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Lower Westheimer Road Construction


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There was a CIP gathering hosted by Ellen Cohen at multiservice center on Gray yesterday--around 150 +- attending

 

Repairs to Westheimer Road from Elgin to Montrose were suspciously absent from COH public Works list of streets needing repairs based on "Worse gets repaired First" (this part of Westheimer is within my Civic asso boundaries--6  from Avondale came to try to add voice to our squeaky wheel status --unforunately only 7 of Cohens constituents were allowed to speak.)

 

The lack of Repairs on Many of the torn up streets of Montrose  (very few made list)were pointed out by David Robinson, president of Neartown (he first made me aware of the change from COH Van with laser as basis for worst gets fixed first to new formula that adds 3-1-1 calls and reports to City Council people to "algorithm)

 

If you travel Alabama from Shepherd to Travis--- not at top of list either.

 

 

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the roads in the montrose area are an absolute joke. it becomes infuriating at times. what is the city doing? and what happened to the westheimer repairs between buffalo speedway and shepherd? weren't those supposed to begin in January? don't get me started on the shepherd/allen parkway southbound exchange... that might as well be a dirt road at this point.

crazy to think that in such a dense and upscale area that the roads can go so neglected.

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Is the full list anywhere online?

 

Regarding Westheimer not being on the list, I'd bet if you went and drove on the roads that are on the list, you'd probably understand why those trumped Westheimer. Doesn't make it any easier to drive on the roads though.

 

For instance, I'd bet Beechnut outside the beltway is either on the list, or higher on the list than Westheimer, go for a drive down Beechnut and coming back to Westheimer is like going from riding the Texas Cyclone to riding the Gunslinger.

Edited by samagon
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The biggest problem with Westheimer is how narrow the lanes are on the bends. Not something that repaving can fix, sadly.

 

This is why I always avoid it at all costs.

 

You've either got a city bus that has obviously decided to straddle two lanes, or someone in a regular vehicle who doesn't realize their cars dimensions and ride about one foot into the adjacent lane.

 

I'd rather spend the extra 5 minutes matriculating down Fairview than run the risk of getting pushed into the sidewalk by METRO, or another vehicle.

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IMO, that part of Westheimer would be perfect for a greenroads project. Reduce it to one lane each direction, widen the sidewalks, and route the through traffic to Richmond or Gray.

 

Yes, I always thought one lane in both directions with a dedicated turn lane in the middle. Wider sidewalks (or possibly squeeze in a dedicated bike lane).

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IMO, that part of Westheimer would be perfect for a greenroads project. Reduce it to one lane each direction, widen the sidewalks, and route the through traffic to Richmond or Gray.

 

I think I might have posted this on another thread but a few meetings back at Neartown, the COHpwe

brought up that here had been discussion of returning Westheimer from Elgin to Montrose back to three lanes--

 

I brought up that went I lived in Houston in 1978- that part of Westheimer was three lanes. No one in that room had lived in Houston long enough to remember that  :mellow:

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Wouldn't three lanes combined with frequent METRO bus service cause pretty substantial backups?  Or would the cars pass in the middle lane?

 

I would imagine it would entice people to use alternatives inside of Shephard (which I'd assume it would be 3 lanes from there to the Midtown spur), it's not so bad finding alternatives in Montrose, as it's easy to use Gray, or Dallas, or Richmond as alternatives, and most people already do.

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Some of the roads in Houston are an absolute joke.  But I doubt that anyone would approve an increase in taxes to make them better.

 

The severe drought of 2011 was a major cause damage to roads over the entire metro as our clay soil dried up and shrank, creating potholes and heaving up asphalt all over.  It will take a decade or two of maintenance to get them back in shape.  We did pass the new water fee for drainage projects, which also goes to streets.  More at http://www.rebuildhouston.org/ and http://www.haaonline.org/Display.aspx?id=1100 

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I have a solution put a rail down the middle two lanes of westheimer, or dedicated bus lanes

I was going for trying to reduce the amount of traffic that moves on Westheimer. It's probably the best street in Houston in terms of having a mix of shops and restaurants that lend themselves to walking around, but crossing it can be pretty scary.

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I have a solution put a rail down the middle two lanes of westheimer, or dedicated bus lanes

 

Maybe you remember some of the earliest conversations about a east west metro rail line concerned putting the line on Westheimer-- all those talks went phooey.

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not sure if citizens have heard about the complaints with the current administration.  A recent email regarding the "perceived lack of response from the annise parker adminstration" was recently distributed.  it was sent to the mayor, councilmembers and 20 vocal citizens and i just happen to be one of the recipients.   I asked her spokesperson, jessica michan,  to clarify the details and she was quite perturbed.  pothole maintenance was my gripe and the photos of the before and supposedly fixed porholes really had coucilmembers stirred up.

 

perhaps this was part of the "feel good" news conference our Mayor felt inclined to have yesterday. 

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Maybe you remember some of the earliest conversations about a east west metro rail line concerned putting the line on Westheimer-- all those talks went phooey.

 

That really makes no sense. At some level, METRO, or someone, should have the power to do what's best for the overall citizen base, not a few neighborhoods or businesses. All the people saying otherwise are hypocrites because the freeways were built with the same concept.

