Tag Archive for: UPRR

Northpark Rail Crossing, 494 Intersection Under Manual Control Tuesday

3/9/2026 – On Tuesday 3/10/26, the UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) will install new controllers for the Northpark Drive crossing gates. That means the rail crossing AND the Loop 494 intersection with Northpark will be under manual control for most of the day beginning at approximately 8 AM.

TXDoT, UPRR, the City of Houston, and TIRZ-10/LHRA representatives will be onsite to supervise the operation.

Watch for Flagmen and Police

In place of the railroad crossing gates, two flagmen, two motorcycle police officers, and four other police officers will shuttle traffic through the intersection and across the tracks.

Exercise extreme caution and be prepared for sudden stops. Especially if you haven’t had your morning coffee yet.

Ralph De Leon, project manager for the Northpark Expansion project, expected the operation could go 6 to 8 hours.

The “cabinet” that will house the controller has already been installed and energized. See red circle on the right below. UPRR needs to move the electronics from the old cabinet on the left to the new one on the right.

Old cabinet (l) is blocking new surface lanes which run across concrete inserts in tracks.

Next, Harper Brothers Construction will finish the new surface lanes across the tracks (see below).

The new surface lanes will connect across those concrete inserts in the tracks. The bridge will cover the center over the tracks and Loop 494.

Additionally, work on temporary signals for the two new feeder roads will begin on March 16th.

Other Northpark News

Excavation of Entry Ponds Restarting

The dirt crew will continue the excavation and grading of the north detention pond for the next two weeks with cement stabilization occurring once final grade is achieved. Then they will install the pond liner and move to the south pond.

Looking E from over US59. More excavation will start on north entry pond (L) first. South pond (R) will go next.
Bridge Construction

Excavation of the retaining wall footings will continue next week east of the railroad tracks. Embankment operations for the bridge header will begin after the retaining wall footings have been poured, and the retaining wall panels have begun being set.

Looking E from over UPRR Tracks. 6-lane bridge will go in center. Two surface lanes for turning traffic will go on either side of bridge.
Excavation work has already started on footings for bridge retaining wall. See lower L to upper Center.

A structures crew will mobilize to the project beginning next week to pour the retaining wall footings, then set and build the retaining walls on the east side of the rail tracks.

Medians: Watch Your Tires

Crews are installing “curb pins” in the median of Northpark east side of the railroad tracks. The pins will hold the curbs that separate eastbound from westbound traffic. Do not try to cross between barrels or you could puncture your tires. Cross only at marked crossing locations.

Anderson Road

On March 9th, Anderson Road (the road next to the tracks that splits off south of Northpark) will return to its final configuration. The temporary asphalt placed previously will be removed and the final grading of the ditch will be completed.

Surface Lanes Near UPRR Tracks

The paving crew will continue to work on the paving in front of Extra Space Storage to finish the westbound paving up to the UPRR right of way and in the center of Northpark in front of Sun Auto. See below.

Sun Auto on left. Please patronize local businesses during construction.

Starting on March 23, the paving crew will mobilize to the UPRR ROW to focus on the 4 quadrants of paving up to the UPRR tracks until completed.

A small storm sewer crew will work on the final storm sewer items until the next phase when the UPRR crossings and signals are completed, and traffic is moved to the permanent railroad crossings.

Sidewalks

The sidewalk crew will pave from Russel Palmer to Northpark Christian Church on the outbound side. Then they will pave sidewalk from Marco’s Pizza up to King’s Mill.

Streetlights/Signals

The streetlight crew will continue working on drilling luminaire foundations and luminaire poles.

First of many new street lights started going up along Northpark last week.

The permanent signal work at Russel Palmer Road will begin the week of March 9.

Supports for Bridge

Also starting the week of March 9, the drilling subcontractor will begin drilling the 30″ shafts for the bridge retaining walls. They will also pour concrete for the drill shafts.

For More Information

For more information, see the project page on the LHRA website and the three-week lookahead schedule.

