Council members unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday requiring the city to provide monthly information about major infrastructure projects, including significant changes or delays that could affect Houstonians.
The monthly report will include the project’s location and council district, estimated cost, a description of the work and, when applicable, the reason for any delay, cancellation, redesign or change in scope. Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi has a plan to share the required data through a public dashboard, according to Leah Wolfthal, chief of staff to At-Large 1 Council Member Julian Ramirez.
“The goal is to give Houstonians more up-to-date information about infrastructure projects happening in our neighborhoods, to let Houstonians know when there are changes or delays to big projects,” Wolfthal told Chron.
The administration must also notify affected council members each month about delays, cancellations, redesigns or changes in scope. Council members would also receive notice before an infrastructure project begins, including the project’s scope of work.
Council Member Ramirez said the new reporting requirement is intended to help council members answer residents’ questions about projects in their neighborhoods.
“This ordinance can provide information to constituents asking about a project that has not moved forward in their community,” he said.
The team spent months seeking feedback from people who initially disagreed with the proposal, including safe-streets advocates, engineering and construction professionals and current and former Houston Public Works staff. The proposal was also discussed twice in council committees.
“This proposal actually got better, and more implementable, because Councilmember Ramirez and I sought out feedback and perspectives from people who didn’t initially agree with us, or agree 100 percent with each other,” Wolfthal said.
The new system will also give residents a chance to judge for themselves whether the information is actually useful.
“I’m hoping Houstonians will embrace this new access to information, and will let us know how their experience is,” Wolfthal said. “Whether it’s fantastic and useful, and whether there are hiccups we need to work to improve.”
For Ramirez’s office, the bigger issue is making infrastructure easier for residents to follow as Houston prepares for more major projects and other infrastructure needs.
“Infrastructure projects don’t always get the limelight, because roads and sewage and sidewalks don’t make politicians famous,” Wolfthal concluded. “But they are so critical to Houstonian’s everyday lives.”
“If City Council is to effectively represent its constituents and carry out its legislative function, it needs information,” Ramirez added.