3/15/26 – Work on the Northpark bridge that will go over the UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks and Loop 494 began in earnest this week. Contractors began assembling “tubes” made out of rebar that will stretch far underground to form supports for the bridge.
Also an auger has arrived that will soon begin digging holes for the piers. A giant crane will then lift the rebar assemblies into the holes.
How Northpark Bridge Supports Will Be Built
Slurry in the holes will keep them from collapsing in on themselves. Then contractors will pump cement to the bottom of the shaft. The density of the cement will displace the slurry, pushing it up and out of the holes where it will be recaptured.
Contractors will build 43 piers with the longest stretching 85 feet from far underground to the bottom of the bridge.
All photos below were taken on Sunday morning, March 15, 2026.
Looking west. The area in the foreground will have retaining walls called abutments. They will support the embankments at the end of the bridge. Farther down toward US59, piers will support the bridge.Augur on right will begin drilling holes for the piers that support the center span of the bridge. Crane on left will place rebar tubes into the holes.Close up of the business end of the augur.Rebar tubes that will reinforce concrete pumped into the holes.This crane will place the rebar tubes in the holes for the piers.The other end of the six-lane bridge will “land” between What-a-Burger and PNC Bank west of 494 in the area where you see the dirt.Looking east from over US59. The bridge will eventually stretch from one end of the dirt area in the center to the other and create an all-weather evacuation route across Loop 494 and the UPRR tracks.Pavement on surface roads is creeping closer to the UPRR tracks. Once the two surface lanes on either side of the bridge are in place, the vertical work on the bridge can begin.
UPRR is still working on permanent crossing gates that will guard the sections of the tracks with the concrete inserts. If you look closely in the picture above, you can see a UPRR worker with an orange vest working in a controller cabinet north/left of the track insert.
Other News: Center Curbs, Entry Ponds and Enclave
In other Northpark news, contractors have completed the center curbs that will stretch down Northpark. Eventually, the area between the curbs will be filled with concrete.
Center curbs now installed. For the first time, you can see the six lanes that will stretch all the way from the east end of the bridge down past Russell Palmer Road.The new Northpark Enclave development will feature 100 homes on ten acres, but Friendswood has yet to work out Northpark access issues with the City of Houston. More excavation took place in the north pond at the US59 entry. The pond is almost ready for placement of the liner that will help retain water. The pond will serve two functions: stormwater retention and beautification.
Heavy rains last week slowed construction a bit, but you can definitely see progress.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/15/26
3120 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DJI_20260315100918_0581_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2026-03-15 13:17:342026-03-15 13:23:47Northpark Bridge Work Begins
3/14/26 – Scores of volunteers – young and old – showed up this morning in picture perfect weather for Median Madness 6. After a brief safety moment by Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger and Trees for Kingwood’s Chris Bloch, they posed for a team photo. Then, armed with shears and saws, they experienced the joy people feel from volunteering and helping others – a true helper’s high.
A Sense of Purpose and Satisfaction
They attacked a thicket of vines and protruding branches encroaching on traffic along a two block stretch of Kingwood Drive between Fosters Mill and Sand Creek.
There was a palpable air of satisfaction that comes from service to the community. You could see it in the looks of determination on their faces. You could feel it as they team-tackled gnarly growths of vines. See photos below.
Council Member Fred Flickinger (center, blue shirt) kicked off the morning with a thank you to sponsors Chick-fil-A, H-E-B, Trees for Kingwood and the Houston Parks and Recreation DepartmentChris Bloch (brown shirt) of Trees for Kingwood instructed the volunteers on their mission and safety.Houston Parks employees turned out to help volunteers. They gathered piles of brush and attacked larger limbs with chain saws.Many of the volunteers were from Kingwood High School groups such as Greenbelt Guardians and the Young Men’s Service League.The army of vine wranglers posed for a team photo before getting down to work.Then they quickly fanned out down the median...…and got straight to work, pulling vines and stacking them for disposal.Within minutes, the piles of vines started to grow...…and you could see the smiles all around.Age was no deterrent. This volunteer more than kept up with younger ones.Within the first half hour, Houston Parks employees were pushing the clippings into larger piles for disposal……and volunteers were spread out on both sides of the median for blocks.
A Heartfelt Thank You
This community spirit is a large part of what makes Kingwood Kingwood – people giving a Saturday morning to make their community a better, safer place to live. Thanks to all who gave their time and effort!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/14/26
3119 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DSC_5055.jpg?fit=1100%2C486&ssl=14861100adminadmin2026-03-14 12:30:432026-03-14 12:30:44Median Madness 6: Joie de Volunteering
3/13/26 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has asked for a 20-month extension on the Kingwood Diversion Ditch Project scheduled to take 24 months. The original period of performance for the contract was from 4/1/24 to 4/1/26. But backup provided to Commissioners Court shows HCFCD doesn’t even expect to give the vendor a notice to proceed until 4/27/26.
The announced reason for the extension request: “…an unforeseen delay in project cost negotiations to remain within budget…”
“Who negotiates with a vendor for two years on a job with a two year deadline?”
The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis recommended expanding the Diversion Ditch as the top priority in Kingwood in 2020.
Preliminary engineering on the project began in 2021. But then the Democrats on Commissioner’s Court forced a management change at HCFCD.
