TRANSPORTATION TxDOT gathers feedback for I 45 improvement with ongoing study
A NEW LOOK FOR I-45 Three lane designs are under consideration for I-45 from Conroe to Houston. Depending on public feedback, portions of the freeway could undergo full reconstruction.
Alternative 1
* Travel time: 52 minutes ** Estimated change in crash average: +9%
1 HOV lane 5 main lanes created using existing shoulder Frontage road unchanged
BY JESSICA SHORTEN
The Texas Department of Transportation released and presented ndings from its Planning and Envi- ronmental Linkages study in mid-January for pos- sible future improvements to I-45 from Beltway 8 north to South Loop 336 in Conroe, including a portion that runs through The Woodlands area. The PEL study is currently in Phase 2, which includes public community meetings. Based on the feedback received from the public, TxDOT will then identify and develop more concrete plans to present in a nal public meeting series. “The [PEL] Study for I-45 North in the Houston area enables the community to participate in the transportation decision-making process,” said Emily Black, public information o cer for TxDOT’s Houston region. Spanning 24 miles from Houston to Conroe, TxDOT has come up with three primary alternatives to the current structure of I-45 that vary from restriping to constructing overhead HOV lanes. The options were presented by TxDOT o cials at public meetings Jan. 17 and 19. Additional improvement suggestions included building two direct connectors going from Wood- lands Parkway and Robinson Road to I-45 as well as expanding connecting thoroughfares such as Research Forest, Tamina Road and Woodlands Parkway. These alternatives came from Phase 1 of the study, which took place in 2019 and looked at tra c ows, crash data and connectivity. Growing safety concerns are driving the study, TxDOT o cials said. According to data collected by TxDOT, between 2017 and 2021 there were 16,581 total crashes on I-45 between South Loop 336 and Beltway 8. Of those crashes, 339 were fatal or inca- pacitating and 3,962 involved some kind of serious injury, according to the data.
Alternative 2
* Travel time: 43 minutes ** Estimated change in crash average: -13%
2 HOV lanes 4-5 main lanes Frontage roads reconstructed
NEW LANES
NEW LANES
Alternative 3
* Travel time: 32 minutes ** Estimated change in crash average: -14%
2 HOV lanes, elevated 4 main lanes Frontage roads unchanged
* 24-mile segment from Beltway 8 to South Loop 336 ** Based on crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled
Frontage roads
Main lanes
HOV lanes
CONROE
336
Statewide, an average of 151 crashes occurs per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. However, the average along I-45 is well above the statewide average, with the worst section being between the Grand Parkway and FM 1960, which has an average crash rate of 214 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, according to TxDOT data. Increasing travel times have also been an issue, o cials said. If no improvements are made to I-45, the projected travel time for that same stretch of road will increase from 22 minutes to 52 minutes by 2045, according to TxDOT. Only expanding new lanes or creating elevated HOV lanes are expected to reduce the peak travel times to the 32-43 minute range, according to the data published by TxDOT. Restriping could make lanes narrower and could increase the crash average, according to TxDOT. The ndings from the PEL study are expected to be completed by the end of 2023. “TxDOT will select, with public input, a project or
SCOPE OF PROJECT
THE WOODLANDS
45
The Texas Department of Transportation study area extends from Beltway 8 to South Loop 336.
99
249
HOUSTON
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
CREATING SMILES EVERYDAY • General Dentistry • Restorative Dentistry • Implants • Cosmetic Dentistry • Endodontics • Oral Surgery Now accepting appointments. projects to be evaluated, designed and built,” Black said. “This means we are years from any potential construction starting so this was the best way to get a good idea of what would bene t the area as growth in the area continues to increase.” The completion date of such a project would vary depending on the nal plan, but it would take several years to complete, o cials said.
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THE WOODLANDS EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
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