To ask questions in person, come to the TIRZ board meeting this Thursday March 12 at 8am at the Kingwood Community Center.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/9/2026

3114 Days since Harvey

Northpark Drive Expansion Project News: Stormwater Detention, UPRR Crossing and More

2/8/26 – The Northpark Drive Expansion Project has several new developments this month to report.

  • Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority will consider a motion this Thursday to begin engineering work on a linear stormwater detention basin.
  • Contractors will soon begin to clear out the ditch behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark.
  • Paving near the intersection of Northpark and US59 has been completed. Traffic should have returned to normal by Monday February 9, 2026, morning rush hour.
  • All parties met with UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) to work out details of a plan to create surface roads across their tracks in preparation for bridge construction.
  • Drainage connections across Northpark are also being scheduled in preparation for bridge construction.

For more details on each, see below.

Stormwater Detention Basin

Last year, Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ10 announced plans to build additional detention basin capability along the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. It would relieve some of the pressure on both the Kingwood Diversion Ditch itself as well as Bens Branch.

The Diversion Ditch splits off Bens Branch just south of the new St. Martha Catholic Church on Woodridge Parkway. The portion of the Northpark Drive Project east of the Diversion Ditch (not yet started) will require the extra stormwater detention capacity. But accelerating the project will provide additional flood protection for Kingwood residents now.

This map from the 2/12/26 Board Packet shows where the project will go.

Area of investigation for detention along Diversion Ditch

It appears that engineers will explore linear detention down to the first bend in the Diversion Ditch. It also appears they will consider expanding the ditch to the east.

The big wooded area marked “Detention Basin” north of Northpark will not be clearcut, according to TIRZ Project Manager Ralph De Leon. He says much of the area is already below the level of the Diversion Ditch. Engineers are looking at the concept of vertical detention. He said the giant trees can suck water up into their trunks and release it gradually. Plus, the friction they provide against stormwater will slow it down. It’s a green solution.

Looking south at Diversion Ditch and area for planned detention. St. Martha behind camera position. Northpark crosses l to r through middle of frame.

To learn more about the proposal, see these pages extracted from the board packet. The meeting will take place at 8AM on Thursday morning at the Kingwood Community Center for those who have public comments.

Ditch-One Clean Out

De Leon also says that contractors will soon begin clearing out the first 900 feet of Ditch One. That’s the ditch that runs behind Public Storage and Dunkin’ Donuts. Ditch One supplements the drainage capacity running down the middle of Northpark from the entry ponds at 59.

Northpark Drive drainage improvements
Route of Ditch One from Entry Ponds to Diversion Ditch (center) and Bens Branch (r).
Initial area of focus.
ditch one
Looking W toward Public Storage. Ditch severely needs cleaning out to restore capacity.

“The ditch cross section will be regraded. And hydro mulching will be put down as needed to prevent erosion,” De Leon says. “When complete, this will look like a typical grass-lined ditch.”

Intersection of Northpark and US59

Freezing weather caused the delay of new concrete for small area at Northpark and US59. However, contractors completed it last weekend. Traffic was reportedly restored by Sunday night at 10PM. The new paving will let two lanes of traffic turn right simultaneously from northbound 59. That should eliminate some long delays for inbound commuters.

Looking W at Northpark from over 59. Photo taken before new paving. Repaving the area in the right foreground will let two lanes of traffic turn right from northbound 59 (bottom right).

UPRR Meeting on Signals, Feeder-Road Crossings

The UnionPacific signal crews finally met with De Leon, contractors, the City, Montgomery County, TXDoT, project engineers and consultants last week on Tuesday.

“The goal was to introduce the separate crews to each other so we can better coordinate our collective efforts.” 

Ralph De Leon, Project Manager

Contractors should start dirt work on all four quadrants of both feeder roads – east and west of the rail tracks – this week. For safety reasons, multiple crews will have to be sequenced instead of having them all work simultaneously in the small area.

The UPRR Signal Crew will reach Northpark this week. They will first relocate the existing power supply and traffic control signal box. 

Harper Brothers Construction will then build both feeder roads “over the tracks” with the exception of 4 feet next to the tracks.

