Officials with the Houston Public Works Department are working through the design phase on a paving and drainage project on more than a dozen streets around the Gray and Taft street corridors near Montrose.

The big picture

The $8.2 million project involves the design and construction of concrete paving with storm drainage, curbs, sidewalks, driveways, street lighting and underground utilities.

Once the project design is finalized, the city will select a contract for construction, said Kenya Williams, a public engagement official with HPW, at an August public meeting on the project. The construction phase is not slated to begin until the fall of 2025 and will run through the spring of 2029, according to HPW information.

Before construction begins, HPW will host a second meeting with residents on how to prepare for construction. Water line services are not expected to be effected once construction starts, officials said.

Zooming in

Edward Quiroz, engineer of record on the project, said plans call for building a two-way protected bike lane along Taft Street within the project's limits, from Gray to Welch streets. A bike lane will also be installed along Oneil Street, which cyclists will share with vehicle traffic.

Because of narrow rights of way in the project area, Quiroz said plans call for changing a number of two-way streets to one-way streets.

• Gillette Street will become a one-way street going north between Welch and Gray streets.
• Bailey Street will become a one-way street going south between Albany and Gray streets.
• Wilson Street will become a one-way street going north between Cook and Gray streets.
• Matthew Street will become a one-way street going south between Webster and Gray streets.
• Cushing Street will become a one-way street going north between Webster and Gray streets.
• Oneil Street will become a one-way street going east between Genesee and Gray streets.
• Cook Street will become a one-way street going east between Genesee and Wilson streets.
• Sutton Street will become a one-way street going west between Genesee and Bailey streets.

Quiroz said the change will help improve traffic flow and would align with streets on the north side of Gray, which are already one-way streets. Most streets being converted to one-way streets will also feature 8-foot-wide parking lanes.

More details

The project calls for improving the pedestrian realm along some streets, including by installing sidewalks of up to 5-6 feet in width, as well as larger safety buffers between the sidewalks and the curbs, Quiroz said at the August meeting.

The project does not involve any major work along Genesee Street, which Quiroz said received new pavement and sidewalks within the past 10 years.

What readers should know

As the design phase continues, Quiroz said crews may find some areas where plans may have to change. Streets like Gillette, for example, have narrower rights of way, he said.

"When we get out there and start applying the constraints of the parking ... we might find out that it’s not feasible to put in on-street parking in that area," Quiroz said. "Conceptually and theoretically, that space is available, but as we get into the design, some minor changes may happen to accommodate the reality of the street."

Learn more about the project and find updates here.