BigFootsSocks Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 1st quarter 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxConcrete Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Photos taken Saturday Looking east at FM 2920. Crews were installing lane striping at this location. Looking east with the Hardy Toll road interchange ahead. This is section G, which will not be ready for opening on Feb. 8. There's still a lot of work to do, such as installing guardrails and the wire rope barrier. I'm thinking that all effort is focused on section F-2 right now, and they'll resume on section G when section F-2 is ready. Interchange at the Hardy Toll Road. The Hardy Toll Road was completely closed this weekend for work at the interchange. Looking east along the Grand Parkway 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curbur Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Does anyone know where I can find the toll amounts for traveling on say Segment D to the end of F2? Surely something that is set to open within a week would have posted toll amounts somewhere online, but I haven't found any yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 290 to 45 will be free for the first week it's open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparrow Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Does anyone know where I can find the toll amounts for traveling on say Segment D to the end of F2? Surely something that is set to open within a week would have posted toll amounts somewhere online, but I haven't found any yet. http://communityimpact.com/houston/cy-fair/news/2015/10/14/three-grand-parkway-segments-near-completion-cyf/ You couldn't be more right--information on toll rates seem rather hard to come by. This four month old article has an image--that's about the best I found. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Grand Parkway from 290 to I-45 is open and it's GLORIOUS. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 (edited) Here's three photos from my drive along the Grand Parkway yesterday. I checked it out between I-45 and Telge. I didn't feel like going all the way to 290. You can see that they still need to change the BGS for exit 70B In I-45 NB to read Grand Parkway. The first time I drove through, I passed it and went back to make sure I didn't miss the sign. Edited February 8, 2016 by JLWM8609 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 http://communityimpact.com/houston/cy-fair/news/2015/10/14/three-grand-parkway-segments-near-completion-cyf/ You couldn't be more right--information on toll rates seem rather hard to come by. This four month old article has an image--that's about the best I found. I think one of the signs said tolls were $1.11 for cars. I can't remember what the other rates were for larger vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxConcrete Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Driving tour of the full 24-mile length from US 290 to I-45 http://houstonfreeways.com/photos/grand-parkway-section-f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 It was $1.11 and increased by $1.11 for an extra axel.In other news, my trek from the beginning of the entrance ramp off 45 to the end of the exit ramp to 290 Eastbound took just over 20inites. 20:20 to be precise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I've noticed on this project and on the US290 and I-45 South projects that TxDOT (in the Houston District at least) is switching to using longitudinal tined grooves in concrete as opposed to the transverse tine which produces that drone or whistle you hear while traveling on it. Longitudinal is much quieter than transverse, almost new asphalt quiet. Most folks probably won't notice that, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 While it's on my mind, does anyone know why the powers that be decided to put an asphalt overlay on a section of the Grand Parkway that was recently constructed? There's a section south of the Brazos River that opened around 2013-14 and had an asphalt overlay placed over the concrete in 2015. You usually don't see asphalt overlay on concrete unless the concrete pavement is over 20 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Could be for the exact reason you stated above; it's quieter. I agree on the grooves tho, I definitely noticed a much quieter ride. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 The only concern I've got about rain grooves running with the direction of travel is whether it will induce tramlining (def: squirrelyness as the tires try to track the groove). Not a big deal in a car usually, but on a motorcycle it can be a bit... unsettling. Two wheel types who have driven across a steel grate bridge know this sensation - it was also a "feature" of some freeways in times past when really big rain grooves were cut into older concrete pavement. It won't put you down, but it sure feels like it's about to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxConcrete Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I've noticed on this project and on the US290 and I-45 South projects that TxDOT (in the Houston District at least) is switching to using longitudinal tined grooves in concrete as opposed to the transverse tine which produces that drone or whistle you hear while traveling on it. Longitudinal is much quieter than transverse, almost new asphalt quiet. Most folks probably won't notice that, though. Yes, TxDOT-Houston does seem to have switched to longitudinal grooving. The first signs of the switch came at a public info meeting for US 290 just before construction began, where they announced it would be used for noise reduction. Now it is appearing in all projects. I agree, the Grand Parkway is almost as quiet as asphalt, even though the grooves are quite deep. (You can easily see the grooves in many of the photos in the driving tour I posted.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Yeah I remember that meeting, but I thought it was just for 290. Glad to see they're experimenting with it elsewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astros148 Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 imagine if all of this wasted money was used on a commuter rail from the woodlands into downtown 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curbur Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 imagine if all of this wasted money was used on a commuter rail from the woodlands into downtown As much as that would be cool and potentially necessary for the coming decades, that would actually service less people than this does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestUdweller Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 imagine if all of this wasted money was used on a commuter rail from the woodlands into downtown I think the answer is you need both, not one or the other. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 It was $1.11 and increased by $1.11 for an extra axel.In other news, my trek from the beginning of the entrance ramp off 45 to the end of the exit ramp to 290 Eastbound took just over 20inites. 20:20 to be precise. A complete guess, but time from 59 to 45 would have to be ~15 minutes max. I used to do cycling rides with a group out of Cypress, and it took at least hour to get form Kingwood to a spot really close to the 290/99 interchange where we started the rides. This might shave 30 minutes off that trip. Getting across the north side of the Houston sprawl takes a long time in a lot of traffic any time of day/week. These newest segments will be used heavily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNAguy Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 I don't want to step on any toes as MaxConcrete usually posts in both forums AND this isn't technically part of the Grand Parkway, but this section of 146 could make up part of the 3rd ringed highway around Houston. http://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=17479.0 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 The current 146 is so incredibly packed. I wasn't aware of express lanes going in; tho I assume those will be converted/incorporated into the final GP design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 It will be interesting to see how they cut through league city.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 A Tea time question for the transportation Haifers. Once segment G is complete this spring the Grand Parkway will be in excess of 85 miles which makes it longer than Beltway 8 and I -275 ring. The Grand Parkway of course is not a ring but more like a giagantic "C". Is it considered the longest "ring road" in the U.S or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nativehoustonion Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I got a new map from AAA and shows the Grand Parkway. DFW could fit inside of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Upon final buildout, when they designate the parts of 146 and Fred Hartman bridge as part of the GP, then it will not just be the longest "ring freeway" in the U.S., but the longest in the world. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Upon final buildout, when they designate the parts of 146 and Fred Hartman bridge as part of the GP, then it will not just be the longest "ring freeway" in the U.S., but the longest in the world.I want to say Beijing (or Moscow?) has a ring road that's longer than the planned Grand Parkway. But it will definitely be the longest in the country.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662240/infographic-of-the-day-whos-got-the-worst-urban-sprawlhttp://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/20466-houston-has-the-worlds-longest-ring-road-or-not/Granted this was a few years ago but I'm pretty sure I was right. I don't care enough to check if I'm wrong or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Hmm.. Not quite what I remembered, but here's an article saying Beijing is building a 900+ km loop, to be open in 2017.http://www.china.org.cn/china/2014-07/07/content_32881371.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 If that is built it will out distance the new Moscow ring road by about 400 km. Ours is somewhere in the area of 300 km. Hope we don't get into a ring road contest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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