On 4/13/23 at 8 A.M. sharp, Northpark Drive expansion started after 10 years of planning. Dignitaries gathered in the parking lot of a local business for the groundbreaking ceremony even as surveyors were already working father east and Harper Brothers Construction started prepositioning equipment.
This project will make Kingwood safer in the next big flood. It will also make the Livable Forest more livable by reducing traffic congestion.
Ceremonial Kickoff
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, Council Member-at-Large Sally Alcorn, the board of the Lake Houston Area Redevelopment Authority, and Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray all grabbed shovels for the ceremonial kickoff.
Gray will coordinate with the City on this project. Even though it is within the City, Phase One falls entirely in Montgomery County.
Martin acted as master of ceremonies and reminded everyone of the work the late TIRZ Chairman Stan Sarman did to keep this project moving through the years.
How Project Began
Martin called this the first major infrastructure project in Kingwood since the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge was built between 1990 and 1992. He also provided a brief history of the project. More than a decade ago, the City considered expanding Kingwood Drive.
Traffic studies showed that Kingwood Drive ranked as the most congested thoroughfare in the City and was among the most dangerous. However, the community’s desire to preserve the trees along Kingwood Drive – one of the signature attractions of the community – put that project on indefinite hold.
The City then began looking at Northpark Drive as an alternative. It was ranked the fifth most congested thoroughfare in the City and also one of the most dangerous.
Benefits of Project
Martin emphasized the benefits of the project during emergencies, such as Hurricane Harvey, which virtually turned Kingwood into an island. He also talked about the increasing length of trains and how they could block Kingwood Drive, Northpark and Ford Road simultaneously.
Martin said that the Northpark Drive expansion will provide a bridge over the railroad tracks and Loop 494 that lets citizens, firetrucks and ambulances enter and exit Kingwood 24/7/365 without delay. The City will also raise Northpark in places that frequently flood, i.e., at the diversion ditch and over Bens Branch.
Culverts will replace the ditch now down the center of Northpark Drive so the thoroughfare can expand to six lanes.
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin
The first phase of the project from 59 to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch should take about two years to complete. Traffic frequently backs up most of this distance, especially when trains pass through the area.
Pictures of Groundbreaking
Below are pictures that show today’s ceremony and scope of the project.
Martin (left) and Turner (right) kicked off the ceremony by talking about the need for the project and thanking all those present for their support.Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who has only eight and a half months left in office, drew a laugh from the crowd when he quipped that residents could complain to someone else about traffic delays during construction.First shovels in a two year project. Gray, Martin and Turner are fourth, fifth and sixth from left respectively.Traffic backed up in backgroundunderscores need for project.Looking SW.Drone shot taken as event (bottom middle) was breaking up also shows where bridge will go over UP railroad tracks and Loop 494 in upper right.Looking west. Another drone shot taken on previous afternoon at 3PM shows inbound traffic backed up all the way to 59 in background .Looking east toward Kingwood. First phase of project will go to end of ditch at top of frame.
Construction always entails some pain. But the benefits will far outweigh any inconvenience. I can’t wait to be one of the first to drive over the bridge that will alleviate the perpetual congestion at the intersection above.
Currently in Austin, there are five pieces of pending legislation that could reduce flooding in the Lake Houston Area, Harris County and the entire region. Here’s a rundown on each.
The net impact could be a fairer distribution of funds to the areas hardest hit by flooding and a regional focus that reduces flooding for all, not just those in Democratic precincts.
Of the 18 active capital improvement construction projects currently underway by HCFCD, not one is in the last remaining precinct led by a Republican commissioners in Harris County. See below.
The yellow precinct on the west side of the county (P4) used to be Republican-led until this January. It has only one capital improvement construction project.
The other 17 active capital improvement construction projects are split between the two precincts led by Democratic Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia.
HB1093
After Harvey, both the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto River became clogged with sand. Sand mines along the banks of rivers were large contributors.
House Bill 1093 would ensure that when sand mines are played out, the operators have enough financial reserves to clean up the property and replant vegetation before walking away.
