New Tollways In Houston TxDOT/HCTRA Partnership?

[GovernorAggie]

Interesting read.

http://www.ctchouston.org/blogs/christof/2...-a-blank-check/

The one that stands out to me the most is the eastern extension of Westpark. It would be elevated, so it would rise about the homes on the south side of Westpark. Then again, that's probably what folks there would prefer over a train.

This follows the news reported by Chron a few days ago of a bill passed by the Senate that would allow HCTRA to be TxDOT's implementer of tollways in the Houston area. It's in the same bill that put the 2-year moratorium on private tollways.

[pineda]

Thanks for this information, Gov. Aggie.

[editor]

There seem to be an awful lot of people apponted to represent Houston on transportation issues. It would be nice if the people could elect the people who are supposedly representing them.

[GovernorAggie]

Thanks for this information, Gov. Aggie.

No prob, but all credit is due to Christof at CTC.

[Guest Plastic]

WHy legnthen the Westpark and are they gonna build The Northwest Tollway from Northwest Mall to WIllowbrook?

[CDeb]

WHy legnthen the Westpark and are they gonna build The Northwest Tollway from Northwest Mall to WIllowbrook?

Northwest Tollway will not go to Willowbrook. It will roughly follow 290/Hempstead Hwy.

[KinkaidAlum]

Wow. That is some scary stuff right there.

We might as well just tear down all residential bldgs. inside the loop so the suburban commuters can get to their jobs faster.

It is never short of amazing how backwards Texas can be.

[aosman]

Wow. That is some scary stuff right there.

We might as well just tear down all residential bldgs. inside the loop so the suburban commuters can get to their jobs faster.

It is never short of amazing how backwards Texas can be.

On the contrary, I think Texas is the most forward thinking state in nation when it comes to transportation innovations and implementation.

It is all about the money people! Building these new toll roads/extensions is in the interest of the region as a whole and is good for Houston

[CDeb]

On the contrary, I think Texas is the most forward thinking state in nation when it comes to transportation innovations and implementation.

It is all about the money people! Building these new toll roads/extensions is in the interest of the region as a whole and is good for Houston

[Pumapayam]

I thought that there were going to use Westpark for the light rail.

Can they put a light rail, toll road and a commuter road all in the same stretch, I think not.

Something is going away and only 2 of the 3 will exist.

[GovernorAggie]

If people decide to move to the suburbs, they will do so regardless whether these projects get built or not. (it may detract very few). Look at the latest example in northwest Houston, Bridgeland. The commute on 290 is bad enough, but people are building new houses in that community at an incredible rate. Building a toll way along 290 (plus expanding 290) will shorten their commute and allow them to come to the core more often to dine, visit museums, symphony, opera, or take their children to the zoo, etc. They will bring the money. The companies they work for will stay in the core.

While I don't disagree with you in principle, I think that Bridgeland doesn't happen without the promise and assurance of Grand Parkway. Fry is just not a good alternative for the 65,000 that are supposed to live there. 290 is less of an issue when you have GP to get to you to 10 or 290. You have a choice.

No Grand Parkway = No Bridgeland (or Cinco Ranch or any other "wedge"--meaning areas between the radial freeways--master planned community)

[CDeb]

While I don't disagree with you in principle, I think that Bridgeland doesn't happen without the promise and assurance of Grand Parkway. Fry is just not a good alternative for the 65,000 that are supposed to live there. 290 is less of an issue when you have GP to get to you to 10 or 290. You have a choice.

No Grand Parkway = No Bridgeland (or Cinco Ranch or any other "wedge"--meaning areas between the radial freeways--master planned community)

Technically, you are right. Bridgeland probably doesn't happen without GP, but SOMETHING would have. If the land/houses are cheap enough, people will tolerate the inconvenience. If housing cost drops, higher transportation cost is more tolerable.

[Pumapayam]

While I don't disagree with you in principle, I think that Bridgeland doesn't happen without the promise and assurance of Grand Parkway.

And Bridgeland is just a waste of land. We don't need that huge parcel of land to be over extending our public utilities adn roads.

That place is too far.

I hope they toll the heck out of people for living there.

[aosman]

And Bridgeland is just a waste of land. We don't need that huge parcel of land to be over extending our public utilities adn roads.

You need to have an open mind about this. The free market determines what's best for land use (not government by zoning). I don't live in Bridgeland but I do appreciate the fact that they are preserving so much open grean space, lakes, 225 acres of parks and no overhead powerlines (all underground)

public utilities - correct me if I am wrong, but I thought each local community pays that through M.U.D tax?

[KinkaidAlum]

CDEB-

Boston > Houston.

AOSMAN-

Do you really think the possible increase in money spent on dinners, the zoo, and a ballgame in the city will offset the HUGE loss of property taxes these proposals would cause?

These proposals literally cut through HEALTHY City of Houston neighborhoods. These neighborhoods will be far less healthy once elevated roadways get built above them. Property values will drop. People who pay city taxes might find that their current neighborhood is far less desireable with the increased air and noise pollution and they just might get attracted to the burbs since they are now easier to get to and the burbs don't have to deal with elevated roadways above their heads.

