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[Press Conference: "I-45 Expansion Project"]
SAY GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PR PRESENT HERE THIS MORNING.I CERTAINLY WANT TO, UM, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, A FEW PEOPLE AT THE VERY, AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
UH, COMMISSIONER LAURA RYAN FROM TAX DOC.
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
UH, THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING ADMINISTRATION IN TEXT ON BRANDI HENDRICKSON.
UM, ELIJAH PAUL IS WITH TEXT STOCK IS ALSO PRESENT.
UM, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA, UH, PRECINCT TWO.
COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, PRECINCT ONE WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND CHRISTIAN MENIFEE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY THIS MORNING.
UH, STATE SENATOR BORIS MILES IS WITH US THIS MORNING.
UH, ALSO CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE.
DAVID ROBINSON IS ALSO PRESENT.
AND, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CI IS PRESENT.
UH, EUROPA HARRIS IS REPRESENTING CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA, UH, JACKSON LEE.
UH, WE HAVE ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN CAMPUS.
UH, PRESIDENT BLANCHARD IS ALSO PRESIDENT.
UH, JUSTIN ROBINSON OF THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PRESIDENT.
UH, CHRIS LAW, CHRIS LAWSON FROM DOWNTOWN CENTRAL HOUSTON IS PRESIDENT.
MANY DIRECTORS, UM, MICHAEL HECKMAN OF HOUSTON FIRST, AND THE LIST GOES ON YOUR OWN.
LEMME JUST SAY THANK ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR, FOR BEING, FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
UM, LOOK, THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED.
UM, GONNA MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
I'LL BE FOLLOWED BY COUNTY COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA AND COUNTY COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS.
UH, FOLLOWED BY COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, KRISTIN MENIFEE.
AFTER THAT, YOU WILL HEAR FROM COMMISSIONER RYAN FROM TECH STOCK, AND THEN BRANDY.
BRANDY, HI HENDRICKSON, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, FOR PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR TECH STOCK.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE SANJAY RAM, UH, THE CHAIR OF METRO WEST SANJAY.
YEAH, SANJAY, UH, SANJAY WILL CLOSE US OUT.
UH, LEMME JUST SAY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK ON THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT OVER THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL YEARS.
A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT.
I KNOW I APPOINTED, UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE, UH, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, UH, TO THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON I 45 NORTH.
UM, AND THE WORK CONTINUED UNTIL WE REACHED AN IMPASSE.
UH, HARRIS COUNTY FILED A LAWSUIT ON THIS MATTER.
COMPLAINTS WERE MADE TO THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.
SEVERAL DRAFT MOUS WERE PRESENTED, AND THE PROJECT SIMPLY STALLED.
UH, MEANWHILE, THE COST BALLOON ON THIS PROJECT, SOME WOULD SAY FROM SOME $0.5 BILLION, AND NOW IT MAY BE ESTIMATED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 9 BILLION IN ITS CURRENT STATE.
AND I ALWAYS, I'VE ALWAYS SAID IN ITS CURRENT STATE, OUR 45 IS UNSAFE.
IT FLOODS, UM, AND IT DOESN'T MEET OUR MOBILITY NEEDS.
FOR SOMEONE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO LIVES ON THE NORTH SIDE, UH, LIKE I DO, GREW UP ON THE NORTH SIDE.
UM, I 45, IF IT RAINS A GREAT DEAL RIGHT THERE AT NORTH MAIN AND I 45, IT WILL TURN INTO A LAKE.
AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO REMEMBER TROPICAL STORMY MALDA, UH, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
AND THEN IF YOU GET DOWN TO I 45 CROSS TIMBERS, TED, WELL, LITTLE YORK, UH, THOSE FEEDERS ARE SIMPLY IMPASSABLE.
UH, SO IN THIS CURRENT STATE, IT DOESN'T MEET OUR FLOODING NEEDS, OUR MOBILITY NEEDS, UH, AT ALL.
BUT I HAVE SAID, AND I BELIEVE THIS PROJECT COULD BE TRANSFORMATIVE FOR THE REGION, UH, AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IF IT WAS DONE RIGHT, AND THEN I UNDERSCORE THAT IT CAN BE TRANSFORMATIVE, UH, BUT IT MUST BE DONE RIGHT.
UH, TODAY WE ARE HERE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY, UH, HAVE REACHED AGREEMENTS, UH, WITH TECH STOCK.
UM, AND TODAY I WILL SIGN, UH, THE MOU FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SIGNED BY MARK WILLIAMS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TECH STOCK, UH, THE CITY'S MOU IN COMBINATION WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY, MOU, UH, I BELIEVE WILL MAKE THIS PROJECT TRANSFORMATIONAL, UH, FOR THE REGION.
AND IN FACT, I THINK FOR THE COMBINATION OF THE MOUS, I THINK WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS THAN WHEN THIS PROJECT, UH, STARTED.
AND LET ME SPEAK ABOUT THE CITY'S MOU, UH, WHICH MARK WILLIAMS HAS SIGNED ON BEHALF OF TAX DOC.
UH, AND THEN I WILL DEFER TO THE COUNTY TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UH, THEIRS.
THE CITY'S MOU FOCUSES ON SIX AREAS.
UH, TECH STOCK IS COMMITTING TO, UH, COMPARABLE HOUSING WITHIN THEIR, WITHIN PEOPLE'S, UM, COMMUNITY COMPENSATION FOR RELOCATION TO REPLACE UNITS AT CLAYTON AND KELLY.
AND IN ADDITION, TECH STOCK WILL MAKE AVAILABLE AN ADDITIONAL $30 MILLION FOR OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO INCREASE ANNUALLY.
