West University Place officials said the $4.5 million dollar property purchase will support future storm drainage improvements. The city completed its East Side Paving and Drainage Improvement Project, shown here, in May. (Melissa Enaje/Community Impact)
Officials with West University Place announced in late August the purchase of $4.5 million in property to support the city's future storm drainage improvements.
What they're saying
The property runs through West U from Bissonnet Street to Bellaire Boulevard and south to Brays Bayou, according to a news release. Construction on the west side of the city will allow for a new stormwater trunk line, named the ELPH Pipeline, that will move water directly from the city to Brays Bayou.
A map showcasing West U's infrastructure projects, including work on the city's west side. (Community Impact rendering)
Mayor Susan Sample said the purchase will strategically bring drainage relief to residents.
"There is still a lot of work to be done, but this is a good first step," Sample said. "I am excited to be part of a council whose focus and actions are about investment in infrastructure to ensure West U remains one of the best places to live in the United States."
The cost
Funding for the property was approved at a Jan. 8 City Council meeting, where a budget amendment was authorized. Funds will come from West U's Capital Reserve Fund, according to the announcement.
Zooming in
Phase one of the West Side Drainage Project went into the design phase in the spring, with construction anticipated for 2025, and to last for six-plus years, according to officials. The multiyear, multiphase project will install a new storm sewer trunkline along the west side of the city that would help more efficiently carry water from existing storm sewers to Brays Bayou.
