Dear stakeholders of the “North Houston Highway Improvement Project,”
I’m pleased that the City of Houston has recommended Vision C—to stay within the existing right-of-way, add BRT lanes, and create safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists. Thank you for your hard work so far. Please continue to support Vision C for Segments 1 & 2.
I’m still concerned about Segment 3, the plan to double the freeway barrier around the east and north sides of downtown. I don’t believe that this project will benefit those of us who live and work nearby. I’ve been sitting at home the past few weeks listening to cars racing the empty roads and researching this proposal.
Houston Urban Core Revival is an alternative plan to ease congestion and to improve mobility and safety. This plan aims to better manage our existing freeways while reducing our dependence on cars.
To meet its own goals, TxDOT needs to start producing radically different projects. The first action item in TxDOT’s 2019-2023 Strategic Plan is to “mitigate negative safety trends, with initial focus on rising pedestrian fatalities.” Meanwhile Segment 3, which puts a feeder road through Houston’s “East Village” nightlife district, seems positioned to increase pedestrian fatalities.
I hope that you will reject NHHIP Segment 3 and similar road widening projects. I hope that you will adopt Houston Urban Core Revival as policy. Please support sidewalks, bike lanes, mass transit, congestion pricing, and urban freeway removals.
Thank you,
Neal Ehardt
