nightmare this will be for people living near the freeway, it's brought up how short of a timeframe 10 years really is for the bliss that will happen after. so again, it comes back to the riches vs the poors and making someone else live with more of the nightmare than you.

yes, it's true, the city in particular has dumped on connectivity from the east end, which created the lack of development you speak of. so yeah, that's a perfect argument, the cities already destroyed the area by removing connectivity, may as well just add to it by removing more connectivity, and then point to the pretty park someone might make which does absolutely nothing for connectivity. developers look for people, that's how they decide where to build things. the more people there are in, or around a place the more likely development is to happen. when you remove the people by removing the connectivity, that's what drives non-development. I'm sure you played simcity at some point, this should have been made pretty clear through that.

as far as room, there is room in the current corridor, the only reason there isn't room to add enough lanes is because TXDoT has said (and I'm paraphrasing here) "we don't wanna". no double decker (they don't want to add height to any freeways, yet look at what's going to happen on the I-10 side), no trenching with a cantilevered Pierce street over the top of it. any solution that could be done to retain the current corridor was not up for consideration. so yeah, you're very right, they couldn't fit in the current corridor, but it's not because the options weren't there.

Let's not bring up other users like that. - mods

20 hours ago, hindesky said:

My wild guess is that they want to remove the barrier between downtown and Midtown and possibly sell the properties to developers.

I hate to have this conversation again.

so in midtown, even if the freeway were trenched as @nolaboy suggests, it would still be a barrier between downtown and midtown.

however, doing double wide in east end, that's just fine!

I hate this argument and wish people would come up with something better, for example "the rich people don't like the freeway cutting through land they want to use" seems a lot more accurate.

On 2/8/2023 at 5:31 PM, wilcal said:

* Cold weather range reduction is a thing. I drove on the highway when it was in the 30s last month and took a pretty serious 20-30% range hit. Of course, not that big of a deal in Houston, but something to keep an eye on.

after this last summer it's important to note that range reduction isn't just cold weather related.

the accidents I've seen are all from people who are on the ramp to 59, the ramp to NB 59 (1 lane) will get backed up all the way behind Cullen overpass. so people will go into the left 2 lanes which are SB and wait till the last second and cut into the right lane for NB traffic. that bottleneck (1 lane to NB 59) is not being relieved with this project. 

the issue for the backup seems to just be that there is 1 lane going to NB 59, not that the curve of that ramp is too tight (indeed, as soon as you are going around that corner, the flow of traffic speeds up).

you can be hopeful that this project will be positively impacted by the next project, I just don't see it.

has anyone documented traffic times across town as they sit now so they can be compared in 15-20 years when this project is completed, and people have gotten used to traveling on the realignments?

so nearly 3 years later, I can safely say this was a $35 million dollar waste of money.

the goal was to reduce weaving and remove a left exit. which I presume both were done with a final goal to try and reduce traffic and accidents.

weaving is not at all reduced. there's just as many people weaving.

the incidents of accidents I witness on this stretch of road are about the same as it was before the move, and any travel times I have are no better than before.

I will say that the accidents I see are all very specifically located at the split exit to 59 in the NB lanes exclusively. so I guess there's that. but that might also be because I have no need to be on 45 anymore, so I don't see any of the accidents from people merging from 4 lanes to 2.

14 hours ago, HtownWxBoy said:

Was hoping the block with the old Kim Hung Market would be apart of this development... i guess next to it and behind it will have to do. 

good news for you then, it is not a part of it, it is apart from it.

sorry, I always laugh when someone uses this word incorrectly, and I enjoy pointing it out. apart (from) has exactly the opposite meaning from a part (of).

Drove by this afternoon, huge police presence within 3 blocks in every direction. It seemed that anyone who was standing around not going anywhere was talking with an officer. 

15 hours ago, JClark54 said:

There are also folks who use the station to prey upon those with mental illness or nowhere to go, and they return every day. They sell sex, drugs, fake drugs laced with fentanyl, etc.

14 hours ago, JClark54 said:

Adding more police won't do much, as you can't arrest people for existing in the public space.

I'd hope that any extra police activity would at least slow the illicit activities. 

1 hour ago, steve1363 said:

I don’t blame them one bit!  Who wants a Greyhound bus station in their neighborhood?  Especially with the reputation of the Midtown location.
 

