Completed Katy Freeway Pictures And Rendering

[Houston19514]

I snicker just a bit every time I see a reference to the "High Five." I can't help it. It just cracks me up that Dallas is so excited to be getting their first five-level stack interchange that they had a contest to name the thing. LOL

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

I can't wait for the Katy/BW8 interchange to be done. That one is going to be very nice. I like East Freeway/BW8, mainly because of the trees, but last i say it, rust was everywhere. 45N/BW8, is one of my personal favorites, also, 45S/BW8, is very nice. The rust on 290/BW8, is one of the worst in the city.

[kzseattle]

I can't wait for the Katy/BW8 interchange to be done. That one is going to be very nice. I like East Freeway/BW8, mainly because of the trees, but last i say it, rust was everywhere.

[Astro]

I was just looking at some construction photos on this website. What happened to this house at the corner of North Post Oak and Old Katy Road? From the pictures it looks like it's gone!

I always wondered, what is the story of this house anyway? Is it really an old house or something more recent built to look old?

[GovernorAggie]

The West Loop is supposed to be done in 2007.

[ssullivan]

However, ssulivan has mentioned that only the older freeways are like this. However, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio also have older freeways. Shouldnt they also have such exposed steel frames? Or do they have them as well?

I can't say for sure Houston is the only city with the rust issue, but you don't see this issue as much in other Texas cities. I think there are a number of reasons for that. First, you don't really see those large steel beams used in Houston anywhere other than large stack interchanges. Austin and San Antonio don't have the large number of four and five level stack interchanges we have. Most of the interchanges in San Antonio are pretty old, non-stack designs, dating from pre-1980. Austin and San Antonio also have less rain and humidity than we do. On the other hand, most of the interchanges in Houston with the rusting beams are stack interchanges built in the very late 1970s (610/59 Eastex) through the 1980s (many of the BW8/Sam Houston interchanges). Some older stacks, including two on the West Loop at 59 and I-10, do have some exposed steel that was installed when those were built in the 1960s that was rust treated and has not rusted. And I've noticed that everything built locally since the early/mid-1990s has not used the brown untreated steel that rusts so badly. I think there was just a period of time when TxDOT didn't care a whole lot about appearances in general. In the mid 1980s and early 1990s, Houston's congestion was totally awful and many of the first generation freeways were being rebuilt in quick succession. That's when a number of these interchanges with the rust issue were built, and I think it may be that funds were limited, and the emphasis was more on fixing the gridlock that was everywhere all the time in those days (anyone remember the old Southwest and Gulf Freeways?) than making the new construction look pretty.

Thankfully, everything built in the last 10 years appears to be built almost exclusively with steel beams that are painted, so the rust situation should be less of an issue with the more recent construction.

[kzseattle]

I can't say for sure Houston is the only city with the rust issue, but you don't see this issue as much in other Texas cities. I think there are a number of reasons for that. First, you don't really see those large steel beams used in Houston anywhere other than large stack interchanges. Austin and San Antonio don't have the large number of four and five level stack interchanges we have. Most of the interchanges in San Antonio are pretty old, non-stack designs, dating from pre-1980. Austin and San Antonio also have less rain and humidity than we do. On the other hand, most of the interchanges in Houston with the rusting beams are stack interchanges built in the very late 1970s (610/59 Eastex) through the 1980s (many of the BW8/Sam Houston interchanges). Some older stacks, including two on the West Loop at 59 and I-10, do have some exposed steel that was installed when those were built in the 1960s that was rust treated and has not rusted. And I've noticed that everything built locally since the early/mid-1990s has not used the brown untreated steel that rusts so badly. I think there was just a period of time when TxDOT didn't care a whole lot about appearances in general. In the mid 1980s and early 1990s, Houston's congestion was totally awful and many of the first generation freeways were being rebuilt in quick succession. That's when a number of these interchanges with the rust issue were built, and I think it may be that funds were limited, and the emphasis was more on fixing the gridlock that was everywhere all the time in those days (anyone remember the old Southwest and Gulf Freeways?) than making the new construction look pretty.