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SIGNING OF THIS AGREEMENT, UH, T STOCK IS COMMITTING TO ENHANCE RELOCATION SERVICES, SUPPLEMENTAL ASSISTANCE, 10 RENTAL ASSISTANCE UP TO 42 MONTHS.AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT TECH STOCK IS COMMITTING TO NET ZERO HOUSING LOSS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING UNIT.
UH, THAT WAS A CRITICAL COMPONENT, UH, FOR ALL OF US, AND I THINK IT IS, UM, UH, GIVES, UH, GREATER OF, UM, SATISFACTION TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE CAN STAY WITHIN THEIR OWN RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
AND THIS INCLUDES NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO OWN THEIR PROPERTY, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE TENANTS AS WELL, UH, WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE GOING UP TO 42 MONTHS.
THE SECOND AREA DEALS WITH DRAINAGE AND FLOODING.
UH, WORKING WITH TECH STOCK, UH, TECH STOCK WILL USE THE NEW ATLAS 14 RAINFALL DATA.
AND IT'S DESIGNED, UH, THEY'RE COMMITTING TO NEW PUMP STATIONS, NEW DETENTION PONDS, AND IN SOME CASES CONVERTING EXISTING TS WITH BRIDGES.
UH, THEY ARE AGREEING TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND AGENCIES ON THE NORTH CANAL PROJECT, WHICH IS A MAJOR PROJECT UNDER OUR HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT FUNDING PROJECT.
AND THEN IN THEIR DESIGN TO LOOK AT FLOOD LEVELS OF 500 YEAR EVENTS.
UH, THE THIRD AREA DEALS WITH LIMITING THE FOOTPRINT ON THIS PROJECT AND TECH STOCK, UH, WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT IS AGREEING TO TAKE ONLY WHAT IS NEEDED AS THIS PROJECT, UH, MOVES FORWARD.
THIS WILL REQUIRE CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT, UH, WITH ALL OF THE LOCAL PARTNERS AS WE MOVE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I SHOULD SAY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THAT THE MOU APPLIES TO ALL THREE SEGMENTS, SEGMENTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE WITH REGARDS TO TRANSIT, WHICH IS THE FOURTH COMPONENT.
UH, SANJAY RAM WILL SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY, UH, TO THIS.
BUT LET ME JUST HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW THINGS, UM, IN THIS AGREEMENT.
THE MOU IS THAT THIS PROJECT MUST BE COMPATIBLE WITH OUR TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, THE MAX LANES, IT INCLUDES MAX LANES TWO-WAY 24 HOURS, SEVEN WEEK DAYS, A WEEK OPERATIONS, UH, TO INCLUDE HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLES LIKE BTS.
AND WHAT WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR ALL OF US, IS THAT ONCE THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED AND BUILT, NO ONE WANTED TO COME BACK TO RECONSTRUCT OR MODIFY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT IT, UH, WAS COMPATIBLE WITH BTS, WHICH MEANS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THE DESIGN WILL BE INCLUDED, SO NO RECONSTRUCTION OR MODIFICATION, UH, WILL BE NEEDED.
THE FIFTH ITEM DEALS WITH CONNECTIVITY OF STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WITHIN THE MOU THERE ARE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF LOCAL STREET CONNECTIONS, WHICH WILL ENHANCE NEIGHBORHOOD CON CONNECTIVITY.
AND THOSE ARE SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED, UH, IN THE MOU.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, ANDREW STREET IN FOURTH WARD, FREEMANS TOWN, HAMILTON STREET, UH, LAMAR, MCKINNEY, WALKER STREETS, UH, ALL ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CONNECTIVITY, UH, WITH OUR, WITH OUR EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN THE SIXTH ELEMENT DEALS WITH PARKS AND OPEN SPACES AND OPEN GREEN SPACES.
UH, THERE WILL BE NO NEGATIVE IMPACT WHILE EXISTING PARKS, UH, T STOCK IS AGREEING TO COORDINATE WITH LOCAL GROUPS, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR DRAINAGE RETENTION, WHERE OPEN SPACES ARE INVOLVED.
THEY WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO IDENTIFY SECONDARY OPEN PUBLIC SPACES FOR DETENTION WHERE POSSIBLE.
UH, THEY WILL DESIGN HIGHWAY COMPONENTS WHERE ELEMENTS OF VISUAL, WHERE THE HIGHWAY ELEMENTS VISUALLY, UH, RECEIVE, AND THE GREEN LANDSCAPE IS MORE PROMINENT.
IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE HIGHWAY NOT BECOME THE CENTRAL FOCUS, SO TO SPEAK, UH, BUT THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF GREEN SPACE, EVEN IN TERMS OF A VISUAL PRESENTATION.
UH, TEX STOCK IS AGREEING TO WORK TO CREATE MORE RECREATIONAL SPACES AND MORE TRAIL CONNECTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, ALONG THE BANKS OF BUFFALO BAYOU, BAYOU WHITE OAK, LITTLE WHITE OAK AND HALLS BAYOU, AND INCLUDING THE EMANCIPATION TRAIL AS WELL.
AND THEN TEXT DOCTORS AGREEING TO PROVIDE EVEN MORE GREEN SPACE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE HIGHWAY CAPS ON, FOR EXAMPLE, ON NORTH MAINE, THE EAST SIDE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND THIRD WARD ALONG 2 88, SOPHOMORE AND CLEBURNE.
LET ME QUICKLY ADD THAT WHEN YOU HIT, YOU MUST TAKE THESE TWO MOUS TOGETHER BECAUSE I SALUTE THE COUNTY BECAUSE IN THEIR MOU, THEY SPECIFICALLY TALK AND DELINEATE EVEN MORE WITH RESPECT TO THE CAPS, UH, THAT WILL BE ESTABLISHED, UH, THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT.
THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL SEE IN A GENERATION.
AND IT'S WORTH MAKING SURE THAT THE PLAN WORKS BEST FOR EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE.
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THERE IS NO PERFECT DESIGN, AND IT DOESN'T SAY THAT EVERYONE WILL BE PLEASED.BUT ON BALANCE, UH, WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE COMBINATION OF MEMORANDUM FROM THE CITY, UH, COMBINED WITH THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FROM THE COUNTY, I THINK YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT PROJECT THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD, THAT WILL BENEFIT THE GREATER GOOD OF THE HOUSTON'S COMMUNITY, HARRIS COUNTY AND THE REGION.
THIS PROJECT WILL HELP MOVE PEOPLE BY ALL MODES BEING DESIGNED FOR DRIVING TRANSIT, WALKING, AND COMMISSIONER ELDERS AND BIKING.
IT WILL CREATE ADDED GREEN SPACE WHILE SEEKING TO MINIMIZE ANY ADVERSE IMPACTS ON EXISTING GREEN SPACE.
IT WILL ADDRESS LONG TIME FLOODING ISSUES, INVEST AND MINIMIZE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, LIKE ATONIA, DEVO, LIKE INDEPENDENT HIKES, IT WILL PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR HOUSTONIANS TO STAY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND HARRIS COUNTY HAS BEEN A CRITICAL PARTNER, AND LET ME UNDERSCORE THAT.
HARRIS COUNTY HAS BEEN A CRITICAL PARTNER IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
THEIR ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT, ENGAGEMENT LITIGATION HAVE HELPED TO PRODUCE A RESULT THERE WILL BENEFIT GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND SO I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA, TO COMMISSIONER RODNEY YELLERS, UH, TO COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENEFEE, WHICH I'VE HAD MANY, MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS, UM, WAY TOO MANY, UH, WITH KRISTEN, WITH KRISTEN MINISTRY.
UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS ENGAGEMENT.
UH, NO ONE, UM, CAN MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONE.
AND SO LET ME ALSO THANK, UH, TDO COMMISSIONER LAURA RYAN.
UH, WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST TWO PLUS YEARS, UH, TO MARK WILLIAMS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UH, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND TO MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT, A LOT, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, SOME NICE NOT, SOME NOT SO NICE, UH, SOME POIGNANT AND SOME, UH, WHERE THEY ENDED WITH FRIENDS, UH, BECOMING LESS FRIENDLY.
BUT NONETHELESS, UH, WE FIND OURSELVES AT THIS POINT, LET ME THANK THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WHO I KNOW FEEL VERY, VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CIS.
I KNOW YOUR CONCERN WITH PARKS AND GREEN SPACE AND CONNECTIVITY COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW IT WORKS, AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S TRANSFORMATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN EVAN CHABA ON HOW IT WILL IMPACT THAT THIRD WARD COMMUNITY AND MANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT HERE AS WELL.
BUT I CONCLUDE BY SAYING, UM, ON BALANCE, WHEN YOU ADD THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
UH, SENATOR ELLIS, UH, SENATOR ELLIS, SENATOR BORIS MILES, UH, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT SHOULD MOVE FORWARD IN THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY AND THE GREATER REGION.
AND I'M GLAD WE ARE ABLE TO COME TO THIS POINT AT THIS TIME AS WE PREPARE TO CLOSE OUT IN 22.
LOOKING FORWARD TO 23 AND BEYOND.
HAVING SAID THAT NOW TO ME, YIELD, UH, TO COUNTY COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA.
AND, UM, LET ME JUST SAY THAT IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON, UH, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYBODY.
UH, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO END, UH, 20 20, 20 22.
UH, BUT LET ME BEGIN FIRST BY, UH, AGAIN, THANKING COMMISSIONER RYAN, UH, FOR STAYING, UH, IN CONTACT, UH, BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY IN PARTICULAR, UH, FOR THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP FOR THEIR FOCUS, AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE STAYED AT THE TABLE FOR THE ACTIVISTS.
UM, THIS AGREEMENT IS REFLECTIVE OF SO MANY COMING TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.
UH, I THINK AS MAYOR TURNER ALLUDED TO, UH, THERE WERE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO ENSURING THIS PROJECT, UH, IS BETTER.
UM, MAYBE SOME, UH, WOULD'VE, UH, THOUGHT A DIFFERENT, UH, STATE OF PROGRESS FOR THIS.
BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS THE WHOLE FOCUS AND EVERYTHING I HEARD WAS ENSURING THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD BE BETTER, UH, AND ENSURING THAT IT PAID ATTENTION, UH, TO SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AIR QUALITY, CONNECTIVITY, INCLUSIVITY, UM, AND, UH, AND FLOOD MITIGATION.
UH, I HAVE, UH, A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO THIS PROJECT
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HAVING BEEN, UM, A KID, UH, MAYBE I DIDN'T GROW UP IN THE FOUR FOUR MAYOR.I GREW UP IN THE OH NINE, UH, BUT, UH, USED I 45 IN THE SEVENTIES TO GO WORK AS A BUSBOY, UH, UP IN THE WOODLANDS.
AND, UH, HAVING MET A FEW UNFRIENDLY, UH, 18 WHEELERS, UH, THAT, UH, UH, IF NOT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I WOULDN'T BE HERE.
THEN I BECAME A HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER STARTING MY CAREER IN THE FOUR FOUR.
AND, UH, AND THEN GETTING TO MEET FOLKS LIKE, UH, BAH AND OTHERS, UH, BUT SEEING THIS PROGRESS OF, OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TAKING PLACE OVER THOSE YEARS.
AND THEN MY CAREER WOULD HAVE IT, THAT I WOULD SERVE ON CITY COUNCIL WHEN THERE WAS AN INITIAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, AND WE, THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO SAY, WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN WELL, STAKEHOLDERS HAVE SPOKEN WELL.
UH, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE SPOKEN WELL.
AND I WANNA ALSO THANK CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE AND, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, UH, FOR THEIR COLLECTIVE WORK, UH, AND ENSURING THAT THIS PROJECT IS BETTER.
UH, BUT IT, IT TAKES A MAJOR EFFORT, UH, TO GET TO SOME OF THE, UH, DETAILS, UH, THAT WILL BE PENCILED INTO THIS AGREEMENT.
AND I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND COUNTY JUDGE LENA ALGO FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AS WELL.
UH, COMMERCIAL ELLIS HAS BEEN, UH, WORKING, UH, THE BACK CHANNELS UP IN WASHINGTON AND, UH, AND HERE LOCALLY AND, UH, ENSURING THAT, UH, WE'RE, UH, BEING FOCUSED ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST TO MOST.
BUT DETAILS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME, LIKE, UM, THE INCLUSION OF AIR MONITORS VERY KEY.
IT'S HISTORIC, UH, TO SEE THESE KIND OF AMENITIES, UH, INCLUDED.
THE COMMITMENT TO GREEN SPACE, THE COMMITMENT TO, UH, THE HIKING BIKE TRAILS.
UH, ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL MAKE HOUSTON BETTER AND STRONGER.
AND ALTHOUGH I SEE, UH, MR. HOUSTON, UH, EMERITUS AND BOB YURI, UH, I, I, I DO WANNA POINT HIM OUT BECAUSE BOB HAS JUST KIND OF BEEN, UH, ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT HAS, UH, HELPED US LOOK AT THE CORE OF THE CITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ENVISIONING THE REGION.
AND THIS PROJECT, UH, DOES THOSE TWO THINGS AT THE SAME TIME AND DOES THEM WELL.
UM, BUT I WILL, I WILL CLOSE BY SAYING, UM, THAT YOU'RE RIGHT, MAYOR.
UH, YOU AND I BOTH HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, CHRISTIAN MENIFEE.
THERE YOU ARE, UH, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, HIS TEAM'S LEADERSHIP.
UM, YOU TALK ABOUT CORRALLING KATZ AND, UH, UH, CROWING THOSE CATS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN COVERED IN SLIPPERY SHAMPOO OR SOMETHING.
AND I WANT TO JUST THANK HIM, UH, FOR HIS, UH, HIS LEADERSHIP, UH, AND JUST STEADY HAND COOL DEMEANOR THAT ALLOWED US ALL TO TALK AND, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISE, UM, AND NEGOTIATE.
UH, AND NOT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED MATERIALIZED.
AND THAT'S AN ART THAT HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY IS DEMONSTRATING THAT, UH, SOMETIMES IS LOST AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
BUT WE ARE, WE GOT IT DONE HERE.
AND SO I JUST, UH, AGAIN, WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE, UH, INVOLVED.
AND, AND ONE MORE PERSON THAT, I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOU.
'CAUSE HE WAS A TECHNICAL, VERY IMPORTANT TECHNICAL ADVISOR, AND THAT IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HARRIS COUNTY TOW ROAD AUTHORITY.
I WANNA THANK, UH, ROBERTO, UH, VINNO FOR HIS, UH, WORK, UH, BEING THAT IMPORTANT ENGINEER, UH, AMONGST THOSE DEADLY ATTORNEYS, UH, THAT, UH, HELPED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE WERE ALL JUST, UH, PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW TO FRAME, UH, THE DISCUSSIONS AND THE NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT I WILL, UH, ALSO JUST REPEAT AGAIN, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, YOU, YOU HAVE HELPED, UH, TO, UH, KEEP US FOCUSED ON, UH, SOME VERY IMPORTANT DETAILS.
YOU'VE LAID OUT MANY OF THOSE,
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UH, BUT WITHOUT THIS REALLY SPECIAL AND UNIQUE COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN HERE.AND SO I WANNA THANK ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CNE AND OTHERS, UH, FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE, UH, LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY AS WELL.
UH, DAVE, UH, YOUR WORK AT, UH, HCAC AND TPC, UH, BUT I'M JUST, UH, THANKFUL TO MY TEAM, UH, BECAUSE WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LISTENING TO FOLKS UNDERSTANDING, UH, THE CONCERNS THAT, UH, FOLKS ARE EXPRESSING, AND THEN JUST TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC AND SURGICAL AT HOW TO, UH, IMPACT, UH, THOSE, UH, KEY AREAS THAT, UH, I AM CONFIDENT WILL BE TRANSFORMATIVE AS WE SEE THEM, UH, TAKE FRUIT.
SO I WANT, AGAIN, UH, CLOSE WHERE I BEGAN BY, AND THAT IS BY THANKING THE ACTIVISTS, MOLLY AND OTHERS, UH, FOR THEIR, UH, THEIR STEADFAST WORK AND COMMITMENT.
YOU AND SO MANY OTHERS HAVE HELPED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT BETTER.
I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, UH, HIKING BIKE TRAILS THAT, DID WE, I THINK WE ALL MENTIONED HIKING BIKE TRAILS ARE A PART OF THIS.
UH, PLEASE WELCOME COMMISSIONER ELLIS.
THANK YOU, MR. COMMISSIONER GARCIA, FOR ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT SHE DID ON THIS, UH, ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED.
WHEN THEY SAY ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED IN ENGLAND, UH, THAT MEANS THAT THEY CALLED YOUR NAME OUT, BUT IT'S ALMOST LUNCHTIME, AND WE WANNA GET OUT HERE BEFORE LUNCHTIME, SO I'M NOT GONNA CALL ALL OF THOSE NAMES OUT.
