Hermann Park highway ‘flyover’ proposed

Many groups protesting

Matt Dietrichson, Jun 19, 12.

H-GAC has invited public comments about a proposed highway project “flyover” in Herman Park, and are already hearing backlash from the City and Parks Department, according to the Houston Chronicle:

Among those opposed to the flyover is the Hermann Park Conservancy, which says the elevated connector would leave Hermann Park’s new trail system in the shadow of a freeway.

“Horrible,” conservancy director Doreen Stoller said in summing up the proposal.

Among other issues, Stoller said in a written statement, the flyover would take land from the park for non-park purposes, would increase traffic and noise pollution, would cause congestion at one of the park’s major entrances and would diminish the effect of a recent $100 million park upgrade.

The $12.1 million flyover is part of a project to add toll lanes to the highway that serves as a major route between the Pearland area and downtown Houston.

A 30-day public comment period on a set of transportation projects for the Houston area ended Friday.

This document lays out the time frame for the comment period and lists the projects under discussion:

ITEM 08 — TxDOT Supplemental Funding