TRANSPORTATION UPDATES METRO makes weekend use of high-occupancy vehicle, toll lanes permanent
COMPILED BY RENEE FARMER & DANICA LLOYD
ONGOING PROJECTS
Following a pilot program this summer that opened the Metro- politan Transit Authority of Harris County’s high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, and high-occupancy toll, or HOT, lanes for use on weekends, the board voted Aug. 25 to make the program permanent. Under the program, the lanes will be operational seven days a week on a permanent basis. The addition will cost the agency up to $3.3 million, according to Nader Mirjamali, METRO HOV/HOT lane project manager, adding $644,500 to the agency’s contract with TransCore ITS to operate the lanes. “This is part of an effort to say that, yes, our job is to connect people to jobs, but it is also to connect people to recreational opportunities, weekend trips, leisure trips, trips to schools, universities, you name it,” METRO board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran said at the Aug. 25 meeting. The plan includes METRO’s five HOV and HOT lanes along I-45 North, I-45 South, I-69 North/Hwy. 59 North,
High-occupancy vehicle and high-occupancy toll lanes are now permanently open seven days a week to Harris County commuters. EASING THE DAILY COMMUTE
HOV and HOT lanes
59
45
INBOUND LANES Open Mon.-Sun. from: • 6:30-8 a.m. to vehicles with at least two people • 5-6:30 a.m. and 8-11 a.m. to all vehicles OUTBOUND LANES Open Mon.-Sun. from: • 4:30-6 p.m. to vehicles with at least two people • 1-4:30 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. to all vehicles
N
99 TOLL
290
1960
Tall Pines Subdivision Recovery and Resiliency Improvement Project Construction is ongoing on a project to improve roadside drainage and pavement throughout the Tall Pines subdivision near Grant Road and North Eldridge Parkway. The project is intended to reduce flooding and improve road quality for safety. Timeline: April-fourth quarter of 2022 Cost: $3.58 million
10
610
45
6
59
N
SOURCE: THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Funding sources: Harris County Precinct 3, Harris County Flood Control District
I-69 South/Hwy. 59 South and Hwy. 290. The summer pilot ended Sept. 5 with the permanent program com- mencing Sept. 10. By seven weeks into the pilot period Aug. 13-14, use of the lanes had increased 82% to 6,379 vehicles on
Saturdays and 70% to 3,419 vehicles on Sundays, according to Mirjamali. The lanes see 70%-80% more use on Saturdays than Sundays. Mirjamali identified I-69 South/Hwy. 59 South and I-45 North as the corridors that saw the most weekend use.
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF SEPT. 1. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT CYFNEWS@COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.
Houston's #1 Emergency Room - Open 24 Hrs - No Wait Ever
No Wait ER Means You Get Faster Care.
When Your Family Is First WE ARE READY
12665 W Lake Houston Pkwy Houston, TX 77044 (281) 937-2800 Summerwood
17685 TX-249 Houston, TX 77064 (281) 937-2800 Willowbrook
3820 N Shepherd Dr Suite A Houston, TX 77018 (281) 937-2800 Heights
With board-certified doctors and onsite laboratory & diagnostic services, our convenient Life Saversrs ER locations are fully equipped to take care of all minor and major medical emergencies.
Life Savers 24 Hour Emergency Room is your ER for immediate definite care. www.LifeSaversER.com
11
CY-FAIR EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
Powered by FlippingBook