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http://houston.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/05-09-18-bustling-downtown-houston-street-to-be-transformed-into-a-walkable-bike-friendly-corridor/?utm_source=sf_twitter

 

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It’s a move that signals an approach to urban planning and walkability. Currently between four and six lanes wide, Bagby Street, one of just a few two-way streets in downtown, will be reduced to between three and four vehicular lanes to allow for wider pedestrian walkways, a bicycle lane, beautification elements, and signature lighting.

 

This is great! This may hurt traffic a bit after theater shows, but they can deal with it imho. 

 

Edit: Asked one of the planners on Twitter for a timeline, and he said 1 year for design and 2 years for construction. 

 

274680_original.jpg

Edited by wilcal
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27 minutes ago, wilcal said:

http://houston.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/05-09-18-bustling-downtown-houston-street-to-be-transformed-into-a-walkable-bike-friendly-corridor/?utm_source=sf_twitter

 

 

This is great! This may hurt traffic a bit after theater shows, but they can deal with it imho. 

 

Edit: Asked one of the planners on Twitter for a timeline, and he said 1 year for design and 2 years for construction. 

 

 

Yes, that's what the HBJ article says, as well.  Completion in 2021

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/05/08/houston-s-downtown-redevelopment-authority-picks.html

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5 hours ago, Vy65 said:

They need to either completely redevelop Bayou place or burn it to the ground and put something useful there. It's a dump, as it is. 

 

I think plans are to get rid of it and redevelop the 3 blocks it sits on.

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Saw this in the presentation. When it says "Trails in Progress" what does that mean exactly? That they have plans/funds and are waiting to start?

 

The little corner in the bottom left of the map on Holman is separated bike lane that is complete for a whole block, but none of Brazos is done to my knowledge and it's marked the same color. Are the dotted blue line projects imminent in their start?

 

UaBQgm7.jpg

 

 

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47 minutes ago, wilcal said:

Saw this in the presentation. When it says "Trails in Progress" what does that mean exactly? That they have plans/funds and are waiting to start?

 

The little corner in the bottom left of the map on Holman is separated bike lane that is complete for a whole block, but none of Brazos is done to my knowledge and it's marked the same color. Are the dotted blue line projects imminent in their start?

 

UaBQgm7.jpg

 

 

There is also the proposal making Main from MidMain to Downtown a pedestrian through fare with bike lanes. Aren't they also planning to make a dedicated bike lane when they redo Alabama?  

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4 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

There is also the proposal making Main from MidMain to Downtown a pedestrian through fare with bike lanes. Aren't they also planning to make a dedicated bike lane when they redo Alabama?  

 

That was a Midtown TIRZ rendering. I contacted them to ask if there was a timeline, funding, etc and they said no timeline and no funding at this point. Just something they would like to see. I specifically asked if it was something we could see with the new Harris County funds for this year and they said no. 

 

Edit: Also, Alabama reconstruction has been pushed to like '21 or '22 based on rebuild Houston funding website :(

Edited by wilcal
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I just wish the recently replaced bridge on W Dallas over I-45 had been built just a few feet wider, and with higher guardrails. Although the new bridge is an improvement over what it replaced, it's still daunting for cyclists and pedestrians (especially those who suffer from acrophobia).

It would have made the downtown improvements more accessible to the growing number of people who live in that area.

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25 minutes ago, cspwal said:

There's work going on Alabama underneath 527 and I thought it meant they had started on the W Alabama reconstruction 

 

That's just sewer work from my understanding. No road reconfiguration is happening. 

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2 hours ago, wilcal said:

 

That was a Midtown TIRZ rendering. I contacted them to ask if there was a timeline, funding, etc and they said no timeline and no funding at this point. Just something they would like to see. I specifically asked if it was something we could see with the new Harris County funds for this year and they said no. 

 

Edit: Also, Alabama reconstruction has been pushed to like '21 or '22 based on rebuild Houston funding website :(

Wow that's bs on their part. From what I gathered all this time is that most of these roads are funded and just needed to go through the right channels before construction. West Alabama was supposed to start late last yr. Where the hell is all this money going from 2017 till 2022?

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1 hour ago, dbigtex56 said:

I just wish the recently replaced bridge on W Dallas over I-45 had been built just a few feet wider, and with higher guardrails. Although the new bridge is an improvement over what it replaced, it's still daunting for cyclists and pedestrians (especially those who suffer from acrophobia).

It would have made the downtown improvements more accessible to the growing number of people who live in that area.

 

I think that's a temporary bridge.  I believe West Dallas will be an underpass rather than an overpass once the downtown freeway loop is replaced (so figure 10 years or so?).

 

Unfortunately since it will have 5 freeway lanes above it, it will be wide enough that it may become the new homeless encampment.  But maybe if we get the pretty signature bridge for the new downtown spur with the red towers as was rendered elsewhere (can't find it now, but I swear I saw it here the other day), it won't be a problem.

