Tag Archive for: Northpark Drive

Northpark Construction Sequence Changing

8/18/24 – The sequence and timing of upcoming construction steps for the Northpark Drive Expansion Project is changing. Project Manager Ralph De Leon wants the public to know what will change, why and when between now and the end of the year.

All parties involved in the construction met last week and agreed to the plan outlined below. However, De Leon warned that it could still change. The new plan will start within the next two to three weeks. The steps outlined below should be substantially completed by December.

Unfortunately, they could involve fewer lanes for a period a time and will cause a total closure of Northpark for three days. The original plan kept two lanes of traffic open in both directions at all times. But that is no longer possible.

Reason for Changes

Due to highly publicized delays caused by utility conflicts, project planners started building pieces of the project out of sequence to keep crews busy.

“We are now out of sequence globally,” said De Leon. “That will never change. So throw out everything you knew in the past. We will publish a new schedule this week or next.”

A complex series of signal changes for traffic, railroad and pedestrian crossings also contributes to the schedule changes. And they will need to be built twice: once for temporary traffic and again for permanent traffic.

Electronics are driving the new Northpark construction sequence more than concrete at this point, according to De Leon. “Boring and installing communication cables to temporary, then permanent signals is the difficult part,” he said.  

The schedule changes will not affect what is being built, just when. Nothing has changed regarding the goals. Additional lanes and the planned bridge over 494 and the railroad will still be built.

New Sequence Affects Planned West- and Eastbound Feeder Roads

This new Northpark construction sequence affects how and when the west- and eastbound feeder roads will be constructed. The old plan called for both to be constructed at the same time.

Then traffic was to have been rerouted to the new feeders while contractors demolished the middle. However, that is no longer viable as you can see from photos below. 

Instead, Harper Brothers will construct eastbound feeder roads on the south side as they place culverts west to east along the north side. They will start at the Shell station on the northwest corner of Loop 494 and Northpark and work their way down to the area by the Quick Quack Car Wash.

De Leon’s goal is to keep the existing at-grade railroad crossing intact and use that for west bound traffic. The new feeder road on the south side will handle eastbound traffic. 

However, that could still change. “We could have to switch everybody (both directions) to the new feeder road. That would mean a single lane for both east- and westbound traffic until the second westbound feeder road is constructed on the north side.” 

Pictures Taken Friday 8/17/24

Looking W at Northpark Expansion Project. Previously, planners hoped to install drainage east to west. Now they will move west to east to accommodate UnionPacific which must reroute traffic during its busy season.
Still looking west over 494. Contractors are already beginning to work on drainage that will go under 494 and the railroad tracks.
Looking east. Two more feeder lanes will be built for east bound traffic south of Northpark.

UPRR will construct a crane on top of the rail tracks needed to install 200 feet of track panel. For that to happen they must rip out the existing rail tracks and reroute all traffic to rail lines that parallel the Hardy Tollroad.

The panel is in a single section that will stretch across ten lanes. UPRR needs that for track stability. However, its length will mean totally closing Northpark for three days.  

Still looking east toward Russell Palmer and Kingwood Diversion Ditch. Crews have finished installing culvert and are now building up the center. To see how high, look at the height of manhole covers already installed.

While painful now, when finished, this project will give Kingwood its first all-weather evacuation route. It could save lives in the future.

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 8/18/24

2546 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Tree Moving Starts; Pond Excavation Next

The Northpark Drive expansion project understandably slowed during the holidays. But Northpark tree moving started in earnest this week. Contractors have returned and started moving trees to clear the areas where two detention ponds will be excavated at 59.

In other news:

  • Concrete culvert is being stockpiled to carry stormwater from the ponds to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch via Ditch One behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark.
  • TXDoT has found a hazardous waste site for oil-contaminated dirt discovered during clearing for the north pond. Relocation of the waste should be complete by the end of January, if not sooner.
  • CenterPoint is almost finished moving its gas line that used to run down the center of Northpark. That will allow resumption of culvert placement in the center ditch.
  • Entergy is still delaying parts of the project by refusing to move its electric lines and transformers unless the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority pays them $1.4 million. The amount originally demanded – $711,000 – mysteriously doubled during the holidays.

To learn more about each of these items, see below.

