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Katy-area neighborhood residents doubt Clay Road will stop flooding after expansion
LakeHouse subdivision residents said they can’t leave their neighborhood when it rains. Local leaders said they’re doing what they can to make sure they can.
WALLER COUNTY, Texas — Residents of the LakeHouse subdivision just outside Katy said they’re worried because, thanks to new construction on the one road leading in and out of their neighborhood, they get flooded in when it rains.
Bryan Parks, one of the residents of the Waller County community, said the road never used to flood.
Recently, when construction began on Clay Road to expand it from a two-lane to a four-lane road, no one noticed a problem because of the drought, however, last week, every time it rained, Clay Road was covered in water.
Vehicles, including school buses, were unable to pass. Residents worry that during an emergency, including a hurricane, residents will be stranded.
On Tuesday, Waller County Pct. 3 Commissioner Kendric Jones, along with engineers, met with concerned residents to discuss solutions.
According to Jones, once the construction on Clay Road is complete, it’s not expected to flood. The solutions that will be put into place include a pump to clear water from the road and stakes placed along the roadway so drivers can see where the road is if it’s covered in water. These solutions are meant to be temporary, Jones said, to protect residents in the interim while construction is complete which could be two to three months.
“That way this community can feel safe and feel protected and feel like if an emergency was to happen, they can get in and out of their homes,” Jones said.
The road is being expanded to keep up with a growing county. Thousands of homes now stand in this area, which used to be rural. It’s important that infrastructure keeps up, Jones said.
However, the new road is noticeably lower than the old one. One of many concerns that resident Bryan Parks noted. Even after attending Tuesday’s meeting, he’s not convinced the completed road won’t flood.
“The contractors who are building this road are hands off at the (Harris) County line,” Parks said. “They don’t care what’s happening beyond that.”
Part of the challenge is that the LakeHouse subdivision backs up to the Harris County line. The Harris County side is higher than Waller’s side and Parks wonders where pooling water is expected to go.
Jones said Harris County has already committed to help find a solution if needed.