j.33

Appears to be that Northside Management District's safe streets will be grouped with International District's so that is why Bissonnet Street is included in the description. @steve1363 and @Houston19514 Greater-Northside-SS4A-FY23.pdf (houstontx.gov)

Workers were on site this morning.

You're right, planners strive to make American cities more human scaled. But that does not mean we want them to be European. Planners just want cities to be safer for all road users. We want people to have options moving around and to have a choice in their mode and a choice in where they live. We want cities to be livable. We want cities to be vibrant. And we want cities to be enjoyable. It is not that we want our cities to be more European, it is just we want our cities to be better than how they are today :).

Which modern urban planner are you talking about? On behalf of urban planners, I dont think any of us think that way in the profession. Now, if you are referencing people on Twitter or Youtube who post content and commentary on cities, that is a different story. That group is vastly different than the people who actually work in the planning industry.

And there was a cyclist death two weeks ago just north of here. Although the safety improvement shown in the thread will not go where the crash was, at least it is a start to slow down traffic and make portions of the corridor safer.

I would also say that the issues around the Greyhound station in Midtown was not just because of Greyhound. It was also because of the Pierce Elevated, the gas station that continues to change hands every few months/years, and St Josephs Hospital. I am sure some activity will increase around Magnolia TC, but I don't see what is happening in Midtown follow to East End. Of course time will tell, but I do hope that Greyhound is a good neighbor and responds to the community concerns by hiring more security.

Houston Metro Area Traffic Signals - Traffic and Transportation - HAIF - Houston's original social media (houstonarchitecture.com)

@X.R. METRO is leasing the old Megabus lot off of Travis at Pierce, which is a few blocks away from the Greyhound station. I think Brooklyn173 was just posting about it because it is kind of related.

Oh the people on NextDoor never fail to spew misinformation and fear among each other. Its been unfortunately funny and entertaining seeing all of their posts on Montrose Blvd Improvements and 11th Street Bike Lanes. Also, a whole lot of them fall for scams (seems to be the other main topic they talk about in addition to hating bike lanes and road improvements).

You might be seeing this project.

I wonder what the plan is for their branch across the street.

Most of the nearby homes have their garages face an alley, so when cars do park on the neighboring streets, the number of driveways that can be impacted are already minimal. Additionally, that part of White Oak and Heights Blvd is still pretty empty in terms of on street parking.

Saw this on Twitter talking about HGAC 2023 update. Looks like it is delayed a bit.

Dirt has been moving around for a few months now. One strange thing I have noticed is most of the activity I have seen with dump trucks on the site is typically on Saturdays (typically very quiet on the weekdays)

Yay for new development, but it will be right at the Green Line and University Line. In a few years, the land use around this area will drastically change and makes me think that 10 townhomes might not make such a huge impact long term.

TIRZ 12, which is in the area between TC Jester, Hempstead Road, and the North Loop, is in the process of doing a mobility study. There is a map and survey you can fill out on their website to mark where we feel unsafe biking, walking, and driving. I know a lot of us bike in this study area so sharing it with the group if anyone is interested in marking up the map or taking the survey. They will be using these comments to help figure out where to place improved and safer cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. City Park | TIRZ 12 Mobility Plan | TIRZ 12 Mobility Study (mysocialpinpoint.com)

Retrofit v. Reconstruction. 11th was a retrofit, so the street's bones (curb to curb and sidewalks) remained roughly untouched. This is a reconstruction so of course more things could happen and be more transformative.

Aww the mid rise tower would've been fun. At least this one has parking in the rear as well. Thanks for the update.

Do you mind clarifying? You're only talking about the restaurant portion of House of Blues, right? I think you've made it clear in above posts, but just wanted to make sure haha.

Yea, Vegvisir CrossFit & Personal Training (which is currently a few blocks north), is moving their gym to this location. It was at the planning commission a few weeks ago for an offsite parking variance.

We have to shut down BCycle. It breaks our hearts. (Opinion) (houstonchronicle.com) "At Houston Bike Share, the nonprofit agency that runs the BCycle system, we’ve been working to find new funding for more than a year. We’ve made tough decisions, suspending stations and raising prices. And now, in the face of a major cash crunch, we plan to shut down the operation completely in the next two months." Article goes into more depth on the success they saw over the years and how they really propelled Houstonians to adopt bikeshare as a mode of recreation and transport. Unfortunately, they were not able to remain profitable as funds and donation terms ended. Very sad to say the least to hear that the end is near for them.

More discussion is going on in the linked forum.

Floating bus stops along Heights in Houston removed (houstonchronicle.com) Quote from the article: "The aim was to “improve traffic flow,” Metro spokewoman Tracy Jackson said. “Upon completion, Metro’s chief safety officer determined the design did not provide the safest environment for bus passengers or others on the road,” she said. Drivers and Heights area residents also teed off on the platforms, calling them dangerous because drivers were not prepared to cruise by the raised yellow curb. “Whoever put those there clearly drives a sub-compact (car),” said Michael Reese, who drops his daughter at school each morning by driving north on Heights, then south to his downtown job. “The first time I came up to it, I didn’t think I would fit.” The lane was plenty wide, even for buses and commercial trucks, but the perception dominated the reaction, and the black marks along the yellow painted curb showed some drivers could not keep from bumping the platform. That feedback, both to Metro and the city, also led to the change, officials said. Metro is paying to redo the street, after the city paid for the initial changes as part of the 11th Street redesign. Metro, as of Friday, could not confirm the total cost of the redesign. “The safety hazards could not be ignored, and safety will always dictate how we move forward,” Jackson said." This is a response I got from METRO when I asked why the bus stop signs weren't in place on the new floating bus platforms: "Thank you for contacting Metro. METRO does not approve of the design for the floating bus stops, for now stops will remain near side." Honestly if this is the only change that comes from 11th St, then it is fine. For a while I was worried they would eliminate more of the safety features. Now that the community is used to it and recognizes the changes are for the greater good, I hope to see more roadways undergo changes like this :). In the future, lets hope the City and METRO can agree on the floating island design.

@Amlaham I believe it is at the final stage, which means it needs to be adopted by city council. Timeline on that is unclear (can't seem to find any announcements about it). The last major action item was the public hearing back in June, which was also a little bit of a bummer with Mayor Turner completely removing market based parking from the recommendation.

Map showing all of the projects part of the Pct 4 grant: 2023 Call for Projects - Harris County Precinct 4 (hcp4.net) Video Press Conference here with Houston Parks Board speaking about the project: