 Hardy Toll Road | |
|---|---|
 Hardy Toll Road highlighted in red; Hardy Toll Road Airport Connector in blue | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by Harris County Toll Road Authority | |
| Length | 21.6 mi (34.8 km) |
| Existed | 1988–present |
| Major junctions | |
| South end |  I-610 in Houston |
 Beltway 8 at Aldine SH 99 Toll at Spring | |
| North end |  I-45 at Spring |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Counties | Harris |
| Highway system | |
The Hardy Toll Road is a controlled-access toll road in the Greater Houston area of the U.S. state of Texas, maintained by the Harris County Toll Road Authority. The route runs from Interstate 610 near central Houston to Interstate 45 just south of the Harris–Montgomery county line. The road generally parallels Interstate 45. The portion from I-610 to Crosstimbers Road was designated on September 26, 1984 as Spur 548, although this is unsigned.[1][2][unreliable source][3]
Construction on the toll road started in September 1984 and the entire road was complete by June 1988.[4] The toll road runs 21.6 miles (34.8 km)[4] and costs $3 to drive its full length ($1.50 north of Beltway 8 and $1.50 south of Beltway 8). A four-mile (6 km) connecting road to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport requires a $1.20 toll. As of July 18, 2016, the Hardy Toll Road discontinued cash tolling and made the switch to all-electronic tolling. All drivers must now use an EZ TAG to access the toll road.[5]
The road is named for nearby Hardy Street, which makes up the frontage roads for the toll road in two locations: between Spring Railroad Yard and FM 1960, and between Greens Road and Crosstimbers Road.
A large portion of the southern segment resembles Austin's Mopac Expressway in that an active line of the Union Pacific railroad runs along its median. Like other toll roads in the Houston area, the speed limit is 65 mph (105 km/h), even inside Beltway 8.
- ^ Texas Transportation Commission (February 22, 2001). "Texas Transportation Commission Agenda". Texas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on February 17, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2006.
- ^ Stanek, David (December 29, 2000). "State Highway Spurs". Texas Highway Routes. Archived from the original on August 8, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2006.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Spur No. 548". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ a b "HCTRA Project History". Harris County Toll Road Authority. Archived from the original on October 21, 2006. Retrieved September 29, 2006.
- ^ Delaughter, Gail (21 August 2015). "The Hardy Toll Road is Getting a Big Makeover". Houston Public Media.