HOUSTON — After a monthslong stalemate, Mayor John Whitmire announced a compromise to allow the Shepherd Durham Project to move forward.
Whitmire had ordered a pause and review of the project earlier this year.
The project was originally designed to work in two phases: Phase One works on Shepherd and Durham from I-610 south to 15th Street and Phase Two covers 15th Street south to I-10. The project aimed to reduce the number of car lanes and add wider sidewalks, bike lanes and trees.
Whitmire expressed concern over the mobility of car traffic in the area while residents and local organizations voiced support for the project to continue.
In a statement released Tuesday, Whitmire’s office said the compromise, "maintains the terms of the Federal Grant, preserves general mobility, and creates transportation options while enhancing drainage and wastewater infrastructure."
The statement explained the project further:
"The project preserves the standard widths of general-purpose lanes on Shepherd and Durham, and the number and width of these lanes for two blocks of 11th Street. It also re-establishes four lanes on 11th Street for one block east of Shepherd, while adding bike lanes and 6-foot-wide sidewalks for the entire project. Additionally, left turn lanes are strategically included at specific locations based on data analysis to improve traffic flow."
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The Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority sent KHOU a statement saying the group, "thank[s] Mayor Whitmire for recognizing the importance of this project and for his dedication to addressing our city's infrastructure needs."
District C Councilwoman Abbie Kamin, who supported the project moving forward, celebrated the compromise at Wednesday’s council meeting.
"Mayor, I want to thank you for your deference to the data and the overwhelming neighborhood support for this project," Kamin said. "And I know that your team worked extremely hard to get to that decision."
Whitmire defended his decision to pause and review the project when speaking with reporters Wednesday.
"I didn't come here to rubberstamp (former Mayor) Sylvester Turner's programs," Whitmire said. "Some are better than others. I am being driven by data."