Construction On Yale St.

[Evans-Davis]

I was going to post a recap but I was beaten to the punch. Glad to see good comments about last night's meeting. That was the goal. I have to applaud the city in this instance. They took to heart the neighborhood's concerns and came back with a workable alternative that will save the majority of the trees. Yea!

If you want to express an opinion about the alternative or have questions, please direct them to Laura Thorp in CM Gonzalez' office. Her email is: laura.thorp@cityofhouston.net

[Melwood]

I was going to post a recap but I was beaten to the punch. Glad to see good comments about last night's meeting. That was the goal. I have to applaud the city in this instance. They took to heart the neighborhood's concerns and came back with a workable alternative that will save the majority of the trees. Yea!

If you want to express an opinion about the alternative or have questions, please direct them to Laura Thorp in CM Gonzalez' office. Her email is: laura.thorp@cityofhouston.net

Thanks, I'll be expressing my opinion on the city's dismissal of concerns regarding safety and crossings. What a load of bullflurf. To get to the bike path, a lot of Heights residents (like me)have to cross Yale at some point, and there is no really good way to do it (at least with small kids) when there is a lot of traffic. Like it not COH, the Heights is a RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD and deserves the things that go with it. I will end my rant now.

[callisthenes]

To get to the bike path, a lot of Heights residents (like me)have to cross Yale at some point, and there is no really good way to do it (at least with small kids) when there is a lot of traffic.

If crossing Yale to access that new bike path is a concern for you, you should try crossing at the traffic lights (at the intersections of White Oak, 11th, 14th or 20th) or go down Heights and catch the bike path where it crosses there.

[SaintCyr]

Thanks, I'll be expressing my opinion on the city's dismissal of concerns regarding safety and crossings. What a load of bullflurf. To get to the bike path, a lot of Heights residents (like me)have to cross Yale at some point, and there is no really good way to do it (at least with small kids) when there is a lot of traffic. Like it not COH, the Heights is a RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD and deserves the things that go with it. I will end my rant now.

I was told by one of Councilman Gonzalez's people that safety issues as far as (pedestrian traffic, etc...) will be looked at after the construction is finish but I think it should be looked at DURING the design phase in order to place crosswalks in and the like in the correct places and if it is needed add some sort of signaling device. I think especially around Milroy Park, Bike Path Crossing there should be some sort of flashing crosswalk light INTEGRATED into the road, this would require placing them in the design phase. For a visual think about the crosswalks at hobby airport... I know the bike path is an issue but I think a spot that is just as critical is at 12th and Yale where people/children cross to get to the park. I can't count how many times I've seen/heard cars honking and speeding past almost swiping a person trying to get across.

On a side note I do believe that the Councilman and his staff want to be involved and can make a change in the way the city plans on moving forward (i.e. looking at it during the design phase rather than after construction) . I would encourage you and any one else that has safety concerns to write an email to Laura Thorp, her email address can be found in a few posts prior.

D

[heights_yankee]

i posted this topic to heights kids' group recently and another mom emailed Deb Broman about the status. she rcvd this note back:

Here's the email response Debra Broman sent:

Thanks so much for your concern... What I do know is that Yale St has become one of the most studied streets in Houston. I am proud for that... We got the City to take a serious look. What "they" say is that Yale at 6th to the frwy and Yale at 20th to the other frwy will be widened and those trees will be lost. From 20th to 6th "they" will do their best to preserve those trees. I have my doubts. They have not come out with the official word, BUT, they know our concerns. We are working closely with our area Council man. I will forward you an email from The deputy director but I encourage you and your group to voice your concerns with the councilman.

[heights_yankee]

also, perhaps i missed it but do we know who the city sees as the beneficiaries of this project, i.e. the widening and use as a major thoroughfare? i can't imagine that it's residents of the heights. i would love to hear their reasoning for doing anything more than repaving...

[tanith27]

Yeah, can't say I'm too impressed with their conclusion that Yale should be a 'thoroughfare'. Shepherd, I can see. Yale....not so much. I don't know of too many 'thoroughfares' in Houston that have residential houses and bike paths crossing it. If I lived there and knew the city had plans to build with the intent of having 18 wheelers roll down in regularly, I'd be seriously pissed.

[RedScare]

Yeah, can't say I'm too impressed with their conclusion that Yale should be a 'thoroughfare'. Shepherd, I can see. Yale....not so much. I don't know of too many 'thoroughfares' in Houston that have residential houses and bike paths crossing it. If I lived there and knew the city had plans to build with the intent of having 18 wheelers roll down in regularly, I'd be seriously pissed.

Montrose

Westheimer

Richmond

Gessner

Kirby

Bellaire

Just off the top of my head.

[SaintCyr]

Yeah, can't say I'm too impressed with their conclusion that Yale should be a 'thoroughfare'. Shepherd, I can see. Yale....not so much. I don't know of too many 'thoroughfares' in Houston that have residential houses and bike paths crossing it. If I lived there and knew the city had plans to build with the intent of having 18 wheelers roll down in regularly, I'd be seriously pissed.

Something that was being looked at was when the street actually got that designation. It was said, 30 years ago the neighborhood was heading in a different direction (more industrial and commercial rather than residential)... So, I'm not sure where that road went, however, they did say that it was going to be looked at and determined if it would be feasible to redesignate it or leave it be. I'll see what I can dig up as to where they are with everything.

D

[SaintCyr]

Montrose - I think this lost it's throughfare designation

Westheimer - Very Commercial

Richmond - Same as above

Gessner - LARGE Footprint and large set back

Kirby - This is the closest to the Yale situation, however, I can't think of a place on any of those streets that have residential so close to the road.

Bellaire - Same a Gessner

Not trying to argue, I just think the situation between 6th and 20th is different because of the close proximity to the street.

Just off the top of my head.

[RedScare]

Oh, how could I forget...North Main Street.

[SaintCyr]

Oh, how could I forget...North Main Street.

I cannot contest that one...

[heights_yankee]

Oh, how could I forget...North Main Street.

right. north main, shepherd/durham, studewood already all go through the heights. a nighborhood this size doesnt need another thoroughfare. it needs a well paved road capable of handling heavy neighborhood traffic but it doesnt need rush hour traffic trying to shave 3 minutes off their commute to 290

[RedScare]

right. north main, shepherd/durham, studewood already all go through the heights. a nighborhood this size doesnt need another thoroughfare. it needs a well paved road capable of handling heavy neighborhood traffic but it doesnt need rush hour traffic trying to shave 3 minutes off their commute to 290

I am not getting the impression that you've really thought about who will use this street. Firstly, the street is not planned to increase drastically in size. It is not getting any more lanes than it already has, and the only expansion is a foot wider lanes in some parts. It will become concrete, just like Studewood, and soon, North Main. I don't know about you, but I really enjoy driving the new Studewood, as opposed to the old crappy one. I am sure I will also enjoy driving the new Main Street.

Yale will not really help anyone trying to save time getting to 290. Perhaps Shepherd does, but even I do not use those streets to get to 290. Both Shepherd and (to a lesser extent) Yale are used to avoid I-45, and only by those people coming from the Greenway area. Anyone who uses the roads (as I do) to avoid I-45 congestion knows that Shepherd is a far better street for doing so...and will remain so. Why? Because the biggest traffic choke point on 45 is the Shepherd curve. Taking Yale to I-45 will put you on 45 AHEAD of the curve, and in the middle of the congestion. Taking Shepherd put you on 45 AFTER the curve, missing the worst of the congestion.

Furthermore, Yale effectively begins at West Gray. It is too complicated to be useful as a thoroughfare after that. Moreover, it gets very skinny (2 lanes) at its northern end, so it is not even that useful as a shortcut to I-45, except for those of us who live near it. Frankly, it simply will not get that much busier than it already is, certainly not enough to oppose rebuilding it.

I use this road nearly every day to access I-45. I SEE who is driving on it, and I know why it is used. This rebuild will not change the traffic patterns for the worse.

I certainly understand NIMBYism, but when NIMBYism threatens to make life WORSE as opposed to better, I speak up. This road needs to be rebuilt, not repaved. I applaud those who are working to make the rebuild the road in a way that saves as many trees as possible. I stick my tongue out at those who are kneejerk opposed to it.

[heights_yankee]

I am not getting the impression that you've really thought about who will use this street. Firstly, the street is not planned to increase drastically in size. It is not getting any more lanes than it already has, and the only expansion is a foot wider lanes in some parts. It will become concrete, just like Studewood, and soon, North Main. I don't know about you, but I really enjoy driving the new Studewood, as opposed to the old crappy one. I am sure I will also enjoy driving the new Main Street.

Yale will not really help anyone trying to save time getting to 290. Perhaps Shepherd does, but even I do not use those streets to get to 290. Both Shepherd and (to a lesser extent) Yale are used to avoid I-45, and only by those people coming from the Greenway area. Anyone who uses the roads (as I do) to avoid I-45 congestion knows that Shepherd is a far better street for doing so...and will remain so. Why? Because the biggest traffic choke point on 45 is the Shepherd curve. Taking Yale to I-45 will put you on 45 AHEAD of the curve, and in the middle of the congestion. Taking Shepherd put you on 45 AFTER the curve, missing the worst of the congestion.

Furthermore, Yale effectively begins at West Gray. It is too complicated to be useful as a thoroughfare after that. Moreover, it gets very skinny (2 lanes) at its northern end, so it is not even that useful as a shortcut to I-45, except for those of us who live near it. Frankly, it simply will not get that much busier than it already is, certainly not enough to oppose rebuilding it.

I use this road nearly every day to access I-45. I SEE who is driving on it, and I know why it is used. This rebuild will not change the traffic patterns for the worse.

I certainly understand NIMBYism, but when NIMBYism threatens to make life WORSE as opposed to better, I speak up. This road needs to be rebuilt, not repaved. I applaud those who are working to make the rebuild the road in a way that saves as many trees as possible. I stick my tongue out at those who are kneejerk opposed to it.

i whole heartedly agree with you on certain points. however, my impression is that the city is want to encourage this as a thoroughfare from 10 to 610/290. this is the part of the plan i find objectionable.

as i said, i am curious as to who the COH feels they are doing this project for. do they want to benefit the heights or do they want to make the heights a passthru? their intentions are important to the issue. i have emailed CM Gonzales with that question but not heard back at this point.

my feeling about this is not knee jerk and i am not the only one who is dismayed by the project as it is currently being proposed. i have read all the documentation/information in this post and used it to form my opinion. i have not been able to find any information that goes above and beyond what i found here so this is what i am going on....

[AtticaFlinch]

i whole heartedly agree with you on certain points. however, my impression is that the city is want to encourage this as a thoroughfare from 10 to 610/290. this is the part of the plan i find objectionable.

as i said, i am curious as to who the COH feels they are doing this project for. do they want to benefit the heights or do they want to make the heights a passthru? their intentions are important to the issue. i have emailed CM Gonzales with that question but not heard back at this point.

my feeling about this is not knee jerk and i am not the only one who is dismayed by the project as it is currently being proposed. i have read all the documentation/information in this post and used it to form my opinion. i have not been able to find any information that goes above and beyond what i found here so this is what i am going on....

Maybe you could push for the 290 commuter rail instead of against the Yale thoroughfare. It'll alleviate enough traffic to ensure traveling to 290 on 610 from 10 makes more sense to a big rig driver than taking a cut through. Then, everybody wins. You get a nicer street, and the freeway acolytes are left on their preferred roadways.

[poyea]

I am not getting the impression that you've really thought about who will use this street. Firstly, the street is not planned to increase drastically in size. It is not getting any more lanes than it already has, and the only expansion is a foot wider lanes in some parts. It will become concrete, just like Studewood, and soon, North Main. I don't know about you, but I really enjoy driving the new Studewood, as opposed to the old crappy one. I am sure I will also enjoy driving the new Main Street.

Yale will not really help anyone trying to save time getting to 290. Perhaps Shepherd does, but even I do not use those streets to get to 290. Both Shepherd and (to a lesser extent) Yale are used to avoid I-45, and only by those people coming from the Greenway area. Anyone who uses the roads (as I do) to avoid I-45 congestion knows that Shepherd is a far better street for doing so...and will remain so. Why? Because the biggest traffic choke point on 45 is the Shepherd curve. Taking Yale to I-45 will put you on 45 AHEAD of the curve, and in the middle of the congestion. Taking Shepherd put you on 45 AFTER the curve, missing the worst of the congestion.

