Tag Archive for: Northpark Drive expansion

Northpark Drive Expansion Project Overcoming Hurdles

8/8/24 – In the last year, the Northpark Drive expansion project hit several snags. But one by one, project partners seem to be overcoming the hurdles.

Contractors discovered utility poles and gas lines in their way. Permits to bore under the railroad and bridge over it took longer than expected. Delays forced changes in plans to keep crews busy. And eventually, when project managers ran out of alternative options, contractors had to shift crews to other jobs.

After months of delays that hampered progress, hope is finally on the horizon.

Paving the Way for Faster Progress

The pace of construction could soon accelerate again.

  • CenterPoint has moved all of its facilities east of Loop 494 and only a few conflicts are left west of 494.
  • Entergy is almost done removing its east-to-west poles at Northpark/494. This will let contractors complete the storm water drainage system, construct new feeder roads, and build at-grade vehicle crossings over the rail tracks. 
  • Comcast, Tachus, AT&T, PS Lightwave, MCI, Optimum, BrightSpeed, and Crown Castle have either finished relocating their facilities, submitted relocation plans under review at the City, or received Permits for relocation. In the last case, they have also provided schedules to the TIRZ
  • A new water main will allow service to be transferred from Porter SUD to City of Houston. This same water main also serves the newly installed fire hydrants along Northpark. 
  • Contractors and UnionPacific have resolved right-of-way issues. Work should start on the rail crossings later this year. 
  • Project managers have acquired additional rights of way from private property owners
  • Alternate plans are in place for rerouting traffic
  • Entergy has submitted Plans for permits that will let them bury their power lines west of 494 and underneath the railroad tracks  on Northpark Drive.

Most of these changes, while barely visible, are highly critical.

Improved Working Relationship with Entergy

Project Manager Ralph De Leon predicts motorists could soon see visible progress. Brian Garcia, Entergy’s customer service manager, agrees.

Both men cite an improved working relationship. Weekly meetings between their teams have reportedly resolved most technical, permitting, and scheduling issues.

Next Steps

Harper brothers has finished burying culvert down the center of Northpark. Now the company will begin installing culvert on the north side of the street westward. It will eventually connect to the system at Self-U-Storage.

Looking west at extent of culvert installation. From here, culvert will move north/right to make room for surface turn lanes and a bridge over the railroad tracks and Loop 494.

The next leg will go under the railroad tracks and Loop 494. It will  connect the eastern and western sections of the storm water drainage system.  

In general, the next major steps for the Northpark Drive Expansion include:

  • Shifting westbound traffic toward the center
  • Burying drainage culverts on the north side of the street.
  • Building permanent access roads on the north.
  • Shifting traffic back to the permanent lanes.

Keep your fingers and tire jacks crossed. Working out many of these unforeseen issues delayed the project 188 days so far. The delays also forced Harper Brothers Construction to divert some of its crews to other jobs to keep them busy.

Photos of Work to Date and In Progress

Crews today worked on bringing power to new, temporary traffic signal locations.

Crews worked on three of the four corners of Northpark and Loop 494. Old power lines on the fourth corner (lower right) were previously de-energized and poles topped. Comcast will reportedly move its cable on those poles next week.
Crews are also spreading and compacting dirt over installed culverts. (Looking W toward US59)
Ditto in the opposite direction. Looking east toward Diversion Ditch.

Upcoming Construction Schedule

To look ahead at planned Northpark Drive expansion activities for the next few weeks, see a schedule on the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project page.

For More Information

For more information about Northpark Drive expansion and a history of the project, see these posts on ReduceFlooding.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/8/24

2536 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.

First Concrete Poured for Northpark Drive Expansion

Earlier this week, contractors poured the first concrete for Northpark Drive expansion. It was for the first of several new outbound lanes at US59.

Looking north across Northpark. US59 on left. Note fresh concrete for first of new through- and turn lanes. 3/15/24.

