Tag Archives: TxDOT

Uptown BRT moving forward again

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Tensions are easing over plans to develop dedicated bus lanes in Uptown, where community leaders want to give commuters and shoppers more transportation options and relieve worsening congestion. “We’re there and ready to make this project happen,” said … Continue reading →

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Who needs managed lanes?

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not TxDOT, and not on 290. State transportation officials have changed plans for widening U.S. 290, increasing capacity for people driving alone but reducing opportunities for alternatives to solo driving. After initially planning four or five general use lanes in … Continue reading →

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TxDOT still screwing with Metro

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

WTF? Given powerful support from local and state transportation officials, the more of the parkway comes together, the more likely the last phases will fall into place. The project that remains far less certain is the planned dedicated bus lanes … Continue reading →

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Location, location, location

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

At the first public meeting about the proposed Dallas-Houston high speed railroad line, the main focus was the endpoints. More than 100 people were in attendance on Tuesday for the first of six public meetings being held jointly by the … Continue reading →

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Time to comment on the proposed high speed rail routes

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Check ’em out, and tell ’em what you think. Observers have long known that only a few options were available for the route of the privately funded high-speed train line between Houston and Dallas. Now a firmer picture of where … Continue reading →

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Public meetings coming for Texas Central Railway

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Part of the process of getting the Houston-to-Dallas line built. A proposed high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston, already the subject of a federal environmental review, will soon be the focus of a series of public meetings in Texas, … Continue reading →

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Texas Transportation Commission continues to be obstinate

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This continues to be ridiculous. Continued disagreement about certain features of a planned Uptown bus rapid transit system prompted a Texas transportation official to suggest Thursday that $25 million in state funding should be redirected. The comments by Texas Transportation … Continue reading →

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Rearranging the traffic

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure how much of an effect this will have. Among the 200,000 motorists who traverse Interstate 45 just south of downtown every day, a fair number find themselves weaving frantically from lane to lane as they approach the connection … Continue reading →

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No taller billboards

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. Texas highway officials are shelving a proposal to increase the permissible height for roadside billboards in suburban and rural areas, citing conflicting facts and a deluge of public criticism. […] “It was obvious that Texans care greatly … Continue reading →

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No one gets to dictate that the Uptown line must be BRT forever

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So as we know, the Uptown line is moving ahead as BRT. It will be paid for with a variety of funds, coming from the city, from an Uptown/Memorial TIRZ, from grants, and so forth. A key component of this … Continue reading →

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TxDOT to spur research on driverless cars

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Among other things. The state could fund research into self-driving cars, jet packs and hover cars if a new proposal by the Texas Department of Transportation is funded. In a presentation Thursday to the Texas Transportation Commission, TxDOT Deputy Executive … Continue reading →

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Yale Street Bridge replacement set to begin

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And inevitably there’s an issue. Time is running out for the historic Yale Street bridge over White Oak Bayou as its condition deteriorates and surrounding development places increasing demands on it. Some in the Heights- area community believe more should … Continue reading →

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SH 130 operator in default

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

But it’s not default-default just yet. Although the company that built and operates the southern leg of the Texas 130 toll road recently managed to work out a payment extension with its lenders, an investor service that monitors the project … Continue reading →

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How to solve the traffic problems of The Woodlands

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

All that growth has its downsides. The Houston-Galveston Area Council, along with local entities including The Woodlands, Montgomery County, the City of Oak Ridge North and the Texas Department of Transportation, are working on a South Montgomery Mobility Study that … Continue reading →

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A step forward for Uptown BRT

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Progress. Texas transportation officials Thursday kicked in $25 million to build a dedicated bus lane along Loop 610, ensuring the second piece of a planned bus rapid transit corridor in the Uptown area. As part of a larger statewide transportation … Continue reading →

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The bricks of Freedmen’s Town

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Surely we can do something about this. Most in the Fourth Ward community know the lore – that freed slaves and descendants first laid the bricks on the streets 100 years ago. Now most agree the roads need repairs, but … Continue reading →

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Environmental impact studies can begin for Texas high speed rail

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another step forward. The Federal Railroad Administration published a document on its website Wednesday officially kicking off a highly anticipated environmental review of a proposed high speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. The document, called a Notice Of Intent … Continue reading →

