Montrose is finally getting the sidewalk fix neighbors have been talking about for years, with a nearly $9 million project set to roll out this summer to make walks to school safer and more accessible. The Montrose Safe Routes to School Connections project will replace and widen banged-up sidewalks, add high-visibility crosswalks and make ADA upgrades around Wharton Dual Language Academy, the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center and Carnegie Vanguard High School. For residents and parents who have been pushing for basic walkability, it is a concrete step toward the neighborhood many say Montrose should already be.
As reported by the Houston Business Journal, the project carries an $8.9 million price tag and is expected to move into construction this summer. Community Impact previously reported that the TIRZ planned to reconstruct roughly 4.5 miles of sidewalks and that local TIRZ funds would be paired with regional grant dollars to pay for much of the work.
Federal funding was programmed through the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Policy Council, and records from H-GAC list the Montrose Safe Routes project in the regional TIP with roughly $8.04 million in project funding. The Montrose Redevelopment Authority’s April board packet shows design nearing completion and notes a final submittal to the federal funding partner was expected in May 2026, according to the Montrose Redevelopment Authority.
Neighbors have long complained about narrow, uneven sidewalks and fast-driving cars on streets heavily used for school drop-offs. Early coverage of the grant in 2024 highlighted concerns about speeding on W. Clay Street that helped push the project forward, per Click2Houston. The wider fight over how Montrose streets should be redesigned, including a high-profile dispute over the West Alabama plan, has underscored tensions between business owners and safety advocates, as local businesses led a revolt against the proposal.
What the project will do
The project scope includes tearing out and replacing sidewalks, widening them where possible, and upgrading driveways and curb ramps. It will also add mid-block crossings near Wharton and pedestrian-activated HAWK signals at key intersections, plus site-specific plans to protect existing street trees. Project materials on the Montrose Redevelopment Authority website emphasize high-visibility striping and intersection work meant to close gaps in the walking network around the three HISD campuses.
Timeline and what to expect
With design reported as nearing 100% and federal paperwork in motion, TIRZ leaders expect bidding, city approvals and phased construction to follow, with crews staged to begin work in summer 2026, the Houston Business Journal reports. Officials say the TIRZ will coordinate outreach and phase construction to limit school-day disruptions, and that adjacent homeowners and families will be notified in advance of sidewalk closures or temporary detours.
