NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (NHHIP) Project Overview Briefing Packet March 2017
PROJECT OVERVIEW Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Project divided into 3 Segments Segment 1: Beltway 8 to I-610 (9 mi) Segment 2: I-610 to I-10 (3 mi) Segment 3: Downtown Loop System (12.3 mi) 45 59 69 Goal: provide a safer facility with additional capacity for projected demand by incorporating transit opportunities, travel demand strategies, and flexible operations 610 45 610 One Proposed Recommended Alternative per segment = single corridor end to end (24 mi total) 10 69 10 69 59 45 2
NEED AND PURPOSE FOR PROPOSED PROJECT Need for Proposed Project Population and employment increases Manage projected traffic growth Bring to current design and safety standards Move traffic efficiently, including evacuation events Purpose of Proposed Project Manage congestion Enhance safety Provide expanded transit and carpool opportunities with 2-way, 24/7 operations Improve mobility and operational efficiency Houston Region has 6 of the Top 10 Most Congested Roadways in Texas; NHHIP project has 3 of the Top 10 Top 100 Congested Roadway Segments 45 610 10 6 69 59 12 3 45 21 10 15 34 69 11 59 45 69 610 10 3
SEGMENT 1: PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE Segment 1 Features New Capacity Add four (4) MaX lanes (HOV+Express) (2-way, 24/7 operations) Add one (1) frontage road lane in each direction Add full-width shoulders Add bike/pedestrian features along frontage roads Right-of-Way North of Airline Dr widen to the west South of Airline Dr widen to the east 45 45 610 610 10 10 69 59 45 45 69 69 69 69 59 59 45 45 610 610 10 10 4
SEGMENT 1: EXISTING CONDITIONS Segment 1 Segment 2 SB Frontage Rd Segment 3 (Ramp weave lane) NB Frontage Rd (2 lanes) NORTH 4 Lanes Reversible HOV/HOT Lane SOUTH 4 Lanes SB Frontage Rd (2 Lanes) NB Frontage Rd (3 rd lane for intersection) 5
SEGMENT 1: PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE MaX Lanes MaX Lanes 6
SEGMENT 2: PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE Segment 2 Features New Capacity (same as Segment 1) Add four (4) MaX lanes (HOV+Express) (2-way, 24/7 operations) Add one (1) frontage road lane in each direction Add full-width shoulders Add bike/pedestrian features along frontage roads Constrained Existing Right-of-Way Hollywood Cemetery Germantown Historic District Woodland Park 45 610 10 69 59 45 69 45 69 59 610 10 7
SEGMENT 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS NEAR N. MAIN ST. LOOKING NORTH Houston Ave Potential Open Space (Private Funding and Development) Hollywood Cemetery Germantown Historic District SOUTH NORTH Entrance ramp from Houston Ave to SB I-45 Segment 2 8
SEGMENT 2: PROPOSED OPEN SPACE NEAR N. MAIN ST. Houston Ave Potential Open Space (Private Funding and Development) Hollywood Cemetery Germantown Historic District SOUTH MaX Lanes NORTH Entrance ramp from Houston Ave to SB I-45 Segment 2 9
SEGMENT 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS NEAR PATTON ST. LOOKING SOUTH (TOWARD DOWNTOWN) Houston Ave Potential Open Space (Private Funding and Development) Hollywood Cemetery Germantown Historic District SOUTH NORTH Entrance ramp from Houston Ave to SB I-45 Segment 2 10
SEGMENT 2: PROPOSED OPEN SPACE NEAR N. MAIN ST. Potential Open Space (Private Funding and Development) NORTH SOUTH MaX Lanes Segment 2 11
UNTANGLING THE DOWNTOWN FREEWAY SYSTEM 12
SEGMENT 3: PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE Realign I-10 & add new Express Lanes (pass-thru) Downtown Connectors replace Pierce Elevated Realign I-69 & depress from Commerce to Spur 527 Pierce Elevated no longer needed Potential Open Space (Lamar to Commerce) (Private Funding and Development) 13
DOWNTOWN RENDERINGS Existing vs. Proposed West Side 14