UH, I ONLY WANNA SINGLE OUT IN PARTICULAR THE ACTIVISTS.
UH, AND I WANT TO MAKE THIS POINT TO YOU.
UH, MAYOR, UH, SHORTLY AFTER WE LEFT AUSTIN, I RAN INTO PRESIDENT BUSH ONE TIME, AND HE SAID, RODNEY, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I THINK ABOUT YOU.
AND I SAY TO MY STAFF, HOW IN THE HELL DID HE GET US TO SIGN THAT BILL? UH, SO THE KEY FOR YOU ACTIVIST TO REMEMBER IS, IN THIS BUSINESS, YOU ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT, AND THEN YOU TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU COULD GET.
THIS LAWSUIT HAS GONE TO THE END OF IT ROAD, AND IT WAS TIME TO GET THAT BEHIND US.
AND IN ADDITION TO COMMISSIONER GARCIA, I WANNA THANK JUDGE LE HIDALGO AS WELL.
THEN I SAY MORE TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT A COUNTY WOULD DECIDE TO SUE THE STATE.
IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION, AND IN PART, WE DID IT BECAUSE WE HAD A GREAT LAWYER.
MY ONLY REGRET IS HE WENT TO WASH U INSTEAD OF WHERE I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL.
UH, BUT CHRISTIAN MENIFEE DID A GREAT JOB, AND HIS TEAM, I HAVE HEARD SOMEONE, THE NAME JOHN FON BAUM, AND ALL OF 'EM JUST DID A REMARKABLE JOB.
FOR DECADES, HIGHWAY BUILDINGS, UH, HIGHWAYS HAVE TORN APART, TORN APART, BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES, INCREASING WEALTH GAPS AND HARMING PUBLIC HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS AMERICA.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES.
HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON DESERVE 21ST CENTURY INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND EQUITY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE.
THE I 45 EXPANSION AS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED BY TDOT, DID NOT QUITE MEET THOSE NEEDS.
I WANNA THANK COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENIFEE AND HIS TEAM, AND EVERYONE WHO CAME TOGETHER TO DEMAND THAT WE MAKE A BIG PROJECT BETTER.
YOUR EFFORTS HAVE CARRIED US TO THIS MOMENT AND SHORTED A COURSE FOR ADVOCACY ACROSS TEXAS AND ACROSS THE NATION.
WE EXPECT THAT TDOT WILL UPHOLD THE END OF THIS HISTORIC AGREEMENT, AND NOT ONLY EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OVER THE NEXT YEAR, BUT ALSO AGREE TO FUNDING REAL SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AS MATERNITY REFERENCE TO POLLUTION.
AS COMMISSIONER GARCIA MADE REFERENCE TO FLOODING AND IMPACTS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND OUR NETWORKS, WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF ANY OTHER ACTIONS, UH, THAT MAY COME ABOUT TODAY.
WE SET AN IMPORTANT PRECEDENT.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT, SHOULD NOT, AND WILL NOT SIT IDLY BY WHILE STATE LEADERS DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR FUTURE.
WE ALL WANT TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
CHAIRWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I KNOW WE ARE TOUGH GROUP TO DEAL WITH, BUT THERE'S A REASON WHY HOUSTON AND THIS
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REGION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REGION IN THE SECOND LARGEST STATE IN AMERICA.WE WILL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK AS LEADERS ON THE LOCAL LEVEL WITH OUR STATE PARTNERS AND OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AS I SAID EARLIER, TO MAKE THIS BIG PROJECT EVEN BETTER.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP OUR YOUNG SPIFFY, ENERGETIC, BRILLIANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, MR. CHRISTIAN MENIFEE.
SO AT THIS EVENT, I'VE BEEN CALLED SPIFFY AND DEADLY.
UM, I THINK THOSE ARE COMPLIMENTS, I'LL TAKE IT.
UH, CHRISTIAN MENIFEE HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY.
I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING, UH, THE MAYOR, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, UH, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
I TOOK OFFICE IN JANUARY OF 2021, UM, AND WAS THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO HOLD THIS OFFICE.
TWO MONTHS LATER, WE ANNOUNCED THIS LAWSUIT.
UM, IT WAS A BIG AND BOLD STEP, UH, BUT AN OLD MENTOR OF MINE WHEN I WAS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TOLD ME, CHRISTIAN, ANYBODY CAN FILE A LAWSUIT, BUT IT TAKES A REAL LAWYER TO COME IN AND TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
AND SO I VERY MUCH ENDEAVORED AND NOT JUST HAVING THIS BE SOME STALE LAWSUIT THAT'S FILED AND JUST CAPTURES HEADLINES, BUT INSTEAD IS AN EFFORT THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROBLEM, UH, THAT FACES US.
AND IN THE COURSE OF DOING THAT, I DEVELOPED A, A FRIENDSHIP CONVERSATION, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, UH, WITH, WITH COMMISSIONER LAURA ORION AT TDOT.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CALLS.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED HOW MANY TIMES I WAS BLOWING HIM UP.
THANK YOU FOR NOT SCREENING MY CALLS, MAYOR.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THE MAYOR, THERE WERE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN COMMISSIONER LAURA, RYAN AND I, AND, AND I REALLY THINK THAT THERE WERE MANY POINTS WHERE THIS POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE FALLEN APART.
AND IT WAS THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR THAT, THAT GOT US HERE TODAY.
UH, MY APPROACH TO THIS WAS VERY SIMPLE.
IF WE CAN MAKE THIS PROJECT BETTER FOR EVEN ONE FAMILY, EVEN ONE PERSON IN ONE OF THESE UNDERSERVED NEIGHBOR UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS, I'M GOING TO DO THAT.
