North Houston Highway Improvement Project

Why does the Partnership support the North Houston Highway Improvement Project?

As the principal business organization in the region, the Partnership is committed to Houston’s continued growth and future success through the attraction of new investment in our region. A critical enabler of this continued growth and opportunity for all Houstonians is adequate and resilient transportation infrastructure that offers improved mobility for both people and goods moving within and across our region.

Why are we speaking in support of NHHIP now?

The Partnership’s support of the project is not new. We have long been a supporter of improved transportation and highway infrastructure in the Houston region. Since 2017, we have worked to both support and refine NHHIP through official public testimony and written comments, along with interactions with TxDOT and other government and community leaders.

This summer, upon learning the project funding might be threatened, the Partnership led an effort to ensure public support for the project was strongly communicated to TxDOT, and on August 31, 2021 the Texas Transportation Commission voted to maintain funding for the I-45 North Houston Highway Improvement Project within the state’s master transportation plan.

The Partnership’s efforts during the July-August comment period contributed to TxDOT receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the community, with comments in support outweighing those opposed to the project by more than a 2-to-1 ratio, with 5,529 comments to maintain the project, and 2,555 for removal.

The next few weeks are pivotal for this project. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has halted progress on the project to review the NHHIP’s environmental impact statement. If the FHWA does not proceed, funding for the project will be removed and reallocated to other TxDOT projects. The Partnership will continue to advocate for a thorough and timely review by the FHWA, and we will work with state and local leaders to resolve any outstanding issues with the FHWA by November 30, as outlined by TxDOT.

What does the FHWA review mean for greater Houston?

The FHWA sent two letters to TxDOT, one in March and one in June 2021, to initiate a review of the NHHIP’s environmental impact statement.

As the FHWA reviews TxDOT’s environmental procedures for any outstanding issues, the state cannot begin improvements to the I-45 corridor. TxDOT has funded the $7.9 billion NHHIP with federal and state resources. Given the scale of the state’s commitment to this project, it is appropriate that state and local leaders work together with the FHWA to address any outstanding issues with the reasonable expectation that progress can resume on the project by November 30.

How has the Partnership engaged with the community on this project?

The Partnership has taken part in a number of community meetings organized by TxDOT and the Mayor’s Office to both listen to and engage with members of the community and transit officials about the project.

We are eager to get to the detailed design phase, which holds promising opportunities for the plan's refinement to continue mitigating the impact to Houston's communities so we can collectively advance the project towards construction. After the FHWA review is resolved, it will be time for us all to come together and refine the design as a united region

How will the project improve mobility and reduce congestion?

NHHIP will improve overall mobility and operational efficiency of the I-45 corridor in and around Downtown Houston and throughout the northern reaches of Harris County. The project will create additional roadway capacity in the form of general purpose lanes and incentivize transit usage while promoting ridesharing through the creation of 24/7 MaX lanes for transit and high-occupancy vehicles.

Parts of the I-45 corridor have not changed since their construction more than 50 years ago. In just the last decade, more than one million residents have moved into the Houston region. Because of this growth, seven segments of the NHHIP project fall within the top 20 of the most congested roadways in Texas and result in more than $560 million in congestion costs annually.

Estimates indicate that between now and 2040, traffic volumes will increase 40 percent from current levels. The current I-45 cannot handle this increased traffic safely and efficiently.

How will the project enhance safety?

The current highway does not meet federal safety standards in terms of curves and entrance/exit ramps, nor does it adequately support current or future traffic demands.

In addition, the roadway is one of the most congested in the entire state. Improvements to the corridor are intended to reduce crash frequency and severity. The project is anticipated to lead to the reduction of crash rates by at least 20 percent, with a 28 percent reduction in fatal and injury crashes.

How will the project improve air quality?

Air quality will be improved through the reduction of traffic congestion. Twelve of the NHHIP segments are among the top 100 most congested roadways in Texas. According to TxDOT, this congestion results annually in 39 million hours of delay, $788 million in congestion costs, and 11.9 million gallons of excess fuel used. The wasted fuel produces an estimated 120,209 tons of excess carbon dioxide each year. With the anticipated future population growth, the “no-build” scenario will result in poorer air quality than we are experiencing today.

How will the project reduce flooding along the corridor and in nearby neighborhoods?

During heavy rain events, portions of I-45 are notorious for flooding. These high-water situations unfortunately result in driver drownings, necessitate the rerouting of emergency vehicles, and can severely impact coastal evacuation needs during hurricanes and other tropical weather events.

NHHIP will ensure this critical corridor will accommodate 500-year storm events including Hurricane Harvey-like rainfall. The project would reduce Houston’s total flood area by approximately 796 acres, the equivalent of more than 600 football fields, including lowering flood elevations in Independence Heights and other areas that are frequently flooded during heavy rain events.

In addition, TxDOT intends to invest $20 million in the City’s Buffalo Bayou Bypass Canal Project, a Hurricane Harvey FEMA project, and will improve key intersections plagued with poor drainage.

How has TxDOT engaged with the communities impacted by NHHIP?

While the benefits of the NHHIP project extend across the entire region, the proposed I-45 footprint will impact Houston neighborhoods, in particular the communities of Independence Heights, Fifth Ward, East Downtown/EaDo and Third Ward. Over the course of the project development period, TxDOT has engaged in more than 350 stakeholder and public meetings to listen to the communities’ concerns and make improvements to the plan.

A number of updates have been incorporated into the project based on community feedback. These updates include modifications to the locations of various entrance/exit ramps, frontage roads and sidewalks to minimize impacts, along with efforts to better connect roads between impacted communities, avoid impacts to several community institutions, and create safe crossing and accessibility particularly around Metro bus stops.

TxDOT should continue working with these communities to mitigate the impacts on these neighborhoods, while maximizing the benefits this project promises to the Houston region.

When we talk about a project disrupting communities, there is no easy or perfect solution. We strongly support the project’s continued refinement to ensure that the project equitably mitigates housing disruptions and flooding concerns for Houston’s communities.

How will displaced residents be compensated?

For impacted residents, TxDOT has funded and entered into agreements with the Houston Housing Authority to construct public housing replacements for several communities in Fifth Ward and EaDo. The new housing will be constructed no more than two miles from the existing property to ensure residents remain in or near their communities, and displaced residents will have first priority for new public housing locations.

Tenants and homeowners will also be eligible for housing supplements and moving expenses, which can help residents transition to their next place or even home ownership.

Does this project only benefit those who live in the suburbs and commute to downtown?

It is a misconception that the Houston region operates through a hub-and-spoke model where workers commute in from the suburbs to downtown in the morning, and then return at night.

While many in our community follow this pattern, Houston’s suburbs have become large employment centers on their own including along the I-45/59 corridor spanning from The Woodlands to Sugar Land. Many employees who live “inside the loop” commute out to these major employment centers every day, including major logistics, distribution, and manufacturing facilities located at the northern edge of this project at Beltway 8. Many of these “reverse commuters” travel by personal car, while others take advantage of Metro bus service. The NHHIP will provide additional bi-directional capacity for both personal cars and transit buses.

North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP)

Executive Partners