Crews are doing both surface and subgrade work, moving back east towards Chick-Fil-A.

Stormwater Retention Basin Progress

Elsewhere along Northpark, excavation work continued on the south pond. The twin ponds will double as decorative ponds and stormwater detention basins to handle extra runoff from the wider roadway.

Looking N across south retention pond on Friday afternoon 3/15/24.

Also, in the south pond, Texas Wall & Landscape is continuing work on the retaining walls.

Setting forms for additional concrete in second retaining wall in South Pond
Crews were also bringing in fill to place behind the recently completed large retaining wall on the north pond.

What to Expect Next

According to the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website, crews will continue to work on drainage down the middle of Northpark and along the north side of the road, expecially between 59 and 494.

Looking E at construction of drainage and new outbound lanes along Northpark.

Entergy Power Lines Still Not Moved

Farther east, you can see that Entergy power lines still have not moved. The photo below shows where the bridge over the railroad tracks will go. In the bottom right corner, the roadway will expand to 10 lanes. Six will bridge over the tracks. And four (two on each side) will carry surface traffic turning north and south onto Loop 494.

However, Entergy’s power lines are in the way of the extra lanes.

Looking E along Northpark from over UP railroad tracks.

The big question at this point is when Entergy will move its power lines. It also has not yet begun moving its transformer near the Exxon Station at 59. Entergy ignored a City of Houston deadline to complete moving its lines by March 8. After another 8 days, the company has not yet even begun the work. Nor have they offered the public an explanation why.

Unfortunately, weather forecasters predict this hurricane season will be especially active. And one of the main purposes of this project is to provide an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.

For More Information

For more information about the project including Phase I, visit the project pages of the LHRA/Tirz 10 website. Or see these posts on ReduceFlooding:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/8/24

2391 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.

City Council Approves Northpark Expansion Agreement with Union Pacific

Last Wednesday, 11/1/23, Houston City Council approved an agreement with the Union Pacific railroad that will give contractors the right of entry so that private utilities can continue to relocate their facilities. Utility work must be completed before construction of two at-grade crossings over the UP tracks at Loop 494. Now that City Council has approved the agreement, the Mayor and UP need to approve it. That will likely happen before next week.

The at-grade crossings are a separate issue from the bridge that will be built over UP’s tracks. TxDoT requires ground-level turn lanes for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians who want to turn onto and off of 494 from Northpark and vice versa.

Utility Work Already Making Way for Extra Turn Lanes

Contractors have already started rerouting utilities for the extra turn lanes on both sides of Northpark.

Looking N across Northpark along UP tracks. Note utility work on right on each side of Northpark.
Looking SE from over railroad tracks. Closer shot of utility work.
Looking E from over tracks down Northpark shows current extent of utility work.

Change in Plans: 3-Day Road Closure

The at-grade crossings will require new traffic control gates and signals. Given the longer trains that UP is running these days, UP wants to coordinate the Northpark signals with those at crossings from Kingwood Drive all the way north into Porter. But the new one-piece system will stretch cross both east and westbound lanes of Northpark.

That will require shutting the entire road down for three-days at some point in the future. This represents a change in plans. Earlier, LHRA/Tirz 10 indicated that Northpark would also have at least one lane of traffic open in each direction.

However, the new system should improve safety for both the railroad and the public.

Sidewalk Extension West of 59

De Leon indicated that the signing of the agreement with the railroad should accelerate construction in this area.

Farther west, sidewalk construction has started on both sides of Northpark immediately west of US59.

Looking West from over 59. North sidewalk almost complete. South sidewalk is being prepped.
Closer shot of south sidewalk.

Next Up

In the meantime, contractors are:

  • Continuing work on the 6×5 RCB at Outfall B
  • Continuing work on the 8″ waterline south of Northpark from the Railroad tracks east to King’s Mill
  • Continuing work on the sidewalks west of I-69

In other developments, the Redevelopment Authority website shows:

  • 12″ waterline testing has been pushed to the last week of November
  • 8″ waterline will be tested the week before Thanksgiving
  • Work will begin on the temporary detours on LP 494 the week before Thanksgiving.

