Tag Archive for: Northpark expansion

Northpark Update: Lane Switch, Paving, Tunneling, Enclave

6/5/25 – The Northpark Drive Expansion Project has been a beehive of activity recently.

  • A major traffic switch will happen Friday.
  • Crews have paved several blocks of new westbound lanes and are working their way toward the railroad tracks.
  • They have finished the first pit for boring under the UnionPacific tracks and are getting ready to place the boring machine into it. They have also started excavating the receiving pit on the west side of the tracks.
  • Contractors at the Northpark Enclave continue to work even as Montgomery County Precinct 4 is trying to set up a meeting between Montgomery County Engineering, City of Houston, EHRA (the Enclave’s engineering company), and HNTB (the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority’s engineering company). The purpose: to discuss concerns about potential overflow from the development’s retention pond during extreme weather events into the evacuation route for 78,000 people.

Lane Switch

Westbound traffic between Loop 494 and US59 will be routed to recently paved lanes on the north side of Northpark starting Friday, June 6.

According to Ralph De Leon, Northpark Expansion project manager, “Beginning June 6th at 9pm, Harper Brothers Construction will shift westbound Northpark Drive traffic to the newly constructed westbound lanes.”

The contractor will then install new storm sewer pipes and construct new concrete roadway between the eastbound and westbound lanes. This shift should last approximately 6 months. And no additional lane changes will take place during that time in that area.

De Leon provided this map to help motorists understand Friday’s change.

Beginning 6.6.25 at 9 PM

That same area looks like this from a lower angle.

Crews will reroute traffic to the lanes on the right with the orange traffic cones.

Westbound traffic now in the middle will move to the right and crews will begin work in the middle.

Paving

During the last few months, work on the north side of Northpark east of the railroad tracks has focused mainly on utility relocations and drainage installation. Now, crews are starting to pave that area working from east to west – toward the tracks.

Note the fresh concrete on the left below.

Looking East along Northpark Drive
Reverse angle. Looking W from same location. Crews are working on pavement prep work, i.e., rebar placement.

Boring Under Union Pacific Tracks

Steel pipe previously stockpiled south (left) of Northpark has been moved to the north side in preparation for the bore.
Workers have completed the steel frame for the boring operation and poured a concrete floor for the bore pit.

They have also placed a section of railroad tracks into the pit. The boring machine will later be placed on the tracks.

On the far side of the tracks, you can see them starting to excavate the receiving pit.

Two steel pipes will run under the tracks side by side to convey storm water toward the Diversion Ditch from the area on the west side of Loop 494. As crews push each section in, they will weld a new section on.

Enclave Construction

Contrary to earlier reports, construction at the Enclave has not stopped during a peer review of the subdivision’s drainage.

Northpark Enclave
Photo taken 6/4/25 at approximately 2 PM showed activity throughout the site.

Victoria Bryant, Montgomery County Precinct 4 Project Coordinator says that she is trying to set up a meeting between the engineering companies, MoCo Engineering and the City of Houston.

Pictures below show activity on the site.

Northpark Enclave drainage and detention basin
Culvert installation almost reached the development’s detention basin at 2PM on 6/4/25.
Northpark Enclave drainage construction
More drainage being installed on 6/3/25
Northpark Enclave drainage construction
Pipes going in the ground. Also on 6/3/25.

Drainage Concerns

Meanwhile, construction plans show that the detention basin could overflow into the only evacuation route for 78,000 people during extreme rainfall events.

Northpark Enclave construction plan detail
Enlarged and cropped detail from construction plans.

But it doesn’t take a 100-year rainfall to create a 100-year flood in the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

The photo below taken by Kingwood flood activist Chris Bloch during the May 2024 flood shows runoff in the Kingwood Diversion Ditch reaching above the bottom of the Northpark Drive Bridge, which was above the predicted 100-year flood level.

But the closest Harris County Flood Control rain gage showed that the May 2024 event that caused water to reach that high was approximately a 5-year rainfall by today’s Atlas-14 standard.

Northpark Bridge during High water event
Photo courtesy of Chris Bloch

But there’s more. Plans for the bridge show that the bottom is at 75.76 feet.

Northpark Bridge construction detail

About a half mile downstream, drainage from the Enclave and the rest of Kings Mill crosses under Russell Palmer Road and enters into the Diversion Ditch.

Water in the Diversion Ditch at the bridge was higher than the crown of Russell Palmer Road at the detention basin.

When water in a receiving ditch is higher than water in a connected detention basin, it creates back-pressure on the water in the basin. Water can actually flow into the basin from the ditch.

At a minimum, higher water in the Diversion Ditch would slow the water coming out of Kings Mill and the Enclave. That raises the height of stormwater in the detention basin(s) and keeps it there longer.

Also, note that the outfall pipe for the Kings Mills Detention Basins is at the BOTTOM of the Diversion Ditch. (See below.) That exacerbates the back-pressure issue.

Kings Mill outfall into Kingwood diversion ditch.
Route of stormwater from Kings Mill Detention Basin (right) to Kingwood Diversion Ditch (left)

Conclusion: Mismatch Between Regulations and Reality

The Diversion Ditch has become seriously overburdened with runoff from subdivisions that were developed when the rainfall probability estimates used by Montgomery County were 40% lower than they are for this area today.

That may or may not cause the Enclave detention basin to overflow into Northpark during a REAL 100-year event. It will be interesting to see what the engineers determine. Only they can tell how high, how far, and how long the water will back up.

Chances are small that the Enclave detention basin will overflow into Northpark during an evacuation. But the stakes are huge.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/4/25

2836 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.

Enclave Detention Basin Will Overflow into Kingwood Evacuation Route

5/30/25 – The Northpark Enclave detention basin may be undersized and the developer plans to dump overflow stormwater during extreme events into the only all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 people. That’s according to construction documents and drainage plans obtained from Montgomery County under the Freedom of Information Act.

From Page 9 of Construction Plans, Part II Red highlight added.

The last thing you need during a mass evacuation is street flooding.

EHRA, the developer’s engineering company, told Ralph De Leon, project manager for the Northpark expansion project, that all drainage for the new subdivision would be routed south to the Kings Mill Stormwater Detention Basin and then via an outfall channel to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch near the County Line. But the construction drawing above indicates otherwise.

Technically a part of Kings Mill, this 11-acre strip bordering Northpark is just now being developed for single-family residential. Most of Kings Mill was built in phases between 2004 and 2018. And therein lies a huge problem.

Old Plans Use Antiquated Rainfall Statistics

Some of the drainage analyses/plans for the Enclave detention basin date back to 2002 – almost 25 years ago.

Back then, assumptions about “probable maximum rainfall” were very different from today’s. Montgomery County defined a 100-year rainfall then as 12.1 inches in 24 hours.

However, today, MoCo defines a 100-year/24-hour rainfall as 16.1 inches – a 33% increase. But for this development’s location, NOAA defines one as 17.1 inches – a 41% increase. Why the difference?

MoCo adopted Atlas 14 rainfall statistics in 2019. But NOAA fine-tunes its statistics for individual locations. And MoCo regulations use Conroe’s statistics for the entire county. Rainfall decreases as you go farther inland and Conroe is 40 miles north of this location. But that’s not all.

Confusing Documents Don’t Match

It’s not clear how engineers have updated the old drainage analyses in the new plans. MoCo did not provide an updated drainage analysis in response to my FOIA request.

Yet within the construction plans, it appears that EHRA may have tried to mitigate for higher rainfall standards in the development of this tract within Kings Mill.

Calculations on page 9 of Construction Plans Part 2 reference 2023 City of Houston Regulations for detention volume. They show the size (line 3 below) as 11 acres.

Plans do not provide a narrative explaining how all the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle fit together. And trying to track the pieces back through documents dating back almost 20 years is confusing.

For instance, the same plot that’s 11 acres in 2025 was listed as 15.6 acres in the October 2012 drainage analysis.

15.6 acres in 2012 magically became 11 acres in 2025.

At the very least, it’s safe to say that unexplained differences like these make one question the quality and consistency of calculations in the plans.

55% Impervious Cover?

And they never do explain how they can put 100 homes on 10 acres (minus one acre for the detention basin) and get only 55% impervious cover. Experience suggests that more realistic estimates for that much density would range from 65% to 85% depending on the size of homes and garages.

For More Information

Montgomery County Engineering provided:

There Should Be A Law

Only two things became clear after struggling to understand these documents:

  • There should be a statute of limitations on “grandfathering” permits based on when someone first applied for them.
  • Someone should have required a new drainage analysis for this project.