Some miners simply abandon property, leaving rusting dredges, excavators, bulldozers, processing equipment, and more to litter the landscape. Likewise, they are supposed to regrade property to eliminate stockpiles that could be swept away in floods. And they are supposed to replant vegetation that could reduce the rates of erosion. But not all do.
HB1093 would force miners to provide financial surety that guarantees cleanup won’t fall on the shoulders of taxpayers. Surety is a common practice in the construction trades. Think of it as a form of insurance. If the miner can’t afford reclamation, the surety company is on the hook, not ordinary citizens.
Without this bill, some irresponsible miners will continue littering the shores of our rivers – the rivers that provide drinking water to 2 million people.
Dredge left at abandoned West Fork sand mine on North Houston Avenue in Humble.
HB5341
House Bill 5341 would create a Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District. Its purpose would be to remove sediment, debris, sand, and gravel from Lake Houston and its tributaries to restore, maintain, and expand the Lake to mitigate storm flows.
The District would have a board appointed by Harris County Commissioners, the Houston City Council, the Houston Mayor and the Harris County Judge.
The District would remove debris under and on the water of Lake Houston and its tributaries, but would be prohibited from doing so in such a way that it would impact water quality or water treatment costs. Dredgers would have to obtain approval from Houston Public Works before conducting any operations.
They could take sand and gravel from Lake Houston and its tributaries without paying a fee or tax.
Before beginning operations, the District would also conduct a funding study. Presumably at a minimum, that would estimate how much money it could make by selling dirt removed from the lake. Such dirt could be used as fill to raise homes and roads.
The District would also have authority to issue revenue bonds and could receive up to $25 million per year for the next two years from the state during that start-up period. It could not impose any taxes or fees.
Removing part of the East Fork Mouth Bar during dredging operations in 2022.
SB1366
Senate Bill 1366 redirects surplus revenue from the economic stabilization fund to the Flood Infrastructure Fund. The State’s Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) has turned into one of the main sources of funding for Texas Water Development Board grants and one of the main ways that smaller counties and cities can fund flood projects.
Because both revenue estimates and budgets are still in flux, it’s unclear at this point exactly how much would be transferred, according to Senator Brandon Creighton’s office. Creighton sponsored this bill.
Check back often for more about legislation that could reduce flooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/12/2023
2053 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/20210817-DJI_0349.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2023-04-12 12:55:222023-04-13 18:51:08Five Pieces of Legislation That Could Reduce Flooding
Two days ago, I wrote about San Jacinto East Fork Flooding at FM2090 in Plum Grove. Yesterday, floodwaters were peaking downstream at FM1485/SH99. No homes were threatened that I saw, but at least one vehicle stalled and was abandoned.
Pictures Taken on 4/10/23 Just After Peak
See the pictures below that I took Monday afternoon when the river was at 63 feet.
Looking west along SH99 at the San Jacinto East Fork where FM1485 parallels the Grand Parkway.
Note the difference in the width of the spans in these bridges. The newer bridge is at least 5X wider. Because water flows right to left, this creates a bottleneck that causes the roads in this area to go underwater frequently. TxDoT probably needs to widen the 1485 bridge or elevate the roadway or both.
Looking east. Upstream (left) of the 1485 bridge, the East Fork remained placid. But downstream, you can actually see the currents in the rushing water.Looking east from over eastbound FM1485 as vehicles attempted to plough through water. Note the black car stalled at the side of the road farther up. That one didn’t make it.Looking west at same location. Despite the dangers, vehicles persisted through the water. There was no room for them to turn around.
As of this writing (noon on 4/11/23), SJRA has scaled back its releases from Lake Conroe to about 1000 cubic feet per second (CFS).
Caution to Swimmers and Waders
Swimming or wading in floodwater can endanger your life. A cubic foot of freshwater weighs about 62 pounds. Rapidly moving water that rises above knee level has enough force to easily knock adults over and sweep them downstream.
The East Fork at FM1485 is still moving at more than 4000 CFS!
So swimmers and waders beware. This morning a reader wrote me about a woman and her daughter who were killed in the East Fork after Harvey. The woman could not battle the current. Her daughter tried to save her and both died.
Understand also that floodwaters can easily scour the riverbed to create drop-offs in unexpected places. Even if you could safely wade in areas before the flood, after the flood, you could easily step into holes over your head.
If you find yourself swept up in a strong current, don’t try to swim against it. Swim perpendicular to it or with it to reach shore.
Northpark Drive Expansion Starting Today
On 4/13/23 at 8 A.M. sharp, Northpark Drive expansion started after 10 years of planning. Dignitaries gathered in the parking lot of a local business for the groundbreaking ceremony even as surveyors were already working father east and Harper Brothers Construction started prepositioning equipment.
This project will make Kingwood safer in the next big flood. It will also make the Livable Forest more livable by reducing traffic congestion.
Ceremonial Kickoff
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, Council Member-at-Large Sally Alcorn, the board of the Lake Houston Area Redevelopment Authority, and Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray all grabbed shovels for the ceremonial kickoff.
Gray will coordinate with the City on this project. Even though it is within the City, Phase One falls entirely in Montgomery County.
Martin acted as master of ceremonies and reminded everyone of the work the late TIRZ Chairman Stan Sarman did to keep this project moving through the years.
How Project Began
Martin called this the first major infrastructure project in Kingwood since the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge was built between 1990 and 1992. He also provided a brief history of the project. More than a decade ago, the City considered expanding Kingwood Drive.
Traffic studies showed that Kingwood Drive ranked as the most congested thoroughfare in the City and was among the most dangerous. However, the community’s desire to preserve the trees along Kingwood Drive – one of the signature attractions of the community – put that project on indefinite hold.
The City then began looking at Northpark Drive as an alternative. It was ranked the fifth most congested thoroughfare in the City and also one of the most dangerous.
Benefits of Project
Martin emphasized the benefits of the project during emergencies, such as Hurricane Harvey, which virtually turned Kingwood into an island. He also talked about the increasing length of trains and how they could block Kingwood Drive, Northpark and Ford Road simultaneously.
Martin said that the Northpark Drive expansion will provide a bridge over the railroad tracks and Loop 494 that lets citizens, firetrucks and ambulances enter and exit Kingwood 24/7/365 without delay. The City will also raise Northpark in places that frequently flood, i.e., at the diversion ditch and over Bens Branch.
The first phase of the project from 59 to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch should take about two years to complete. Traffic frequently backs up most of this distance, especially when trains pass through the area.
Pictures of Groundbreaking
Below are pictures that show today’s ceremony and scope of the project.
Construction always entails some pain. But the benefits will far outweigh any inconvenience. I can’t wait to be one of the first to drive over the bridge that will alleviate the perpetual congestion at the intersection above.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/13/2023
2053 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Five Pieces of Legislation That Could Reduce Flooding
Currently in Austin, there are five pieces of pending legislation that could reduce flooding in the Lake Houston Area, Harris County and the entire region. Here’s a rundown on each.
SB2431 and HB5338
Senate Bill 2431 and House Bill 5338 are companion bills that would transform the Harris County Flood Control District into the Gulf Coast Resiliency District with a board appointed by the governor. This would take the District out from under the thumb of Harris County Commissioners court.
The net impact could be a fairer distribution of funds to the areas hardest hit by flooding and a regional focus that reduces flooding for all, not just those in Democratic precincts.
Of the 18 active capital improvement construction projects currently underway by HCFCD, not one is in the last remaining precinct led by a Republican commissioners in Harris County. See below.
The yellow precinct on the west side of the county (P4) used to be Republican-led until this January. It has only one capital improvement construction project.
The other 17 active capital improvement construction projects are split between the two precincts led by Democratic Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia.
HB1093
After Harvey, both the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto River became clogged with sand. Sand mines along the banks of rivers were large contributors.
House Bill 1093 would ensure that when sand mines are played out, the operators have enough financial reserves to clean up the property and replant vegetation before walking away.
Some miners simply abandon property, leaving rusting dredges, excavators, bulldozers, processing equipment, and more to litter the landscape. Likewise, they are supposed to regrade property to eliminate stockpiles that could be swept away in floods. And they are supposed to replant vegetation that could reduce the rates of erosion. But not all do.
