METRO’s Inner Katy corridor project, backed by the METRONext bond election in 2019, would span about 6 miles along I-10 from downtown Houston to Loop 610. The new line would connect to METRO’s new Uptown Silver Line, which terminates at the Northwest Transit Center, as well as to the METRORail Green and Purple light-rail lines downtown. It would offer bus-rapid transit service, or BRT, with rail-like transit using buses on dedicated, protected lanes. The route would also include two new stops with stations at the Shepherd/Durham drives and Studemont Street.
Meanwhile, TxDOT is planning two other projects for the corridor. One is a drainage improvement project spanning from Loop 610 to just east of Shepherd/Durham. The agency proposes new detention ponds, improved outfalls, and upgrades to pump stations and storm sewer pipes. One detention pond is targeted for the north side of I-10 and west of the Union Pacific railroad on Portwest Drive.
In another plan, TxDOT proposes reconfiguring the main lanes of the interstate to extend the use of managed lanes from Loop 610 to downtown. Managed lanes give preference to high-occupancy vehicles and charge tolls to single-occupant vehicles. Initial estimates indicate this project would require acquiring 10 residential properties.
Neither the drainage plans nor the managed-lane project have funding commitments, however.
Additional information, including the public hearing presentation, can be accessed at www.txdot.gov by searching “Inner Katy corridor” from the homepage.