Excavation of Detention Basins at Northpark Not Yet Started

Excavation of two stormwater retention basins at Northpark has not yet begun. Contractors will not start excavation until they start to build the new lanes between 494 and Russell-Palmer Road. They will use the recycled dirt to fill in under the two new lanes. If they started excavation now, they would have to store the dirt somewhere and move it twice, or pay to have it hauled off and then purchase more dirt when it’s needed.

Dirt from stormwater retention basin excavation at entry will fill in over concrete culverts in the median east of 494 (top center).

For More Information

For more information about the project including construction plans, visit the project pages of the LHRA/Tirz 10 website. Or see these posts on ReduceFlooding:

LHRA/Tirz 10 Board Meeting

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (Authority), and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number Ten, Lake Houston Zone (Zone), will hold a joint board meeting on  November 9, 2023, at 8:00 a.m., at the Kingwood Community Center, 4102 Rustic Woods Drive, Kingwood, Texas 77345, and is open to the public.

This board packet contains three change orders. One calls for a temporary stoplight at Russell-Palmer. The reason: contractors must remove the existing pole in the center so that they can continue installing culvert. The temporary light will serve the intersection until a new permanent one on an arm which extends over the roadway can be fabricated. Those reportedly take months.

Another change order increases the amount allocated for tree transplantation by $239,000.

Have questions or concerns? Voice them at the meeting.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/5/2023

2259 Days since Hurricane Harvey

First Tree Transplanted in Northpark Expansion Project

October 12, 2023 – This morning, contractors transplanted the first tree in the Northpark Drive expansion project. The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority has budgeted $700,000 for the transplantation project in response to public concerns about saving as many trees as possible.

Plan for Tree Transplantation

Trees from the Northpark entry areas at US59 will be transplanted to the perimeters to make room for stormwater retention basins totaling 22 acre feet. Additional trees in the way of utility work farther east on Northpark will also be transplanted to the entries.

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin attended the press event this morning and emphasized that the transplantation effort was the fulfillment of a commitment made to the public. Here is a summary of the final transplantation plans.

Why Northpark Must Be Widened

The widening of Northpark, including a bridge over the UnionPacific Railroad tracks, will create an all-weather evacuation route for more than 70,000 people in case of a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey. Engineers need the retention-basin capacity to control runoff from the additional lanes of traffic near the entry at US59.

The ponds will do double duty as decorative lakes that welcome residents and visitors in normal times. And the transplanted trees will form a ring of green behind the entry ponds.

How They Will Transplant Giant Trees Weighing Tons

It’s not everyday that you get to see such massive machinery at work. The tree moved this morning was estimated at 15-20 feet tall. With its root ball, the tree weighed thousands of pounds.

The truck used for moving the trees has massive blades that circle a tree and scoop it out of the ground. It then moves the tree and its intact root ball to a new location where a matching hole has been pre-scooped. The pictures below show the tree being lowered into the hole, and then the blades being lifted out and retracted.

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin (left) supervises transplantation of first tree as it moves toward its new home.
Truck moves into position near the pre-dug hole adjacent to Northpark Drive (upper left).
Truck lowers stabilizing legs and begins to lower tree into hole.
Almost there!
Tree nestles into place.
Driver begins to retract blades.
Driver lifts blades and retracts them so they no longer encircle tree.
Driver begins closing the blade assembly so he can move away and begin work on the next tree.
Looking SW across Northpark. All of the trees you see in the old entry will be transplanted in a similar fashion.
Looking NE toward utility work now under way along the north side of Northpark. Trees from both sides of road will eventually be moved to make way for upgraded utilities, a bridge, and improved drainage.

Your kids or grandkids may find this process fascinating. So please share this post with them.

