NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (NHHIP) · 8/21/2019 · •Add bike/pedestrian features along frontage roads –Right-of-Way •North of Airline Dr – widen to the west

www.IH45northandmore.com

NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (NHHIP)

September 2019

Project Briefing Packet

www.IH45northandmore.com 2

A QUICK HISTORY 2003: North-Hardy Corridor Alternatives Analysis (METRO, TxDOT and H-GAC)

– Examined transit and highway alternatives– Determination made to complete transit alternatives analysis prior to beginning

highway alternatives analysis

2004: North-Hardy Corridor Alternatives Analysis (Transit Component)– Identified need for direct links between transit bus service network and transit rail

network – Recommended high capacity transit alternatives in the form of light rail and/or

commuter rail from UH Downtown to Bush Intercontinental Airport

2005: North-Hardy Corridor Alternatives Analysis (Highway Component)– Recommended highway alternatives from downtown Houston to Beltway 8 North– Public input resulted in highway component essentially being transit lanes to

complement the Transit Component (managed lanes)

2011: Notice of Intent to develop Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)– Determination made for a comprehensive approach for downtown’s freeway system

(I-45, I-10, I-69 & SH 288) instead of piecemeal highway projects

2013: METRO delivers METRORail Red Line (Light Rail) – From UH Downtown to Northline Transit Center (north of IH 610 North between

Crosstimbers and Tidwell)


Need for NHHIP – Existing congestion– Future increases in population and employment– Future traffic growth– Outdated design elements– Aging infrastructure

Purpose of NHHIP – Apply current design standards to enhance safety– Mitigate congestion by improving mobility and operational

efficiency– Expand transit and carpool capacity with 2-way, 24/7 operations– Maintain effective evacuation routes

NHHIP has 9 of the Top 40 Most Congested Roadways in Texas

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WHY ARE WE DOING THIS PROJECT?


Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 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

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10

69

10

45

45

610

45

69

610

69 59

59

10

69

10

45

45

610

45

69

610

69 59

59



SEGMENT 1: EXISTING CONDITIONS

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Reversible HOV/HOT

Lane

SOUTH SB Frontage Rd(2 Lanes)

NB Frontage Rd(2 lanes)

4 Lanes

NORTH

4 Lanes

NB Frontage Rd(3rd lane for intersection)

SB Frontage Rd(Ramp weave lane)




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Reversible HOV/HOT

Lane

NORTH

4 Lanes

No shoulder




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Reversible HOV/HOT

Lane

NORTH

4 Lanes

No shoulder




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Reversible HOV/HOT

Lane

NORTH

4 Lanes




9PRELIMINARY-SUBJECT TO CHANGE

MaX Lanes

MaX Lanes




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

10

10

69

10

45

45

610

45

69

610

69 59

59



SEGMENT 2: IMPROVED I-45/I-610 INTERCHANGE


Segm

ent 2





Segm

ent 2

New Frontage Roads through Interchange– Improves access

between I-45 and I-610

– Will reduce need to use local streets

Removed left-hand movements between freeways





Segm

ent 2

Proposed frontage road overpass of

METRO Light Rail


I-45/I-610 DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS

www.IH45northandmore.com PRELIMINARY-SUBJECT TO CHANGE

TxDOT Investigating Expanding Existing 1400 ft Long Culvert under I-610

Proposed NHHIP Detention Ponds



SEGMENT 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS NEAR N. MAIN ST.


Segm

ent 2

LOOKING NORTH



MaX Lanes

SEGMENT 2: PROPOSED OPEN SPACE NEAR N. MAIN ST.


