Table of Contents
Executive Summary ES-1
1.0: Purpose and Need ES-1
2.0: Alternatives Considered ES-8
3.0: Environmental Screening of Detailed Alternatives ES-22
4.0: Transportation Impacts ES-25
5.0: Economic Development Analysis ES-27
6.0: Cost Estimates ES-33
7.0: Evaluation of Alternatives ES-37
8.0: System Plan Issues ES-40
9.0: Next Steps ES-40
10.0: Agency and Public Involvement ES-41
11.0: Locally Preferred Investment Strategy ES-42
1.1: Study Area Setting and Context 1-1
1.1.1: Study Area Description 1-1
1.1.2: Regional Context 1-4
1.1.3: Corridor Context 1-4
1.1.4: Previous Studies in the North-Hardy Corridor 1-5
1.2: Growth, Development, and Mobility Issues 1-6
1.2.1: General Overview and Land Use of the North-Hardy Corridor 1-6
1.2.2: Growth in the North-Hardy Corridor 1-7
1.2.3: Travel Patterns in the North-Hardy Corridor 1-12
1.3: Transportation Facilities and Services in the North-Hardy Corridor 1-17
1.3.1: Existing Roadway Facilities, Level of Service, and Safety 1-17
1.3.2: Existing Transit Service/Demand Potential 1-21
1.4: Transportation Goals and Objectives 1-23
1.5: Specific Problems Related to the North-Hardy Corridor 1-24
1.5.1: Transit and Roadway Deficiencies 1-24
1.5.2: Linkage Deficiencies 1-24
1.5.3: Air Quality Concerns 1-29
1.5.4: Economic Development and Revitalization 1-301.6: Consistency with Local, State and Federal Planning Process 1-30
1.6.1: Agencies Involved in the North-Hardy Corridor Planning Process 1-30
1.6.2: Role of the Planning Studies in the Project Development Process 1-31
1.6.3: Documentation of Consistency with the Planning Process 1-33
1.6.4: Relationship to Other On-going Studies 1-33
2.0: Alternatives Considered 2-1
2.1: "No Build" Transit Alternative 2-1
2.1.1: Existing METRO Service and Programmed Improvement 2-1
2.1.2: Existing METRO Capital Facilities and Programmed Improvements 2-9
2.1.3: Highway and Roadway Improvements 2-10
2.2: Major Investment Build Alternatives 2-18
2.2.1: Transit Technologies 2-18
2.2.2: Transit and Highway Alternatives - North of Buffalo Bayou 2-18
2.2.3: Highway Alternatives - South of Buffalo Bayou 2-38
2.2.4: Integration of Transit and Highway Alternatives 2-38
2.3: Screening the Long List of Alternatives 2-39
2.3.1: Evaluation Measures 2-39
2.3.2: Initial Screening Methodology 2-39
2.3.3: Screening Process and Results 2-42
2.3.4: Results from Work Sessions 2-44
2.3.5: Evaluation of Transit Alternatives 2-45
2.3.6: Evaluation of Highway Alternatives 2-46
2.3.7: Results of the Evaluation Process 2-47
2.4: Short List of Build Alternatives 2-47
2.4.1: Short list of Transit Alternatives 2-47
2.4.2: Short List of Highway Alternatives 2-55
2.5: Build Alternatives Carried Forward 2-56
2.5.1: Description of Alignments 2-56
2.5.2: Technology Options 2-62
2.5.3: Facility Requirements 2-68
2.5.4: Operating Plans 2-70
2.5.5: Vehicle Requirements 2-74
3.0: Environmental Screening of Detailed Alternatives 3-1
3.1: Land Use 3-1
3.1.1: Blue Line 3-26
3.1.2: Red Line 3-28
3.1.3: Green Line 3-29
3.1.4: Highway and Road Improvements 3-31
3.1.5: Assessment of Impact 3-31
3.2: Acquisition & Displacements 3-32
3.2.1: Blue Line 3-32
3.2.2: Red Line 3-41
3.2.3: Green Line 3-48
