New bikeway to connect Downtown, Midtown and the Museum District on La Branch and Austin

[wilcal]

 

It begins!

[wilcal]

20 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

This certainly might be the case in theory, but with the results we have seen in practice its clear that this is not the case. One problem is actually a consequence of the democratic process + the bureaucratic process. While many things should be democratic in operation there are some things that would be handled a lot better in a slightly more authoritarian manner (and I'm someone who is a liberal libertarian, but also a realist/pragmatist). Infrastructure is one such area that needs a more streamlined and authoritative solution to fix a problem. Its possible many projects are planned with complete streets in mind, but after years of studies, public opinion, and other hands reaching into the project the original vision is lost. We simply have too many cooks in the kitchen in the current process, so not only are projects slow, but the end product also gets watered down as well. Now collaboration can be a great thing, particularly in design, but it has to be focused and opinion has to be focused in order to not completely dilute a vision. There also has to be a comprehensive approach to infrastructure, but that isn't how projects are planned or implemented. Instead its a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants mentality / fix it as we go kind of fashion that just doesn't get the job done and in a reasonable amount of time. While we do have a planning commission, and they are the ones that approve things, they also don't plan for things at all. They simply say yes or no to projects put before them, and don't ask deeper questions about projects, and they can't because they don't have a comprehensive road map to gauge how a project works with infrastructure and the city at large. In your example about the planner, I'm sure that is done to some degree, but the overall results that we see happen across the city show that there is no plan, and there is no uniform standards or even district standards that they apply to those situations at all or in general. This whole process really needs to be heavily streamlined from top to bottom to get the work done that needs to be done, and more funding needs to be set aside so projects can be realized to their full potential.

 

Maybe there is some confusion here. The Planning Commission is a 26 person panel that approves what people want to do to their personal property, etc.

 

We also have the Planning & Development Department. They oversee tons of stuff like Complete Communities, the Bikeway implementation, and all sorts of other stuff.

[cspwal]

1 hour ago, Luminare said:

 

Bingo. That and potentially grandfathering. Any new legislation should take that into effect. 

Isn't a preexisting parking lot a grandfathering in of parking minimums? Why would it have to be written into the ordinance?

[Luminare]

12 minutes ago, wilcal said:

 

Maybe there is some confusion here. The Planning Commission is a 26 person panel that approves what people want to do to their personal property, etc.

 

We also have the Planning & Development Department. They oversee tons of stuff like Complete Communities, the Bikeway implementation, and all sorts of other stuff.

 

Once again I'm sure we have all of these things. I definitely want to dive deeper into these things because I'm sure they are working hard to try to change things.

 

Lets be real though, what they plan to do just doesn't become reality for all intents and purposes. They just don't have the authority and power they need to get things done the way they should and in a timely manner. Part of that is the lack of a Comprehensive Plan. We have a "General Plan", but not a "Comprehensive Plan" one that holistically looks at all aspects and the bigger picture. Its clear that various plans end up competing with each other for attention instead of working together in most cases.

 

EDIT: And I'm not even talking about development. I actually like our no zoning approach. It makes our city very flexible, but if we are going to be cavalier about zoning then at least to counter-balance we should have a very rigorous infrastructure plan to contain and control that kind of chaos.

 

10 minutes ago, cspwal said:

Isn't a preexisting parking lot a grandfathering in of parking minimums? Why would it have to be written into the ordinance?

 

Again I could be wrong about this and you could be right. Simply an idea. At this moment thats what needs to be done. Ideas simply need to be proposed to handle this going forward. Maybe some of them are redundant, and some might fix others. At this stage I'm open to anything and everything, so should everyone to fix the current situation.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Luminare

[X.R.]

@wilcal Wow speak of the devil, we ask about it and they build it. This is so dope, never thought I'd be excited for that stuff but I definitely am. 66 ramps, wow. That is nuts. I don't know if its the market changing or what, but you definitely see quite a few people pushing strollers on la branch between the park and almost to 59, so Im sure people will love this. And so will cyclists, haha.

