HOUSTON – Mayor Sylvester Turner, council member Abbie Kamin, and the Harris County Flood Control District had a news conference on Thursday to announce that a new $15.5 million flood mitigation project is coming to the Greater Heights neighborhood.
City leaders said the work is going to start on the project to ease flooding in the area of 20th and Beall Streets and ultimately, protect homes and businesses in the Shady Acres neighborhood. Officials said a study has been completed that shows that currently, in a heavy rain event, water has nowhere to go with this area being wedged in between three waterways: Turkey Gully, Little Thicket and White Oak Bayous.
The new project is expected to divert water to nearby Bevis Street by adding drainage capacity as well as improving the curb and gutter, which will allow water to move away from the gully.
The initiative is expected to remove 250 homes from the flood risk area, and this is a 50% reduction.
“People are moving into the areas. Businesses are coming into the area. But it is critically important if the city is going to allow this to occur that the infrastructure catches up with the development,” Turner said.
Officials said the project is expected to get started in 2024.
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