Change is always difficult. But it’s important to remember that human lives will someday depend on this project and that efforts are being made to protect the lives of as many trees as possible.

For More Information

For previous posts about Northpark construction, see the following:

Also visit the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Project pages at https://lakehoustonra.com.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/12/23

2235 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Contractors Clearing South Side of Northpark Entry at US59

October 2, 2023 – Contractors finished clearing the north side of Kingwood’s Northpark entry last week. Now they have shifted their focus to the south side to make room for two stormwater retention basins that will double as decorative lakes.

TxDoT requires the basins to catch extra runoff caused by widening of the road.

Photos Show Progress of Northpark Entry Construction

The focus of the project’s landscape architects now is saving as many trees as possible. I took the photos below with one exception on 9/30/23.

Looking west. Trees remaining on the south (left) side of Northpark have been marked for transplantation. Excavation of pond on north (right) side should begin in mid-October.

In the photo below, note the rings around the remaining trees on the south side.

Those rings help retain water and nutrients being given to the trees to enhance their chances of surviving transplantation.
Looking E. Note how row of trees on the left screen the entry from the busy shopping center behind them. Also notice how the right side does not have a similar row of trees.

Landscape architects will relocate most of the remaining trees on the right/south side of Northpark to create a backdrop for the new pond. Some trees will remain in front of the pond. See the latest plan below.

Northpark entry plan

Handling Overflow from Ponds during Heavy Rains

To avoid flooding the Northpark entry area, contractors will channel overflow from the ponds west to Bens Branch and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Looking east. Note clearing on the left/north side of Northpark to lay the new stormwater line that will carry overflow from the ponds to the east.
Looking west toward 59. The stormwater line will go behind Public Storage (upper left) and carry water toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch.
Northpark Drive expansion;
Route for excess water. Circle shows location of photo above this one.

Status from Diversion Ditch to 494

Looking east from Russell-Palmer to Kingwood Diversion Ditch. Virtually all of the ditch has been replaced by box culvert.
A coffer dam remains around an out-of-place water line that needs to be lowered.

Re-engineering of the water line has begun in concert with the City of Houston.

Farther east where culverts have already been placed, you can start to see how Northpark will be widened inward toward the center to create two extra lanes of traffic.
Looking west from Russell-Palmer, contractors are still waiting for Centerpoint to move a gas line out of the median to the side of the road.

Until Centerpoint moves that gas line, contractors will focus on other parts of the project, such as the entry.

Saving Money While Saving Trees

At their monthly meeting last Thursday, Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ board members discussed the escalating cost of relocating trees. Costs increased as trees grew between the original estimate and today.

After the meeting, Ralph De Leon, the project manager, met with contractors, the landscape architect and project designer. They developed a new plan to help hold down costs.

Previously, some trees were to be moved twice, first to a temporary holding location on the north side of Northpark and then back to their final spot on the south side. Why? Contractors needed to build up land behind the pond on the south side of Northpark before transplanting the trees.

The new plan calls for building up the land before moving ANY trees. That will eliminate the cost of the double move. It will also reduce traffic disruption. Tree moving equipment will no longer have to cross Northpark.

Main Goals of Northpark Project

Overall, the main goals of the Northpark project include:

  • Widening the road to reduce delays caused by increased traffic
  • Building a bridge over the UP railroad tracks to eliminate traffic blockages
  • Creating a reliable, all-weather evacuation route for Kingwood

For More Information

For previous posts about Northpark construction, see the following:

Also visit the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Project pages at https://lakehoustonra.com.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/2/23

2225 Days since Hurricane Harvey

New Design for Northpark Entry, Construction Schedule Update

Harper Brothers Construction has encountered another unexpected problem in the Northpark Drive expansion project. While attempting to place 5’x7′ culvert in the median, it uncovered a water line much closer to the surface than it should have been. While developing a solution with the City of Houston, crews will continue to focus on other areas of the project so as not to create excessive delays.

