Portion of Polk Street in downtown could shut down as part of roadway projects, Houston First says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A popular side street along a corridor that runs from the East End into Downtown Houston was the subject of a request for a potential permanent closure of a portion of the road, according to Houston First Corporation.

Polk Street runs along the George R. Brown Convention Center on I-59 near the Hilton Americans and is a central and essential roadway for Houstonians to use.

The corporation made the request after working closely with the Master Plan for the Convention District Transformation Project, which includes expanding the George R. Brown Convention Center on the blocks where Polk Street stretches.

The Texas Department of Transportation's project is to move I-45 to that side of town, which would keep drivers from using Polk Street to drive on the east side into downtown. Officials said, however, that while this project is years away, it is not why this closure is being requested.

Houston First has not announced any concrete plans but did send a statement to ABC13 regarding the request:

"Houston First is working closely with the City of Houston on the Master Plan for the Convention District Transformation Project, which includes the expansion of the George R. Brown on the four blocks located directly south of the convention center. Part of the expansion plan includes the permanent closure of Polk Street between Chartres and Avenida De Las Americas. This is necessary to maintain the continuity of the convention center building and ensure we meet the current and future needs of the meetings and events we host. It's also important to note that significant changes to Polk impeding its use are already part of TxDOT's plan for the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP). From the beginning of our planning process, reconnecting Downtown with EaDo in coordination with the NHHIP has been integral, and we look forward to revealing those plans next month. While we recognize Polk Street has served as a connector between Downtown and EaDo, we are confident the long-term transformation of the convention center and broader district will positively impact and restitch the Downtown and East End neighborhoods. We will work with our neighbors to address challenges and any negative near-term effects."