The following is from the I-45 Coalition:
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has proposed a massive expansion of IH-45 North. TxDOT’s “recommended alternative” for the IH-45 expansion project appears to require expansion from 225 feet of right-of-way to 392 feet. However, TxDOT’s study fails to disclose possible right-of-way requirements for any of the alternatives studied.
Further, the report claims the project might cost only $395 – $455 million, or $13.2 – 15.2 million per centerline mile. In contrast, the IH-10 Katy Freeway expansion project is now estimated to cost $2.67 billion – or more than $106 million per mile. At 30 miles long, the IH-45 project will rival the Katy Expansion project in scope and may cost as much as $3.18 billion. Neighborhood leaders are calling for TxDOT to fix the “alternatives analysis” study and let the public review the revised plan for 60 days prior to approval.
On Tuesday, I-45 Coalition members will ask Houston Mayor Bill White and City Council Members to reject TxDOT’s plan and ask the Transportation Policy Council to require TxDOT to revise their study and ensure both citizens and elected officials have access to the revised report prior to approval.
What: Houston City Council – Public Session
Neighborhood leaders to address Mayor and CouncilWhen: Tuesday, August 9, 2005 at 2:00 pm
Where: Houston City Hall, 2nd floor chamber
901 Bagby, Houston, TX, 77002The I-45 Coalition represents approximately 90,000 residents in the neighborhoods on both sides of I 45, primarily between I-10 to the south and 610 to the north. These residents live in neighborhoods like Old Sixth Ward Historic District, First Ward, Woodland Heights, Near Northside B.O.N.D., Brooke Smith, Lindale Park, Houston Heights and others. Coalition members are concerned about losing their homes, neighborhoods, and quality of life to an ever-expanding I-45.
The Executive Summary of TxDOT’s report is online here.
Just as a reminder, the next Town Hall meeting with TxDOT on the I-45 plans is this Saturday at 2 PM, Jefferson Davis High School, 1101 Quitman.