Westheimer
Paving, Drainage and Streetscape Improvements
Project:
Crews are back to work this week following the Fourth of July weekend and are pushing hard toward completion of the utility phase of the Westheimer Reconstruction project between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway.
Telecommunications line installation continued this week between Bammel and Ferndale with man-hole and hand-hole installation starting Wednesday. Pavement restoration is following behind with the goal of having this section restored by mid-week next week and traffic opened back up by the end of the week, weather permitting.
Crews will then continue with telecommunications work between Ferndale and Lake followed by pavement restoration. The hope is to have this final section completed by the end of the month.
Work on Virginia south of Westheimer continued this week and is expected to take another week to 10 days to complete. Motorists should expect this area to remain accessible to north and southbound traffic with the use of flagmen during construction activity.
As was the case east of Kirby, construction is being undertaken in 1000-foot segments. Work on this stretch will impact the two eastbound lanes on the south side of Westheimer. Traffic will be shifted to one lane in either direction through the construction zone. Each 1000-foot segment is expected to take four to five weeks to complete. Once a given segment is completed, it will be restored with asphalt and opened prior to the next segment beginning.
The contract duration on this project is 120 days putting completion somewhere around July 2014. Weather permitting, roadway construction between Kirby and Shepherd should be able to begin immediately following utility completion west of Kirby.
CenterPoint and the telecommunications companies will follow behind duct bank construction reconnecting services underground. The duration of this reconnection work will be up to the utility providers though 45 to 90 days is typical. Traffic impact during this work is negligible.
Once the utilities have been removed and the lines brought underground west 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. This work will first be completed between Shepherd and Kirby followed by an identical scope of work between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway.
Roadway reconstruction is anticipated to last approximately 10 months. Drainage improvement and roadway reconstruction between Kirby and Buffalo will immediately follow and will have a similar approximate duration.
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 [email protected].
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