Houston Ave

SOUTH NORTH

Entrance ramp from

Houston Ave to SB I-45

Segm

ent 2

Hollywood Cemetery

Germantown Historic District

Potential Open Space (Private Funding and

Development)


“UNTANGLING THE DOWNTOWN FREEWAY SYSTEM”







REALIGNMENT OF I-10 NEAR UHD




ARTIST RENDERING OF WHITE OAK BAYOU GREENWAY TRAIL NEAR UHD


Source: CHI / swa



POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE BEHIND THE GRB


Segm

ent 3



POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE BEHIND THE GRB


Segm

ent 3



GREEN SPACE EXAMPLE: KLYDE WARREN PARK – DALLAS

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Minute Maid Park

Minute Maid Park

US 59 Elevated Section (current)Existing

Artist’s Rendering

Looking North from Capital Street

PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS BEHIND THE GRB

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Segm

ent 3

PRELIMINARY-SUBJECT TO CHANGE



POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE IN MIDTOWN / MUSEUM DISTRICT


Segm

ent 3



POTENTIAL GREEN SPACE IN MIDTOWN / MUSEUM DISTRICT


Segm

ent 3



POTENTIAL CAPS IN MIDTOWN / MUSEUM DISTRICT


Segm

ent 3

CAP

CAP



BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT

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• +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



EAST SIDE ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN


EAST SIDE TO DOWNTOWN ACCESS – BEFORE NHHIP (CURRENT)

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EAST SIDE TO DOWNTOWN ACCESS – AFTER NHHIP• Close coordination with the City of Houston on local street system connectivity• NEW Southbound parallel street between Commerce and Leeland

• Restores the east-west connectivity of four streets cut off when the Minute Maid Park and GRB were constructed (Dallas, Lamar, McKinney, and Walker)

• Allows for five (5) cross streets to access Downtown and areas to the east• Polk Street

• Reconnecting I-45 in the capped area between Lamar and Commerce necessitated the rerouting of Polk Street; free flow u-turn added at Lamar to compensate

• Polk Street Dedicated Bike Lane would be rerouted to follow the proposed Hamilton Street and connect to the Columbia Tap Rail-Trail via Walker Street


EAST SIDE TO DOWNTOWN ACCESS – AFTER NHHIP


“NHHIP: REPURPOSED FREEWAY –

NEW OPPORTUNITIES”


CENTRAL HOUSTON, INC. STUDY

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Potential economic development opportunities

$5-9 billion

Central Houston, Inc. studying economic benefits of the planned NHHIP project



NHHIP: REPURPOSED FREEWAY - NEW OPPORTUNITIES


Red = No Longer Needed for Transportation Use

Once I-45 is relocated with NHHIP, the existing Pierce Elevated alignment and infrastructure is no longer needed by the state as a transportation use…




Artist’s rendering of one option to repurpose Pierce Street Former alignment of I-45 Pierce Elevated Freeway



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Existing conditions along Pierce Street / Pierce Elevated



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Artist’s rendering of one option to repurpose Pierce Street Former alignment of I-45 Pierce Elevated Freeway



CLAYTON HOMES & KELLY VILLAGE



FREEWAY REALIGNMENT OPPORTUNITY


Clayton Homes

Kelly Homes

Public comments at Public Meeting No. 4 (2015) suggested combining I-45 in the I-10 and I-69

Study team added as an alternative, but found that straightening reverse curves on each approach to I-10/I-69 interchange was needed to improve safety and increase operational aspects

Removing reverse curves would require impacts to majority of Clayton Homes and portion of Kelly Village

Reverse Curves



FEMA FIRM Map100-Year Flood

Boundary

Houston Housing(Clayton Homes)

FEMA FIRM Map500-Year Flood Boundary

(Hurricane Harvey Flood Level)

Hurricane Harvey (2017) flooded half of Clayton Homes

Houston Housing Authority deemed 112 of 296 units uninhabitable; sent letter to TxDOT noting they were interested in relocating the tenants


PRELIMINARY-SUBJECT TO CHANGE 41




Hurricane Harvey (2017) flooded half of Clayton Homes

Houston Housing Authority deemed 112 of 296 units uninhabitable; sent letter to TxDOT noting they were interested in relocating the tenants





Current I-69 Alignment with Reverse Curves

Realigned I-69 and Rerouted I-45 in Same

Footprint without Reverse Curves`






Current I-69 Alignment with Reverse Curves

Realigned I-69 and Rerouted I-45 in same

Corridor without Reverse Curves



Portion of Kelly Village Impacted by Removing

R

Houston Housing(Kelly Village)

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COMMUNITY / ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE – CLAYTON HOMES


672 residents currently residing in 184 livable units Negotiation completed with Houston Housing Authority

(HHA)1. All residents will have the first right to reside in the replacement units2. 80% of the units will be reestablished within two-mile radius; current

plan is over 70% within one-mile radius3. 100% of the units will be reestablished within the Houston City Limits4. 100% of the units will be reestablished within 5 years5. Reestablishment of the units will be done through a combination of

replacement housing, private/public partnerships (to drastically expand housing options and efficiency) and rental programs

6. Residents will remain in place until the land is needed for construction through an occupancy agreement

7. HHA plans to have replacement units available for the residents so that each resident will only have to relocate once

8. Units will be replaced with multiple upgrades

Property Description1. Constructed 1952/Renovated 20072. Residential 2-Story Structures3. 296 Units (254,488 SF gross building

area)4. Whole Property Size @ 21.3 acres Right-

of-Way


270 residential Units (222,751SF gross building area)– Current number of residents residing in the 270 units is 738– Approximately 50 Units will be impacted by NHHIP

Early acquisition underway to advance replacement housing and relocation options– TxDOT made Initial Offer April 9, 2019– TxDOT received HHA Counteroffer June 4, 2019 and is under

review– Counter offer included option to acquire 22 additional units

to be used as a buffer, and a separate option to acquire the entire property (270 units)

– TxDOT and HHA to offer relocation assistance


COMMUNITY / ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE – KELLY VILLAGE

Property Description1. Constructed 1939/Renovated

20052. Residential 2-Story Structures3. Whole Property Size @ 21.3

acres Right-of-Way


PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT


PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY (2013-2019)


Formal Public Meetings 144 Rounds of Public Meetings (2011-2017) 12

Public Hearings in May 2017 2

Stakeholder Meetings 256Local, State, & Federal Officials 22Agencies (Cities, County, METRO) 53Management Districts & Chambers of Commerce 55Super Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Associations & Civic Clubs 18TIRZ & Redevelopment Authorities 12Organizations & Associations 24Corporations (Houston Sports Teams, Railroads) 17Developers 13Individual Businesses & Property Owners 40Residential & Community Impacts Series 4

Total 270


Working Other (Cooperating and Participating Agencies)

Federal Agencies– FHWA, FTA, Army Corp of Engineers, Coast Guard, EPA, Fish &

Wildlife, HUD

State Agencies– TCEQ, General Land Office, Historical Commission, Parks &

Wildlife, Railroad Commission

Local Agency Partners– COH, Houston METRO, Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC),

Harris County Public Infrastructure & Flood Control, HCTRA

Local Management Districts– Central Houston, East Downtown, Grater East End, Greater

Northside, Greenspoint, Montrose, Airline Improvement, Greater Southeast , Midtown

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ONGOING ENGAGEMENT

Traffic Management Steering Committee Mayor Turner’s NHHIP Steering Committee COH Planning Department Initiatives

– Initial Segment 3 Meetings– COH Facilitation Meetings

• Upcoming Public Meetings• Additional Stakeholder Meetings

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PROJECT TIMELINE


CURRENT STATUS & NEXT STEPS

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2019-2020

• Continued Community and Stakeholder Engagement

Early 2020

• TxDOT Finalize Environmental Process

Mid to Late 2020

• Right-of-Way Acquisition for Segment 3

2021• Construction Begins on Segment 3

After 2024

• Construction on Segments 1 and 2



Houston District Resources & Questions

Quincy Allen, P.E.TxDOT Houston District Engineer

713-802-5001

Raquelle LewisTxDOT Houston District PIO

713-802-5071 or email: [email protected]

For More Information:Contact TxDOT-Houston District Public Information Office by email at HOU-

[email protected] or call 713-802-5076.

Follow us on Twitter: @TxDOTHoustonPIO

Documents

NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (NHHIP) · 8/21/2019 · •Add bike/pedestrian features along frontage roads –Right-of-Way •North of Airline Dr – widen to the west