Another example of the growing political and planning opposition to the idea of tolling new roads in Texas.

"A long-planned tollway along Hempstead Road has new life, albeit without the tolls, as Texas Department of Transportation planners pitch an elevated system that could cater to carpools and transit," reports Dug Begley.
The updated plans are included in the ten-year transportation plan updated annually by the Houston-Galveston Area Council, calling for most of Hempstead Road from Loop 610 to Jones Road in northwest Harris County to be rebuilt, with a new transit-only lane in each direction as a bonus.
"The biggest change, however, hovers above Hempstead, where officials are proposing two managed lanes in each direction along an elevated structure atop or alongside the road," according to Begley.
As Begley reports, the decision to remove tolls from the new road's funding equation means the $1.3 billion estimated cost for the project will have to be paid for completely by federal, state, and local funds. The Texas Department of Transportation made a similar decision to remove tolls from a $7 billion plan to add managed lanes along Interstate 45 north of downtown Houston.
FULL STORY: TxDOT takes tolls out of Hempstead Highway plans, but raises idea of elevated lanes

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Urban Planning Partners
Sandy City
Ada County Highway District
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.