Northpark drainage improvements as of 8/1/2023

Northpark Drainage Construction Stretches Halfway to US59 in Less than Week

After spending years to study Northpark Drive expansion, partners are wasting no time getting it started. Northpark drainage construction now stretches halfway to US59.

On Friday, 7/25/23, I wrote about contractors starting to stack drain pipe near the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. On Monday, I posted about box culverts being stacked hundreds of yards farther up the ditch. By last night, 8/1/23:

  • The first pipe in front of Flowers of Kingwood was being buried.
  • Additional pipe was stacked up approximately another 800 feet toward US59, waiting for installation.
  • Ditch clearing/prep stretched to the Kings Mill entrance, halfway from the start point to US59.

Of course, work was at different stages along the way. See the pictures below.

Pictures Taken 8/1/2023

Looking NE. Near the Diversion Ditch at the starting point, contractors were starting to bury the 66″ round, concrete pipe.
Looking W from over previous shot, 6’x8′ box culverts were lined up on the ditch shoulder as contractors prepped the bottom of the ditch.
Looking back east. The culverts stretched to JiffyLube.
Looking east from over the Russell-Palmer Road intersection.
Looking east from the Kings Mill intersection at the current extent of work.
Looking west from the Kings Mill Entry toward Loop 494 and US59. The next step.

The drainpipes now being installed in the center ditch will eventually make a platform for additional lanes of traffic. So Northpark drainage must precede Northpark reconstruction.

Land Acquisition Completed Monday

Ralph De Leon, project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, yesterday dropped off the last two checks for parcels of land that need to be acquired for the expansion of the roadway near US59. That completed a land acquisition process that began in 2019.

Next Steps in Coming Weeks

Resolving CenterPoint Conflicts

A natural gas line runs down the center of the ditch where drainage is being installed. It comes into conflict with the project at 11 points between the railroad on the west and the diversion ditch on the east. Centerpoint has agreed to prioritize that work.

Sign/Fence Conflicts

Near Russell-Palmer Road, a fence in front of one business and a sign in front of another will need relocation.

Sawcutting Crossovers

Contractors will sawcut crossover sections to prep for concrete removal during installation of drainage pipe/culvert.

Expansion of LHRA/TIRZ Project Website

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA) and TIRZ 10 are expanding their website to inform the public of progress. New features will include:

  • A 3-week, look-ahead schedule of coming events
  • Regular updates, at least twice monthly
  • Videos of work in progress

Check back frequently for more updates. At the moment, this is one of the most important flood mitigation projects in the Kingwood Area.

Northpark drainage is just the first step in the Northpark Drive expansion project. Construction will likely take several years to complete. But it will provide an evacuation route for tens of thousands of Kingwood and Porter residents during floods.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/2/2023

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