Furthermore, Yale effectively begins at West Gray. It is too complicated to be useful as a thoroughfare after that. Moreover, it gets very skinny (2 lanes) at its northern end, so it is not even that useful as a shortcut to I-45, except for those of us who live near it. Frankly, it simply will not get that much busier than it already is, certainly not enough to oppose rebuilding it.

I use this road nearly every day to access I-45. I SEE who is driving on it, and I know why it is used. This rebuild will not change the traffic patterns for the worse.

I certainly understand NIMBYism, but when NIMBYism threatens to make life WORSE as opposed to better, I speak up. This road needs to be rebuilt, not repaved. I applaud those who are working to make the rebuild the road in a way that saves as many trees as possible. I stick my tongue out at those who are kneejerk opposed to it.

The problem is that the city is also planning on creating on/off-ramps and feeder roads at Yale and I-10. So, yes, the idea is to create a cut through from 610 to I-10, which is terrible for the Heights, in my opinion. There is no reason to have another route expanded/improved when there is Shepherd/Durham, Main, 45 already being used. It is 12 blocks (< 1 mile) from Yale to Shepherd and only ~2 miles from Yale to I-45. It doesn't make sense. I live one block off of Yale and the traffic already moves at 50 mph as it stands now. What they SHOULD do is convert it into a Studewood-type of street. Yankee, I too have written our Councilman, weeks ago, the day after the last HHA meeting on this topic, and I have received no response. Frustrating.

[heights_yankee]

i whole heartedly agree with you on certain points. however, my impression is that the city is want to encourage this as a thoroughfare from 10 to 610/290. this is the part of the plan i find objectionable.

as i said, i am curious as to who the COH feels they are doing this project for. do they want to benefit the heights or do they want to make the heights a passthru? their intentions are important to the issue. i have emailed CM Gonzales with that question but not heard back at this point.

my feeling about this is not knee jerk and i am not the only one who is dismayed by the project as it is currently being proposed. i have read all the documentation/information in this post and used it to form my opinion. i have not been able to find any information that goes above and beyond what i found here so this is what i am going on....

wow. that is full of typos and i could not find the edit button. forgive me. i swear i am literate.

[SaintCyr]

I certainly understand NIMBYism, but when NIMBYism threatens to make life WORSE as opposed to better, I speak up. This road needs to be rebuilt, not repaved. I applaud those who are working to make the rebuild the road in a way that saves as many trees as possible. I stick my tongue out at those who are kneejerk opposed to it.

Red I think the vast majority of the people here are not opposed to the rebuild but are opposed to the removal of so many trees. I honestly would prefer concrete and a Studewood type roadway, however, the CoH studies some time ago (+10 years) showed this road as growing to thoroughfare level as it is defined on the city website...

" -Thoroughfares: More than 3 miles long; connects freeways and principal thoroughfares; more than 20,000 vehicles per day; usually spaced one-half to one mile apart. "

It was brought up in the last meeting to understand if the road had in fact reached such a level or would in the next 10+ years, which could not be answered by even the project manager. Studewood does not hold the thorough designation or at least it was looked past when they rebuilt it. The reasons the PM stated as having to be 4 lanes and concrete were caused by the thoroughfare designation. If you read the definition below we all can see that it fits better and will most likely be the definition of this street for many years to come especially as attention turns to more mass transit.

" -Collector: One to two miles long; connects thoroughfares and locals streets; more than 5,000 vehicles per day; less than one mile spacing. "

We also need to identify the section of road we are talking about is the small strip between 6th and 20th. This strip sets itself apart for the reasons I stated above. I think everything has gone pretty smoothly so far and hopefully no one goes radical and starts boycotting the rebuild because then we all lose by having to drive on a pot-holed horrible road.

As for the on and off ramps, CoH has nothing to do with them EXCEPT working with TXDoT to tie in the roads along i-10...

I'm tired of thinking about it for now...

D

[RedScare]

Red I think the vast majority of the people here are not opposed to the rebuild but are opposed to the removal of so many trees.

Reading some of these posts, it sure doesn't sound like the vast majority wants a rebuild, which is why I spoke up. I am all for saving as many mature trees as possible, and I do not believe trading a mature tree for a sapling is an even trade. However, these issues are dealt with by negotiating with the city planners, NOT by opposing any improvement at all. To repeat, I am a Heights resident, and I use this road. A rebuild helps ME, a Heights resident. Those claiming otherwise are ignoring all of the residents who use the road, and I will continue to point that out.

