HOUSTON – If you live in North Houston, you’ve probably heard about the Hardy Downtown Connector.
The proposed project would connect the toll road to Downtown Houston. On Tuesday, Commissioners’ court heard from people who are for and against the project.
Around 6:23 p.m., commissioners voted unanimously to keep the project going. They will take the next steps in the project based on the community’s feedback.
Commissioners have the same goals towards having an environmental study look at multimodal transportation options and possible affordable housing opportunities adjacent to the project.
KPRC2′s Re’Chelle Turner spoke to Lorenzo Jones about the project.
“It’s going to ease traffic,” Jones said. “We have traffic on 59, 45, 610, so now this will be a four-lane going in and a four-lane going out.”
Jones is the Executive Director for the Hardy Community Outreach. He says the proposed project will be a big boost for the community.
“So, the traffic will be smoother, and the community will get a great pickup because they’ll be changing the environment in the community,” he said. “Now we have a facility, we have a baseball field, a soccer field, we got stuff that the kids can do after school programs. We got classes that we want to give.”
Jones says the project has been in the works since 2003. He spoke at Commissioners’ court on Tuesday and wanted officials to move forward with the plans.
But not everyone is on board with the plan.
One supporter says, “I just feel like these are people’s homes and schools. If you put a freeway there, there’s going to be more cancer. You always say cancer because of highways. It’s just a lot of different things because they’ve been fighting for over 20 years. It’s just not a good idea,” the person told Turner.
Reporter question: What type of improvement would you like to see?
Another supporter responds, “Less gentrification and more people paying their taxes and keeping the homestead.”
Turner also reached out to Air Alliance who is against the project. A spokesperson plans to send a statement about the proposed plan.
To read more about the project, click here.