August2008

News

08/07/2008

Toll Road Projects could ease Congestion on Highway 290. The Questions is: WHEN?

The Harris County Toll Road Authority is poised to launch two major projects that could help ease congestion on Highway 290, but has not yet signed the agreements with the Texas Department of Transportation that are needed to move forward with the Hempstead Highway and Grand Parkway toll roads.

The toll road authority is analyzing the financial viability of both of those projects, and working on the terms of the agreements with TXDOT at this time, John Tyler, the Harris County Toll Road Authority’s assistant director of engineering, told members of the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce’s Transportation Committee on Aug. 7.

Tyler said that design work could start on Grand Parkway “Segment E” - from Interstate 10 to Highway 290 – in September.

However, the schedule for the Hempstead Highway toll road, which will eventually run from the Highway 290/Loop 610/Interstate 10 interchange to the future Grand Parkway intersection, is more fluid, Tyler said. The original schedule had the toll road authority launching construction on the first phase of the project – from the interchange to Huffmeister Road – in 2011.

Because TXDOT has run into budget challenges that are affecting the timing and funding of road projects across the state, state transportation agencies have broadened the proposed scope of the toll road authority’s part in the project to include the $1 billion reconstruction of the Highway 290/Loop 610/Interstate 10 interchange.

Tyler said the toll road authority evaluates its participation in future projects based on the projects paying for themselves, so the addition of that to the Hempstead Highway toll road project adds a new dimension to the matter.

“If that shifts to us, the project is much less viable,” Tyler said. “However, we are looking at more economical alternatives that could make the overall project more viable.”

If the two parties come to an agreement, Tyler said the toll road authority’s plans include the construction of a four-lane toll road with frontage lanes on each side from the interchange to Beltway 8. Harris County plans to buy most of the right-of-way for that segment of the project on the north side of Hempstead Highway .

The toll road authority would switch to the south side of the existing Hempstead Highway to buy right-of-way for the Hempstead Highway toll road between Beltway 8 and the Grand Parkway . Tyler said there would be no frontage roads on that stretch and it would have limited entry and exit points.

There is hope on the horizon for some congestion relief if the Grand Parkway “Segment E” project moves forward.

Tyler said the toll road authority is in negotiations with TXDOT over the terms and conditions of the entire $5.1 billion Grand Parkway loop toll road project, which includes Segment E. He said TXDOT officials would like Harris County – or whatever entity is contracted – to build the entire Grand Parkway loop. Harris County officials have received permission from the other six counties the road would traverse to negotiate with TXDOT for that contract.

Once the terms are agreed upon, Harris County has six months to review the contract to determine if the toll road authority would build the Grand Parkway .

Tyler said Precinct 3 Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack’s office recently contacted the toll road authority about getting started on Segment E as soon as possible. Harris County officials are working on an agreement that would allow the toll road authority to be compensated if another entity signed a contract with TXDOT to build the entire Grand Parkway at a later date.

“We are working diligently to move that part of the project forward,” Tyler said. “We are trying to provide relief as quickly as we can.”

Tyler said the Segment E project would probably start with the construction of direct connector roads between sections of the Grand Parkway constructed near the Highway 290 and Interstate 10 intersections to those major roadways. The remainder of Segment E would be two lanes in each direction with a limited number of entrances and exits, and limited frontage roads.

If the toll road authority receives the green light from Harris County Commissioners Court to move forward with Segment E, design work could start next month and entire project would take about 2 -2 ½ years to complete.

In the meantime, the toll road authority is making improvements to existing toll roads, including the widening of Beltway 8 from West Road to Texas 249. That $12 million project will start in January.

08/07/2008

Democratict Congressional Candidate Vows to Better Represent Chamber, Residents if Elected to District 7 Seat

Democratic candidate Micheal Skelly told Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce members that if he is elected to represent U.S. Congressional District 7 in November, he would work with the Chamber and other leadership groups to find real-world solutions to key issues facing his district.

Skelly is running against incumbent U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, whose District 7 includes a large section of the Cy-Fair area.

“I think that we do not get the attention to our mobility needs that we need – on the state and federal levels,” said Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce President Erin Al-Salman. “We want, and need, someone who will stand up and fight for us.”

Cy-Fair Chamber Chairman and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Reginald Lillie asked Skelly if he would lobby on behalf of the Cy-Fair community for the funding needed to get all types of transportation projects going, including roads and rail.

Skelly said he would.

He said there was no reason the Houston region could not be served by a rail system similar to the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) system, which extends out of downtown Dallas to burgeoning suburbs. A commuter or light-rail line along Highway 290 could serve the same purpose, he said.

“I think it is clear to all of us that we need to build a rail system that serves large portions of Harris County ,” Skelly said. “We need to start thinking in the long-term. We need to invest in a mass transit system.”

Cy-Fair Chamber members asked Skelly to state his position on hot topics, including federal unfunded mandates placed on public school districts, the nation’s energy resources, and illegal immigration.

Skelly said he believes the federal government should set minimum standards for educational institutions, but believes the standards outlined in “No Child Left Behind” may be too narrow.

Skelly said he does not believe all federal mandates should come with federal funding, but there are some areas that need additional funding, such as those required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

He said he believes the public school system needs incentives to induce better performances including merit pay and charter school opportunities.

Skelly, who has served as chief development officer for the Horizon Wind energy company, said the nation needs to turn its focus to developing new energy resources – wind and solar power - in order to decrease its dependence on foreign oil. The shift would also create jobs and help stimulate the economy.

“We need to focus on domestic resources,” Skelly said. “We can’t be in charge of our own destiny if we are importing 70 percent of our oil.”

“I would be one of the leading experts on renewable energy and possibly on energy in general,” he said. “Congress just does not have many members with business experience.”

As for the illegal immigration debate, Skelly said two things need to happen before the federal government can begin working out the issues that have been raised by immigrants settling illegally in the United States .

First, Skelly said, the U.S. must immediately secure its border. That means erecting a wall structure in populated areas, and some type of sensor-based system in remote areas.

Second, he said, the nation needs to develop a system that enables employers to check on the validity of a social security document.

“We need a tamper-proof social security card, and employers need tools to verify if a worker is legally able to work here,” Skelly said.

“Until we do those two things, we can’t move forward with any other (illegal immigration) issues,” he said.

Overall, Skelly said problem-solving on the national level will require Republicans and Democrats to set aside party views and discuss issues in a “bipartisan fashion .”

“Let’s make the decisions together and move forward,” he said.

Skelly immigrated from Ireland to the United States with his parents when he was two years old and grew up in southwestern Virginia . He has a graduate degree from Harvard Business School and served with the Peace Corps in Costa Rica.

Archived News

07/02/2008 Bury+Partners, Inc. Underwrites the First Annual Chamber Mobility Forum

07/02/2008 Houston Distributing Company Monte Carlo Night is set for Friday, July 25!

07/02/2008 Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce Eighth Annual Business Expo has changed to a new location

06/29/2008 Bury+Partners, Inc. Underwrites the First Annual Chamber Mobility Forum

06/22/2008 Towne Lake Independence Celebration is set for July 5th

06/17/2008 Chamber Member Offers Advice on Wading Through the Revised State Business Tax

06/22/2008 Sprint Presents Salute to Law Enforcement donates to local Charities

06/22/2008 June Officer of the Month

06/05/2008 Highway 290 Reconstruction Project has Uncertain Future

06/05/2008 State Representative Harless Talks Eductation Funding, Business Tax with Chamber Investors

05/01/2008 Chamber Urges Residents to Vote "YES" in Lone Star College Bond Election