Museum District Art Walk Project
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston  |
The Museum District Walk project is another element of the Main Street Corridor Revitalization Project, intended to provide enhanced pedestrian and transit oriented improvements along the 7.5-mile stretch of Main Street between Downtown and Loop 610 South.
The purpose of the Museum District Walk Project is to enhance the pedestrian experience within Houston's Museum District and to improve pedestrian links between museums, area attractions and transit stops.
The Museum District is rich in educational and tourist resources and is enjoyed by more than six million Houstonians and visitors each year. The District includes ten museums and is adjacent to other attractions and venues, such as Hermann Park, Miller Outdoor Theater, Park Plaza Hospital and Rice University. The new light rail line, that bisects the district, will likely increase the number of visitors to the area via transit and will, in turn, increase pedestrian activity within the neighborhood.
The Museum District Association consists of 16 institutions, 6 of which are directly within the project design area (see map), which is the primary focus of this study. Funded, in part, by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the project consists of two phases:
1. Design and engineering; and
2. Implementation of improvements on Binz and Bissonnet Streets.
Phase 1 began in January 2003 and will be completed December 2006. Public and stakeholder participation was an important component of this phase and helped determine the nature of the streetscape improvements and the materials used. Improvements will include: street furniture, landscaping, signage, and crosswalks.
Phase 2 (Construction)
Phase 2 will tentatively commence the second quarter of 2007. Currently $400,000 of FHWA funds have been allocated towards the initial construction phase of this project. Future construction of the remaining phases will be undertaken by the Museum District Association in partnership with the Main Street Coalition and other groups.
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