Moving Day Arrives for Trees

Before excavation can begin on the two stormwater detention ponds at US59, numerous trees must be transplanted.

This week, Northpark tree moving began in earnest on the south side of Northpark. Trees are being moved from the center of the entry to the periphery to form a green backdrop that says “Kingwood.” They will frame a decorative pond that doubles as a stormwater detention basin.

The giant machine shown below scoops out dirt and places it to the side. Then it scoops out a tree and drops it into the hole.

To see the complete sequence, view this post from an earlier press conference.
This shot shows the beginnings of the tree backdrop around what will become a pond.

But the job isn’t done yet. More trees remain. Heavy rain earlier this week is still slowing transplantation.

Looking south across Northpark. Wide shot shows where pond will go and trees yet to be transplanted.

Contaminated Soil Being Relocated

Before Thanksgiving, contractors struck oil in the soil on the north side of Northpark at 59. Someone dumped it years or even decades ago. To prevent further leeching into the groundwater, contractors excavated and isolated it with plastic sheeting.

Since then, TXDoT located a suitable permanent site for the contaminated soil and contractor will soon begin moving it.

Looking south toward Northpark over the contaminated soil.

All contaminated soil should be removed by end of January at the latest, according to Ralph De Leon, project manager.

The ponds on both sides of Northpark will keep the US59 intersection from flooding during heavy rains, helping to ensure that the new all-weather evacuation route for 70,000 people remains passable during extreme storms.

More Box Culvert Stockpiled to Reroute Drainage

Excess water from the ponds will be routed east toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch instead of north along 59 toward Bens Branch – a shorter route.

Why? During heavy rains drainage to Bens Branch where it crosses under 59 can back up all the way to the Northpark intersection. Re-routing it will avoid flooding along the vital 59 corridor AND Northpark without adding to the burden on the Diversion Ditch.

Culvert stockpiled between railroad tracks and Ditch One.
Northpark Drive drainage improvements
Alternate route for stormwater from entry ponds to Kingwood Diversion Ditch and/or Bens Branch.

CenterPoint Gas Line Relocation

As of this afternoon, CenterPoint had reached Russell-Palmer Road with its new gas line. It is moving the line from the median to make room for 6×8 foot concrete box culverts. The culverts will allow the Redevelopment Authority to create two new lanes inside the old lanes, rather than outside, which would be more expensive because of the need for property acquisition.

When the last quarter mile is finished to the diversion ditch, culvert placement in the ditch will resume. It was temporarily halted earlier when contractors discovered serveral conflicts with the gas line; it was higher than expected. That interfered with a consistent gradient for the drainage.

Entergy Conflict Resolution

Before Christmas, the Redevelopment Authority had agreed to pay Entergy $711,000 to move a transformer and some power lines. After Christmas, Entergy doubled the price to $1.4 million. It’s one more setback in a years-long struggle with the corporate giant. More news to follow when and if a resolution becomes clear. (Editorial comment: Entergy does not seem to share 70,000 Kingwood residents’ sense of urgency about the need for an all-weather evacuation route.)

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:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/4/2024

2319 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.

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

CenterPoint Delays Force Change in Plans on Northpark Drive Expansion

CenterPoint delays have forced a change in Northpark Drive expansion plans.

Contractors working on the Northpark Drive expansion project in Kingwood have installed culvert as far west as they can until CenterPoint begins eliminating 11 conflicts. According to Ralph De Leon, Northpark project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA), CenterPoint was to have begun eliminating the conflicts on August 1. Four weeks later, CenterPoint hasn’t yet started.

Center Ditch Work Paused; Two New Areas of Focus

The CenterPoint delay is forcing LHRA contractors to change their plans. Specifically:

  • Work in the drainage ditch between east and westbound lanes will pause temporarily.
  • Contractors will move their crews west and begin working on:
    • Expansion of Ditch One that will parallel Northpark to the north.
    • Stormwater retention basins at the corner of Northpark and I-69.

Contractors have already prepositioned equipment and materials for the Ditch One portion of the project behind Duncan Donuts and the stormwater retention basins at I-69. However, as of Sunday morning, 8/27/23, work has not yet begun on either area.

