[Urbannizer]

Downtown Redevelopment Authority picks firm for Bagby Street redesign

Another makeover project in downtown Houston just took a step forward.

The Downtown Redevelopment Authority announced in a May 8 press release that civil engineering firm Jones|Carter will lead the project to redesign the Bagby Street Corridor.

Bagby, one of downtown Houston’s few two-way streets, connects the Theater District and key civic institutions such as City Hall, Houston Public Library’s central building and the Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park. It also runs between nine parks, among other public attractions, the release notes.

The street currently is between four and six lanes wide, but the redesign will reduce it to between three and four vehicular lanes while adding wider pedestrian walkways, a bicycle lane, beautification elements and signature lighting, per the release. The corridor’s storm sewer system also will be updated to meet current requirements and help drainage to reduce ponding.

The $22 million project kicked off in July 2017 with awarding a traffic impact analysis and preliminary engineering design to Traffic Engineers Inc.; Lockwood, Andrews & Newman Inc.; SWA Group; and C.N. Joehl Urban Forest Inc., per the release. The final report was completed in April. Phase two began in March with a request for qualifications for an engineering and design consultant team. The project is expected to last through June 2021, with design taking one year and construction taking two.

The Bagby Street redesign is the first major project in a series of projects slated for the west side of downtown.