Legislative Reference Library | Current Issues

Headline	Newspaper	Columnist	Date	Related Links	Subjects
I-45 project targets congested interchange at border with Harris and Montgomery counties	Houston Chronicle	Dominguez, C.	04/14/2024	1 doc(s)	Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Traffic
Assessment finds 'gaps' in air monitoring tests for I-45 widening	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	03/04/2024	6 doc(s)	Air quality monitoring; County commissioners; Ellis, Rodney; Harris County; Highway construction; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of
Houston mayoral candidates' plans for transportation cover METRO ridership, bike safety and I-45	Houston Chronicle	Cheng, Y.	09/27/2023	1 doc(s)	Bicyclists; Campaign debates; Garcia, Gilbert; Highway planning; Houston, Texas; Interstate Highway 45; Kaplan, Lee; Lee, Sheila Jackson; Mass transit; Mayoral campaigns and elections; Metropolitan Transit Authority; Traffic safety; Whitmire, John
Officials: I-45 deal not end of story	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	03/17/2023	1 doc(s)	Ellis, Rodney; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Lee, Sheila Jackson; Turner, Sylvester
I-45 project to resume after 2-year pause, as TxDOT, federal officials agree on $9.7B rebuild	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	03/08/2023	1 doc(s)	Federal Highway Administration; Highway planning; Houston, Texas; Interstate Highway 45; Lee, Sheila Jackson; Transportation, Texas Department of; Turner, Sylvester
Delayed I-45 work frees up funding	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	03/02/2023	4 doc(s)	Farm-to-market roads; Highway construction; Highway finance; Houston, Texas; Interstate Highway 45; Unified Transportation Program
TxDOT has deal to rebuild I-45, but many details must be worked out before lifting a shovel	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	01/13/2023	4 doc(s)	Harris County; Harris County Flood Control District; Harris County Toll Road Authority; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation planning; Transportation, Texas Department of
Freeway foes across the state band together, figuring TxDOT cannot fight them all	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	09/06/2022	3 doc(s)	Highway construction; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 35; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of
Texas has $85B plan for expanding highways, but Houston I-45 project foes say no thanks	Houston Chronicle	Schuetz, R.	07/28/2022	1 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Highway construction; Homelessness; Housing; Houston, Texas; Interstate Highway 45
Opponents of plan to widen I-45 call on TxDOT to remove project	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	07/27/2022	4 doc(s)	Houston, Texas; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation planning; Transportation, Texas Department of; Turner, Sylvester; Unified Transportation Program
Opponents deluge TxDOT officials with calls to rethink highway projects across state, including I-45	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	04/21/2022	2 doc(s)	Highway construction; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation Commission, Texas; Transportation, Texas Department of
Thumbs: We have Ron Paul to thank for music icon Selena?	Houston Chronicle	Ed.	04/02/2022	3 doc(s)	Censorship; Highway construction; Interstate Highway 45; Katy Independent School District; Paul, Ron; Quintanilla-Perez, Selena; School libraries and librarians
Metro approves I-10 busway route, calling it key link in future of Houston transit	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	03/25/2022	1 doc(s)	Buses; Interstate Highway 10; Mass transit; Metropolitan Transit Authority
Groups file federal complaint over I-45 project, urge civil rights review	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	12/17/2021	2 doc(s)	Civil rights; Environmental impact; Environmental justice; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Lee, Sheila Jackson; Minorities; Transportation, Texas Department of
Pause on Houston highway project partially lifted amid talks	Austin American Statesman	Lozano, J.	12/02/2021	4 doc(s)	Federal Highway Administration; Harris County; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of
Feds, TxDOT agree to restart on pieces of I-45 project, but deal is a long way from resolving issues	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	12/02/2021	4 doc(s)	Bugg, J. Bruce, Jr.; Federal Highway Administration; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of; Williams, Marc
Houston highway project sparks debate over racial equity	Dallas Morning News	Lozano, J.	11/26/2021	3 doc(s)	Buttigieg, Pete; Ellis, Rodney; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Racial discrimination
Harris County pausing I-45 lawsuit in hopes of negotiating with TxDOT	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	11/16/2021	3 doc(s)	County commissioners; Garcia, Adrian; Harris County; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Menefee, Christian; Transportation, Texas Department of
Houston Republicans urge Buttigieg to lift pause on I-45 expansion project	Herald Democrat	Scherer, J.	11/10/2021	2 doc(s)	Federal Highway Administration; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Texas congressional delegation
Controversial I-45 project still alive as TxDOT, feds given 90 days to settle differences	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	09/01/2021	3 doc(s)	Bugg, J. Bruce, Jr.; Federal Highway Administration; Hidalgo, Lina; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Ryan Heizer, Laura; Transportation Commission, Texas; Turner, Sylvester
