TxDot wants to get rid of the pierce elevated. (Houston: to live in, zoning)

[Bike4Life]

I'd definitely be happy to replace Pierce Elevated into a parkway. It's an ugly barrier between downtown and Midtown. I also suggest that TXDOT connect SP 527 to I-10 but Midtown and Montrose won't be too pleased to hear that. But if we put that below surface level, will that be acceptable?

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Bike4Life

I'd definitely be happy to replace Pierce Elevated into a parkway. It's an ugly barrier between downtown and Midtown. I also suggest that TXDOT connect SP 527 to I-10 but Midtown and Montrose won't be too pleased to hear that. But if we put that below surface level, will that be acceptable?

It was not that too long ago that the idea to turn Houston Avenue into an elevated freeway to handle I45 traffic. I think I posted about it in CD a while back.

[Oildog]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

It was not that too long ago that the idea to turn Houston Avenue into an elevated freeway to handle I45 traffic. I think I posted about it in CD a while back.

The recent gentrification of the area would make for a tough sell.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by timtemtym

They REALLY ought to end all freeways into 610 and loop them around in a massive one way circle. Didn't they discuss that back in the 90's? They could shrink the inner loop freeways and turn them into large boulevards. 610 isn't THAT huge of a loop and it would keep the through traffic out of the loop.
610 could have local and express lanes like some other cities do. This would go a long way to reuniting the inner loop neighborhoods and probably speed up the demand for urban rail and land values.

But I'm sure most Houstonians would oppose this. My family definitely would.

I think HtownLove said this a couple years back and everybody shot that poster down. If it happened, it would transform the inner loop in a big way. In fact, it's kind of like what DC does now though they have 295 running on the eastern side of the city. But it will never happen. I also agree with Westhou and that they should trench all freeways inside the loop. Like that part on Southwest Freeway between Downtown and the Galleria. Anyway, segment three is the most interesting to me. That would have the the pierce demolished and 69/45 trenched under a park. Basically 10/45 will be the only interstate above ground for a short couple miles. Downtown would extend South and East if that happened.

[Spade]

Looking at that segment three picture again, would that not make the area around the GRB the center of Downtown? I can potentially see a major entertainment area as you know they will build that area up. You have Minute Maid as you see in that rendering but also the Dynamo Stadium not to far from there. This could really be a game changer for downtown and perhaps the city.

[theone33]

Lets do it

[texas7]

Unelevating anything will just make it a colossal pain to get to work or home on days when we have torrential rain. It will just become lake 45 for hours and we will get to see news reports of people with jet skis and canoes on it until it drains.

[DejaBlue]

I must be the only one but I had no idea it was called the "Pierce Elevated"

I just call it the rickety road area in the middle of St Joseph. I know when I go visit my grandmother in Clear Lake I know which way I'm going coming from the North because St. Joseph with the big cross is to my right and I need to keep left left left.

The roller coaster up and down roadway is horrible on that stretch.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by DejaBlue

I must be the only one but I had no idea it was called the "Pierce Elevated"

I just call it the rickety road area in the middle of St Joseph. I know when I go visit my grandmother in Clear Lake I know which way I'm going coming from the North because St. Joseph with the big cross is to my right and I need to keep left left left.

The roller coaster up and down roadway is horrible on that stretch.

Re rollercoaster... were you here before they "improved" it? It was so bad, if you had a hard suspension vehicle, you could hit your head on the roof of your car. It cracked me up (laughter) every time I rode over it in my truck, it became a perverted game to us, you had to move at the right speed and tape the brake at the right moment to get the maximum bounce.

[texas7]

What is rickety about it? Nothing feels unstable or that it is about to break apart.