HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — The U.S. Federal Highway Administration will be investigating whether the state's pending I-45 expansion project violates any environment protection or civil rights laws, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced Wednesday.
The announcement comes just weeks after Harris County field a lawsuit demanding the Texas Department of Transportation consider the broader impacts of the project on the local community.
In March, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee filed a lawsuit demanding TxDOT take residents and the environment into consideration as part of its I-45 expansion plans.
"The [FHA] has asked TxDOT to stand down on essentially all activities of the project as the federal government investigates not just potential violations of federal civil rights laws but also TxDOT's compliance with federal environmental laws — the very same laws that are the subject of the lawsuit that we have at Harris County against TxDOT," Menefee said.
It doesn't seem the investigation will stop the project all together, but it's clear the Biden administration is backing up Harris County in ensuring the project is executed in the best interest of local residents.
"This is an incredibly rare step, but it's an appropriate one because this is a rare set of circumstances," Menefee said. "It's not often that you see a state Department of Transportation attempt to push through a massive highway expansion project without buy-in from the local governmental entities most affected by that project, the local communities and the local partners. "
Menefee said the county will be moving forward with its lawsuit against TxDOT. He anticipates the next big development in the case will come before end of the year.
Hidalgo said the county, the City of Houston, Rice University and other groups met and created alternatives to project that they believe will ease traffic and have low impact on residents as well as the environment.
She said they plan to share their designs with TxDOT soon.
In the expansion plan, the new route follows I-45 south until I-10 and then follows I-10 east to U.S. 59 South, past the George R. Brown Convention Center, until it meets the current highway. The new route does not use the Pierce Elevated.
The estimated $7 billion project is broken up into three segments: Beltway 8 North to 610, 610 to I-10, and the downtown loop.
Menefee added the federal government has agreed to deny approval for an important report TxDOT would need to move forward with the expansion until the matter is resolved.
Harris County leaders said TxDOT will need to acquire property along the way in order to do the expansion. The project would displace people and businesses. It includes 160 single-family homes and 433 apartments like Lofts at the Ballpark.
A study states 344 businesses and five places of worship are also in the path of the project. TxDOT is offering an acquisition and relocation assistance program to those who qualify.