Upper Kirby Road Work On Westheimer Rd.

[skooljunkie]

The latest Upper Kirby newsletter mentions utility work beginning on Westheimer near Shepherd as soon as January 2013. This is something to be thankful for:

Westheimer Drainage Improvements and Streetscape Installation

Design is now nearly complete on the Westheimer Paving, Drainage and Streetscape Improvements Project between Shepherd and Buffalo Speedway. This is the final piece of storm drainage work needed to complete the Kirby system.

Work on Westheimer will follow the scope of the Kirby Drive reconstruction project fairly closely. It will entail the burial of all overhead utility lines; new storm drainage, water and sanitary facilities; complete roadway repaving and the installation of a full pedestrian-oriented streetscape that will include pedestrian lighting and furniture, street tree installation and irrigation, brick paved crosswalks, widened sidewalks and upgraded traffic signal and streetlight standards.

The project will be implemented in two sections, the eastern phase will extend from Shepherd to Kirby Drive and the western phase will continue from Kirby to Buffalo Speedway. Each of these phases will be split into a utility relocation phase followed by a roadway, infrastructure and streetscape phase.

The project will likely begin at Shepherd where the contractor will be responsible for constructing the underground duct-banks that will house the existing overhead wires in the future. The contractor will then asphalt over the work area, re-stripe the roadway and remove all traffic control and equipment.

We will close out the contract at this point to avoid disruption to the traveling public and to the local businesses and property owners while we wait for Center Point and all telecommunication companies to transfer services to the new underground facilities and remove the wooden utility poles. Because the length of this process is uncertain, we have planned the project to pause and restore the roadway completely while the utility companies are completing their work. Once the terminal poles have been removed by Center Point, we will bid the roadway phase of the project and begin the reconstruction.

The first utility phase is planned to be bid in December to begin construction in January. Please look for further detail on the timing and implementation of this project as plans are finalized.

[ChrisPHous]

It's a thanksgiving miracle!

This will make the area look so much better not to mention those parts of westheimer are pretty jacked up!

[houblu]

I guess the slum part of westheimer east of shepherd is outside of upper kirby?

[Subdude]

This is good news for modern man, especially burying the utility lines.

[mfastx]

Much needed re-do. There's so many major streets in the inner loop that need this, glad that Westheimer will now have improved sidewalks and buried power lines.

[kdog08]

This is great news. Hopefully we can go from Shepard to Bagby sometime in the near future.

[swtsig]

and maybe they can redo shepherd between washington and 59 next... that stretch is almost worse.

[samagon]

All of these roads are quite alright, I'd even say they are in terrific shape.

Go take a ride down Beechnut between BW8 and Kirkwood, that road might not even qualify as a road in some 3rd world countries, and it surely makes every other road you might travel in Houston seem quite alright.

[ChrisPHous]

As far as power line burying goes, Washington Ave. would benefit aesthetically so much...we can only pray for widened sidewalks there also

[TxDave]

It sounds like they are doing a very nice job with this area

The buried power lines and pedestrian streetscapes will really help make the street a good anchor for an already great neighborhood