More news to follow.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/30/25

2831 Days since 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.

Northpark Update: Drainage, New Subdivision, Traffic Changeover

5/24/25 – Contractors for the Northpark expansion project have completed the first of two pits that will let them bore under the UnionPacific Railroad tracks. They call the first pit the “launching pit” and the second the “receiving pit.” Each pit is 40 feet long and 20 feet wide. They should start work on the receiving pit after Memorial Day.

A boring machine will be anchored in the launching pit and force 20-foot sections of 5-foot steel pipe through the dirt under the tracks toward the receiving pit. Welds between sections will take an estimated three hours each. Work will continue 24/7 until complete.

When complete, two parallel 6-foot sections of pipe will carry stormwater from west to east. Before the pits are sealed back up, contractors will place huge junction boxes in them to connect the rest of the drainage system.

Safety First

Throughout the operation, crews will aim a laser at the track surface that can detect minute movements as trains pass over.

Ralph De Leon, project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority said, “If there is any shift, it will send a report back to the observers and they’ll be able to conduct another test 20 minutes later, half an hour later, an hour later, to see if it was just a fluctuation or if there’s really a problem inside the bore pit.”

He continued. “Every time a train goes over, work will stop anywhere from three to about 20 minutes. They will check everything all over again and then they’ll resume their work.”

Constant Checks

De Leon emphasized that, “every time they push in a piece of pipe, they take out the auger and they check the elevations and the flow lines to make sure that they’re still within the limits to get the slope they need for drainage.”

“If it looks like they’re doing nothing, it’s because they’re checking their work,” he said. The operation will continue 24/7 until complete, weather permitting.

Preparing the Pit

You can’t see into the pit from the road. But LHRA supplied these pictures of its construction. The steel frame, I-beams, and steel plates form the sides of the pit. The boring will take place where the wooden sections currently sit.

Contractors constructed a grid of steel rebar along the base of the pit. They will stand it up off the ground by placing the gray blocks at the intersections.
Then they pour and spread concrete under, around and over the rebar. The red stakes indicate where they will later anchor the boring machine.
Next, they spread and level the concrete.
Finished bore pit. Red circles indicate where workers will anchor boring machine.
Red box indicates approximate location for receiving pit. Construction of that starts next week.

A CenterPoint pole currently blocks the left bore. However, UnionPacific and CenterPoint have reached an agreement. The railroad has agreed to let CenterPoint enter its right of way and remove the pole. Until that happens, contractors will work on the right bore.

The dual bores should take approximately 4 weeks. Contractors will work under the supervision of both RailPros and UPRR inspectors until the work is completed.

New Development: Northpark Enclave

Lennar Homes of Texas is clearing land for a new subdivision called Northpark Enclave at Loop 494 and Northpark. It will contain 100 single family homes on approximately 11 acres. But one acre will go to stormwater detention. That means the homes will be built ten to an acre. That’s about as dense as the nearby Preserve at Woodridge.

Clearing for the Northpark Enclave is already underway south of Dunkin’ Donuts and Public Storage.

Looking east from over 494. Northpark Drive on left. Land for Northpark Enclave being cleared.

De Leon believes the drainage from the Enclave will go through Kings Mill into the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Montgomery County has not yet updated its Drainage Criteria Manual. So, it appears this development will squeak through under the old regulations developed in the 1980s which had a minor update in 2019.

Traffic Changeover Coming

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority posted a new 3-week lookahead schedule. In addition to work on driveways, drainage and curbs, it shows a major traffic change coming next week.

The switch is scheduled for Wednesday night, June 4th. Westbound traffic will shift to new pavement from approximately Culver’s westward to I-69.  Once traffic is switched, a subcontractor will begin demolition of the old westbound lanes through that same area.

The paving crew will also continue roadway construction on westbound Northpark from the Kolache Factory to Public Storage.

Paving crew will focus on the stretch on the left.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/2025

2825 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Contractors Start Boring Under Railroad Tracks

5/17/25 – Contractors have finally started boring under UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks to connect Northpark drainage east and west of Loop 494. That crucial connection is a key to beginning many other parts of the Northpark expansion project.

Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority first contacted UPRR about running Northpark drainage under their tracks ten years ago. And for those keeping track, it was eight years ago that the two parties signed their first contract.

Fifth Contract is the Charm

If you’re wondering why it’s taken so long, the two parties are now working on their fifth contract. But all that is in the past. So are the special UPRR training sessions that contractors and LHRA staff had to attend. So is the years-long wait for UPRR to weld single 200-foot-long sections of track into place across the ten lanes of Northpark.

All energies are positive now and the project is moving forward.

Looking W along Northpark across Loop 494 toward US59. Location of starting point for bore circled. This and all pictures below taken on Friday, May 16, 2025.

One Pole Blocking Bore Must Move

Note, however, a CenterPoint pole is still in the way. See below.

Energized electric lines must be moved to adjacent pole on right.

CenterPoint needs to transfer the energized lines from the existing wood poles on each side of Northpark to the newly installed and adjacent fiberglass poles. Those are designed to route the electricity underground at that location – out of the way of the bridge. Once electricity is rerouted, the old pole blocking progress can be removed.

Yesterday, I received word from City Councilman Fred Flickinger’s District E office that CenterPoint and UPRR are close to signing a contract that will let CenterPoint enter UPRR’s right of way to move the pole. Good news!

A steel frame and steel plates locked together by those giant timbers in the foreground will protect the operation.

Steel, Not Concrete Pipe Needed

After completing the bore pit, contractors will run six-foot steel pipes under the tracks. The tolerance is exceedingly tight. The tracks cannot move more than one-quarter inch despite the weight and vibration of mile-long trains carrying heavy loads. Hence the steel.

Pipes that will eventually bore under tracks are being stockpiled for now on S side of Northpark.

Bore Pit Built Like Underground Fortress

From the ground, construction of the bore pit looked like this.

Steel I-beams and steel frame form perimeter of pit.
Then giant steel plates were slotted between the I-beams.
Looking E from over Loop 494. Steel pipe will connect to a giant junction box in the dirt area (bottom center).

Junction Boxes Will Tie Drainage Together

When this operation is complete, we will have two junction boxes on either side of the tracks.

Some time ago, a third junction box was placed underground near the Shell station on the opposite side of Loop 494. Before contractors paved the new southbound lanes on Loop 494, they already connected giant 8’x8′ reinforced concrete pipe under the paving. So now, all they have to do is connect that to the center junction box west of the tracks (foreground above).

Contingent Operations

Many subsequent operations rely on the successful completion of the bore under the tracks. They include:

  • Completing detention ponds at US59.
  • Routing drainage to Ditch One behind the businesses north of Northpark.
  • Paving northbound lanes on Loop 494.
  • Paving westbound lanes on Northpark from Russell-Palmer Road to the railroad.
  • Building the bridge over the railroad tracks and Loop 494.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/17/25

2818 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Crucial Operations Begin In Northpark Expansion

5/8/25 – Several crucial operations that are part of the Northpark expansion project should soon begin in the quest to create the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood. Contractors are about to begin:

  • Boring under the the UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks to connect the drainage on either side
  • Installing two junction boxes west of Loop 494 on the south side of Northpark to convey stormwater to the north side.
  • Relocating an electrical distribution box next to Exxon at US59.
  • Modifying the Exxon station itself.

Separately, contractors have already started clearing surface lanes on the south side of Northpark between Loop 494 and Marco’s Pizza. The lanes will carry traffic next to the bridge going over 494 and the UPRR tracks.

This post will also discuss utility-related delays to date and the timetable for completing project components. Those include Phase II, a new detention basin, and widening of the northernmost portion of the Kingwood Diversion ditch.

Prep for Bore Under Tracks Started Today

Preparation for the bore under the tracks started today. An auger started drilling holes that will define the edges of the bore pit.

Auger drilling first hole.

The pit will contain a steel framework to protect contractors from cave-ins as they work.

See line of holes dug by auger and covered by boards.

Junction Boxes for Drainage West of Loop 494

The Northpark expansion plan calls for two junction boxes to link culverts on both sides of Northpark – one by Sonic, the other by the dry cleaners on the corner of Loop 494.

Looking west toward 59. The junction boxes will collect stormwater from the south (left) side of Northpark and convey it under the street to the north side.

Contractors will build the junction boxes first. Then they will link 6′ x 6′ reinforced concrete culverts by digging trenches across Northpark in stages. Each stage will disrupt traffic on one side of the road while traffic is routed to the other.

Changes near Exxon Station

There are two major operations closer to 59 in the Northpark expansion plan. First, Entergy must move an electrical junction box out of the right of way near the Exxon station.

Second, Exxon will lose part of its canopy and one pump island. Both encroach on the right of way.

