12/1/25 – Sometimes, solving problems of the past creates problems of the future. Consider the elevation of homes above floodplains. During Hurricane Harvey, 154,170 homes in Harris County flooded, according to the Harris County Flood Control District. Of that number: Said another way, more than 100,000 homes flooded because building codes did not recognize the […]
11/30/2025 – Today marks the end of the 2025 hurricane season. It was average in terms of the number of storms, but unusual in terms of where they tracked. These three screen captures from the National Hurricane Center tell the story. This table shows the strength and timing of each. And this table compares the […]
11/28/25 – Turning from the northbound US59 feeder these days onto eastbound Northpark Drive can test one’s patience. Last Wednesday – near midday – traffic was backed up for four blocks. And it took several cycles of a very long traffic light to make the turn. See below. Note how the two turn lanes on […]
11/28/25 – On Monday, 11/26/25, two tornadoes swept through Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s Precinct 3 in northwest Harris County. Yesterday, the National Weather Service assessed the damage. Even though it was not flood related, many readers live in those areas. Therefore, I am publishing this two part post. The first part covers where the damage occurred. […]
11/25/25 – Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger announced today that Mills Branch Drive will get a $1.2 million makeover from Northpark Drive northeast to the City Limit. See below. Public Works will begin improvements on Mills Branch Dr. starting Monday, December 8, weather permitting, and expects to complete the project by Saturday, January 17, […]
11/23/25 – Contractors for the Northpark expansion project will now start constructing piers for the bridge over the UnionPacific Railroad tracks and Loop 494 on the east instead of the west, as previously announced. Photos taken today show equipment that will be used to drill the piers pre-positioned near Public Storage. Elsewhere along Northpark since […]
11/22/2025 – The EPA announced new interpretations of rules this week that have protected wetlands and water quality throughout America for more than five decades. According to the New York Times, the new guidelines could remove millions of acres of wetlands from Federal protection including those in the Lake Houston Area. Those wetlands help soak […]
11/21/25 – The Federal Government is again changing the rules that protect wetlands. The changes could reduce the volume of wetlands that enjoy federal protection by altering the definition of “Waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act to align with Supreme Court rulings. The Government has opened public comment on the proposed […]
11/20/25 – Maria Acevedo, a construction expert and environmental activist, observed a Colony Ridge cement contractor, Liberty Paving, operating without a permit. She also documented sediment runoff from the site that violated Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Best Management Practices (BMPs). The lack of BMPs was polluting the surrounding area, which drains into the San […]
11/17/25 – Contractors for the Northpark Drive expansion project have officially begun mobilizing to build the bridge that will go over the UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) Tracks and Loop 494. This morning, I received notice that a piece of equipment called a “Kelly Bar” arrived at the job site. It will be used to drill 100-foot […]