UM, TO ME IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS IN FIFTH WARD AND THIRD WARD, WHO MAY NOT HAVE POLITICIANS OUT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE PEOPLE SPEAKING TO THEIR ISSUES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL BE DAMNED IF I'LL SELL THEM OUT WITHOUT GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THEM.
AND SO FOR ME, THAT'S WHAT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT, UH, THIS AGREEMENT IS IT ESTABLISHES A TENOR OF COLLABORATION MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THE CITY, THE COUNTY TDOT, YOU CAN EXPECT THAT WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO BE COLLABORATING HERE TODAY.
IT'S GOING TO BE OVER A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AND WHAT THE, THESE AGREEMENTS ENSURE IS THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WILL BE AT THE TABLE.
AND THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH TDOT WILL CONTINUE.
UM, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THIS PROJECT BRINGS FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE IS IN AGREEMENT TO REEVALUATE THE DESIGN FOR SEGMENTS ONE AND TWO TO REBUILD WITHIN THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING OUR DRAFT MOU OUT.
IT IS DRAFTED, HASN'T BEEN SIGNED BECAUSE BY LAW WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING OF COMMISSIONER'S COURT, UH, IN ORDER TO AUTHORIZE THE JUDGE TO EXECUTE THAT.
SO OUR MEETING HAS BEEN NOTICED.
IT'LL BE ON THURSDAY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEND THE DRAFT OUT TO THE MEDIA SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN HAVE A LOOK AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S IN IT.
BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS IT TOOK A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO GET HERE, AND A LOT OF LATE NIGHTS, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO I'VE SAID THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND INCLUDING CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, SYLVIA GARCIA, AND CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
UH, BUT LASTLY, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, A SUPER THANK YOU TO MY FIRST ASSISTANT, JONATHAN FBA.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, UH, IN POLITICS, WE SEE THAT THERE ARE INCREDIBLY COMPLEX ISSUES.
AND THERE THEY'RE, THEY GET TO THESE POINT OF INFLECTIONS WHERE YOU CAN RUN AWAY FROM THEM.
YOU CAN HIDE, YOU CAN PUT YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND.
UH, BUT IT TAKES THE REAL LEADERS LIKE JOHN FBA, LIKE TIFFANY BINGHAM, LIKE SARAH UTLEY IN MY OFFICE, LIKE THE MAYOR, LIKE THE MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONER'S COURT, TO ON A PROJECT THIS BIG THAT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT SO MANY LIVES TO GET EVERY SINGLE TANGIBLE BENEFIT THAT WE CAN GIVE FOR FOLKS.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO SOMEBODY WHO I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, UH, HERE FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
AND THAT'S TEX COMMISSIONER LAURA, OR RYAN.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
UH, AS MENTIONED, I'M LAURA RYAN AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, UH, TO START MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US ALL TOGETHER THIS MORNING TO ANNOUNCE THIS VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR THE I 45 NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO MARK'S A BIG DAY FOR TXDOT, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
FRANKLY, THIS IS A REALLY BIG DAY FOR THE HOUSTON REGION.
THROUGH PATIENTS LISTENING COMPROMISE AND HARD WORK, WE HAVE COME TO AGREEMENT AND STAND READY TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER ON THE I 45 NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
OVER THE PAST 18 PLUS MONTHS, TEXDOT HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH MAYOR TURNER AND HARRIS COUNTY OFFICIALS.
I TOO HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH CHRISTIAN
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MENIFEE, UM, TO REACH A COMMON GROUND ON SEVERAL AREAS OF ENHANCEMENT, WHICH HAVE CREATED A REAL WIN-WIN OUTCOME FOR OUR REGION ON THIS CRITICAL PROJECT.BECAUSE OF OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, THIS TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT CAN SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OUR COUNTRY IN A WORLD WHERE DISAGREEMENTS ARE OFTEN DEAL BREAKERS.
I'M PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE GROUP THAT FOUND THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROJECT.
AND WE, UH, THAT STANDS HERE TODAY.
WE CAME TOGETHER, WE WORKED THROUGH OUR DIFFERENCES, AND ULTIMATELY WE MODELED THE POWER OF COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP, BOTH THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING EXEC THAT WILL BE EXECUTED BY MAYOR TURNER AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AGREED TO WITH HARRIS COUNTY, WHICH WILL WARRANT THEIR DISMISSAL OF THE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE PROJECT, REPRESENT HOW STAYING FOCUSED ON OUR COMMON GROUND AND BENEFITS TO THE REGION HAVE PROVIDED AN OUTCOME THAT WILL ENHANCE THIS PROJECT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
IN PARTICULAR, THE AGREEMENTS EMPHASIZED COME TO, UH, EMPHASIZE COMMON GROUND ON MATTERS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, BUT I'LL, I'LL, I'LL MENTION 'EM AGAIN 'CAUSE THEY'RE IMPORTANT.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FLOOD MITIGATION, TRANSIT OP OPPORTUNITIES, PARK SPACE, BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN AREAS, AIR QUALITY AND NOISE IMPACTS, IMPACTED PROPERTIES, CONNECTING AND RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND SAFETY BY ADDRESSING A 50-YEAR-OLD INFRASTRUCTURE CORRIDOR WITH TODAY'S CURRENT SAFETY STANDARDS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS TOWARDS A RESOLUTION WITH THIS AGENCY.
ALSO, LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND ALL THE COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS THAT HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY SIDE BY SIDE WITH US OVER THE PAST 18 PLUS MONTHS TO ENSURE THAT WE GET TO THIS POINT TODAY.
WITHOUT THOSE CONTINUED EFFORTS AND ALL THE INPUT ON THE PROJECT, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
AND THE HOUSTON REGION WOULD NOT BE BENEFITING FROM THE MANY, MANY ADVANTAGES OF THIS $9 BILLION PROJECT.
