Make I-45 Better Coalition
Make I-45 Better Coalition
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Posters

Short Reads

Make I-45 Better Coalition Overview (pdf)

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Texas Cities Manifesto (pdf)

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FEIS Responses, November-December 2020

Responses to the Final Environmental Impact Statement before TxDOT issues the Record of Decision.


2012-12-04 Huitt-Zollars FEIS Response

2012-11-05 Traffic Engineers Inc FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-03 CM Karla Cisneros FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-03 Toole Design FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-07 Rep Jackson Lee FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-08 HCED HCTRA HCFCD FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-08 Mayor Turner FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-08 METRO FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-08 Stop TxDOT I-45 FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-09 HC Comm Ellis FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-09 HC Comm Garcia + Elected Officials FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-09 HC Judge Hidalgo FEIS Response (pdf)Download
2020-12-09 Rep Garcia + Members of Congress FEIS Response (pdf)Download

Houston Reps: Extend Comment Period, September-October 2020

Several elected officials request more time to comment on the Final Environmental Impact Statement before TxDOT issues the Record of Decision.

2020-09-30 CM Karla Cisneros FEIS Comment Extension (pdf)

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2020-10-12 Commissioner Adrian Garcia FEIS Comment Extension (pdf)

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2020-10-12 Judge Lina Hidalgo FEIS Comment Extension (pdf)

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2020-10-16 Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia FEIS Comment Extension (pdf)

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2020-10-19 Congresswoman Jackson Lee FEIS Comment Extension (pdf)

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2020-10-20 Commissioner Rodney Ellis FEIS Comment Extension (pdf)

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Commissioner Ryan Responds, May 2020

Texas Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan responded to Mayor Turner, making no commitment to change anything before TxDOT releases the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision.


2020-05-20 Commissioner Ryan response (pdf)

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Houston Reps Request Vision C, April-May 2020

The City of Houston's NHHIP Facilitation Group presented their analysis and recommended Vision C. This design alternative will keep I-45 within its existing right-of-way as much as possible.


Mayor Sylvester Turner sent a letter to TxDOT with a new vision for the NHHIP, including 10 pages of specific requests, covering all 3 segments.


Several elected representatives endorsed Vision C for segments 1 & 2. The letter was signed by Rep. Jackson Lee, Rep. Eastman, Senator Alvarado, Rep. Morales, Comm. Garcia, CM Alcorn, CM Cisneros, CM Davis, CM Gallegos, CM Kamin, CM Plummer, and CM Robinson.


County Judge Lina Hidalgo echoed Turner's vision and asked TxDOT to delay their Final Environmental Impact Statement.

2020-04-13 CoH NHHIP Facilitation Group Vision C (pdf)

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2020-05-12 Mayor Sylvester Turner Vision C for I-45 (pdf)

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2020-04-26 CM Karla Cisneros Endorsement of Vision C (pdf)

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2020-05-05 Senator Alvarado Endorsement of Vision C (pdf)

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2020-05-12 Houston Elected Officials Endorsement of Vision C (pdf)

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2020-05-19 Lina Hidalgo vision & delay FEIS (pdf)

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Rodney Ellis Requests Delay of FEIS, April 2020

Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis asked TxDOT to delay their Final Environmental Impact Statement.


"As part of a multi-agency collaboration, including the City of Houston, the County and METRO, my office is working to evaluate proposed alternatives to TxDOT’s recent plans. These plans will address our region’s transportation goals and the feedback of those directly affected by the NHHIP expansion. This effort will be in vain if TxDOT does not take into account the effects of COVID-19 on our ability to evaluate the project and proposed alternatives within the current expected timeline."

2020-04-24 Rodney Ellis delay FEIS (pdf)

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Community Impacts Assessment, December 2019

TxDOT released their Community Impacts Assessment in two parts:

  • 2019-12-16 TxDOT Draft Community Impacts Assessment v2 (large PDF hosted by TxDOT)
  • 2019-12-19 TxDOT Draft Cumulative Impacts Technical Report (large PDF hosted by TxDOT)


Councilmember Karla Cisneros sent a letter in response:

"As it currently stands, the negatives of the NHHIP outweigh the positives for residents and property owners in District H." See more, including videos on District H's I-45 page.


Councilmember Letitia Plummer sent a letter in response:

"The NHHIP is a statement of values and an investment in a particular vision for the future of Houston—a future that, in my opinion, is antagonistic to the vision we at the City are working to create."


Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia sent a letter in response:

"[Give] the region the option to start building the infrastructure needed to incentivize multi-modal transportation, rather than continuing dependency on single occupancy vehicles."


The Citizens' Transportation Coalition (CTC) sent a letter in response:

"We do not see that mitigation of community impacts is impossible for Segments 1 and 2, but it will be costly... Our conclusion is that Segment 3 should not be built at this time."


The Houston Parks Board (HPB) sent a letter in response:

"With TxDOT’s continuing failure to recognize relevant impacts to parks and open space under NEPA and Section 4(f) of the Federal Transportation Law, Houston Parks Board continues to have serious concerns about the proposed plans for NHHIP and the integrity of the process."


The White Oak Bayou Association (WOBA) sent a letter in response:

"We are concerned about a number of potentially significant cumulative environmental impacts associated with this project, which we believe are not being adequately addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement process in accordance with Federal regulations cited therein"


Finally, Air Alliance Houston (AAH) with 12 other signatory organizations has sent a letter in response:

"Rather than using this project or the environmental impact statement process to right past wrongs or provide for infrastructure in line with that requested in various Livable Center studies or other community focused plans, TxDOT has concluded that the selected alternative is the only alternative and has begun investing dollars into mitigation.

