CITY OF KATY (Covering Katy News)—The Katy City Council on Monday authorized $2.9 million for drainage and paving improvements to 3rd Street between Airline Drive and Katyland Drive.
The improvements include installing new storm sewer pipes ranging from 24 to 60 inches in diameter and repaving 3rd Street from Airline Drive to Katyland Drive. The project also involves installing new 6-by-4-foot box culverts from Drexel Drive to Katyland Drive.
David Kasper, senior project manager and principal for ARKK Engineers, the city’s engineering firm, said the project is scheduled to begin in December and be completed by May 2025.
The project will be funded through a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Both Dan Smith and Janet Corte, who represent Ward A, where the work will take place, expressed their satisfaction that the funding comes from a grant rather than the city budget.
“Any time we can do a great project like this and it’s not coming out of our residents’ pockets, it’s a big win,” Smith said.
ARPA grant funds are provided by the federal government and come from federal tax revenue paid by all, but not local taxes paid only by Katy residents.
Corte noted that the project has been in the works for some time, especially as entertainment venues are being developed in the area as part of a planned Katy Entertainment District.
“We’ve been looking at that and talking about doing some improvements for quite a while because there was so much activity out there,” Corte said. “That road is very narrow, and we’ve got trucks and cars constantly going up and down.”
Smith added that a West Katy drainage project is also being planned for next year.
“This definitely will not be the last project, and the West Katy project is in the proposed budget,” Smith said. “We still need to pass that, and it’s a little further down the road before that project happens. But it’s very much on the radar.”
Both Corte and Smith said constituents have made it clear that drainage is a top priority.
“This area (3rd Street) is no exception, so we are definitely happy to see some major improvements," Smith said.
Kasper said the city received eight bids for the 3rd Street project, with AR Turnkee Construction of Houston submitting the low bid.