Northpark Drive Expansion Update: Life in the Slow Lane

2/9/25 – Northpark Drive expansion has become a bewildering maze of lane switches and traffic barriers where SUVs tango daily with excavators and dump trucks. All of that makes for life in the slow lane … which can actually be a good thing given the potential for accidents.

Since my last construction update, contractors have removed the old:

Eastbound pavement between Kings Mill and Russell Palmer Road
Loop 494 Northbound pavement on both sides of Northpark

They have also substantially completed the installation of storm sewers underneath the westbound surface turn lanes that will parallel the bridge over the UnionPacific Railroad Tracks and Loop 494. However, crews still need to install many laterals.

Pictures Taken 2/9/25

I took all pictures below on 2/9/25. They show the status of construction. If traffic looks light in these photos, it’s likely because I took them during the pregame show for the Super Bowl.

*Looking east from in front of Italiano’s.* *The old eastbound pavement has been completely removed.*

Before contractors pour new concrete, they will have to install drainage, compact the dirt, prepare the base, and place rebar. All of that could take another month or more.

As soon as they finish the drainage on eastbound Northpark between Italiano’s and Russell Palmer the same crew will rotate to the northeast side of the Loop 494/Northpark intersection then the southeast side. Again, once the drainage is complete, they will begin to prepare the sub-grade, then rebar, then concrete paving.

*Looking W from in front of Kings Mill Entrance (bottom left). Crews have spent the last several months installing large culverts.*

*They have moved from E to W toward the railroad tracks. They still need to install some laterals.*

*The surface turn lanes that parallel the bridge over the railroad tracks and Loop 494 will go in the area between the existing lanes (left) and the new power lines (right).*

*Wider, longer turn lanes and thru lanes will also be installed on Loop 494, shown here looking south from over Northpark.*

The southbound lanes of Loop 494 south of Northpark are complete! So are the driveways!

*On the west side of 494, some power lines that need to be moved are still holding up construction (see lower right).*

*But farther west, two new lanes have been poured that now go all the way to US59 at the top of the frame.*

The lookahead schedule posted on the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website shows major efforts for the next three weeks include installation of: