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Don’t shoot the messenger…I’m getting concerned about this mayor myself! Houston city officials halt major part of Shepherd and Durham redesign, risking millions in funding   Houston city officials have put the brakes on the middle piece of a planned redesign of Shepherd and Durham along the edge of the Heights, a decision that community officials and others say puts millions of dollars destined for the city at risk. Rumored for weeks, and predicted by critics of Mayor John Whitmire’s transportation policies, the city's decision to not support any plan that removes lanes along the parallel, four-lane-wide corridors is likely to leave a gap in bicycle lanes along the streets between Interstate 10 and 15th Street. For the segment from near White Oak Bayou to north of 14th Street, it may also mean that no repairs other than routine maintenance happen in the coming months or years. “The potential exists for the project to be canceled entirely and for its associated federal funding to be reallocated somewhere else in the region,” Anne Lents, chairwoman of the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority, told board members, according to a printed copy of a monthly report she delivered Thursday.  “At this point, this is out of our direct control as a redevelopment authority. Ultimately, we are an entity of the city and are reliant on the (mayoral) administration and city permitting and approvals to advance projects.” WAITING ON THE BUS: Changes to Metro's Silver Line bring end to bus rapid transit Marlene Gafrick, a senior adviser to Whitmire and former city planning department director, confirmed she told the redevelopment authority, which is building the project with local and federal funds, it would only receive city support – and permits – if it redesigned the project. The two criteria Gafrick gave the redevelopment authority, which also operates a tax increment reinvestment zone of the city, is that the project “maintain the original lane widths and number of lanes” and maintain only six-foot sidewalks. That conflicts and makes the fully designed project impossible unless the redevelopment adds the cost and complexity of acquiring land, and even then turns planned 10-foot paths into smaller ADA-minimum sidewalks. Proponents of the street redesign said the decision to only allow it if is maintains all vehicle lanes makes little sense when repeated engineering analyses have found Shepherd and Durham will have minimal travel time changes, safety will be improved and much of the project simply keeps more consistency for drivers. “This project is right-sizing Shepherd and Durham and harmonizing the existing sections,” said Joe Cutrufo, executive director of the advocacy group BikeHouston. “It makes it safer for everyone whether they are inside a car or not.” Shepherd and Durham – which act jointly as a large thoroughfare with Durham running south and Shepherd north – are each only four lanes in certain locations. From Feagan, near Buffalo Bayou, north to Washington Avenue, the streets last year were trimmed to three lanes in each direction with wider sidewalks and a curb-protected bike lane on each.   “It is a lot safer to cross now, no question,” Rice Military resident Scott Pardo said Friday afternoon as he waited to cross Shepherd at Feagan. “I know sometimes it makes traffic a little worse, when it is jammed, but I will trade that for this.” The street flares to four lanes north of Washington and remains four until 15th Street, where an ongoing first phase of the rebuild narrows it to three lanes. The bridge carrying Durham over White Oak Bayou, however, is three lanes. Above 15th, where drainage and cross-street work was included, crews are slowly finishing the wide sidewalks intended for pedestrians and bicyclists, separated with raised planters. Work north of 15th is expected to finish later this year. NEW DEAL: TxDOT leaders proceed with $1.7B plan terminating Texas 288 Toll Lanes agreement Lents noted the center segment was rigorously studied, and officials verified it made sense as a better street for the community.   “These reports concluded that the new design is not just appropriate for current traffic but for traffic in the future,” she said. “The project is designed to encourage and support economic growth and development along the corridor – which we’ve seen explode since the project was announced.” When the first phase of work began in 2022, it was with the assumption the middle phase would follow. Both phases enjoyed support from local officials. The phase north of 15th Street won $25 million in federal funds, which officials in 2020 credited to U.S. Rep Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, who until redistricting represented the area north of 14th Street as part of his oddly-shaped district in northeast parts of Harris County. In 2020, a wide swath of officials – including Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, then-Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and then-state Sen. John Whitmire – submitted letters in support of the project. "The reconstruction of Shepherd and Durham are critical components of the transportation infrastructure of the City of Houston," Whitmire's letter said.  Still, construction has frustrated some businesses and drivers, as the work has kept Shepherd and Durham limited to two lanes at times, cut off some local streets and led to abrupt loss of electricity and water as lines are repaired or replaced.   What is uncertain, Lents told board members, is the way ahead for the center segment. Officials planned to ink a deal with a construction company by the end of September. If the work does not proceed, she said, the redevelopment authority and the city would have to go back to the Houston-Galveston Area Council to revise its funding plan. That means the region’s Transportation Policy Council would need to reapprove the project, at a time when Houston is sparring with the regional board about its representation on the council. “In other words, triggering additional H-GAC action creates risk for the project’s existing federal funding,” Lents said. WALKING TALL: Federal money aimed at neglected areas to pour $43.4M into Gulfton, Kashmere Gardens sidewalks That regional process, she said, could end with Shepherd-Durham unable to spend its money on time, H-GAC sending the money to another project in the Houston area and Shepherd-Durham at an indefinite standstill. Effects, however, might move far from the Shepherd-Durham corridor, as Whitmire officials pause other projects that could face the same challenges. A major rebuild of sidewalks in Kashmere Gardens and Gulfton also relies on potentially narrowing some streets, as does a planned redesign of Telephone Road and many of Metropolitan Transit Authority’s bus and light rail projects. Those projects either have or hope to receive competitive federal funds, which because of the Biden administration’s focus on climate and infrastructure are available. Drawing a hard line and not eliminating any vehicle lanes, however, might make Houston less competitive, said Kevin DeGood, director of infrastructure policy at the Center for American Progress. “Federal grant programs are very competitive,” DeGood said. “And the Biden administration is naturally going to prioritize projects that align with their vision and goals." Local elected officials are hopeful the changes can still keep federal money flowing. Asked if the demands to keep lanes open and alter federally funded projects risks losing money, U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, who now represents all of the area in the Shepherd-Durham rebuild, said in a statement cooperation is necessary. PLANNED ROADWORK: Houston-area road construction tracker "It is because of the strong collaboration and partnership with our leaders and experts in our community that we have been able to deliver important and much-needed funds," Fletcher said. "I have had productive conversations with Mayor Whitmire on ways to collaborate moving forward, and I look forward to working with him and city and county leaders to advocate for federal funding opportunities." Still, if that does not align with where the White House wants to spend money, it is a difficult case. "To the extent Houston is putting forward applications that diverge from that vision, it will make them less likely to receive funding," DeGood said.  Even turning back money could send the wrong signal, he said. “Canceling a project that has been chosen for a federal grant award demonstrates that you are an unreliable partner,” DeGood said. “I think the current mayor has an obligation to follow through on the good-faith commitments of the prior mayoral administration.”

Never knew there was a Memorial Hermann location at this Crossing at 288 shopping center. Very cool! The restaurant The Monk's Indian Bistro was superb! They had these fries that were dressed Indian style.  So good! I could eat those 5 days a week for lunch.  Don't even need ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, mayo, etc. Memorial Hermann street (freeway) signage: Indian-style fries:

1.14-acres for sale (or lease) here. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/5524-Richmond-Ave-Houston-TX/29156978/  

Photo update!  Took these photos last weekend.

Jones & Tabor Architects designed a downtown theatre in the 1920s! Never knew this until this week.  Very cool history here!