By LEWIS SPEARMAN
Federal, State and local officials joined the Texas Dept. of Transportation (TXDoT) to celebrate the opening of the newly-constructed segment of The Crosby Freeway from Beltway 8 to IH 10/610 Interchange last Monday, although the eastbound section remains under construction until later this week or early February.
U.S. Congressional Representatives Gene Green (D.) and Ted Poe (R.), Texas Representative Dan Huberty (R.), County Judge Ed Emmett, Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman, Texas Transportation Commissioner Ned Holmes, members of the Crosby/Huffman Chamber of Commerce, Crosby Fire Chief Alan Kulak and a host of engineers and agency officials attended the ribbon cutting in blowing rain under the Mercury Drive Bridge.
Elvin Dennis, District Engineer for TXDoT in Houston, directed ceremonies and made opening statements including that the roadway was to improve access to northeast Harris County in communities between Lake Houston and Interstate 10 to areas such as Channelview, Crosby, Liberty and Dayton benefit from improved access to Houston and Loop 610 East, and I would be remiss if I didn’t point out on behalf of our attending congressional delegation’s financial contributions helped bring into existence for TXDoT these projects into fruition. TXDoT received approximately $6 million in Congressional appropriations made possible by Congressman Gene Green and some of his co-horst at that time and to help deliver this U.S. 90 construction.
The project started in September, 2006 and it was completed at a cost of $157 million. It includes approximately 7 miles of main-lane freeway paving, three direct connectors, storm sewer installation and detention ponds. The roadway will feature three main-lanes in each direction and allow for direct access to and from IH 10 East and IH 610 East Loop.
The extension of US 90 encompasses three distinct contracts with the full limits having been constructed by Williams Brothers Construction Company. The project was built without having to rebuild the IH 10 and IH 610 interchanges and it is expected to bring relief for trucking traffic along the Beaumont Highway, says a TXDoT press release.
Congressman Gene Green (D.) 29th pointed out that the state had owned the property for 30 years he first thanked Congressman Ted Poe because when Poe was elected in 2004 Poe was placed on the Transportation Committee, Ted made me a better deal than I thought I could get for all of the construction in our district we needed $4 Million more. And Ted said If you can come up with 2 I can come up with 2. Thank goodness Ted understood that so many from his district will use this everyday. It is a partnership between the State, the Federal Government and our County officials.
Green also recognized Doug Peacock attributing to Peacock his learning to how to obtain funds for highway projects. Green also pointed to the flyover in Baytown and pointed to yet another flyover hopefully in a few months at Highway 59 and Beltway 8.
Congressman Poe said, This is a good example of how we can work together in congress to do some mutual good for the entire community. I enjoyed working with Gene on this issue and money other issues as well. For some reason, I never figured it out, U.S. 90 just stopped. On the way over here we saw all the trucks exiting on 610 exiting Wallisville going through that flooded underpass trying to get on Old Highway 90 those days are going to end very soon thanks to this. Highway construction and being able to move through places like this is an economic issue.