3.2.4: Highway and Road Improvements 3-51
3.2.5: Assessment of Impact 3-51
3.3: Air Quality 3-53
3.3.1: Background 3-53
3.3.2: State Implementation Plan (SIP) 3-54
3.3.3: Transportation Conformity 3-55
3.3.4: Emission Rates 3-57
3.3.5: Assessment of Impact 3-57
3.4: Noise & Vibration 3-58
3.4.1: Introduction & Methodology 3-58
3.4.2: Assessment of Impact 3-59
3.5: Energy 3-61
3.5.1: Introduction 3-61
3.5.2: Operating Energy 3-61
3.5.3: Construction Energy 3-62
3.5.4: Assessment of Impact 3-623.6: Safety & Security 3-62
3.6.1: Introduction 3-62
3.6.2: Existing Conditions 3-63
3.6.3: Design 3-63
3.6.4: Construction 3-65
3.6.5: Post-Construction & System Operation 3-66
3.6.6: Assessment of Impact 3-66
3.7: Visual & Aesthetics 3-67
3.7.1: Introduction 3-67
3.7.2: Near Northside 3-67
3.7.3: Northside/Northline 3-72
3.7.4: Aldine 3-74
3.7.5: Greenspoint/IAH 3-76
3.7.6: Spring 3-79
3.7.7: The Woodlands/South Montgomery County 3-80
3.8: Communities 3-82
3.8.1: Introduction 3-82
3.8.2: Population & Households 3-82
3.8.3: Ethnicity 3-85
3.8.4: Household Income 3-87
3.8.5: Poverty Levels 3-89
3.8.6 Potential for Neighborhood Disruption 3-91
3.8.7: Assessment of Impact 3-92
3.9: Environmental Justice 3-93
3.9.1: Introduction 3-93
3.9.2: Blue Line 3-94
3.9.3: Red Line 3-99
3.9.4: Green Line 3-104
3.9.5: Highway and Road Improvements 3-109
3.9.6: Assessment of Impact 3-109
3.10: Wetlands 3-109
3.10.1: Analysis 3-109
3.10.2: Assessment of Impact 3-1113.11: Floodplains & Watercourses 3-112
3.11.1: Terrain 3-112
3.11.2: Watercourses 3-112
3.11.3: Floodplains 3-114
3.11.4: Assessment of Impact 3-1143.12: Water Quantity & Subsidence 3-114
3.12.1: Analysis 3-114
3.12.2: Assessment of Impact 3-1223.13: Water Quality 3-122
3.13.1: Analysis 3-122
3.13.2: Assessment of Impact 3-124
3.14: Threatened & Endangered Species 3-124
3.14.1: Analysis 3-124
3.14.2: Assessment of Impact 3-125
3.15: Environmental Site Assessment 3-125
3.16: Historic Resources 3-127
3.16.1: Introduction 3-127
3.16.2: Blue Line 3-128
3.16.3: Red Line 3-131
3.16.4: Green Line 3-132
3.16.5: Highway and Road Improvements 3-133
3.16.6: Assessment of Impact 3-134
3.17: Archeological Resources 3-134
3.18: Park Resources 3-134
3.19: Construction Impact 3-135
3.19.1: Introduction 3-135
3.19.2: Capital Improvements by Others 3-135
3.19.3: Noise & Vibration 3-135
3.19.4: Cultural Resources 3-136
3.19.5: Air Quality 3-136
3.19.6: Water Quality & Runoff Control 3-136
3.19.7: Surrounding Neighborhoods and Businesses 3-137
4.0: Transportation Impacts 4-1
4.1: Transit Impacts 4-1
4.1.1: Transit Demand Potential Methodology 4-1
4.1.2: Transit Demand Potential Results 4-24.2: Roadway Impacts 4-3
4.2.1: Highway Travel Demand Results 4-3
4.2.2: Arterial Level of Service 4-3
5.0: Economic Development Analysis 5-1
5.1: Introduction 5-1
5.2: Approach 5-1
5.3: Experience in Other Cities 5-2
5.3.1: Economic Development Related to Transit 5-2
5.3.2: Summary of Findings from Experience in Other Cities 5-7
5.4: Quantitative Analysis 5-8
5.4.1: Historic Trends and Future Projections 5-8
5.4.2: Land Available for Development/Redevelopment 5-25 5.4.3: Special Districts 5-31
5.4.4: Summary of Findings from Quantitative Analysis 5-39
5.5: Qualitative Analysis 5-40
5.5.1: Interviews with Economic Development & Real Estate Experts 5-40
5.5.2: Summary of Findings from Qualitative Analysis 5-44
5.6: Evaluation of Findings 5-46
5.6.1: Evaluation Framework 5-46
5.6.2: Evaluation 5-48
5.6.3: Summary of Economic Development Potential 5-55
6.1: Capital Costs 6-1
6.1.1: Methodology 6-1
6.1.2: Results 6-1
6.2: Corridor Operating and Maintenance (O&M) 6-6
6.2.1: Project Approach and Cost Estimating Methodology 6-6
7.0: Evaluation of Alternatives 7-1
7.1: Goals Attainment 7-1
7.2: Summary of Potential Environmental Impacts 7-2
7.2.1: Environmental Factors Considered 7-2
7.2.2: Summary of Assessment of Impact 7-2
7.3: Summary of Potential Transportation Impacts 7-3
7.3.1: Transit Impacts 7-3
7.3.2: Roadway Impacts 7-4
7.4: Potential Economic Impacts 7-5
7.5: Community and Political Positions 7-6
7.5.1: Community and Political Positions on Transit Findings 7-6
7.5.2: Community and Political Positions on Highway Findings North of Buffalo Bayou 7-6
7.5.3: Community and Political Positions on Highway Findings South of Buffalo Bayou 7-6
7.6: Study Findings 7-6
7.6.1: Transit Findings 7-6
7.6.2: Highway Findings 7-14
9.1: Public Meetings 9-1
9.2: Next Tasks 9-1
10.0: Agency and Public Involvement 10-1
10.1: Agency Coordination 10-1
10.1.1: City of Houston 10-1
10.1.2: Harris County 10-4
10.1.3: Texas Department of Transportation 10-7
10.1.4: Houston-Galveston Area Council 10-11
10.2: Public Involvement 10-14
10.2.1: Formal Stakeholder Meetings 10-14
10.2.2: Public Meetings 10-16
10.2.3: Small Group and One-on-One Meetings 10-1610.3: Communications 10-31
10.3.1: Newsletters and Meeting Notices 10-31
10.3.2: Web Site 10-31
10.3.3: Presentation Graphics and Handouts 10-32
10.3.4: Newspaper Advertisements 10-32
10.3.5: Comments Database 10-32
11.0: Locally Preferred Investment Strategy 11-1
11.1: LPIS Overview 11-1
11.1.1: Route and Facility Description 11-3
11.1.2: Operating Plan 11-6
11.1.3: Capital Cost 11-10
11.2: Minimum Operable Segment 11-11
11.2.1: Route and Facility Description 11-11
11.2.2: Operating Plan 11-12
11.2.3: Capital Cost 11-12
Appendix A: No Build Alternative A-1
Appendix B: No Build Alternative METRO Transit Capital
Facilities B-1
Appendix C: Current and Future Levels of Mobility
Current Levels of Mobility (2000) C-1
2022 No Build Scenario (Future Demand on Current Roadways) C-2
Appendix D: Future Harris County Toll Road Projects D-1
Appendix E: Conceptual Alignment Drawings
Blue Line E-1
Green Line E-41
Red Line E-65
Appendix F: Bus Routes for Short Transit List of Alternatives
Blue Line Bus Routes F-1
Green Line Bus Routes F-36
Red Line Bus Routes F-58
Appendix G: Turning Movement Counts G-1
Appendix H: Economic Development Summary of Academic Research and Experience in Other Cities H-1
Classification of HCAD Land Use Codes H-12
Detailed Profile of Each Alignment H-18
Projected 2025 Transit and IH-45 Travel Times H-42
List of People Interviewed H-43
Sources and References H-44
Appendix I: Public Involvement Printed Material I-1
FTP.LOG I-21
Public Meetings I-22
SAC Documents I-60
Scoping Meetings I-69
Scoping Story Boards I-182
Appendix J: LPIS Conceptual Drawing J-1