Northpark Drive drainage improvements
Overview showing route of supplementary drainage (Ditch One) from I-69 to to Diversion Ditch and Ben’s Branch.

Photos Taken Sunday August 27, 2023

The pictures below show where contractors will now focus until CenterPoint mobilizes.

Workers have begun pre-positioning equipment and materials behind Duncan Donuts next to Public Storage to begin working on Ditch One.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 20230827-DJI_0373-copy-1024x682.jpg
Ditch One will carry stormwater north (left) of Northpark from the wet-bottom retention ponds that will be built at I-69.
Looking west along Northpark. Both groves of trees in the foreground will become stormwater retention basins.

Stormwater retention basins will accommodate the extra runoff from the expanded roadway. Culvert under the roadway will connect the two basins and let them drain toward the east into Ditch One.

Looking east at north grove in foreground. Note culvert and pipe being prepositioned inside tree line.

When finished, the twin ponds should resemble the entry ponds at Kingwood Drive.

Where Work Will Pause Temporarily

Meanwhile, farther east, work on replacing the drainage ditch with 5’x7′ culvert has paused.

Looking west along Northpark. Drainage work in the center ditch has paused at JiffyLube until CenterPoint resolves its conflicts.
Looking back east. The 5’x7′ box culverts have already been buried. Eventually two new lanes of traffic will go over them, one in each direction.

LHRA Posts Revised Schedule

LHRA has already posted a revised schedule on its website with a three-week lookahead so that you can plan your schedule to avoid construction.

LHRA has also posted construction drawings; drainage studies; and photos and videos that show the progress of work.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/27/23

2189 Days since 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 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.

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 background underscores 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.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/13/2023

2053 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Drainage Ditch: Got ‘Er Done This Time!

This morning, I posted about what appeared to be a premature victory lap on the repair of the Northpark Drive drainage ditch with a plea to Git ‘Er Done. Well, this afternoon, Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts and his drainage supervisor Mike McKay Got ‘Er Done.

Barely Enough Time to Take Photos

They must have had their ears close to the ground. By noon, I got a call from McKay. Within another hour, he had inspected the ditch and agreed it was a mess. Then by 2PM, he had trucks and backhoes onsite. And by 4PM, they were packing up and hauling away the last piles of dirt left in the ditch from last weekend’s repair effort.

It all happened so fast, I barely had time to get there to take photos. And it all happened before rush hour!

Photo submitted by reader of work on Thursday afternoon, 2/17/22. Backhoe scoops up dirt left behind that was in danger of slumping back into ditch during a heavy rain.
Traffic was slightly backed up, but it kept moving. It took about five minutes to get from 494 to the car wash at Russell-Palmer Road.
By the time I got my drone up, the last of the dirt was excavated…
…and drivers were hauling it away.

He said they hauled more than 30 truckloads of dirt out of Northpark on Saturday night and Sunday morning before knocking off at around 2AM. The temp had dropped below freezing at that point.

Regular Maintenance Key to Reducing Flooding

McKay apologized for not returning my call earlier this week. He said he had a dental emergency that kept him out of the office until today.

Having worked near this area for more than 20 years, I watched Northpark go underwater with regularity – on average at least once or twice a year. Scary for an evacuation route!

I hope MoCo can improve the maintenance intervals on this ditch. Northpark and the areas around it have seen tremendous growth in recent years.

My thanks to Commissioner Metts and Mr. McKay for the heavy lifting on this one. And especially for their fast response! They got ‘er done this time!

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/17/22

1533 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Drive Closed Saturday 8PM to Sunday 4AM

Northpark Drive between Russell Palmer Drive and Loop 494 will be closed this Saturday night (2/12/22) from 8PM to Sunday 4AM.

Simultaneous Railroad and Ditch Maintenance

Northpark Drive looking east across 494 and railroad tracks. Note ponding water in ditch not moving farther down. Also note traffic backed up past Russell-Palmer. That’s 0.8 miles from the railroad tracks in the foreground. Photo was taken at 12:33PM on a Wednesday afternoon last July.
Northpark Drive looking west across Russell-Palmer Road. Note siltation in ditch.

Union Pacific will perform maintenance on the Northpark Drive railroad crossing. And Montgomery County will perform ditch maintenance in the median from 494 to Russell-Palmer. The coordinated effort will reduce disruption to the public.

