By Allan Jamail
Houston, TX. July 9, 2019 — GPISD’S Woodland Acres Middle School (WAMS) was the location for a public hearing by the City of Houston to explain, receive input, and answer questions from the citizens concerning the upcoming Miles Street Replacement Project.
The meeting began at 6:30 PM with a welcoming statement from WAMS’s new principal Manual G. Escalante. Escalante said he was just recently hired two weeks ago.
He said, “Yesterday, just one day before tonight’s meeting, I was making my first visit to WAMS by using Miles Street to get here. The street was so bumpy upon my arrival at the school, I immediately made a note that something must be done to fix Miles Street. Within moments I got a pleasant surprise when I was informed about tonight’s hearing to begin a replacement project for the street.”
Ms. Jordan McGinty, South Sector Manager for Houston’s District E Councilman Dave Martin, said, “Councilman Martin has been pushing to get the Miles Street project started before Hurricane Harvey. He’s glad to see it’s going to begin soon.”
The ground-breaking is scheduled for July 22nd, with 6-month completion expected for January 2020. The less than a mile long project will begin on Industrial Road and finish on Market Street Road. The project was awarded to Infrastructure Services, Inc. (ISI), for a cost of $2.4 million. Work days will be Monday through Saturday from 7 AM to 7 PM; no work on Sundays and holidays. Some driveways could be inaccessible for about 5 days, but only after a 5-day advance notification. Water and trash service will not be interrupted.
City of Houston’s Kenya Williams, (MPA) of Capital Projects Public Engagement Division of the Public Works Department, described the Miles Street Replacement Project and gave a PowerPoint presentation.
Williams said, “The new pavement project will benefit both citizens and businesses in the area. It will completely replace the existing asphalt pavement with concrete to improve safety and mobility in the area. The roadside ditches will be regraded to improve drainage to prevent flooding.”
Should an emergency arise, citizens should contact Scott Martin, Contractor Project Manager, at 832-803-4791. He will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Houston’s Public Works contacts include: Claudius Anyalebebechi, Senior Inspector, 713-412-9142; Arthur Becker, Inspector, 713-562-3943; Jim Bielstein, Project Manager, 832-492-1449. Emails can be sent to Buildforward@houstontx.gov using the Miles Street Project identification number, N-321039-001C-4. Website: www.buildhoustonforward.org.