Infrastructure

The I-45 Project – Planning Stage is coming to an end! by Lori Bigler

From the Editor - WH neighbor Jim West has made a huge effort to stay abreast of TxDOTs plans for I-45 expansion. What follows is derived from his most recent update posted to NextDoor, reproduced here with permission.


The I-45 Project – Planning Stage is coming to an end! This next meeting is a HEARING - much different from the public meetings that TxDOT has been holding. 

This HEARING is the last meeting where the public will be heard! After a short comment period following the hearing, nothing else will go on record about the project. 

After the Hearing, the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will be completed – estimated to be complete next year – in 2018. Then a R.O.D. (Record of Decision) – also in 2018. And TxDOT will immediately start acquiring Right-of-way where needed and finish designs. 1st phase of construction will begin on Segment 3 (downtown) – estimated to start in 2020. 

There are only 2 HEARINGS scheduled at this time. You may remember that normally there were 3 meetings including one held at Jeff Davis High School (now Northside High School). Northside is currently being renovated so no meeting can be held there. We are asking TxDOT for a meeting that is convenient to Segment 2… but so far, no luck. 

As a quick summary, there are 3 Segments involved in the project:

  • Segment 1 (610 to Beltway 8) 
  • Segment 2 (610 to I-10)
  • Segment 3 (the Downtown Loop) 

We are currently in the final year of an approximately 12-year planning phase. TxDOT has held 4 public meetings – in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015. Part of this project, is the re-routing of I-45 at Pierce Elevated and moving it to be coincident with I-10 on the north side of downtown and coincident with US-59 on the east side of Downtown. Directly east of George Brown Convention both US-59 and I-45 will be below-grade.

This is a major project that is estimated to cost between $6 Billion and $7 Billion, WITHOUT right-of-way costs included. 

I am part of the I-45 Coalition, which is an all-volunteer group that was formed to address issues related to the planned construction of I-45 and to work with TxDOT to ensure that the pending construction comply with these 3 tenets:

  1. No expansion beyond the existing right-of-way
  2. Alternative means of transportation must be explored
  3. No negative impact on the neighborhoods quality of life.

We have not been very successful in these 3 tenets...but we have helped improve the project. 

Regarding ROW in Segment 1 – 212 acres of land will be taken; Segment 2 – 19 acres of land and in Segment 3 – 79 acres of land. 

In Segment 2 – the North St. Bridge will be removed. The main roadway of I-45 will be raised to almost grade level at North St. so it is impossible with the current engineering to have any bridge there. 

If you have commented or attended any of the prior meetings before, you should have received, or will soon receive notification via USPS of the 2 meetings locations from TxDOT. 

Hearings: Locations & Dates

Tuesday, May 9th
St. Pius X High School
811 W. Donovan Street
Houston, TX 77091

Thursday, May 11th
Houston Community College – Central Campus
1300 Holman Street - San Jacinto Building
Houston, TX 77004 

Displays will be available for viewing at 5:30 pm, formal hearing starts at 6:30 pm. 

Please review TxDOT’s plan, maps & designs on their website, www.ih45northandmore.com. As of today, the documents that will be shown at the hearing are NOT on the website…but they should be there soon. 

One major concern I have was in the announcement of the public hearing that was on the web-site. It states…”Some of the design changes are not included in the current evaluation of alternatives …. but will be presented at the Public Hearing and included and evaluated in the Final Environmental Impact Statement”. This means that TxDOT could present changes at the Public Hearing that folks will see for the very 1st time. Then we must evaluate all consequences of the change(s) and speak up at the very same meeting…which is the final meeting on the project! 

This seems to be exactly opposite method of trying to build consensus with the taxpayers and stakeholders. There will be a comment period to June 3rd or later (I haven’t seen the official deadline) … but the whole purpose of having meetings for more than 10 years with the community is to develop a project that the public agrees with and supports … last minute changes do not support that concept. 

It seems that now that we are down to the final meeting/HEARING – it is simple wrong to propose design changes that NO ONE HAS SEEN. Hopefully, any changes that TxDOT presents are ones that the community have requested…but it seems like proposed design changes should at least be on the TxDOT web site months before the HEARING! ...not the day of the HEARING! 

It is critical that you attend either Hearing (or both!) This truly is the last opportunity to have your voice heard! Please stay involved or get involved!

Neighborhood Traffic Management Update by Lori Bigler

Neighbors,

Yesterday, we received word from the City of Houston Public Works that they are moving forward with the installation of the speed cushions, based on feedback from the neighborhood.  The email from Public Works is below:

"Below is a summary of the public feedback on the latest proposed speed cushion plan (presented to the residents at the 12/06/2016 public meeting).
After careful consideration of the latest feedback as well as comments from the previous public meetings, the Department decided to move forward with the installation of the speed cushions. Here are the next steps.
  1. We’ll collect additional speed and volume data before the cushions are installed.
  2. After the cushions are in place and the traffic settled down, we’ll collect speed and volume data to determine the cushions’ effectiveness and impacts.
  3. We’ll conduct another public meeting to present the before and after data, and recommend modifications to the plan if necessary.
Please notify the residents of our decision."

Matt Johnson
VP Infrastructure, WHCA

 

REMINDER: Traffic Meeting Dec. 6, 7PM @ Hogg by Guest User

Don't forget about the upcoming Traffic Meeting hosted by the City of Houston at the Hogg Middle School Cafeteria on Tuesday, Dec. 6th, 7PM. If you did not receive the most recent traffic meeting notice in the mail from the City of Houston you may download a copy here or simply follow this link to comment online. Even if you comment online you may still want to download a copy of the comment card as it also includes a map of the new proposal. You will have 14-days to submit your comment after the meeting (deadline: December 21, 2016).

This is a new plan put together by city engineers. Comments submitted based on previous plans do not carryover. IF YOU WANT YOUR COMMENT TO COUNT YOU MUST SUBMIT A NEW ONE — NEW PLAN, NEW COMMENTS.

City of Houston: Traffic Meeting by Guest User

The WHCA is sharing this on behalf of the City of Houston. Any questions about the meeting, the provisions of the traffic plan, or the comment form should be directed to the Department of Public Works and Engineering. The Notice of Public Meeting will also be sent out from the City via mail to all residents affected by the proposed Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan per city ordinance. (Download the CoH Meeting Notice)

Based upon the comments received from the previous proposal, the City's engineers will be presenting their latest proposed revision of the plan during the meeting to be held on December 6, 2016 at 7pm.  The meeting will be held at Hogg Middle School's cafeteria.

Please note that a NEW comment period will follow the meeting and all residents are requested to provide new comments, as the city does not amalgamate old comments (from previous plans) into the new commenting period. Please DO NOT submit comments before the December 6 meeting.

Save the Date: Neighborhood Traffic Meeting Dec. 6th by Guest User

Mark your calendars for 7pm on Dec. 6th at Hogg Middle School for the next public hearing with city engineers regarding the most recent traffic management proposal. The City of Houston will mail you an official meeting notice so please be on the lookout for it. Be sure to check our website, Facebook page, or Nextdoor for new information on this topic as it develops.

Download the most recent traffic plan.

Yard Debris and Flooding by Guest User

The residents of the 2400 Julian St. condos have suffered several flooding issues over the past year. Some of the floods have been attributed to tree-trimming debris being washed down the creek that runs parallel to Julian St. (between the houses on Julian & White Oak Dr.), resulting in a blockage of the culvert which runs underneath the road at the condos. Residents whose properties back onto the creek are kindly reminded to ensure that no tree-debris is left in close proximity to the creek to help avoid damage to nearby homes during heavy rainfall.

Questions or comments? Contact WHCA Infrastructure, Phil Teague.

Traffic Program Update by Guest User

Thank you to everybody who took the time to submit comments to the city regarding the proposed Traffic Management plan. Upon review of all of the comments submitted to the City, Mr. Weatherford, Director of PWE, has determined that there is sufficient justification for the neighborhood to remain in the program. City engineers will draft a new modified plan based upon your comments and the City will invite all neighbors to a new public meeting once the plan is ready for public viewing. No timeline has been given for when that new meeting could occur.

Questions or comments? Contact WHCA Infrastructure, Phil Teague.

City Working to Create Historic District Guidelines by Guest User

Earlier this year, the City of Houston approved changes to the City's Historic District ordinance. As part of those changes, City Council authorized the development of design guidelines for the three designated historic districts in the Houston Heights. The City ultimately bid out the design guideline project, and awarded the contract to Winter & Co, a nationally renowned and leading urban design guideline firm in the country. Because the bid also came in lower than the City expected, the City added other historic districts that have not yet developed design guidelines to the contract, including the Woodland Heights and Norhill. Other nearby neighborhoods, such as Germantown, (also located within the WHCA area) have already had design guidelines approved by City Council.

The design guidelines are primarily useful in identifying, visually, the scope, the variance, and the options available to residents looking to build or remodel buildings located in the historic district. Instead of interpreting the words of the ordinance, residents, architects and builders will be able to visually see pictures and renderings of options appropriate for that particular historic area. Moreover, the City and Winter will also consider whether larger historic districts ought to refine the guidelines to take into consideration whether some blocks or areas should consider different design guidelines than other blocks or areas.

Over the next year, Winter and the City will be working closely with residents in the Woodland Heights Historic District to develop design guidelines. The guidelines, which are part of the original intent of the Historic District ordinance, will be developed by Winter, with significant input from residents, including the collection of surveys, opinions, and community review of multiple drafts. In addition, the City has formed an interest committee with residents, builders, and others, to keep check on the City and Winter's progress through the process. David Jordan, who formerly oversaw deed restrictions and land use in the Woodland Heights, and is a resident in the Woodland Heights Historic District, has been appointed to that committee.

The City's effort is led by Steph McDougal, a PhD, historic preservation expert hired specifically for this project by the City's Historic Preservation, Planning & Development Department. McDougal held a meeting on June 20, 2016 at Hogg Middle School for residents of the Woodland Heights Historic District, who were notified by mail of the meeting. Residents were able to ask questions about the process and approach, and hear more about the program. Woodland Heights Historic District residents with questions can reach out to Mr. McDougal or Mr. Jordan.

Major Closures Related to Houston Ave. Bridge Reconstruction by Guest User

Council Member Cisneros' office sent the following information to the WHCA regarding the upcoming closures that will facilitate the start of the partial reconstruction of the Houston Ave. Bridge near Allen Parkway. This prep work is required to facilitate the construction of the new Allen Parkway Entrance Ramp to IH 45 Southbound. 
 
These closures will be input into the TxDOT PIO system on Monday, 06.27.16.

  1. IH 45 Southbound Main lanes between the North Main Entrance Ramp and IH 10:  Alternate, (Inside), Lanes closed continuously between 9:00 PM on Friday, 07.08.16 and 5:00 AM on Monday, 07.11.16.  At least two main lanes will remain open.
  2. IH 45 Southbound Mainlanes at IH 10:  Total Closure continuously between 9:00 PM on Friday, 07.08.16 and 5:00 AM on Monday, 07.11.16.  Detour: IH 10 Eastbound to US 59 Southbound; Follow US 59 Southbound to IH 45.
  3. IH 10 Westbound Exit to IH 45 Southbound:    Total Closure continuously between 8:30 PM on Friday, 07.08.16 and 5:00 AM on Monday, 07.11.16.  Detour: IH 10 Westbound to the Taylor Exit; Left, (South) on Taylor; Left, (East) onto the IH 10 Eastbound Entrance Ramp.  Follow the IH 10 Eastbound Mainlanes to the exit to IH 45 Southbound.
  4. IH 10 Eastbound Exit to IH 45 Southbound:    Total Closure continuously between 8:30 PM on Friday, 07.08.16 and 5:00 AM on Monday, 07.11.16.  Detour: IH 10 Eastbound to US 59 Southbound; Follow US 59 Southbound to IH 45.
  5. IH 45 Southbound Mainlanes between IH 10 (Dart St.) and Walker:  1 Right, (Outside), Lane closed continuously between 5:00 AM on Monday, 07.11.16 and 5:00 AM on Wednesday, 09.07.16.
  6. IH 45 Southbound Exit to Dallas St./Pierce St.: Total Closure Continuously between 9:00 PM on Friday, 07.08.16 and 5:00 AM on Wednesday, 09.07.16.  Detour Southbound on IH 45 to the IH 45 Southbound Exit to McKinney; Right, (West) on Smith, Left on Pierce St.
  7. Allen Parkway Eastbound Entrance Ramp to IH 45 Southbound:  Total Closure Continuously between 5:00 AM on Tuesday, 07.05.16 and 5:00 AM on Monday, 11.14.16.  Detour: Eastbound on Allen Parkway/Dallas; Right, (West) on Smith, Left, (East) on Jefferson; Follow Jefferson to the IH 45 Southbound Entrance Ramp.
  8. Houston Ave. Southbound between Washington Ave. and Rusk:  1 Alternate Lane closed continuously between 7:30 PM on Friday, 07.08.16 and 5:00 AM on Wednesday, 09.07.16.
  9. Houston Ave. Southbound at Lubbock and at Rusk:  Total Closure Continuously between 7:30 PM on Friday, 07.08.16 and 5:00 AM on Wednesday, 09.07.16.   Detour:  Right, (Eastbound) on Rusk; Right, (South) on Smith; Left, (East) on Jefferson; Follow Jefferson to the IH 45 Southbound Entrance Ramp.

Phil Teague, WHCA VP of Infrastructure, will coordinate with TXDoT to ensure that the IH 10 Watson west or eastbound exit is shut off when it needs to be to inhibit redirect traffic from the freeway closures.

Bike Trail Detours by Guest User

The Heights and White Oak bike trails detours as part of construction work on I-45 will begin as soon as June 25th and is expected to last until the third quarter of 2017. According to the official press release:

The detour along Houston Avenue is provided on the west side of the southbound lane between Spring Street and White Oak Drive. Two detour plans are to be implemented in an effort to provide a more feasible, long-term solution in partnership with TxDOT, the City of Houston and Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County.

Accident at Bayland and Morrison by Guest User

An accident involving a car and motorcycle occurred at the intersection of Bayland and Morrison on Friday, May 20th around 8 PM. Both drivers were taken away by ambulance. The WHCA, through the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan, has proposed a traffic circle for this precise intersection to encourage drivers in both directions to be more aware.

Photograph by Woodland Heights resident Cindy Wilson.

Photograph by Woodland Heights resident Cindy Wilson.

Woodland Heights Revised Neighborhood Traffic Calming Plan by Guest User

The traffic calming plan uses two devices: speed cushions and traffic circles. These devices would in no way take away from private property or existing city easements. The proposed plan is temporary for a test period of 90 to 210 days. At the conclusion of the test period, another traffic study will be performed to verify that speeds/volumes were reduced on the main streets, and traffic did not shift to other streets.

Read More

Recent Traffic Problems by Guest User

Last week, the neighborhood experienced a significant traffic spike as a result of TxDOT’s closure of I-10 to do construction on the Houston Avenue Bridge. This included several 18-wheelers streaming up Watson, despite the sign at Usener and Watson that clearly prohibits such traffic. The WHCA is working with State and City officials, including the Mayor’s office, to make sure that they have a plan in place to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself the next time I-10 or I-45 is shut down. But this is also a reminder of the importance to implement traffic calming measures in the neighborhood. If you would like to join the neighborhood committee that is working with the City on this issue, please email us at infrastructure@woodland-heights.org

Revisions to Historic Preservation Ordinance by Guest User

Historic preservation is important to many of our members, so the WHCA believes it is important for its members to be aware that the City’s Planning and Development Department is proposing changes to Chapter 33, Historic Preservation Ordinance. According to the City, the changes were crafted to correct and clarify targeted items and create greater consistency for applicants and for the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission (HAHC). The proposed changes and the information related to this process can be found on their website.

Comments from the public may be submitted by calling 832-393-6556, via email, or by mail to HPD Review, Planning and Development Department, P.O. Box 1562, Houston, Texas 77251-1562. HAHC will review all comments and consider final action at its August 27, 2015 meeting, so please take the time to read the proposed revisions and to submit your comments before August 27, 2015.

URGENT: I-45 Expansion by Guest User

Message from WHCA President

One of the most important issues facing our neighborhood right now is the possible expansion of I-45. TxDOT is accepting comments until May 31 regarding its new, proposed plan. The WHCA is supporting the positions outlined by neighborhood resident Jim Weston and his I-45 Coalition and will be providing comments to I-45 along those lines. I encourage all of our residents to do the same. Please visit the I-45 Coalition's website for more information, and please get your comments in by May 31.  Thank you.

Neighborhood Traffic Study Underway by Guest User

Did you notice the traffic monitoring devices recently installed throughout the neighborhood? These devices, which measure both traffic volume and vehicle speeds, are for the initial traffic study for the Woodland Heights Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP). The NTMP is a program administered by the city aimed at reducing cut-through traffic and increasing pedestrian safety on residential streets. The NTMP for Woodland Heights will be a multi-year project and no traffic-calming measures will be implemented without extensive feedback from, and with the approval of, the residents of Woodland Heights. 

You’ve probably also noticed the city has recently begun repaving White Oak Dr. between Studemont and Houston Ave. This project is scheduled to be completed by June 30.