| Inner Katy Transit Oriented Development Study
The Inner Katy Transit Oriented Development Study was the first step towards assessing the feasibility and impact of implementing high-capacity transit in the corridor along I-10 between Silber Road and Downtown. This corridor is a logical connection between future high-capacity transit operations along US 290, Loop 610 West, and the Katy Freeway west of Loop 610.
The initial feasibility analysis of various transportation modes and a definitive analysis of high capacity transit's potential benefits has affected local decisions regarding transit mode (bus, enhanced bus, and light or commuter rail), alignment and investment in the Inner Katy Corridor.
Funded through the City's Capital Improvement Program, the study was conducted by a team of consultants led by Wilbur Smith Associates. The Planning and Development Department oversaw the contract. The effort was also supported by then District H Councilman, Gabriel Vasquez, and METRO. Public outreach and data collection efforts were supported by the Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC). METRO also contributed an analysis of the feasibility of selected transit modes.
The study took place over 30 weeks, beginning in late February, and it was completed in late September. If warranted, this study may be followed by a more in-depth alternatives analysis by METRO as well as a detailed economic development plan by the City of Houston for the corridor.
The project scope included assessing existing conditions, developing baseline and alternative development and transit alignment scenarios, analyzing feasibility, and gaining community consensus on a preferred scenario. Effective communication between stakeholders and the larger community was a very important piece of the Inner Katy Transit-Oriented Development Study. Collaboration among stakeholders through ongoing dialogue is essential to identifying preferred transit routes and scenarios.
The study area is bound by Pecore and West 11th Streets on the North, I-45 on the East, Buffalo Bayou on the South, and Loop 610/Silber Road on the West.
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