| District F,
The last few weeks have been incredibly heavy for our nation and our local community. Before I could wrap my mind around the tragedy in Buffalo, New York, we were stopped in our tracks during Tuesday’s public session when Mayor Turner announced the shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Thursday, May 26th, I was alerted to another shooting on the district’s west side, which cost a 15-year-old his life; he was two days shy of his 16th birthday. We are inundated with these occurrences on the national and local news, and I fear we are all becoming numb to our circumstances. Please contact your U.S. Senators and demand they pass H.R. 8, which provides a background check rule – something has to change. Please save the date for our 2nd Annual Public Safety Town Hall on June 22nd, Tracy Gee Community Center, 6 p.m.
Now I would like to pivot to issues related to our work together; there are several significant construction, infrastructure, and maintenance updates by neighborhood below:
For Alief:
The Synott Rd closure between Westheimer Rd and Richmond Ave is anticipated to be completed by September 12th, and the roads are expected to be fully reopened by September 21st.
The Hackberry and Boone Park flood detention projects ($8M) are currently in pre-design, and the presentation will be shared soon, and public comments will be received at that moment.
Many of you have asked about the status of the NEW Alief Community Center. Meaningful updates should be ready after we meet substantial completion in June. Stay tuned for a detailed announcement for all to share soon.
For Westchase, Westmont and Tanglewilde:
- Flood Project W147, aka “Baby Bayou,” was inspected on April 30th, and all drains were clear of debris and blockages in the Westmont neighborhood.
- The new street signals on Westpark, Richmond, Meadowglen, and Westheimer Rd are being turned on and should be complete by Friday, May 27th.
- The concrete replacement panel project on Richmond Ave/Kirkwood/Pallisides has reached substantial completion. The project started on May 17th and is complete.
For Carver Crest (Piney Point):
The sidewalk application is approved, and once the notice to proceed is ready, it will be shared and will include a start/stop date.
For Westmont:
Flood Project W147, aka “Baby Bayou,” was inspected on April 30th, and all drains were clear of debris and blockages in the Westmont neighborhood.
For Briarmeadow:
Per the May 3rd meeting, the Storm Water Action Team (SWAT) met with the contractor assigned to complete the drain upgrade project and established a timeline to repair damage from equipment. The expected deadline is June 13th (weather permitted). As shared in a follow-up email on May 17th and with your HOA, if there are additional issues, don’t hesitate to contact the project manager, Mr. [email protected] / 832-395-3077.
As we enter hurricane season, it is essential to remind you how your local drainage works. My office receives an incredible amount of photos, emails, and phone calls complaining about the amount of water on the street immediately after or during a rain event, such as a declared thunderstorm.
That is precisely how they are supposed to work.
The city streets serve as secondary detention for the drainage system – so the water does not flood your home. In addition to street flooding, it is customary to expect your drains and streets to recede between 6-12 hours unless we are expecting a declared hurricane or extended periods of rain. KPRC featured a story on Houston drains in 2019 with a recent update. The District F office created infographics in 2020 for resident education. (see below)
Suppose you see someone pouring cement into city drains. In that case, trash or landscape contractors leaving leaves and cuttings unbagged, please say something to minimize blockage and damage to our gutters, and remember always to call 311 and share the S.R. # with my office.
Hug your loved ones, enjoy graduation, and have a quiet weekend if you choose to. There is so much going on in the world, be kind to yourself, especially others.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend,
Councilmember Tiffany D. Thomas
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