Detour Map

During the closure, westbound traffic will be re-routed down Northpark and out Kingwood Drive.

Eastbound traffic will be rerouted down 494 to Kingwood Drive and then back north on Woodland Hills.

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin issued this traffic control plan with his press release.

Traffic detours in effect from 8PM Saturday through 4AM Sunday

Minimizing Traffic Delays

Since Union Pacific was shutting down the road anyway, Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner Metts seized the opportunity de-litter and de-silt the ditch in the Northpark median between 494 and Russell-Palmer Drive. “Daytime/ weekday traffic in the area has become so heavy in recent years,” said Metts, “that it’s difficult to use heavy equipment. It causes major traffic problems and is dangerous for those working.”

Metts hopes to use the opportunity to improve drainage without causing unnecessary traffic delays.

Growth Pushing Ditch to Its Capacity Limit

In recent years, commercial growth has pushed the median ditch down Northpark to its limits. This will be welcome maintenance.

Water along this stretch of Northpark Drive flows toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch behind the fireworks stand.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/11/22

1627 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Drive Expansion Details

On July 28, 2021, Stan Sarman, chairman of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA), discussed details of the Northpark Drive expansion project with a group of Kingwood executives. The story below is based on his comments.

Looking ENE across US59 down Northpark Drive. The wooded areas at the entry will be partially replaced with lakes that double as detention ponds.

Improvements Motivated by Traffic Congestion, Railroad Delays and Flooding

The severely congested Northpark Drive will expand from four lanes to six between US59 and Woodland Hills Drive. As part of that project:

  • A bridge will also be built over the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks that parallel 494.
  • New bridges will also likely be built over Bens Branch and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch near Woodridge Parkway to provide emergency access during high water events.
  • The road will be elevated where it usually floods between Glade Valley and the Diversion Ditch.
  • Service roads will be added to handle traffic not using the bridge over the railroad tracks.
  • Ten foot wide sidewalks will be added along the entire length of the project to accommodate both pedestrian and bicycle traffic – on both sides of the street.
  • Detention ponds will be added to the entries at 59.
  • Landscaping will further beautify the entries and medians.
  • All drainage will comply with new Atlas-14 requirements.
LHRA will build a bridge over the railroad tracks to improve safety and eliminate traffic blockages. Note how outbound traffic is backed up as far as the eye can see. This and the related images were all taken at noon on Tuesday, 7/28/21.
Looking west. This is approximately where the first phase of expansion will stop.

“When completed the roadway will serve as the only dedicated, all-weather evacuation route for Kingwood residents.”

Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority

In 2019, the area between the Diversion Ditch and Ben’s Branch flooded badly – twice – damaging dozens of homes in North Woodland Hills.

Phasing and Funding

However, construction won’t all happen at once and it won’t start immediately. The project must be built in phases to avoid disrupting traffic as much as possible. The Redevelopment Authority has promised that two lanes of traffic will remain available in each direction for the duration of the project – with the possible exception of limited lane closures during bridge construction. during the bridge construction, which will be the last phase. The Public will be notified when a lane closure is anticipated.

The project will be built in phases starting at US59 and working east. Phase I will go from US59 to a short distance east of Russell-Palmer Road. This is called the Overpass (or Western Phase) of the project. LHRA budgeted $57 million for it.

Construction should start on the Western Phase in late 2021 and will last approximately 30 months. The Eastern Phase should start in summer 2023 and will last approximately 24 months.  

Phase II (the Eastern Phase) will go from Russell-Palmer to Woodland Hills. That will cost another $50 million (or more if a new bridge over Ben’s Branch must be built). At this time, the drainage analysis for that portion of the project has not yet been completed.

The total project could exceed $107 million, plus extras.

Stan Sarman, Chairman LHRA

The timing partially depends on tax revenues and grants. It also depends on the purchase of several parcels of land needed for feeder roads around the railroad bridge – not to mention approval by the railroad itself. The railroad reportedly favors the bridge because it improves safety, but is still studying the feeder roads.

After that , the next step will be to solicit bids and review them.

Drainage Improvements Will Make Extra Lanes Possible

One of the more interesting aspects of the project is the conversion of the drainage ditch in the middle of Northpark to buried culverts. Two extra lanes will be placed where the ditch now is. In other words, the roadway will expand inward rather than outward.

