Additional $337K storm water modeling approved for West U’s westside drainage project

West University Place City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s existing design agreement for the west side drainage project to allow for additional stormwater modeling aimed at expanding a regional benefit to the flood relief project. Council also identified more cost-saving options for the project’s completion.

What happened

Council members voted Jan. 12 for the project amendment, which costs an additional $337,563, according to agenda documents. The $3.6 million design contract was first awarded to HDR Engineering Inc. in 2024. It required a $5.12 million budget amendment from the east side drainage project, to keep the full cost of each project separate and identifiable, according to agenda documents.

The west side drainage project is a multiyear, multiphase project that will install a new storm sewer trunkline along the west side of the city to help more efficiently carry water from existing storm sewers to Brays Bayou. Completion of the additional design modeling is anticipated to take place in various stages over the next one to two years, engineering officials said.

What’s changing?

City staff identified key components of the additional modeling, including:

• Regionalizing the stormwater model and its benefits to include areas outside of West University Place, such as the city of Houston, Bellaire and Southside Place
• Identifying above-ground improvements to Kilmarnock Ditch
• Opening up funding opportunities with the state
• Reviewing alternative design considerations to reduce key cost drivers

The big picture

The West Side Paving & Drainage Improvement project dates back to a 2019-21 drainage study in which engineers conducted a high-level analysis of the city's existing drainage conditions. Improvements on the city's east and west sides were recommended, including utilizing Kilmarnock Ditch on the city's west side.