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Posts tagged as “transit”

New Bus Service to Generation Park

July 22, 2021

HOUSTON — (July 6, 2021) — Harris County Transit Plus begins its inaugural on-demand transport service today for residents living in the Generation Park-area of Precincts 1, 2 and 4.

This affordable service allows residents to schedule transportation from point A to point B, within two established zones, running along the Northeast quadrant of Beltway 8. The service provides a faster trip and enhanced passenger experience through areas of the county that are less densely developed.

The fare to ride is $1 for adults and 50 cents for children, seniors and those with disabilities. Cash, transfers from other buses and the METRO Q® Fare Card are acceptable forms of payment.

Continue reading...New Bus Service to Generation Park

Phased closures due for two months on Hartman bridge to allow emergency repairs

July 15, 2021

Lanes will be placed in a contraflow configuration to keep both directions of travel open

July 7, 2021

HOUSTON – The Texas Department of Transportation will begin making repairs to a portion of the Fred Hartman bridge this weekend. During a routine inspection last year, crews found some fractures along the joint and immediately repaired the joint with steel plates and later asphalt.

The $2.5 million emergency contract was approved to replace the modular joint. It took about six months to design and fabricate.

In order to replace the joint on the southbound portion of the bridge, crews will close all southbound mainlanes on the Fred Hartman bridge and then close the northbound mainlanes the following weekend.

During construction, lanes will be placed in a contraflow configuration to allow for two southbound and two northbound travel lanes on the northbound bridge.

Continue reading...Phased closures due for two months on Hartman bridge to allow emergency repairs

Work progresses on Lynchburg Ferry re-opening

February 4, 2021
Ferry awaits pathways and ramps
Locals are hopeful of an early completion of the Lynchburg Ferry before April. However anytime tonnage meets the sea substantial engineering must be carried out. This $6 Million project is a three way partnership between Harris County Pct. 2, HCTRA, and TXDOT.

Tentative opening set for April

LYNCHBURG – Locals are excited over the Ferry opening soon as traffic now begins to get heavy at 3:00 p.m.

The Lynchburg Ferry closed Tues., Feb. 25 2020 for necessary improvements to preserve the longevity of its operations. During the closure, crews are reconstructing the approaches and transfer ramps for the Lynchburg Ferry Boats.

According to informed sources, a second contractor is completing construction because the first encountered problems. During this closure, crews are reconstructing the approaches and transfer ramps that go onto and off of the Lynchburg Ferry boats. The $6 million project is a joint venture between Harris County Precinct 2, HCTRA (Harris County Toll Road Authority) and the Texas Department of Transportation.

At least another month of construction is going to be necessary due to demands of engineering to construction fulfillment, according to sources. Officially, the expected completion date is in April. Once complete, the Lynchburg Ferry will resume standard, toll-free operations.

Continue reading...Work progresses on Lynchburg Ferry re-opening

County bus service hits 1 million riders

January 7, 2021

HARRIS COUNTY – December 2020 brought a milestone achievement for Harris County Transit’s (HCT) Fixed Route bus service. They achieved their 1,000,000-passenger boarding milestone!

The passenger boarding count commenced with the start-up on July 28, 2008 through December 16, 2020. Service began with a two-route system in Baytown and has grown into a twelve-route system serving 185 route miles in east Harris County, with 3,685,428 total miles driven since 2008.

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Tax losses revise funding for roadway progress

November 5, 2020

Taxing revenue in Texas decreased substantially in 2020, thanks to the pandemic. The source of funding roads for both TxDOT and H-GAC is taxes.

Years of finances and budgeting for future years are going to be impacted and how much improvement can be made on local roadways or how much infrastructure can be improved is a stake.

The State Highway Fund is looking at probably losing near 20% of state and federal income next year, a nearly $3.5 billion reduction.

Regarding local road construction such as FM 2100 from north into Crosby and other on-going projects including the FM 1960 expansion and Grand Parkway connections, “At this time, all active projects are moving forward with no impacts. We’ll know more about impacts to future projects early next year when the Comptroller issues his next budget estimate for the state, and will adjust accordingly as we do each year to develop our 10-year Unified Transportation Program. This 10-year project planning document allows us to adjust with respect to any revenue increases or decreases.” said Danny Perez, Public Information Officer for Texas Dept. of Transportation (TxDOT)- Houston District.

Continue reading...Tax losses revise funding for roadway progress

Congressman Brady: Federal Ruling on Texas High Speed Rail Wrong; Fight not over

August 6, 2020

CONROE, TX – July 16, 2020 – Congressman Kevin Brady (TX-08) released the following statement after the Surface Transportation Board released a new ruling on Texas Central Railroad’s (TCR) petition for exemption:

“While I strongly disagree with this decision, the good news is this doesn’t give TCR eminent domain authority to seize property without landowners consent – and finally forces TCR to publicly disclose their shaky financial projections to the Surface Transportation Board in any future bid to gain authority to construct the project.

“This will reveal why private investors have abandoned the project and why taxpayers should not be on the hook when it ultimately fails.”

Continue reading...Congressman Brady: Federal Ruling on Texas High Speed Rail Wrong; Fight not over

Lynchburg Ferry closing for repairs

February 13, 2020

HARRIS COUNTY – Motorists should prepare for the Lynchburg Ferry to be closed starting Tuesday, February 25th until late 2020 for necessary improvements to preserve the longevity of its operations. During this closure, crews will be reconstructing the approaches and transfer ramps that Lynchburg Ferry Boats use to dock. The $6 million project is a joint venture between Harris County Precinct 2 and the Texas Department of Transportation, who is overseeing construction of the project.

Starting March 1, 2020, the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) will manage operations of the Lynchburg Ferry and Washburn Tunnel. This includes overseeing daily operations, maintenance, capital expenditures, and public inquiries for both facilities. Per the Commissioners Court meeting held on June 25, 2019, these facilities will be transferred to the Toll Road Authority without the imposition of tolls. Drivers should expect no changes to operations when utilizing the Ferry or Tunnel, and no current employees will lose their jobs.

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East Harris County inaugurates new bus service

January 9, 2020
Harris County Commissioners Adrian Garcia, left, and Rodney Ellis speak at a ribbon-cutting ceremony announcing expansion of Harris County Transit Services’ bus routes to Channelview, Cloverleaf and Sheldon – areas that were devastated by Hurricane Harvey. The service is funded by $3.8 million in Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery.

Five New Transit Bus Routes Target Underserved Sections of Eastern Harris County

Free Ridership the first 60 Days

Houston, Texas – Nearly 200,000 northeast Harris County residents now have access to public transportation thanks to $3.8 million in Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery funding. Harris County Transit Services will expand its existing bus service to some of the communities hardest hit by floodwaters from the hurricane.

The new service will primarily serve areas of Channelview, Cloverleaf and Sheldon and provide an additional scheduled bus to the route serving Crosby/Barrett Station.

A soft launch of the new service occurred on December 2. The first 60 days are free to riders. After that, rides will be $1. The inaugural ceremony to mark the launch was held Wednesday, Dec. 18 at Joe V’s Smart Shop parking lot, 5609 Uvalde, Houston.

Continue reading...East Harris County inaugurates new bus service

New Bus Service for East Harris County

December 5, 2019

Free Ridership for the first 60 Days

Nearly 200,000 residents now have new access to public transportation in eastern portions of Harris County, thanks to $3.8 million Harvey Disaster Recovery money. Harris County Transit will expand its existing bus service to some of the communities hardest hit by floodwaters from the hurricane.

A soft launch of the new service will occur on December 2, 2019. The first 60 days are free to riders; and after the first 60 days, rides will be $1.00 per ride. There will be an inaugural ceremony to mark the launch on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. at Joe V’s Parking Lot, 5609 Uvalde, Houston, Texas.

The new service will add roughly 65 additional route miles to the infrastructure for a total of 185 route miles. Five proposed new routes will serve Channelview, Cloverleaf and Sheldon with service for a three-year period. If ridership levels are high enough, Harris County Transit Services will request more funding to continue the routes beyond the three years.

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Grant will allow expansion of East Harris County bus service

August 29, 2019
Harris County Transit bus

Service to include Channelview, Cloverleaf, and Sheldon and connect with La Porte, McNair, Highlands, Crosby and Baytown

Public Meetings Set for input from riders

Harris County Transit Services has received a $3.8 million dollar Community Development Disaster Recovery Block Grant (CDBGDR) to expand its fixed route bus service to some of the communities hardest hit by floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey.

Five new routes are proposed to specifically serve individuals in areas damaged by Hurricane Harvey. They will serve the communities of Channelview, Cloverleaf and Sheldon with approximately 70 miles of additional service for a three-year period. Service start-up will require public meetings take place first. The public is asked to participate and voice their needs.

Two of the three planned public meetings have been set as follows:

• Tuesday, September 10, 2019
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Leon Grayson Empowerment Center
13828 Corpus Christi St.
Houston, TX 77015

• Thursday, September 19, 2019
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Flukinger Community Center
16003 Lorenzo St.
Channelview, TX 77530

Continue reading...Grant will allow expansion of East Harris County bus service