Major Bike & Pedestrian Improvements!

 

This information is from the project website, link at the end of the article.

 

Cullen Blvd. at the University of Houston will be reconstructed to reduce the number of auto lanes, and increase space for bikes and pedestrians. Cullen Blvd. will be transformed from a 55 foot wide, five-lane thoroughfare into a 33 foot wide, pedestrian- and bike-friendly campus street. The project extends 1.5 miles from N. MacGregor at Brays Bayou to I-45. It includes complete reconstruction of Cullen Blvd. from the bayou to Elgin Street and median and sidewalk enhancements from Elgin to I-45. This bike and pedestrian friendly street will connect to the City's growing Bikeway network.

 

The design of the new street reflects a partnership among the City, County and University. Under an inter-local agreement, Harris County is leading the design and construction effort.

 

The Cullen transformation project has three goals: to improve safety and mobility for pedestrians and bicyclists; to enhance the image and character of this corridor through the campus; and to improve storm water drainage.

 

The new Cullen Blvd. will improve safety and mobility by:

• Narrowing the street to slow traffic and reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians
• Locating sidewalks away from street curbs and passing vehicles
• Providing wide, 14 – 16 foot sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Connecting to the City’s growing Bikeway network
• Constructing sidewalks and street crossing to ADA standards
• Installing pedestrian lighting in a regular pattern
• Installing smart signaling at major intersections
• Adding new safety gate arms at the light rail crossing at Wheeler Avenue

The new Cullen Blvd. will incorporate certain "green" storm water approaches and improves local storm water drainage by:

• Exceeding the City’s required two-year rainfall event standard
• Designing to manage the run-off from a 100-year rainfall event (currently, 13 inches in 24 hours)
• Installing new and larger concrete piping to store storm water in the segment from N. MacGregor to Cougar Place
• Incorporating an innovative system of porous pavers and underground storage tanks to detain storm water in the segment from Cougar Place to Holman Street

Additional details available at this project link:

 

For questions, contact Frank Blake at frankblake@juno.com