Redevelopment authority brings in $600K grant for intersection improvements at Yale, Center streets

The Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority announced Sept. 2 it had been awarded a $600,000 grant to implement intersection improvements at Yale and Center streets in Houston in an area with several major retail centers.

The grant, awarded through the Highway Safety Improvement Program, was doled out through the Texas Department of Transportation.

The improvements will include a new mast arm mounted traffic signal, pavement markings, pedestrian call buttons and countdown timers, and improvements to make the intersection more in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a news release from the authority.

“We are committed to working in partnership with TxDOT and the city of Houston to achieve Mayor [Sylvester] Turner’s Vision Zero Executive Order, which seeks to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on Houston streets by 2030,” MHRA board Chair Ann Lents said in a statement.

The intersection saw 27 automobile crashes between 2017 and 2019, according to the authority, citing statistics from the state's Crash Reduction Information System. That data is part of what officials said prompted them to pursue improvements.

The grant-funded improvements are slated to be implemented in 2022, according to the release.