EXISTING CONDITIONS Jefferson McKinney Pease Walker Pierce Elevated Allen Parkway Sabine Houston Ave Segment 3 15
PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE Jefferson McKinney Pease Walker Downtown Connector Allen Parkway Houston Ave Sabine Segment 3 16
DOWNTOWN RENDERINGS Existing vs. Proposed North Side 17
EXISTING CONDITIONS NORTH WEST SOUTH HOV/HOT Lanes EAST Express Lanes Main Smith Louisiana Travis Milam Segment 3 18
PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE SOUTH WEST EAST NORTH Express Lanes MaX Lanes Downtown Connector Smith Louisiana Travis Main Milam Segment 3 19
DOWNTOWN RENDERINGS Existing vs. Proposed East Side 20
EXISTING CONDITIONS GRB Minute Maid SOUTH NORTH Lamar Pease Leeland Segment 3 21
PROPOSED RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE GRB Minute Maid Park SOUTH NORTH Lamar SOUTH Pease NORTH Leeland Segment 3 22
POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE BEHIND THE GRB GRB OPERATIONS AREA NOTE: Green space option is conceptual only and would require separate development and funding. Segment 3 23
POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE BEHIND THE GRB NOTE: Green space option is conceptual only and would require separate development and funding. Segment 3 24
POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE BEHIND THE GRB NOTE: Green space option is conceptual only and would require separate development and funding. Segment 3 25
POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE BEHIND THE GRB NOTE: Green space option is conceptual only and would require separate development and funding. Segment 3 26
GREEN SPACE EXAMPLE: KLYDE WARREN PARK DALLAS 27
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS BEHIND THE GRB Looking North from Capital Street Existing Minute Maid Park US 59 Elevated Section (current) Minute Maid Park Artist s Rendering Segment 3 28
UNTANGLING THE DOWNTOWN FREEWAY SYSTEM TRANFORMATIONAL BENEFITS 29
BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT +20 mph = 55 mph free flow speed* (Year 2040 AM Peak) 50% reduction in delay during peak hour around downtown* Region-wide reduction in delay and increase to average speeds* *Potential major air quality improvement for the region positive overall impacts 30
BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT +20 mph = 55 mph free flow speed* (Year 2040 AM Peak) 50% reduction in delay during peak hour around downtown* Region-wide reduction in delay and increase to average speeds* *Potential major air quality improvement for the region positive overall impacts 2040 Model Speed VHT Difference Build vs. No-Build Downtown System Over $200 million per year in user delay cost savings alone 31
BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT +20 mph = 55 mph free flow speed* (Year 2040 AM Peak) 50% reduction in delay during peak hour around downtown Region-wide reduction in delay and increase to average speeds* *Potential major air quality improvement for the region positive overall impacts Green = positive increase in average speed 2040 Model Speed Percent Difference Build vs. No-Build 32
PROPOSED SCHEDULE WE ARE HERE 2015-2017 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (DEIS) 2020 BEGIN CONSTRUCTION PHASE 1 I-69 FROM MONTROSE TO SH 288 SPRING 2017 PUBLIC HEARING 2018-2020 DESIGN / RIGHT OF WAY (ROW) ACQUISITION 2017-2018 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (FEIS) 2018 RECORD OF DECISION (ROD) 33
SEGMENT 3: CONCEPTUAL CONSTRUCTION PHASING Note: Procurement methods anticipated to be combination of traditional and innovative delivery. 34
Contact Info Pat Henry, PE Advanced Project Development Engineer TxDOT Houston District Pat.Henry@txdot.gov 713-802-5241 Darrin Willer, PE, F. SAME Program Manager / Vice President HNTB dwiller@hntb.com 713-306-3501 35