Harris County is currently in the design phase of a plan to expand Jarvis Road from a two land road to a four lane road with a 14-foot raised median between Barker Cypress and Telge.  The problem is that residents in Coles Crossing to the north and Cypress Pass to the south do not want the expansion to happen.

Here is what Randy Schilhab, manager of engineering for Harris County Precinct 3, had to say about the Jarvis project in an article in ImpactNews:

The design phase is scheduled to be completed later this year.  We will place the project on hold upon completion of the design.  We will continue to annually monitor traffic volumes.  If the traffic volumes continue to increase in the future, we will notify the community of our intent to move forward with construction.

In an effort to try and prevent construction from ever happening, area residents created an online petition:

http://www.change.org/petitions/prevent-the-current-expansion-plans-for-jarvis-road

Driving Down Jarvis

The Map

View Jarvis Road Expansion Petition in a larger map

 

The Petition

Here are the main concerns about widening Jarvis listed on the Change.org petition:

1. Safety risks due to increased traffic on Jarvis. We have been told that the proposed median is designed to lower risk of injury in the case of an accident. This is a circumstance precipitated by the unnecessary expansion of Jarvis.

2. The lack of “greenbelt space” between the road and neighborhood home increases the risk to innocent lives in the event of an accident.

3. The reasons for increasing Jarvis are out dated and the need to increase the road should be reevaluated with current data in regards to road usage.

4. The expansion of the road does not take into account that it will make pedestrian access difficult therefore reducing the quality of life for neighborhood families.

5. The aesthetic value of our neighborhood will be ruined with the expansion therefore having a negative affect on property value.

6. Increase noise and air pollution

7. Last, when will we prioritize our spending patterns? Texas is laying off thousands of teachers across the state and hundreds here in our local school districts. What is next, police and firemen? We look toward our states and local county governments for leadership and using sound judgment in terms of spending and prioritizing projects, and making sound decisions for spending tax dollars. Widening Jarvis is not a priority or a need.

TX DOT Meeting

Here is info on an upcoming TX DOT meeting that area residents are encouraged to attend to discuss the Jarvis expansion. This was from the Coles Crossing message board:

Here are the details for the TX DOT’s public meeting to receive comments on the 2011-2014 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program – Fiscal Yr 2011 May Revisions. The project to widen Jarvis is included in this program. Below are the details of the approaching meeting. If you are able please plan to attend this meeting with us, it is important to have numbers at this meeting. If you cannot attend please send an email to the address below.

Date: May 25, 2011

Time: 4-6pm

Location: TXDOT Houston District Auditorium

7600 Washington Avenue

Houston, TX 77007

Interested parties can also comment in writing to TX DOT at the address or email below:

Texas Department of Transportation

Attn: Lori Morel

118 E. Riverside Drive

Austin, TX 78704

Lori.Morel@tx.gov

Written comments are due by 5pm on June 6.