Northpark Update: Drainage on Both Sides of UPRR Tracks Finally Connected

12/6/25 – Northpark Drive expansion contractors started boring underneath Union-Pacific Railroad Tracks on 5/17/25. Yesterday, they finally connected the drainage networks on both sides – an early Christmas present for the project team. It also represents a major project milestone in the quest to build an all-weather evacuation route for Kingwood.

Pictures of Final East/West Connections under Tracks

This morning, Project Manager, Ralph De Leon sent me pictures taken earlier on Thursday.

*Culvert sections creeping toward junction box (right). A concrete/sand mixture surrounds the sections to lock them in place.*

Northpark — *Wider shot shows culvert’s entry point into junction box.*

*Workers place plywood across the entry, then…*

*Contractors finally removed the retaining walls that kept workers safe in the pits.*

How Bore Pits Looked Today

By the time I got there today with my drone, contractors had completely filled one bore pit and mostly filled the second!

*Pit between tracks and Loop 494 filled!*

According to De Leon, even though contractors have completed the east/west drainage, they must still connect the junction boxes to 8′ x 8′ culverts that branch north on both sides of the tracks.

One branch will collect stormwater from Loop 494 shown above.

*Pit east of tracks was mostly filled in today. But note excavator digging an additional trench north (right) of pit.*

The second will convey part of the stormwater that goes under the tracks to the north behind Extra Space Storage, Public Storage and Dunkin’ Donuts. See above. That water will use a ditch that connects with Bens Branch and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch near the Fireworks Stand.

*Trench (r) will connect the junction box to culverts already buried behind storage businesses.*

The rest of the stormwater from the junction box will use culverts already buried down the middle of Northpark. Contractors have already made and buried that connection, according to De Leon.

Up Next Elsewhere on Northpark

According to the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website, after tying into the drainage ditch that goes behind the storage businesses, the large storm sewer crew will move across the tracks and tie in the Loop 494 drainage to the western junction box.

They will then begin working on the east side of the tracks from the Anderson Rd to Northpark Christian Church where the paving has been poured setting the curb inlet tops and extensions.

Another crew will also work east of the tracks from Northpark Christian Church to Advanced Auto, setting the curb inlet tops and extensions.

On Monday December 15^th, they will move to the corner of LP 494 and Northpark in front of the Dry Cleaners to set the sanitary sewer manhole cone and top.

The dirt crew will begin backfilling and grading behind the curbs on both east- and westbound Northpark east of the railroad tracks.

The concrete paving crews will pour from Anderson Rd. towards the Dairy Queen driveway. They will then move to westbound Northpark and pave from Sun Auto to Quick Quack/Sherwin Williams.

The driveway crew will continue working on the remaining 4 driveways on westbound Northpark near Northpark Christian Church. They will then return to working on the sidewalk from Northpark Christian Church to the east end of the project at Advanced Auto.