Those areas include:

  • A new water main near 494 and the UP railroad tracks
  • Clearing land for the new Northpark entry to Kingwood at 59.

For background detail and photos, see below.

Pics of Water-Line Conflict

This week, Harper Brothers discovered a water main where it should not have been. The contractor proposed water-line workarounds to the City, but the City has not yet agreed to a solution. The issue has to do with a water main running under Northpark to the new Parkwood Baptist Church east of Russell-Palmer. See the pictures below, courtesy of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA).

Surprise water line under Northpark
Workers discover a surprise. Water line under Northpark not where it was supposed to be.
Surprise water line under Northpark
Water line should have been buried several feet deeper.
Surprise water line under Northpark
One workaround could require burying a parallel line deep enough to allow placement of culvert over the top of it.

Harper Brothers Construction suggested another workaround – splicing in a U-shaped pipe that would leave enough room for the culvert it is burying in the median.

But until the City and LHRA agree on a solution Harper Brothers may have to skip past the obstruction and then go back at a later date to fill in the gap.

Second New Water Main Farther West

In the meantime, crews have already started prepping for placement of another water line that parallels Northpark closer to Loop 494. See picture below near Public Storage.

Looking SE. Note area being cleared in foreground for new water main and feeder roads next to bridge.

While Northpark will expand inward for most of its length, the feeder road next to the new bridge over 494 and the railroad tracks will expand outward. And because the City doesn’t like to run water mains under a roadway, contractors must also relocate this water main. It’s a much bigger job because it feeds numerous businesses, not just one church.

LHRA actually had to purchase additional land for this portion of the project – enough to accommodate a two-lane feeder road on each side of the bridge.

In the photo above, you can see Harper Brothers prepping land for the new water main and feeder lanes.

Plans for New Entry

The contractor will also soon start clearing the triangular area on the north side of Northpark at 59. Note construction materials stockpiled in the foreground of the photo below. Most, but not all of this area, will become a decorative pond that’s actually a stormwater detention basin in disguise. The pond will hold approximately 11 acre feet of stormwater in the space between the top of the permanent water level and ground level.

A second pond on the south side of Northpark will provide a similar amount of stormwater storage to compensate for the increase in impervious cover caused by road widening.

But not all the trees will go away. TxDoT requires that any trees removed must be replaced with trees of an identical diameter.

Site of first detention pond. Pond will be framed by trees that remain between Northpark and shopping center on right.
Some trees will be relocated to the open area currently behind the grove.

Other trees will be relocated nearby, for instance, around the south pond which is more sparsely populated with trees.

South pond will have more room for transplanted trees around it.

In addition, the ponds when complete will have sidewalks and landscaping around them. TxDoT, LHRA and the Kingwood Service Association worked collaboratively on the designs for two years. A well will serve the area and feed an irrigation system to help ensure new plantings survive and thrive.

Here’s what the finished ponds and landscaping should look like.

North pond (the first) shown on the left.

For the full entry landscaping plans, click here.

To see a video rendering of the ponds, click here and then click on the video in the lower right.

Clearing was to have begun on Tuesday morning after Labor Day. However, that may be delayed now. Late on Friday afternoon several logistical issues involved with relocating the trees became apparent.

CenterPoint Promises to Stake Out Problems Week of 9/3/23

Last week, we talked about 11 conflicts with CenterPoint along the Northpark Drive expansion project. CenterPoint has promised LHRA that it will send crews to “stake out” the problems next week. That is the first step in resolving conflicts.

Some of the CenterPoint conflicts that have culvert placement stalled.

It’s always something in construction! Stay tuned for next week’s exciting episode of “As Northpark Expands.”

For a look ahead at the next three weeks of construction activity, click here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/2/23

2195 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 10 days before the peak of hurricane season

Pack Your Patience: Accident Closes Northpark in Both Directions

Update as of 6:30 PM: Outbound lanes have opened. One inbound lane open. Utility crews onsite.

