281-874-2131
North Houston District & Harris County Precinct 2 celebrated the completion of their Airline Drive collaboration in 2024. The two organizations partnered to split the cost of the $330,000 project to improve and enlarge a one-mile stretch of pedestrian walkway along both sides of Airline Drive from West Road to Aldine Bender.
Construction took place in the District’s southeast quadrant from May through August and focused on improving the existing sidewalk by making it wider and removing obstructions to make traveling on it easier. Gauge Engineering designed the project and provided construction oversight and administration.
The project, which widened the sidewalk from 6 feet to 10 feet, aims to provide a safer and more walkable foot path as this area gets substantial pedestrian traffic. Improving the condition of sidewalk surfaces also makes sidewalks and public transit more accessible for community members who use a wheelchair or walker, or who have visual or physical impairments.
In addition, the North Houston District worked with CenterPoint Energy and the City of Houston to upgrade the median lights along this stretch of roadway for maximum pedestrian safety. “We want the area to be accessible with good pedestrian, bike, and car mobility and the Airline Drive project really aligned with that goal,” Vice President of Planning and Infrastructure at North Houston District, Robert Fiederlein said.
Origins of the Project
In 2016, the North Houston District commissioned a study of the sidewalks in the area. The study rated the quality of the sidewalks based on width, smoothness, and obstructions, and also documented where sidewalks were missing.
A sidewalk met standards if it was smooth, unobstructed, and at least five-feet wide. A sidewalk was considered below standard if it was under five feet wide, the pavement quality was low, and there were some obstructions, and it was considered needing replacement if the sidewalk presented challenges to the user such as unacceptable pavement conditions and substantial obstructions.
The results of the study showed that the core of the North Houston District had a complete sidewalk network, but that most of the sidewalks didn’t meet standards, with the exception of Greenspoint Drive and the bayou trail. The outlying areas, however, were mostly missing sidewalks. Since then, North Houston District has been working to expand the sidewalk network to the outlying areas and fill in the gaps, and has focused on ensuring that there are safe sidewalks in areas that receive high pedestrian traffic.
Later, the 2020 Livable Centers Study conducted by the Houston-Galveston Area Council identified the incomplete and aged sidewalk system in the District’s northeast quadrant as a barrier to developing a connected and walkable community.
The study concluded that repairs and improvements to key sidewalks would make walking much more comfortable for the majority of people walking, and would improve the pedestrian experience and the overall perception of the area. It also suggested that priorities for sidewalk repairs should include safe school access, transit access, Greens Bayou access, and corridors where both road and sidewalk enhancements are proposed.
The Aldine Drive pedestrian improvement plan was developed out of recommendations and insights from both studies.
METRO’s in the Mix
A smaller sprint project in the grand scheme of infrastructure undertakings, the NHD & Precinct 2 sidewalk work complements METRO’s much larger BOOST 56 plan coming soon to the same stretch of Airline Drive bringing enhanced bus shelters and raised curbs.
“We completed our piece, which was improving the sidewalks and increasing their effectiveness. Now METRO will come in over the next few months to upgrade all the bus stops along Airline Drive as part of the BOOST initiative,” says Robert Fiederlein, Vice President of Planning and Infrastructure at North Houston District.
Stay tuned for future pedestrian and infrastructure project updates.
