Northpark Bridge, Traffic Lights, 494 Detour, Pond Updates
7/24/26 – This week’s Northpark Drive expansion update includes news on the bridge, Loop 494, traffic lights and the entry ponds.
No-one ever said building the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood would be easy. But the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 took on the job which has entailed coordinating the work of multiple utilities and political jurisdictions and a railroad. They each have their own priorities and timetables.
Bridge Over Loop 494 and UPRR Tracks
The bridge over Loop 494 and the UnionPacific Railroad Tracks is one of the signature features of the Northpark Expansion project. It will enable the smooth flow of traffic during evacuations even when trains stall on the UPRR tracks or stoplights at 494 get knocked out.
The east ramp for the bridge by Dunkin’ Donuts is now totally paved and virtually complete. Work has shifted to building turn lanes under where the bridge will go and sinking piers for the bridge.
494 Detour
The intersection of Loop 494 and Northpark was shut down for several weeks while contractors installed north-to-south drainage across Northpark. However, they have completed that operation and repaved 494.
Surface lanes are now complete on 494 and curbs have been installed. Photo from a week ago.
But before they can remove the concrete traffic barriers that detour traffic, UPRR must be present to coordinate their crossing signals with other systems.
Everyone is reportedly scrambling to open the intersection before school starts next month.
Traffic Light Coordination
City of Houston, TxDOT, METRO, Harris County and Montgomery County all have signals. Transtar is the entity that manages/integrates each of the individual jurisdictions and signalized intersections onto a single monitoring system. Integration is one of the steps needed when they upgrade to a new system.
Farther east on Northpark at Russell Palmer Road, several weeks ago, a contractor realized the “pedestrian push-to-cross signal” on the north side of Northpark was not connected to the controller box.
According to Ralph De Leon, Northpark project manager, connection involved boring underneath the roadway, installing conduit, then running wire, etc. That’s done now. Now the City needs to run their diagnostics, inspect everything and only then can the signals become operational.”
De Leon described the complexity, “Signal boxes now have their own IP address. They are complex devices that run on software that generates endless codes/numerical signals. In terms of process, we bought the traffic signal control box, handed it to the City, they put it in their shop, loaded the software, programmed its computer, generated a logbook, then ran diagnostic after diagnostic.”
I noticed City crews working on stoplights at several places on Northpark today. So. we may be close. The new target date for fully functional signals at Russell Palmer is July 31.
Entry Ponds
Sunlight can break down pond liners unless water covers them. So, closing on the property that will hold the well that keeps the ponds full was necessary before the pond liners could be placed.
A sale-and-purchase agreement for land has now been signed by all parties. The earnest money was deposited yesterday and the title company is working on scheduling the closing.
Now, De Leon is working with KSA, which has agreed to operate the well long-term.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/24/2026
3251 Days since Hurricane Harvey