Northpark Drive is closed in the worst possible place at the worst possible time – Friday night during rush hour in a construction zone. However, the accident that caused the closure is not related to construction.

A little before 3 PM, I got a tip about an accident at Russell-Palmer Road from Ralph De Leon, the project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority’s Northpark Drive expansion project. He said that a truck had clipped a power pole and wires were down.

By the time I got there with my drone, police and fire trucks had Northpark closed off in both directions between Woodridge Drive and Russell-Palmer. However, I got my drone up from the parking lot of St. Martha’s Catholic Church to get the shots below. That was the easy part.

Getting home (about 2 miles away) took almost 45 minutes.

Bob Rehak

If you have a family member coming into Kingwood during the Friday evening rush hour, warn them to pack their patience. Utility lines are down across the road in BOTH directions.

According to De Leon, Northpark will be closed until the utility company can assess and repair the problem. That could take hours. It will be difficult just to get to the area. Avoid it at all costs.

Photos Taken at 3PM

Looking east along Northpark over Russell-Palmer. Note emergency vehicles blocking inbound traffic.
One utility pole has snapped and another one across Northpark appears to be leaning. However, that could be a shadow.

It’s not clear whether the utility lines carry communications or electricity. The downed line in the photo below is next to a power pole; you can tell by the transformer. So it may be a communications line.

The utility line appears to be caught on an eighteen wheeler blocking the inbound lanes.
The downed lines stretch from the truck to a snapped pole, across the ditch and then across the outbound lanes.

The inbound traffic was being funneled south on Russell-Palmer toward Kingwood Drive. See below.

The utility pole is snapped in half.
Here you can see the lines tangled on the truck. It’s unclear whether the truck struck the pole.
West of Russell-Palmer Traffic is backed up to 59 and maybe beyond.

People trying to enter Kingwood through back streets will find the slogging tough. Everyone who normally uses Northpark is trying to squeeze through stop signs not designed to handle this volume of traffic.

Stay away. If you simply can’t, pack your patience.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4:30pm on 8/18/23

2180 Days after Hurricane Harvey

More Drainage for Northpark Drive Expansion Project

The drainage project currently underway down the median of Northpark Drive represents only part of the drainage improvements for the expansion project. Another parallel drainage system about 250 yards north of Northpark will carry additional stormwater all the way from U.S. 59 to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch. Project engineers call it “Ditch One.”

Additional Parallel Drainage Route North of Northpark

In the satellite image below, the two triangles at 59 surround the wooded areas at the Northpark entrance to Kingwood. Detention ponds similar to those at the Kingwood Drive entry will replace those wooded areas.

Northpark Drive cuts left to right through the frame just above the center. Red line shows route for supplementary drainage and where flow splits in two at Diversion Ditch.

The water surface elevation of the Northpark ponds will be several feet below grade, as you can see in this video.

The difference between the surface of the ponds and ground level will provide storage capacity to offset the increase in impervious cover created by the expansion of the roadway.

When the south pond fills up, it will overflow to the north pond. And when the north pond fills up, it will drain to the east via an eight-foot culvert. The eight-foot culvert by itself provides additional underground water storage before it reaches the eastbound ditch.

That culvert will go under Loop 494 and the UnionPacific railroad tracks, then turn left (north) until it gets past the businesses on the north side of Northpark. From there, it will empty into a ditch that heads back east again. See below.

Looking East from over 494 toward St. Martha Catholic Church. Arrows in distance show where Diversion Ditch splits off from Bens Branch. Note part of Northpark Drive in upper right.

Ditch One is barely visible in the photo above for two reasons.

  • The tree canopy is dense this time of year.
  • Due to lack of maintenance over the years, trees have grown up in the ditch. Contractors will have to clear them out to restore conveyance before completion of the project.

