Regents approve rollout of Cullen Boulevard renovations

A special meeting of the Board of Regents on April 21 approved official UH support of the repaving of major sections of Cullen Boulevard.

Cullen Boulevard, a major thoroughfare for the UH campus, provides access to numerous classroom buildings and research labs, the school’s art museum and theater and the soon-to-be-completed football stadium. However, drivers on the road have seen potholes and uneven paving, requiring massive work to be done. After meeting with representatives from the city council and public works and engineering department, the Board of Regents formally approved the city’s plans to reconstruct the road.

“Our commitment to creating a Tier One university isn’t limited to classrooms and labs,” said President and Chancellor Renu Khator. “It includes maintaining and enhancing the campus itself. For many Cougars, the road to success begins on Cullen Boulevard, which serves as the University’s welcome mat. These improvements to this important thoroughfare reflect our dedication to making UH as user-friendly as possible. We appreciate the city of Houston’s efforts to help us with that.”

The repairs will take place during the University’s summer break, from May 12 to August 15. Sections of the street will be closed off one at a time to allow traffic flow to continue while entire sections of concrete are dug up and repaved. The end result will be several completely redone sections of Cullen Boulevard from Elgin Street to Wheeler Street. Once complete, the reconstruction project will result in improved street conditions and better pedestrian access at major intersections.

“I am so pleased that Mayor Parker and the city of Houston have finally decided to repair this main thoroughfare that connects UH to the city,” said Student Government Association President Charles Haston. “We will finally be able to enjoy our morning coffee without spilling and graduate without needing a new set of tires.”

The city experts planning the project expect it to extend the usability of Cullen Boulevard by at least 20 years. After it is complete, the city will continue to monitor the road to determine whether a complete rework of the street is necessary.

“Everyone has worked hard to deliver this solution for UH and the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Board of Regents Chairman Jarvis Hollingworth. “I thank the city of Houston for listening to our concerns and its hard work in developing this plan.”

Further updates on the project can be found at UH’s projects website, uh.edu/af/construction.

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