Broadway Street, the road leading travelers from I-45 to Hobby Airport, will undergo a $24 million beautification renovation. The two-mile-long corridor will feature over 600 live oak trees, landscaping with 30 different types of local plants and flowers, enhanced crosswalks, and new street light infrastructure.
The $17 million road renovation portion of the project is being funded by the city of Houston and TXDOT. An additional $7.5 million raised by Scenic Houston will be used to beautify the Houston’s in time for next year’s Super Bowl LI. The initiative comes just months after the Hobby Airport completed its $156 million international terminal to handle the increased traffic and growth the airport has experienced.
Newly-elected Mayor Sylvester Turner noted the changes will not only benefit travelers visiting Houston, but also residents in the surrounding area. Plans are already underway at nearby Sims Bayou for a 120 acre botanic garden along with 14 miles of hike and bike trails. The Hobby area is already being dubbed by some as “the Garden District”.
Scenic Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the visual appeal of Houston streets, received public and private donations for the project from donors including the Houston Endowment, The Brown Foundation, The Fondren Foundation, the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee, Cadence Bank, H-E-B, and Houston First Corporation among others.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2016 just in time for the big game.
