Polk Street is more than pavement in Houston, Texas. It’s a lifeline for East End neighbors, families, and commuters. Closing it would sever safe connections, hurt local businesses, and erase a vital piece of our community’s identity.

Background

• 🚧 The City plans to close Polk Street to expand the GRB Convention Center. Houston First is leading the project.
• 📢 The public only learned about this on February 1, 2025 through small signs posted on the street.
• 📊 Expert Heywood Sanders presented data showing the expansion likely won’t boost convention business.
• 🧠 Neighbors proposed compromises to preserve connectivity. The City and Houston First have shown no interest.
• 🛣️ TxDOT may now be able to build a Polk Street bridge if Polk stays open. This could be a win for everyone.
• 🗣️ Over 70 people attended a June 21 town hall hosted by People for Polk. No one supported the closure.
• 📞 The City’s Joint Referral Committee received at least 228 comments, all opposed to the closure.
• 🚗 With years of freeway construction ahead, we need every street available to avoid traffic chaos.
• 🌆 Polk connects the whole city. It provides direct access to Downtown, Toyota Center, Discovery Green, and more.
• 🕰️ In 1978, there were 8 strong connections between the East End and Downtown from Leeland to Texas. Today, only 3 remain: Leeland, Polk, and Texas. If Polk is removed, there will be no good connection between Leeland and Texas—a gap of over 3,000 feet.

Call to Action:

Mayor John Whitmire and City Council will be voting on the proposal to close Polk Street within the next few months. Houston First has indicated they intend to start tearing up Polk Street in October. We need action now to stop this terrible mistake. 

We call on decision-makers to:

• Halt plans to close Polk Street
• Prioritize safety, connectivity, and community input
• Invest in improvements, not erasure

Let’s preserve Polk Street to keep the connection between the East End and Downtown strong! Sign to protect our neighborhood’s future.

For information, visit People for Polk.