Houston news: major METRO project will affect Westheimer traffic

The major project on one of Houston’s busiest roads will be completed in three sections between downtown and the West Oaks Mall.

HOUSTON — If you drive on Westheimer, you can expect to see construction between downtown Houston and Highway 6 at various times over the next few months.

It’s all part of METRO’s $12.3 million Boost 82 Westheimer project to improve a 19-mile stretch of the main thoroughfare.

City leaders were on hand Tuesday for a groundbreaking ceremony near Westheimer and Weslayan, one of the stretches where construction is already underway.

“We’re listening to the people of Houston. That’s the bottom line,” Mayor John Whitmire said. “They want to fix their streets, their drainage system, their infrastructure, they want public safety.”

Boost 82 Westheimer renovations

Road repairs and street reconstruction, including driveway improvements
New or improved sidewalks along or near the route
Improved accessibility along the route with safer crossings and new ramps for wheelchair and stroller access
Bus shelters equipped with lighting for greater safety
New trash cans
Digital and real-time information on bus arrivals

Westheimer construction timeline

Section A

3.8 miles from Congress Street in Downtown Houston to Shepherd Drive along Travis Street, Milam Street and Westheimer Road.

Section B

2.3 miles from Shepherd Drive to Interstate 610 along Westheimer Road

April 2024 to July 2024 – Union Pacific Railroad tracks to Weslayan Street

July 2024 to September 2024 – 610 West to the Union Pacific railroad tracks

September 2024 to December 2024 – Weslayan Street to Buffalo Speedway

A Section B business is happy to see the improvements to the busy street.

“It’s just an integral part of this area. It’s time. It’s time to be updated,” Chentea Coburn, manager of Plants & Petals, told us.

She said the sidewalk repair crews already doing were a welcome change.

“It was a big problem. Ours were in bad shape or missing,” Coburn said.

At first, they were a little worried about the impact the ongoing construction would have on their customers and employees.

“We have 18-wheelers that have to stop and make our deliveries, so they kind of stay on the road because they can’t get into our driveway,” Coburn explained. “And we’ve seen how it can affect some people, but they’re really professional and they’ve done a really good job.”