Improvements coming soon to major Third Ward streets

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Third Ward is about to see a multi-million dollar investment in some of its major roadways.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Commissioner Rodney Ellis recently announced a joint effort to repair the streets around Texas Southern University and the University of Houston. It's money that's coming from Precinct One, with the idea of improving the neighborhood for walkers, drivers, cyclists, and even those using mass transit.

For TSU student Allanah Watkins it's not always an easy ride or walk into the neighborhood.

"It's kind of rocky, it's very rocky, so you have to drive really slow," said Watkins. "Sometimes you have to walk in the grass, you really can't walk on the sidewalks."

A partnership between Harris County Precinct One and the City of Houston aims to change that. Precinct One is pouring $30 million into improving streets in the Third Ward, specifically around Texas Southern and the University of Houston.

"Most of the time you have to watch those little bumps for your tires, and stuff like that, but I'm really happy they're building it up and making Third Ward better," said Watkins.

The streets in the TSU area which will see repairs, are Cleburne (Emancipation to Scott), Blodgett (Scott to Ennis), and Attucks (Cleburne to Wheeler).

The streets near UH are Cullen (I-45 to North MacGregor), Wheeler (Cullen to Scott), Elgin (Scott to I-45), and Holman (Scott to Cullen).

Along Cullen, special attention will be paid to bicycle lanes and drainage, which sounds good to UH research staffer Madhan Tirumalai, who rides to campus each day.

"There could be some improvements. It'd be nice to have some extra street lamps as well," Tirumalai said.

Contractors have just been selected, so Precinct One says it will soon begin examining the streets for the use of bike lanes, conditions, lane width and alignments, and lighting.