ricco67 Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/2930991Dec. 4, 2004, 2:11AMHeights toll-road rumors squashedOld railroad right of way could be turned into a connectorBy BILL MURPHYCopyright 2004 Houston ChronicleHeights-area residents can put away their worries about a toll road through their neighborhood, top county officials said Friday."There are no plans to build a toll road there," said County Judge Robert Eckels.Residents have voiced concern about reports that an abandoned Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad right of way, now owned by the Texas Department of Transportation, would be used for a toll road through the area.That won't happen, but the county hasn't ruled out building a link along part of the right of way farther to the west between U.S. 290 and Interstate 10, said Art Storey, director of the county's public infrastructure department, which oversees the Harris County Toll Road Authority.It was never the county's intention to build a toll road on the right of way, he added.Commissioners Court in August authorized the Toll Road Authority to discuss buying the railroad line from the Texas Department of Transportation.This led to neighbors' worries that the Toll Road Authority intended to build a toll road from Loop 610 to downtown, Storey said.The authority is studying whether it would be useful to build a toll-road connector from U.S. 290 to I-10, but it would be located west of the Heights in an industrial-commercial area, Storey said.That connector, he said, might be built along part of the MKT line before linking up with I-10, possibly around Washington Street.That route also would require the purchase of land not included in the railroad property.The connector would be built only if the Texas Department of Transportation decided to expand U.S. 290 and turn it into a toll road, Storey said.The county and TxDOT agree that it makes no sense to expand U.S. 290 and increase traffic on it without adding a connector road toI-10 that would alleviate the bottleneck at U.S. 290 and the Loop.That project would begin in three to five years, if it is done, Storey said.If the county bought the old MKT right of way from the Loop to downtown, it could sell the eastern portion to the city for a hike-and-bike trail or to Metro for expansion of the light rail system, Storey said.A transit authority spokesman said, however, that there are no existing plans for such a light rail route.As to the worries about a toll road in the Heights, Mayor Bill White said, "I have not met an elected official who wants it built. I'm confident there will be no plans to build a toll road."Commissioner El Franco Lee, whose Precinct 1 includes part of the Heights, said such a road won't become a reality "if it requires my vote."Heights residents were relieved to hear the county would not be building a toll road in their community."It's important that (officials) listen to local residents from the area," said Esther Branda. "We have heard that this would be a hike-and-bike trail. Houston doesn't have enough green space. We think a trail would be great."Chronicle reporter Ron Nissimov contributed to this story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineda Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Yeah, I read a story just yesterday where Eckels was saying he had grown up in that area, something about Reagan High, his sister received a "Gold Brick" award for historical preservation on her house, blah, blah, blah. You got the distinct impression that because he felt a personal connection to this area that he would do all within his considerable powers to make sure it was protected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Again, notice that Judge Eckels and Mayor White are careful to qualify their statements by specifying "toll road". When they attempt to put a road on this ROW, their butts will be covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 i may have missed another discussion on this. if so, sorry. but, doesn't the metro solutions programs show commuter rail from 290 to the intermodal center through the heights? is this the alignment from the story mentioned in this thread? the mayor was careful to say a "toll road" will not be built on this ROW, but commuter rail maybe? is this common knowledge and i'm just now catching up? metro solutions notice the yellow 290 CRT line to intermodal center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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