Electrical box is circled. Dotted line shows approximate right-of-way. Setback appears wider in the foreground because of wide-angle-lens distortion.

Surface Lanes East of 494 on South Side of Northpark

In the last few days, contractors have begun clearing underbrush for what will become two surface lanes on the south side of the bridge over 494 and the railroad tracks. See below.

The tall pine trees are too large to move and will likely go to a sawmill.

Perhaps for the first time, one can truly appreciate how wide Northpark expansion will be compared to the four lanes we had. See below.

Looking E. A six-lane bridge will taper down to ground level through this area with two surface lanes on each side.
Reverse angle. Looking W toward 59.

This road will move some traffic!

194 Days of Delays to Date

Due to multiple utility-related delays, the Phase I Northpark expansion project has slipped 194 days to date. The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 board reviewed that this morning.

I extracted the 18 relevant pages from the 473-page board packet for you. They detail hundreds of unexpected utility delays.

The screen capture below shows the financial impact of LHRA/TIRZ 10 projects on the City of Houston’s Capital Improvement Plan.

It also shows expected completion dates. Phase I should wrap up next year.

Phase II should finish in 2028. It includes the portion of Northpark expansion that extends past Woodland Hills.

A detention basin, previously part of Phase II has become its own project to accelerate it. That will reduce flood risk sooner for residents along Bens Branch and the Diversion Ditch.

The detention basin project includes widening of the northernmost portion of the diversion ditch. It should start next year and finish in 2027.

For More Information

See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project web pages or these posts on ReduceFlooding:

UPRR:
Evacuation Route:
Plan Details:
Phase II:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/8/25

2809 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Pace of Northpark Expansion Accelerating

4/28/2025 – The pace of Northpark expansion has visibly accelerated since March despite several intense rains. Today, crews were working from one end of the project to the other. See the ten pictures below.

Looking West toward Russell-Palmer Road. Note rebar being placed for two more inbound lanes on the left.
Still looking west. Just west of Russell-Palmer Road, note the addition of a right turn lane by the carwash.
Farther west, contractors have finished paving about a quarter-mile stretch of two more inbound lanes on left.
Even farther west, contractors have finished the sub-grade work most of the way to Loop 494 on the outbound/north side.
At the UnionPacific Railroad Tracks, contractors are getting ready to bore under the tracks next week.
They will use the steel pipe stockpiled in front of the trees on the right when boring under the tracks.
East of Loop 494, paving on the outbound (north side of the road is almost complete, as is clearing for the inbound side of the road (left).
Only one small stretch by Culver’s remains to be paved on the north side.
The Exxon Station (lower right) at 59/Northpark will soon lose part of its driveway and canopy.
Looking east from over US59. Contractors have virtually completed the sidewalk on the north/outbound side of Northpark.

Project Manager Ralph DeLeon had this to add. “The Kroger’s driveway opened last week.  That location is now complete/permanent with regard to the project. We are close to completing the radius between south bound 494 to west bound Northpark Drive. So drivers will begin to use the new permanent lanes at that location.”

For More Information

See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project web pages or these posts on ReduceFlooding:

UPRR:
Evacuation Route:
Plan Details:
Phase II:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/28/25

2799 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Transplantation of More Northpark Trees

3/9/25 – Last week, contractors began transplantation of more Northpark trees. Residents said they wanted to save the trees. And early on, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority committed to saving as many as possible, especially those with ornamental value. They budgeted $700,000 for the effort.

From Loop 494/Northpark to South Entry Pond

The trees transplanted last week moved from in front of the dry cleaners on the SW corner of Northpark and Loop 494 to areas around the south entry pond on Northpark at US 59.

I wasn’t able to photograph the transplantation since it happened at night. But comparing previous and current photos shows where they moved from and to.

January 2025 photo. Trees circled in red moved.
Photo taken today. That same area photographed from a different angle this afternoon shows trees are gone.
First tree transplanted in Northpark Drive Expansion Project
File photo from 2023 of equipment used to transplant first trees in Northpark program.
Contractors moved trees to the south entry pond. The most beautiful occupies a place of prominence in center of this trio. Contractors transplanted the other two trees earlier.
They scattered other transplanted trees around what will become the south entry pond.

Most people will notice the trees missing from in front of the dry cleaners. But they won’t realize where they went to.

Keep Finished Design in Mind

Construction never feels pretty.

