The Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project, a project of the Harris County Flood Control District in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, includes 19.3 miles of bayou enlargements and environmental enhancements along Sims Bayou from the Houston Ship Channel to Croquet Lane, just west of South Post Oak Road. The project requires the replacement or modification of 22 bridges, 17 of which are complete. As the local sponsor, the Flood Control District has been responsible for property acquisition, utility relocation and the modification/replacement of the bridges that cross Sims Bayou.
The final four road bridges that will be reconstructed cross Sims Bayou at Heatherbrook Drive, Croquet Lane, Hiram Clarke Road and South Post Oak Road. The reconstruction of the Buxley Street Pedestrian Bridge also is included in the project. The bridges have been designed and will be constructed to minimize obstruction to the flow of stormwater in Sims Bayou.
The Flood Control District will communicate construction and bridge closure schedules to the media and to the public in advance of each phase of the project. Motorists are encouraged to be alert, to pay attention to all posted street and lane closures and to follow traffic detours in the area.
Construction on the Heatherbrook bridge began on June 1, 2011. While the Heatherbrook bridge is closed to all through traffic, motorists can detour via Croquet, Amble Lane and Darlinghurst Drive. In early April 2012, weather and schedule permitting, the construction on the Heatherbrook bridge will be completed and the bridge will re-open to traffic. At that time, construction will begin on the Croquet bridge and is anticipated to last approximately four-to-five months. Traffic will detour around the Croquet bridge closure via Heatherbrook, Amble and Darlinghurst.
Construction on the Buxley pedestrian bridge began on January 12, 2012. The 40-plus-year-old wooden pedestrian bridge crosses Sims Bayou at the end of Buxley, just south of the intersection of Buxley and Simsbrook Drive. It will be replaced with a concrete and pre-fabricated steel bridge structure. There will be no alternative pedestrian bridge crossing during the estimated 3-month construction phase. The Flood Control District is working with the Houston Independent School District to provide bussing for students who use the bridge for the duration of the project.
Construction on the Hiram Clarke bridge began on January 23, 2012. The 14-month project will be carried out in three phases, and different sections of the road bridges will close and reopen as construction progresses. During the first construction phase, the two-lane northbound road bridge will be closed and all traffic will detour to the two-lane southbound bridge. Traffic will run one lane in each direction on the southbound bridge between Tiffany Drive and Simsbrook for approximately six months. When the first phase is complete, traffic will shift to the outside lanes of each bridge with one lane open in each direction between Tiffany and Simsbrook. The inside lanes of each bridge will be closed for approximately two-to-three months. During the third and final phase of construction, the two-lane southbound bridge will be closed and all traffic will detour to the newly-constructed northbound road bridge. Traffic will run one lane in each direction on the northbound bridge for approximately six months.
Construction on the South Post Oak Bridge is expected to begin in May 2012. Please check back later for information about upcoming bridge construction work at South Post Oak and associated lane closures and detours.
