Construction contractor selected for bridges at Hillcroft, Buffalo Speedway, others

A contractor has been selected for bridge replacement and channel modification work at Hillcroft and Buffalo Speedway, along with six other project areas.

Harris County Commission Court authorized over $49 million on Tuesday on behalf of Harris County Flood Control District to James Construction Group for the scope of work along Brays Bayou, according to a flood control news release.

Construction is anticipated to start this spring for project sites at Lawndale, Telephone and Hillcroft, with the remaining bridges at Buffalo Speedway, Almeda, Calhoun, South 75th, and the Galveston Sub Union Pacific Railroad to be scheduled in a sequence to minimize traffic impacts, according to the release.

The flood control district will demolish six of the eight bridges — minus Calhoun and Galveston Sub — and replace them with higher, longer, and wider bridges to help improve stormwater flow along the bayou. Calhoun and Galveston Sub, meanwhile, will be replaced by Texas Department of Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad, respectively, after which the flood control district will complete channel improvements under the bridges.

The upcoming projects represent 8 of 13 bridge replacements or modifications that need to be completed as part of Project Brays, according to the release. The flood control district has also completed 21 miles of channel improvements, built four stormwater detention basins covering 900 acres, and replaced or modified 19 bridges.

The flood control district will host a public meeting 6-8 p.m. March 3 to discuss the Lawndale Street and Telephone Road projects, detour routes, and other information, at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston.