Westpark Tollway

[Subdude]

There was another Westpark topic called "I Use It" which has been merged into this one.

[TxDave]

I used to live right next to the path of the Westpark Tollway, so I am really curious about how effective and successful it is.

It sounds like it is congested during rush hour (like everything else), but it does still provide a more direct route to the west than sitting in the traffic on the Southweat Freeway abd having to navigate back north later.

One question I have is whether this road was developed strictly with private funds or whether any taxpayer dollars were used in its construction?

[MaxConcrete]

One question I have is whether this road was developed strictly with private funds or whether any taxpayer dollars were used in its construction?

The Harris County Toll Road Authority is a branch of Harris County and is self-financing via tolls. Capital comes from bond sales which are financed with private funds and repaid with toll revenue. HCTRA does not use tax funds, and its surpluses are actually used for projects outside the toll network. The Houston Chronicle reported on this, and I think the transfer to taxpayers has been around $200 million (search the archives for exact number). So taxpayers are actually coming out ahead in this deal and toll payers are getting a raw deal.

But, the Westpark Tollway did get some cooperation from TxDOT. My understanding is that TxDOT helped finance some intersections with TxDOT facilities, including the toll terminus at Loop 610 (where the tollway piggybacked on the frontage road project) and the interchange at FM 1464 west of Highway 6. TxDOT may also have contributed to the work at the Grand Parkway. So it is accurate to say that some taxpayer money was used on the job to make connections to state highways. I would estimate the taxpayer total in the $10-25 million range, with a total project cost around $400 million.

The Fort Bend County section is financed by the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority, which sold bonds backed by toll revenue. I believe these bonds are backed up by property tax revenue to secure a lower interest rate, but from what I hear traffic is sufficient to make the bond payments and there will be no taxpayer dollars used.

It can also be pointed out that Metro originally bought the railroad right-of-way for $72 million. HCTRA bought a 50-foot wide strip of that ROW from Metro for the tollway for $14 million.

[bcnet]

There is some backup starting about 2 miles west of BW8 inbound in the morning and near the terminus at the "Westpark Curve" @ 59, but the commute is still pretty darn good compared to the alternatives. My wife and I live near Fry @ Hwy99/Grand Pkwy and both work near Post Oak @ San Felipe (2 different buildings). It is 25.5 miles from driveway to my work parking garage. We usually leave home @ 6:45am and get to her building about 7:20 - 7:25 and I'm at my desk by 7:30am. The direct connector from Grand Parkway south to the Westpark TW east will be done in about a month which should cut 5 minutes or so waiting at the current light which backs up. I wouldn't even want to guess what a trip down the Katy Freeway would take??? On the way home there is backup approaching, and then past BW8 for about 1/2 mile as traffic is merging, but the trip home is about 40 minutes from parking garage to driveway.

BTW, there is quite a bit of road rage on the Westpark TR. In the morning, even before the backup near BW8, the traffic is solid but flowing about 60-70mph all the way from Grand Pkwy until several miles inside of Hwy 6, but someone is alway wanting to drive 85mph tailgating and swerving back and forth trying to find the "fast lane". They end up getting nowhere due to the solid traffic conditions.

[westguy]

At rush hour, its actually now faster to take Richmond Ave or Westpark Dr. than it is to take the tollway. Those were never very good alternatives, but comparatively, at least traffic moves on them. Four months ago it was running smoothly at all hours, but traffic was steadily increasing. Then one day it was completely overwhelmed with cars. They built this thing right by me and now I can't even say that it is a quick way to get into town. And FBCTRA and HCTRA still want to extend it out to Fulshear, which confirms my suspicions that they are selling it as a main route to inner-Houston.

It does back up at Westpark, but mainly that is poor design they recognized soon after it opened. Their solution was to put crappy barrier poles to keep cars from crossing too soon to get to the Chimney Rock exit. You have to be really cautious at the point because other cars will try to swipe you as you try to get out of the exit lane on 59. The one lane to Post Oak obviously the cause of the miles-long backups from that exit.

If TXDot was a half-decent agency, they would stop the crack monkeys running Harris County from building more of these projects that wreak havoc on local roadways.

Edited November 20, 2005 by westguy

[Joe Global]

We just purchased EZ tag [new to Houston from Alaska] and need to use Westpark Tollway today. We live just west of Grand Parkway. It looks like the entrance to the tollway is near Westheimer and 1464? I know Westheimer Parkway and think 1464 is an intersection with light. Is this how we get there, or do we go East on Westheimer to get on?

Thanks so much

How is the commute from 1464 during rush hour is it wort taking this road? I hear some people say its great others say its a parking lot?

There is some backup starting about 2 miles west of BW8 inbound in the morning and near the terminus at the "Westpark Curve" @ 59, but the commute is still pretty darn good compared to the alternatives. My wife and I live near Fry @ Hwy99/Grand Pkwy and both work near Post Oak @ San Felipe (2 different buildings). It is 25.5 miles from driveway to my work parking garage. We usually leave home @ 6:45am and get to her building about 7:20 - 7:25 and I'm at my desk by 7:30am. The direct connector from Grand Parkway south to the Westpark TW east will be done in about a month which should cut 5 minutes or so waiting at the current light which backs up. I wouldn't even want to guess what a trip down the Katy Freeway would take??? On the way home there is backup approaching, and then past BW8 for about 1/2 mile as traffic is merging, but the trip home is about 40 minutes from parking garage to driveway.

BTW, there is quite a bit of road rage on the Westpark TR. In the morning, even before the backup near BW8, the traffic is solid but flowing about 60-70mph all the way from Grand Pkwy until several miles inside of Hwy 6, but someone is alway wanting to drive 85mph tailgating and swerving back and forth trying to find the "fast lane". They end up getting nowhere due to the solid traffic conditions.

Are you still experiencing the same commute times? I am thinking of moving near the Hwy99/Grand Pkwy entrance and was wondering if what kind of commute to downtown I could expect.

[bcnet]

How is the commute from 1464 during rush hour is it wort taking this road? I hear some people say its great others say its a parking lot?

Are you still experiencing the same commute times? I am thinking of moving near the Hwy99/Grand Pkwy entrance and was wondering if what kind of commute to downtown I could expect.

Joe,

This morning I left my house at 6:35am and pulled into my parking garage at 7:05am. I was alone, so I didn't make my normal stop to drop off my wife on Post Oak near San Felipe. Slowed down to about 55mph near BW8 for about 1 mile. The rest of the trip was a steady 65mph.

If I don't leave my house until 7am, I will hit some delays near BW8 and the Westpark curve interchange which usually results in a 40-45 minute trip.

I can't really speak to the 59 situation inside the loop. I'm sure the construction in progress right now are slowing things down.

[westguy]

Before moving out west of Houston, keep two things in mind:

1) The Katy Freeway is never going to be finished.

2) The Westpark Tollway is not a good primary route to take into town, and it wasn't originally meant to be one. It is only 50 feet wide with four lanes!

[MaxConcrete]

1) The Katy Freeway is never going to be finished.

Huh??!??

When the project is done around late 2008, that's it for construction on the Katy Freeway. Currently nothing is planned for inside the loop (except a short section of feeders), and I would rate the chances of major work inside the loop as highly unlikely. Obviously the Katy Freeway is not being done one section at a time, like other freeways. When it's done, that's it for the rest of time.

It would be accurate to say that the North Freeway and Gulf Freeway will be works in progress indefinitely, since they have planned work that will play out over decades.

[jghall00]

I'm amazed that the Westpark Tollway has succumbed to such heavy traffic in just 18 months.

But there are a few things that should be pointed out.

1. Congestion occurs only during rush hour. The rest of the time, these facilities are free-flowing.

2. Before the Southwest Freeway expansion, it backed up most of the day and on Saturday, like the Katy Freeway does now. It usually took multiple traffic light cycles to get through any intersection. Now congestion is limited to peak periods and the frontage roads are far better than they were. At Beechnut, you usually get through in one cycle.

3. The expanding population and growing economy needs more freeway/tollway infrastructure than is currently being provided.

4. People want/need to drive their own cars, even if there is a big cost.

Did anyone honestly think the Westpark tollway would stay clear for any length of time? The only way to ensure it flows during rush hour is to utilize congestion pricing, which it appears is not currently the case. I do believe it is configured for it though. I've posted my responses to maxconcrete's statements below:

1. That's true for most freeways. Building for rush hour is a stupid idea, you'll never satiate demand, and end up with an underutilized facility during off peak hours.

2. It's only a matter of time before the SW Freeway resembles its former self...congested for an expanded number of hours.

3. There are lot of cities with more people and less infrastructure then Houston that get by just fine. We cannot build our way out of this mess, nor should we even try.

4. That's fine, as long as the price of driving your own car reflects the full cost. As things currently stand, the true cost is externalized. Add the sociological, economic, and environmental expenses and see how many people start shopping for alternatives. We should at least fund redevelopment in Iraq and cleaning our air with gas taxes.

[westguy]

http://www.hctra.com/engineering/pdf/westpark_map.pdf

Do they even charge tolls at FM1464? When this went just out to Eldridge, it was fine, although traffic was steadily increasing. When they opened it out further last August, the congestion was crazy. Five years ago the original plan was to build this only out to Eldridge.

[Jeebus]

East bound I get on at FM1464 in the mornings. There is no toll until you get to the first exit at Beltway 8 for a dollar. Then one more toll for a dollar at the US59 northbound exit.

[ssullivan]

East bound I get on at FM1464 in the mornings. There is no toll until you get to the first exit at Beltway 8 for a dollar. Then one more toll for a dollar at the US59 northbound exit.

But that $1.00 is the toll for the distance from FM 1464 to the Beltway. For inbound traffic there are no exits along this stretch, so if you get on at FM 1464 you pay as you approach the Beltway, along with traffic that entered at several other inbound entrances. Traffic entering on the Ft. Bend County portion west of FM 1464 do pay an additional toll for that section.

[Guest Plastic]

Wait so if you get on at HWY 6 you're stuck on till you get to Beltway8?

[Jeebus]

Wait so if you get on at HWY 6 you're stuck on till you get to Beltway8?

I believe so.

[The Great Hizzy!]

It's always been my impression that Westpark was designed as a commuter alternative to the SW Frwy, Katy Frwy and Westheimer. Hence the limited access except from other main arteries such as Hwy 6, the Beltway and so forth.

What's the total damage to your EZ Tag account for a full trip from the Grand Parkway to the West Loop?

[westguy]

It's pretty far from either of those freeways, but I guess it can be used as an alternative. I liked not having any massive concrete walls nearby me. Then they started building this thing, but I was okay with it because it had the Metrorail option and it looked like it wasn't going to be strained with traffic. Then they got FBCTRA involved, and I now have these idling cars spewing exhaust and runoff near my backyard.