Fate of controversial I-45 project to be decided Tuesday, with yes-or-no vote after 15 years of work	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	08/31/2021	2 doc(s)	Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Public information; Transportation, Texas Department of
Invest I-45 funds in transit, bike lanes and sidewalks	Houston Chronicle	Cutrufo, J.	08/31/2021	1 doc(s)	Galveston, Texas; Highway finance; Houston, Texas; Houston-Galveston Area Council; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation planning; Transportation, Texas Department of
TxDOT's way or no highway? SurveyMonkey poll no way to decide future of I-45.	Houston Chronicle	Editorial	08/03/2021	2 doc(s)	Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Public opinion polls; Transportation, Texas Department of
I-45 supporters urge TxDOT leaders to keep money for rebuild	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	07/30/2021	1 doc(s)	Bugg, J. Bruce, Jr.; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45
Houston's $9B I-45 rebuild could come down to online poll, after 15 years and $503 million	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	07/24/2021	1 doc(s)	Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Lee, Sheila Jackson; Turner, Sylvester; Williams, Marc
Massive I-45 Houston project heads back to public comment phase during pause	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	07/01/2021	1 doc(s)	Bugg, J. Bruce, Jr.; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Ryan Heizer, Laura; Thompson, Ed
Listen up, TxDOT. Otherwise, say goodbye to I-45 expansion.	Houston Chronicle	Editorial	06/24/2021	1 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Environmental justice; Federal Highway Administration; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of
Federal officials halt development on TxDOT's $7 billion rebuild of I-45	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	06/24/2021	2 doc(s)	Bugg, J. Bruce, Jr.; Environmental impact; Federal Highway Administration; Hidalgo, Lina; Highway construction; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Menefee, Christian; Transportation, Texas Department of; Turner, Sylvester
Pause on I-45 expansion plans gives Houstonians a chance to really think about the future	Houston Chronicle	Grieder, E.	04/18/2021	4 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Environmental justice; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45
Supporters of I-45 widening say pause puts promises of relief on hold, too	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	04/14/2021	1 doc(s)	Flood control; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45
TxDOT's $7 billion plan to shorten your I-45 commute may displace hundreds of families	Houston Chronicle	Editorial	04/01/2021	1 doc(s)	Bass, James; Emmett, Ed; Environmental impact; Harris County; Hidalgo, Lina; Highway construction; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of; Turner, Sylvester; West, Royce
Massive I-45 rebuild receives regional support, over objections of Houston, Harris County	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	03/27/2021	1 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Environmental justice; Harris County; Hidalgo, Lina; Highway construction; Highway planning; Houston, Texas; Interstate Highway 45; Suburban areas; Transportation, Texas Department of
Suit seeks to stop $7B highway plan	Dallas Morning News	Lozano, J.	03/12/2021	1 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Environmental justice; Federal Highway Administration; Harris County; Hidalgo, Lina; Highway construction; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of
Harris County sues to stop I-45 rebuild plans by TxDOT	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	03/12/2021	1 doc(s)	Civil rights; Environmental impact; Harris County; Hidalgo, Lina; Highway construction; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Menefee, Christian; Transportation, Texas Department of; Turner, Sylvester
TxDOT gives itself go-ahead on $7.5B rebuild of I-45, and critics pounce	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	02/05/2021	1 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Garcia, Adrian; Hidalgo, Lina; Highway construction; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of
At Jackson Lee’s request, TxDOT tacks on a few more days for comment on $7 billion I-45 project	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	12/12/2020	3 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Lee, Sheila Jackson; Transportation, Texas Department of; Turner, Sylvester
Opponents readying for long fight, though key I-45 deadline to TxDOT days away	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	12/07/2020	1 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Highway construction; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation planning; Transportation, Texas Department of
Local leaders must step up and stop TxDOT’s I-45 expansion	Houston Chronicle	Graham, S.	11/27/2020	2 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of; Turner, Sylvester
TxDOT extends public comment deadline for $7B planned rebuild of I-45	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	11/02/2020	1 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of
Critics: 30-day window to comment on I-45 project far too short for generation-lasting rebuild	Houston Chronicle	Begley, D.	10/13/2020	2 doc(s)	Environmental impact; Highway planning; Interstate Highway 45; Transportation, Texas Department of