TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & EMILY LINCKE
Harris County commissioners approve $53M for trailway projects Harris County commissioners
ONGOING PROJECTS
Ramsey said he voted against the item because he believes the project has “too many unknowns.” “Safety is my No. 1 concern, and I’ve not seen enough of the concept to con dently say it’s properly being addressed in these projects,” Ramsey said in an email May 17. Meanwhile, Cagle said he would have preferred additional trails be funded by the county’s parks budget. “While Commissioner [Cagle] is a major proponent of hike and bike trails and has considerably expanded their availability throughout Precinct 4, he voted against this measure because he believes it sets a bad precedent of diverting toll road money to projects not originally envisioned when toll roads were rst pitched to Harris County voters,” said Joe Stinebaker, Precinct 4 director of communications, in an email May 17. The HCTRA identi ed 22 priority projects that were ranked as having the highest community bene t and were given a prioritized timeline. These projects would cover 65 miles
69
New ways to commute The Tollways to Trailways project will bring biking and walking paths to Harris County for local commuters to utilize daily.
approved $53 million on May 10 for the Harris County Toll Road Author- ity’s new Tollways to Trailways initiative, which will add 236 miles of new recreational trails across each of the county’s four precincts. According to the HCTRA’s planning documents, most of the trails will be placed adjacent to existing toll roads, providing access to existing parks, public transit hubs, schools and neighborhoods. A timeline for the work has not yet been announced, but the cost estimate for all 63 proj- ects totals more than $601 million. “Tollways to Trailways make the county healthier and more resilient by expanding healthy mobility choices, creating more local green spaces, and giving people transporta- tion options that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve regional air quality,” HCTRA’s plan reads. The request was approved in a 3-2 vote with Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Precinct 4 Commis- sioner Jack Cagle dissenting.
WROXTON RD.
610
BUFFALO SPEEDWAY
CARNEGIE ST.
W. HOLCOMBE BLVD.
236 miles of trails will be added across Harris County. 63 projects are envisioned for the Tollways to Trailways plan across Harris County’s 4 precincts. $601 million in funding will be needed to cover the plan’s trailways.
N
GRAMERCY ST.
Bu alo Speedway paving and drainage improvements
As work continues on a project to make improvements to Bu alo Speedway, construction crews closed the west side intersection of Carnegie Street at Buf- falo Speedway on June 6 while crews excavate and install storm sewer boxes. The closure was pegged at 4-5 weeks, putting it on track to reopen around early or mid-July. The overall project in- volves making improvements between Wroxton Road and Gramercy Street. Timeline: October 2018-early 2023 Cost: $23 million Funding sources: West University Place, federal grants ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF JUNE 27. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT BMWNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.
$53 million in funding was approved for the project by Harris County commissioners on May 10. SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER and cost $131 million. Local projects include the Brays-Bu alo Connector Trail, an $8.3 million project that involves building a north-south trail from San Felipe Street near River Oaks to Braes Bayou between Newcastle and Weslayan streets.
AKT is a dance based cardio fitness and wellness brand, fueled by positivity and a combination of personal training, and movement-based technique.
512-232-5000 EdServices@austin.utexas.edu highschool.utexas.edu
Workout Like The Stars Sign up now for your Free Introductory Class
Full-Time Virtual High School Free for Texans! Enroll now for fall 2022!
Summer online courses available for purchase to catch up or get ahead!
Scan the QR Code to learn more! 3331 Westpark Drive Houston, TX 77005 713-869-1240 THEAKT.COM
Honors and Advanced Placement® subjects available
@UTHSnation
8
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook