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Hundreds of residents urge city council to keep Polk Street open amid GRB expansion plans
Summary
Residents, civic groups and transit advocates urged the Houston City Council to block a planned closure of Polk Street tied to the George R. Brown Convention Center expansion, arguing the change would sever East–West connectivity, harm transit riders and create safety and equity risks.
Hundreds of Houston residents told the City Council on Sept. 17 they oppose a planned abandonment of Polk Street tied to expansion of the George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center, saying the closure would sever a decades-long East–West connection and disproportionately harm East End neighborhoods.
Speakers at an evening public-comment session presented maps, alternative proposals and personal testimony, and repeatedly used the council chamber’s refrain: “Keep Polk open.”
Why it matters: Polk is a protected bike and transit corridor that residents, workers and community groups say provides direct access to downtown, Discovery Green and transit lines. Speakers said the closure—announced publicly by Houston First in 2025 as part of the GRB expansion—would lengthen commutes for low-wage workers, reduce transit access for bicycle riders, degrade emergency access and undo mitigation commitments tied to TxDOT’s North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP).
Residents and civic groups discussed technical and equity concerns. Richard Gilmore and Sarah Hirsch…
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