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Billboards above the trees

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Is this really necessary? In the latest conflict, billboard opponents are objecting to a proposed policy change that would allow billboards as high as 65 feet – taller than a typical six-story building – in spots along Texas highways. The … Continue reading →

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We could have better transportation infrastructure if we wanted it

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

House Speaker Joe Straus embraces the end-the-diversions approach to transportation funding. Texas’ booming economy and massive transportation needs are inching the state toward simplifying highway spending, officials say. The latest move to end so-called diversions from the State Highway Fund … Continue reading →

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Metro reports an increase in boardings with bikes

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The number of people using bikes to extend their bus trips (or vice versa) increased more than 47 percent jumping from 12,111 bike bus boardings in January 2013 to 17,859 in January this year, That’s according to … Continue reading →

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More on TxDOT and high speed rail

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

First come the studies and the public hearings. Then we wait and see what happens. The Texas Transportation Commission is expected to vote Thursday at its monthly meeting on the creation of a high-speed rail commission focused on the Dallas-Fort … Continue reading →

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US-Mexico high speed rail?

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

What goes north can also go south. A high-speed rail line connecting San Antonio and Monterrey, Mexico, could be less than a decade away from welcoming its first passengers, according to federal and Texas officials who met with Mexican officials … Continue reading →

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Federal studies for the Houston-Dallas high speed rail line

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a step forward. The federal government, Texas and a private company are collectively working on two studies to assess the impact of a high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx confirmed Tuesday. … Continue reading →

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Reminder: I-45 public meeting tonight

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From The Highwayman: As officials take another step in the process of widening Interstate 45 from downtown north to the Sam Houston Tollway, one option to essentially make the teardrop-shaped inner loop created by I-45 and U.S. 59 an odd … Continue reading →

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Maybe there’s a problem with building roads where there are no drivers

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The high speed toll road keeps having problems relating to not having enough paying customers. SH 130 has not been the immediate success story its backers had hoped. Last week, lower-than-expected traffic revenue prompted credit ratings firm Moody’s Investors Service … Continue reading →

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There are no new ideas, but there are plenty of bad ideas

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s so much wrong with what Greg Abbott wants for Texas that it’s hard to know where to begin. In his first major policy address as a gubernatorial candidate, Attorney General Greg Abbott proposed tighter constitutional limits on state spending … Continue reading →

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Third public meeting for I-45 widening

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the I-45 Coalition, via the inbox: TxDOT is starting to roll again on the I-45 project!   TxDOT has just scheduled the 3rd round of public meetings to be held Thursday, Nov 14 at Aldine Ninth Grade School, 10650 North … Continue reading →

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Yes, but why is traffic so bad at these places?

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Two things that aren’t mentioned in this story but need to be. Two adjoining stretches of U.S. 59 in downtown and west Houston fared the worst regionally on an annual list of the 100-most congested freeways in the state, compiled … Continue reading →

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And that’s a wrap on Special Session 3

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Hallelujah. The Texas Legislature adjourned its third special session since May on Monday night after passing a measure estimated to increase transportation funding by $1.2 billion annually if Texas voters approve it next year. “Let’s adjourn this mutha,” said state … Continue reading →

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Yeah, they’re still working on a transportation funding bill

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The committee hearings will continue until morale improves. After consulting with members from both the House and Senate, state Rep. Joe Pickett decided to make some minor changes to his latest transportation funding proposal. On Thursday — the third day … Continue reading →

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Maybe the same failed approach will work this time

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It could happen, right? Transportation experts now estimate that the state needs $5billion a year to keep Texas moving. The proposal that fell apart in the House this week would add less than a billion annually. And after months of … Continue reading →

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Special Session 3: Beyond Thunderdome

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Beyond ridiculous, if you ask me, not that they did. Standing before mostly empty chairs in the 150-member Texas House on Tuesday, House Speaker Joe Straus adjourned the second special session and announced that Gov. Rick Perry would be calling … Continue reading →

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Transportation deal dies

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Technically, it’s not dead till sine die, but it sure is on life support. A compromise plan to spend $848 million on Texas highways just landed in a ditch. House members voted down a plan to split oil and gas … Continue reading →

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Transportation funding deal completed

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

All over but for the voting. House and Senate leaders reached final agreement Saturday afternoon on how to protect the state’s rainy day fund as they propose to shift half of future rainy day dollars into roads, according to an … Continue reading →

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