These proposals are as assinine as say this;

I live in River Oaks but have a country house in the Hill Country. I want my access to that weekend retreat to be easier than having to deal with I-10. So, why don't we build an elevated road near I-10 that will be a toll road with limited entries and exits that will cut through places like Cinco Ranch because it will make getting to my second house easier. That sounds like a great idea and I am sure the residents of Cinco Ranch wont mind a bit.

There should be consequences to people's decisions. Living in the burbs is fine. Escaping the city is fine. Wanting 4,200 square feet of house is fine. Wanting to live far away is fine. Just don't expect the people who didn't make those same decisions to bend over and take a dry humping everytime you realize your choice may not have been the best one because it takes you a long time to get to places you need/want to go to.

[TheNiche]

On the contrary, I think Texas is the most forward thinking state in nation when it comes to transportation innovations and implementation.

It is all about the money people! Building these new toll roads/extensions is in the interest of the region as a whole and is good for Houston

[TheNiche]

And Bridgeland is just a waste of land. We don't need that huge parcel of land to be over extending our public utilities adn roads.

That place is too far.

Bridgeland has no burden on any other utility system because it has a Municipal Utility District whose costs are paid for by homeowners within that MUD by way of a tax levy. Please do not use HAIF to spread misinformation.

And you may believe it to be a huge waste of land, but someone that buys a home there probably will disagree.

[TheNiche]

Boston > Houston.

Boston sucks. Way too many delusional people that think that they know how to run your life better than you do...

Do you really think the possible increase in money spent on dinners, the zoo, and a ballgame in the city will offset the HUGE loss of property taxes these proposals would cause?

Absolutely! ...but not for the pathetic marginal reasons that you list. Do you realize how many more companies would locate their firms in the central city if it were more accessible to the well-educated suburban masses!? And believe me--you want commercial property as a tax base. The owners can't demand a lot of city services (and wouldn't anyway) because they don't have a vote unless they live here.

These proposals literally cut through HEALTHY City of Houston neighborhoods. These neighborhoods will be far less healthy once elevated roadways get built above them. Property values will drop. People who pay city taxes might find that their current neighborhood is far less desireable with the increased air and noise pollution and they just might get attracted to the burbs since they are now easier to get to and the burbs don't have to deal with elevated roadways above their heads.

Screw a few neighborhoods...especially those that are already impacted by freeway noise. Have TXDOT/HCTRA pay the property owners a monthly subsidy to sustain property values for perpetuity, if its that great. The City of Houston is a large place and if not these, then hundreds other neighborhoods within the City of Houston will have higher values because they become more accessible to employment centers. ...and besides, you fail to consider that human beings still matter even if they don't live in the municipal boundaries of the central city.

These proposals are as assinine as say this;

I live in River Oaks but have a country house in the Hill Country. I want my access to that weekend retreat to be easier than having to deal with I-10. So, why don't we build an elevated road near I-10 that will be a toll road with limited entries and exits that will cut through places like Cinco Ranch because it will make getting to my second house easier. That sounds like a

It's called Westpark. The Cinco Ranch folks use it so much that it already needs to be expanded, and they'd love to have it expanded.

There should be consequences to people's decisions.

Toll roads enforce a consequence: $$$. What's your point?

[Houston19514]

Wow. That is some scary stuff right there.

We might as well just tear down all residential bldgs. inside the loop so the suburban commuters can get to their jobs faster.

It is never short of amazing how backwards Texas can be.

You really should look at the list just a bit more carefully. Of the 64 projects listed only THREE are INSIDE THE LOOP. The extension of the Hardy has been planned for years. The other two (extension of the Westpark Tollway and building of toll lanes in the middle of 288) are unlikely to involve tearing down many (if any) residential buildings.

Building infrastructure for an exploding population is such a backwards concept.

[Houston19514]

These proposals literally cut through HEALTHY City of Houston neighborhoods. These neighborhoods will be far less healthy once elevated roadways get built above them. Property values will drop. People who pay city taxes might find that their current neighborhood is far less desireable with the increased air and noise pollution and they just might get attracted to the burbs since they are now easier to get to and the burbs don't have to deal with elevated roadways above their heads.

Again, you really should spend some time looking at the actual list. They even provide a nice colored map showing the location of the projects. The vast majority are in existing transportation corridors and do NOT additionally cut through "healthy city of Houston neighborhoods." (In fact, the only project I could find out of the 64 listed that could even remotely be described as "cut[ting] through [a] HEALTHY City of Houston neighborhood" is the extension of the Hardy, and as noted earlier, that has been in the plans for many many years.

[desirous]

The exponentially bad sprawl is pretty impressive. Soon, College Station will be suburb at this rate.

[N Judah]

Helping the economy is a great idea, expanding opportunity zones is a great idea, but there needs to be SOME form of accountability somewhere along the line to the citizens that are directly affected. (Or does that only apply to certain types of transit?)

I understand that most of those proposals don't affect the inner loop. That is fine with me; however, the process described in the blog seems to be flawed. If they ever try to pull some big stunt inside the loop I would like to have some precedent for dealing with it.

I'm not sure how much easier it gets when it comes to getting into downtown. It's got to be the easiest downtown to get into that I've ever seen. At some point the "quality of life" incentive set needs to focus on details like neighborhoods and development instead of on freeways which shuttle potential property tax dollars and potential consumer dollars right out to the suburbs.