Transportation
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Montrose TIRZ targets walkability, safety for students
The Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone is investing $6 million to reconstruct 4.5 miles of existing sidewalks used daily by pedestrians to reach three local schools in the community. The full story The Montrose Safe Routes to School Connec- tions Project aims to enhance the safety and accessibility of students and parents who walk or bike to school in North Houston, according to the TIRZ. The project area will encompass the block from Fairview Street to West Dallas, and Taft Street past Montrose Boulevard to Eberhard Street, which holds three Houston ISD campuses. According to a presentation from the TIRZ in September, only 24% of the existing blocks are accessible to walk or bike. The proposed project intends to improve that percentage to 88%. More details The scope of work includes upgrading inter- section safety, improving pedestrian crossings, and protecting and preserving the trees along the pathways, as well as: • Rebuilding and widening 4.5 miles of existing sidewalks • Creating 30 high-visibility crosswalks • Adding three all-way stop controlled intersections • Installing one pedestrian signal and one rectangular rapid ashing beacon Improvements are also included for areas that cross in front of residences, such as creating ADA
Project zone School campuses Pedestrian signal All-way stop Rectangular rapid ashing beacon Proposed sidewalk path
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A total of 577 crashes within the study area have occurred between 2019-2023, including 10 that resulted in serious injuries and one that resulted in a fatality.
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SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONS CRASH RECORDS INFORMATION SYSTEM COMMUNITY IMPACT
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the spring. According to the TIRZ website, con- struction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2025. In similar news The Montrose Safe Routes to School project ties into the Montrose Boulevard Improvement Project, which will reconstruct Montrose Bou- levard from Allen Parkway to W. Clay Street and address drainage needs. The Montrose TIRZ announced on its website Nov. 14 that the project is set to break ground in the rst quarter of 2025.
compliant driveways, providing individualized tree protections, replacing intersection ramps and replacing sidewalks with new 5- to 6-foot sidewalks. Next steps The Montrose TIRZ received funding in 2023 from the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Trans- portation Policy Council to move forward with the project. The cost estimate is approximately $6 million, with H GAC funding 90% of the project and the TIRZ funding the remaining 10%. The board intends to host open houses in December with the design phase slated to start in
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