HOUSTON – With January’s freezing temperatures in the rearview mirror and hurricane season on the horizon, KPRC 2 spoke with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo about whether the region’s infrastructure is ready for the next major emergency.
Roads, bridges and flood-control systems draw little attention during normal conditions, but they become critical during extreme weather. In Harris County, those systems have been tested repeatedly during recent freezes, hurricanes and floods.
“Emergencies are not just about leadership, but also infrastructure,” Judge Hidalgo said.
Hidalgo also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve conditions. Those efforts include road repairs, sidewalk construction — particularly near schools — and other projects aimed at improving safety and resilience.
“There have been a lot of efforts to build more sidewalks, to schools, to have better quality roads,” Hidalgo said.
Flood mitigation remains one of the county’s most pressing challenges. Harris County’s flood-control system has been tested repeatedly and continues to undergo expansion and modernization. Hidalgo said progress is being made but acknowledged that more work is needed. She also said the infrastructure’s performance depends on investment and proper oversight.
“It will hold up better to the extent that we have more flood-control projects, and we’re going to have more flood control projects to the extent that we award contracts properly. Is that going to happen this year? It can. It can, it should,” Hidalgo said.
Hidalgo also emphasized the importance of protecting taxpayer funds as road and flood-prevention projects move forward. With her term set to end later this year, she said fiscal responsibility will remain a priority through the remainder of her time in office.
Hidalgo’s term ends in December of 2026.