Thankfully, everything built in the last 10 years appears to be built almost exclusively with steel beams that are painted, so the rust situation should be less of an issue with the more recent construction.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for such detailed information!

Do you know if there are any plans to rust treat current interchanges or paint the exposed steel?

[ssullivan]

Thanks for such detailed information!

Do you know if there are any plans to rust treat current interchanges or paint the exposed steel?

No but it would look so much better if they did!

[GovernorAggie]

yeah, and it may be a case of where they know that there is going to be some interchange work necessary in the future (e.g. 290/BW8 possibly), so they may just wait until then. Also, IIRC, the 290 project will include a 4 lane tollway like Katy, but the tollway will basically be the current Hempstead Highway. That should make a very interesting interchange at 290/290 Toll Road/BW8. The current interchange is already huge, but the new/expanded one could be the largest display of flyovers in the country.

[UrbaNerd]

Are there any "double decker" stacks in existance in the US yet?

Once 59 gets enough traffic (say, in 20 years, when there will probably be like 550,000 CPD) would a double decker stack at 610 be possible?

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[The Great Hizzy!]

I've heard the same about the proposed toll-road/limited access highway accompanying US 290. My question is, if they're planning on using Hempstead Rd. as the corridor, how does that affect local access to homes and businesses already lining Hempstead.

IMO: Once you leave Northwest Mall and before you reach, say, W. Little York, there is a lot of emptiness/neglect on Hempstead so the Toll Road running through there may, in fact, spruce up the look of the highway as it stands now.

[UrbaNerd]

A double decker stack would be pretty cool. of course, it would have to be like 8 to 10 or more layers, though! Imagine that....

*drools*

[westguy]

Southwest Freeway is at its limit of effective freeway lanes. I doubt that adding more would have much effect on congestion. Usually the left lanes move faster than the right lanes because slow traffic lingers nearest to the entrances and exits. However cars on the left have to cross all of those lanes at some point. Lane-changing is a major source of bottlenecks on the freeway. In fact, when US 59 is congested, the slowest-moving lane is the left lane.

There is an upper level and lower level I-10 in San Antonio, but its purpose was not to create a massive monster freeway.

http://www.texasfreeway.com/SanAntonio/pho...uble_deck.shtml

[The Great Hizzy!]

I personally don't find double-decker freeway stacks attractive. And I agree with Westguy's statement. It appears that, along with the I-35 double stack in Austin, space and ROW issues were at the center of the decision.

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[GovernorAggie]

I'm trying to think where we would need a double deck freeway, and I can't picture one place in Houston that needs it. As for a double stack interchange - that's just mind blowing.

Glen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mindblowing? Why, that's got Houston written all over it!

[GovernorAggie]

I've heard the same about the proposed toll-road/limited access highway accompanying US 290. My question is, if they're planning on using Hempstead Rd. as the corridor, how does that affect local access to homes and businesses already lining Hempstead.

IMO: Once you leave Northwest Mall and before you reach, say, W. Little York, there is a lot of emptiness/neglect on Hempstead so the Toll Road running through there may, in fact, spruce up the look of the highway as it stands now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I haven't been along all of Hempstead, but I know around Fairbanks-N.Houston, Gessner, and that area, it's not heavily developed at all. But there are neighborhoods off of the highway. Either way, I agree with you that the Tollway would make the corridor look better.

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

A tollroad would be perfect. When is the 290 construction going to start.

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

I know, I was saying the tollroad would be perfect, when will the construction start.

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

I know, I was saying the tollroad would be perfect, when will the construction start.

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

I know, I was saying the tollroad would be perfect, when will the construction start.

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

What happened, why did it get posted three times?

[The Great Hizzy!]

Maybe the cybergods really wanted to make sure that your point was made

clear.