The preliminary engineering was supposed to take 330 days, but it took four years instead. Worse, after all that time, it was criticized for not reflecting actual conditions and obvious recommendations. HCFCD blamed the problems on vendor “personnel issues.”
But it took HCFCD another seven months from publication of the preliminary engineering report to the time they officially delivered it to Commissioners Court for formal approval.
Congressman Dan Crenshaw first requested a $1.6 million grant for Diversion Ditch design in 2021. It was approved in the fiscal year 2022 budget by Congress. Now, HCFCD is requesting a two-year extension until December 31, 2027.
From the identification of the need in the Kingwood Area Drainage analysis on 10/20/20 to the projected end date of 12/31/27, 2628 days will elapse (assuming no more delays).
To put that in perspective, the U.S. won World War II in 1348 days.
So, it will take almost twice as long to redesign a channel as it did to win World War II! That takes some real talent! I’m not sure it’s possible to walk a project any slower and not have Commissioners Court notice. To be fair, the Diversion Ditch IS more than three miles long!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/13/26
3118 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20230401-DJI_0363.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2026-03-13 19:09:542026-03-20 14:19:22Kingwood Diversion Ditch Project Delayed Again
Northpark Bridge Work Begins
3/15/26 – Work on the Northpark bridge that will go over the UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks and Loop 494 began in earnest this week. Contractors began assembling “tubes” made out of rebar that will stretch far underground to form supports for the bridge.
Also an auger has arrived that will soon begin digging holes for the piers. A giant crane will then lift the rebar assemblies into the holes.
How Northpark Bridge Supports Will Be Built
Slurry in the holes will keep them from collapsing in on themselves. Then contractors will pump cement to the bottom of the shaft. The density of the cement will displace the slurry, pushing it up and out of the holes where it will be recaptured.
Contractors will build 43 piers with the longest stretching 85 feet from far underground to the bottom of the bridge.
All photos below were taken on Sunday morning, March 15, 2026.
UPRR is still working on permanent crossing gates that will guard the sections of the tracks with the concrete inserts. If you look closely in the picture above, you can see a UPRR worker with an orange vest working in a controller cabinet north/left of the track insert.
Other News: Center Curbs, Entry Ponds and Enclave
In other Northpark news, contractors have completed the center curbs that will stretch down Northpark. Eventually, the area between the curbs will be filled with concrete.
Heavy rains last week slowed construction a bit, but you can definitely see progress.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/15/26
3120 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Median Madness 6: Joie de Volunteering
3/14/26 – Scores of volunteers – young and old – showed up this morning in picture perfect weather for Median Madness 6. After a brief safety moment by Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger and Trees for Kingwood’s Chris Bloch, they posed for a team photo. Then, armed with shears and saws, they experienced the joy people feel from volunteering and helping others – a true helper’s high.
A Sense of Purpose and Satisfaction
They attacked a thicket of vines and protruding branches encroaching on traffic along a two block stretch of Kingwood Drive between Fosters Mill and Sand Creek.
There was a palpable air of satisfaction that comes from service to the community. You could see it in the looks of determination on their faces. You could feel it as they team-tackled gnarly growths of vines. See photos below.
A Heartfelt Thank You
This community spirit is a large part of what makes Kingwood Kingwood – people giving a Saturday morning to make their community a better, safer place to live. Thanks to all who gave their time and effort!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/14/26
3119 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Kingwood Diversion Ditch Project Delayed Again
3/13/26 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has asked for a 20-month extension on the Kingwood Diversion Ditch Project scheduled to take 24 months. The original period of performance for the contract was from 4/1/24 to 4/1/26. But backup provided to Commissioners Court shows HCFCD doesn’t even expect to give the vendor a notice to proceed until 4/27/26.
The announced reason for the extension request: “…an unforeseen delay in project cost negotiations to remain within budget…”
See Item #148 on the agenda for March 19, 2026 and the explanation sent to commissioners and the EPA (the grantor).
Top Priority or Lowest?
The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis recommended expanding the Diversion Ditch as the top priority in Kingwood in 2020.
Preliminary engineering on the project began in 2021. But then the Democrats on Commissioner’s Court forced a management change at HCFCD.
The preliminary engineering was supposed to take 330 days, but it took four years instead. Worse, after all that time, it was criticized for not reflecting actual conditions and obvious recommendations. HCFCD blamed the problems on vendor “personnel issues.”
But it took HCFCD another seven months from publication of the preliminary engineering report to the time they officially delivered it to Commissioners Court for formal approval.
Congressman Dan Crenshaw first requested a $1.6 million grant for Diversion Ditch design in 2021. It was approved in the fiscal year 2022 budget by Congress. Now, HCFCD is requesting a two-year extension until December 31, 2027.
From the identification of the need in the Kingwood Area Drainage analysis on 10/20/20 to the projected end date of 12/31/27, 2628 days will elapse (assuming no more delays).
To put that in perspective, the U.S. won World War II in 1348 days.
So, it will take almost twice as long to redesign a channel as it did to win World War II! That takes some real talent! I’m not sure it’s possible to walk a project any slower and not have Commissioners Court notice. To be fair, the Diversion Ditch IS more than three miles long!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/13/26
3118 Days since Hurricane Harvey