Popular Post Triton Posted October 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted October 12, 2019 We've talked about this project for many years on HAIF but I haven't seen a dedicated thread for it. With today's news, figured we finally needed one: Houston receives $43 million in federal funds to start North Canal project, cover Wortham Center repairs Quote The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved a $2.66 million grant to the city of Houston to begin the design, permitting and environmental assessment of the proposed North Canal project, the city announced Oct. 11. .... The $131 million North Canal project would reroute White Oak Bayou along downtown, add an overflow channel east of downtown, and improve bridges and channels along Yale Street and Heights Boulevard to provide additional water conveyance capacity. .... The project could be completed by 2022, according to the city’s news release. https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/city-county/2019/10/11/houston-receives-43-million-in-federal-funds-to-start-north-canal-project-cover-wortham-center-repairs/ 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 What will happen to the busy railroad track that is going right through the possible new canal? Surely they will have a say in this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 22 minutes ago, Toopicky said: As from diagrams posted elsewhere on this site, there are no railroad tracks (with the exception of the Red Line) threatened by the canal. The proposed highway routing of IH10/45 might be another matter 57 minutes ago, hindesky said: What will happen to the busy railroad track that is going right through the possible new canal? Surely they will have a say in this. What TooPicky says is correct. I would focus in on those presentations as they do a great job at tying together all the other projects planned for this area, one which will look completely different in the next 5-10 years with all the infrastructure changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 20 minutes ago, Luminare said: What TooPicky says is correct. I would focus in on those presentations as they do a great job at tying together all the other projects planned for this area, one which will look completely different in the next 5-10 years with all the infrastructure changes. Which presentations? I guess I haven't seen them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 (edited) Luminare's development map shows it going right through the rail line that runs by north downtown near the jail and UHD. From the old Swamplot website. From Chronicle Edited October 13, 2019 by hindesky 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted October 13, 2019 Author Share Posted October 13, 2019 How old is that? Would they really rebuild the Yale St bridge after it's just been rebuilt? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenOlenska Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 (edited) My favorite thing about big ambitious non-building focused projects like this is the fake orange midrises they put everywhere. Once we build this nice park--waterfront midrises and charming Continental European malls are gonna pop up everywhere. In the renderings, I mean. Edited October 13, 2019 by EllenOlenska 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbates2 Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 15 hours ago, Triton said: How old is that? Would they really rebuild the Yale St bridge after it's just been rebuilt? i thought it was just reinforced? It doesn’t look new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 30 minutes ago, kbates2 said: i thought it was just reinforced? It doesn’t look new. It's brand new. Opened up in the past 1 or 2 years. It just has the old style guardrails like the original bridge. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 Amtrak station is near Washington Ave just.west of IH 45. The old station is no longer used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted October 14, 2019 Author Share Posted October 14, 2019 3 hours ago, kbates2 said: i thought it was just reinforced? It doesn’t look new. Oh trust me it's new. I remember it being a complete nightmare trying to get through that area when they completely demo'd the old bridge. I remember people being so happy on Nextdoor when it was announced it was opening earlier than scheduled. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 I remember reading that the canal project was initially proposed in the 1930s. So there's progress. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenOlenska Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 I remember reading Houston once had a train to the Heights. Anti-progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 There is a very old pump station there owned by UH. this MUST be preserved. I hope they do not plan to harm that structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Subdude said: I remember reading that the canal project was initially proposed in the 1930s. So there's progress. And to think we whinge about a project that only takes two or three times longer than it should... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 On 10/13/2019 at 2:22 PM, EllenOlenska said: My favorite thing about big ambitious non-building focused projects like this is the fake orange midrises they put everywhere. Once we build this nice park--waterfront midrises and charming Continental European malls are gonna pop up everywhere. In the renderings, I mean. Yes, the Buffalo Bayou plan renderings were amazingly optimistic. I don't think many people are going to want new apartments next to the jails. The obvious name for the new island will be "Alcatraz". 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenOlenska Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 15 minutes ago, Subdude said: Yes, the Buffalo Bayou plan renderings were amazingly optimistic. I don't think many people are going to want new apartments next to the jails. The obvious name for the new island will be "Alcatraz". The most ambitious Houston renderings outside of the 300 foot buildings that have glass atriums which open to the pierce elevated park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 If they really wanted to be ambitious, they'd include some wildlife in the renders... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenOlenska Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 23 minutes ago, mollusk said: If they really wanted to be ambitious, they'd include some wildlife in the renders... You're stealing my idea for Houston side raised (magical) bridle path lanes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 On 10/11/2019 at 11:54 PM, Triton said: We've talked about this project for many years on HAIF but I haven't seen a dedicated thread for it. With today's news, figured we finally needed one: Houston receives $43 million in federal funds to start North Canal project, cover Wortham Center repairs https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/city-county/2019/10/11/houston-receives-43-million-in-federal-funds-to-start-north-canal-project-cover-wortham-center-repairs/ So $2.66 million of the total $131 million cost of the North Canal. Don't break out the balloons yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 On 10/14/2019 at 2:59 PM, Subdude said: Yes, the Buffalo Bayou plan renderings were amazingly optimistic. I don't think many people are going to want new apartments next to the jails. The obvious name for the new island will be "Alcatraz". If people leased apartments next to the I-45/59 interchange, and apartments 2 blocks from the Midtown bus station, they will definitely lease apartments on the bayou walking distance from downtown, jail or no jail. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 On 11/26/2019 at 4:39 PM, H-Town Man said: So $2.66 million of the total $131 million cost of the North Canal. Don't break out the balloons yet. Unless they are handing shovels out to the residents of the soon-to-be island to have them dig it out by hand, that did seem a bit light on the funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 As the article says, the $2.66 million is just to "begin the design, permitting and environmental assessment of the proposed North Canal project". 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 So if estimated downtown damage from the Harvey flood was $100m, at an estimated cost of $131m it wouldn't take that many potential downtown floods for the North Canal to pay for itself. It is unfortunate the project has been kicked around for so many years. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 (edited) 52 minutes ago, Subdude said: So if estimated downtown damage from the Harvey flood was $100m, at an estimated cost of $131m it wouldn't take that many potential downtown floods for the North Canal to pay for itself. It is unfortunate the project has been kicked around for so many years. That assumes that this project will cure the downtown flooding problem. I think the benefit will be positive but minor, at least in terms of height. The water will still be backed up from the ship channel and Galveston Bay. Straightening the route of the water from White Oak Bayou and giving it a better merge angle with Buffalo Bayou (essentially what this project does) might lower things a few feet on BB, which of course could translate to the width of an entire block of lower downtown. So minor difference in flood height, but maybe a major difference in flood width? Edited December 2, 2019 by H-Town Man 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 On 12/2/2019 at 10:28 AM, Subdude said: So if estimated downtown damage from the Harvey flood was $100m, at an estimated cost of $131m it wouldn't take that many potential downtown floods for the North Canal to pay for itself. It is unfortunate the project has been kicked around for so many years. Its been kicked around for so long because this whole area is an infrastructural logistical hornets nest that will take a lot of untangling. I actually like this part of the NNIHP project the most because of how it aims to integrate so many projects from so many different stakeholders into one comprehensive plan (railroad alignment, highway alignment, metro alignment, UHD alignment, bayou alignment, and major thoroughfare alignment). I can only imagine what those first few meetings were like...."ok everyone we have probably 70 years of crap here that we don't know or are going to pretend to know what to do with...ok how do we get started with this?" 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobruss Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 On 10/12/2019 at 11:15 PM, Triton said: How old is that? Would they really rebuild the Yale St bridge after it's just been rebuilt? The rerouting of White Oak to a more eastern connection to Buffalo Bayou, would have no bearing on the Yale street bridge. White Oak bayou would continue to run its same course until it reaches the bypass and some of it's water would continue the confluence with Buffalo Bayou at its original Allens Landing site. This will create a north end island. I also believe that a bridge over the canal might work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 2 hours ago, bobruss said: The rerouting of White Oak to a more eastern connection to Buffalo Bayou, would have no bearing on the Yale street bridge. White Oak bayou would continue to run its same course until it reaches the bypass and some of it's water would continue the confluence with Buffalo Bayou at its original Allens Landing site. This will create a north end island. I also believe that a bridge over the canal might work. Right, I know that. The map above my post though said in the Houston Chron that the Yale Bridge (see red circle) would be rebuilt. I ended up guessing that that was simply an old map since I don't see why in the world they would rebuild that after it's just been rebuilt.... or Houston Chron got it wrong again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobruss Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 10 hours ago, Triton said: Right, I know that. The map above my post though said in the Houston Chron that the Yale Bridge (see red circle) would be rebuilt. I ended up guessing that that was simply an old map since I don't see why in the world they would rebuild that after it's just been rebuilt.... or Houston Chron got it wrong again. I'm sorry, I was just trying to ease your fears. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 37 minutes ago, bobruss said: I'm sorry, I was just trying to ease your fears. Ah ok... reread what you wrote and I see what you mean. Think we're in agreement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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