Transportation
BY MELISSA ENAJE
New guidelines shift road responsibilities to developers
Revisions to Harris County’s trac impact analysis guidelines were unanimously passed by Harris County commissioners in May that will require developers to take more responsibility when it comes to road infrastructure projects. This marks a shift in how developers are required to approach new projects in the county. Eric Heppen is an engineer and senior project manager with Harris County Precinct 3 Commis- sioner Tom Ramsey’s oce. He said during a June 5 Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce commit- tee meeting that the new guidelines: • Require developers to construct full boulevard sections or multiple lanes of roads and complete infrastructure upfront • Address infrastructure gaps to prevent situ- ations where developers create demand for infrastructure improvements without contribut- ing to the overall project costs
The context Precinct 3 maintains nearly 6,800 miles of roadway and associated bridges throughout the area and has $31.7 million in Cypress-area trans- portation projects under construction as part of its Capital Improvement Program and another $84.4 million in the design phase, Heppen said. He said the new guidelines will help ensure the county can nd better uses for its mobility dollars. Harris County mobility funds are designated for transportation and infrastructure projects throughout the county, including road mainte- nance and capital improvement projects. These funds are primarily sourced from the Harris County Toll Road Authority and are split between precincts to be used for various mobili- ty-related projects, county ocials said. “Harris County taxpayers should not be responsible for developer-driven changes and upgrades,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey
Cypress area project funding
In design phase: $84.4M Under construction: $31.7M
Total: $116.1M
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 3 COMMUNITY IMPACT
said at a March court meeting. “Infrastructure improvements should not be limited to the [land] boundaries; they should extend to the limits of their dened impact area based on their trac impact analysis.” Harris County’s Department of Engineering sta were ordered to share an update on the process at the Aug. 7 court meeting.
THE GOLD STANDARD IN NURSING Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital
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CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION
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