TO SHARE MORE DETAILS WITH YOU ON THE BENEFITS AND THE COMMON GROUND THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REACH WITH BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TDO EXEC, DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BRANDI HENDRICKSON.
AND, UH, THANK YOU TO, UH, MAYOR TURNER AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENIFEE FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER TODAY.
UM, AS COMMISSIONER RYAN INDICATED, TDOT IS REALLY PLEASED TO BE HERE, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC THE STRIDES THAT WE HAVE MADE WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP ADVANCE THE I 45 AND HHIP.
FINDING COMMON GROUND ON A NUMBER OF KEY ISSUES HELPS TO REFINE THE PROJECT AND TO DELIVER WIN-WIN SOLUTIONS FOR HOUSTONIANS, AS WELL AS THE GREATER HOUSTON GALVESTON METROPOLITAN AREA.
THE N-H-H-I-P WILL ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS, INCLUDING UPDATING THE HIGHWAYS TO CURRENT STANDARDS, REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION, IMPROVING STORM WATER DRAINAGE, AND IMPROVING HURRICANE EVACUATION ROUTES.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE INNUMERABLE BENEFITS EXPECTED TO BE REALIZED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.
FOR EVERY $1 SPENT ON N-H-H-I-P CONSTRUCTION, THE REGION REALIZES A NEARLY $7 RETURN ON THIS, UH, VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT TRANSLATING TO MORE THAN $43 BILLION.
IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, $29 BILLION IN SAVINGS, UH, CAN BE EXPECTED DUE TO BETTER, SAFER, AND MORE RELIABLE TRAVEL TIMES.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
HOWEVER, THESE BENEFITS CAN ONLY BE REALIZED WITH THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT, WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK WITH OUR LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ASSURE THAT THE PROJECT NOT ONLY IMPROVES MOBILITY AND SAFETY, BUT THAT THE PROJECT ALSO MINIMIZES ADVERSE IMPACTS AND SETS A PRECEDENT FOR HOW PROJECTS LIKE THESE CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITIES THROUGH WHICH OUR HIGHWAYS TRAVEL.
THE AGREEMENTS WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE TODAY, HELP TO IDENTIFY OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THE N-H-H-I-P IS POSITIVELY TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR ALL INVOLVED.
SOME OF THE SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTS IN THE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SHARED TODAY, BOTH BY THE MAYOR, BY THE COUNTY, AND BY COMMISSIONER RYAN.
SO I'M NOT GONNA STEP THROUGH ALL OF THOSE 'CAUSE YOU DID A REALLY GREAT COMPREHENSIVE, UH, OVERVIEW.
BUT AS COMMISSIONER RYAN MENTIONED, THERE ARE A HOST OF OTHER KEY ISSUES THAT, UH, ARE ADDRESSED IN THE AGREEMENTS, INCLUDING HOW THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE MORE TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES, PARK SPACE, AND INCREASED BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES AND PLANET PLANS TO MONITOR AIR QUALITY AND IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO REDUCE ROADWAY NOISE.
PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS MENTIONED HERE ARE THE RESULT OF CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TXDOT, HOUSTON MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE OFFICIALS OF
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HARRIS COUNTY.WITHOUT THIS COLLABORATION, WE WOULD NOT HAVE REACHED THIS POINT.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE MANY COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS GROUPS WHO WORKED WITH US TO HELP GET US TO THIS DAY AND HARD WORK BY TXDOT HOUSTON DISTRICT STAFF AND OUR LEGAL TEAMS. TXDOT STANDS READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND COMMITS TO WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THE COMMUNITY, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO DELIVER A TRULY TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
I'M SANJAY RAMON, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE METRO TRANSIT AUTHORITIES BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS MAY SOUND CLICHE, BUT I THINK TODAY SIGNIFIES THAT TOGETHER WE CAN ACCOMPLISH MORE.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR ALLOWING METRO TO PLAY A PART IN MAKING THIS PROJECT, UH, COME TO A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER PLACE THAN WE WERE SAY, TWO YEARS AGO.
WHY DO WE SAY THAT? UH, BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC VIBRANCY OF THE GREATER HOUSTON REGION REQUIRES MOBILITY, IMPROVEMENTS, CONGESTION, MITIGATION, AND SO MUCH MORE.
AND THE N-H-H-I-P PROJECT, THE CURRENT STATE AFTER TODAY'S SIGNATURE, WILL BE A TRULY TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT IN PROVIDING CONNECTIVITY, MOBILITY, AND MULTIPLE OPTIONS TO MAXIMIZE THE MOVEMENT OF BOTH PEOPLE AND GOODS.
AND METRO PLAYS A CRITICAL PART OF IT WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRANSIT COMPONENTS.
AND IF I COULD ELABORATE ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT ONCE THE N-H-H-I-P IS COMPLETED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE BOTH TRANSIT AND BUS, RAPID TRANSIT, METRO RAPID, PROVIDING CRITICAL CONNECTIVITY TO THE BUSH AIRPORT WITHOUT ANY MODIFICATIONS.
THAT'S WHAT COMES FROM COLLABORATION DURING DESIGN.
SO WHEN WE BUILD IT, THE TXDOT COMPONENTS ARE BUILT, THE STATION COMPONENTS ARE BUILT, AND WE ARE READY TO GO AS SOON AS THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE.
BECAUSE THE PUBLIC WANTS TO SEE ONE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MULTIPLE FOLKS BUILDING MULTIPLE PROJECTS.
THE N-H-H-I-P DOES NOT IMPACT JUST THE I 45 CORRIDOR AND CONNECTIVITY TO THE BUSH AIRPORT.
IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING ON METRO NEXT, WHICH BACK IN 2019, OVER 69% OF THE HOUSTON REGION VOTED IN FAVOR OF THIS.
MOU ALSO INCLUDES COLLABORATING WITH TDOT TO MAKE SURE THE UNIVERSITY BUS, RAPID TRANSIT CORRIDOR, ALL OF THOSE CROSSING SOUTH I 45 AND MULTIPLE TECH DOTS RIGHT OF WAY ARE ALSO INCORPORATED CONTINUED COLLABORATION ON THAT FRONT, WHICH WILL LEAD TO THE SINGLE LONGEST BUS RAPID TRANSIT CORRIDOR ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
IT ALSO WORKS ON BIDIRECTIONAL HOV ALONG I 69 AND MULTIPLE OTHER PORTIONS.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THROUGH ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENED COLLABORATIVELY, YES, THESE HAVE BEEN LONG CONVERSATIONS, TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE ARE IN A BETTER PLACE.
AND IF I MAY DARE SAY, UH, THANKS TO THIS CHRISTMAS HAS COME EARLY TO HOUSTON THIS YEAR.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, EUROPA HARRIS THAT'S REPRESENTING CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
UM, I KNOW SHE WAS TRYING TO GET HERE, BUT I GOT AN EARLY TEXT MESSAGE FROM HER ABOUT ABOUT 2:00 AM UH, UH, THAT SHE WOULD BE, HAVE TO PROBABLY HAVE TO RETURN TO CONGRESS.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A BISHOP, UH, JAMES DIXON OVER THE NAAC HOUSTON NAACP.
UH, THANK YOU BISHOP DIXON FOR BEING HERE.
UH, GUY HA, GUY HASAD, WHO IS ALWAYS, UH, RIGHT THERE IN THE MIX OF TECHNICAL, UH, MATTERS.
I ACKNOWLEDGE CHRIS LAWSON EARLIER.
UH, AND THEN I, I WOULD BE REMISS NOW TO A ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ARTUR MICHELLE, THE CITY'S LEGAL ATTORNEY, WE ARTURA.
I WANT TO THANK ARTURO MICHELLE IN THE END, ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS AND HAVE TO BE APPROVED AND SIGNED OFF BY, BY HIM.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM AND HIS TEAM AND THEN ALL OF THE CITY DIRECTORS, UH, WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY, UH, I'M STANDING HERE, BUT FROM THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE DIRECTORS PUBLIC WORKS PLANNING, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, UM, YOU NAME IT.
THEY'VE ALL HAD A ROLE TO PLAY, UH, IN COMMUNICATIONS.
I'VE ALL HAD A ROLE TO PLAY MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
I'VE ALL HAD TO SIGN OFF PARKS AND REC.
UM, AND I'M GONNA LEAVE UP ALL OF MY DIRECTORS, OKAY, ALL OF THEM.
SO LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU IN THIS PROCESS.
AND THEN AGAIN, I THINK WE WILL ALL BE REMISS WITHOUT THANKING THE COMMUNITY.
UH, PEOPLE THEMSELVES, THE COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, UH, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THIS PROCESS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND NOT JUST SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT OVER
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THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.LET ME THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, UM, WHO PARTICIPATED, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE COMMUNITIES, LIVE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE A VITAL INTEREST IN HOW THINGS WILL BE BUILT, DESIGNED IN THIS CITY.
UH, LET ME THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UH, WHO HAS ALSO HAD A, UH, UH, A STRONG, UH, INFLUENCE IN THIS PROCESS.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED TO BRING US TO THIS, TO THIS DAY.
OKAY? THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I THINK IN, IN HEARING AND LISTENING, UM, WE HAVE TRIED TO REFLECT ON MANY OF THOSE THOUGHTS WITHIN THESE DOCUMENTS.
I WILL READILY ADMIT IT DOESN'T COVER EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT, UH, I THINK, UM, FOR THE REGION AS A WHOLE AND THAT FOR THE FUTURE, I BELIEVE IT IS A VERY GOOD DOCUMENT.
SO HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, UM, I'M GOING TO SIGN THE, UH, THE PORTION OF THIS, OF THE CITY'S MOU, UM, UH, THAT THE EXEC.
AND I DO AGAIN WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MARK WILLIAMS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF T STOCK, 'CAUSE HE AND I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS.
BUT JUST BEFORE, JUST BEFORE I DO IT, AND LEMME JUST SAY I WOULD BE REMISS, I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SENATOR BORIS MILES AND SENATOR BORIS MILES.
PLEASE, WHY DON'T YOU COME? I MEAN, YOU'RE AT THE STATE.
UH, YOU REPRESENT, UH, 50% OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CAUCUS, UH, IN THE STATE SENATE.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO OF YOU ALL, UH,
AND SO BE REMISS NOT TO AT LEAST, UH, HAVE YOU, UH, SPEAK, UH, ON THIS MATTER.
THANK YOU MAYOR T SENATOR BORIS MILES.
COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, LISTENING, AND LAWSUIT.
UH, HOWEVER IT GETS DONE, IT GOT DONE WHEN I WAS AT WITS END WITH MY T.AS WE ALL SAT AND TALKED EARLY IN THIS PROCESS, I WASN'T CONCERNED 'CAUSE I KNEW I HAD BACKUP BACK HOME AND YOU GUYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND THE END OF THAT IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE EQUALITY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE EPA INTEREST, WE'RE GONNA HAVE GREEN SPACE, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A HIGHWAY SYSTEM THAT'S FAR BETTER THAN ANY OTHER IN THE COUNTRY.
THANKS FOR HAVING MY BACK ON THIS ONE.
AND TEXT DOT, WELCOME TO HOUSTON.