As far as The Heights, we are blessed with the Tornado Bus Company!  https://tornadobus.com/en/home/  😀

well, if Greyhound had gone to the Heights, they would have probably had to design a 1930s style building so they are a contributing structure in one of the historic districts. could have been neat!

for the city confusion on this, I think they have a valid point, they have that major transit center that was a block away from the Greyhound station, while it's true the Greyhound station on Harrisburg is a few steps away from a rail stop (same as was on Main street), getting to the downtown transit center from the EE Greyhound will be a lot less convenient, having to transfer from one train to another, and then you have to get to the transit center, vs just walking to the transit center.

if the city/METRO could have worked with Greyhound on this, maybe they could have accommodated something at the Fannin South Transit Center for Greyhound to operate. at least people trying to get to the downtown transit center would only have to get on one train to get to the center, rather than 2.

and certainly, accessing a terminal that would be that close to a freeway would be great for Greyhound themselves. that's pie in the sky talk though, as that would never happen.

that Nextdoor comment is a bit out there, but the safety and security around the station is going to be a problem.

anyone that's ever driven by the midtown location can see that with their own eyes. McDonalds walked away from their midtown location due to the safety impact.

there's a flea market right around the block from here with a great community, if the vagrancy that occurs around the midtown location follows to this location, it will be a problem for the immediate community.

all that said, there's a fairly significant homeless population near Harrisburg and Wayside already, and they stay pretty well in that immediate area, so I would presume that the East End overall should be fine.

as far as Eastwood park, I'd be not too overly concerned about that, Mason park, and the Brays Bayou trail in that area on the other hand...

also, city leaders are pretending like they had no idea this was happening.

https://abc13.com/greyhound-houston-magnolia-park-closing-in-city-leaders/14119553/

On 11/20/2023 at 4:32 PM, McD.land said:

On Harrisburg,  Greyhound has extended its lease for 10 years. The property is under contract, closes next month.  Expect to see a big change in activity as business will push to this site with the Midtown closure.

hopefully when Wayside is done being rebuilt, they will stop using neighborhood streets like Dismuke to get to the Greyhound station.

at the peril of ruining my 'back way' into Hobby from downtown area..

do not exit Broadway. stay on Gulf Freeway for 1 more exit, turn right on Monroe, then right on Airport.

skipping Broadway and taking Monroe to Airport is exactly the same time.

or go crazy and exit Reveille, it takes a minute longer than going Broadway or Monroe, but you are off the freeway faster.

no doubt TXDoT will say it needs to be expanded to 5 lanes of traffic in each direction with 4 managed lanes. 

rather than questioning the idiocy, everyone will nod their heads because they can't imagine any other way.

On 11/15/2023 at 7:44 AM, ChannelTwoNews said:

"While METRO lays the groundwork now, it admits that those in their 20s could be 40 years old when they ride it."

Certainly sounds that way.

if it's timed with the i45 expansion, then yeah, that timetable sounds right.

it's hard to for me to grasp even, looking at my daughter who is 2 now, might be old enough to drive when all this is completed.

which inevitably means we are all going to be impacted by the construction for that long. sucky times ahead.

I am hopefully going to get a walkthrough of the hub in early December.

east end is growing :)

I hope someone can make it there.

6 hours ago, monarch said:

 

there is no way on earth, that they would be willing to allocate the necessary BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars... that it would take to bring forth this remarkable/magnificent development to the SCOPE and SCALE that is aforementioned illustrated.  

 

well, maybe we can just accept that it is a space that still provides amusement for some, even though the park sadly shut down nearly 20 years ago now.

4 hours ago, LosFeliz said:

Funny, but the places that were torn down on Texas always had crowds despite not being great. And the bar inside the Westin (Inn at the Ballpark) buzzes on game days. 

Build it well and they will come.

interestingly, I had written another bit that I erased before hitting submit.

if you've ever been to wrigley field, you know it's in a dense urban environment, and it feels like it. that strip of bars on Texas helped it feel just a little bit like an actual dense urban environment, giving a hint of an electricity that you get at wrigley field.

they might not have looked like much, but they were more atmosphere than we currently have, and probably better than anything that might be built, certainly better than another mega hotel.

17 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Some people seem to not understand the difference between flashy renderings (many of which will never be built) and actual developments.  How pathetic.  Here's some more info on the so-call Metropolitan Park:

But the fate of Metropolitan Park is still about as secure as a Mets late-inning lead.

even without your well thought and reasoned response, what things on that list of the Mets maybe amenities don't already exist in close proximity to MMP?

• conference area (George R Brown)
• park (Discovery Green, only 12 acres though)
• hotel (Marriott Marquis, Hilton Americas, Westin, etc)
• bars and restaurants (more than I can list)
• tailgate area (do people tailgate for baseball?)
• public plaza (if that's different from a park, then ok, there's the Avenida Plaza)
• solar panels (aren't there some on top of GRB?, and is that really something people are going to stop and say "hey, let's go hang out there, they have solar panels!")
• bike path (there's a few)
• renovated train station (do we need to renovate the rail stop already?)
• playground (I'm struggling to see why that is its own bullet when park is on the list already, and what's the difference between a park and a plaza anyway?) if we must though, disco green has some significant kid friendly areas
• food hall, and community space. is that seriously an amenity, and did they run out of creative names for public space after they used park, and plaza, so they just called it "community space"?

other than that, there's a sportsbook and a casino, both of which are fairly illegal in Houston, pretty sure he'd end up in jail if he opened either.

wouldn't the better use of funds be used somewhere else? maybe to make the team better so that more people come to an already flush downtown and are exposed to what's already good in that area of downtown?