Limited funding stalls US 290 expansion

CTC recommends good design

Elizabeth Campbell, May 27, 10.

290 is considered one of the most congested highways in the state of Texas, according to a Channel 13 news report. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plan to widen the 290 Corridor extends from the 610 loop out to Waller County, but the project faces serious financial hurdles before it will come to fruition.

The Final Environment Impact Statement for the proposed 290 corridor projects was released in April and the public comment period ended on May 17th. The Federal Highway Administration will either issue a Record of Decision next or perhaps request a Supplemental FEIS.

According to the Channel 13 report:

There was once a time when the 290 corridor was a two lane road. These days, it’s an overburdened freeway where rush hours span four hours or longer.

“It’s unbelievable,” said northwest Houston resident Evelyn Woods. “It’s horrible!”

The solution is to make the freeway bigger. It’s been in the planning a long time.

The design is $4.6 billion worth that would add two lanes in either direction, starting at the 610 loop all the way to Waller County. Nearby Hempstead Road would become a toll way and existing freight rail tracks might be shared with commuter rails from suburbs to work centers. What isn’t included is a way to fund that piece of the transit plan.

As of today, TxDOT is estimated to have about $314 million in federal money to begin work on the project. The first phase could potentially start next year at the intersection of 610 and 290.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett was quoted as saying, “Even maybe some private money becomes available [and] then we’ll start working on these projects, but we have to get them all designed and ready first.”

As one of the most important transportation corridors in the Houston area, The Citizen’s Transportation Coalition (CTC) hopes TxDOT will take advantage of available opportunities to make smart design choices in these highway expansion projects, as every design decision they make dramatically affects both the mobility in the corridor and the quality of life in the adjacent neighborhoods for many years to come.

In fact, three of the CTC’s greatest concerns regarding the project are as follows:

1. When to build the Hempstead Managed Lanes?
TxDOT has repeatedly told the public that the Hempstead Managed Lanes will be constructed before US-290 construction begins, to give people travel options and minimize disruption during construction.

But the Hempstead project is owned by Harris County. And from 2008 to 2009, Harris County Commissioners cut the allocation for Hempstead in half, from $2.05 billion to $1.08 billion, reallocating Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funds to advance Grand Parkway instead. We encourage northwest Harris County voters who want to see the Hempstead project move forward to talk to their Commissioners between now and the next CIP hearing on June 22, 2010.

2. What is the fate of the 20,000 daily HOV users?
The current design for US-290 will eliminate the reversible HOV lane, relocating all transit, vanpool, and carpool users to the proposed Hempstead Managed Lanes. It’s not clear what happens to these commuters if the County doesn’t build Hempstead. And it’s clear that congestion on US-290 will get a lot worse if all these people end up in the main lanes in solo cars. CTC urges TxDOT and Harris County to develop a meaningful plan to serve these commuters and maintain levels of service.

3. Have you wondered how to reduce noise impacts?
Anyone who lives or works within 1,000 feet of a major roadway is familiar with highway noise. But did you know that significant levels of roadway noise can be avoided with proper design? If you’re concerned about noise, please take a look at the sections in CTC’s comments. Although they are directed at the specifics of US-290, you’ll learn about how noise can be measured, how noise impacts can be reduced, and how to make sure highway agencies budget appropriately for mitigation.