Could Houston streets be changed to be numbered? (White Oak, Howe: homes, gated)

[Cabot]

God, I hope not. Give me names any day, there is often some history behind them.

[elnina]

We don't want to be dumbed down - city's systematic grid of numbered streets and avenues, imposed mostly in XIX Century, reduced navigation to elementary mathematics. It was an effort to satisfy the utilitarian desire for spatial legibility by making it harder to get lost, even in a city where one had never been before.


Here is a list of numbered streets in Houston:
List of street names, block ranges and Zip Codes
And streets named by first letter of the alphabet (except Y & Z)
Find Street Name

Some trivia:
almost 50% of U.S. cities have "some form" of street numbering,
over 60% had streets numbered through a "significant portion" of the downtown core
some are one numbered (Philadelphia)
some two numbered (NY)
or directional quadrants (D.C.)
More here:
Why Some Cities Number Instead of Name Their Streets | 100 Resilient Cities

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by rigas

exactly, Houston's streets are not exactly a grid pattern like say Manhattan.

Yes they are.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by Texyn

Yes they are.

Grid streets tend to be in the oldest communities, especially Downtown, Midtown, and the Heights. Most of the city does not fall under this pattern.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by elnina

Some trivia:
almost 50% of U.S. cities have "some form" of street numbering,
over 60% had streets numbered through a "significant portion" of the downtown core
some are one numbered (Philadelphia)
some two numbered (NY)
or directional quadrants (D.C.)
More here:
Why Some Cities Number Instead of Name Their Streets | 100 Resilient Cities

Interesting

[marcopolo2000]

Sounds like Galveston with numbered streets running north and south and lettered avenues running east/west.

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Grid streets tend to be in the oldest communities, especially Downtown, Midtown, and the Heights. Most of the city does not fall under this pattern.

Almost everything within 610 (a substantial amount of city) falls in a grid pattern. Areas outside 610, but in the inner radius of Beltway 8 are orderly enough to sync in when it comes time for cohesion (i.e. Uptown).

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by Texyn

Almost everything within 610 (a substantial amount of city) falls in a grid pattern. Areas outside 610, but in the inner radius of Beltway 8 are orderly enough to sync in when it comes time for cohesion (i.e. Uptown).

From Google maps it's clear that much of 610 is gridded, though the exact nature of it starts to waver the further one gets away from the core. Museum District is gridded, but the Med Center is a bit more chaotic.

[oldoak2000]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Could Houston streets be changed to be numbered?
I lived in Kansas City and loved the fact that streets were numbered

Is there any possibility that we could do that in Houston?

No - not enough numbers to do this.

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by Vicman

From Google maps it's clear that much of 610 is gridded, though the exact nature of it starts to waver the further one gets away from the core. Museum District is gridded, but the Med Center is a bit more chaotic.

Many areas of the grid were developed with respect to the many bayous of the area. You have the angular divide between downtown-areas east (NW/SE) vs areas west ( more N/S), corresponding to the Buffalo Bayou's course. The bayous of White Oak in the northern side, as well as Sims and Braes in the south, also cause angular divergences in those areas of the grid. Areas away from the bayous tend to default to a N/S pattern. The differences in orientation between different areas in Houston can cause appearance of wavering, but because the design is angular throughout, the grid, as a whole, maintains cohesion.

The area from the Med Center (as you mention), then south to the Reliant Area, are the distinct areas that break away from the grid. However, they are "contained" between Main St. and Almeda St., which follow the grid, helping to minimize the chaos. Also, the area (except the Med Center) also seemed more entertainment orientated, with the stadiums, Herman Park, and the former AstroWorld; it can be designated as green-space/recreational area for urban infill purposes. Areas in the inner radius of Beltway 8, in places like Uptown, have street design square enough to connect well with the main grid, also good for urban infill.