Public Meeting Summary
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Documentation of Public Meeting Project Location Harris County I-69 CSJ Number 0027-13-218 Project Limits From Spur 527 to Beltway 8 Meeting Location Clarewood House (Auditorium), 7400 Clarewood Dr., Houston, TX 77036 Four Points by Sheraton (Plaza A), 2828 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098 Meeting Date and Time Tuesday, March 27, 2018; 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 29, 2018; 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Translation Services Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese Presenters Video Presentation (Continuous Loop) Elected Officials in Attendance Darryl Jackson, U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s Office Jake Breault, District Director for State Representative Gene Wu Barbara Koslov, Harris County Judge Emmett’s Office Mike Laster, Houston City Council Member, District J Total Number of Attendees March 27, 2018 = 51 March 29, 2018 = 41 Total = 92 Total Number of Commenters 34 Contents A. Comment/response matrix B. Notices C. Sign-in sheets D. Comments received E. Figures A. Comment Response Matrix COMMENT/RESPONSE MATRIX These meetings are being held during the research and planning stages of potential projects along the corridor, as such, we have heard the issues and concerns brought forth from the public, outlined in their comments below. These issues and concerns have been duly noted and will assist in developing decisions going forward with the continued planning for this corridor and continued discussions during this process. Comment Date Commenter First Name Commenter Last N Number Received Source Comment Topic Category I would like to see access for multimodal users a prime Bicycle & Pedestrian 1 Joyce Almaguer-Reisdorf 3/26/2018 Email consideration in this project, particularly since this corner of town Connectivity includes many pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. I would like to see planning for pedestrians and cyclists traveling Bicycle & Pedestrian 1-a Joyce Almaguer-Reisdorf 3/26/2018 Email under and around the freeway with wider sidewalks, more defined Connectivity crosswalks, and clearer signage. I would also like to see improved connection around the METRO Park and Ride facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, who might be able to walk or cycle as part of the last leg of their journey. The Bicycle & Pedestrian 1-b Joyce Almaguer-Reisdorf 3/26/2018 Email Hillcroft Transit facility, for instance, is adjacent to property that Connectivity could be used to connect travelers along Westpark as well as along the Hillcroft North-South corridor. I also hope to see improvements along the exits and on-ramps for 1-c Joyce Almaguer-Reisdorf 3/26/2018 Email Chimney Rock, Westpark, Hillcroft, the lane-switching there in Ramp Improvements combination with the curve can make for some close calls. While sound walls are in place along some parts of 59, their upkeep has been lacking (due to graffiti, struggling landscaping) and their 1-d Joyce Almaguer-Reisdorf 3/26/2018 Email Noise efficacy questionable. I would like to see considerations for below- grade sections of 59 wherever possible. 2 Dennis and Shona Bascon 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Interesting and informative. Process Additional lanes are only okay if they are on a second level. No 2-a Dennis and Shona Bascon 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Lane Capacity widening of the freeway. Elevated trains make sense but not ground level that could be 2-b Dennis and Shona Bascon 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Transit flooded and unusable. 2-c Dennis and Shona Bascon 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Loud sound from freeway. Noise 1 of 11 COMMENT/RESPONSE MATRIX Comment Date Commenter First Name Commenter Last N Number Received Source Comment Topic Category 2-d Dennis and Shona Bascon 3/27/2018 Public Meeting More trains. Transit 2-e Dennis and Shona Bascon 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Bike needs to be off the road. Drivers aren't too nice to bikers. Bicycle Connectivity Plan for ways to take cars off the road. This will allow to compensate for growth and be more cost effective. Look for ways to plan and 3 Mike Bercu 4/7/2018 Email work more closely to reduce cars. 1) City of Houston, 2) Vehicle Reduction Commissioner's Court, 3) METRO, 4) Private companies, commercial properties (town square), 5) Look for out-of-box solutions. Just building new lanes is not the way. Your planning must be more 3-a Mike Bercu 4/7/2018 Email Lane Capacity; Process and completely aligned with the region and community. 4 Karen Cardwell 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Very good visual media. Process Commenter indicated location of issues on survey map at I-69 and 610, I-69 curve at Westpark Tollway, and I-69 near Bellaire. See 4-a Karen Cardwell 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Issues Karen Cardwell survey in Section D, page 141 of Documentation of the Public Meeting. 5 Dale Davidson 3/27/2018 Public Meeting Sound and pollution impact on adjacent neighborhoods. Noise; Pollution HOV/managed lanes bi-directional 24/7. Express lanes with no exits 6 Lee Anne Dixon 3/27/2018 Public Meeting HOV/Managed Lanes downtown to B8. I have supported myself by renting the garage apartment through Airbnb and I live in the main house. I am concerned not only for my home but also for my source of income - it is my understanding that Displacement; Economic 7 Johnette Duff 3/29/2018 Email the town homes on Oakley and Jack may be torn down and I am Loss concerned that, as a 67-year-old diabetic widow, I will not only be thrown out of my home but lose my income - as you can imagine, this is a serious concern for me!!! 2 of 11 COMMENT/RESPONSE MATRIX Comment Date Commenter First Name Commenter Last N Number Received Source Comment Topic Category I have been informed that the previous Spur construction took years and involved nighttime jack hammering! So, even if my property is 7-a Johnette Duff 3/29/2018 Email not to be torn down, I would lose potentially years of income - this is Noise; Economic Loss pretty much life and death to me at this point, as I can't afford my insulin if I don't have an income. The wall between freeway and houses reduces most of the freeway noise. A large portion of noise currently comes from traffic on 8 Val Eberwein 3/27/2018 Public Meeting bridges higher than the wall. When a yard location can see traffic on Noise the bridge, you can hear the traffic. A short wall on the side of the bridges may block this noise. Please consider noise reducing road surfaces for the sunken portion 9 John Geiss 3/29/2018 Public Meeting of I-69 from Spur 527 to Shepherd. A lot of traffic noise is generated Noise there and the area is all residential. "Provide access from the HOV/HOT lanes on IH 69 to METRO facilities by constructing a bi-directional connector ramp from the Clint Harbert and Edmund Petry HOV/HOT lanes into the Park & Ride facilities." The commenter 10 4/5/2018 Email Ramp Improvements (METRO) provided maps, concepts, configurations and locations. See Clint Harbert METRO letter in Section D, page 181 of the Documentation of Public Meeting. To accommodate existing and future commuter bus service, TxDOT should provide 2-way HOV/HOT lanes within the METRO Service area. METRO recommends that the HOV/HOT lanes be in accordance with the Max-Lane concept proposed in TxDOT's North 10-a Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP). METRO HOV/Managed Lanes recommends that the Max-Lanes accommodate 2 lanes in each direction, similar to HOV/HOT configurations with 1 lane as a dedicated bus lane and standard shoulders along IH 69 from Spur 527 to Beltway 8 / W. Airport Blvd (terminus of study area). 3 of 11 COMMENT/RESPONSE MATRIX Comment Date Commenter First Name Commenter Last N Number Received Source Comment Topic Category ln order to improve on-time performance, METRO is exploring the concept of a commuter bus aerial station at Greenway Plaza/Edloe 10-b Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email location and another at a Sharpstown/Bellaire location. Each aerial Pedestrian Connectivity station is to be located in the IH 69 median therefore requiring pedestrian bridges from station to ground level. ln considering the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP), METRO also recommends that HOV/HOT lane not only extend into a future HOV/HOT on IH 69 from Spur 527 but also 10-c Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email Ramp Improvements provide a connector to Wheeler Transit Center vis-a-vie an elevated connector; as not to conflict with existing at-grade Red Line Light Rail. METRO requests that it remain involved throughout 10-d Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email the project development process. Process METRO requests that all bus routes and facilities remain operational during construction. "Temporary service impact may require a level of construction mitigation for all commuter bus service to existing 10-e Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email Park & Ride or Transit Centers." The commenter provided a list of Construction Impacts specific service routes with potential impacts. See Clint Harbert METRO letter in Section D, page 181 of the Documentation of Public Meeting. Sidewalks along frontage road are needed, particularly around and 10-f Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email Pedestrian Connectivity near the Park and Ride areas. Preserve METRO ROW along the University Corridor where 10-g Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email ROW impacted by proposed IH 69 modifications. Provide sufficient space for bike facilities along all major 10-h Clint Harbert (METRO) 4/5/2018 Email Bicycle Connectivity thoroughfares crossing IH 69.