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[GovernorAggie]

Ok, here it is. This is the preferred alternative for 290's improvement from the MIS released in January '03:

Determining Locally Preferred Alternative

After thoroughly reviewing the previously described results, discussing

alternatives with the Steering and Advisory Committees, coordinating with

TxDOT, and gathering opinions and concerns expressed at public meetings, the

study team recommended a locally preferred alternative (generally viable

alternative 2 with some modifications) that includes the following improvements:

Five general-purpose lanes in each direction from IH 610 to just west of

Beltway 8, plus auxiliary lanes where appropriate

Four general-purpose lanes in each direction from just west of Beltway 8 to

near the future Grand Parkway / SH 99

Three general-purpose lanes in each direction from near the future Grand

Parkway / SH 99 to the west study limit

Four-lane, two-way managed facility along Hempstead Highway from

IH 610 to some location near the future Grand Parkway / SH 99

Two general-purpose lanes (possibly three) with curb and gutter in each

direction will be reconstructed along Hempstead Highway

Advanced high capacity transit along Hempstead Highway from IH 610 to

near the future Grand Parkway / SH 99

TSM / TDM / ITS improvements

Bicycle and pedestrian improvements

Two- or three-lane frontage roads in each direction (will be determined

during schematic design)

Planning-level cost estimates indicate that the locally preferred alternative

will cost $883 million in roadway construction (mobilization, contingency,

and traffic control included), $35 million in right-of-way acquisition, and

$873 million in AHCT construction

Notice that the Hempstead will be improved as a 4- or 6-lane arterial, but the 4-lane tollway will be placed beside Hempstead. The have also allowed for commuter rail construction in the cost of the project (the $873 million). It's also intriguing that this tollway and the rail line will go all the way to Grand Parkway.

I don't know how to post graphics from pdfs, but here's a description of the picture they have of the layout going from left to right:

Loop 610 to BW8:

3 outbound feeder lanes, 5 outbound mainlanes, 5 inbound mainlanes, 3 inbound feeder lanes, 2 improved (curb & gutter) outbound Hempstead arterial lanes, 2 inbound improved Hempstead arterial lanes, outbound commuter rail track, inbound commuter rail track, 2 outbound tollway lanes, 2 inbound tollway lanes, outbound freight rail line, inbound freight rail line.

Looks about like the Trans-Texas Corridor to me, but in a smaller ROW.

BW8 to Grand Parkway has the same layout but with 4 mainlanes in both directions.

From Grand Parkway to 2920, 290 would be 3 mainlanes in each direction.

GreatHizzy, you were concerned about private property alongside the new tollway before, but I wasn't aware of all the NEW land and space that would be taken up, since they aren't rebuilding Hempstead as a tollway, but building one beside it, in addition to 2 new rail lines. $35 million is not going to be enough for ROW. My guess is that this project will cost the same as Katy, $2 Billion, but they are doing more with it, IMO.

Here is the link to the MIS:

290 Project

[GovernorAggie]

And here's a map of the project limits:

I'm sure that the part of 290 under construction now (from Badtke to Mason) will already have enough cement in place to switch from 4 total mainlanes to 6.

[ssullivan]

No no, from what I've read, the toll lanes would be managed, similar to the new ones to be installed on I-10. Hempstead Hwy would have nothing to do with the new toll lanes.

Glen

One of the proposals for expanding the 290 corridor does include putting those managed HOT lanes on the Hempstead Hwy. ROW. It would be a lot cheaper and easier to do that in much of that corridor than a massive expansion of the existing Northwest Freeway because of all of the commercial development along the freeway. After the Katy project, I doubt TxDOT wants to get into another huge, expensive, and time consuming ROW acquisition like that.

[kjb434]

i agree with ssullivan.

because of lack of planning in the 1960s, TxDOT got hit hard with paying for the ROW aquisition. Several of the displaced businesses have rebuilt in new locations.

The existing katy freeway ROW used the existing US 90 ROW back in the 1960s. The planner (who was in charge of all freeways outside the loop) didn't believe that Houston would expand as much as it did.

The planner within the loop built the freeways to what was called a California standard (depressed wide freeways).

If you've noticed that I-10 within the loop especially from the west loop to downtown hasn't really expanded at all since it was built other than repairs and pavement replacement