Then a separate UPRR crew will use that space to make final connections to the rails.

Altogether, it should take UPRR about 2 weeks to remove existing signals, then install temporary and permanent signals. 

Once all that is done, Third Coast, a TIRZ contractor, will install temporary traffic signals at 494. That should take about two weeks. 

“To do all this safely takes time,” says De Leon.  He expects traffic to move permanently to the new feeder roads by late May or early June 2026.

At that point, they can begin building the bridge in earnest

Cross-Northpark Drainage Connections

De Leon also says work will begin soon on two cross-Northpark drainage connections near Loop 494. One will connect the area by the dry cleaner on the SW corner with the Shell station on the NW corner. Another connection will be on the east side of 494 in the general area of the planned bridge.

Rather than close Northpark traffic again, a decision was made to defer the installation until the center/existing roadway crossing at the rail tracks was permanently abandoned, i.e., until after the new surface roads are built.

For More Information

For more specifics, consult this three-week look-ahead schedule posted on 2/5/26 or visit the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website.

When complete, Kingwood will have it’s first all-weather evacuation route.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/8/2026

3085 Days since Hurricane Harvey

East-West Northpark Drainage Under 494, UPRR Now Connected

1/17/2026 – Northpark Expansion Project contractors have now officially completed connecting drainage on both sides of Loop 494 and the UnionPacific Railroad.

Contractors begin backfilling hole after last section of 5’x8′ culvert was connected to junction box west of railroad. Photo 1/16/26.

By today, the work area had been completely filled in and leveled. See below.

Highlighted area shows where final drainage connection above was made yesterday. Photo 1/17/26.

Now stormwater west of Loop 494 has a path to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and the San Jacinto West Fork.

Path from ponds to Diversion Ditch via Ditch One behind the businesses on the north side of North Park.

Project Manager Ralph De Leon emailed the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority Board yesterday to inform them. He wrote, “Just wanted to share that we’ve reached a milestone. The contractor poured the collar on the west side of the rail tracks yesterday, functionally connecting the 8’ x 5′ boxes coming from the junction box at the Shell Station and going underneath Loop 494 to the junction box west of the rail tracks.”

The bore under the tracks finished several weeks ago. The culvert shown above plugged the last gap.

De Leon did not indicate whether contractors sealed the last junction box with a Golden Spike.

Meaning of Milestone

With the east/west subsurface work completed, contractors can now begin building the bridge over the railroad tracks and Loop 494. De Leon concluded his email to the board with “We are officially there now.”

When complete Northpark Expansion will represent the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood for 78,000 people.

However, while reaching the milestone is a huge accomplishment, it will also mean some inconvenience next week.

Westbound Lane Closure Weekend of 1/23/26

On Friday, January 23, the eastbound entrance to Northpark from the northbound I-69 feeder road will be reduced to one lane eastbound. The constriction will start at 8 p.m. and remain until 5 a.m., Monday, January 26th. 

During that time, the contractor will demolish and replace the remaining section of old roadway and install the last storm sewers at that location. 

Looking E over entry from US59. The red crosshatched area will be demolished and repaved next weekend.

On Friday starting at 8PM, contractors will close one lane per the diagram above and begin demolition of the old concrete and an old 24″ storm sewer lateral pipe in the red L-shaped box.

On Saturday, they will replace the pipe, then begin grading and preparing for “Fast-Track” paving. Fast Track uses special techniques and materials that minimize traffic disruption. Contractors hope to begin pouring the concrete by 7-8PM.

On Sunday, they will stripe the newly constructed concrete and reopen lanes in their original configuration before the weekend.

The new lanes should reopen by 5AM Monday at the latest.

For more information on other facets of the project, see the latest 3-week look ahead schedule.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/17/26

3063 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Contractors Pouring Concrete Again

1/14/2026 – After the holidays, Northpark contractors placed rebar in many gaps along Northpark where concrete had not yet been poured. And today the concrete trucks were out in force, filling those gaps.

Contractors were also hard at work on drainage connections under Loop 494. Once those connections are completed, the last remaining segments of concrete can be poured and 494 will be complete.

That will leave the bridge over 494 and the Union Pacific railroad tracks to build. But before that can happen, UPRR needs to move the signals to the new crossings. See more below.

Concrete Pours

I took all pictures below on 1/14/26 at around 11 AM. Most of the new concrete being poured this morning was between Sherwin Williams and Dairy Queen.

Looking west toward Loop 494 at a parade of concrete trucks lined up. By 11AM, several hundred feet had already been poured and leveled.
Close up from previous shot. Workers tightly coordinate to get the concrete down, spread, leveled and smoothed before it starts to harden.
Farther east, Phase I is virtually complete with the exception of several driveways and sidewalks on the north side (Left).
Higher angle from closer to Russell-Palmer Road, still looking east toward east end of project.
Reverse angle looking west shows where sidewalks currently end on north side of street (right).

Drainage Connections at Loop 494

At Loop 494, contractors were working on both the northwest and southeast corners to complete drainage and sanitary connections.

Looking E at 494 intersection. Note excavation work on the opposite corners.

The current construction schedule posted on the TIRZ website, shows that contractors will demolish the existing east bound lanes (center-right above) on Friday and Saturday nights, 1/23 and 1/24.

The junction box connecting the bore under the tracks still needs to be connected to drainage under Loop 494 coming from the entry ponds at US59.

Re-Alignment of Railroad Crossing Signals

Before contractors build new surface lanes across the tracks and build the bridge, UPRR must move and rewire its traffic signals which currently close across the old lanes (right above).

The signals and crossing gates must be set to guard the new crossings (bottom and top right) rather than the old lanes in the middle.

Ralph DeLeon, TIRZ project manager says that he hopes UPRR will be able to get to the cross-signal issue in early February.

Until the TIRZ resolves that issue and pushes the new surface lanes across the track, it cannot build the bridge. There would be no way for traffic to get across the tracks.

Remaining Gaps

In the meantime, Northpark contractors will have to focus on filling in the remaining gaps.

Looking W from over 59. Note fresh concrete in sidewalk on right. It must still be connected to sidewalks farther east.

Once the drainage on both sides of Loop 494 is connected, contractors must clean out the ditch that runs from Public Storage behind the businesses north of Northpark down to Bens Branch. Then the drainage will be fully operational from east to west.

But contractors must also to finish excavating the lakes on either side of the entry above.

Father west, between Whataburger and Loop 494 at top of frame, contractors must sink piers for bridge in center.

Note at the bottom of the picture above, the full 12 lanes that Northpark will become in this area compared to the current four.

Loop 494 can finally be completed once drainage under it is connected.
Underlayment, rebar and concrete remain for the surface lanes on the north side of Northpark by Self U and Public Storage.
The entrance to Kings Mill is currently scheduled for completion before the end of January.

For More Information

When complete, this will be the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood for 78,000 people.

For additional forward-looking information, consult the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website, including their 3-week look-ahead schedule.

For a history of the project to date, search on “Northpark” in the upper right corner of ReduceFlooding.com. Since 2018, I have posted more than 200 stories about this project.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/14/2026

3060 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Update: Building Blocks Falling into Place

11/5/25 – From ground level, a driver may not see all the progress being made on the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood. But from the air, it’s unmistakable. One can clearly see the pieces of the final Northpark project coming together.

In the last week, contractors have:

  • Prepped and/or paved a mile of new inbound lanes on Northpark
  • Framed out most of the first junction box that will convey stormwater from one side of the UPRR tracks to another
  • Began prepping the second junction box.
  • Extended sidewalks on the south side of Northpark between Loop 494 and 59.

Below are pictures taken on Monday, 11/3/25 that show the state of the massive project.

Prep and Paving of Inbound Lanes

Looking east from the entry ponds at US59, note the sidewalks going in on the right. Contractors are bending the path to save a giant live oak tree by the Exxon station.

Looking east from the entry ponds at US59 on 11/3/25. Note sidewalk swerving to save tree. Closeup below.
Closer shot of men routing the sidewalk around the live oak in front of the Exxon Station.

Also note below that contractors have removed all the old concrete from the southernmost lanes (right of center) and have begun paving new lanes from Whataburger to US59.

Reverse angle. Looking SW at the same area.

On the other side of Loop 494, there’s even more progress. Note the new lanes stretching east from Loop 494 most of the way to Russell Palmer Road.

Looking east from over Loop 494. Note new paving (right) in front of a new subdivision which will be called the Northpark Enclave.

A little farther east, contractors have laid an asphalt base that stretches for several more blocks. Concrete will soon follow.

Note the base for new paving on the right.

Also note above the gentle outward curve of the road on both sides. This is where surface roads will split to make room for the bridge over the tracks and Loop 494.

Junction Boxes by Loop 494

Contractors are in the process of forming two cast-in-place junction boxes on either side of the UPRR tracks that parallel Loop 494.

They finished two bores under the tracks in October. Now, they are creating the junction boxes, one on either side of the tracks. Together, will help convey stormwater to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

All this work is taking place under ground and is invisible from the road.

Looking down at the rebar that will reinforce the walls of the western pit between Loop 494 and the tracks.
Work is just starting on the eastern junction box in front of Self-U-Storage.

Sidewalks between US59 and Loop 494

Looking west and people working on sidewalk near Exxon Station.
Wider shot shows the south sidewalk will soon stretch all the way to US59.

Next Steps

Ralph De Leon, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project manager for the Northpark expansion project, says the next steps will be:

  • Opening up all the westbound lanes between Loop 494 and US59
  • Opening up all the eastbound lanes on both sides of Loop 494
  • Finishing the driveways on the outbound side of Northpark east from the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

In the meantime, pack your patience. And focus on how nicely this will all work when complete.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/5/25

2090 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Major Northpark Milestone: Bore Under Tracks Completed

10/18/2025 – Yesterday, on 10/17/2025, the Northpark Expansion project reached a major milestone. Some might say the project cleared a major hurdle, except the hurdle is about 15 feet below the UnionPacific Railroad tracks.

Whatever you call it, the completion of the second bore under the railroad tracks caused jubilation among board members of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10. Utility conflicts and buried debris delayed completion of the bores and forced construction crews to tackle other parts of the project out of sequence.

A collective sigh of relief could be heard … even through emails.

The twin bores will convey stormwater under the railroad tracks from the west side of Loop 494 to the east side, and from there to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Path of drainage from entry ponds. Additional drainage from the businesses along Northpark will go through culverts under the street where the center ditch used to be.

The boring operation began in May 2025 after years of negotiation with the railroad. Crews had completed the first bore with little trouble, but then ran into a buried, out-of-place water line with the second bore that set them back months.

Next Major Steps

Crews must still place culverts under Northpark itself west of Loop 494 to get stormwater from the south side to the north side. Not necessarily in this order, they must also:

  • Complete new surface lanes on the south side of inbound Northpark
  • Finish driveways on the north side of outbound Northpark
  • Build junction boxes in the two bore pits
  • Work with UnionPacific as it rewires its signals for the new railroad crossing configuration
  • Clear “Ditch One” behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark
  • Pave the surface lanes that will go on either side of the bridge
  • Begin work on the foundation for the bridge and its abutments
  • Install permanent traffic lights at I-69
  • Finish paving Loop 494.

Photos Taken on 10/16-17/25

The photos below show progress made this week.

The yellow truck and crane in the center are demobilizing boring equipment.

This ten second video shows the augur breaking through into the receiving pit.

Video provided by Northpark project manager Ralph De Leon

Here’s how the two pits looked today.

(Looking E.) Crews have removed all equipment from the bore pit on the east side of the tracks.
In the receiving pit west of the tracks, you can now clearly see twin 5′ bores...all the way through.
When I visited the site, the bore contractors were already demobilizing their equipment.
After crews build junction boxes in the pits and connect the drainage under Loop 494, paving crews will be able to complete this last segment and eliminate backups like you see above (upper right).

