Northpark Bridge Walls Going Up Quickly
3/21/26 – Yesterday, the first side panels for the Northpark Drive bridge walls started going up. By today, approximately a third of the northeastern wall was already in place. It’s exciting to see a plan coming together.
The bridge will ultimately consist of three main sections: one ramp at each end, plus the clear span section in the middle over the UnionPacific Railroad tracks and Loop 494. Contractors are working on the eastern ramp first while they also drill supports for the clear span section which will reach approximately 22 feet above the tracks.
Separately, the westbound turn lane onto southbound Russell Palmer was completed yesterday.
That makes paving on the entire Phase I project virtually complete except for areas around the bridge.
The only exceptions: surface lanes across the railroad tracks, the bridge itself (when complete), and some turn lanes onto/off of Loop 494 near the bridge.
And late today, I learned that contractors just received a green light to finish building the surface lanes up to the railroad tracks. That’s huge news! And it’s for both sides of Northpark from both directions!
Side Wall Going Up Quickly
Yesterday, around noon, I drove past Public Storage on Northpark and noticed the first side panel for the ramp to the bridge being hoisted in place. I made a mental note to come back today. And I was shocked – in a positive way – by the progress made in one day. See the pictures below.
Ralph De Leon, project manager for the Northpark Project, says this portion of the job usually goes quickly.
Paving Virtually Complete Elsewhere
Friday, 3/20/26, Harper Brothers poured quick-set concrete for the westbound turn lane onto southbound Russell Palmer Road.
Now, all we need is the permanent traffic control signals at Russell Palmer.
It won’t be long now before this portion of the road opens.
For More Information
Check the project pages of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website and the three-week look-ahead schedule.
Crews should soon:
- Finish excavating the north entry pond by 4/3/26 then start on the south pond.
- Begin filling the area between the walls shown above
- Finish streetlight foundations
- Erect permanent traffic signals at Russell Palmer
To see plans for the four quadrants of the surface lanes where they cross UPRR tracks and Loop 494, see these construction docs.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/21/26
3126 Days since Hurricane Harvey
