Neighborhoods working with county on Grant Road improvement project

Several neighborhood organizations in Cypress are joining forces as Harris County Precinct 4 prepares to widen a portion of Grant Road from Spring Cypress to Old Kluge roads from two to four lanes.

Last September, Doug Allen, president of the Lakewood Glen Property Owners Association, initiated a neighborhood meeting with Precinct 4 officials to discuss enhancements that could be implemented along the roadway. By late last year, the neighborhoods of Lakewood Glen, Lakewood Oaks Estates, Longwood, Fairwood, Lakewood Glen Trails, Quail Forest and Quail Park came together as the Grant Road Improvement Team to discuss proposed improvements.

"We started out with three or four neighborhoods concerned with how the expansion to four lanes would impact our neighborhoods," resident Doreen Grieve said. "We wanted to make sure we had it beautified and attractive—not just a bare bones road—but something that enhances the neighborhood."

Precinct 4 officials provided a list of possible improvements the community could fund such as upgraded traffic signals, irrigation sleeve installation and sidewalks. Grieve said Precinct 4 typically does not provide any landscaping or other improvements to medians, so all improvements must be done by local communities in a contributing partnership with the precinct.

Cost for the irrigation sleeves—conduits under the roadway for future sprinkler lines—is $14,000. The cost for improved signal mast arms, one for Louetta and Grant roads and one for Rosewood Glen Drive and Grant Road, would be $53,000.

Allen said the expansion project will give the community an opportunity for input and options.

"Hopefully all adjacent neighborhood [homeowner associations] and [municipal utility districts] that border this project will participate to make this roadway something to be proud of instead of just another road," he said.

Members of the group also hope to build sidewalks from Louetta to Hamilton Elementary and Hamilton Middle School, but the $209,000 price tag is too much to take on alone, so state and local sponsorships will be sought, Grieve said.

"Children who live very close often run across or walk along Grant to get home, and this will be more dangerous once we have a four-lane road," Grieve said.

When the expansion project is complete, the neighborhood groups will participate in landscaping design and cost along the roadway.

Precinct 4 officials expect to begin the design phase of the project in August, and construction could begin several months later.