 

Rode Polk yesterday to get an idea of whats to come, I did not realize/forgot the armadillos only went one street deep on the East downtown side. I can see that running the lane, at least to the Columbia tap, is going to take some work. And you are right, they are missing actual places to sit at the bus stops down there, feel bad for the people just sitting in the grass waiting for the bus. Typically when I ride Polk, the driver's are pretty friendly, but obviously the protection is waaaaay preferred. You might even be able to ride your bike at night in downtown Houston, what a thought.

 

And James clarified in that thread, which I didn't know, that a cyclist can use the sidewalk "outside of the business district" which is cool. Ramps for everyone! 

[wilcal]

35 minutes ago, X.R. said:

@wilcal Wow speak of the devil, we ask about it and they build it. This is so dope, never thought I'd be excited for that stuff but I definitely am. 66 ramps, wow. That is nuts. I don't know if its the market changing or what, but you definitely see quite a few people pushing strollers on la branch between the park and almost to 59, so Im sure people will love this. And so will cyclists, haha.

 

Rode Polk yesterday to get an idea of whats to come, I did not realize/forgot the armadillos only went one street deep on the East downtown side. I can see that running the lane, at least to the Columbia tap, is going to take some work. And you are right, they are missing actual places to sit at the bus stops down there, feel bad for the people just sitting in the grass waiting for the bus. Typically when I ride Polk, the driver's are pretty friendly, but obviously the protection is waaaaay preferred. You might even be able to ride your bike at night in downtown Houston, what a thought.

 

And James clarified in that thread, which I didn't know, that a cyclist can use the sidewalk "outside of the business district" which is cool. Ramps for everyone! 

 

The bus stops on Polk will be "floating" bus stops as well. Basically, the bike lane will be encumbered by bus passengers crossing the lane instead of being encumbered by the bus itself.

 

I've haven't seen any drawings, but think something like this (albeit much smaller)

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by wilcal

[cspwal]

Also from a traffic and pedestrian point of view, having the bus stop after the light is so much better - it might delay you getting off the bus by a cycle, but you're less likely to be hit by someone turning around the bus

[X.R.]

That floating bus stop is nuts for Houston. Having grown up here, I would never have imagined something so urban being put in here.

 

I've been thinking about this: if you look at what Bike Houston and the Houston Bike Plan and stuff  theyhave done, and the Polk-type improvements, its almost like they treated (and this is a good thing) North Houston and East Downtown/3rd Ward like test sites for infrastructure improvement. Both places are desperate for infrastructure improvements, no matter what it is, because there's almost nothing there. So you can start with basically a blank slate, and do it first there because you generally have people grateful for the city doing things to improve their lives. 

 

I love it because of things like a floating bus stop, something you probably couldn't get by the Washington/Heights neighborhood organization, is free to be built and then everyone can observe how well (hopefully) it works and then they can implement these things in other areas with now verifiable proof that it works and works well. 

[Ross]

1 hour ago, X.R. said:

 

 

I love it because of things like a floating bus stop, something you probably couldn't get by the Washington/Heights neighborhood organization, is free to be built and then everyone can observe how well (hopefully) it works and then they can implement these things in other areas with now verifiable proof that it works and works well. 

Few of the Heights/Washington area streets are wide enough for this. Part of the opposition to road diets on 11th were based on difficulties with buses blocking the street when an extended time is required for a wheelchair or bike load/unload. It looks like a good idea, for sure, and would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

[Luminare]

3 hours ago, X.R. said:

That floating bus stop is nuts for Houston. Having grown up here, I would never have imagined something so urban being put in here.

 

I've been thinking about this: if you look at what Bike Houston and the Houston Bike Plan and stuff  theyhave done, and the Polk-type improvements, its almost like they treated (and this is a good thing) North Houston and East Downtown/3rd Ward like test sites for infrastructure improvement. Both places are desperate for infrastructure improvements, no matter what it is, because there's almost nothing there. So you can start with basically a blank slate, and do it first there because you generally have people grateful for the city doing things to improve their lives. 

 

I love it because of things like a floating bus stop, something you probably couldn't get by the Washington/Heights neighborhood organization, is free to be built and then everyone can observe how well (hopefully) it works and then they can implement these things in other areas with now verifiable proof that it works and works well. 

 

Its the same way with Light rail too. I'm really excited with the prospect of it going up Washington Ave and if you look at the development map its a prime opportunity to capture a growing market so close to downtown. While I think their initial approach to light rail hasn't been very well thought out, at least they are trying in areas where they can really experiment and figure out how it can work best in our context. Bus, however, Metro knows buses. I've been thoroughly impressed lately with how much they are invest in bus infrastructure. Nearly all bus stops on my side of town, wherever I walk, have been repaved. I now ride the network whenever I have the opportunity, and barring traffic its actually a very efficient system. Again, more options on transit will only be a good thing moving forward at this point. You initial analysis about them test/experimenting in essentially "blank slate" parts of town is definitely one I haven't even considered. Maybe its just by shear accident or its part of their plan, but it shows that they are at least trying. Now they just need to put the pedal to the metal and really run with it.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Luminare

[Ross]

2 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

Its the same way with Light rail too. I'm really excited with the prospect of it going up Washington Ave and if you look at the development map its a prime opportunity to capture a growing market so close to downtown. While I think their initial approach to light rail hasn't been very well thought out, at least they are trying in areas where they can really experiment and figure out how it can work best in our context. Bus, however, Metro knows buses. I've been thoroughly impressed lately with how much they are invest in bus infrastructure. Nearly all bus stops on my side of town, wherever I walk, have been repaved. I now ride the network whenever I have the opportunity, and barring traffic its actually a very efficient system. Again, more options on transit will only be a good thing moving forward at this point. You initial analysis about them test/experimenting in essentially "blank slate" parts of town is definitely one I haven't even considered. Maybe its just by shear accident or its part of their plan, but it shows that they are at least trying. Now they just need to put the pedal to the metal and really run with it.

Not sure there's really enough room to run rail on Washington. The measurements I took show a pretty consistent 50 foot width, while light rail runs in a 30 foot  width, except at stations, where it's 40 or 50 feet, depending on whether the station is double sided or two platforms in line. There are many areas on Washington where there's no way to take any more space without taking buildings, which sort of defeats one of the purposes. There's also no room for any bike lanes if rail runs. That may be one reason we haven't seen any additional details. It might be possible to run elevated rail, a la the Bangkok sky train, which would also avoid the traffic blocking issues.

[X.R.]

So it seems the Nawfside got the floating bus stop first, courtesy of Metro’s twitter.

 

this is gonna be craaazy. 

[cspwal]

There needs to be more green paint because I'm confused about where to:

• bike
• walk
• drive

 

13 hours ago, Ross said:

It might be possible to run elevated rail, a la the Bangkok sky train, which would also avoid the traffic blocking issues.

Elevated rail along Washington, at least for sections where they couldn't feasibly put in light rail would be great!

[BeerNut]

I hope they plan to cover more bus stops.

[samagon]

On 7/25/2019 at 10:20 AM, cspwal said:

That street looks huge.  Does it even fill up ever?

 

I'm sure when it rains enough it will fill up with water.

[X.R.]

Don't know if this was posted, but the timeline has been updated on the website for the bike lane on Austin. I can attest to them making good progress on La branch already, a number of updated sidewalk improvements have already taken place. The city seems to be making little improvements on multiple bike plans at once (which is great):

 

http://houstonbikeplan.org/implementation/infrastructure/austin-corridor/

 

The La Branch Street segment of the corridor is currently under construction. Anticipated completion date of this section is November 2019.

