new bike paths around town

[springcityparts]

Any idea where this is? On a map

18 hours ago, hindesky said:

 

[j_cuevas713]

Did the city vote Wednesday about the bike lane controversy in Third Ward? I'm trying to find info on that. I heard Mayor Turner was visibly frustrated with Councilmember Shabazz.

[Houston19514]

3 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Did the city vote Wednesday about the bike lane controversy in Third Ward? I'm trying to find info on that. I heard Mayor Turner was visibly frustrated with Councilmember Shabazz.

Found it.  It was last week's Council Meeting.  I don't know if they voted to approve or not.

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Houston19514

[004n063]

3 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Did the city vote Wednesday about the bike lane controversy in Third Ward? I'm trying to find info on that. I heard Mayor Turner was visibly frustrated with Councilmember Shabazz.

Are you referring to the Blodgett lanes? I saw something about that in the Chronicle. Had no idea they were even building lanes on Blodgett. Seems odd to do anything with Blodgett before the University Line plans are finished.

[hbg.50]

22 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

I can't find anything about bike lanes in the agenda...  What is the controversy?

 

Similar to the 11th street bike lanes the city started making the changes on Blodgett and then the residents got mad.   Shabazz took up for her constituents and tried to put the kabash on the changes and the mayor got mad.  Just like 11th street he thought the public was made aware of the changes in advance.   Obviously the city is doing a lousy job of communication but they will never admit it.

[Houston19514]

29 minutes ago, 004n063 said:

Are you referring to the Blodgett lanes? I saw something about that in the Chronicle. Had no idea they were even building lanes on Blodgett. Seems odd to do anything with Blodgett before the University Line plans are finished.

The project that was discussed (and possibly approved) at City Council was from Ennis to Scott. University Line runs on Blodgett only from Almeda to Ennis, in the current plans.

[j_cuevas713]

3 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Similar to the 11th street bike lanes the city started making the changes on Blodgett and then the residents got mad.   Shabazz took up for her constituents and tried to put the kabash on the changes and the mayor got mad.  Just like 11th street he thought the public was made aware of the changes in advance.   Obviously the city is doing a lousy job of communication but they will never admit it.

I mean I feel like it goes both ways. When I lived in the Heights, I was well aware of the changes coming to 11th. So when people came to some of those meetings shocked at the news, I was taken back because I knew of the countless efforts to reach the community. I don't think it's all the city's fault. Some of it is def a lack of awareness when it comes to city issues. 

Edited February 4, 2023 by j_cuevas713

[Houston19514]

1 minute ago, j_cuevas713 said:

I mean I feel like it goes both ways. When I lived in the Heights, I was well aware of the changes coming to 11th. So when people came to some of those meetings shocked at the news, I was taken back because I knew of the countless efforts to reach the community. I don't think it's all the city's fault. Some of it def a lack of awareness when it comes to city issues. 

It goes back to a comment I made a while back:  generally, Houstonians seem to be uniquely unknowledgeable about their city. In part, I blame our utterly incompetent media.

[hbg.50]

1 hour ago, Houston19514 said:

It goes back to a comment I made a while back:  generally, Houstonians seem to be uniquely unknowledgeable about their city. In part, I blame our utterly incompetent media.

I found out about the 11th Street (and White Oak) changes through HAIF.  I’ll be honest, I stay away from Nextdoor unless I’m looking for reviews of a business.  Someone said there were articles in The Leader.  Well, I usually pick that up and chunk it immediately in the trash.  It’s not surprising that the cyclists would be aware and engaged in the process.  Whoever was “on watch” for the neighborhood either dropped the ball of escalating the issue or was sympathetic with the changes and therefore had no motivation to publicize broadly.   Would it have mattered?
 

I drive Kirby frequently towards the medical center.  Those “skinny” lanes are awful.  It’s like driving in Mexico or India (ok I’m exaggerating).  I learned through HAIF their purpose is to slow drivers down and make the roads safer.  I wonder if they are accomplishing their stated intention?  Did the neighborhood protest?
 

 

[JJxvi]

Government doesn't want people who might be against their plans to actually be aware of them. I'm sure they made plenty of "stakeholders" that they could confidently expect support from aware of them in various ways, but you can be sure that they never actually wanted "everyone" to know.  11th Street for example was a done deal before the vast majority of people who live on and use it every day knew about it.  Hell, the "plan" that was in place when the hornets nest actually got stirred up was so bad (ie no left turns, no access to cross 11th, etc) that it almost seemed like it was specifically intended to be replaced with one that wasnt so bad once everyone found out as a compromise.

Its like the joke at the beginning of Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The plans to demolish Arthur Dent's house were definitely on display...in the cellar...but the lights had gone....and the stairs...and they were in a locked filing cabinet in a disused lavatory with a sign saying "Beware of the Leopard" 

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by JJxvi

[004n063]

6 hours ago, JJxvi said:

Government doesn't want people who might be against their plans to actually be aware of them. I'm sure they made plenty of "stakeholders" that they could confidently expect support from aware of them in various ways, but you can be sure that they never actually wanted "everyone" to know.  11th Street for example was a done deal before the vast majority of people who live on and use it every day knew about it.  Hell, the "plan" that was in place when the hornets nest actually got stirred up was so bad (ie no left turns, no access to cross 11th, etc) that it almost seemed like it was specifically intended to be replaced with one that wasnt so bad once everyone found out as a compromise.

Its like the joke at the beginning of Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The plans to demolish Arthur Dent's house were definitely on display...in the cellar...but the lights had gone....and the stairs...and they were in a locked filing cabinet in a disused lavatory with a sign saying "Beware of the Leopard" 

 

It really is amazing how much Houstonians prioritize autocentrism over safety.

[JJxvi]

Agreed. That's why we need to mostly hide the "safety improvement" errr "bike lane plans" from them lest they come out against them. For their own good.

Edited February 9, 2023 by JJxvi

[j_cuevas713]

Here is my opinion on the bike lane issue and drivers complaining. The REAL issue isn't about traffic. It's about drivers not having the ability to drive as fast as they want and fly through a 4 lane street through the middle of the neighborhood. For so long people have been able to drive in this city with no conscious thought about people and now that they have to do that, they're all up in arms. I love the fact that some Heights residents who were so against this bike lane have now confessed how much they like it. Why? BECAUSE IT MAKES THE STREET SAFER. 

[Ross]

6 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Here is my opinion on the bike lane issue and drivers complaining. The REAL issue isn't about traffic. It's about drivers not having the ability to drive as fast as they want and fly through a 4 lane street through the middle of the neighborhood. For so long people have been able to drive in this city with no conscious thought about people and now that they have to do that, they're all up in arms. I love the fact that some Heights residents who were so against this bike lane have now confessed how much they like it. Why? BECAUSE IT MAKES THE STREET SAFER. 

I have zero sympathy for the complainers that are mad about destroying a wheel on one of the curbs or islands. They need to pay more attention to their driving. Traffic still flows, but there's almost zero craziness, since the ragers can't fly around other drivers at 20 over the speed limit.

[j_cuevas713]

On 2/9/2023 at 6:48 PM, Ross said:

I have zero sympathy for the complainers that are mad about destroying a wheel on one of the curbs or islands. They need to pay more attention to their driving. Traffic still flows, but there's almost zero craziness, since the ragers can't fly around other drivers at 20 over the speed limit.

Same! People are always complaining about "another lane” but that's just to justify them wanting to drive like animals. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by j_cuevas713

[mollusk]

Woodland Heights did a pretty good job of keeping people aware of the project from its earliest stages.  The city even came to a regular meeting or two before everything was locked down.

As of a couple days ago it didn't look like anyone had nailed the Michaux / White Oak island yet - of course, it has a LOT of signage above the bright yellow curbs.

[004n063]

On 2/9/2023 at 10:31 PM, mollusk said:

Woodland Heights did a pretty good job of keeping people aware of the project from its earliest stages.  The city even came to a regular meeting or two before everything was locked down.

As of a couple days ago it didn't look like anyone had nailed the Michaux / White Oak island yet - of course, it has a LOT of signage above the bright yellow curbs.

Yeah, didn't seem to be much of a problem when they put those in at the Hutchins intersections with Elgin and Alabama, but went a long way toward making those interesections - and Hutchins itself - feel safer.

Filtered permeability is a beautiful thing.

[004n063]

Took a (terrible) photo of the protected bike lanes being built on Blodgett. Starts at Scott, and based on the cones, looks like it'll go to the Columbia Tap trail. With this, the CT, the MUPs on Cleburne, Wheeler, and Cullen, plus the protected lanes on Gray and the semi-protected lanes on Hutchins, plus multiple connections to the Polk and Leeland lanes as well as the Brays Bayou trail, I think Third Ward is right there with the Heights when it comes to best bike infrastructure in the city.

[X.R.]

The Blodgett improvements is a project involving Commissioner Ellis and they 100% did outreach and its been on the bikehouston website forever. TSU had flyers about it, and I know the combination of the uni and county interviewed people about it because responses were in a slidedeck I saw online.

Ellis doesn't just do random things in third ward, he's been fairly protective of the area. And yes, its moving forward mostly because they had already done so much work before Shabazz brought it up which is kind of an indictment of her knowledge of the area. I like her, but her comments were wonky, acting like her constituents (which is fine and fair) and herself (not fine) were unaware when if she basically just followed other city employees on twitter who regularly give updates about alternate transit construction she would have had a steady stream of information over the last year. Wacky.

[j_cuevas713]

2 hours ago, X.R. said:

The Blodgett improvements is a project involving Commissioner Ellis and they 100% did outreach and its been on the bikehouston website forever. TSU had flyers about it, and I know the combination of the uni and county interviewed people about it because responses were in a slidedeck I saw online.

Ellis doesn't just do random things in third ward, he's been fairly protective of the area. And yes, its moving forward mostly because they had already done so much work before Shabazz brought it up which is kind of an indictment of her knowledge of the area. I like her, but her comments were wonky, acting like her constituents (which is fine and fair) and herself (not fine) were unaware when if she basically just followed other city employees on twitter who regularly give updates about alternate transit construction she would have had a steady stream of information over the last year. Wacky.

Def some level of disconnect in the district she oversees

[004n063]

5 hours ago, X.R. said:

The Blodgett improvements is a project involving Commissioner Ellis and they 100% did outreach and its been on the bikehouston website forever. TSU had flyers about it, and I know the combination of the uni and county interviewed people about it because responses were in a slidedeck I saw online.

Ellis doesn't just do random things in third ward, he's been fairly protective of the area. And yes, its moving forward mostly because they had already done so much work before Shabazz brought it up which is kind of an indictment of her knowledge of the area. I like her, but her comments were wonky, acting like her constituents (which is fine and fair) and herself (not fine) were unaware when if she basically just followed other city employees on twitter who regularly give updates about alternate transit construction she would have had a steady stream of information over the last year. Wacky.

What exactly was her problem with the project? 

[j_cuevas713]

17 hours ago, 004n063 said:

What exactly was her problem with the project? 

Her argument was that the street already get's overwhelmed with traffic during events for TSU and UH, so reducing it to one lane is going to make it worse. Half the street is already street parking and TSU fully endorsed the plan well before Shabazz had her complaints. She really doesn't have a foot to stand on in this because it's her district so she should have been aware of what the plan was and she decided to make an issue of everything well after so much work had already been done. I'm glad this is moving forward because in the last discussion the city had about this, Mayor Turner was not happy with Shabazz.

Edited February 14, 2023 by j_cuevas713

[Houston19514]

16 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Her argument was that the street already get's overwhelmed with traffic during events for TSU and UH, so reducing it to one lane is going to make it worse. Half the street is already street parking and TSU fully endorsed the plan well before Shabazz had her complaints. She really doesn't have a foot to stand on in this because it's her district so she should have been aware of what the plan was and she decided to make an issue of everything well after so much work had already been done. I'm glad this is moving forward because in the last discussion the city had about this, Mayor Turner was not happy with Shabazz.

Hmmmm... kinda sounds like the eleventh-hour objections to NHHIP raised by some of our so-called leaders after literally years of engagement and planning.

[004n063]

3 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Hmmmm... kinda sounds like the eleventh-hour objections to NHHIP raised by some of our so-called leaders after literally years of engagement and planning.

To be fair, it wasn't hip to be against highway "improvements" until like three years ago. Now Robert Moses is a household name, and not in a good way, so leaders are probably trying not to be associated with that. (Though I think most of us here would agree that NHHIP is a much more thoughtful project than its more ardent detractors are willing to acknowledge.)

Edited February 14, 2023 by 004n063

[Houston19514]

14 minutes ago, 004n063 said:

To be fair, it wasn't hip to be against highway "improvements" until like three years ago. Now Robert Moses is a household name, and not in a good way, so leaders are probably trying not to be associated with that. (Though I think most of us here would agree that NHHIP is a much more thoughtful project than its more ardent detractors are willing to acknowledge.)

I would hope we could expect something more from our local leadership than the desire to be seen as  "hip".  But sadly, you may be right.

Edited February 14, 2023 by Houston19514

[004n063]

58 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

I would hope we could expect something more from our local leadership than the desire to be seen as  "hip".  But sadly, you may be right.

I agree, but to be fair, I would also say that rubber-stamping highway projects (virtually all of which were expansions) was such an ingrained, bipartisan instinct for so long, that I doubt the early days of the project saw a whole lot of sincere, critical analysis from elected officials, because nobody was electing urbanist infrastructure wonks back then.

[004n063]

Update on Blodgett and adjacent bike facilities:

1) Curbs are fully installed from Scott to Columbia Tap, but the sign says plans are for it to extend to Ennis (where the future U-Line is supposed to turn north; supposedly improved multi-use pedestrian facilities will through-run that project, though I'm not entirely convinced). Not technically open, however, because the sidewalks are not complete. The width is about the same as the narrower segments of the Austin St. bikeway, and there has been no curb or sidewalk work on the south side, so my assumption is that it will be bidirectional.

2) The bikeway will go around bus stops on the sidewalk side, like the Polk lanes do, but these look a bit more solidly built. Nice to see. However, these wraps are narrower than the street lane, and could present bidirectionality challenges.

3) The raised crossing at the Columbia tap is complete, and it's a masterpiece. It's a significantly raised, brick-surfaced platform with hard-curb narrowing in the approach. Every car I saw slowed to what I would estimate was under 10mph. The Blodgett bikeway veers toward the sidewalk for a fully separated intersection. If the Nicholson/11th intersection is an A-, this is an A. Still has a stop sign on the Columbia Tap, but...I mean...

Here are some pictures:

[j.33]

15 minutes ago, 004n063 said:

so my assumption is that it will be bidirectional.

I am pretty sure the bike lanes are directional. The cross sections on engage houston show it as directional. Thanks for the pics and updates tho! That raised crosswalk is a game changer! Project is coming along nicely! 

[004n063]

1 hour ago, Justin Welling said:

I am pretty sure the bike lanes are directional. The cross sections on engage houston show it as directional. Thanks for the pics and updates tho! That raised crosswalk is a game changer! Project is coming along nicely! 

Interesting! That would definitely be an improvement, since it does feel a touch narrow for bidirectional. 9ft for one-direction is world-class, though! And I think this cross-section only shows it at bus stops; the bikeway on the north side is definitely wider than 5ft at other points - closer to what the cross section shows for the south side.

[004n063]

Safety improvements at the HHB / Heights Boulevard crossing. 

Also, no picture, but is it time to start talking about widening and use-segregating the HHB? At least west of Yale to the White Oak Bayou trail? (And maybe anywhere else it's possible, e.g. south of White Oak Drive?) It's popular enough that the shared use element feels a bit dangerous.