Tag Archives: TxDOT

Compost that Christmas tree

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Let your Christmas tree do some good after you get rid of it. When that Christmas tree comes down this year, take a moment to imagine its next incarnation: Chipped up and mixed into soil, it might soon secure new … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Compost that Christmas tree

Fee for all

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Fees are part of the answer for Texas’ pressing infrastructure needs, but they aren’t and cannot be the whole solution. To help keep the Texas business climate robust, lawmakers should double state fees on motor vehicle registrations and impose a … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tomorrow is the last day to submit comments to TxDOT on I-45

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Dear Neighbors – TxDOT has plans for I-45, which will impact you!  If you ever drive on I-45; if you live or work near the I-45 Corridor; if you live or work in the Heights, Old Sixth … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

New passenger rail study

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this goes anywhere. The Texas Department of Transportation is launching a two-year, $14 million study of passenger rail service between South Texas and Oklahoma City. That could mean bringing high-speed rail or, at the least, finding ways … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 85 MPH toll road is now open

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

So far, it seems like the only people on the newly-opened 85 MPH Texas 130 toll road are reporters writing about what it’s like to legally drive that fast. About an hour after road workers removed the hundreds of bright … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

I-45 public forum tomorrow

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: I-45 Public Forum ~ October 24th! Many people who attended the TxDOT public meeting last week (October 9th or 11th ) left with more questions than answers! Why? It appears that TxDOT is listening & trying to come up with … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

But was it worth it?

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

No doubt that traffic on the Katy Freeway moves a lot more smoothly now than it used to. But there’s a lot more to the question of whether the $2.8 billion that was spent to widen it was a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Yale Street Bridge load limit reduced again

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, via CitizensNet: Yale Street Bridge Load Limit Further Reduced by TxDOT City of Houston Takes Proactive Steps to Monitor Bridge Usage The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has reduced the load limit on the Yale Street Bridge … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Yale Street Bridge load limit reduced again

TxDOT finally publishes comments from last year’s public forum on I-45

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: Hello I-45 Coalition folks – There are finally some updates regarding I-45! As you may recall, back in mid-November 2011, TxDOT held 2 public meetings to get the public’s input on their thoughts on what should be … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on TxDOT finally publishes comments from last year’s public forum on I-45

One form of federal funding Texas has not rejected

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Funding for bike trails is still welcome in the state. As you may know, under the new federal transportation bill, MAP-21, bicycle and pedestrian projects now have more competition for less money than was available under previous transportation laws. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on One form of federal funding Texas has not rejected

Houston-Austin rail update

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Tomorrow: The Texas Department of Transportation is planning to fund environmental and financial feasibility studies for a passenger rail line connecting Houston to Austin, according to the Texas Tribune and KUT Austin. The planned line would be a 110mph … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

85 MPH speed limit officially approved

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. The Texas Department of Transportation has approved an 85 mph speed limit for an upcoming 40-mile stretch of Texas 130 from Austin to Seguin. Currently, no road in the country has a posted speed … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Roundabouts in the sky

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Imagine driving into downtown Houston on interstates 10 or 45, or U.S. 59, and having to merge with all other incoming traffic onto an elevated, one-way traffic circle around the cluster of … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Funding to rebuild Yale Street Bridge acquired

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Calling the Yale Street bridge “functionally obsolete” after a recent engineering study, the Texas Department of Transportation has secured “out of cycle funding” to replace the bridge, Councilwoman Ellen Cohen announced late Monday. Cohen said that means the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Yale Street Bridge to get makeover

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

You may recall that last November the load limit on the Yale Street Bridge was reduced by TxDOT to 8,000 lbs per single axle and 10,000 lbs per tandem axle, which has resulted in truck traffic being forbidden on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Buffalo Bayou begins its makeover

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to be great. The jogging and biking trails that wind through Buffalo Bayou Park west of downtown are about to get a bit more circuitous as a $55 million effort to transform the area into an iconic … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

I can drive 85

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

And so can you, on the right road. State transportation officials are testing a new 41-mile segment of an Austin area toll road to see whether it would be safe to post the state’s first 85 mph maximum speed limit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Tomorrow’s traffic jams are being planned today

