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West Houston Association | Transportation US 290 Corridor Update Center |
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Projects & Issues
INFRASTRUCTURE
Official TxDOT US 290 Site/ My290
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With $784 million in projects committed, The us 290 corridor in northwest harris county is the west houston association's number one project
03.15.2013 | TxDot lets to contract section from fm 529 to eldridge As part of the massive reconstruction of US 290, The Texas Transportation Commission accepted a $58 million bid from Webber LLC to widen US 290 from FM 529 to Eldridge Parkway. The contract will likely be signed this falll with work to begin later in 2013.
11.30. 2012 | TxDOT
Schedules
public meeting on proposed us 290 managed use lanes
TxDOT will hold two public meetings to review the
proposed managed use lanes on US 290. The meetings are scheduled for
Tuesday, December 11, 2012 6p to 7p Open House. Presentation 7p
04.10.2012 | TxDOT &
Harris County hctra prepare MOu to develop us 290
TxDOT has agreed to invest an additional $400 million into the US 290
project (funds will come from a recent statewide supplemental pool of $2
billion) and HCTRA will invest up to $400 million to develop the US 290
toll and HOV lanes. US 290 will add an additional lane in each
direction in addition to the 2-3 lane toll and HOV lanes.
02.24.2012 | More funds
allocated to us 290 @ bw 8
An additional $78 million will be allocated to ROW purchases along US 290
@ BW 8 to advance widening of US 290 at that critical intersection.
The Transportation Policy Council voted on Feb 24th to advance this
project for allocation by TxDOT. Funds are from the Proposition 12
Rider 42 program for major metropolitan areas around the state. They
are restricted to planning, design and ROW purchases. This
allocation of $78 million will allow the $118 million for US 290 @ BW 8
construction to advance. (see below)
9.29.2011 | us 290 gets $118
million more for major new section east/west of beltway 8
The TxDOT Commission as part of the distribution of
Prop 12 bonds to roadways in Texas has selected US 290 for
additional new capacity. TxDOT’s discussion at this link. In Summer 2011,
the Texas Legislature authorized TxDOT to go to contract on approximately
$3 billion in general obligation bonds for highway improvements. Texas
voters approved these Proposition 12 bonds, which are backed by the
state’s general revenue not by fuel tax revenues, by a vote of 63 percent
in November 2007. Additional sections:
US 290 INBOUND West of FM 529 to E of W Little York
$58.8 million
US 290 OUTBOUND West of FM 529 to E of W Little York
$58.8 million
The US
290/BW 8 interchange improvements will include construction of a
continuous frontage road along BW 8 at US 290; construction of
collector-distributor lanes on US 290 from West Little York to FM 529; and
construction of the US 290 mainlanes and frontage roads from West Little
York to FM 529. The total cost of these improvements is $114 million
and will be funded as mentioned above. Construction will start July
2012.
In addition,
US 290 will receive $6.5 million from locally designated federal funds for
intersection improvements at SH 6, Spring-Cypress, Skinner and Cypress
Rosehill-Fry. These improvements will include dedicated turn lanes
to improve traffic flow. Also included are intersection improvements
at the frontage road and Eldridge; the addition of an auxiliary lane
eastbound on US 290 between Telge and Huffmeister; and the addition of US
290 westbound frontage road at Barker-Cypress.
Cost of the project is estimated to be $290.7 million for the 2019 build out
stopping at Loop 610 and an additional $254 million for the line to reach
the Central Business District.
US 290 Corridor
Link to TxDOT US 290
Corridor site. --A four-lane, two-way managed lanes facility along Hempstead Tollway from IH 610 to the proposed SH 99/Grand Parkway --Two non-tolled frontage road lanes in each direction to be reconstructed along Hempstead Tollway from IH 610 to Beltway 8 --US 290 METRO HOV operations moved to the Hempstead Tollway managed toll lanes --Proposed high-capacity transit corridor located along Hempstead Tollway --Bicycle and pedestrian improvements Phase I of US 290 construction includes the US 290/IH 610 interchange and US 290 out to W. 34th Street. Segment K of this phase is scheduled to go to construction in 2011, and that segment will be paid for with Proposition 12 funding. Click here to learn more about Proposition 12. Segment J-1 of this phase is scheduled to be put out for construction bid in Fall 2012, and will be paid for with Proposition 14 funding. In addition, TxDOT has identified additional funding mechanisms that will allow the Department to advance construction areas on several areas of the Program Corridor. It is important to note that these funding mechanisms are limited, and will only provide for minimal construction at select locations. Click here to learn more about these newly funded projects. At this time, funding the remaining portions of the US 290/Hempstead Corridor has not been identified, and time frames for construction remain unclear due to several factors including current state and federal funding challenges as noted here. The sooner funding can be secured the sooner construction on these phases can begin.
