Transportation
Transportation
BY MELISSA ENAJE & CASSANDRA JENKINS
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS & KEVIN VU
The Houston-Galveston Area Council is drafting a long-term blueprint for transportation investments through 2050, with residents across H-GAC’s eight-county planning region—which includes Harris County—sharing feedback during public meetings in July and August. At least $140 billion in local, state and federal funds are expected to be allocated over the next 25 years for projects part of the Regional Transportation Plan 2050. According to H-GAC data, Harris County alone is projected to see a 39% population increase by 2050, creating additional demand for reliable infrastructure and expanded mobility. H-GAC to spend $140B on regional plan projects
HISD students to ride METRO for free The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County and Houston ISD have part- nered up to provide free transportation for all high school students for the 2025-2026 school year, per an Aug. 5 news release. The collaboration aims to increase access to education, after-school activities, jobs and essential services while helping families save on transportation. How it works Students who sign up to use METRO will receive a preloaded METRO Q Fare Card through their school administrators, allow- ing students to ride local buses, METRORail and curb2curb at no cost, per the release. Families can contact their student’s school administration to request a METRO Q Card.
Safety, mobility plans slated for Mandell Street Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone officials are looking to improve mobility and pedestrian safety conditions along Mandell Street from Highway 59 to Westheimer Road. What we know According to project details, improvements will include milling and overlay of the existing deteri- orated asphalt pavement, signing and restriping, and adding accessible sidewalks and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant corner ramps. During the TIRZ board meeting Aug. 18, project manager David Greaney said the proposal orig- inated a few years ago as part of a larger project that included Dallas and Mandell Streets and on-street bike lanes. The bike lanes were later removed from the project, and the scope was minimized to just Mandell Street. Since the new plan does not include bike lanes,
The timeline
Proposed H-GAC transportation projects in the Heights, River Oaks and Montrose H-GAC identified transportation projects in the region that are sponsored locally by different public entities in its updated 2050 plan.
H-GAC officials said the community’s perspective is critical to ensuring that investments address key needs, including population growth, sustainability and overall quality of life. After incorporating public feedback from surveys and the third round of public meetings, H-GAC will provide a public draft project list slated for late 2026.
Inner Katy Segme n t 1 I-10 Reconstruction and widening • Timeline: 2029-2040 • Cost: $231.97M
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SHEPHERD DR.
PATTERSON ST.
Regional Transportation Plan 2050 process
nearly 100 on-street parking spaces near The Menil Collection will not need to be removed, TIRZ officials said. The project will include new 6-foot sidewalks with consideration of existing trees, pavement resurfacing and new street lighting. Project cost The roughly 0.78-mile project is anticipated to cost $1.5 million to $2 million, Greaney said. Board members were presented with a $126,155 contract to HR Green for design services to kickstart the project, but the item was ultimately tabled.
Westheimer Road Reconstruction and new sidewalks
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• Timeline: 2030 • Cost: $26.25M
Summer 2025: Public meeting Phase 1 Fall 2025: H-GAC goes over goals and objectives Fall 2025: Public meeting Phase 2 Spring 2026: Call for projects; Public meeting Phase 3 Fall 2026: Approved final draft
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2026
West Alabama Street New safety features, wider sidewalks
• Timeline: 2025 • Cost: $13.93M
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SOURCE: HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL/COMMUNITY IMPACT
HOUSTON SUPERSTORE 2410 Smith Street (713) 526-8787
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