Grand Parkway segments H, I-1 and I-2 to break ground in early 2018
The Texas Department of Transportation has awarded a design-build contract to Grand Parkway Infrastructure for construction of Grand Parkway segments H, I-1 and I-2, according to a March 28 statement from TxDOT. Construction of the tollway is slated to begin in early 2018, with lanes opening to traffic in 2022.
“Constructing this outer loop system provides motorists more direct travel options for the movement of goods, people and services to, through and around the region, while keeping them from going into the core of the Houston area,” TxDOT Houston District Engineer Quincy Allen said in a statement.
Segments H through I-2 will pass through Chambers, Harris, Liberty and Montgomery counties when completed, connecting Hwy. 59 in New Caney to Hwy. 146 in Baytown. The project will complete the northeast segments of the 180-mile Grand Parkway.
Henley wins Shell Houston Open in Fall Creek
Russell Henley earned a trip to the Masters Tournament by winning the Shell Houston Open after posting a 65 on Sunday for the win. Henley was joined on the top five of the leaderboard by Sung-hoon Kang, Luke List, Rickie Fowler and Daniel Berger.
Harris County preserves, develops green space in Humble
Harris County is continuing development of the Spring Creek Greenway—which will include several consecutive miles of green space between Kingwood and The Woodlands at build-out.
In December, the county completed work on a bridge near Super Target on Townsen Boulevard in Humble that collapsed after heavy rains in last April, said Dennis Johnston, parks director for Harris County Precinct 4. With the bridge completed, the county has assembled 13.5 consecutive miles of green space between Dennis Johnston Park in Humble and Hwy. 59, Johnston said.
Meanwhile, Harris County is designing a nearly one-mile segment of the trail between the bridge and the Townsen Park and Ride. The segment could be complete in three years and is expected to cost $2.9 million, Johnston said. It could be eligible for federal funding through the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Improvement Program, he said.
Trial of Montgomery County Commissioners continues
The case involving Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal and two county commissioners continued Friday with additional testimony from Charlie Zech, an attorney with firm Denton Navarro Rocha Bernal Hyde & Zech P.C.
The case, which is being heard in Montgomery County’s 221st District Court, brings to question whether Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley, Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark and political consultant Marc Davenport violated the Texas Open Meetings Act while negotiating details of the November 2015 Montgomery County road bond.
Over the course of the week, attorneys have asked questions related to the constitutionality of Texas Government Code 551.143, which states that members of a governmental body cannot knowingly conspire to circumvent the TOMA by meeting in numbers less than a quorum for the purpose of secret deliberations.
What is being challenged?
Defense lawyers involved in the Texas Open Meetings Act violation case have challenged the constitutionality of subsection 551.143 of the TOMA.
What does it say?
Subsection 551.143 states: “A member or group of members of a governmental body commits an offense if the member or group of members knowingly conspires to circumvent this chapter by meeting in numbers less than a quorum for the purpose of secret deliberations in violation of this chapter.”
What are the punishments?
A fine of not less than $100 or more than $500
Confinement in the county jail for at least one month or 6 months at most.
Both the fine and confinement
