TEI was the transportation lead working with SWA to develop a Livable Centers Plan to improve transportation and development in the Museum Park neighborhood. The Museum Park Livable Center study was aimed at opportunities to improve multi-modal transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability, placemaking, and affordable housing objectives within the context of continued redevelopment.
The Museum Park neighborhood is situated in a unique and vibrant area in the City of Houston. The neighborhood has great bones with a tight street grid and a high level of potential transit access and bicycle connectivity. It also contains multiple world-class museums, a rich history, and easy access to Hermann Park. However, given these amazing assets, the neighborhood is experiencing a significant influx of redevelopment and struggles to balance the needs of local residents with large numbers of visitors. The aim of the study was to enhance Museum Park’s existing resources and showcase its diverse cultural assets and history, while bolstering its economic vitality.
TEI focused on recommendations related to:
- Comprehensive street design focused on multimodal corridors;
- Leveraging the TxDOT US 59 reconstruction as a means to ensure, and improve access to Wheeler Station and promote that area as a premier site for transit-oriented development and a regional Cap Park over the freeway;
- Develop a cultural trail that linked the museums and Hermann Park to a broader network of museums and cultural assets in the city; and
- Parking coordination and strategies to alleviate parking stress on residents during high-usage times for the surrounding museums and park space, including on-street paid parking and potential permit parking areas
Rendering image courtesy of SWA