Austin Street two-way cycletrack is estimated to go into construction by October, will full build-out by Spring 2020.

[wilcal]

17 hours ago, X.R. said:

Don't know if this was posted, but the timeline has been updated on the website for the bike lane on Austin. I can attest to them making good progress on La branch already, a number of updated sidewalk improvements have already taken place. The city seems to be making little improvements on multiple bike plans at once (which is great):

 

http://houstonbikeplan.org/implementation/infrastructure/austin-corridor/

 

The La Branch Street segment of the corridor is currently under construction. Anticipated completion date of this section is November 2019.

Austin Street two-way cycletrack is estimated to go into construction by October, will full build-out by Spring 2020.

 

I definitely hadn't seen anything written/official on timeline like this. 

 

Most of the La Branch construction is new sidewalk ramps. Went and took a few pics this weekend (see below)

 

I think I mentioned already in this thread, but the delay on the Austin street build is related to the new bike signals. Every street light will get bike timing/signals and evidently there is a backorder on the parts. The paint/armadillos go down quickly. They were doing 2-3 blocks/day on other projects, so maybe 2-3 weeks to do all of Austin. The signal work is a different story. 

 

 

[X.R.]

If anyone cares, if you click the link, this full build out has been postponed from Spring 2020 to Summer 2020.

 

Seems like they are taking a realist approach to these dates and buildouts, and the updated timelines are refreshing transparencies. 

[wilcal]

26 minutes ago, X.R. said:

If anyone cares, if you click the link, this full build out has been postponed from Spring 2020 to Summer 2020.

 

Seems like they are taking a realist approach to these dates and buildouts, and the updated timelines are refreshing transparencies. 

 

FFffffuuuuu. That sucks. They must have gotten info on when the signals will actually be here.

 

Sucks that we are looking at 9 months of construction for a few miles of painted bike lanes. 

 

Edit: says Gray is spring 2020 completion with signal work as well. 

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by wilcal

[jsabo]

Has there been any update on this? Is any portion of it finished and available for use? I am visiting in early March and was looking forward to biking wherever possible. Thanks.

[linearmovement]

39 minutes ago, jsabo said:

Has there been any update on this? Is any portion of it finished and available for use? I am visiting in early March and was looking forward to biking wherever possible. Thanks.

 

The North-South routes along Austin and La Branch have not been started, though I ride frequently through downtown and these are still the best streets to ride on. Austin is usually especially pleasant, at least between Holman and Leeland.

[wilcal]

On 1/17/2020 at 12:54 PM, jsabo said:

Has there been any update on this? Is any portion of it finished and available for use? I am visiting in early March and was looking forward to biking wherever possible. Thanks.

 

Nope, it's evidently still happening but I'm not sure when. There was some additional drama brought up by some residents that opposed it at city council and they told planning to try to come up with solutions. 

[wilcal]

16 hours ago, wilcal said:

 

Nope, it's evidently still happening but I'm not sure when. There was some additional drama brought up by some residents that opposed it at city council and they told planning to try to come up with solutions. 

 

This months Bicycle Advisory Committee newsletter said that Hutchins is being developed first.

[hindesky]

[cspwal]

Bike lane done.  Next!

[wilcal]

On 1/25/2020 at 11:53 PM, hindesky said:

 

 

This is on Austin? Which cross street is that? I don't recognize it. 

[X.R.]

La branch is getting worked on as we speak. I'm not sure if they are done paving or putting in new crosswalks, but they have been hard at it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by X.R.

[hindesky]

12 hours ago, wilcal said:

 

This is on Austin? Which cross street is that? I don't recognize it. 

Crawford St.

[HNathoo]

A member of the museum park neighborhood association just stated on nextdoor that museum park won’t have dedicated bike lanes and that the bike lanes would be shared with cars. 
 

I’m not quite sure how that would work or if there is even a purpose to do that. 
 

 

[hindesky]

For parking only on Crawford St.