Elsewhere along Northpark

Friday afternoon, crews were busy working from one end of the project to the other.

Looking W toward I-69 at top of frame. Inbound lanes on the left still need to be paved. The bridge will begin in the foreground where the outbound lanes bow to the right.
From opposite direction, looking E, outbound surface lanes will connect across the two bore pits to the lane already paved in front of the Shell Station (lower left).
That will straighten out a major kink in the traffic.
Closer to I-69, private contractors hired by the Exxon jobber, Honey Farms, are reworking the stations apron to make room for drainage, sidewalk, street and lighting improvements.

For More Information

Visit the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website to see a discussion of the next steps and a 3-week lookahead schedule.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/18/25

2972 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

How Wide Will Northpark Be When Done?

3/13/25 – Just how wide will Northpark be when construction is complete? After the UnionPacific Railroad finished installing concrete road crossing panels last week we now have a visual cue. It’s going to be WIDE! With a capital W! Approximately three times wider than it currently is. See the pictures below taken this morning.

Looking E. See concrete panels in railroad tracks.

Northpark will expand from its current four lanes to 10 with two 10-foot-wide sidewalks.

In addition to accommodating extra traffic, one of the main reasons for expanding Northpark is to create an all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood for 78,000 people.

Why So Many Lanes?

The 10 lanes will include:

  • Six lanes over a bridge that spans the tracks and Loop 494. It has yet to be built. The bridge will carry three lanes in each direction.
  • Two surface lanes on the north/outbound side of Northpark will let traffic turn left or right onto Loop 494.
  • Two surface lanes on the south/inbound side of Northpark will let Loop 494 traffic from the north and south turn onto Northpark.
  • Two sidewalks (one on each side of Northpark) will accommodate both pedestrians and bicyclists.
Northpark looking W toward 59. Again, concrete panels in UPRR tracks indicate eventual width of traffic corridor.

Loop 494 Width

Loop 494 will also expand to accommodate more traffic.

Looking North along Loop 494 at Northpark. The old road will expand to 5 lanes, two in each direction plus one dedicated turn lane from each direction.
Looking S at Loop 494 from opposite direction.

The schematic below shows how the intersection will eventually look.

From approved plans.

Elsewhere on Northpark

Between Russell Palmer Road and Loop 494, contractors are making good progress with the drainage that goes under the expanded roadway. On the North/Outbound side, the underground work is almost complete. And this morning, they were stabilizing the road bed.

Stabilizing road bed on outbound Northpark (north side).

At this morning’s Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Board Meeting, project manager Ralph De Leon stated that contractors would soon bore underneath the railroad tracks. Once they connect the drainage on the east and west sides, they can begin paving. So you should see the pace of progress accelerate soon.

Spreading more road base and compacting it.

On the inbound/south side of Northpark, contractors are also making excellent progress with the drainage after resolving more utility conflicts.

Looking W at inbound side (left). The old concrete has been removed and drainage work is in full swing.
Closer shot of new drainage on inbound Northpark.

Part of Phase II May Be Accelerated

Also at the board meeting this morning, De Leon introduced the idea of moving Phase II stormwater detention work forward. Phase II of Northpark expansion covers the area from Woodland Hills Drive to a block west of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Phase II calls for building a detention basin to compensate for extra runoff caused by the road expansion. Just as the entry ponds at US 59 compensate for much of the extra runoff in Phase I.

De Leon discussed a combination of two types of detention. Together, they could add as much as 100 acre-feet of stormwater detention capacity to the project. They include:

  • In-line detention within the Diversion Ditch itself, down to the first bend south of Northpark.
  • A large, regional detention basin near where the Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch come together.

He stated that, right now, much of the water coming down Bens Branch shoots past the Diversion Ditch. That’s because the Diversion Ditch splits off the main part of Bens Branch at almost 90 degrees.

Diversion Ditch = white. Bens Branch = red.

Partially as a consequence, during Harvey, 100% of the businesses along Bens Branch in Town Center, dozens of homes, and Kingwood High School flooded badly and still have elevated flood risk.

