Tag Archive for: UPRR

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 Will Close at UPRR Tracks One Week from Today for Three Days

2/26/25 – One week from today, Northpark Drive will close for three days – from March 5-7. UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) will maneuver a two-hundred-foot section of track and ties – welded and bolted into a single, massive unit – into place across what will become ten lanes of traffic and two sidewalks.

Section Already Assembled, Ready, Waiting

UPRR has already assembled the massive section in the TxDOT right of way along Loop 494 that parallels the tracks. According to a UPRR consultant…

The rails, ties and hardware should weigh approximately 55,000 pounds.

That’s the average weight of 22 small cars.

The photos below show the assembly and where it will move.

Assembly area is in old northbound Loop 494 lanes currently scraped to the dirt. Note new section of track near bottom of frame below existing track. Northpark is in upper right of frame.
Track assembly.
Steel plates that cradle rails and hold them in position.
Looking S along Loop 494 (right). Northpark at top of frame. New rail will be centered across Northpark where old rail now crosses it. See below.
Side shot shows placement of new section.

The plan for maneuvering the giant section of track into place has changed several times. The latest indication from UPRR is that they now plan to use four vehicles, one on each corner to lift and place the section. 

Benefits of Single Section

The single, long section of track will provide additional stability for the high traffic area, especially where the track crosses over storm sewers, water lines and other underground utilities.

Once placed, the section will span three vehicle crossovers and two sidewalks.

  • One to replace the existing roadway.
  • Two where new feeder roads will go
  • Two 10-foot-wide multi-use pathways outside of each of the two feeder roads. 

Next Steps

When the track crew finishes, a different crew will install temporary signals and gate arms. Once the feeder roads are constructed, they will return to install permanent signals and gate arms. 

And once the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority’s contractor, Harper Brothers, completes drainage and utility work, they will build two new feeder roads, each containing two lanes, that cross the tracks.

Then, they will abandon the current center lanes so bridge construction can start later this year. The feeder roads will carry all traffic for the duration of bridge construction. 

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 2/26/25

2638 Days since Hurricane Harvey

UPRR Getting Rails Ready for Northpark Closure

2/21/25 – The UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has started preparing rails that it will place in one 200-foot long section across 10 lanes of Northpark Drive traffic.

The closure of Northpark for the installation is still scheduled for March 5-7.

UPRR is prepping the rails in the old northbound lanes of Loop 494 immediately north of Northpark. I can’t wait to see how they maneuver a section this large into place. It will be like trying to lift something the length of 10 20-foot cargo containers placed end to end.

Work to Date on Rail Prep

So far, UPRR has fused individual sections of rail into two long sections and placed them side by side. They have also started to stack railroad ties next to the rails. Presumably, at some point, the rails will be positioned on the ties before they move together.

The 17-second video below dramatizes how long the sections of rail are. The drone is moving almost as fast as the white vehicle that enters the frame a few seconds in.

Video taken afternoon of 2/21/2025

Here’s an overhead perspective that lets you gauge length by the number of cars backed up at the red light.

Overhead shot shows length of rails between red brackets. Section equals the length of 11-12 vehicles waiting for red light. Workers had not yet completed laying all ties to the left end of the rails.

As I was leaving, another 18-wheeler showed up with more ties.

Shot from other end shows how flexible solid steel can be in long lengths. Note rail on left.

UPRR appears to have straightened the rail on the right so that workers can line up ties against it.

Welding the track in a single section improves strength and safety by reducing the risk of rails shifting. I will post more details about the track prep as the effort progresses.

The new track will stretch under and across ten full lanes of traffic. Those include:

  • Three lanes of westbound traffic over a bridge yet to be built
  • Three lanes of eastbound traffic over the same bridge
  • Two westbound surface lanes, one for turning north, the other for turning south
  • Two eastbound surface lanes, one for traffic entering from the north and the other for traffic entering from the south.

Northpark Closed March 5-7, But with U-Turn at Railroad

To put the track in place, UPRR needs to close down Northpark Drive in BOTH directions simultaneously to work with massive cranes.

Ralph De Leon, project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, stressed that the remainder of Northpark Drive will remain open so that people may access businesses.

Just plan on getting across the tracks some way other than Northpark. Contractors will construct a U-turn just before the track closure so that people can get to/from nearby businesses, such as Dunkin’ Donuts.

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 2/21/25

2733 Days since Hurricane Harvey

More of Old Northpark Drive Disappears

1/23/25 – In an effort to build the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood along Northpark Drive, contractors this week took a brief break – for the weather. But today, they were back at it. Here’s where things stand in the last full week of January.

Demolition, Drainage and Weather Delay

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 has resumed demolishing more of the old Northpark Drive pavement. Contractors already demolished and removed the old northbound lanes on Loop 494 south of Northpark. This afternoon, they were busy scraping away the old eastbound lanes on Northpark itself between the entrance to Kings Mill and Russell Palmer Road.

In other news:

  • Installation of culverts on the north side of Northpark has almost reached the UnionPacific Railroad tracks.
  • A concrete pour between Loop 494 and US59 was only partially completed before the big freeze. It was paused, but rebar is ready when the temperature becomes warm enough to pour concrete again. The ideal temperature for safely pouring concrete is typically between 50°F and 70°F.

Pictures Taken 1/23/25

Here are pictures of the progress taken this afternoon.

Looking east from in front of Northpark Christian Church. Old lanes have been demolished and removed all the way to Russell Palmer Road.
Reverse angle from same location. Demolition extends to Kings Mill entrance.
Drainage on outbound Northpark now extends almost to UPRR tracks visible at top of frame.
Looking South at Loop 494 northbound lanes, also demolished.

Only one of two westbound lanes were poured before cold weather set in.

But another is ready to go when temperatures improve.

Coming Soon

In the next couple weeks, the look-ahead schedule posted on the LHRA website shows that, weather permitting:

  • As soon as the main drainage reaches the UPRR, crews will drop back and begin working on laterals to businesses.
  • After the eastbound roadway is removed, a small storm sewer crew will begin the installation of laterals to the new inlets at the new curb line.
  • Paving crews will continue westbound work between 59 and Loop 494.
  • Crews will demolish the Northbound lanes on Loop 494 north of Northpark.

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 1/23/25

2704 Days since Hurricane Harvey

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