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this. Projects to widen U.S. 290 and Texas 288 with a mix of free and toll lanes in an attempt to ease congestion in the traffic-choked corridors would get a jump-start under a … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

About that “solution” for bike trail obstruction

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Me, last month: Meanwhile, two weeks ago there was a story about TxDOT closing the White Oak Bayou Hike and Bike Trail between Ella and 34th streets while there is construction on the service road for 610 North at East TC Jester. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

You can drive 75

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Pedal to the metal, y’all. The Texas Transportation Commission approved 75 mph speed limits for nearly 1,500 miles of interstate in 60 counties. The action follows a state law approved last year providing for the Texas Department of Transportation to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Houston-Austin rail study

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: The Texas Department of Transportation presented results from a study on the potential for new 110 mph passenger rail service between Houston and Austin, potentially connecting College Station, according to Guidry News and documented in the minutes of the December … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Council approves B-Cycle, and other bike news

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One other item that Council approved on its last day of business for the year was to clear the way for the city to start up bike sharing with B-cycle. As you know, I’ve been following this along, and am … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Reminder: Get your written comments about I-45 to TxDOT

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the latest email from the I-45 Coalition: I hope you had an opportunity to attend at least one of TxDOT’s public meeting (11/15 at Jeff Davis High School & 11/17 at Aldine High School).  I understand that the Davis … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Reminder: Get your written comments about I-45 to TxDOT

Yale Street Bridge load limit reduced by TxDOT

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This hit my inbox on Wednesday afternoon: Yale Street Bridge Load Limit Reduced by TxDOT A recent assessment of the Yale Street Bridge over White Oak Bayou performed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDot) has resulted in a reduction … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

I-45 again

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I went to the open house for I-45 on Tuesday night to see what was going on, since we didn’t have much information about what the current state of TxDOT’s thinking is about this. Apparently, there isn’t a set plan … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

I-45 is back on the agenda

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: After several years of the I-45 project being on hold, public meetings are now being scheduled by TxDOT. TxDOT is about to significantly change the I-45 project TxDOT has provided NO advance information on exactly what the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Where the congestion is

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the On The Move blog: Dallas motorists suffer the most highly congested road conditions in Texas, says a recent report from the Texas Department of Transportation. The state’s top three bottlenecks are all located in Dallas County, according to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Where the congestion is

HuffPo on the Grand Parkway

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Huffington Post take a look at that great boondoggle in northwest Harris County, the Grand Parkway Segment E extension from I-10 to 290. Texas faces a transportation funding gap of $315 billion over the next 20 years, according to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lawsuit filed to stop Grand Parkway

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how it goes. The Sierra Club has filed a lawsuit to block construction of the Grand Parkway in west Harris County until federal and state officials conduct a new analysis of the flooding consequences. The environmental group says … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hardy Toll Road extension gets final OK

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

After many years of planning, a project to extend the Hardy Toll Road all the way into downtown is finally headed to the drawing board. The Harris County Toll Road Authority is seeking the court’s permission to begin final negotiations … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hardy Toll Road extension gets final OK

Don’t forget Texas’ debt

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Now that Perry’s Prayerpalooza is behind us and we breathlessly await his Presidential decision, keep this op-ed by former State Rep. Jim Dunnam in mind whenever you hear Perry pontificate about the national debt. Before Rick Perry became governor, Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas accepts grant for high speed rail study

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. Texas accepted a $15 million grant from the Federal High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program to fund the preliminary engineering and NEPA studies for the Dallas to Houston corridor. This money was made available by Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Texas accepts grant for high speed rail study

Grand Parkway news

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: The Sierra Club lawsuit to stop construction of the proposed SH99 toll road over the Katy Prairie will see its day in court by September,according to KUHF. The Sierra Club filed suit against “the Federal Highway Administration … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Who wants to help build the Grand Parkway?

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The State of Texas wants to know. The Texas Department of Transportation, which has responsibility for the parkway in Harris, Montgomery and Chambers Counties, is moving toward use of a public-private partnership to get faster funding for the multibillion-dollar, 184-mile … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments