| May 19, 2010
Judge Clears Segment E Lawsuit, Rules Against
Sierra Club and Audubon Society
US District Judge Lake
ruled May 19th that TxDOT and FHWA did not act arbitrarily or capriciously
as claimed by the Sierra Club and Audubon Society in their bid to stop
Segment E of the Grand Parkway. The Judge found for the agencies with
prejudice. This clears the way for HCTRA to advance the project to
construction when the Corps of Engineers issues it wetlands mitigation
letter.
(Read the Judges opinion at this link PDF)
May 11, 2010
Harris County Commissioners Court has
authorized HCTRA to seek qualifications of consulting engineers for
design of additional sections of the Grand Parkway, Segments F1 & F2.
When designed these segments will join Segment E (I-10 to US 290) as
ready for construction.
(Read More PDF)
Expand Planned Interchange of GP at Interstate 10
The West Houston Association
thanks area transportation agencies for their initiatives on the Segment E
of the Grand Parkway and urges additional Interstate 10 direct connection
ramps be included in the first phase of the work. In addition,
north-south Grand Parkway traffic should have fully grade separated movement
through the interchange.
See the Association letter.
Grand Parkway Segment
E Starts Work
Harris County Commissioners
Court on March 10, 2009 and March 24th approved executing agreements with engineering firms
to begin the design of Segment E of the Grand Parkway. This contingent
upon TxDOT confirming supplemental funding in the amount of $181 million
from the stimulus bill. These actions by the Commissioners Court
clears the way for design and ROW acquisitions process to begin.
Also on March 10th the
Sierra Club announced it has filed a suit claiming the FHWA and TxDOT acted
arbitrarily and capriciously issued a record of decision on the environmental impact statement.
A copy of the filing can be download here
. Named in the suit are Federal Highway Administration and the Texas
Department of Transportation and Transportation Commission.
The County had previously
approved an
agreement with TxDOT that will allow the County to begin engineering of
Segment E between I-10 and US 290. The agreement also would allow the
County to begin construction on this segment. The agreement calls for
TxDOT to by out all Harris County investment in the project if another
project developer is selected by TxDOT to undertake the entire Grand Parkway
loop.
Grand Parkway-State Highway 99
The Grand Parkway is a planned
184 loop around the Greater Houston metropolitan area which currently has
several sections currently open to traffic--from I-10 West to US 59 South and in
Baytown on the east side of Houston region. The total cost of this
loop is currently estimated to be $3.7 billion.
A description of the Grand
Parkway (from the current TxDOT/Area Counties discussions) is available in
PDF format at this link.
Grand Parkway West will tie
the Greater West Houston region's residential and commercial centers
together with a vital new north-south link. Making up this link are:
- Section D, currently
completed south from I-10 to the Westpark Toll Road (FM 1093), continuing
south with frontage roads to Sugarland and US 59.
- Section E, a 15.2 mile
section north from I-10 to US 290 has received its record of decision.
The current schedule
(link to PDF) calls for design and right of way acquisition to
begin in 2008 and construction to commence in January 2010. While
the schedule published by local and state agencies current call for
completion in January 2011, it is likely this section can be completed and
open to traffic in two-thirds that time, by January 2010.
CLICK FOR LARGER
- Section F1, is an
11.4 mile section north from US 290 to US 249. It is in
environmental study with a record of decision expected in June, 2008.
Click on the links below to view a location map for this segment (PDF).
CLICK FOR LARGER

Segment F1 Map 1
Segment F1 Map 2
Segment F1 Map 3
- Section F2 connects the
Grand Parkway to Interstate 45 north of Houston, and G connects to US 59
North (Eastex Freeway).
TxDOT and Harris and
surrounding counties are negotiating terms and conditions leading up to a
decision whereby one or the other undertakes the construction of the Grand
Parkway.
|