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On 5/11/2018 at 2:38 PM, j_cuevas713 said:

Wow that's bs on their part. From what I gathered all this time is that most of these roads are funded and just needed to go through the right channels before construction. West Alabama was supposed to start late last yr. Where the hell is all this money going from 2017 till 2022?

 

"Harvey stuff" from what I understand.

 

The Rebuild Houston interactive map is down right now, so I can't tell you exactly what year. 

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Has anyone seen any more information on Tranquility Park being renovated?  In my opinion, it needs more help than Jones Plaza.  I walked through this park and around City Hall over the weekend on my way to The Hobby Center.  The sidewalks are narrow and in extremely bad shape.  It seems like City Hall is used enough to justify improving this area.  This website says the fountains have been closed since 2013.  Maybe something will happen after the Bagby redo.  

 

Tranquillity Park Fountain - September 9, 2013 - Until Further Notice
Due to mechanical repairs, the Tranquillity Park fountain basin has been drained and the tall "stacks" will not be operational for the duration of the project.

 

http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/closedrepair.html

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On 5/11/2018 at 0:01 PM, wilcal said:

 

That was a Midtown TIRZ rendering. I contacted them to ask if there was a timeline, funding, etc and they said no timeline and no funding at this point. Just something they would like to see. I specifically asked if it was something we could see with the new Harris County funds for this year and they said no. 

 

Edit: Also, Alabama reconstruction has been pushed to like '21 or '22 based on rebuild Houston funding website :(

 

If they wanted to do something more immediate, they could just do the area between Alabama and Elgin first.  Get appropriate variances and install bollards to block/limit vehicular access.  This area already sees a decent amount of pedestrian traffic and new developments have been pedestrian focused.  I think Ensemble theater is the only business that has a Main st focus vehicular access(valet).

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4 hours ago, cspwal said:

If the street is already low traffic, what are the benefits of closing it to vehicular traffic?

 

So pedestrians and bikers can use it without getting run over by cars.

 

We have no dedicated north/south bike lane, and this could run from the Museum District all of the way to the north edge of downtown. 

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6 hours ago, BeerNut said:

 

If they wanted to do something more immediate, they could just do the area between Alabama and Elgin first.  Get appropriate variances and install bollards to block/limit vehicular access.  This area already sees a decent amount of pedestrian traffic and new developments have been pedestrian focused.  I think Ensemble theater is the only business that has a Main st focus vehicular access(valet).

 

I think there is a church that has 1 or 2 Main-facing handicap spots that they use for dropoffs as well.

 

I went the whole route on google street view a year or so ago and I think the net loss of parking spaces is like 9ish for the entire run. There is a gas station that uses Main as it's major thoroughfare as well. Basically, a shockingly small amount of negative effect to close that much of a road through the heart of the urban core. 

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The traffic load is very light though.  I wouldn't walk around on it, but biking it is relatively relaxing, at least to me.  That's why I was questioning the need to close it to vehicular traffic, when cars are already incentiveized to stay off main.

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1 hour ago, cspwal said:

The traffic load is very light though.  I wouldn't walk around on it, but biking it is relatively relaxing, at least to me.  That's why I was questioning the need to close it to vehicular traffic, when cars are already incentiveized to stay off main.

 

I actually don't feel comfortable biking on it because I think the only drivers that drive on Main are lost, and I don't want dumb drivers with no way to pass me safely being behind me. 

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On 5/15/2018 at 0:21 PM, ttuchris said:

Has anyone seen any more information on Tranquility Park being renovated?  In my opinion, it needs more help than Jones Plaza.  I walked through this park and around City Hall over the weekend on my way to The Hobby Center.  The sidewalks are narrow and in extremely bad shape.  It seems like City Hall is used enough to justify improving this area.  This website says the fountains have been closed since 2013.  Maybe something will happen after the Bagby redo.  

 

Tranquillity Park Fountain - September 9, 2013 - Until Further Notice
Due to mechanical repairs, the Tranquillity Park fountain basin has been drained and the tall "stacks" will not be operational for the duration of the project.

 

http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/closedrepair.html

 

The fountains were back on for a while last year. I even took some photos. Maybe I posted them here? I can't remember.

 

Come to think of it, I haven't seen them on since Harvey :(

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17 hours ago, samagon said:

 

The fountains were back on for a while last year. I even took some photos. Maybe I posted them here? I can't remember.

 

Come to think of it, I haven't seen them on since Harvey :(

 

The repairs to the parking garage underneath the fountains are proceeding at a glacial pace.  Lighting is still provided by strings of work lights, transient parking is flat rate paid on entry to people sitting at the entrances, contract parkers have hang tags, and of course everything needs a coat of paint.

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