The Big Split

Once water in the ditch reaches the detention basins south of St. Martha Catholic Church, part of the water will enter the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and head south along the western edge of Woodland Hills. The rest will continue east and go down Bens Branch which angles diagonally toward Town Center and eventually empties into Lake Houston near Kings Harbor.

Looking N toward St. Martha in upper left at where flow in Ditch One splits into Diversion Ditch (foreground) and Bens Branch (right)

Why Diversion Ditch is Called Diversion Ditch

The split you see in the red line below is why the Diversion Ditch is called the Diversion Ditch. It is a man-made channel designed to take stormwater out of the natural channel (Bens Branch) to reduce flood risk for homes in the center of Kingwood.

Reverse angle looking S toward Diversion Ditch.

In the photo above, Bens Branch flows R to L. The Diversion Ditch flows south toward Kingwood Drive and Lake Houston. The blue water towers in background are near the firehouse on Kingwood Drive and Deer Ridge Park.

The City just finished cleaning out under the Northpark bridges at the Diversion Ditch. See results below.

Looking north at recent CoH excavation under North Park at Diversion Ditch.

Eventually, the Diversion Ditch itself will expand to match the increased conveyance you see under the bridges. Some engineers feel that constrictions like you see above contributed more to flooding than lack of capacity in the ditch itself.

Kingwood Drainage Priorities

Regardless, expansion of the Diversion Ditch was one of the top two priorities of the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis. That project has not yet started.

Bens Branch has already gone through four phases of de-silting and de-snagging to help restore its conveyance. That was part of a major maintenance program by HCFCD after Harvey.

The route that Bens Branch will take to get under Northpark Drive east of the diversion ditch has yet to be determined. However, that phase of the project is still at least three years away. TxDoT is currently evaluating multiple alternatives suggested by engineers for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority. For more videos of the project, drainage studies and construction plans, see the LHRA website.

To see how ALL the ditches and streams in Kingwood connect, visit the Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool. If you see a blockage in a Harris County Ditch, you can request service at HCFCD.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/17/2023

2189 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Drainage Construction Stretches Halfway to US59 in Less than Week

After spending years to study Northpark Drive expansion, partners are wasting no time getting it started. Northpark drainage construction now stretches halfway to US59.

On Friday, 7/25/23, I wrote about contractors starting to stack drain pipe near the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. On Monday, I posted about box culverts being stacked hundreds of yards farther up the ditch. By last night, 8/1/23:

  • The first pipe in front of Flowers of Kingwood was being buried.
  • Additional pipe was stacked up approximately another 800 feet toward US59, waiting for installation.
  • Ditch clearing/prep stretched to the Kings Mill entrance, halfway from the start point to US59.

Of course, work was at different stages along the way. See the pictures below.

Pictures Taken 8/1/2023

Looking NE. Near the Diversion Ditch at the starting point, contractors were starting to bury the 66″ round, concrete pipe.
Looking W from over previous shot, 6’x8′ box culverts were lined up on the ditch shoulder as contractors prepped the bottom of the ditch.
Looking back east. The culverts stretched to JiffyLube.
Looking east from over the Russell-Palmer Road intersection.
Looking east from the Kings Mill intersection at the current extent of work.
Looking west from the Kings Mill Entry toward Loop 494 and US59. The next step.

The drainpipes now being installed in the center ditch will eventually make a platform for additional lanes of traffic. So Northpark drainage must precede Northpark reconstruction.

Land Acquisition Completed Monday

Ralph De Leon, project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, yesterday dropped off the last two checks for parcels of land that need to be acquired for the expansion of the roadway near US59. That completed a land acquisition process that began in 2019.

Next Steps in Coming Weeks

Resolving CenterPoint Conflicts

A natural gas line runs down the center of the ditch where drainage is being installed. It comes into conflict with the project at 11 points between the railroad on the west and the diversion ditch on the east. Centerpoint has agreed to prioritize that work.

Sign/Fence Conflicts

Near Russell-Palmer Road, a fence in front of one business and a sign in front of another will need relocation.

