West University Place City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city\u2019s 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\u2019s completion.<\/p>\n
What happened<\/p>\n
Council members voted Jan. 12<\/a> for the project amendment, which costs an additional $337,563, according to agenda documents<\/a>. 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<\/a>, to keep the full cost of each project separate and identifiable, according to agenda documents.<\/p>\n The west side drainage project<\/a> is a multiyear, multiphase project that will install a new storm sewer trunkline along the west side of the city<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n What\u2019s changing?<\/p>\n City staff identified key components of the additional modeling, including:<\/p>\n Regionalizing the stormwater model and its benefits to include areas outside of West University Place, such as the city of Houston, Bellaire and Southside PlaceIdentifying above-ground improvements to Kilmarnock DitchOpening up funding opportunities with the stateReviewing alternative design considerations to reduce key cost drivers<\/p>\n The big picture<\/p>\n