However, rest assured that the directors of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 heard residents and are acting to save the trees. It’s just hard to see with all the visual noise of construction.

When complete, the entry ponds at Northpark should look as good as those at Kingwood Drive. And that is another thing residents have requested for years.

North Park entry landscaping design
Entry plans as they stood in 2023.

For More Information

See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website or consult the related posts below.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/9/25

2749 Days since Hurricane Harvey

UPRR Almost Finished, Northpark to Reopen This Afternoon

3/7/25 Updated at 2:30 PM– The UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has almost finished with Northpark work that caused a three day closure of one of two major traffic arteries out of Kingwood. UPRR hopes to reopen Northpark this afternoon. They say it should be open for evening rush hour.

Reasons for Closure

UPRR installed a single 55,000 pound, 200-foot-long, welded section of track across the area where ten lanes of traffic will soon go. The single section was necessary to stabilize the track against traffic that will drive over it and utilities that will bore under it.

The bridge that will carry six lanes of traffic over the tracks and Loop 494 eliminating backups in the case of evacuation. But the bridge also will create a conflict for utilities that run wires overhead in that area.

The pictures below tell the story of what happened since my last update yesterday at noon.

By 4 PM Thursday

By 4 PM Thursday, Day 2 of the 3-day closure, UPRR crews were preparing the areas next to the tracks where asphalt will go.

Prepping areas for asphalt that will feather roadway into rail crossing.
UPRR has begun demobilizing much of its heavy equipment.
They also cleared and graded the staging area where they constructed the 200-foot section of track.

That means Loop 494 expansion through that area can now re-commence.

At 10 AM Friday

This morning, Friday 3/7/25, the Northpark railroad crossing was a beehive of activity. Crews poured asphalt over the gravel next to the track so that traffic could move smoothly over them.

Looking South at Loop 494/Railroad and Northpark Intersection on 3/7/25 at 10 AM.
UPRR Crews were prepositioning the concrete inserts that will allow traffic in the surface lanes next to the bridge to move smoothly over the tracks.
Looking N as operator preps track.

While I was there, they did not actually place any of the concrete panels. However, asphalt kept arriving.

Another load of asphalt arrived as crews spread and compacted the material to create a smooth transition with the existing concrete roadway.
Adding another layer.

Reports of Train Moving Through Intersection Yesterday

Numerous people reported a train moving through the Northpark intersection yesterday. Those reports were true. But according to the railroad, the train was moving “really, really slow.”

UPRR has not yet fully stabilized the new section of track per their standards, but they are working on that now.

Reopening and Next Steps

UPRR will reopen the roadway late this afternoon, probably about 5 PM.  Variables affecting that goal include the asphalt transition between the newly installed concrete panels and the adjacent roadway. 

That asphalt arrived late this morning. And once placed, it must cool. But the roadway should open by rush hour this afternoon, according to UPRR.

The concrete panels needed for the future feeder road crossings and the two 10’ multi-use pathways still need to be installed. UPRR is still working on that. 

At 2 PM, the UPRR crew was placing concrete panels between the tracks where turn lanes and sidewalks will cross them.
Also as of 2 PM, most of the equipment including the asphalt operation had been removed from the crossing. Note the panel placement operation continuing in lower right.

UPRR also intends to place concrete panels between the tracks north (left) of the intersection above. Note the panels stacked by the white pickup in the lower left of the photo above. It is unclear whether they intend to try to do that before the re-opening.

No new signal work will be done at this time.  The existing gate arms and signals will continue to operate when the roadway opens later today. 

Other Northpark Work

Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority used the opportunity created by the railroad work to run drainage underneath Northpark in two areas. The Harper Brothers crews are also nearly finished with those, too. So that work should not impede the re-opening of Northpark.

Drainage work under Northpark is virtually complete.
The last loads of asphalt were being placed as I left.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25

2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Closed 3 Days as UPRR Replaces Tracks, Signals

3/5/25 – This morning, the UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) closed Northpark Drive to replace a 200 foot section of track and install new signals. The replacement is necessary because the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 is expanding Northpark Drive to handle increased traffic and to create the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood.

The expansion project will feature a six lane bridge over the tracks as well as four lanes of feeder roads at grade level, two lanes on each side of Northpark. A single, welded 200-foot section of track will replace the existing track in order to increase stability of the rail lines under all that traffic and to accommodate new drainage under the tracks.