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That really makes no sense. At some level, METRO, or someone, should have the power to do what's best for the overall citizen base, not a few neighborhoods or businesses. All the people saying otherwise are hypocrites because the freeways were built with the same concept.

 

I think it was simply a lack of right-of-way issue.  At least one lane has to be kept each direction for access, and I think the rail needs the equivalent of 3 lanes in the middle (space for the stations).  Look at the Main St. LRT.  I believe that was a 5 lane road previously.  Lower Westheimer is barely 4 lanes, and narrow ones at that.  Some of the curves of lower Westheimer may also be problematic.

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I think it was simply a lack of right-of-way issue.  At least one lane has to be kept each direction for access, and I think the rail needs the equivalent of 3 lanes in the middle (space for the stations).  Look at the Main St. LRT.  I believe that was a 5 lane road previously.  Lower Westheimer is barely 4 lanes, and narrow ones at that.  Some of the curves of lower Westheimer may also be problematic.

 

That makes sense but I believe there was also an outrage from highland village businesses that had some (or more than some) impact on the rerouting to Richmond. Richmond itself is just a 3 lane road for a decent portion, does that mean the land on the sides would have been seized for university line? Also, for the expansion, are all the streets that the rail is being expanded to previously 5 lane roads?

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That makes sense but I believe there was also an outrage from highland village businesses that had some (or more than some) impact on the rerouting to Richmond. Richmond itself is just a 3 lane road for a decent portion, does that mean the land on the sides would have been seized for university line? Also, for the expansion, are all the streets that the rail is being expanded to previously 5 lane roads?

 

I don't know the answer to your second question, but Richmond is 5 or 6 lanes plus a median along the portions with the University line.

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For comparison, wasn't Harrisburg was 5 lanes total, 2 in each direction, and a suicide turn lane, now it's 2 rail, 1 lane each direction, and graciously sized bike paths.

 

Most of Richmond is 6 lanes and a median, so I think it will be able to keep 2 lanes each direction for traffic.  At least I certainly hope so.

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That really makes no sense. At some level, METRO, or someone, should have the power to do what's best for the overall citizen base, not a few neighborhoods or businesses. All the people saying otherwise are hypocrites because the freeways were built with the same concept.

 

I think there is a parallel in there somewhere-------------Metro should have the power to do what's best without influence from. . . . . . .

That COH Van was suppose to have the "power" to determine what streets needed repairs based on what streets were in the worse condition --a determination without influence from neighborhoods or politicans. . . . . . . .

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I think it was simply a lack of right-of-way issue.  At least one lane has to be kept each direction for access, and I think the rail needs the equivalent of 3 lanes in the middle (space for the stations).  Look at the Main St. LRT.  I believe that was a 5 lane road previously.  Lower Westheimer is barely 4 lanes, and narrow ones at that.  Some of the curves of lower Westheimer may also be problematic.

 

These questions were brought up at Rail meetings and an Elevated line was suggested---much like the elevated line above Broadway street in Bronx, NY beginning at the Harlem River---The response to the Elevated proposal---NADA!

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These questions were brought up at Rail meetings and an Elevated line was suggested---much like the elevated line above Broadway street in Bronx, NY beginning at the Harlem River---The response to the Elevated proposal---NADA!

Why? It would improve speed and not mess with roadways.

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Why? It would improve speed and not mess with roadways.

I generally don't have a lot of sympathy for NIMBYs, but I've been near the elevateds in Chicago, and it would have wrecked the neighborhood - not to mention the high costs of elevation plus ADA compliance on the stations.  Richmond is a fair alternate routing which is better at catching UST and Greenway Plaza.  Certainly it hits more than the original Westpark RoW proposal.  The 59 feeder also runs parallel to it and can handle any displaced traffic from the lost lanes on Richmond.

 

There is a significant portion with just 3 lanes total though, or am I getting confused with Alabama

Alabama is 3 lanes, Richmond is 6.  Where it gets tight is when Richmond becomes Wheeler in Midtown.  I think METRO may be planning on taking RoW there from along the edges.

 

Edit: I stand corrected.  Looking at the Google satellite image, it looks like Richmond may be more like 4 or 5 plus a median, but that median makes all the difference.

Edited by ToryGattis
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I received the Cohen email expounding on the success of her CIP (Capitol Improvement Plan) meeting last week.

--- funnything. . . . .

 

 I've spoken to residents from not only Avondale, but also EMCA, First Montrose Commons, not a lot of happycampers,

That meeting was too crowded and too loud and only 7 out of the 150 people got to talk--- A protocol to determine which damaged streets would be fixed (without influence from  City Council or 3-1-1) was scrapped. To label the meeting as a success is a stretch.

 

and  a friend from Roseland Civic--not happy at all.

 

---Roseland wanted to put the spotlight on Richmond Ave---It's totally torn up from Montrose to the spur. Those residents thought that crappy section would be the first to be improved when METRO put in the Rail---but seems like  that line is never happening--and the "Worse gets fixed first" doesn't appear to  have that part of Richmond ave  at top of list either.

 

so basically all the crappy  streets on eastside of Montrose district will remain just that CRAPPY! 

Edited by trymahjong
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