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path for walking and biking. For the stewards of the Magnolia Cemetery, located on the west side of Montrose Boule- vard south of Allen Parkway, they said the changes are worth it, even if they come with growing pains. The cemetery has among the longest borders with the proposed improve- ments among property owners. “We were concerned about keeping our cemetery whole,” said Glen Telge, whose family have been stewards of the cemetery since the 1920s. “We were told there was not going to even be any talk of [encroachment]. We’re excited about it.” Safety first Most of Montrose falls within the city of Houston’s “high injury network”—a term used to refer to the 6% of the city’s road seg- ments where 60% of fatal and serious vehi- cle and pedestrian injuries take place. From 2014-2018, the stretch of Montrose from Bomar to Branard streets had five crashes with serious injuries, including three involv- ing pedestrians, according to city data. Because of that, TIRZ Chair Joe Webb said improving safety is a major consideration in project plans. While the city of Houston ultimately has the authority of setting the speed limit, Ali said they want to design the road in a way that encourages people to drive around 30 mph. Montrose currently features sections where the speed limit is 30 mph and 35 mph. Plans also call for having “safe crossings” at roughly every two to three blocks, mean- ing crossings with pedestrian refuges in the median or with flashing beacons letting peo- ple know when it is safe to cross. West Clay Street at Montrose was cited as one intersec- tion that would be improved. Ali said Gauge also plans to work with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County on strategically placing bus stops so buses have more space. Broader plans also call for improving drainage. Crews will install 10-by-10-foot box culverts underground to meet city drainage criteria. Webb said the TIRZ has the funding capac- ity to finance the project but plans to apply for federal grants to help pay for it, which he said would free up money for the TIRZ to use on other road improvements. “Grant funding is a process that will hope- fully allow us to do this plus other projects as well,” he said at the December presentation. Design work began on the segment of the project from Allen Parkway to West Clay Street in January. Construction could begin on that segment in late 2023 and be finished by late 2025. The timeline for the segment from West Clay to I-69 is to be determined.
Improvements along Montrose Boulevard center around widening sidewalks, improving crossing and preserving as many existing trees as possible. A NEW LOOK
The TIRZ is targeting the segment of the road between Allen Parkway and I-69 for a host of improvements ranging from wider sidewalks and safer crossings to upgraded aesthetics. “When we get into designing, we’re going to be designing this block by block, tailored to whatever the adjacent development is along the corridor,” said Muhammad Ali, principal with Gauge Engineering, at a December pre- sentation. Gauge has been tasked by the TIRZ to carry out design work. The proposed changes are being driven by safety concerns on Montrose as new develop- ments underway set the stage for even more activity in the future. Among the key projects that could reshape the street over the next five years are the mixed-use development Montrose Collective, which opened in 2022; the Ismaeli Center, an 11-acre gathering space for Muslims coming in 2024 near Allen Park- way; and an unnamed mixed-use project by the developer Skanska being planned at Westheimer Road. The TIRZ hosted a public meeting Jan. 23 where residents provided feedback on the proposed plans. Some residents said they were focused on pedestrian safety. “It would be nice if there was more done to slow down cars turning off Montrose Bou- levard, but overall, compared to its current state, I was impressed,” said Dougie Stein- bach, who lives in the Upper Kirby area but goes for runs around Montrose. Project details The project spans roughly 2 miles from Allen Parkway to I-69. It will involve a full roadway and drainage reconstruction with costs estimated at $55 million. From I-69 to Westheimer Road, proposals call for taking out an 11-foot center turn lane and adding a 14-foot median with trees. The existing 4-foot sidewalks would be widened to 10 feet with a 6-foot buffer to the street, which officials said would create opportuni- ties for more tree plantings. Ali described the segment from Westheimer to Dallas Street as a difficult walking environ- ment, citing large utility poles and 4-foot- wide sidewalks in poor condition. Proposals call for narrowing the median from 30 feet to 20 feet and using that space to expand the pedestrian area with wider sidewalks. Teams would work to preserve as many trees in the median as possible during the narrowing process, Ali said. “We want to protect and preserve as many trees as we can, but also add more trees that work with the planned configuration and provide shade for users,” he said. From Dallas to Allen Parkway, a new 6-foot sidewalk would be added where none cur- rently exist on the west side of the street, helping people get to and from Buffalo Bayou trails. An existing sidewalk on the east side of the street would be widened into an 11-foot
ALLEN PKWY.
C
B
WESTHEIMER RD.
A
69
N
10'
14'
10'
• New 14-foot continuous median • 10-foot sidewalks on both sides of the street I-69 to Westheimer Road
A
6'
6'
20'
10'
• New left turn lanes at key cross streets • median reduced to 20 feet wide to make room for expanded sidewalks on both sides of street Westheimer Road to Dallas Street
B
14'
11'
6'
• New 11-foot shared-use path on east side of road • 6-foot sidewalk added to west side of the road Dallas Street to Allen Parkway
C
SOURCE: MONTROSE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Montrose Boulevard is among Houston’s most dangerous roads, according to city data. SAFETY FEATURES
Roughly 25,000 VEHICLES travel along Montrose Boulevard at Westheimer Road per day.
Montrose Boulevard is part of Houston’s HIGH-INJURY NETWORK, meaning it’s among the 6% of the city’s road segments where 60% of fatal and serious injuries take place.
SOURCES: MONTROSE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE/COMMUNITY IMPACT As part of the Montrose Boulevard project, officials are proposing “safe crossings” at every 2-3 BLOCKS, meaning: • crossings with pedestrian refuges in the median • flashing beacons letting people know when to cross
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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