Grand Pkwy 99, would you buy a house about 430 feet away? (best, interstate)

[JD_TX]

Is this GP/99 between westpark and sugarland somewhere? (I would assume based on being West GP South)

While my initial thoughts would be that man that seems close, you also have to consider where exactly, and also the neighborhood. I dont live but a mile south of 10 and a mile west of GP, BUT it is all established neighborhood, which means lots of tall tress to damper sound. New developments wont have that.

Really it depends on where this actually is (I apologize if it should be obvious and I am missing it) - GP north of 10 to 290 isnt heavily traveled yet and has been open 6 months or so. GP south of westpark to sugarland is much more heavily traveled, however moreso rush hour and weekends, daytime traffic isnt on par with any of the major highways. Anywhere that GP isnt actually there yet, I would expect to be more like the 290-I10 section, unless it falls in an area where GP is truly NEEDED (which I dont know if there is anyplace like that other than 290-I45 area and the section from westpark to Sugarland).

Best thing you can do, is go check the lot / home at multiple times of day. Check it during evening rush hour, midday, and weekend. Also account for the fact that you, and the future owner, likely arent going to be there on a regular basis during rush hour, because you will be commuting like others. If this is not an inventory home, and you cant go inside it because it isnt finished, ask to see another home that IS finished on the same street, even occupied homes, the builder will usually talk to the owner and ask them if you can check it out. And dont be afraid to just go ask the neighbors what they think of the noise, if there are any. (Regardless of future capacity, they should at least be able to tell you if they already hear cars regularly or not)

If you want to go all out, you can probably find the traffic studies done as a part of the GP project to look at the projected cars per day / hour for that section. I dont know who the prime contractor is on GP (It /might/ be Parsons Brinckerhoff), but there should be a public information contact for the GP project, I10 katy had one, 290 has one, almost all TxDot projects of size have one. They should be able to get you the data for what the projected numbers now and in 5 years are to help guide you. (If you cant find the public information office, you should be able to call TxDot to get the number, or heck you might be able to call williams construction, I am sure they are doing part of the GP project. Or see if the Katy freeway PIO still exists, or see if you can find the 290 PIO)

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by fnh

No, I wouldn't, and it's not the noise that would concern me most, it is the pollution.

Most of Houston's pollution problems lay in East & Southeast Houston where all of the refineries & ship channel is.

I wouldn't let that be as much of a concern as I would the constant traffic, construction, & noise.

There will be an endless supply of strip malls, gas stations, & tract houses popping up all along Grand Parkway I can guarantee that. Yuck!

I shudder to think of what that area will look like in the next 10, 15, 20 years.

Hopefully, it will be better planned than its 3 other predecessors.

[fnh]

I'm talking about the adverse health effects of living next to a busy highway. Never mind the noise, such close proximity ensures long-term, continuous exposure to ozone, fine sooty particulates and exhaust chemicals that surpass refinery emissions in health risk, not to mention heavy metals deposition in adjacent soils via dust and runoff. Personally, I wouldn't do it. The minimum recommended distance is a half mile but increasingly health effects are being observed even further away.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by fnh

I'm talking about the adverse health effects of living next to a busy highway. Never mind the noise, such close proximity ensures long-term, continuous exposure to ozone, fine sooty particulates and exhaust chemicals that surpass refinery emissions in health risk, not to mention heavy metals deposition in adjacent soils via dust and runoff. Personally, I wouldn't do it. The minimum recommended distance is a half mile but increasingly health effects are being observed even further away.

The only thing that has been proven from that is minor lung/bronchial inflammation.

There has however been numerous documented cases of cancer linked to living next to refineries & chemical plants.

Coming from Seattle, I can kinda understand your state of paranoia, but its the price you pay for living in a car dependent city.

Houston does have bad air, but its a lot cleaner than some people make it out to be. It didn't even make the list this year for Year Round & Short Term Particle Pollution while Seattle made the latter.

http://www.stateoftheair.org/2014/ci...ed-cities.html

[fnh]

Well, the hazards are principally cardiovascular and respiratory but there is cancer risk as well. I wouldn't call myself paranoid but I am more educated than most on the subject so it is something I would naturally pay attention to. It's just my opinion (now explained) on whether I would live adjacent to a freeway, a question the OP asked of all of us, but as in most of these threads, I don't think it matters much what we think, lol.

[milrtime83]

Originally Posted by JD_TX

Is this GP/99 between westpark and sugarland somewhere? (I would assume based on being West GP South)

While my initial thoughts would be that man that seems close, you also have to consider where exactly, and also the neighborhood. I dont live but a mile south of 10 and a mile west of GP, BUT it is all established neighborhood, which means lots of tall tress to damper sound. New developments wont have that.

It's between 249 and 45. (search google maps for "mosshall ct") where Grand Parkway isn't finished yet.

[a_guerrajr]

Mine assumption is that the traffic will be for those suburb commuters, so rush hours will be the worst and after that, just the occasionally traveler. It is a toll road, so it isn't like everyone will use it like a main highway.

Decisions, decisions.

[DejaBlue]

Originally Posted by a_guerrajr

Mine assumption is that the traffic will be for those suburb commuters, so rush hours will be the worst and after that, just the occasionally traveler. It is a toll road, so it isn't like everyone will use it like a main highway.

Decisions, decisions.

Beltway 8 has become a main highway. It's a good short cut. On the weekends it's more than the occasional drivers.

[btw002]

Nope. I looked at a house in Richmond that was even closer and passed; they got an offer after anyway, but not before they dropped the price about $7,000.

[Mamiamjo]

I actually looked at some of the new homes being built in that same subdivision (which I really liked), but decided against buying there due to the GP coming so close to the lots/houses. There just isn't a good way to determine what effect it will have on traffic flow and the noise pollution until it's actually built.