Upper Kirby District Street Talk
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In This Issue:
Westheimer Construction
US 59 TxDot Construction
San Felipe Bridge Now Open
UK Livable Centers
Surls on Kirby:
Coming Soon

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Upper Kirby Update 

October 4, 2013  

Upper Kirby Construction
Westheimer Moving Forward on Schedule
Duct Bank Installation on Westheimer

 

Westheimer  

Paving, Drainage and  Streetscape Improvements Project: 

 

Utility duct bank construction on Westheimer between Shepherd and Kirby is continuing next week within a 1000-foot construction zone just east of Dickey Place.

 

Telecommunications duct bank construction was completed yesterday and the Center Point electrical duct is on pace to be completed early next week. Asphalt restoration is on track to be complete here late next week or early the following week with the traffic shift to the next 1000-foot section east to occur immediately after. Motorists should expect Kingston access onto and off of Westheimer to remain closed as duct work progresses.

Once asphalt restoration takes place, work will shift east to the Shepherd intersection and continue for another 3-4 weeks. The final phase of utility work will take place on the south side of the roadway between Kirby and Argonne in preparation for the continuation of underground duct work on the south side of Westheimer all the way to Buffalo Speedway.

 

Once the underground duct banks are constructed, the roadway will be temporarily paved and striped allowing full vehicular access while CenterPoint and the telecommunications companies reconnect services underground. The duration of this reconnection work will be up to the utility providers though 45 to 90 days is typical.

 

While the various utility companies work to reconnect the eastern half of Westheimer, the Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority (UKRA) will aim to begin duct bank construction between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway. The UKRA expects to bid this western section of Westheimer later this summer.   

 

Once the utilities have been removed and the lines brought underground east of Kirby, Upper Kirby will move forward with drainage and underground infrastructure improvements followed by complete repaving of the roadway. The project will also entail the installation of a pedestrian-oriented streetscape similar to the treatment provided on the recent Kirby Drive and Buffalo Speedway projects. Roadway reconstruction is anticipated to begin early in 2014 and last approximately 10 months.

 

For more information on Upper Kirby construction and related activities or for construction related issues or concerns, please contact Travis Younkin at 713.524.8000 or travis@upperkirby.org.   

TxDOT Frontage Road Work
Work Continues Between Kirby and Weslayan.

 

US 59 Frontage Road Reconstruction

 

TxDOT is progressing with curbside reconstruction on the US 59 service road between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway. Concrete work is nearing completion here and traffic control has shifted east on the outbound lanes from Kirby to Shepherd. Outbound motorists should also expect Wakeforest access from the US 59 frontage road to be closed between October 2 and October 9 as construction crosses the intersection. This section of frontage road is the next in a pavement replacement project that will run from 610 at US 59 all the way to Shepherd. Work is expected to continue here through late November.

   

During off peak hours, motorists should expect only  one lane of traffic to be available  around the construction zones. Morning and afternoon commutes should see multiple lanes available to traffic. Motorists with destinations on the south side of US 59 should consider Westpark as an alternative route as most properties along this frontage road are also accessible from Westpark driveways.

 

Harris County Flood Control Work
San Felipe Bridge Now Open

 

The Harris County Flood Control District just announced that the construction of the San Felipe Bridge over the W-129 drainage ditch located east of West Loop 610 in the Galleria area is now complete and San Felipe has been reopened to vehicular access.

 

For more information about the project, visit the W129-00-00 Channel Enclosure Project webpage at www.hcfcd.org/W129. If you have questions or comments, please call the Flood Control District's Project and Study Information Line, which is monitored daily, at 713-684-4040.

 

UK  PromotesLivable Centers
H-GAC Matches Livable Centers Studies to Area Developers
Livable Centers Workshop 2010
Livable Centers Workshop 2010

The Upper Kirby District presented area progress and ongoing capital plans to the development community last week through a Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) event aimed at highlighting Houston's emerging Livable Centers.

In partnership with H-GAC and the City of Houston, the Upper Kirby District completed a Livable Centers study in 2010 aimed at creating a plan for a more livable, walkable community. Since the study's completion, a number of recommendations and concepts have been implemented and/or currently in design.

Last Friday, District staff met with development professionals to discuss future plans for the public realm within Upper Kirby and how planned streetscape, infrastructure, park and utility improvements are incorporating Livable Centers concepts to create great places.

 

For more information on the Upper Kirby Livable Centers Study, call 713.524.8000 or click herefor the final report. 
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 streettalk@upperkirby.org
 
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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.