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Showing posts with label Baker Road Extension. Show all posts

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Blue Heron Parkway Revisited

I wish to officially retract my many derisive statements about the Baker Road Extension. I didn’t vote for it and I sure as heck fire didn’t see where anyone would profit from it except the land owners. On top of that, I didn’t see the intensity of exponential growth this little tri-city oil town was going to suddenly experience.

The Blue Heron Parkway/Baker Road Extension

Well, to be honest, I suspected we were going to see major growth. Anyone traveling the Fred Hartman bridge from the Baytown/La Porte Tunnel days knows the amount of vehicles going over the bridge has went from, “Boy, this sure is a lot of bridge for this few cars,” to “Mine Gott! Where is the cow-catcher I ordered for the front of my pick-em-up truck?”

Living directly behind the expansion, I’ve taken a very personal interest in what is now named, the Blue Heron Parkway - a cool sounding water-loving bird name and very fitting for our multiple bay town. My interest has been serious enough to get the skinny from the workers, engineers, city officials, and our mayor as I ride my bicycle up and down it.

Nick Woolery, Asst to the City Manager, has been a plethora of information. Many believe the project is stalled and hearing the machinery every day, I know it’s not. “The project is on track and

we are anticipating the project to be completed by the beginning of March. The reason you haven’t seen much activity on the project near North Main is because of work being done near the pipeline that runs just east of North Main. Once this work is complete and traffic signal improvements at North Main and Blue Heron Parkway (BHP) are done, you will start seeing more progress from N. Main.”

There are three detention ponds being built. Pond A is north of the extension and behind a N. Main storage facility. It will be visible from the extension. Pond C is on the curve on Hartman Drive and these two are to handle the current drainage needs. “Once the project is completed, these ponds will be conveyed to the Harris County Flood Control District and they will be responsible for maintenance. “

Behind my house is a giant retention/detention pond. “The larger detention pond on the east side of the project (Pond B) is to handle drainage needs from future development along BHP. You are correct that it will drain into Cary Bayou.”

Detention/Retention Pond B

“North of Detention Pond B is additional detention area that will be used for recreational purposes. As of now, it’s planned for future recreational purposes like softball and baseball practice fields and a

small parking area, but this is not currently funded. We will construct these amenities at a later date. We have received donations to plant new trees in this area, however. Once the construction is complete, we will proceed with planting new trees in this detention area.”

“Along BHP will be 5-foot sidewalks on the north side of the road

and 10-foot sidewalks on the south side of the road. The larger sidewalk is suitable for walking and biking. As you mentioned, there is also an 8-foot sidewalk that will run from the intersection of Blue Heron Parkway and Barkuloo road, down to the pipeline easement and over to Detention Pond B, passing through Barkuloo Park on the way.”

When I asked about a walking trail around the pond, he told me: “There are plans to extend the trail around the new Detention Pond B in the future, but it’s not part of this project. As funds become available, we’ll construct a trail around the detention area and build the recreational amenities. The same goes for extending the sidewalk across Sjolander Road and the railroad tracks to Jenkins Park. We certainly have future plans to make this happen, but it’s not a part of this road construction project.”

Crockett Elementary Expansion

In response to the Crockett Elementary roadwork, he replied: “…this is a separate project, but it’s being done in connection with the opening of BHP. The school is re-configuring their driveway to accommodate more vehicles and help keep the vehicles that are waiting off the public streets.” They will also put up a heavy-duty fence along the parkway to protect the children.

“As for the medians in the project. Our Parks and Recreation staff designed the medians for Blue Heron Parkway. They used similar design standards as you see throughout Baytown (see Baker Road, N. Alexander, etc.). The project you see on North Main, north of I-10, is a county project.”

Giant mound of dirt belongs to Angel Brothers

The giant mound of dirt at the end of the airport runway has caused much speculation. “The dirt from the project will belong to the contractor, Angel Brothers. I don’t know what their plans are for the dirt, but that’s not something the City is involved with.”

“You asked about annexation in the area. There are no immediate plans to annex the general area into the City. As is the usual practice, annexation will happen as development occurs and is generally limited to the area developed. Sometimes it is necessary to annex across undeveloped property to reach a new development. As is the case with all annexations, when they are proposed there will be plenty of notice and opportunity given to residents to provide comment throughout the process.”

Finally, I addressed the rumor that once the BH Pkwy is finished, the airport runway will be lengthened: “In regards to East Cedar Bayou Lynchburg being closed to lengthen the airport runway, this is not true. East Cedar Bayou Lynchburg is a County road and is under the jurisdiction of Harris County. However, there are no plans to close this road, even after Blue Heron Parkway opens and the City would be opposed to any such closure.”
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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Baker Road Extension - Now Blue Heron Parkway!

I rode my bicycle down the new road today from Barkuloo Park to Sjolander Road and then back to North Main. It appears they are going to route Crockett Elementary traffic east on the new road and make them enter in the back forty of the school property, but this is unconfirmed. Crockett Park big-wig David Lee is petitioning the city to make this happen.

"Mr. Leiper, I am wanting to start a conversation with the City of Baytown and Harris County about improvements to Barkuloo Road. There are three major subdivisions that are in the proximity of Crockett Elementary School. They are Crockett Park, Bay Brook Place, and Chaparral Village. With all of the recent growth in this area, Barkuloo Road has become more and more congested and is in need of improvement.

The road itself is in need of repair due to the increase in traffic. The need for sidewalks on both sides of the street are also necessary to facilitate the amount of foot and bicycle traffic as well. The extension off of Baker Road to Sjolander Road (the Blue Heron Parkway) is also going to increase traffic in this area.

Crockett Elementary School traffic already causes a substantial back-up on Barkuloo Road both morning and evening during the week. With the addition of the Blue Heron Parkway, this is only going to get worse. We are asking the city and the county to assist us in getting this area of concern studied and a plan put into place for improvements to said area. Thank you for your time in this matter. Sincerely, David C Lee Crockett Park HOA President"

Pouring cement on the north side

Looking west, toward Barkuloo Road.

Another empty cement truck. One of many.

Angel Brothers foreman oversees the road construction.

The turn-off behind Crockett Elementary

The area behind Crockett Elementary being cleared.


The beginning of the Blue Heron Parkway at North Main in Baytown.


Sculpted pond behind Chaparral Village 9-24-13	.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Baker Road Extension update

Facing east behind Chaparral Village

Facing south behind Chaparral Village

Facing west behind Chaparral Village

Facing west behind Chaparral Village toward Barkuloo


Facing west behind Chaparral Village toward Barkuloo Rumor is the pond may become part of the dog park which will have a dry side and a wet side for water dog. The area is also rumored to become a spotlight area of Baytown's parks. There may also be a practice ball field of some sort. The city has promised to plant many trees here and maybe we will get bald cypress and native varieties only. .