Is another IH-10 expansion possible? (Katy, Cinco Ranch: how much, home, construction)

[Cinco Ranch]

Would it be likely for IH-10 to widen again in the not so distant future? A lot of Right-of-way was cleared for the IH-10 Katy Freeway Expansion that gave us today's road. Do you think another major expansion like that would ever be possible again? It seems unlikely because there are far more major businesses on the frontage roads than there were in the past and there simply doesn't appear to be enough space!. If another widening were to ever happen I believe they would just re-strip all the lanes and this would only happen in the segment between Loop 610 to Highway 6, the portion outside 6 going towards Katy would most likely be left in its current layout.

By the way how were those high power voltage towers in the bottom picture taken down? That would have been a huge hazard for nearby drivers and residents.

2001




2009 (Current layout)

[LocalPlanner]

Quite a number of businesses lost either their buildings or parking for the last expansion. It just depends on how much money TxDOT (and the public) is willing to spend on right of way acquisition. No question it would be extremely expensive. I'm sure some will call for some goofy solution like double-decking instead (hardly cheap either).

Certainly there's no need to take action until conditions are as they were pre-expansion: horrible congestion most of the day in both directions. Yes the current congestion in the main commute direction at rush hour is awful, but this is normal and acceptable.

[fnh]

Wow, just think of the air and noise pollution being even worse than it already is along that route.

I would never want to live anywhere near the largest freeway in the world.

[jerbear30]

It’s already the widest highway there is, anywhere.

[Cinco Ranch]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Quite a number of businesses lost either their buildings or parking for the last expansion. It just depends on how much money TxDOT (and the public) is willing to spend on right of way acquisition. No question it would be extremely expensive. I'm sure some will call for some goofy solution like double-decking instead (hardly cheap either).

Certainly there's no need to take action until conditions are as they were pre-expansion: horrible congestion most of the day in both directions. Yes the current congestion in the main commute direction at rush hour is awful, but this is normal and acceptable.

I was a child before IH-10 was reconstructed in today’s form. Please elaborate how traffic flows were before the reconstruction phase. I believe it was only 3 lanes in both directions, correct? Was traffic congested at all times of the day or was it certain times of the day such as morning and late afternoon rush hour? It’s interesting you say both parts were mostly congested, I thought the traffic going west bound towards Katy would lighten as these areas were not heavily developed at the time

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Cinco Ranch

I was a child before IH-10 was reconstructed in today’s form. Please elaborate how traffic flows were before the reconstruction phase. I believe it was only 3 lanes in both directions, correct? Was traffic congested at all times of the day or was it certain times of the day such as morning and late afternoon rush hour? It’s interesting you say both parts were mostly congested, I thought the traffic going west bound towards Katy would lighten as these areas were not heavily developed at the time

Yes, it was 3 lanes both directions. During weekdays, certainly Monday through Thursday, the main commute direction was severely congested except for a few hours around midday (10:00 - 2:30). The other direction was severely congested during rush hour. In the afternoon, for example, the inbound direction was awful from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. Of course, a traffic incident would screw things up completely regardless of overall traffic level or time of day.

Weekends varied depending on weather, time of year, and what events were happening.

This only applies to the stretch west of the Loop. Before the expansion, once you got inside the Loop, it will usually great until right before Downtown. Leaving Downtown in the afternoon, it was pretty much at the speed limit until the Loop. After the expansion, this changed radically, because the constriction on traffic coming in from outside the Loop was loosened, plus a lot of residential densification happened inside the Loop - so the traffic flow rate going up inbound (due to the widening) plus more folks wanting to go inside the Loop at the of the day (to get home or have fun) means congestion is much worse inbound inside the Loop in the afternoons. A good example of how freeway "improvements" often just move traffic congestion to different places.

[Cinco Ranch]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Yes, it was 3 lanes both directions. During weekdays, certainly Monday through Thursday, the main commute direction was severely congested except for a few hours around midday (10:00 - 2:30). The other direction was severely congested during rush hour. In the afternoon, for example, the inbound direction was awful from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. Of course, a traffic incident would screw things up completely regardless of overall traffic level or time of day.

Weekends varied depending on weather, time of year, and what events were happening.

This only applies to the stretch west of the Loop. Before the expansion, once you got inside the Loop, it will usually great until right before Downtown. Leaving Downtown in the afternoon, it was pretty much at the speed limit until the Loop. After the expansion, this changed radically, because the constriction on traffic coming in from outside the Loop was loosened, plus a lot of residential densification happened inside the Loop - so the traffic flow rate going up inbound (due to the widening) plus more folks wanting to go inside the Loop at the of the day (to get home or have fun) means congestion is much worse inbound inside the Loop in the afternoons. A good example of how freeway "improvements" often just move traffic congestion to different places.

How was the traffic flow on the stretch between Beltway 8 and highway 6?

[Dopo]

I know .... this idea is too wild and crazy ...
but what about providing other options instead of constantly expanding the same road?

Here's an even crazier idea...
redo I-10 West to be completely flat and have the roads go over the highway

[jerbear30]

I would honestly like them to use some of the highway space for rail. This would obviously be costly, too, but it would give the westward suburbs (some of which are like the city now) a stronger appeal for younger people and it would reduce congestion as well. I can't ride my bike to work, but I'd ride it to the I-10 every day, just to get on the rail.

[MAROON79]

still can't believe they did not include rail in the most recent expansion. They even had a dedicated rail right of way already there. I rail line from Katy to the Energy Corridor, then to downtown just made so much sense - could have even had a segment branch off to the Galleria area.