Sawcutting Crossovers

Contractors will sawcut crossover sections to prep for concrete removal during installation of drainage pipe/culvert.

Expansion of LHRA/TIRZ Project Website

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA) and TIRZ 10 are expanding their website to inform the public of progress. New features will include:

  • A 3-week, look-ahead schedule of coming events
  • Regular updates, at least twice monthly
  • Videos of work in progress

Check back frequently for more updates. At the moment, this is one of the most important flood mitigation projects in the Kingwood Area.

Northpark drainage is just the first step in the Northpark Drive expansion project. Construction will likely take several years to complete. But it will provide an evacuation route for tens of thousands of Kingwood and Porter residents during floods.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/2/2023

2064 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Drive Expansion Begins in Earnest

Note: This story was updated on 7/26/23 to include more information about phasing of the Northpark Drive expansion project.

After what turned out to be a ceremonial groundbreaking on 4/13/23, the Northpark Drive expansion project appears to have started in earnest on 7/25/2023. Northpark is a vital evacuation route for tens of thousands of Kingwood and Porter residents during floods.

Cones and Culvert Line Northpark Center Ditch

Traffic cones line the center ditch between Russell-Palmer and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Looking west toward Russell-Palmer Road

Contractors have also stacked what looks like six-foot reinforced-concrete pipe on the edge of the Northpark Drive ditch where it enters the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Looking SE across Northpark from Fireworks Stand parking lot to Flowers of Kingwood.

They have also begun excavating the Northpark center ditch.

Looking E to Kingwood and City Limit (Green sign).

Project Partners

Project partners include:

  • Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority
  • City of Houston District E
  • Montgomery County Precinct 4
  • Texas Dept. of Transportation
  • Harris County Flood Control

Plan Vs. Execution

In general, the project partners plan to widen Northpark by a lane in each direction (toward the middle). But instead of taking land and parking from merchants, the project partners plan to replace the center ditch with culvert then pave over it.

Early plans indicated that the area between US59 and Russell-Palmer would be Phase One and that Russell-Palmer to the Diversion Ditch and eventually beyond Woodland Hills would follow.

However, Ralph Deleon, a TIRZ engineer/project manager indicated that contractors are taking pieces of the phases out of order. Why? Contractors are ready to go. But not all the right-of-way and utility issues have been resolved.

So they’re approaching drainage first and starting at the downstream end – a best practice. In coming days, we should see additional activity on other portions of Northpark Drive. But Deleon emphasized that the public should have two lanes of traffic in both directions at all times.

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ 10) website contains a number of videos and construction docs that detail the ultimate vision for the project as well as next steps.

Will Culvert Convey as Much as Ditch?

The first thing that popped into my mind when I looked at the size of the culvert and the size of the ditch was that the culvert could not possibly convey all the water that the ditch used to.

Google Earth shows width of v-shaped ditch is 50 feet. Circular pipe is 6 feet.

Then I read this letter from Harris County Flood Control to the engineering company. It states, “The proposed improvement includes enlarging the proposed storm sewer system to provide inline detention and modeling the restrictors needed to meet allowable outflow requirements for both outfalls.”

The pipes shown above would definitely act as restrictors. I sure hope they don’t back water up into the street.

Having worked near Northpark for 22 years, I’ve seen the ditch overflow on multiple occasions. I’ve seen cars plunge to the bottom, emergency rescues, and stalled vehicles.

Here is the engineering company’s drainage impact analysis. And this presentation provides a project overview for the pre–bid conference for the western portion of the project. It shows a 32-month construction schedule for the western portion alone – even with a six day work week.

More Info to Follow

The TIRZ docs for the eastern portion of the project (Russell-Palmer to Diversion Ditch, Woodland Hills and beyond) are less comprehensive.

I’m meeting with the engineers and contractors tomorrow to learn more. Check back for more news and analysis.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/25/2023 and updated on 7/26/23

2156 Days since Hurricane Harvey