HOUCAJUN Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 on channel 11 news i heard about a project along 288, that involves more greenery along the median. anyone know what this is all about. they also stated that this project will cover 80 miles of freeway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaga Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 Good news, I saw this driving down 288 the other day. Hopefully they'll add greenery to I10 when the expansion is complete. I think its very important to beautify and landscape our freeways and highways because this is the first impression visitors have of our city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 TxDOT has an ongoing project to beautify the freeways in Houston. Plantings have already been completed on some sections of 610, 45, 59, and several major interchanges. This has actually been going on for a few years but recently it seems they've picked up the pace. In addition to the landscaping work, elements such as painting the guardrails, retaining walls, and support columns of bridges, and decorative columns for overhead signs are included. Good examples of already completed projects are the West Loop south of 59, 59 through Sugar Land, and 59 under Hazard, Woodhead, Dunlavy, and Mandell. The Gulf Freeway/Sam Houston interchange is one of the earlier projects that's had time to mature and now looks really great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorAggie Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 I like the retaining wall on 610 north just east if 59. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunstar Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 I think this is a great start, but for me the biggest improvement would be to get rid of all the giant billboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 What you talking about Willis?288 is the only billboard free freeway in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 Metro took down the billboards along Westpark a few years ago (where the tollway is now).They missed an opportunity to really clean up that street, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 TxDOT has an ongoing project to beautify the freeways in Houston. Plantings have already been completed on some sections of 610, 45, 59, and several major interchanges. This has actually been going on for a few years but recently it seems they've picked up the pace. In addition to the landscaping work, elements such as painting the guardrails, retaining walls, and support columns of bridges, and decorative columns for overhead signs are included. Good examples of already completed projects are the West Loop south of 59, 59 through Sugar Land, and 59 under Hazard, Woodhead, Dunlavy, and Mandell. The Gulf Freeway/Sam Houston interchange is one of the earlier projects that's had time to mature and now looks really great.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I was wondering about all those little baby trees being held up by sticks along 45... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 The Sugarland section of 59 is going to also be covered with ivies! I drove on the feeder a week ago, and the ivy was starting to grow in! Same with 59 in the Museum Dist. Once the ivy grows in, along with the crepe myrtles, and Oaks, it will be a very nice freeway!IMO, some fancy fiber optics on those bridges would be UBER!As for 288, I like 288. It is free of Billboards, and the grassy median is a nice change from the usual masses of concrete on the other freeways. Even with expansion, some of the median can probably be reserved, and some plantings on it would really enhance the freeway. Inside the loop, when the thing is in a semi trench, they could simply place some excellent plantings on the sides (maybe kinda like in Canada, where they have flowers and stuff) OR, they could seed the thing with wildflowers in the spring, to go with the oaks, and whatever they would plant there!Fix these things up nicely, and HOu can have some excellent highways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincoRanch-HoustonResident Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 The Katy Freeway in Katy is having ivies, too. They are going to plant live oak treess, and shrubs once the construction is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 I've seen the new plantings on 288 and it already gives that section of the freeway a cleaner, newer look. Very nice. I think it'd be really cool if they added artwork/fountains near the overpasses that are well lit at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 hopefully they left room for the bluebonnentsthey grow like crazy on the hill leading into 45/59. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaga Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 They need to add some kind of Greenery to Westheimer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 They need to add some kind of Greenery to Westheimer!Your wish will be coming true on a section of Westheimer. TxDOT is currently reconfiguring the center medians on Westheimer between Hwy. 6 and Post Oak. Within the Westchase District, spaces are being opened up on the medians for the Westchase District to add landscaping. Most of the medians will still be concrete, but at least in Westchase, some of them will have some greenery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 great news!more grenery to go with our concretewhile you are all driving and not taking public transportation or car pooling we can pollute the greenery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUCAJUN Posted November 26, 2004 Author Share Posted November 26, 2004 Your wish will be coming true on a section of Westheimer. TxDOT is currently reconfiguring the center medians on Westheimer between Hwy. 6 and Post Oak. Within the Westchase District, spaces are being opened up on the medians for the Westchase District to add landscaping. Most of the medians will still be concrete, but at least in Westchase, some of them will have some greenery.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>will they do this on westheimer between chimney rock and gessner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largeTEXAS Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Ugliest roadways in Houston:1. I-45 North and South2. 19603. Highway 64. Westheimer west of 6105. Richmond west of 610I-45 is just about the most hideous roadway on earth! It's complete visual annihilation. Bean bags, used cars, bad furniture, ugly billboards, shiny flags, etc. The only solution would be to condemn the properties along the corridor, tear everything down and plant trees. 1960, Highway 6, Westheimer, and Richmond all have the same problem. They suffer from strip center madness. Sprawl's finest hour! It's like you're in one of those cartoons where the same scene repeats over and over and over again. But, Houston has some beautiful roadways:1. Main Street and Fannin from University to Bissonnet 2. Main Street downtown3. Heights Blvd4. US 59 from Kirby to Montrose5. Every Cotswald street downtown6. Memorial from downtown through Memorial7. Allen Parway to Kirby (until Westheimer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 will they do this on westheimer between chimney rock and gessner?No. That was not in the schematics I saw for the project before construction started. Outside fo the Westchase District the medians will be plain old ugly concrete and nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Is the Westchase District funding the median greenery? I live on Woodland Park Dr. and they usually put up signs letting us know when they're enhancing the neighborhood - but no sign this time on Westheimer...GlenYes I think it is being put in by the district, but I don't think it's going to be installed right away. That's probably why there are no signs.Where on Woodland Park do you live? I lived on Woodland Park until August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Ugliest roadways in Houston:1. I-45 North and SouthI-45 is just about the most hideous roadway on earth! <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Pretty much agree with your observations, including the positive ones.A small stretch of I-45 (from downtown to the North Main exit) is already attractive, and (if the recent plantings take hold) it will be more so in a year or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Camden Creek. This is only until I get that dream house in Briargrove Park! Where did you live? Glen Gramercy Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Gramercy Park.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Isn't that a Deadsy Song? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 Gramercy Park was a great place when I moved in back in January 2000. It was still owned by Martin Fein, the original developer of the complex. After looking at several complexes developed by Fein when I was planning a move earlier this year, I am convinced they are one of the best apartment builders in the city. Under Fein, management at Gramercy Park was great and there weren't that many kids. However, when the property was sold to Equity Residential things started to go downhill a little. Maintenance requests took longer to be fulfilled, landscaping was allowed to die off and not be replaced, and amenities like the free bicycles, door-to-door trash pickup, and social events went away. At the same time, the economic downturn hit and it seemed the standards for new renters declined. That's when all of the kids EVERYWHERE started appearing. Unfortunately the complex has a large number of three bedroom units and those appeal mostly to families. Fortunately my building remained mostly children free and quiet. The apartments themselves are very nice and well built. I loved my apartment and the floorplan. The apartments are also well sound-proofed so I never had a noise issue with any of the neighbors. The main reason I left was my desire to move inside 610 and be closer to friends, church, and my social life. And even though the manager and staff Equity put in Gramercy Park weren't the greatest, I ended up in another Equity property and have been very pleased with the staff at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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