Grand Parkway south of Westpark to be Tolled? How will this affect businesses? (Houston: live in, cost)

[NTexas2010]

Originally Posted by astrohip

Unless I'm mistaken, the max speed limit in Harris and surrounding counties is 65 MPH. This is due to an EPA mandate.

It of course is absolutely ridiculous to be limited to 65 on some of the newer freeways built in our area. I've been driving the new 99 between I-10 and 290 at 80-90 MPH. It is a great road, smooth and flat, no limited vision areas. Speed limit should be 70 or 75.

I'll take 65 over the 60mph speed limit from Westpark to I-10 at the very least.

[LocalPlanner]

The speed limit on that section of 99 is 70.

[NTexas2010]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

The speed limit on that section of 99 is 70.

I was thinking the same thing, as I recall doing a fist pump upon seeing that the speed limit was set at 70mph.

[SouthernBoy205]

I have a quick question. Like everyone else, I've been seeing many many sources about how the Grand Parkway is going to result in more sprawl. If this is so and officials predicted this to happen, why isn't the GP more than 2 lanes in each direction?

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

I have a quick question. Like everyone else, I've been seeing many many sources about how the Grand Parkway is going to result in more sprawl. If this is so and officials predicted this to happen, why isn't the GP more than 2 lanes in each direction?

Funny you ask this, I was just telling my wife yesterday that they're gonna wish the GP was 3-4 lanes wide (each side) in a few years.

To answer your question, it's all they can afford. They typically can't build a freeway for what you need in 5-10 years, but what you need and can afford now. To make the GP 3/6 lanes (3 each direction, 6 total lanes) would raise the budget probably 30-40%. They barely were able to make the numbers work as it was, to add even more upfront makes it impossible to finance.

[NTexas2010]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

I have a quick question. Like everyone else, I've been seeing many many sources about how the Grand Parkway is going to result in more sprawl. If this is so and officials predicted this to happen, why isn't the GP more than 2 lanes in each direction?

Long range plans account for expansion of the GP, but as the poster above me mentioned the initial scope of the GP is to have 4 lanes (two lanes each way) encompassing the Greater Houston area. I agree, the stretch between 59 and I-10 already warrants a third (and even fourth) lane in each direction, but taking proactive measures (however logical they may be) is harder to lobby for rather than reactionary funding.

I do predict it will be easier to expand the GP in the future, as they already have the ROW now to expand inward for at least one additional lane each way.

[NTexas2010]

The tolled portions from 90-A south to 59 are now open. My wife drove on them today around 7:15 and told me it took 2-3 minutes versus the usual 10 minutes sitting at the lights.

[NTexas2010]

Finally found concrete information on this:

Current Projects - Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority

[bayoubengal1982]

Originally Posted by NTexas2010

The tolled portions from 90-A south to 59 are now open. My wife drove on them today around 7:15 and told me it took 2-3 minutes versus the usual 10 minutes sitting at the lights.

Finally...awesome news. I hated that stretch from 90 to 59. Took forever.

[rhn]

Originally Posted by NTexas2010

Finally found concrete information on this:

Current Projects - Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority

The highway 99/90a intersection was a whole new world this morning. Virtually no traffic compared to what it used to be. Highway 90a to highway 6 is still a mess though. Fortunatly it will soon be expanded to 3 lanes each direction.