Bay Area Edition | February 2023

TRANSPORTATION UPDATES I45 project at FM 518 set to nish this summer

UPCOMING PROJECTS

BY SAAB SAHI

ramp movements.” The contractor is constructing the I-45 southbound main lanes from the south of NASA Parkway to the north of FM 518 as well as the bridge over Clear Creek, Perez said. As a part of the project, reconstruc- tion is also underway on FM 518 at the intersection and the northbound frontage road from the north of Hwy. 96 to FM 518, Perez said. Construction on the FM 518 intersection portion of the project began Sept. 16, Community Impact previously reported. The contractor has completed construction of the northbound main lanes, the frontage roads north of FM 518, the southbound frontage road south of FM 518 and the I-45 main lanes south of FM 518, Perez said. There are no delays facing the

Construction on the major I-45 expansion project from NASA Parkway to FM 518 continues with the contrac- tor expecting to nish this summer, said Danny Perez, public information ocer for the Texas Department of Transportation. The project, which is projected to cost $102 million, was previously expected to nish in late 2022, Com- munity Impact previously reported. “This project improves safety along the corridor as well as sig- nicantly lowers congestion by increasing the number of main lanes from six to 10 north of FM 518 and from six to eight lanes south of FM 518,” Perez said. “It also increases the number of lanes on the frontage roads to two continu- ous lanes and an auxiliary lane for

Walker Street intersection improvement League City is in the process of obtaining right of way and Texas Department of Transportation permits as well as nalizing design plans for improvements at the intersection of Walker Street and League City Parkway. The project aims to correct grading issues, extend two left-turn lanes and install three new right-turn lanes to accommodate trac, accord- ing to the project scope of work. The intersection improvement project is anticipated to bid in summer, Execu- tive Director of Capital Projects Ron Bavarian said. Cost: $1.5 million Timeline: TBD Funding source: Galveston County

CLEAR CREEK

518

project as construction continues, Perez said. “As with any construction project, unknown utility conicts, material availability and weather events can impact the project completion date,” Perez said. Up-to-date information on road clo- sures during construction is available at www.houstontranstar.org.

COUNTY NEWS

METRO to add bike-sharing to countywide transit system

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF FEB. 7. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT BAYNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. will also provide up to eight free EZ Tags per household as part of the program. As part of the transition to all-electronic tollways, the county will also be phasing in several options for residents to obtain EZ Tags at retail stores, open cash-backed accounts and pay at EZ Tag retail stores. Harris County authorizes 10% toll rate cut, free EZ Tags A Harris County Toll Road Authority program that will reduce the cost of tolls by 10% was approved unanimous- ly by Harris County commissioners Jan. 31. The discount will represent $894 million in discounts over the course of 10 years, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said. The 10% rate reduction will go into eect by Sept. 4. HCTRA

BY RENEE FARMER

brought bike-sharing to the region in 2012. The system, at its peak, included a maximum of around 1,000 bikes throughout approximately 150 stations and over 2,100 bike docks. Around 90% of its users do so for recreation rather than transportation. Houston Bike Share made the decision to suspend 75 of its 150 stations Jan. 1 due to nancial concerns. It then approached METRO with an opportunity to add bike-sharing to its transit

system. METRO has previ- ously marketed Houston BCycle as a rst- and last- mile transit alternative. The agency will now work with Houston Bike Share on developing a six- to nine-month transition plan, with the objective of adapting the existing bike-share footprint to complement METRO’s transit system, METRO Chief Financial Ocer George Fotinos said. “Connecting bicycles to METRO’s transit system has

In an eort to address rst- and last-mile connectivity to its system, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County will take over the opera- tion of Houston BCycle, Houston’s only bike-shar- ing program. The METRO board voted to commence the bike-shar- ing initiative during its Jan. 26 meeting. Houston BCycle, operated by Houston Bike Share, a nonprot organization,

METRO will develop a six- to nine-month transition plan to take over the footprint of Houston BCycle.

COURTESY HOUSTON BCYCLE

been identied as one of the key strategies to grow local ridership and build use of the system,” he said.

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BAY AREA EDITION • MARCH 2023