The Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 board unanimously approved a $3.05 million agreement with Caldwell Cos. at its July 27 meeting to move forward with an underpass at Greenhouse Road and Hwy. 290. The deal included the purchase of 2.5 acres for a new fire station for $450,000.

The cost

In addition to ESD 9 funding, the underpass project has received the following federal and local funding:

• $48.1 million in federal funds
• $5.9 million from Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 500 plus $10 million for project design and utility relocations
• $2.5 million from the Harris County Toll Road Authority for enhanced pedestrian lighting and trails in the area

The timeline

Peter Barnhart, president and chief development officer at Caldwell Cos., presented the following details during the project presentation:

• Mound Road and related utility construction is set to begin immediately.
• Overhead power to the site is expected to be completed in early 2024.

How we got here

Preliminary engineering began in 2019 on the project, which will connect Greenhouse and Skinner roads in Cypress with an underpass beneath Hwy. 290 and the Union Pacific Corp. railroad tracks, as previously reported by Community Impact.

The joint project is being carried out by MUD No. 500, the Texas Department of Transportation and Union Pacific.