H-GAC Montrose Livable Centers Study

As a subconsultant, Walter P Moore provided transportation and circulation analysis for this small-area comprehensive plan. This was one in a multi-year series of such plans conducted by the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), the regional metropolitan planning organization (MPO). The study area encompassed the Montrose Tax-Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), a City of Houston TIRZ located in a vibrant urban neighborhood just southwest of Downtown Houston. The neighborhood has long experienced rising housing costs and intense densification. It features numerous high-rise residential properties, as well as some of the region’s busiest local transit routes. It has a concentration of restaurant, bar, and retail activity attractive to the entire region; has for decades been a focus for the LGBTQ+ community; and is well-located with respect to regional parks and employment concentrations.

Walter P Moore’s scope of services included:

· Identifying a street hierarchy for potential pedestrian improvements and potential one-way conversions and “green streets”
· Planning for bike lane connections across major arterials and network gaps
· Recommending locations for additional shared parking including potential structures
· Creating cost estimates for streetscape design standards, restriping and street reconfiguration, and off-street trail construction

All improvements were mapped in GIS layers and documented in the MPO’s tracking system. This information coordinates with “project champions” to ensure future follow-through and implementation.