"NEPA is not meant to simply be a report—but a study to influence and provide guidance to decisionmakers prior to them making the decision. These reports demonstrate that TxDOT has failed in meeting NEPA’s mandate to propose alternatives with less impacts for decision makers to consider." 

2020-01-27 CM Cisneros Comments on NHHIP CIA (pdf)Download
2020-02-07 CM Letitia Plummer Comments on NHHIP CIA (pdf)Download
2020-02-03 Adrian Garcia Comments on NHHIP CIA (pdf)Download
2020-02-07 CTC Comments on NHHIP CIA (pdf)Download
2020-02-07 HPB Comments on NHHIP CIA (pdf)Download
2020-02-07 WOBA Comments on NHHIP CIA (pdf)Download
2020-02-07 AAH Comments on NHHIP CIA (pdf)Download
AAH Attachment 1_CEQ guidance on cumulative impacts (pdf)Download
AAH Attachment 6_Publications (pdf)Download
AAH Attachment 7_Alternatives Analysis and Solutions Plan (pdf)Download

City of Houston Plans Alternatives, December 2020

The City of Houston's NHHIP Facilitation Group presented alternate designs and stated their intention to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with TxDOT.

2019-12-19 NHHIP Segments 1 & 2 Facilitation Group Mtg 7 - Houston Public Works and Huitt-Zollars (pdf)

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Harris County memorandums, November 2019

A memorandum by Harris County Flood Control District addresses:

  • Reduce historic flooding patterns and aggressively mitigate new flooding impacts
  • Meet the standards that Harris County Flood Control District has set forth and follow the requirements of Atlas 14 in order to build more resilient storm water infrastructure.


A memorandum by Harris County Engineering Department addresses:

  • Improve safety for people in vehicles, walking and biking, on the facility and on connecting streets
  • Enhance walking and biking connections between and within existing communities
  • Encourage an engineering design for an innovative multi-modal transportation system by incorporating local and regional transportation plans
  • Prioritize use of existing right-of-way, mitigate displaced residents and business owners by compensating their properties at fair market value, and help renters with rental relocation assistance
  • Preserve existing businesses and community resources while enhancing growth and economic development opportunities within neighborhoods adjacent to the project
  • Protect and enhance parks, open spaces, and air quality as critical to physical and mental well-being of individuals, families and communities
  • Mitigate the damage to our air quality and alleviate noise pollution as much as possible

2019-11-06 Harris County Flood Control District and Engineering Department memorandums (pdf)

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2019-08-07 Harris County Commissioners Court NHHIP Resolution (pdf)

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MI45BC Candidate Forum, September 2019

Before the November 2019 elections, we held a candidate forum.

Watch: MI45BC Candidate Forum

Other Developments, May-September 2019

2019-09-15 Comments Review of NHHIP Interactive Map (pdf)

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2019-07-25 Mayor Turner's Support for $100M Funding Segment 2 of NHHIP (pdf)

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2019-06-10 Health Impact Assessment Summary - Air Alliance Houston (pdf)

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2019-05-29 Near Northside Advocacy Workshop Summary (pdf)

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Draft Environmental Impact Statement, February 2019

TxDOT released three revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) reports in February 2019.

These complement the six DEIS reports that TxDOT released in June 2018.

TxDOT has since scrubbed these DEIS reports from their website, but they are available in archive.


Below are responses from LINK Houston, CSTI acoustics, and Houston Parks Board, plus our updated Impacts And Solutions Action Plan.

2019-03-15 Traffic Noise Impacts - LINK Houston + CSTI (pdf)Download
2019-03-13 Visual Impacts - Houston Parks Board (pdf)Download
2018-04-13 I-45 Coalition Impacts and Solutions Position Statement (pdf)Download

Draft Environmental Impact Statement, June 2018

TxDOT released six revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) reports in June 2018.

TxDOT has since scrubbed these DEIS reports from their website, but they are available in archive.


In our attorney's response, we "object to the process adopted by TxDOT" of releasing a partial DEIS because it violates Federal Highway Administration regulations.

With the letter, we attached exhibits by Air Alliance Houston, Lower Brazos Riverwatch, our coalition, and Huitt-Zollars engineers.

2018-07-20 I&C Comments on Technical Reports (pdf)Download
X-A AAH Letter on Technical Reports (pdf)Download
X-B Lower Brazos Riverwatch Comments re Technical Reports (pdf)Download
X-C I-45 Coalition Position Statement (pdf)Download
X-D I-45 NHHIP TxDOT Presentation (pdf)Download
X-E White Oak Bayou Drainage Analysis (pdf)Download

Coalition Intensifies, April 2018

2018-04-25 Mayor's Task Force presentation (pdf)

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Draft Environmental Impact Statement, April 2017

TxDOT released their April 2017 DEIS in several documents.


Below are responses to that report from elected officials, our coalition, our attorney, Houston Parks Board, and Mayor Turner.

2017-08-18 Elected Officials Coalition Endorsement Letter (pdf)Download
2017-07-27 Coalition Letter to TxDOT (pdf)Download
2017-07-27 Coalition Legal Rep Letter to TxDOT (pdf)Download
2017-07-26 HPB NHHIP DEIS Letter to TxDOT with all exhibits (pdf)Download
2017-07-25 COH Letter to TxDOT (pdf)Download

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