TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Harris County authorizes 10% toll rate cut, free EZ tags
COMPILED BY HANNAH BROL, RENEE FARMER, LEAH FOREMAN & EMILY LINCKE
UPCOMING PROJECTS
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EASING THE BURDEN The 10% toll rate discount—which will go into effect by Sept. 4—will apply to motorists driving two-axle vehicles on toll roads managed by the Harris County Toll Road Authority.
A Harris County Toll Road Authority program that will reduce the cost of tolls by 10% was approved unanimously by Harris County commissioners Jan. 31. The discount will represent $894 million in discounts over the course of 10 years, or about $90 million in savings per year, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said Jan. 31. “This gives us confidence in what the [Harris County] Toll Road Authority’s doing,” Ramsey said. “When you look at the consistent revenues that they generate, when you look at their ability to cover what they do. I think we are, in many ways, an envy of the state, in terms of how well we run our toll road authority.” The rate reduction will go into effect by Sept. 4. HCTRA will also provide up to eight free EZ tags per household as part of the program. The proposal was initially presented at a Jan. 24 news conference. HCTRA Director Roberto Treviño said the 10% discount would apply to those driving two-axle vehicles, which he said make up 95% of HCTRA’s transactions. He added that drivers can choose to apply the discount on each individual transaction or after aggregating transactions on a monthly basis. 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, Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said during the
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF FEB. 1. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT SKLNEWS@COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. The project will also provide assis- tance and compensation to residents displaced by the project. Construction on the next segment will start in 2023. The $9 billion plan will provide more pedestrian and bike trails along green space, minimize the highway’s current presence in green space, enhance flood mitigation and reduce historic flood patterns. Agreement reached over I-45 project In a Dec. 19 announcement, the city of Houston reached an agreement with the Texas Department of Transpor- tation and Harris County over the North Houston Highway Improvement Project and I-45. The highway will be modernized pri- marily by usage of its current footprint to reduce congestion and will connect communities via current streets. Grand Parkway widening A two-part project to expand the F-2 segment of the Grand Parkway from four to six lanes is expected to begin next year. A Segment A will run between Hwy. 249 and Kuykendahl Road in Tomball, while B Segment B, will run from Kuykendahl Road to Holzwarth Road in Spring. Timeline: advertising for bids in Feb- ruary 2024 (Segment A); advertising for bids in October 2024 (Segment B) Cost: $60.5 million (Segment A), $44.17 million (Segment B) Funding source: TxDOT
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SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Jan. 24 news conference. In response to a question at the Jan. 24 news
conference about losing 10% of revenue from 95% of the customer base, Treviño said the population growth in the region will correspond to increased demand and use of the toll road systems. Rachel Carlton contributed to this report.
Houston METRO adds service to Lone Star College-Houston North Fallbrook campus
Antoine/Washington, 86 FM 1960/ Imperial Valley and 96 Veterans Memorial. The pilot project launched under a service change Jan. 22. The connector runs 7:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday every 30 minutes with stops at the campus, Walmart and Fallbrook Church. Riders can also connect to MET- RO’s Park & Rides and other transit centers, as well as employment hubs including Willowbrook Mall, Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital and downtown Houston.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County announced the launch of a new shuttle route serving the Lone Star College-Houston North Fallbrook campus Jan. 24. The Lone Star Connector runs 6.5 miles near the campus, providing students and faculty with connec- tions to three local bus routes: 85
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Lone Star College-Houston North Fallbrook 12750 Walters Road, Houston
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SPRING - KLEIN EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
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