The Renewal of Montrose Boulevard

Montrose Boulevard is an important north-south corridor, connecting residents and visitors to destinations such as the Museum District, Houston Zoo, Texas Medical Center and the Ismaili Center.

But aging drainage pipes and chronic flooding threatened its resilience, and a major improvement project was commissioned to reconstruct a half-mile section of the road to improve its stormwater infrastructure and provide a more durable roadway surface that improves mobility and safety for years to come.

The upgrade includes a four-lane concrete roadway, sidewalk upgrades, major stormwater and drainage upgrades, new traffic signals, improved lighting and a pedestrian bridge.

Construction commenced in April 2025, with Oldcastle Infrastructure one of the first on the ground, playing a critical role in the project’s early stages by supplying reinforced custom-sized, concrete box culverts and pipe from its North Houston plant, for the stormwater drainage system. This eliminated the need for complex on-site construction and resulted in a significant time saving for the customer. In total, 2,200 feet of box culvert and 1,000 feet of reinforced concrete pipe were installed to address chronic flooding issues in the Montrose area.

The new design required the installation of large 10×10-foot box culverts beneath Montrose Boulevard to provide both conveyance and detention capacity. These culverts were engineered to manage approximately 1.6 million gallons of stormwater, reducing peak runoff and alleviating pressure on downstream systems.

Integrating this system beneath a reconstructed roadway added complexity, as it had to align with mobility improvements while minimizing surface disruption and preserving trees. Logistical challenges also played a major role. Montrose Boulevard is a high-traffic area with limited space for staging and maneuvering of equipment. Deliveries of oversized culverts required strategic scheduling and staged deliveries to avoid congestion at the job site.

Meanwhile, CRH Company Texas Materials supplied the asphalt for a resurfaced roadway that delivers smoother travel, paired with new sidewalks, upgraded crosswalks, and improved street lighting to enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility. The end result is a significantly enhanced roadway, with greater reliability and significantly reduced flood risk. By addressing flooding issues, improving mobility and upgrading community amenities, this project advances resilient urban infrastructure in Houston.