Memorial Drive ReConstruction. Goodbye Fast Food Alley (Houston, Austin: neighborhood, schools)

[EasilyAmused]

USIC is all over this section of Memorial today marking utilities. Looks the the reconstruction and beautification of this section has been pushed up and is marked for 2014. Apparently its being redone in the "Complete Streets" style. Will be interesting to watch.

[GTRdad]

Hope the houses near the new road dont get flooded. I think they should cover Dairy Ashford and other N to S streets, those roads are really terrible.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by GTRdad

Hope the houses near the new road dont get flooded. I think they should cover Dairy Ashford and other N to S streets, those roads are really terrible.

It includes new drainage. They've already been working on Wilcrest, and Kirkwood is slated to go after that. No mention of DA yet.

[sksainath]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

It includes new drainage. They've already been working on Wilcrest, and Kirkwood is slated to go after that. No mention of DA yet.

Do you have the information on Kirkwood? I drove on it from Memorial down to Westheimer and I still have nightmares. Thanks

[EasilyAmused]

Here is the info. They aren't going in order, and some things are already in the works. Dairy Ashford IS slated for a revamp. Kirkwood has already been engineered.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...ZjkzZmZlYjYzZg

Re Memorial
The City of Houston has started a large Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) project to rebuild Memorial Drive from Kirkwood to Eldridge. This is a mobility project that when finished, will solve many of the traffic problems we now experience. The design has not yet started but the Super Neighborhood Council has been assured that the finished project will include curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. The existing ditches will be gone.

COH Project Description: Improvements will upgrade existing roadway to major thoroughfare standards; improve traffic flow/circulation and drainage in the service area.
Estimated Cost: $13,872,327 - 80% Federal Funds, 20% City Match

Current Project Status/Remarks: Project is in Phase I


We were also verbally told that the plan included esplanades, trees lining the road and buried utilities and modern traffic lights. No more wires.

[LocalPlanner]

Many of the businesses along the affected section of Memorial are fighting the plan - they want a continuous two-way left turn lane, AKA "suicide lane", no medians. They're afraid they'll lose business if folks have to U-turn. Same whine heard from businesses on FM 1960, Hwy 6, and Westheimer before those medians got done.

[ToyYot]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Many of the businesses along the affected section of Memorial are fighting the plan - they want a continuous two-way left turn lane, AKA "suicide lane", no medians. They're afraid they'll lose business if folks have to U-turn. Same whine heard from businesses on FM 1960, Hwy 6, and Westheimer before those medians got done.

If you understood the traffic patterns better in this neighborhood you'd understand these concerns are shared by the residents too. Essentially, the plan as it currently stands forces uturns at Kirkwood and clear spring for school and residential traffic. Add in commercial traffic and the whole idea of an unbroken median is farcical. Not much thought put into traffic pattens here! This is how people in your profession get a bad rep, no local consultation until the 11th hour.

Just comparing this stretch of Memorial to Westheimer, hwy 6 and fm1960 really says it all. Absolutely clueless.

[LocalPlanner]

I grew up in that area and still live nearby, so I'm not clueless about it at all. And yes, even if it's a smaller overall street, the same principles apply as to the other streets. I do the u-turns on Westheimer to get to driveways and it's no big deal.

I have little sympathy for school traffic. Make your kids bike / walk / take the bus. That's how it was not so long ago - and those schools have been around a long time. Parents need to get a grip.

[geopainter]

Originally Posted by sksainath

Do you have the information on Kirkwood? I drove on it from Memorial down to Westheimer and I still have nightmares. Thanks

Kirkwood from Westheimer to Buffalo Bayou is "in inventory" for Rebuild Houston, which means, not funded or scheduled, though the city admits it is "beyond repair"; The Briar Forest Super Neighborhood sponsored a 311 campaign to request replacement of this road, not just patches. Briar Forest SN was told that "sticker shockj" prevents the rebuild of the southern part of Kirkwood. However, the part north of the bayou to I-10 is on the CIP 2014 list, despite the fact that it is comparatively a dream to travel versus the pothole rollercoaster that is the southern part.


Eldridge and Memorial SN's have also requested Kirkwood and Dairy Ashford replacement for years. The work on DA last year was a targeted panel replacement. Sadly many roads in West Houston need total rebuild, due to undersized sewers, shifting soils, increasing traffic, age. Rebuild Houston is supposedly prioritized as "Worst first"... you can see the rankings (as of 2011) on the worst roads here - as Houston grows, they'll only get worse...
http://www.rebuildhouston.org/images...ssment_map.pdf

[sksainath]

Originally Posted by geopainter

Kirkwood from Westheimer to Buffalo Bayou is "in inventory" for Rebuild Houston, which means, not funded or scheduled, though the city admits it is "beyond repair"; The Briar Forest Super Neighborhood sponsored a 311 campaign to request replacement of this road, not just patches. Briar Forest SN was told that "sticker shockj" prevents the rebuild of the southern part of Kirkwood. However, the part north of the bayou to I-10 is on the CIP 2014 list, despite the fact that it is comparatively a dream to travel versus the pothole rollercoaster that is the southern part.


Eldridge and Memorial SN's have also requested Kirkwood and Dairy Ashford replacement for years. The work on DA last year was a targeted panel replacement. Sadly many roads in West Houston need total rebuild, due to undersized sewers, shifting soils, increasing traffic, age. Rebuild Houston is supposedly prioritized as "Worst first"... you can see the rankings (as of 2011) on the worst roads here - as Houston grows, they'll only get worse...
http://www.rebuildhouston.org/images...ssment_map.pdf

Yeah I saw that map and it truly is sad. What was the explanation for not rebuilding the southern part of Kirkwood? Also wouldnt the presence of top companies like Technip, Worley Parsons among others in the area influence the city to fix those main roads?