Upper Kirby District Street Talk
banner
In This Issue:
Construction Update
Kirby Drive Nominated for ULI Award
Community Resources
Graffiti Problem?
Click here to contact us about graffiti abatement services.
 
graffiti

Clogged Inlets? Click here  to Request Area Inlet Maintenance 
inlet clean up

 
UK Phone Booth
Upper Kirby District
Join Our Mailing List

Upper Kirby Update 

January 25, 2013  

Richmond Drainage Improvements:  
Asphalt to Begin Next Week

Richmond  

Construction 

Concrete work this week went extremely well and will continue into next week. Paving activity on the eastbound lanes at Lake, Audley and Eastside and the westbound lanes at Virginia have made great progress.

The inside and middle lanes have been poured and reopened at Eastside already and work is continuing on the curbside lanes and radius returns. The eastern half of the south side of the intersection has been poured and was reopened yesterday. The western half has already been demolished and is scheduled to be poured tomorrow. The entire Eastside/Richmond intersection should be complete and open to full access next week.

Eastbound lanes at Lake St. are progressing as well. Workers are planning to pour the middle lane tomorrow as well and will then shift south to finish off that intersection next week. Westbound lanes at Virginia are complete.

At Audley, crews completed the in-place construction of a large manhole this week and over the next few days will complete waterline connections and storm line connections. Restoration of the pavement here will begin next week. As with other intersections, crews will restore the area in halves to allow access to be maintained during construction. All intersections will use a fast-dry mix that will take just three days to cure.

Asphalt overlay is the final piece to restoring the westbound lanes on Richmond. Asphalt work did not begin this week as was possible, but is likely to begin next week working from Kirby towards Buffalo Speedway.  This final restoration will likely overlap pavement work on the eastbound lanes at the above-mentioned intersections and, similarly, will impact one lane during peak hours and up to two during non-peak hours.  

These activities along with some ramp and sidewalk restoration work throughout the project area are all that remain prior to substantial completion. Crews are working hard toward a goal of achieving substantial completion by the end of the month, a full two months early, though it is likely that substantial completion is not achieved until the first few weeks of February. 

 

Westheimer Drainage Improvements and Streetscape Installation 

 

Design is now nearly complete on the Westheimer Paving, Drainage and Streetscape Improvements Project between Shepherd and Buffalo Speedway. This is the final piece of storm drainage work needed to complete the Kirby system.

Work on Westheimer will follow the scope of the Kirby Drive reconstruction project fairly closely. It will entail the burial of all overhead utility lines; new storm drainage, water and sanitary facilities; complete roadway repaving and the installation of a full pedestrian-oriented streetscape that will include pedestrian lighting and furniture, street tree installation and irrigation, brick paved crosswalks, widened sidewalks and upgraded traffic signal and streetlight standards.

The project will be implemented in two sections, the eastern phase will extend from Shepherd to Kirby Drive and the western phase will continue from Kirby to Buffalo Speedway. Each of these phases will be split into a utility relocation phase followed by a roadway, infrastructure and streetscape phase.

The project will likely begin at Shepherd where the contractor will be responsible for constructing the underground duct-banks that will house the existing overhead wires in the future. The contractor will then asphalt over the work area, re-stripe the roadway and remove all traffic control and equipment.

We will close out the contract at this point to avoid disruption to the traveling public and to the local businesses and property owners while we wait for Center Point and all telecommunication companies to transfer services to the new underground facilities and remove the wooden utility poles. Because the length of this process is uncertain, we have planned the project to pause and restore the roadway completely while the utility companies are completing their work. Once the terminal poles have been removed by Center Point, we will bid the roadway phase of the project and begin the reconstruction.

The first utility phase, originally planned to bid in December will wait to bid until after the first of the year. The design has met with some delay in the city review and comment phase and will likely bid in February. Please look for further detail on the timing and implementation of this project as plans 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 [email protected] .   

   

 

Kirby Project Nominated for  
ULI Award
Vote Now !

The Kirby Drive Streetscape Improvements Project that transformed Kirby Drive between US 59 and Westheimer has been nominated for ULI's Development of Distinction award in the public/nonprofit category.  

 

For the first time, ULI will also be awarding a People's Choice Award that opens up voting on these great projects to ULI members and the public.  

 

Please take a moment to review all of the great projects nominated this year and cast your vote by clicking here.

 

If you have a new business, development or community event that you would like included in the monthly Upper Kirby news, please contact us at 713.524.8000 or submit to [email protected]
 
Requests will be posted subject to space availability and appropriateness of content.
Upper Kirby is a constantly evolving urban area marked by an outstanding location, great shopping, unique residential neighborhoods, smart development and a small town feel. It is an area of successful businesses, involved communities and a synergy between the public and private sectors. It is the heartbeat of Houston and everywhere you want to be.