Upper Kirby Streetscape Initiatives

Before

  November 14, 2014  

TxDOT Construction - US 59

TxDOT's US 59 frontage road reconstruction between Shepherd and 610 continued this week with intersection work at Greenbriar. The Buffalo Speedway intersection was completed and open to traffic early last week, two weeks ahead of schedule.

Storm drainage improvements at Greenbriar was the primary focus of work last week and was successfully completed over the weekend during a planned total closure of the intersection. Crews have also been able to restore the majority of the concrete around that work with the exception of a large section over the new storm sewer.

This final pour is expected to happen on Monday with curb work and striping through the Greenbriar intersection mid week. If all goes as planned, TxDOT intends to have all pavement restored to the traveling public by Friday, November 21.  Final lane striping activities and restoration will linger behind that date, but motorists should expect unrestricted access by Thanksgiving.

Look for weekly updates as this project progresses.   

Bissonnet Utility Relocation

Existing Pedestrian Realm on Bissonnet

Bissonnet Utility Relocation from Kirby to Buffalo continued this week with through the Wakeforest and Kirby intersections.

With the underground duct banks being otherwise complete, crews will begin laying temporary asphalt next week in conjunction with final work at Wakeforest and Kirby.

Crews will be tunneling under Bissonnet on the west side of Kirby next week through mid week, at which point, they will begin an open cut along the curbside lane north and south of the intersection. This cut will allow for the installation of the final run of Center Point electrical duct north and south of Bissonnet to the first available overhead poles. This process should last approximately four days. During that time, the curbside lane southbound on Kirby will be obstructed through the intersection between the hours of 7 am and 7 pm. Motorists are asked to consider alternate routes during that time. Concurrently, crews will be working to set a manhole at the intersection.

During exploratory work required in preparation for the trench work along the curbside lane of Kirby Drive southbound, crews discovered an unmarked waterline. This line The waterline was successfully capped allowing the contractor to begin boring and tunneling activities across Bissonnet from the northwest corner to the southwest corner, however, the replacement line will need to be installed before work at Kirby can be closed out and restored. This will involve a temporary water outage for some businesses along the south side of Bissonnet around Kirby. Look for updates as this schedule is finalized.

The ducts installed during this phase of work will eventually house the overhead

Utility Work - Bissonnet at Kirby

lines currently running down Bissonnet. Once Center Point Energy and the telecommunications providers have switched service from overhead to underground and removed the wires and wooden poles, Upper Kirby will begin water, sanitary and storm improvements and roadway reconstruction. Like Kirby, Buffalo Speedway and Westheimer, this project will include a complete pedestrian-oriented streetscape and landscaping plan implemented and maintained in perpetuity by the Upper Kirby Management District. The roadway is not being widened and the existing esplanade is being maintained.

The utility phase of this project was bid in August and was awarded to Harper Brothers Construction. It is anticipated that, weather permitting, this work will take four to five months to complete. Like was the case on Westheimer, once underground facilities are in place they will be turned over to the utility companies to transfer overhead service to underground. The roadway reconstruction can begin once the utility companies have completed their work (typically around three months from completion of the duct installation). Once roadway work has begun, it will take 10 to 12 months to complete the project.

Look for further updates as the schedule progresses.

Concrete Framing at Dickey Place