HOUSTON \u2013 When heavy rain moves through Houston, five roads are often among the first to close. <\/p>\n
The Houston Office of Emergency Management says those five roads are equipped with physical metal flood gates designed to shut off access completely when water begins to rise. Because each road has gates on both sides, there are multiple closure points across the city where commutes can be disrupted with little warning.<\/p>\n
Some locations are at: <\/p>\n
Travis St and Commerce St<\/p>\n
Louisiana St and Franklin St<\/p>\n
Harrisburg Blvd and Emancipation Ave<\/p>\n
Harrisburg Blvd and Delano St<\/p>\n
Franklin St and St. Emmanuel St<\/p>\n
Navigation Blvd and Bastrop St<\/p>\n
Galveston Rd and Allendale Rd<\/p>\n
Galveston Rd and Brookglen Dr<\/p>\n
Houston Ave and Lubbock St<\/p>\n
Officials say flooding was already being reported Thursday at the underpass at Navigation near Franklin in East Downtown Houston.<\/p>\n
Brian Mason, of the Houston Office of Emergency Management, says the city\u2019s road infrastructure presents an ongoing challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe real solution is, if we were building roads from scratch, we\u2019d build them higher instead of using underpasses \u2014 but we have what we have, so we\u2019re doing the best we can,\u201d Mason said.<\/p>\n
Beyond the five gated roads, he says Houston Police and Fire personnel can block off up to 40 additional intersections using temporary barriers when conditions warrant. First responders make those calls in real time, based on conditions on the ground.<\/p>\n
Officials say the biggest mistake drivers make is going around those barricades. Even a small amount of water can stall a car or sweep it away entirely.<\/p>\n
Underpasses are especially dangerous during heavy rain because they sit lower than the surrounding roadway, meaning water collects there first. <\/p>\n
Most major underpasses are equipped with depth markers \u2014 and officials warn that if water is visible on the gauge at all, it is already too deep to drive through safely.<\/p>\n
In heavy downpours, Houston\u2019s drainage systems can struggle to keep pace, and water levels can rise faster than drivers realize.<\/p>\n
Mason says patience after a storm can make a significant difference in safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not uncommon to get two to three inches of rain in an hour \u2014 and that overwhelms the drainage system,\u201d Mason said. \u201cIf you can wait about 30 minutes after the rain stops, a lot of that water will drain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once a car gets stuck or begins to float, officials say it quickly becomes a rescue situation \u2014 putting first responders at risk alongside drivers.<\/p>\n
Mason says there is a long-term plan to add more flood gates across Houston. In the meantime, some existing gates have been damaged or stolen, making temporary barricades a more dependable short-term solution.<\/p>\n
Drivers are urged to check road conditions before heading out and to take detours rather than attempting to drive through standing water.<\/p>\n
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