El Dorado Boulevard widening start date pushed back

The start date to widen El Dorado Boulevard in Clear Lake from two lanes to four has been delayed.

According to a news release from the office of Houston City Council District E Member Dave Martin, road work will begin in the spring. Originally the work was set to start in February.

Over the summer, crews removed and relocated about 10% of the more than 1,000 trees along the stretch of the project, which runs from Clear Lake City Boulevard to Horsepen Bayou. This was done to allow CenterPoint Energy to relocate power lines from the median to the west edge of the public right of way, which is necessary to widen the road, according to the release.

"Unfortunately, CenterPoint determined the first round of tree removals in late summer 2019 was not adequate for their pole relocation," the release reads.

CenterPoint requires its poles to be at least 1 foot off the right of way line, which made it necessary for Harris County to begin removing a second round of trees nearby. This work should be done by Dec. 13, according to the release.

Harris County Precinct 2, the entity handling the project design and construction, will work with Martin's office to plant new trees to replace the ones being removed. The replanting plan will be published once it is finalized, the release reads.

Once the second round of trees is removed and the poles are relocated, the widening work should begin in the spring. Construction will take about 18 months to complete, making for a completion date of fall 2021.