11/16/24 – When Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger announced a “Median Madness” event, I must admit I was skeptical. But within the first hour, I began to see significant progress and the power of people working together.
The objective was vine control along Kingwood Drive. This story has nothing to do with flooding. But it was inspiring.
Dozens of volunteers turned out to help members from the City’s Park’s Department push back vines. As the number of volunteers swelled into a small army, a line of yellow T-shirts stretched for blocks.
The group deployed quickly, powered by anger at the vines that were pushing past the curbs and endangering traffic.
Since Beryl, the sense of frustration in the community over the vine problem has become palpable. Today, people did something about it. They turned out en masse to battle the vines. Cutting. Chopping. Sawing. Tugging. Piling. Grinding.
Photos of Event
Below are some pictures of City Council Members, bank presidents, doctors, retirees and community activists working together side by side to improve both aesthetics and safety for the entire community.
Initial briefing at 8:30 AM. City Council Member Fred Flickinger is in black shirt (center).The volunteers spread out, chopping and tugging at vines, then piling them.As more joined the group, the small army stretched for blocks.The problem looked insurmountable. But the volunteers were undeterred.Soon the Parks Department was grinding the piles of vines and hauling them away.The only thing missing was a cheer-leading squad chanting “Push ’em back. Waaaay back!”Members of Houston Public Works and the Parks and Recreation Department joined the volunteers.The latest fitness craze. A tug-of-war workout.Soon, volunteers had the vines a safe, comfortable distance from traffic.District E staff circulated with water to keep the volunteers hydrated.Watch your step. Tripping over vines was a constant threat, although I didn’t see anyone fall.Visible signs of success and satisfaction.City Council Member Twila Carter wasted no time pitching in. Can you spot her facing the camera on the right?Council Member Fred Flickinger working side by side with volunteers.At-Large City Council Member Sally Alcorn (blue shirt) joined in the funTaking out the trash. Car bumpers and patio umbrellas were among the archeological discoveries in the vine jungle.Despite the hard work, everyone kept smiling. They were seeing progress!
After the divisiveness of the recent election, it was refreshing to see so many people working together for a common cause.
Thanks to all who participated. And for those who missed it, please turn out next time.
This will be the first event of several, according to a District E spokesperson. And it will be combined with periodic mowing to help improve aesthetics and safety by keeping the vines down.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/16/24
2636 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241116-DSC_1380.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-11-16 12:44:192024-11-16 12:47:53The Power of People Working Together
11/15/24 – The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Board met yesterday to discuss Northpark expansion, including:
The progress of the project, designed to create the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood
Railroad crossing signal work by Union Pacific
Scope changes for Phase 2
Debt capacity and cash flow
Another $48 million in short- and long-term financing.
Two Meetings in One
On a somewhat funny note, the board covered the first half of the agenda while standing in front of a locked Kingwood Community Center.
Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Board Meeting began outside at 8 AM in blinding sunlight.
After the keymaster finally arrived…
The meeting concluded indoors, much to the relief of everyone’s dermatologists.
Here is the agenda. And here is a link to the 342-page board packet (warning 27.5 mb download).
Upcoming Railroad Signal Work Influencing Construction Focus for Next Month
The UnionPacific (UP) Railroad will start installing new crossing signals in the area beginning in January. Their crew will start at Knox Road north of Northpark and work their way south. The exact date for Northpark is unknown because it’s not clear how long the Knox intersection will take.
As trains come down the tracks, they communicate sequentially with signals. All signals must communicate with each other as well as trains. So, it’s a big job. UP has only one crew to handle this type of work in 26 states.
They want to come here once and handle Knox and Northpark at the same time. If they can’t, it could delay Northpark construction for an undetermined amount of time.
So contractors for the TIRZ and utilities are putting on a full-court press to prep work near the railroad. They are racing to finish:
Soil tests and environmental approvals
Boring under both Northpark and Loop 494
Relocation of water mains and other utilities such as gas, electric and telecommunications
Drainage
Dirt work for all surface lanes both north and south of where the bridge will eventually go.
Change Orders for Phase 2
The board also approved two change orders for Phase 2 – the portion of the project that stretches from about a 1000 feet east of Russell Palmer Road to just past Woodland Hills Drive.
The first change order had to do with an expansion of scope to accommodate new TXDoT requirements for sound, air quality, environmental, and archaeological studies.
A second change order dealt with evaluating additional detention pond sites and updating the drainage report for submittal to TXDoT.
The project team is currently planning to build a 90-acre-foot detention basin to reduce flooding on Ben’s Branch downstream from Northpark Drive.
Additional Debt Capacity
The most complicated discussion of the meeting had to do with a cash flow analysis and additional debt capacity.
Taken together, they show that when Phase 1 is ramping down and Phase 2 is ramping up, expenses would exceed cash flow, so additional borrowing will be needed. The analyses also showed that there is sufficient debt capacity to do so.
To be clear, this is not an increase in the cost of the project. It’s just an increase in borrowing authority to cover a temporary spike in the cost. The analysis shows that future cash flows after project completion will easily pay back the debt.
It is not clear yet what form the debt will take, i.e., whether its short-term borrowing from a bank or the issuance of longer-term bonds. Those details have yet to be worked out.
Because federal funding is involved in Phase 2, the project must be fully funded before construction starts. A revised cash-flow analysis showing the debt-capacity increase will show the federal government that the TIRZ has what it takes to complete the project.
11/15/24 Pictures of Construction Progress
I took the pictures below this morning.
Looking NW at Corner of Northpark and Loop 494. Note two new southbound lanes.Same intersection but looking southboundSame intersection again, but looking westbound. Some drainage and dirt work must still be completed before crews can begin paving the north side of Northpark.
At the board meeting, De Leon also discussed a change in ownership of the Exxon Station at US59. The owner reportedly anticipates rebuilding the station farther back to accommodate road expansion to the south.
The Exxon station will likely move where the car wash now is in the upper left.Looking E from Loop 494. Note crews working on both sides of Northpark just beyond tracks.
In the last shot, the crews are burying electrical lines. They will be encased in RED concrete as a warning to anyone excavating near them in the future.
11/14/25 – At 1 PM EST, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Sara, the 19th named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane season. It formed in the western Caribbean near the border between Nicaragua and Honduras.
TS Sara in center. Satellite image taken at 10:40AM Houston time on 11.14.24.
Circulation and banding appeared on satellite images taken this morning. The storm currently has sustained winds of 40 MPH and a forward speed of 12 MPH. Some strengthening is possible if the storm remains over water.
Life-Threatening Flash Flooding and Mudslides
Be aware in case you have relatives in Central America or travel planned there.
NHC predicts life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides through the weekend.
National Hurricane Center
The system will likely meander in the Bay of Honduras for the next several days, dropping 10-20″ inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 30″.
Mountains border that northern coast of Honduras where the heaviest rain will fall.
Simultaneously, storm surge and large, destructive waves will rake the northern coast of Honduras for several days.
Track Still Uncertain
The track and intensity for Tropical Storm Sara are still somewhat uncertain. That big, empty area in the satellite photo above is a high-pressure ridge, much like the one that protected Houston from Rafael earlier this month.
But the high pressure will break down early next week ahead of an approaching low-pressure system. That could turn Tropical Storm Sara northwest and north-northwest into the southern Gulf of Mexico.
In the meantime, land interaction could also weaken the system.
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, “It is possible that the system moves inland over portions of central America or the Yucatan and dissipates.”
Intensity Forecasts Lowered
While Tropical Storm Sara will encounter favorable conditions over water, the interaction with Honduras will likely limit the upper-end potential of the storm over the next 4-5 days, says Lindner.
Should Sara reach the southern Gulf of Mexico, a powerful frontal system moving off the Texas coast early next week will likely produce wind sheer that weakens the storm further.
“No Threat to Texas Coast”
Lindner concluded, “With a strong, deep-layer trough and front moving into the southern plains early next week, this system poses no threat to the Texas coast.”
However, NHC warns Gulf Coast residents to regularly monitor updates through mid-week next week.
At present, main wind threat will be to northern coast of Honduras.
On a personal note, I used to scuba dive regularly in Honduras. The country is beautiful. But the terrain along the northern coast is steep and rugged. And building codes are not up to U.S. standards.
Twenty inches of rain could easily devastate the area. So, keep the folks there in your prayers.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/14/24
2634 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TD19-11.14.24.jpg?fit=1100%2C640&ssl=16401100adminadmin2024-11-14 12:27:452024-11-14 12:30:01Tropical Storm Sara Forms Near Honduras
The Power of People Working Together
11/16/24 – When Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger announced a “Median Madness” event, I must admit I was skeptical. But within the first hour, I began to see significant progress and the power of people working together.
The objective was vine control along Kingwood Drive. This story has nothing to do with flooding. But it was inspiring.
Dozens of volunteers turned out to help members from the City’s Park’s Department push back vines. As the number of volunteers swelled into a small army, a line of yellow T-shirts stretched for blocks.
The group deployed quickly, powered by anger at the vines that were pushing past the curbs and endangering traffic.
Since Beryl, the sense of frustration in the community over the vine problem has become palpable. Today, people did something about it. They turned out en masse to battle the vines. Cutting. Chopping. Sawing. Tugging. Piling. Grinding.
Photos of Event
Below are some pictures of City Council Members, bank presidents, doctors, retirees and community activists working together side by side to improve both aesthetics and safety for the entire community.
After the divisiveness of the recent election, it was refreshing to see so many people working together for a common cause.
Thanks to all who participated. And for those who missed it, please turn out next time.
This will be the first event of several, according to a District E spokesperson. And it will be combined with periodic mowing to help improve aesthetics and safety by keeping the vines down.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/16/24
2636 Days since Hurricane Harvey
TIRZ Board Discusses Additional Financing for Northpark Expansion
11/15/24 – The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Board met yesterday to discuss Northpark expansion, including:
Two Meetings in One
On a somewhat funny note, the board covered the first half of the agenda while standing in front of a locked Kingwood Community Center.
After the keymaster finally arrived…
Here is the agenda. And here is a link to the 342-page board packet (warning 27.5 mb download).
Upcoming Railroad Signal Work Influencing Construction Focus for Next Month
The UnionPacific (UP) Railroad will start installing new crossing signals in the area beginning in January. Their crew will start at Knox Road north of Northpark and work their way south. The exact date for Northpark is unknown because it’s not clear how long the Knox intersection will take.
As trains come down the tracks, they communicate sequentially with signals. All signals must communicate with each other as well as trains. So, it’s a big job. UP has only one crew to handle this type of work in 26 states.
They want to come here once and handle Knox and Northpark at the same time. If they can’t, it could delay Northpark construction for an undetermined amount of time.
So contractors for the TIRZ and utilities are putting on a full-court press to prep work near the railroad. They are racing to finish:
Change Orders for Phase 2
The board also approved two change orders for Phase 2 – the portion of the project that stretches from about a 1000 feet east of Russell Palmer Road to just past Woodland Hills Drive.
The first change order had to do with an expansion of scope to accommodate new TXDoT requirements for sound, air quality, environmental, and archaeological studies.
A second change order dealt with evaluating additional detention pond sites and updating the drainage report for submittal to TXDoT.
The project team is currently planning to build a 90-acre-foot detention basin to reduce flooding on Ben’s Branch downstream from Northpark Drive.
Additional Debt Capacity
The most complicated discussion of the meeting had to do with a cash flow analysis and additional debt capacity.
Ralph De Leon, the TIRZ manager, presented two documents: a 5-year cash flow analysis and a 30-year debt-capacity analysis.
Taken together, they show that when Phase 1 is ramping down and Phase 2 is ramping up, expenses would exceed cash flow, so additional borrowing will be needed. The analyses also showed that there is sufficient debt capacity to do so.
To be clear, this is not an increase in the cost of the project. It’s just an increase in borrowing authority to cover a temporary spike in the cost. The analysis shows that future cash flows after project completion will easily pay back the debt.
It is not clear yet what form the debt will take, i.e., whether its short-term borrowing from a bank or the issuance of longer-term bonds. Those details have yet to be worked out.
Because federal funding is involved in Phase 2, the project must be fully funded before construction starts. A revised cash-flow analysis showing the debt-capacity increase will show the federal government that the TIRZ has what it takes to complete the project.
11/15/24 Pictures of Construction Progress
I took the pictures below this morning.
At the board meeting, De Leon also discussed a change in ownership of the Exxon Station at US59. The owner reportedly anticipates rebuilding the station farther back to accommodate road expansion to the south.
In the last shot, the crews are burying electrical lines. They will be encased in RED concrete as a warning to anyone excavating near them in the future.
For More Information
To learn more about Northpark Expansion and see a 3-week look-ahead schedule, consult the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ-10 project pages.
For more about project history, consult these ReduceFlooding.com posts:
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/15/24
2635 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Tropical Storm Sara Forms Near Honduras
11/14/25 – At 1 PM EST, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Sara, the 19th named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane season. It formed in the western Caribbean near the border between Nicaragua and Honduras.
Circulation and banding appeared on satellite images taken this morning. The storm currently has sustained winds of 40 MPH and a forward speed of 12 MPH. Some strengthening is possible if the storm remains over water.
Life-Threatening Flash Flooding and Mudslides
Be aware in case you have relatives in Central America or travel planned there.
The system will likely meander in the Bay of Honduras for the next several days, dropping 10-20″ inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 30″.
Mountains border that northern coast of Honduras where the heaviest rain will fall.
Simultaneously, storm surge and large, destructive waves will rake the northern coast of Honduras for several days.
Track Still Uncertain
The track and intensity for Tropical Storm Sara are still somewhat uncertain. That big, empty area in the satellite photo above is a high-pressure ridge, much like the one that protected Houston from Rafael earlier this month.
But the high pressure will break down early next week ahead of an approaching low-pressure system. That could turn Tropical Storm Sara northwest and north-northwest into the southern Gulf of Mexico.
In the meantime, land interaction could also weaken the system.
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, “It is possible that the system moves inland over portions of central America or the Yucatan and dissipates.”
Intensity Forecasts Lowered
While Tropical Storm Sara will encounter favorable conditions over water, the interaction with Honduras will likely limit the upper-end potential of the storm over the next 4-5 days, says Lindner.
Should Sara reach the southern Gulf of Mexico, a powerful frontal system moving off the Texas coast early next week will likely produce wind sheer that weakens the storm further.
“No Threat to Texas Coast”
Lindner concluded, “With a strong, deep-layer trough and front moving into the southern plains early next week, this system poses no threat to the Texas coast.”
However, NHC warns Gulf Coast residents to regularly monitor updates through mid-week next week.
On a personal note, I used to scuba dive regularly in Honduras. The country is beautiful. But the terrain along the northern coast is steep and rugged. And building codes are not up to U.S. standards.
Twenty inches of rain could easily devastate the area. So, keep the folks there in your prayers.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/14/24
2634 Days since Hurricane Harvey