For instance, during Harvey, large parts of Town Center had 4- to 8-feet of water. Moreover, 12 people died at a retirement home in Town Center as a result of evacuation or immediately after it.

A detention basin at the junction of Bens Branch and the Diversion Ditch would slow incoming water down. That would give the stormwater a chance to drain into each channel the way it was originally designed to.

The volume of stormwater detention that De Leon discussed would provide enough to accommodate Phase II, insufficiently mitigated upstream development, future expansion, and part of HCFCD’s plans for the Diversion Ditch.

The community will need it eventually, especially when Northpark Drive bridges over the two channels are raised. The higher roadway will eliminate chokepoints that let more floodwater flow downstream. So, building more detention now could protect people along both channels – and sooner rather than later.

Engineering details are still being worked out. The board took no action on it this morning, nor were they asked to.

For More Information

See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project web pages. For more about topics raised in this post, see:

UPRR:
Evacuation Route:
Plan Details:
Phase II:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/13/24

2753 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Note: Corrected volume of stormwater detention on 3/15/25. 300 acre-feet changed to 100 per Ralph De Leon

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

UPRR Inserts New 200-Foot Section of Track Across Northpark

3/6/25 – UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has finished splicing a 55,000-pound, 200-foot-long, single section of track into their line across Northpark Drive in Kingwood. However, more work still needs to be done. UPRR must still:

  • Install concrete between and alongside the tracks, so traffic can move smoothly over them.
  • Get signals working again.
  • Clear the intersection of Loop 494 and Northpark.
  • Clean up the TXDoT right of way on Loop 494 that they used as a staging area.

Heavy Lifting Completed

The hardest part of the job is now complete, though.

The single-section splice will stabilize the track through an area where ten lanes of traffic will go under and over it. Several utilities must also bore under it.

On the morning of 3/5, UPRR started removing the old track and moving the new track closer to the Northpark/494 intersection.

Northpark closed
Looking S along Loop 494. Old track on left. New on right. Shot taken 3/5/25 at 8 AM.

By 2 PM yesterday, they had repositioned the new section next to the old track.

Note how much closer the new track is to the old. Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.

They also had a mountain of gravel ready to provide a fresh base for the new track.

Gravel stockpiled for new base. Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.

Because of traffic snarls throughout Kingwood, I missed the actual installation of the new track.

Sometime between 2 PM yesterday and 8 AM today, UPRR actually, removed the old track and moved the new 55,000-pound section into place. The railroad also freshened the track base with new gravel. The shots below show how it looks as of 8 AM on 3/6/25.

Looking SE at the area just north of Northpark. Note old sections of track awaiting removal. Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.
Wider, lower shot shows Northpark in upper right. Still looking SE. Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.
Looking south across Northpark/Loop 494 intersection. Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.
Reverse angle. Looking North across Northpark. Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.

Elsewhere on Northpark

Meanwhile, Harper Brothers, the general contractor for the Northpark expansion project, used the UPRR closure as an opportunity to trench across Northpark in two places to install new drainage. The trenching took place between the U-turn and the railroad tracks.

Looking E at installation of new drainage by Harper Brothers. Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.

Traffic Snarls Throughout Kingwood

As Kingwood residents detoured around the Northpark closure, traffic snarled everywhere…despite the best efforts of UPRR and HPD to help direct traffic. It was like an avalanche trying to squeeze through a pinhole.

Getting to the location above would normally take ten minutes from my house. Today, it took more than a half hour.

The Northpark closure should last through Friday. Use this time to visit merchants in Kingwood. Work from home. Or simply read a good book. This too shall pass.

It dramatizes the need for more traffic capacity and an all-weather evacuation route out of Kingwood.

During mega-storms, such as Hurricane Harvey, when Kingwood Drive is cut off, we have insane traffic congestion on Northpark.

This project will improve that situation. It will make it easier to get to US59 across the railroad tracks and Loop 494. So, allow extra time if you must travel and pack your patience.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/6/25

2746 Days since Hurricane Harvey