US 290 Funding Update
Proposition 14 Funding for Segment J-1 In October 2010, the Texas Transportation Commission awarded the US 290/Hempstead Corridor Program $140 million which will help build the very important IH 610/US 290 interchange. Read the press release here.
Proposition 12 Funding for Segment K More Information on Proposition 12 Read the Proposition 12 News Release
Category 2 See which portions of US 290 are tentatively funded here, and find more details about the UTP here.
County not ready to move on 290 toll lanes
June 22, 2010 Houston Chronicle
US 290/I-610 Interchange Gets Infusion of Funds; Goes to Contract in May 2011 The Texas Transportation Commission selected the interchange of US 290 and I-610 to begin the reconstruction of the 290 Corridor. $315 million in proceeds from the sale of Proposition 12 Texas General Obligation Bonds will be allocated to design and build approximately 50% of the eventual crucial complex of three major freeways serving Greater West Houston. The WHA believes this is a critical first step in the eventual US 290 Corridor project. It is a keystone for access from the northwest of Greater West Houston to major activity centers inside Loop 610. Read the West Houston Association Briefing Paper on this project at this link. Link to TxDOT US 290 Corridor site. Commuter Rail to Help Solve Mobility Issues | Judge Ed Emmett  "Harris
County is home to some of the most congested roadways in Texas. As the
county’s population continues to boom, transportation will be an even bigger
challenge. With financial and space limits on highway construction,
additional solutions are needed to improve mobility.
Commuter rail on existing railroad tracks holds great potential. Improving air quality by taking cars off the road also makes commuter rail an attractive mode of transportation. Commuter rail differs from light rail and other forms of railway passenger service in a number of ways. Commuter rail normally involves traditional trains powered by diesel/electric locomotives operating on existing freight rail lines, while light rail operates in a dedicated right of way (as in Houston’s Main Street Red Line) and is powered by overhead electric wires. Since commuter rail accommodates mostly long-distance trips within a region, usually between the outlying areas and the main metropolitan hub, stations are farther apart (around five miles), and trips peak at the morning and evening commute times. Recent studies for the Houston-Galveston Area Council have identified two key “early implementation” corridors for development as part of a long-distance commuter rail system in the Harris County region. The first, called the 290/Hempstead corridor, is located in northwest Harris County and is planned to use the existing Union Pacific Railroad “Eureka” line. It begins at the Eureka Junction at the intersection of Old Hempstead Highway and Old Katy Road near Interstate 10. This project has been identified as the most critical commuter transit project in the Houston region because of the tremendous growth in northwest Harris County.
Overview of US 290 and Hempstead Corridor from Loop 610 to FM 2920
(Click Picture Thumbnails)
Following the completion of the management investment study (MIS) of the US 290 corridor, TxDOT completed a Draft Environmental Impact Statement which is awaiting approval by the Federal Highway Administration. Important Links US 290 Project Information Website (TxDOT) Metro Operating Cypress Park & Ride Service The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available at this link TxDOT project website can be viewed at this link www.my290.com
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EXTERNAL
LINKS US 290 CORRIDOR RELATED SITES
The
Gulf Coast Rail District received at their September 13, 2011 meeting an
update on conceptual engineering for the commuter rail project within the
Hempstead Corridor completed by Trans Systems and Klotz Associates.
Ridership projections indicate that upon start up of the line with no CBD
link will have daily boardings of 2,640. After build out of the line
in 2,035 but with no CBD link boardings will be 5,952 daily. With a
link to the CBD boardings in 2035 will reach 18,816. An upgrade of the
2035 build out anticipated in the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan would up
daily boardings to 22,578. 