Traffic Impact

Kingwood residents have known about the closure for months. But now it’s here. And it became clear that many people had not gotten the message. At 10 AM, outbound Northpark traffic had backed up as far as the eye could see. Police were turning it around at a temporary U-turn just before the tracks.

Looking east on Northpark at drivers who didn’t get the message about the road closure.
One car at a time squeezed through the tight turnaround, backing traffic up.

First Stage of Track Replacement

Below are pictures taken this morning of activity around the tracks at Northpark and Loop 494.

Looking SE across Loop 494 in foreground toward Northpark at top of frame. Heavy equipment lined up to move the new track into place.
Closer shot shows area where UPRR will maneuver new section of track into position.

But first, crews had to remove the old track. They started this morning with the concrete panels between tracks over Northpark Drive.

This piece of equipment has a giant “tooth” that loosens gravel around the concrete panels that traffic drives over.
Then the another tooth formed a “jaw” that lifted the panels and placed them on a forklift.
Step and repeat. That procedure continued down the tracks.
After several panels were placed on the forklift, another forklift would take its place.
Ready for pickup on lane 6.

Next steps:

  • Pull up track and ties
  • Maneuver new track into place
  • Insert concrete panels
  • Wire signals
  • Bore under tracks for utilities

Stay tuned for more pics. And stay off Northpark until Saturday. The closure lasts March 5-7.

For More Information

See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project web pages. For a history of the project, see these select posts on ReduceFlooding.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/5/25

2745 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark, Loop 494 Lane Switches Happen Tonight

12/19/24 – Northpark and Loop 494 lane switches happen tonight to accommodate new construction. Two large lane switches will begin at 9PM.

One will be on the eastbound lanes between Kings Mill and the eastern end of the project at the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. The second will be on Loop 494 about a block north and south of the Northpark intersection.

In both areas, Harper Brothers Construction will switch traffic to new or temporary lanes to accommodate demolition of the old lanes, installation of drainage, and reconstruction of new lanes.

The project has two overall goals: accommodate increased traffic and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents when floods cut off other exits.

Eastbound NorthPark Drive Traffic Switch

Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority’s (LHRA’s) contractor, Harper Brothers Construction will shift east bound NorthPark Drive traffic from the existing eastbound lanes to the newly constructed center lanes.  The shift of eastbound traffic to the center lanes will occur between Kings Mill Park Drive and the Kingwood diversion ditch, approximately 0.3 miles east of Russell Palmer Road. 

No new changes to the westbound traffic will occur during this phase. The contractor will be installing new storm sewer pipes and inlets along the south side of NorthPark Drive along with new concrete roadway. 

This shift is planned to last approximately 6 months.

For a printable map of the lane changes, see this PDF.

The pictures below may help you visualize the changes coming tonight.

Looking east from near Kings Mill Entrance. Lanes on right will be closed off and traffic diverted to center. Italianos is just out of frame on right.
Eastbound traffic will continue in the center lanes past Russell Palmer Road.
Eastbound traffic will merge back onto the existing lanes between the large dirt pile on left and Jiffy Lube, lower right. Kingwood Diversion Ditch parallels tree line at top of frame.

Loop 494 Traffic Switch:

Harper Brothers will also shift traffic from the east side of Loop 494 to the newly constructed concrete pavement on the west side.  This shift of traffic to the newly constructed concrete lanes will occur between Northpines Drive and the east entrance to Kroger, approximately 0.2 Miles north of Northpark Drive.

This shift will last approximately four months while the contractor installs new storm sewer pipes and inlets along the east side of Loop 494, and new concrete roadway. 

Here’s a second high-resolution, printable map of the lane changes on 494. See this PDF.

This photo may help you visualize the changes.

Looking S along Loop 494 across Northpark. Traffic on the gray, older roadbed on left will shift to the new concrete on right from the foreground, all the way to the top of the frame where road narrows.

One thing to note re: Loop 494. Southbound traffic turning west onto Northpark will have a dedicated right-hand turn lane separate from the southbound lanes. That was not there before. 

Traffic will shift left/west to new lanes along the red line while existing lanes are reconstructed.

I would definitely avoid these areas tonight as contractors erect new traffic barriers. And use extra caution in coming days as drivers get used to the changes.

For More Information

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority offers a 3-week look-ahead schedule here.

For a history of the project, see these select ReduceFlooding posts.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/19/24 at 2PM

2669 Days since Hurricane Harvey