Near Northside & Heights

Theodore Roosevelt Elementary and Jefferson Elementary will be within 500 ft. of the expanded freeway. Travis Elementary will be 800 feet from the expanded freeway.

Student Health

With increased volume of traffic there will be:

• More air and noise pollutants
• More sick days from respiratory diseases like asthma
• Reduced academic performance, shorter lifespan and lower quality of life

Environmental Justice

• Poverty around Roosevelt Elementary is 52% versus 43% in Houston
• Persons of color are 94% versus 74% in Houston
• The low income segments in 1&2 will be disproportionately be affected by the negative effects of the expansion.

Neighborhood Isolation

• Proposed construction would cut off access between White Oak Bayou Bike Trail and the Spring Street Bike Trail.
• Loss of North Ave. bridge and Cottage St connection will isolate Near Northside from Greater Heights, Houston Ave, Downtown, and Woodland Park.
• Loss of entrance to I-45 and I-610 will be a burden.
• Beautiful views of downtown will be blocked by TxDOT's new placement of I-10 and I-45.

Here’s TxDOT’s take on connectivity, from their Community Impacts Assessment:

“Numerous residential and business displacements would take place in Near Northside, and those would be mitigated appropriately. Between these super neighborhoods, TxDOT will provide a highway “cap” over the proposed depressed lanes of I-45. This configuration would create the opportunity for improved connectivity between the Near Northside and the Greater Heights neighborhoods.”

TxDOT goes on to say...

“TxDOT will provide a highway “cap” over the proposed depressed lanes of I-45. This area will be enclosed by a fence for safety purposes. Future use of the highway cap area for another purpose would require additional development and funding by entities other than TxDOT.”

Other displacements include (from north to south)

• Enterprise Commercial Paving
• Mach Industrial Group – machine shop
• Kevin’s Equipment Co – industrial supplier
• Western Inn Houston
• Iglesias Loans
• Fax Service
• Floors 2 Luv – flooring store
• North Wind Apartments
• Modern Alchemy – sheet metal contractor
• Hot Water Guys – plumber
• Amtex Auto Insurance
• Lopez Arnold – attorney
• Acme Business Cards & Signs
• Vara’s on 45 – sports bar
• James Bond Bail Bonds
• Love’s Travel Stop
• Luxury Inn
• Americas Best Value Inn & Suites
• Top Brass Military & Tactical
• Pyramid Imports Tile & Flooring
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites
• Urbana Recording Studios
• American Best Locksmith
• Skylane Downtown Apartments
• Leonel J Castillo Community Center