3/7/25 at 6 PM – Northpark reopened this afternoon after a three-day closure to let the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) insert a single 200-foot section of track weighing 55,000 pounds into their track across the major traffic artery.
The closure tangled traffic throughout Kingwood as tens of thousands of commuters and shoppers struggled to find alternative ways to get to their destinations.
What a welcome relief it is to have Northpark open again. I just made the roundtrip to Northpark and 494 in 20 minutes. However, yesterday, it took two hours…in the middle of the afternoon.
I took this picture at 5:30 PM. And it says it all.
Northpark has re-opened after being closed since March 5, 2025.
As I drove west to capture this shot, I saw traffic streaming by me heading east. And I knew that Northpark reopened.
What a beautiful sight! And it will be even more beautiful when this project is complete.
The Northpark expansion project has two major goals: accommodate a growing volume of traffic and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.
Please try to patronize the merchants along Northpark. The last three days have been brutal for them.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250307-DJI_20250307173738_0210_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-07 18:21:392025-03-07 18:23:47Northpark Reopened After 3 Day UPRR Closure
3/7/25 Updated at 2:30 PM– The UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has almost finished with Northpark work that caused a three day closure of one of two major traffic arteries out of Kingwood. UPRR hopes to reopen Northpark this afternoon. They say it should be open for evening rush hour.
Reasons for Closure
UPRR installed a single 55,000 pound, 200-foot-long, welded section of track across the area where ten lanes of traffic will soon go. The single section was necessary to stabilize the track against traffic that will drive over it and utilities that will bore under it.
The bridge that will carry six lanes of traffic over the tracks and Loop 494 eliminating backups in the case of evacuation. But the bridge also will create a conflict for utilities that run wires overhead in that area.
The pictures below tell the story of what happened since my last update yesterday at noon.
By 4 PM Thursday
By 4 PM Thursday, Day 2 of the 3-day closure, UPRR crews were preparing the areas next to the tracks where asphalt will go.
Prepping areas for asphalt that will feather roadway into rail crossing.UPRR has begun demobilizing much of its heavy equipment.They also cleared and graded the staging area where they constructed the 200-foot section of track.
That means Loop 494 expansion through that area can now re-commence.
At 10 AM Friday
This morning, Friday 3/7/25, the Northpark railroad crossing was a beehive of activity. Crews poured asphalt over the gravel next to the track so that traffic could move smoothly over them.
Looking South at Loop 494/Railroad and Northpark Intersection on 3/7/25 at 10 AM.UPRR Crews were prepositioning the concrete inserts that will allow traffic in the surface lanes next to the bridge to move smoothly over the tracks.Looking N as operator preps track.
While I was there, they did not actually place any of the concrete panels. However, asphalt kept arriving.
Another load of asphalt arrived as crews spread and compacted the material to create a smooth transition with the existing concrete roadway.Adding another layer.
Reports of Train Moving Through Intersection Yesterday
Numerous people reported a train moving through the Northpark intersection yesterday. Those reports were true. But according to the railroad, the train was moving “really, really slow.”
UPRR has not yet fully stabilized the new section of track per their standards, but they are working on that now.
Reopening and Next Steps
UPRR will reopen the roadway late this afternoon, probably about 5 PM. Variables affecting that goal include the asphalt transition between the newly installed concrete panels and the adjacent roadway.
That asphalt arrived late this morning. And once placed, it must cool. But the roadway should open by rush hour this afternoon, according to UPRR.
The concrete panels needed for the future feeder road crossings and the two 10’ multi-use pathways still need to be installed. UPRR is still working on that.
At 2 PM, the UPRR crew was placing concrete panels between the tracks where turn lanes and sidewalks will cross them.Also as of 2 PM, most of the equipment including the asphalt operation had been removed from the crossing. Note the panel placement operation continuing in lower right.
UPRR also intends to place concrete panels between the tracks north (left) of the intersection above. Note the panels stacked by the white pickup in the lower left of the photo above. It is unclear whether they intend to try to do that before the re-opening.
No new signal work will be done at this time. The existing gate arms and signals will continue to operate when the roadway opens later today.
Other Northpark Work
Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority used the opportunity created by the railroad work to run drainage underneath Northpark in two areas. The Harper Brothers crews are also nearly finished with those, too. So that work should not impede the re-opening of Northpark.
Drainage work under Northpark is virtually complete.The last loads of asphalt were being placed as I left.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25
2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250307-DJI_20250307100657_0196_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-07 11:49:242025-03-07 14:47:51UPRR Almost Finished, Northpark to Reopen This Afternoon
3/6/25 – UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has finished splicing a 55,000-pound, 200-foot-long, single section of track into their line across Northpark Drive in Kingwood. However, more work still needs to be done. UPRR must still:
Install concrete between and alongside the tracks, so traffic can move smoothly over them.
Get signals working again.
Clear the intersection of Loop 494 and Northpark.
Clean up the TXDoT right of way on Loop 494 that they used as a staging area.
Heavy Lifting Completed
The hardest part of the job is now complete, though.
The single-section splice will stabilize the track through an area where ten lanes of traffic will go under and over it. Several utilities must also bore under it.
On the morning of 3/5, UPRR started removing the old track and moving the new track closer to the Northpark/494 intersection.
Looking S along Loop 494. Old track on left. New on right.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 8 AM.
By 2 PM yesterday, they had repositioned the new section next to the old track.
Note how much closer the new track is to the old.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.
They also had a mountain of gravel ready to provide a fresh base for the new track.
Gravel stockpiled for new base.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.
Because of traffic snarls throughout Kingwood, I missed the actual installation of the new track.
Sometime between 2 PM yesterday and 8 AM today, UPRR actually, removed the old track and moved the new 55,000-pound section into place. The railroad also freshened the track base with new gravel. The shots below show how it looks as of 8 AM on 3/6/25.
Looking SE at the area just north of Northpark. Note old sections of track awaiting removal.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.Wider, lower shot shows Northpark in upper right. Still looking SE.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.Looking south across Northpark/Loop 494 intersection.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.Reverse angle.Looking North across Northpark.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.
Elsewhere on Northpark
Meanwhile, Harper Brothers, the general contractor for the Northpark expansion project, used the UPRR closure as an opportunity to trench across Northpark in two places to install new drainage. The trenching took place between the U-turn and the railroad tracks.
Looking E at installation of new drainage by Harper Brothers.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.
Traffic Snarls Throughout Kingwood
As Kingwood residents detoured around the Northpark closure, traffic snarled everywhere…despite the best efforts of UPRR and HPD to help direct traffic. It was like an avalanche trying to squeeze through a pinhole.
Getting to the location above would normally take ten minutes from my house. Today, it took more than a half hour.
The Northpark closure should last through Friday. Use this time to visit merchants in Kingwood. Work from home. Or simply read a good book. This too shall pass.
It dramatizes the need for more traffic capacity and an all-weather evacuation route out of Kingwood.
During mega-storms, such as Hurricane Harvey, when Kingwood Drive is cut off, we have insane traffic congestion on Northpark.
This project will improve that situation. It will make it easier to get to US59 across the railroad tracks and Loop 494. So, allow extra time if you must travel and pack your patience.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/6/25
2746 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250306-DJI_20250306082545_0144_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-06 11:38:182025-03-06 12:14:21UPRR Inserts New 200-Foot Section of Track Across Northpark
Northpark Reopened After 3 Day UPRR Closure
3/7/25 at 6 PM – Northpark reopened this afternoon after a three-day closure to let the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) insert a single 200-foot section of track weighing 55,000 pounds into their track across the major traffic artery.
The closure tangled traffic throughout Kingwood as tens of thousands of commuters and shoppers struggled to find alternative ways to get to their destinations.
What a welcome relief it is to have Northpark open again. I just made the roundtrip to Northpark and 494 in 20 minutes. However, yesterday, it took two hours…in the middle of the afternoon.
I took this picture at 5:30 PM. And it says it all.
As I drove west to capture this shot, I saw traffic streaming by me heading east. And I knew that Northpark reopened.
What a beautiful sight! And it will be even more beautiful when this project is complete.
The Northpark expansion project has two major goals: accommodate a growing volume of traffic and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.
Please try to patronize the merchants along Northpark. The last three days have been brutal for them.
For More Information
See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project web pages. For more about the closure, see these related posts on ReduceFlooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25 at 6PM
2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey
UPRR Almost Finished, Northpark to Reopen This Afternoon
3/7/25 Updated at 2:30 PM– The UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has almost finished with Northpark work that caused a three day closure of one of two major traffic arteries out of Kingwood. UPRR hopes to reopen Northpark this afternoon. They say it should be open for evening rush hour.
