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Upper Kirby Update
May 4, 2012
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Buffalo Speedway Improvements
Pedestrian Lighting/Landscaping Ongoing |
 Buffalo Speedway Construction
Having completed the pavement and underground infrastructure work on Buffalo Speedway between Bissonnet and US 59, crews are now working to complete landscaping and streetscape amenity installation behind the curbs.
This past week new median landscaping was installed throughout the project area and has begun behind the curb on the west side of the roadway. The only remaining element to complete before moving efforts to the east side of the roadway is tree-grate installation.
In the coming week, crews will continue planting work and will begin running cable to the newly installed pedestrian light foundations. During roadway work several modifications were made to the medians approaching Buffalo Speedway on Bissonnet. Work will begin this week restoring those medians to their previous condition. Irrigation work will also be ongoing.
Richmond Avenue Construction
The Richmond Storm Sewer Improvements Project between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway was originally slated to begin construction late in February, but was delayed at the request of the City to refine a traffic control plan that would be less disruptive to the motorists and businesses during construction.
The project was scheduled to begin this past Monday but was postponed a week crew and material availability. Crews and materials having been secured, work will begin Monday, May 7. This first week will primarily entail setting up traffic control, staging equipment and preparing to begin milling down the road.
Work will begin at Kirby and move west toward Buffalo Speedway. The contractor will mill down the entire stretch in preparation for asphalt. Milling the entire project at once will allow for seamless asphalt work and a nicer final product than milling in patches. Once milled, storm sewer work will begin in westward in two block sections. Lanes will be reopened as work progresses.
The scope of the project entails installing a 6'X6' storm drain line between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway on the north side of Richmond to alleviate the flooding that is commonplace along this stretch of roadway. The new line will empty into the recently improved Kirby Drive system which will take the water all the way to Braes Bayou.
The original traffic control plan would have used all three lanes north of the esplanade to construct the storm line leaving one lane in either direction and a continuous center turn lane on the south side of the esplanade during construction.
Under the new plan, two eastbound lanes will be maintained on the south side of the roadway and two westbound lanes will be maintained; the first along the southern curb of the esplanade and the other splitting around the construction area and traveling down the northern curb of the street. This northern curbside lane will allow for easy driveway and side-street access to businesses and destinations north of Richmond during construction.
Look for further updates on this project as details are finalized.
For more information on Upper Kirby construction projects and for issues and concerns as construction progresses, contact Travis Younkin at 713.524.8000 or email travis@upperkirby.org.
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