January 29, 2020 by rebeccanovak
City of Houston to Host Community Workshops on I-45 Expansion Project
Starting on January 30, 2020, the City of Houston will host a final round of three community workshops to learn more about TxDOT’s North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP), the proposed expansion of I-45N from downtown to Beltway 8 and changes to downtown-area freeway connections including I-69, I-10 and 288.
The City of Houston developed a number of improvements to Tx-DOT’s project after gathering community feedback at City-hosted public meetings last fall. The final round of community workshops will collect further feedback from residents to address the many concerns expressed by citizens the expansion’s impacts, including freeway connections, property impacts, parks, flood control and neighborhood impacts on public health and safety.
Community input will help guide the City’s requests to TxDOT in seeking alternative designs for the NHHIP. Residents interested in sharing their thoughts with the City on the project can attend the community workshops and find out how potential changes to the project might address their concerns.
TXDOT recently posted two technical reports on the I-45 expansion for public review and comment: Community Impacts Assessment Technical Report and Draft Cumulative Impacts Technical Report. These reports are part of TxDOT’s environmental impacts review required by NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act). Community members can submit comments on the reports through February 7, 2020 to HOU-piowebmail@txdot.gov. Links to the documents and information about how and when to submit comments are available at: http://www.ih45northandmore.com/final_eis.aspx
Later in 2020, community members will also have the opportunity to comment on TxDOT’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. More information about the Federal environmental review process is available on TxDOT’s web page under “Quick Links” at: Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA Process
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy on behalf of low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves the millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that reside in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health and well‐being; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those who have disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.lonestarlegal.org.
Media contact: Clarissa Ayala, cayala@lonestarlegal.org
