cwrm4 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 Yesterday I was cutting across from Sawyer to Houston Ave (just north of Washington) and noticed a number of the east-west streets in that area, such as Crockett, have recently been repaved, apparently using the method where they grind off the top couple inches of pavement and lay down a fresh coat of asphalt.I'm struggling to find a reasonable explanation as to why these streets would have been repaved - that area is mostly deserted, save for a bunch of warehouses and few pockets of old bungalows. I don't see a lot of eminent redevelopment in that specific area, nor do I see any reason why someone would use those roads to drive to the new Target complex. And I don't recall those roads being in that poor shape to begin with. I lived on Waugh when Waugh/Westheimer/West Gray were repaved. The whole neighborhood just felt "better" once the potmarked roads where (at least temporarily) fixed. So I have to ask why were the streets north of Washington nicely refinished while many other in the area are completely trashed? (e.g. Bagby through midtown). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 I know a lot of streets in Houston need total overhall.Ex. everyone of the streets that still have ditches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 You and your ditches again, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 I know a lot of streets in Houston need total overhall.Ex. everyone of the streets that still have ditches.There are some streets that need sidewalks & bike-lanes as well. Perhaps if we filled in the ditches, then you would have space for these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 I know a lot of streets in Houston need total overhall.Ex. everyone of the streets that still have ditches. You know he is right, UrbaNerd. None of the streets in Atlanta have ditches. Why should Houston? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Yeah, I know. i was just referring to something a while back. They are, as he says, "Imbarrasing". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modernbeat Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 You cut through on Crocket St, which is the only street in the area bordered by Sawyer/Taylor, Washington, I-10, and Houston Ave. that's been recovered.I'd guess that the reason that street was selected, aside from it being in horrible shape, was that it's the major East-West through street for the neighborhood, it crosses I-45 to Main St and beyond, and it hosts a Bus route. Future plans call for it to extend beyond Sawyer to the West. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiDTOWNeR Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 You know he is right, UrbaNerd. None of the streets in Atlanta have ditches. Why should Houston? Well, Atlanta doesn't have quite the third world charm that Houston does. If Houston didn;t have the ditches it would lose some of the "grit" that seems to hold this place together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 If Houston didn't have the ditches it would lose some of the "grit" that seems to hold this place together...and it would lose some of its favorite insect: the mosquito. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 I know it's off the original topic, but...Roadside ditches are a major component in the concept of "Low Impact Development" (or "green" development) that's now starting to be floated about in Houston.As opposed to curb-and-gutter streets, roadside ditches provide some storm water quality benefits and storm water quantity (aka detention) benefits. They are also much, MUCH cheaper to construct and maintain than a storm sewer system consisting of inlets and underground pipes. The asphalt pavement usually associated with roadside ditches are also cheaper to construct than reinforced concrete pavement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Yea why haven't they redone, say, Kirby which is traveled heavily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Ditches are bad. Mom always talked about them that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Yea why haven't they redone, say, Kirby which is traveled heavily. kirby is pretty bad south of 59...i can't imagine how bad it would be to have it partially closed for repairs though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hokieone Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I agree, Kirby going towards Rice Village is horrendous. However, Kirby through River oaks is suprisingly so smooth, you just hear the tires hum as you head towards Allen parkway. I do wonder about the ditches, if they are better or worse come heavy rain. I agree that aestheically, they probably aren't the best, but I just don't know of their effectiveness compared to newer methods. Just curious, not harping on them such as citykid loves to do. I think in the other thread his quote was something like "people see that and laugh." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Kirby through River Oaks was repaved last year as part of a massive drainage pipe project. The pipe empties into Buffalo Bayou just east of Shepherd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Kirby through Rice Village will we replaced soon. Work is started on the southern end by Brays Bayou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 you just hear the tires humOnly true when not stuck in traffic. And that road is all about the traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Kirby through Rice Village will we replaced soon. Work is started on the southern end by Brays Bayou. that's right...i wasn't sure how far north that construction was going to stretch... and be careful of the holes in the road between north braeswood and holcombe...they're killer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Kirby through Rice Village will we replaced soon. Work is started on the southern end by Brays Bayou.Yep...they started laying box culverts (look like 10'x10' boxes) a number of weeks (or months now?) ago, starting at Brays Bayou and working their way upstream. I think they're getting close to Holcombe now. Westpark is the watershed divide between Brays and Buffalo Bayous, so obviously they've got a ways to go. Kirby will not be a fun place to be once the construction gets up to University and the blocks north of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeightsGuy Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Kirby will not be a fun place to be once the construction gets up to University I don't think anyone will be having fun on Buffalo Speedway during this time either. I almost feel sorry for the WestU folks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Back to the asphalt overlaying on small streets.I think it's somewhat based upon your city councilman and a general plan for repaving streets. But I think complaints to councilmen are the primary motive for action. Once the item gets on the list for appropriations, you just have to wait for the money to come up.It isn't that expensive to do these jobs. A couple of million could do a lot small streets. I live on Kansas just north of I-10 west of TC-Jester. The whole neighborhood was redone. It really wasn't much of an incovenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Asphalt has a very short life span, though. The section of Westheimer repaved two years ago is in pretty bad shape again. (Although that's mostly due to businesses and schools making streetcuts in front of their properties). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Asphalt has a lifespan of 10-15 years. If built to the right standards, it can last for 20-25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Asphalt has a very short life span, though. The section of Westheimer repaved two years ago is in pretty bad shape again. (Although that's mostly due to businesses and schools making streetcuts in front of their properties).Yeah I've noticed this too recently. What a shame -- in another year or two Westheimer will be back to the rough ride it was before the repaving was done two years ago. I think the main problem with Westheimer inside the loop is the age of the street and the fact that its base was just not built to handle the traffic the street gets. Probably the only way to permanently fix it would be to totally rip it out and rebuild the base, as was done with the Downtown/Midtown transit streets project. Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be any such project on the horizon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 The previous comment about a neighborhood "feeling" different after a fresh coat of ashphalt is completely true.Here's an example:Back in the 80's a group of college students were doing a project on urban blight. They were interviewing residents and noting conditions in a particularly crappy section of Detroit. While they were in the middle of their summer-long project the city decided to repave the streets of the study neighborhood. Guess what happened? People started picking up their trash, and mowing their lawns, and fixing the broken windows, and the place was very different within a matter of weeks. This ruined the students first project, but gave them plenty of fascinating things to start a whole new project on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Westheimer's a rough ride, and whoever did the resurfacing of Elgin didn't deserve to get paid. Bleh. Its all so ugly. Lower Westheimer is too narrow for a four lane street. Probably three lanes maximum, and there would be a little more room for more streetscape like what's being attempted on Elgin in Midtown. That would eliminate on-street parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Lower Westheimer is too narrow for a four lane street. Probably three lanes maximum, and there would be a little more room for more streetscape like what's being attempted on Elgin in Midtown. That would eliminate on-street parking. that would be great - three lanes, middle for turning. parking would be a huge issue though - especially the yupsters buying their overpriced antiques! where would Bif park the SUV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiDTOWNeR Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Lower Westheimer is too narrow for a four lane street.AMEN to that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Technically speaking, Lower Westheimer is a two lane street with parking. The outside lane is designated as driving during peak periods.4 lane undivided streets aren't thought to have the same capacity as a four land divided in an urban setting because of the allowance of parking.This is from the AASHTO book in my office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Maybe lower Westheimer should be split into two one-way streets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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