The newly introduced bike lanes in the Heights neighborhood might be short-lived, despite the substantial allocation of taxpayer money for their implementation.
Mayor John Whitmire is mulling over the possibility of their removal.
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“Mayor Whitmire has asked Houston Public Works to evaluate the effectiveness, impact, and identify lessons learned on the 11th Street project. The evaluation is ongoing and will be shared at its earliest convenience,” Director of Communications Mary Benton said in an email to KPRC 2. “Mayor Whitmire is currently getting a firsthand view of all City of Houston departments and their significant projects, programs and initiatives. The mayor is listening to Houstonians to understand what they want from their city government, including safety and mobility options.”
Some business owners say the 11th Street improvements make it harder for customers to access their businesses. Dany Ou has been baking and selling donuts and kolaches at her store, Bakery Donut Fresh Bake Daily, located along 11th and Dorothy Street, for 26 years.
Ou said she noticed a decline in customers about a month ago. Around the same time, the City of Houston put in a bike lane and added a pedestrian refuge island as part of the 11th Street Safety Improvement Project, to help address crashes, speeding and difficulties for pedestrians and bikers crossing the street. The project spans a 1.5-mile stretch of 11th Street from Shepherd to Michaux.
Ou said the change affects her business because if you’re driving eastbound down 11th, you can no longer turn left into her parking lot due to the pedestrian refuge island. Drivers must now drive past her business and try to make a U-turn.
David Fields, the city of Houston’s Chief Transportation Planner sent KPRC2 the following statement:
“The 11th Street Safety Project was a response from community members who wanted the street redesigned to prioritize safety and multimodal access. 11th Street just east of Shepherd was one of the major hot spots for crashes, mostly due to left turns so close to the major intersection, which is the reason for the median. Travel patterns typically change during construction, which is not yet complete along 11th Street. To ensure the project is creating the safe, multimodal street the community requested, the City is monitoring both crash data and sales tax revenue, which will help determine if additional design adjustments are needed after construction is completed and travel returns to normal in the area.”