Reasons for Closure
UPRR installed a single 55,000 pound, 200-foot-long, welded section of track across the area where ten lanes of traffic will soon go. The single section was necessary to stabilize the track against traffic that will drive over it and utilities that will bore under it.
The bridge that will carry six lanes of traffic over the tracks and Loop 494 eliminating backups in the case of evacuation. But the bridge also will create a conflict for utilities that run wires overhead in that area.
The pictures below tell the story of what happened since my last update yesterday at noon.
By 4 PM Thursday
By 4 PM Thursday, Day 2 of the 3-day closure, UPRR crews were preparing the areas next to the tracks where asphalt will go.
That means Loop 494 expansion through that area can now re-commence.
At 10 AM Friday
This morning, Friday 3/7/25, the Northpark railroad crossing was a beehive of activity. Crews poured asphalt over the gravel next to the track so that traffic could move smoothly over them.
While I was there, they did not actually place any of the concrete panels. However, asphalt kept arriving.
Reports of Train Moving Through Intersection Yesterday
Numerous people reported a train moving through the Northpark intersection yesterday. Those reports were true. But according to the railroad, the train was moving “really, really slow.”
UPRR has not yet fully stabilized the new section of track per their standards, but they are working on that now.
Reopening and Next Steps
UPRR will reopen the roadway late this afternoon, probably about 5 PM. Variables affecting that goal include the asphalt transition between the newly installed concrete panels and the adjacent roadway.
That asphalt arrived late this morning. And once placed, it must cool. But the roadway should open by rush hour this afternoon, according to UPRR.
The concrete panels needed for the future feeder road crossings and the two 10’ multi-use pathways still need to be installed. UPRR is still working on that.
UPRR also intends to place concrete panels between the tracks north (left) of the intersection above. Note the panels stacked by the white pickup in the lower left of the photo above. It is unclear whether they intend to try to do that before the re-opening.
No new signal work will be done at this time. The existing gate arms and signals will continue to operate when the roadway opens later today.
Other Northpark Work
Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority used the opportunity created by the railroad work to run drainage underneath Northpark in two areas. The Harper Brothers crews are also nearly finished with those, too. So that work should not impede the re-opening of Northpark.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25
2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey
UPRR Inserts New 200-Foot Section of Track Across Northpark
3/6/25 – UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has finished splicing a 55,000-pound, 200-foot-long, single section of track into their line across Northpark Drive in Kingwood. However, more work still needs to be done. UPRR must still:
Heavy Lifting Completed
The hardest part of the job is now complete, though.
The single-section splice will stabilize the track through an area where ten lanes of traffic will go under and over it. Several utilities must also bore under it.
On the morning of 3/5, UPRR started removing the old track and moving the new track closer to the Northpark/494 intersection.
By 2 PM yesterday, they had repositioned the new section next to the old track.
They also had a mountain of gravel ready to provide a fresh base for the new track.
Because of traffic snarls throughout Kingwood, I missed the actual installation of the new track.
Sometime between 2 PM yesterday and 8 AM today, UPRR actually, removed the old track and moved the new 55,000-pound section into place. The railroad also freshened the track base with new gravel. The shots below show how it looks as of 8 AM on 3/6/25.
Elsewhere on Northpark
Meanwhile, Harper Brothers, the general contractor for the Northpark expansion project, used the UPRR closure as an opportunity to trench across Northpark in two places to install new drainage. The trenching took place between the U-turn and the railroad tracks.
Traffic Snarls Throughout Kingwood
As Kingwood residents detoured around the Northpark closure, traffic snarled everywhere…despite the best efforts of UPRR and HPD to help direct traffic. It was like an avalanche trying to squeeze through a pinhole.
Getting to the location above would normally take ten minutes from my house. Today, it took more than a half hour.
The Northpark closure should last through Friday. Use this time to visit merchants in Kingwood. Work from home. Or simply read a good book. This too shall pass.
During mega-storms, such as Hurricane Harvey, when Kingwood Drive is cut off, we have insane traffic congestion on Northpark.
This project will improve that situation. It will make it easier to get to US59 across the railroad tracks and Loop 494. So, allow extra time if you must travel and pack your patience.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/6/25
2746 Days since Hurricane Harvey