Downtown Houston Pedestrian Lighting Program
In late 2024, Downtown Houston+ will implement a Pedestrian Lighting Program with a focus on illuminating the Big Art. Bigger Change murals and the pedestrian areas beneath the 1-59/69 highway overpasses at Texas Avenue and Polk Street. Lighting projects and grant opportunities for private properties to implement enhanced pedestrian lighting will be announced in 2025.
This Program is informed by the 2024 Pedestrian Lighting Study and Masterplan.
For questions and to learn more about next steps, reach out to Cassie Hoeprich, Director of Planning & Economic Development, at cassie.hoeprich@downtownhouston.org.
About the 2024 Pedestrian Lighting Study and Masterplan
Throughout 2023, Downtown Houston+ commissioned and developed an analysis and lighting design masterplan for Downtown Houston. Lighting consultants with Arup worked with Downtown Houston+ to identify, measure, and develop lighting solutions for key nodes, corridors, and important public spaces and public art. Guided by stakeholder concerns and feedback, the final masterplan was published in early 2024 and recommended eight lighting toolkits to be implemented at priority locations across Downtown Houston.
Existing Conditions Study
The Existing Conditions Lighting Study captures the existing conditions of Downtown’s pedestrian lighting environment. Over 6500 light measurement points were taken across Downtown on sidewalks and midpoints of crosswalks to generate an Existing Conditions Heat Map (Page 8) and provide interpretations of the map (Page 9-10). 24 Nighttime Vulnerability Assessment case study locations were measured (Page 17). The NVA process identifies areas of vulnerability through the analysis of qualitative and quantitative measurements to provide a holistic composition of the user nighttime experience, the built environment, and technical lighting.
VIEW THE EXISTING CONDITIONS STUDY
Lighting Design Masterplan
The Lighting Design Masterplan Report provides strategies and solutions to achieve the masterplan vision: create Downtown identity, activate the nighttime, and a Downtown for all through inclusive design. The masterplan includes a focus on key nodes of activity, connecting corridors, and concepts for illumination of the “Big Art, Bigger Change” murals. 8 lighting strategies are presented to achieve the vision; these were directly derived from shared characteristics found in the NVA case studies.