[Angostura]

I am not getting the impression that you've really thought about who will use this street. Firstly, the street is not planned to increase drastically in size. It is not getting any more lanes than it already has, and the only expansion is a foot wider lanes in some parts. It will become concrete, just like Studewood, and soon, North Main. I don't know about you, but I really enjoy driving the new Studewood, as opposed to the old crappy one. I am sure I will also enjoy driving the new Main Street.

If the plan were to make Yale look like Studewood (three lanes, one reversible), I don't think there'd be much objection. I, for one, would be all for it.

However, COH's stated intention is to allow higher traffic speeds and larger throughput by widening (albeit slightly) the lane width, which ends up decreasing the (already narrow) distance between the sidewalks and the road.

[musicman]

If the plan were to make Yale look like Studewood (three lanes, one reversible), I don't think there'd be much objection. I, for one, would be all for it.

However, COH's stated intention is to allow higher traffic speeds and larger throughput by widening (albeit slightly) the lane width, which ends up decreasing the (already narrow) distance between the sidewalks and the road.

i object that you want to take away capacity. with the bumps, holes, etc that are already there, it is more hazardous currently than it will be when complete.

[heights_yankee]

Reading some of these posts, it sure doesn't sound like the vast majority wants a rebuild, which is why I spoke up. I am all for saving as many mature trees as possible, and I do not believe trading a mature tree for a sapling is an even trade. However, these issues are dealt with by negotiating with the city planners, NOT by opposing any improvement at all. To repeat, I am a Heights resident, and I use this road. A rebuild helps ME, a Heights resident. Those claiming otherwise are ignoring all of the residents who use the road, and I will continue to point that out.

well, considering it was my posts you were quoting previously, i feel the need to respond to clarify yet again. i do not oppose redevelopment. i oppose the designation and marketing, for lack of a better term, of Yale as a "thoroughfare." i do not think higher speed limits and increased traffic on yale will benefit the neighborhood. i use it, too, and would love a smooth ride but i also walk with my kids around the neighborhood and walkability is one of the things that sets the heights apart from all other parts of houston. the more our neighborhood becomes a cut through for people who don't live here, the harder it is to maintain that walkability. that is an issue for me, whether or not it is for you.

additionally, i live 3 blocks off of studewood. frankly, i wish it was under construction again. i liked it better when no one used it to access 610 from downtown. now i have cars doing 40-50 mph down TEMPLE AND MELWOOD cutting from studewood to main or 45. in case you are unaware, these streets have a busy park between them. no one should be driving 40 down a residential street, park or no park, but someone is going to get hurt and that will be a tragedy for the child, their family, and the poor jackass who hit them. their life will be ruined because they shaved 10 minutes off their commute.

again, i am not having a "knee jerk" reaction to this. the amount of traffic in this neighborhood effects me and my family. i would love a nice paved road with slightly more even sidewalks (i say slightly b/c the trees do not allow for a totally even sidewalk) where people who LIVE HERE can use it to get in and out of the neighborhood efficiently without the hassle of being stuck behind a redlight with every resident of Tomball trying to get to 290 without spending too much time on the Loop.you commute on yale, red. i don't want you to have to deal with those people, with 18 wheelers who can't navigate the turns, with people who swerve between lanes because they are looking at their GPS wondering how the heck to get out of this scary, transitional neighborhood. i want better for you!

[SaintCyr]

Has anyone heard anything on this? Last I heard the city was moving forward with the asphault plan and was not going to be meeting with the the community anymore. Anyone heard anything different/new?

[heights]

Has anyone heard anything on this? Last I heard the city was moving forward with the asphault plan and was not going to be meeting with the the community anymore. Anyone heard anything different/new?

I noticed today that there are "Road Construction Ahead" and "End Construction" signs on either side of Yale on all of the cross-streets, at least between 11th and 16th. I wonder if they are starting soon.

Edit: I just found this on HHA page:

Yale Repaving

Repaving of Yale from I-10 to 610 has been postponed again, this time to December 17. It is expected to take 90 days.