Farther east, culverts will replace the drainage ditch down the middle of Northpark. Two new lanes will be built over them.

The ditch that now splits opposing lanes of traffic on Northpark will be replaced by buried culverts. The culverts will telescope up in size from 4’x4′ near the railroad tracks. As you go east toward the Diversion Ditch, they will get larger until they reach 8’x6′.

A 66″ outfall will then restrict flow into the Kingwood Diversion ditch. Thus, the culverts will provide inline, underground detention to help protect people downstream.

Most people think that the properties on both sides of Northpark drain into the ditch. However, only parts of them do. According to Sarman, most of each property fronting Northpark either drains north into Ben’s Branch or south into the Kings Mill Ditch. So the culverts should suffice, he says.

The Redevelopment Authority has posted plans and videos that help explain the project in more detail. For more information, see:

Construction plans

Overview of phase I

US59 entry, landscaping and detention pond areas

Overpass project

Kingwood Drainage Study

Budget

Thanks to Partners

Sarman thanked Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock, and the Houston Galveston Area Council for their assistance in keeping this multi-faceted project moving. KSA will also maintain the entries when construction finishes.

Sarman is an engineer by trade. He retired after more than 50 years with Turner Collie & Braden and AECOM. Earlier in his career, he helped design the drainage in Kingwood. His experience and continued involvement provide valuable contributions to this important project.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2021 based on information provided by Stan Sarman and the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority

1429 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Part II: When Is A Detention Pond Not A Detention Pond?

Q: When is a detention pond not a detention pond?
A: When it’s just a wide spot on a stream.

The defining characteristic of a detention pond is an “outfall” smaller than the inlet. The pond holds back rain in a storm and releases it later at an acceptable rate. This reduces downstream flooding.

From the Montgomery County Drainage Criterial Manual

That’s the theory, at least. In practice, sometimes things don’t always work out that way. It often depends on maintenance.

Unrestricted Outfalls

On 2/13/2020, I reported on one Woodridge Forest detention pond on Ben’s Branch that had an outfall LARGER than its inlet. Harvey and Imelda blew out the pond’s outfall.

This week, I discovered that a second pond immediately upstream also apparently has an unrestricted outfall.

Two tributaries of Ben’s Branch come together in the foreground pond. The pond also collects runoff from surrounding commercial and residential areas. Photo taken 2/13/2020.
Water flows toward exit in upper right. Photo taken 2/13/2020.
Note height and width of exit. Photo taken 2/13/2020.

The low area in the picture above measures more than 200 feet wide in Google Earth. That’s far wider than the combined inlets. Net: this pond provides little if any detention capability.


Same Problem with Second Pond

Neither does pond beyond it that I highlighted last week provide much detention capacity.

Note how Ben’s Branch flows both through and around the next pond. Direction of flow is from bottom to top of frame. Photo taken 2/13/2020.
Reverse angle looking NW. Direction of flow is now toward camera. Note how the outfall (foreground) is larger than the inlet. Also note how runoff from residential streets (upper right) is channeled outside the pond. Photo taken 2/13/2020.

Both Ponds Provide Little Detention Benefit, If Any

Both of these ponds provide little detention benefit, if any.

Neither pond has a maintenance road around it, even though Section 7.2.8 of the Montgomery County Drainage Criteria Manual specifies that “A 30-foot wide access and maintenance easement shall be provided around the entire detention pond.”

Sometimes, what looks like a detention pond is really just a pond. Or a wide spot in a stream.

Recent Surge in Downstream Flooding

During the May 7th and Imelda floods in 2019, water flowing through these ponds then flowed over Northpark Drive and flooded homes in North Woodland Hills. It also flooded numerous homes and businesses downstream on Ben’s Branch between Woodland Hills Drive and the San Jacinto River West Fork.

One wonders whether those damages could have been averted if the ponds had detained water.

As Harris County Flood Control conducts the Kingwood Area Drainage Study, engineers must consider the possibility that this area may be dumping more water downstream than planned.

The Woodridge Municipal Utility District apparently is responsible for these ponds.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/16/2020

901 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 150 after Imelda

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.