Shepherd-Durham construction causing issues for businesses in Houston's Heights area
Ongoing Houston construction causing traffic
Construction is ramping up in the Heights area causing traffic and confusion for drivers. You've likely seen it driving along both Durham and North Shepherd Drive just south of I-610. FOX 26's Matthew Seedorff has more with what the project is and how long it could last.
HOUSTON - While one construction project wraps up on Shepherd Drive another one is ramping up.
The Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority (MHRA) broke ground in 2021 on the $115 million Shepherd Durham Project. This is the first significant infrastructure project on these streets since the 1950s.
"Construction on Shepherd Drive and Durham Drive is essential to the community because it will remedy or lessen residents’ many challenges, including a high crash rate in the area, lack of multimodal and regional access, flooding, and congestion," said a spokesperson from the MHRA. "Additionally, the Shepherd and Durham project adds continuous pedestrian and bicycle facilities along both streets, new street lighting with pedestrian lighting, and provides for trees along the entire corridor."
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The project will make changes along both Shepherd Drive and Durham Drive, along with certain cross streets, from 15th Street to I-610.
As a result of the ongoing construction, traffic lanes have been reduced while traffic has increased.
"Sometimes it’s down to one lane," said Imani Bijou, a local resident. "Those days are tough. In theory, it should be 5 minutes to get anywhere around here, but it takes 20 or 30 minutes."
Some businesses along Shepherd are also noticing an impact. The parking lot at Alma Mexican Fajitas and Ritas has been lost to the nearby construction.
"Unfortunately, we are losing some parking spots up front that were very convenient for our customers," said Roy Marquez, owner of Alma. "There’s a lot of obstruction from the bulldozers. It’s a challenge, but we’ll get through it."
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Alma, and at least one other nearby restaurant, have installed giant yellow signs outside that read "Open During Construction".
"We were receiving a lot of phone calls throughout the week, [wondering] if we were still open," said Marquez. "We just decided to get a sign going, posted up on both sides of the building, to let people know, yes we are still open."
According to a spokesperson from MHRA, the construction between 15th Street and I-610 on Shepherd and Durham should be completed in the Fall of 2025.
"Shepherd Durham Project is a multi-year improvement project that broke ground in 2021 and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025," said a spokesperson from MHRA. "The project will bring much-needed roadway improvements along Shepherd Drive, Durham Drive, and certain cross streets from 15th to I-610. This area hasn’t seen significant infrastructure updates since the 1950s."
Marquez admits they noticed a decrease in customers last month at Alma as a result of the construction. However, he says they’re thankful for the loyal customers who continue coming to their restaurant.
"We have a very loyal customer base here in the Heights," said Marquez. "We’ve been here 20 years already. We take the challenges as they come. Just taking it day by day."
Weekly construction updates are available on the Shepherd Durham website.