Polk Street Abandonment for GRB Convention Center Expansion and I-45 Overhaul

planned

Houston City Council is expected to vote on abandoning a stretch of Polk Street in downtown Houston. This move is intended to clear the way for the expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Texas Department of Transportation's I-45 highway overhaul. The project involves permanently closing portions of Polk Street, including the section crossing I-59, as part of the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP). Houston First Corporation is coordinating with Houston Public Works to convert Leeland Street to a two-way configuration to mitigate traffic impacts, with completion expected within 12 months. A traffic study by Transcend Engineers & Planners LLC indicates minimal additional travel time at 48 intersections in the area due to these changes.