HB1093 would force miners to provide financial surety that guarantees cleanup won’t fall on the shoulders of taxpayers. Surety is a common practice in the construction trades. Think of it as a form of insurance. If the miner can’t afford reclamation, the surety company is on the hook, not ordinary citizens.
Without this bill, some irresponsible miners will continue littering the shores of our rivers – the rivers that provide drinking water to 2 million people.
HB5341
House Bill 5341 would create a Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District. Its purpose would be to remove sediment, debris, sand, and gravel from Lake Houston and its tributaries to restore, maintain, and expand the Lake to mitigate storm flows.
After Harvey, the Army Corps of engineers recommended a regular maintenance dredging program to reduce future flooding. This is it.
The District would have a board appointed by Harris County Commissioners, the Houston City Council, the Houston Mayor and the Harris County Judge.
The District would remove debris under and on the water of Lake Houston and its tributaries, but would be prohibited from doing so in such a way that it would impact water quality or water treatment costs. Dredgers would have to obtain approval from Houston Public Works before conducting any operations.
They could take sand and gravel from Lake Houston and its tributaries without paying a fee or tax.
Before beginning operations, the District would also conduct a funding study. Presumably at a minimum, that would estimate how much money it could make by selling dirt removed from the lake. Such dirt could be used as fill to raise homes and roads.
The District would also have authority to issue revenue bonds and could receive up to $25 million per year for the next two years from the state during that start-up period. It could not impose any taxes or fees.
SB1366
Senate Bill 1366 redirects surplus revenue from the economic stabilization fund to the Flood Infrastructure Fund. The State’s Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) has turned into one of the main sources of funding for Texas Water Development Board grants and one of the main ways that smaller counties and cities can fund flood projects.
FIF covers a wide variety of projects related to flood mitigation and resilience.
Because both revenue estimates and budgets are still in flux, it’s unclear at this point exactly how much would be transferred, according to Senator Brandon Creighton’s office. Creighton sponsored this bill.
Check back often for more about legislation that could reduce flooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/12/2023
2053 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
East Fork Flooding Migrates Downstream
Two days ago, I wrote about San Jacinto East Fork Flooding at FM2090 in Plum Grove. Yesterday, floodwaters were peaking downstream at FM1485/SH99. No homes were threatened that I saw, but at least one vehicle stalled and was abandoned.
Pictures Taken on 4/10/23 Just After Peak
See the pictures below that I took Monday afternoon when the river was at 63 feet.
Note the difference in the width of the spans in these bridges. The newer bridge is at least 5X wider. Because water flows right to left, this creates a bottleneck that causes the roads in this area to go underwater frequently. TxDoT probably needs to widen the 1485 bridge or elevate the roadway or both.
All this was caused by rain falling 20 or more miles upstream last week.
According to the stream elevation table below, the floodwaters at FM1485 have since receded.
The floodwaters are moving even farther downstream toward the headwaters of Lake Houston. According to the Harris County Flood Warning System, the lake elevation is still about a half to a full foot above the spillway. According to USGS, the top of the spillway is at 42.4 feet above sea level.
As of this writing (noon on 4/11/23), SJRA has scaled back its releases from Lake Conroe to about 1000 cubic feet per second (CFS).
Caution to Swimmers and Waders
Swimming or wading in floodwater can endanger your life. A cubic foot of freshwater weighs about 62 pounds. Rapidly moving water that rises above knee level has enough force to easily knock adults over and sweep them downstream.
So swimmers and waders beware. This morning a reader wrote me about a woman and her daughter who were killed in the East Fork after Harvey. The woman could not battle the current. Her daughter tried to save her and both died.
Understand also that floodwaters can easily scour the riverbed to create drop-offs in unexpected places. Even if you could safely wade in areas before the flood, after the flood, you could easily step into holes over your head.
If you find yourself swept up in a strong current, don’t try to swim against it. Swim perpendicular to it or with it to reach shore.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/11/2023
2051 Days since Hurricane Harvey